tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89789131632331011102024-03-19T04:43:42.106-07:00Jason and Swiss's Round the World (RTW) BlogOur trip around the world. Feel free to follow, share, and leave recommendations.Jason and Swisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03719862439741940655noreply@blogger.comBlogger76110tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8978913163233101110.post-68098688311341272492010-10-25T17:48:00.000-07:002010-10-25T17:48:16.397-07:00Is this thing still on!?October 17th, 2010, by Jason<br />
<br />
Alright, time for one final post, although possibly a bit late (OK, really late.) As an engineer I love numbers (and I’m safe in saying that Swiss enjoys having data and numbers too.) Knowing that we both want to help other people take a similar journey if they’re so inclined the first thing I decided to investigate were our total costs for the year and breakdown our average daily costs. We both finished the trip having spent less than our budgeted maximum and below I have our three most expensive and least expensive countries (on a daily average basis.)<br />
<br />
<table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="width: 288px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="118"></td> <td valign="top" width="168">Average Daily Cost (USD)</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="119">1. Jordan</td> <td valign="top" width="167">$110.22</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="120">2. Australia</td> <td valign="top" width="167">$85.97</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="120">3. Japan</td> <td valign="top" width="167">$78.06</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="120">…</td> <td valign="top" width="167"></td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="120">17. India</td> <td valign="top" width="167">$26.80</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="120">18. Vietnam</td> <td valign="top" width="167">$26.33</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="120">19. Laos</td> <td valign="top" width="167">$26.28</td> </tr>
</tbody></table><br />
While some of these top entries were not surprising (we knew that Japan and Australia were going to be relatively expensive countries) Jordan was a bit unexpected, and significantly more than neighboring Egypt (which came in at $32.49/day.) While a last minute flight purchase does artificially inflate the price (Jordan was never in our original plans) removing the flight purchase brings the average daily cost down to ~$50/day, still significantly more than Egypt. Looking back I wouldn’t change a thing though and I’m so happy we were able to visit <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/sets/72157623983724416/" target="_blank">Petra</a> and <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/sets/72157624010660966/" target="_blank">Amman</a>!<br />
<br />
On the other end of the spectrum, I don’t think there are any surprises there with India, Vietnam and Laos being known around the world as inexpensive (and beautiful) destinations for backpackers and other travelers alike. In total we visited 19 countries and 11 of them had daily average costs below $40/day (actually 12 countries if I remove my Spanish course from the numbers for Bolivia.) Proof again that with a little planning and thriftiness (and a good airline deal) inexpensive long term travel is an achievable goal! If you'd like, take a look at our <a href="https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AljPzNNV0GT-dG9XVXlkeWJHTEFmRmRxSUxMTExvaEE&hl=en">complete list</a> of daily costs in each country.<br />
<br />
<strong>Lodging</strong><br />
Of course after transportation, lodging is one of the next highest costs for a journey like this. We did everything we could to stay in inexpensive places in most locations (our main requirements were the generally safety of the lodging and some level or standard of cleanliness of the accommodation.) Truth be told there are a lot of quality options out there in the budget range and a lot of honest people trying to provide safe, clean and inexpensive lodging to budget travelers around the world, something we took advantage of and really did appreciate! In the end we stayed at 93 unique places over the course of the year, the breakdown below:<br />
<br />
<table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="width: 165px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="123">Guest Houses</td> <td valign="top" width="40">41</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="123">Hostels</td> <td valign="top" width="40">33</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="123">Hotels</td> <td valign="top" width="40">15</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="123">Campervans</td> <td valign="top" width="40">2</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="123">Private Apartments</td> <td valign="top" width="40">1</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="123">Guest Suites</td> <td valign="top" width="40">1</td> </tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The private apartment we can attribute to arriving in Jordan at 9pm without a reservation and also arriving on a national holiday in a very busy domestic holiday destination. Oh well, sleeping on a roof that night probably would’ve looked better on the chart above :) And of course we’ll never forget our amazing stay in the guest suite at the Nath residence in Delhi, another huge thank you to the Nath family for their amazing hospitality.<br />
<br />
In general the guest house was a mainstay of Southeast Asia and parts of South America, while the hostel is a standard style of budget lodging in Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan and also South America. Either way Hostelworld.com is a great resource for online booking in many of the countries that we visited, although unless it’s high season you don’t have to book ahead across most parts of Southeast Asia where plenty of options are available almost everywhere.<br />
<br />
<b>Visas</b><br />
Alright, here is what turned out to be one of the biggest hidden costs for the trip (especially so for Americans traveling on US passports! Well, most of us...) So running through the countries, New Zealand is a free visa on arrival, Australia was our first Visa in advance but it can be done entirely online and only costs 20 USD. Indonesia is a 15USD entry visa on arrival (don't forget to have cash - $15-ish - for the exit fee too!) Singapore and Malaysia are both free visa on arrival, 90 days for each. Thailand was an interesting one, visitors receive a 30 day visa on arrival at the airport but only a 15 day visa when arriving over land, so prepare appropriately (although free at least.) Tip: If coming over land from Malaysia, consider getting a free 60 day Thai visa in <a href="http://www.jasonswissrtw.com/2009/10/penanging-it.html">Penang</a> ahead of time. Laos and Cambodia were also Visa on arrival but with a slow and complex application process, so plan on an hour or two to get across the border, and be prepared with $25-40 USD (and believe me, they like US Dollars.) After that was Vietnam, our first country were a Visa on Arrival was not possible (at least for US citizens) so we stopped by the Vietnamese Embassy in Bangkok and left our passports behind for a few days while they issued our visas (62 USD)<br />
<br />
Next up was Hong Kong, which is a 90 day free visa on arrival for US citizens (remember that Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region, SAR, with separate immigration laws from mainland China.) On the other hand China does not issue visas on arrival and so we picked up a Chinese Visa at the consulate in Ho Chi Minh City for the low low price of $130 USD. Of course we cannot complain as that visa fee is a reciprocal charge in line with what the US government charges Chinese citizens. Also, our visa was single entry and 30 days only (they're very strict on the 30 day rule) so plan to go to Hong Kong at the start or end of your visit to China, but don't plan on crossing over into Hong Kong and then back into China. Up next was Japan, another free 90 day visa on arrival for US citizens. Followed next by India, a $110 6 month multi-entry visa that we picked up at the Indian Consulate in Shanghai. I think we covered that one well enough, but remember that they've outsourced the process and so plan plenty of time to acquire that visa.<br />
<br />
Egypt was a visa on arrival, about 15 USD. Jordan is also a visa on arrival, about 15 USD. Next up was the expensive portion of the trip for US citizens, South America. Apparently we charge a lot for their folks to come up here, so they charge us the same to travel down there. Brazil turned out to be 160 USD (get well in advance, NOT issued on arrival...but 5 year multi-entry!) Argentina is 135 USD if you fly into the country, although land borders are not yet setup to charge US citizens, entering Argentina over land is still free (as of June 2010) for US citizens. Bolivia was 135 USD for a visa, issued on arrival (and valid for 5 years) while Peru is a hold out and the most tourist friendly, granting a free visa on arrival (although there is a 31 USD departure tax.)<br />
<br />
Moral of the story, if you can get your hands (legally) on something other than a US passport, you can save a significant amount of money. In total I spent about $725 on <a href="https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AljPzNNV0GT-dG9XVXlkeWJHTEFmRmRxSUxMTExvaEE&hl=en">entry visas</a> during the trip, a real hidden cost that we were not anticipating to be that high, and in the case of Vietnam, China, India and Brazil be sure to plan ahead as you'll need to visit a consulate or visa to get one before arrival. Swiss was luckily able to save about $295 by using his Swiss passport in South America. Ergo, if you have dual citizenship, do your homework and see which passport makes the most sense for each of the countries you're visiting. [<u>Disclaimer:</u> This information is valid as of June 2010 and is always subject to change at a moments notice, always check with the nearest destination country consulate or embassy, along with the <a href="http://travel.state.gov/">US State Dept. website</a> for the latest travel and entry/exit requirements.]<br />
<br />
<br />
<table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="width: 400px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="100"><br />
<br />
<strong>Country</strong></td> <td valign="top" width="90"><strong>Visa Issue</strong></td> <td valign="top" width="90"><strong>Cost</strong></td> <td valign="top" width="120"><strong>Visa Period (Days)</strong></td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="100">New Zealand</td> <td valign="top" width="90">On Arrival</td> <td valign="top" width="90">$0</td> <td valign="top" width="120">90 days</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="100">Australia</td> <td valign="top" width="90">Advance</td> <td valign="top" width="90">$20</td> <td valign="top" width="120">90 days</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="100">Singapore</td> <td valign="top" width="90">On Arrival</td> <td valign="top" width="90">$0</td> <td valign="top" width="120">90 days</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="100">Indonesia</td> <td valign="top" width="90">On Arrival</td> <td valign="top" width="90">$15</td> <td valign="top" width="120">10 days</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="100">Malaysia</td> <td valign="top" width="90">On Arrival</td> <td valign="top" width="90">$0</td> <td valign="top" width="120">90 days</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="100">Thailand</td> <td valign="top" width="90">On Arrival</td> <td valign="top" width="90">$0</td> <td valign="top" width="120">15 (land) / 30 (airport) / 60 (Penang, Malaysia)</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="100">Laos</td> <td valign="top" width="90">On Arrival</td> <td valign="top" width="90">$35</td> <td valign="top" width="120">30 days</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="100">Cambodia</td> <td valign="top" width="90">On Arrival</td> <td valign="top" width="90">$25</td> <td valign="top" width="120">30 days</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="100">Vietnam</td> <td valign="top" width="90">Advance</td> <td valign="top" width="90">$62</td> <td valign="top" width="120">30 days</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="100">Hong Kong</td> <td valign="top" width="90">On Arrival</td> <td valign="top" width="90">$0</td> <td valign="top" width="120">90 days</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="100">China</td> <td valign="top" width="90">Advance</td> <td valign="top" width="90">$130</td> <td valign="top" width="120">30 days</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="100">Japan</td> <td valign="top" width="90">On Arrival</td> <td valign="top" width="90">$0</td> <td valign="top" width="120">90 days</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="100">India</td> <td valign="top" width="90">Advance</td> <td valign="top" width="90">$110</td> <td valign="top" width="120">180 days</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="100">Egypt</td> <td valign="top" width="90">On Arrival</td> <td valign="top" width="90">$15</td> <td valign="top" width="120">30 days</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="100">Jordan</td> <td valign="top" width="90">On Arrival</td> <td valign="top" width="90">$15</td> <td valign="top" width="120">30 days</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="100">Brazil</td> <td valign="top" width="90">Advance</td> <td valign="top" width="90">$160</td> <td valign="top" width="120">5 years, multi-entry</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="100">Argentina</td> <td valign="top" width="90">On Arrival</td> <td valign="top" width="90">$135 (airport) / $0 (over land)</td> <td valign="top" width="120">90 days (10 years multi-entry if you pay the fee)</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="100">Bolivia</td> <td valign="top" width="90">On Arrival</td> <td valign="top" width="90">$135</td> <td valign="top" width="120">5 years</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="100">Peru</td> <td valign="top" width="90">On Arrival</td> <td valign="top" width="90">$0</td> <td valign="top" width="120">90 days</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="100"></td> <td valign="top" width="90"></td> <td valign="top" width="90"></td> <td valign="top" width="120"></td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="100"><strong>Total</strong></td> <td valign="top" width="90"></td> <td valign="top" width="90"><strong>$722</strong></td> <td valign="top" width="120"></td> </tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<strong>Transportation</strong><br />
The last category to look at involves our most expensive single cost, transportation. Airfare turned out to be our single largest expense for the trip, somewhere around roughly $7000 over the course of the year. First, let me show you the numbers:<br />
<br />
<table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="width: 401px;"><tbody>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="133"></td> <td valign="top" width="133">How many segments?</td> <td valign="top" width="133">Distance (miles)</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="133">Bus</td> <td valign="top" width="133">43</td> <td valign="top" width="133">10,603</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="133">Campervan</td> <td valign="top" width="133">7</td> <td valign="top" width="133">1,676</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="133">Car</td> <td valign="top" width="133">4</td> <td valign="top" width="133">833</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="133">Ferry</td> <td valign="top" width="133">12</td> <td valign="top" width="133">500</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="133">Minivan</td> <td valign="top" width="133">7</td> <td valign="top" width="133">354</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="133">Plane</td> <td valign="top" width="133">29</td> <td valign="top" width="133">45,213</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="133">Train</td> <td valign="top" width="133">14</td> <td valign="top" width="133">4,272</td> </tr>
<tr> <td valign="top" width="133"><strong>Grand Total</strong></td> <td valign="top" width="133">116</td> <td valign="top" width="133">63,451</td> </tr>
</tbody></table><br />
To put that into perspective, the distance between New York and Los Angeles (as the bird flies) is 2,468 miles and the circumference of the Earth (at the equator) is 24,901 miles…so I guess we technically went around the world about 2.5 times?! <br />
<br />
Looking back at things about 3 months after our return home it was one hell of an amazing experience. We had a number of memorable encounters with beautiful and friendly people all around the planet, some people that we’ll never see again and some that I stay in contact with to this day.<br />
<br />
While culture, tradition, national borders and religion may seem on the surface to separate us, in the end we found that people everywhere, no matter their background, just want to run their business or do their job, provide a better life for their family and children and try to find some happiness and joy in their daily existence. While we all have different ways of going about it, all in all I’d say it’s not much different from life here in the US.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16107969339140322691noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8978913163233101110.post-50897432514127731232010-07-15T09:48:00.000-07:002010-07-15T09:48:29.969-07:00RTW Travel Tips / Lessons LearnedDexter MI - July 15, 2010 <i>(by Swiss)</i><br />
<br />
Ok, so I lied. While I intended the last post I wrote to indeed be the last one of this series, it occured to us that it might be a good idea to summarize our "lessons learned" for folks who may want to consider to do a similar trip in the future. So below are some of our tips, although it's by no means a comprehensive list. Happy travels!<br />
<br />
<b>What to Pack?</b><br />
Rule #1: The smaller your pack, the less you will bring. Pretty simple. So avoid buying too large of a pack, as you will end up finding a way to fill it. I had a 70 liter pack, Jason had a 90 liter pack, and we both could have done with smaller packs. To give a weight range, we've met travelers with luggage ranging from 8 to well over 20 kgs. My fully packed 70 liter pack weighed in around 12.5 kgs, Jason's fully loaded pack hovered around 18 kgs. Trust me, light is good. Also, a nice daypack is a must, especially if you stay at a seedy place and want to keep you valuables with you. We both used Northface hydro-packs (removing the bladder), and they were a perfect size.<br />
<br />
Listed below are some items to consider.<br />
<br />
<u>Bring:</u><br />
Powerstrip - Many hostels rooms have limited power outlets. Bring a strip, which allows you to charge your electronics concurrently while avoiding the need for multiple power adapters. It can also serve as an extension cord.<br />
<br />
Convertible pants - These are pants with a zipper around knee-level that allow you to remove the lower portion of the pants and thus convert them into shorts. Most outdoor stores will have them. They tend to be quick-drying and have multiple pockets. Look for a model with zippered pockets to stash your cash.<br />
<br />
Exofficio Underwear - <a href="http://www.exofficio.com/">http://www.exofficio.com/</a> , these are awesome. 'Nuff said.<br />
<br />
Small bottle of detergent - You will likely be doing some laundry in the sink/shower. A small bottle of laundry detergent will come in handy while taking up little space. It can be re-filled on the road as needed. Also consider bringing a universal drain plug.<br />
<br />
Shampoo/Bodywash combo - Why carry two bottles if you can have all of it in one? Shampoo/Bodywash combo bottles rock. They are a bit harder to find on the road, so start with a big one if you can.<br />
<br />
Torch/Flashlight - A no-brainer, but don't forget this. Power outages do occur, as do dark hostel rooms when you want to read a bit.<br />
<br />
Small organizer for passports, SIM cards, cash, and other important documents. Nice to have it all in one place.<br />
<br />
A couple of packs of tissues - use as TP, napkings, etc. Can buy cheaply on the road, so don't bring too many.<br />
<br />
Passport photos - You will need them for some visas. They can easily be made in larger asian cities for a fraction of the US price, but it helps to have some on hand just in case.<br />
<br />
Ear plugs - Snorers and loud buses are your enemy. If you know somebody who works in a manufacturing environment, ask them to score you a couple of packs. Ear plugs are a ripoff in stores.<br />
<br />
Unlocked GSM phone - See communication section below for details<br />
<br />
<u>Don't bring:</u><br />
Microfiber towel - While nice in concept, we've found they start to smell after a while. And once they smell, you can't get the smell out. I mean, you can wash them, and they will smell fine, but after one use it's right back to that mouldy odor. Instead, bring a decent cotton towel. If it starts smelling, you can always toss it and buy a new one at very low cost. Trust me.<br />
<br />
<b>Transportation</b><br />
There are many ways to get around when on the road. We generally found that it's easiest to fly into and out of major hubs and figure out the smaller segments on the go. <br />
<br />
Good, cheap airlines to consider: Jetstar (Asia), Spicejet (India), Webjet (Brazil)<br />
<br />
In Brazil, you need a national ID to book flights online. We went to CVC, a Brazilian travel agency, to book our webjet flights. Their markup was almost nil; in fact, one of the fares they charged us was LESS than the online fare. <br />
<br />
A popular way to travel in India is via trains. <a href="http://Cleartrip.com/">Cleartrip.com</a> is a great site to book these ahead of time. And yes, they do fill up, so booking ahead is advisable. Some trains do have a "tourist quota", basically keep some last minute seats open for foreigners, if you ever happen to be in a pinch.<br />
<br />
Traveling by bus in South America is definitely an experience. We've found buses in Argentina and Peru (Flores in particular) to be the nicest. However, keep airlines in mind: spending 18+ hours on a bus will get tiring no matter how comfy your seat is, and there are some very good flight deals out there.<br />
<br />
If you're in New Zealand or Australia, a cheap way to get around is by doing car/camper relocations. <a href="http://www.standbycars.com/">www.standbycars.com</a> is a great aggregate site for deals, although you can contact the rental agencies directly as well. The downside is that they do give you limited time to complete the relo, so it's not a very good option if you want to go exploring a bunch on the way to your destination.<br />
<br />
<b>Communication</b><br />
Most countries we've visited run a GSM cell phone network (like ATT and T-Mobile in the US.) Bringing an unlocked GSM phone along is a great way to stay in touch. Unlocked phones (not tied to a carrier) can easily be found online. If you currently have ATT or T-mobile, request them to unlock your phone.<br />
<br />
SIM cards in Asia are cheap. For instance, we both bought SIM cards in Vietnam for around 5 bucks and they lasted well over 3 weeks. Plus, incoming calls are free, so your family can easily call you over the internet using services like Skype. Having a phone is handy not just to stay in touch with the fam, but also for booking guesthouses and staying in touch with other travelers while you're on the road.<br />
<br />
Skype is also very common, especially in heavily traveled areas. Set up an account to call your home country for cheap. Many internet cafes have skype software installed.<br />
<br />
<b>Financial</b><br />
It's advisable to keep some US dollars (100 bucks or so) on hand for incidental costs, visas, and departure fees. If possible, try having some smaller bills as well (ones, fives, tens.) We found some ATMs in Cambodia, Bolivia, and Peru do dispense in US dollars if you need to re-build your stash. <br />
<br />
Most towns we visited did have ATMs, though we didn't stray too far off the beaten path. Consult guide books and fellow travelers to find out what the ATM situation at your destination may be and bulk up on cash as needed. <br />
<br />
Jason used an online Fidelity checking account to keep his cash, which worked very well for him. They re-imburse your ATM fees, a handy feature if you're traveling abroad. Fees do add up quickly, so this is a worthwhile consideration for long term travelers.<br />
<br />
While we didn't use our credit cards that much, Capital One apparently offers a fee-free international credit card. Neither of us got one, but it's something to consider especially if traveling in developed areas.<br />
<br />
<b>Insurance</b><br />
Both of us signed up with HCC medical, which for around 400 bucks covered us in case something bad would happen. Luckily, injuries were only minor and we didn't have to use their services. There are sites out there comparing plans, so do your homework.<br />
<br />
<b>Gadgets</b><br />
Yes, we're both geeks and brought netbooks with us. This was in part to allow for blog writing, as well as to back up/upload pictures (our total picture tally, btw, was around 11,000 pictures.) We used Asus eee 900/901 computers with solid state drives, and while slow, they did the trick. You would be surprised how much free wifi you can find around the world, so having a small computer on hand can be handy. This is especially true in hostels where people flock to the shared computers. It can also be handy for your Skype users out there.<br />
<br />
An alternative to bringing a full computer is to bring an iPhone/iPod touch or wifi enabled smartphone. While not as versatile as a full computer (backing up pictures was a must feature for us), they can be very handy for checking email and using skype to call home. Again, you would be surprised how many wifi hotspots one can find.<br />
<br />
<b>Visas</b><br />
Check prices, they can be expensive and hit us a bit of a hidden cost. South America in particular can be pricey for US citizens. If you are a dual citizen, consider bringing your other passport (I saved around 400 bucks in South America alone by using my Swiss passport.) The reason for this cost, btw, is because the US charges foreigners 135 bucks for a visa, so a bunch of countries are just returning the favor.<br />
<br />
Oh, and if you plan on going to Argentina as a US citizen, try to avoid flying into Buenos Aires. While Argentina doesn't require a visa, they do charge an airport arrival/reciprocity fee for US citizens. How much is that fee? You guessed it, $135. Since we entered Argentina by land (near Puerto Iguazu), Jason didn't have to pay the fee. This may change in the future, of course. But something to consider :)<br />
<br />
<b>Lodging</b><br />
Lodging availability and quality range widely. We found that recos in guide books were hit or miss. In New Zealand, BBH publishes a great listing of hostels with, in our experience, very representative ratings. Also, if you plan to spend a bit of time there, consider getting a membership as it will pay for itself quite quickly.<br />
<br />
The other most common site we used for booking hostels around the world is <a href="http://Hostelworld.com/">Hostelworld.com</a>. See if you can score a gold membership as that will save you the $2 reservation fee when booking online.<br />
<br />
<b>Guides</b><br />
My last tidbit is on guide books. Although we experiemented with a "Rough Guide" in China, we generally relied on Lonely Planets due to their information and layout. Besides the usual activity stuff, they are quite helpful in providing a basic map of your destination and usually have good info on bus/train routes with approximate fares. We did have the opportunity to exchange them along the way, and even got two of them gifted to us by fellow travelers. So don't buy all of them in advance unless you feel like lugging all that weight along.<br />
<br />
An alternative to the LPs, for some destinations at least, was <a href="http://wikitravel.org/">wikitravel.org</a>. While a bit hit or miss in terms of content, there were numerous helpful articles for a variety of our destinations. Definitely worth taking a look, especially given the price (free.)<br />
<br />
Safe and happy travels to all!<br />
<br />
/Over and out :)Swisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13257087659483700434noreply@blogger.com50tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8978913163233101110.post-230049730525881302010-07-07T09:28:00.001-07:002010-07-07T09:28:11.514-07:00The end of the road…<p>June 30th –> July 7th, 2010 by Jason</p> <p>Wow, it’s hard to imagine but this is it…years of saving and planning, random hostels, travel agencies, taxis, buses, planes and trains and of course so many new friends all around the world…and just under 11 months of travel are nearly over!</p> <p>After Cusco we wanted to see at least one other town in Peru, but with a goal of keeping towards Lima as we work to catch our flight home. We boarded our bus to Arequipa just after 8.30pm Tuesday night and settled in for a nice 8 hr journey to Arequipa. We had large comfy seats and they even served a small dinner of grilled chicken with rice and potatoes (not bad either, although what’s the deal with 2 starches with dinner?!) We arrived in Arequipa about 45 minutes late, at about 5.45am. We grabbed our bags and booked a ticket to Lima for Saturday night and then hauled next door to the other bus station (that’s right, 2 different bus stations right next to one another!) and met the owners of our hostel for a free ride to their place! We checked into <u>Arequipay Backpackers</u> which is a little bit out of downtown but offers a nice, quiet place to hang out for a few days! A quick shower and a nice breakfast before Swiss spent the morning getting his last post to the blog posted.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqNpUcIFI/AAAAAAAAErQ/evNz0VXelqk/s1600-h/P63002584.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6300258" border="0" alt="P6300258" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqOM7BtWI/AAAAAAAAErU/PqMKOXRUqCU/P6300258_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> </p> <p>We were pretty wiped out by the long bus ride so we decided to head towards the center of Cayma, the small zone we’re staying in. We grabbed some delicious roasted chicken for lunch then decided to watch <u>The A-Team</u> which was playing at the local cinema…that’s right the motivation to do any sightseeing is waining! Hey, at least we tried the local cola at lunch!!</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqOgWTrzI/AAAAAAAAErY/O64HV1GYNt8/s1600-h/P63002614.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6300261" border="0" alt="P6300261" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqPJdMFtI/AAAAAAAAErc/est1Mu7YZGw/P6300261_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p>We eventually found the local supermarket, which was hiding 2 floors below the movie theatre, as it turns out, and bought some food for dinner. We headed home so I could get caught up on photos online (there’s no time to do that when I get home, I’m pretty sure my mom already has a list of things for me to do!) and made a tasty dinner. I headed up to bed early to catch some sleep!</p> <p><strong>Chemically cooked fish, yum!</strong></p> <p>So Thursday we decided to head into town and do some sight-seeing. A quick walk around Plaza de Armas and it was off for some <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceviche" target="_blank">ceviche</a>! If you haven’t had it before it’s very tasty citrus marinated fish or seafood and they do it especially well here in Peru (some claim that it was created here, but since there was no citrus here until after the Spanish invaded, it may have been done but certainly not in it’s current form.) This place was delicious, but of course we’ll have to compare it to a place in Lima before we go!!</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqPsvpGII/AAAAAAAAErg/ubtbKOukKIs/s1600-h/P70102654.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7010265" border="0" alt="P7010265" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqQIuUUnI/AAAAAAAAErk/LKD0VzDrgU0/P7010265_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqQsuLXBI/AAAAAAAAEro/GGZdw-KJDok/s1600-h/P70102674.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7010267" border="0" alt="P7010267" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqRVILVRI/AAAAAAAAErs/R5h24FSBSXA/P7010267_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqSEcce_I/AAAAAAAAErw/zwjqitMVucw/s1600-h/P70102744.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7010274" border="0" alt="P7010274" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqS7CohzI/AAAAAAAAEr0/21WCk087OHw/P7010274_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqTTrmKVI/AAAAAAAAEr4/YIR0zYJequc/s1600-h/P70102784.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7010278" border="0" alt="P7010278" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqT-mztQI/AAAAAAAAEr8/YwV-zv8XJTk/P7010278_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> </p> <p>After lunch we headed over to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Catalina_Monastery" target="_blank">Santa Catalina Monastery</a>, one of the larger and most famous sights in Arequipa, and the star attraction of the historic center’s UNESCO World Heritage status. We spent a good 2+ plus hours there wandering the streets and various rooms and “cells” (their word, not mine) where the nuns used to live. The place is literally a city within a city with multiple streets and used to serve as a center of education for the local poor hundreds of years ago. Enjoy some pics:</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqUF7M-ZI/AAAAAAAAEsA/xQw88OwOihs/s1600-h/P70102864.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7010286" border="0" alt="P7010286" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqUsCj9bI/AAAAAAAAEsE/em3CCUcYvx8/P7010286_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqVPFTvGI/AAAAAAAAEsI/8v_sFM39_bM/s1600-h/P70102904.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7010290" border="0" alt="P7010290" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqVw-oSvI/AAAAAAAAEsM/BOwiAZnYaDs/P7010290_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqWNSgQdI/AAAAAAAAEsQ/ms24DtEKNVs/s1600-h/P70102914.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7010291" border="0" alt="P7010291" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqXdUoFJI/AAAAAAAAEsU/QzgEo0oLY74/P7010291_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqX4ZRFoI/AAAAAAAAEsY/gLIMojmwa_Y/s1600-h/P70102934.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7010293" border="0" alt="P7010293" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqYYxyz2I/AAAAAAAAEsc/oct6FF5wGqQ/P7010293_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqY4pyIWI/AAAAAAAAEsg/qBxLbKx99vs/s1600-h/P70102964.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7010296" border="0" alt="P7010296" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqZllOGlI/AAAAAAAAEsk/FK0Y9gPx4c0/P7010296_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqaPir7zI/AAAAAAAAEso/q8rXJtVsXM0/s1600-h/P70103014.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7010301" border="0" alt="P7010301" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqapbCwrI/AAAAAAAAEss/6GQDvTU_h1w/P7010301_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqbCX69-I/AAAAAAAAEsw/uWUG1caQL-A/s1600-h/P70103044.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7010304" border="0" alt="P7010304" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqbn0R2DI/AAAAAAAAEs0/WgGWRXIaaB4/P7010304_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqcDs0VOI/AAAAAAAAEs4/tX80o1SGy9s/s1600-h/P70103095.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7010309" border="0" alt="P7010309" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqcgArkSI/AAAAAAAAEs8/qKgP1J6OTnw/P7010309_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqdM4gXsI/AAAAAAAAEtA/eRmZHH7nql0/s1600-h/P70103104.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7010310" border="0" alt="P7010310" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqdu6Xz_I/AAAAAAAAEtE/ymFQPu80zsU/P7010310_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqef_8iqI/AAAAAAAAEtI/YQgecAIRFvQ/s1600-h/P70103134.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7010313" border="0" alt="P7010313" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqe2YQWXI/AAAAAAAAEtM/yNQ0WwuV_UQ/P7010313_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqfGSGkQI/AAAAAAAAEtQ/KRU-gvUO_O4/s1600-h/IMG_03294.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_0329" border="0" alt="IMG_0329" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqf4izuzI/AAAAAAAAEtU/yip1TJFrGg4/IMG_0329_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>It really is a beautiful place and well worth a visit when you’re here in Arequipa, despite it’s high admission price (S/30 or 10 USD.)  A quick stop at the grocery store to grab a few supplies for lunch tomorrow (there are some big World Cup games to be enjoyed!) and we headed home to order a pizza and watch some movies!</p> <p><strong>World Cup heats up</strong></p> <p>Well Friday was a big morning with the Holland/Brasil game kicking off at 9am here in Peru, and we had some Dutch people here to watch the game with us. I’m not going to lie, but we were pretty lazy. We cooked a little lunch and then enjoyed the extended Uruguay/Ghana match (man, that Ghana team loves going into extra time, eh?!) </p> <p>That night they were firing up the BBQ at our hostel (bring whatever you want to have cooked) and considering it’s the 4th of July weekend and I doubt the Hilton in Lima will have a grill where we can cook ourselves, we decided to make some burgers! The supermarkets here sell fresh pre-made patties that are really well-spiced, beef or chicken, your choice. </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqge5hM5I/AAAAAAAAEtY/Px3zrdTTzv8/s1600-h/P70203164.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7020316" border="0" alt="P7020316" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqg04vKjI/AAAAAAAAEtc/0KpVdx-uots/P7020316_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqhfG8TrI/AAAAAAAAEtg/CfR7FVvW6A4/s1600-h/P70203174.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7020317" border="0" alt="P7020317" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqhzS4LBI/AAAAAAAAEtk/4CoFUMg01mw/P7020317_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqiXnRoOI/AAAAAAAAEto/ggaDJgaxAV4/s1600-h/P70203194.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7020319" border="0" alt="P7020319" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqiwH4EgI/AAAAAAAAEts/-FFT8m-WjE4/P7020319_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqjXkDGMI/AAAAAAAAEtw/5ZNs_W6qz9Q/s1600-h/P70203204.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7020320" border="0" alt="P7020320" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqjzIA1CI/AAAAAAAAEt0/e2YRbmP8ZKI/P7020320_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>After dinner it was time to enjoy a movie in the nice room you see above!</p> <p><strong>All aboard for our final city</strong></p> <p>Yes, Saturday was another World Cup today and I won’t lie, we enjoyed the games. First up was Germany vs Argentina, followed by Spain vs Paraguay. After those matches it left 3 European teams and only 1 S. American team in the semi-finals. We cooked a little lunch, the last of our cooking on this trip and hopped in a cab around 4.30pm to get over to the Flores bus terminal. We boarded the 6pm Dorado VIP Direct bus to Lima. Lots of buses in South America claim to be “cama” which means bed…but this was our first seat that was a true lie flat bed.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqkaV2ZMI/AAAAAAAAEt4/99SJA8-xRgg/s1600-h/P70303254.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7030325" border="0" alt="P7030325" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqk8RpwEI/AAAAAAAAEt8/2i1EdnL8okE/P7030325_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqlt1deuI/AAAAAAAAEuA/E-6vJ-7XwL0/s1600-h/P70303274.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7030327" border="0" alt="P7030327" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqmOKN8mI/AAAAAAAAEuE/OK-JGzS9K2g/P7030327_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p>An attractive shot, eh? Well it was super comfortable. I generally can’t sleep on buses, but I managed a few hours rest on the 15 hour journey. The ride included a small but nice hot meal…and at a third of the price of Argentinean buses, I don’t know what all the fuss is over those buses down south, Peru has been pretty good! We arrived a few minutes early, just before 9am, to their small station in the La Victoria section of Lima. I spoke with our lovely attendant who told me that a taxi to Miraflores (the part of town where we’re staying) should be no more than 8 soles. Immediately off the bus the taxis wanting to rip us off (and in bed with the bus company) were offering us a ride for 15 soles and wouldn’t come down. We walked out into the street and the first taxi offered us a ride for 10 soles, which we gladly accepted. He didn’t know how exactly how to get to our hotel, but asking a few randoms on the street and he dropped us off at the Doubletree Hilton Lima. We checked into our room and relaxed and cleaned up after the long journey.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqmrCKe2I/AAAAAAAAEuI/-7CJSMb3nDY/s1600-h/P70403394.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7040339" border="0" alt="P7040339" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqnKxQK7I/AAAAAAAAEuM/U0H2kIhLyhs/P7040339_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> </p> <p>OK, we were hungry and we had one last mission to accomplish…and it was the 4th of July! So, we headed over to the McDonald’s a few blocks from our hotel…it doesn’t get more patriotic than that, eh!?</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqnjTQEPI/AAAAAAAAEuQ/sTmBfxq5PPE/s1600-h/P70403314.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7040331" border="0" alt="P7040331" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqociv-ZI/AAAAAAAAEuU/tjfolKxcs1A/P7040331_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> </p> <p>Swiss can now proudly say that a Big Mac tastes the same in every country we visited (that has at least one McDonald’s store) and there’s nothing more all-American than a burger on the 4th, right?! Well after all that grease it was time for a walk. As you can tell the weather isn’t all that great so we stayed local in Miraflores, and while quite a few things are also closed on Sundays we say a few sights, including Lima’s new bus line, only a month old from what we hear!</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqo9hWU3I/AAAAAAAAEuY/R3aqk0EXu6c/s1600-h/P70403334.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7040333" border="0" alt="P7040333" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqp5rqk4I/AAAAAAAAEug/mxwgK1yU4vQ/P7040333_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqqcZ-bSI/AAAAAAAAEuk/1VA-VPTBVts/s1600-h/P70403364.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7040336" border="0" alt="P7040336" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqq9BbomI/AAAAAAAAEuo/gPS5iOSNx2Q/P7040336_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqrQwM8FI/AAAAAAAAEus/0GX8JbLc7LI/s1600-h/P70403374.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7040337" border="0" alt="P7040337" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqrwW1XSI/AAAAAAAAEuw/mXLRO5iuPlo/P7040337_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqsTMlfZI/AAAAAAAAEu0/gQ_R3SXlZto/s1600-h/P70403384.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7040338" border="0" alt="P7040338" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqtJTswRI/AAAAAAAAEu4/GvIXW7MTwvw/P7040338_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>Swiss seemed to catch a bit of a cold or congestion after our bus journey so it was back to the hotel to relax and rest with DirecTV!</p> <p>We grabbed one of the tastiest sandwiches I’ve had in a while from a little roasted meats shop…the tasty roasted chicken with the amazing sauces were really really good!! Maybe that’s why the place was standing room only! Afterwards we hit up the hotel bar to enjoy our complimentary welcome drinks, some Pisco Sours!</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqteIN5QI/AAAAAAAAEu8/XMugTZRLCV0/s1600-h/P70403414.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7040341" border="0" alt="P7040341" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqt1N9S7I/AAAAAAAAEvA/vKODtlfLmL8/P7040341_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> </p> <p>The bar is on the 2nd level and opens below to a restaurant which has a nightly Peruvian cultural show/performance. We enjoyed the show and even got to meet “El Condor!” haha</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSquZI8tnI/AAAAAAAAEvE/hHUhxp98jyQ/s1600-h/P70403494.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7040349" border="0" alt="P7040349" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSquw5yTXI/AAAAAAAAEvI/JCx19MfPqq8/P7040349_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqvsxzREI/AAAAAAAAEvM/0BLNdTDNbSs/s1600-h/P70403535.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7040353" border="0" alt="P7040353" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqwElWrrI/AAAAAAAAEvQ/obND8fYlHhQ/P7040353_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqwptcGNI/AAAAAAAAEvU/gw0-OHaNV_c/s1600-h/P70403594.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7040359" border="0" alt="P7040359" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqxH1QAfI/AAAAAAAAEvY/8ew0D9Hqm70/P7040359_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqxt9uoeI/AAAAAAAAEvc/iLsydgnMT3U/s1600-h/P70403604.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7040360" border="0" alt="P7040360" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqyJJ6ywI/AAAAAAAAEvg/vHJlxfDKuTc/P7040360_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p><strong>A little Lima sightseeing</strong></p> <p>OK, so we’ve come all this way, we had to see at least a sight or two before leaving Lima…but that doesn’t mean we have to go far from our neighborhood! We could head to the historic center, but they don’t make it to easy here in Lima with no real public transit system. So, after breakfast we headed a little north to check out <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huaca_Pucllana" target="_blank">Huaca Pucllana</a>. An ancient site of a ceremonial structure built between 200-700 AD, it’s a beautiful complex that’s only been unearthed in the last 22 years and work continues even today. The 10 soles admission includes a free hour long tour of the site and we had an awesome guide that made it all worth it! Enjoy a few pictures:</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqyqrwjzI/AAAAAAAAEvk/9no_CEcW9J8/s1600-h/P70503624.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7050362" border="0" alt="P7050362" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqzO7fjPI/AAAAAAAAEvo/FFCry8VQU0w/P7050362_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSqz95zs2I/AAAAAAAAEvs/3-d1zM_8vDk/s1600-h/P70503634.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7050363" border="0" alt="P7050363" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSq0KS6QwI/AAAAAAAAEvw/go7kLsQ24_I/P7050363_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSq0gkDiwI/AAAAAAAAEv0/XbkKGhEsD-4/s1600-h/P70503654.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7050365" border="0" alt="P7050365" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSq1FQkDSI/AAAAAAAAEv4/BzUnKVbXNVQ/P7050365_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSq1kBRs1I/AAAAAAAAEv8/OayDZ-hJmlI/s1600-h/P70503684.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7050368" border="0" alt="P7050368" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSq2Oa1nxI/AAAAAAAAEwA/AzeFk7uFttk/P7050368_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSq20Rwu4I/AAAAAAAAEwE/egoVl629dsY/s1600-h/P70503714.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7050371" border="0" alt="P7050371" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSq3ni57_I/AAAAAAAAEwI/-pfcamlJek4/P7050371_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSq4PVG8VI/AAAAAAAAEwM/1XBf-yZ3qj0/s1600-h/P70503754.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7050375" border="0" alt="P7050375" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSq49LPM6I/AAAAAAAAEwQ/YrJUZSGkhtE/P7050375_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>At the back of the site they have a small area where they show local plants grown by old Lima culture and also some unique local animals. This includes the Peruvian hairless dog, a quite ugly breed, but also very cute. Once you pet them they love the attention and won’t leave you alone, very adorable!!</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSq5hGIUVI/AAAAAAAAEwU/G3gbQvyG1sI/s1600-h/P70503764.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7050376" border="0" alt="P7050376" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSq6UTGrAI/AAAAAAAAEwY/tn_jxb1pvXY/P7050376_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSq7MhEQpI/AAAAAAAAEwc/T5NlkSLqNc4/s1600-h/P70503774.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7050377" border="0" alt="P7050377" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSq7leG__I/AAAAAAAAEwg/uojCS1ZvvBA/P7050377_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSq8V1GMJI/AAAAAAAAEwk/jPduLvPAqcs/s1600-h/P70503804.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7050380" border="0" alt="P7050380" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSq81Mj-EI/AAAAAAAAEwo/VL3_Bf3J8Fc/P7050380_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSq9RlGneI/AAAAAAAAEws/DyBdM-iWK60/s1600-h/P70503814.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7050381" border="0" alt="P7050381" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSq97gV4FI/AAAAAAAAEww/GyYFhtnjYrU/P7050381_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSq-XPYvzI/AAAAAAAAEw0/Hxh6TeXOojg/s1600-h/P70503834.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7050383" border="0" alt="P7050383" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSrAOvjtpI/AAAAAAAAEw4/MGvPTVXMC2A/P7050383_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> </p> <p>Afterwards we ordered our cab to the airport for tomorrow back at the hotel and then headed out for lunch. We had a tasty set lunch of starter, entree and drink for only 8 soles!! I had the ceviche starter then the pure con asado (mashed potatoes with grilled beef and of course rice…two starches again!!) It was delicious!</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSrAvypFYI/AAAAAAAAEw8/NgqJiU8oVA8/s1600-h/P70503994.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7050399" border="0" alt="P7050399" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSrBCMe_dI/AAAAAAAAExA/sg8X0HfJX44/P7050399_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>From there we headed south to see Larcomar and the Pacific Ocean. Larcomar is a mall built into the cliffs and overlooking the ocean. It’s very westernized and modern, and with better weather probably a nice place to sit out for a drink. Considering that it’s been gray, cloudy and cool our whole time here in Lima that wasn’t in the cards for today though!</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSrBlJN3fI/AAAAAAAAExE/HXoYsyGWDX4/s1600-h/P70504004.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7050400" border="0" alt="P7050400" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSrCBm-DxI/AAAAAAAAExI/hG1bluRt0HI/P7050400_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSrCiTtuCI/AAAAAAAAExM/PFaxUlJ-dw0/s1600-h/P70504024.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7050402" border="0" alt="P7050402" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSrDOZ4CQI/AAAAAAAAExQ/xeda9y2-6j8/P7050402_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSrDqrUM7I/AAAAAAAAExU/GYKMxO0EyyQ/s1600-h/P70504054.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7050405" border="0" alt="P7050405" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSrD-hYL6I/AAAAAAAAExY/oP2CsJ3oqBU/P7050405_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSrEfuKt4I/AAAAAAAAExc/kW9BdJtM3Oo/s1600-h/P70504064.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7050406" border="0" alt="P7050406" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSrE25njRI/AAAAAAAAExg/VoFNfs7alhQ/P7050406_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a></p> <p>We headed back to the room to relax and watch the final Indiana Jones flick. Afterwards we headed to a restaurant near our hotel for dinner. Neither of us was terribly hungry since Swiss has a cold and I’m in between coming down with it and not, but we knew we had to eat. They had set meals with tasty kebabs of meat and veggies with potatoes on the side for S/ 10 or less! And it was delicious!</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSrFRBiMoI/AAAAAAAAExk/PTQwa76AbSE/s1600-h/P70504164.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P7050416" border="0" alt="P7050416" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TDSrGdUKrPI/AAAAAAAAExo/p8uddeWehpg/P7050416_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> </p> <p>And of course a final Inca Cola…when in Rome! We headed back to the hotel bar for a drink and then called it a day!</p> <p>Tuesday would mark our flight home and a World Cup semi-final match…can you guess what we did? A little bit of packing, a final local lunch at the same place we went the previous day, and of course the Holland/Uruguay game. With late check-out we were downstairs around 3pm and a taxi arrived a little after 4pm to take us out to the airport…about a 30 min. ride from our part of Lima. We arrived at 5pm and spent a few good hours waiting to check, eating dinner (McDonald’s honestly looked more appetizing than the Papa John’s there, and it allowed our bodies to prepare for the on-rush of real American food when we got home, haha!) and paying our airport departure tax (31 USD when flying internationally out of Lima airport, paid separately unless flying American and Delta, which currently have it built into their tickets!) </p> <p>Our flight left a little early and we arrived in Fort Lauderdale about 20 minutes early. A tight/quick connection and before I knew it I was on a plane to Chicago, which even arrived early too! Swiss stayed behind in FLL with a late afternoon flight up to Detroit and spent the day with Mary Ellen, an old friend from his Virginia days.</p> <p>So that’s it…a pleasant but (luckily) uneventful end to our journey. It’s been a lot of fun over the past year and I know we’re both very fortunate to have been able to go on this journey. Thanks to everyone who followed along for the ride! We hope you enjoyed reading along as much as we enjoyed traveling around!!</p> Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16107969339140322691noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8978913163233101110.post-16396214454133934522010-06-30T19:08:00.000-07:002010-06-30T19:08:15.350-07:00Layin' HighJune 20 to 29, 2010 <i>(by Swiss)</i><br />
<br />
It's my pleasure to present to you my last blog post about our little adventure. We are down to our last four cities, and Lawton will be covering Arequipa, or Albuquerque as I like to conveniently call it, as well as our anchor city Lima. <br />
<br />
Which leaves me to cover Copacabana, Bolivia and Cusco, Peru. The former "city" is located near the Peruvian border in a gorgeous setting on the shores of lake <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Titicaca">Titicaca</a>. The latter is located near the foothills of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machu_picchu">Machu Picchu</a>, and thus serves as a popular base for Machu Picchu trekkers and day visitors. The cities hover at altitudes ranging from 3310m to 3841m (10923 ft to 12675 ft), and luckily Jason and I have gotten fairly well acclimated to the altitude by now.<br />
<br />
<b>♫ ♪ Copa, Copa-ca-ba-na ♫ ♪</b><br />
With rest/souvenir shopping complete in La Paz, we made a very timely departure on our "tourist bus" to Copacabana. Although the bus was empty at first, we eventually picked up some south American stragglers (Chilean, we think) and by the time the bus stopped near "Loki" backpackers hostel, the bus was thoroughly westernized with American and European backpackers. The upside was that we got to meet some American teachers who were spending time teaching in Guatemala city, so time was spent chatting with them a bit. Well, to be fair, Lawton did most of the talking. But you get my drift. The bus ride was fairly pleasant and time pretty much flew by.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGGQF7kwUBPK6H-p2aDgheP6n2vXUxX2smdHyccXceCIKsx8yMV5JxpAizupO89Qh7fSqcGDJ0zz_FLMvHHB5zbCYOTZSPHEDy0FGrgVzUfKyHH-OCQJa3fXiC7BjrTOGJZsMIHtyrWSZT/s1600/IMG_0064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGGQF7kwUBPK6H-p2aDgheP6n2vXUxX2smdHyccXceCIKsx8yMV5JxpAizupO89Qh7fSqcGDJ0zz_FLMvHHB5zbCYOTZSPHEDy0FGrgVzUfKyHH-OCQJa3fXiC7BjrTOGJZsMIHtyrWSZT/s320/IMG_0064.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglbZtHJsMk6z4jwCXpeh-kch6sC30tFjNuCEkGvQYdUgM04Z7fLK15_bwD5fPeFx-i0SXAPWw1IhAv_QDIPpyxDHSQeDhfn-f-dlsrERh3oOw1wE54c3kIjla7isUX6u8nOAiXRd7-QvbJ/s1600/IMG_0067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglbZtHJsMk6z4jwCXpeh-kch6sC30tFjNuCEkGvQYdUgM04Z7fLK15_bwD5fPeFx-i0SXAPWw1IhAv_QDIPpyxDHSQeDhfn-f-dlsrERh3oOw1wE54c3kIjla7isUX6u8nOAiXRd7-QvbJ/s320/IMG_0067.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjRzSmF68maUDCbJZopuYvs92Cmte4z2Fo8uFbXHJLAFWPyFIdZ5IUVI3R8WBL8LxRUO020Q7JHdwc5f_y1chJKO86ZIespOK50b2GQPsQPZhhh1Nj9QV7_t0EsPKF9zmAzg2ZCl_J8HZ5/s1600/IMG_0069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjRzSmF68maUDCbJZopuYvs92Cmte4z2Fo8uFbXHJLAFWPyFIdZ5IUVI3R8WBL8LxRUO020Q7JHdwc5f_y1chJKO86ZIespOK50b2GQPsQPZhhh1Nj9QV7_t0EsPKF9zmAzg2ZCl_J8HZ5/s320/IMG_0069.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
The biggest "challenge", if you want to call it that, was when we had to get off the bus about 50 minutes outside our destination and pay 1.5 Bs for a boat ride across part of the lake. Our bus, on the other hand, got to enjoy the journey on top of what I would call, optimistically, a rickety barge.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgQZOKIG9u3WVY73wT8LObHSPOwKseEm-1LL8Hpgdz2OL7-1faQ4ajIEc-RTByhPgEMSiyDdcLo18HStvI6iI1-hvPs_oWhjvw6Zu6oEkyZOXCayNuaN8YfKxY29Z3FmEdpNmSVenMg4K/s1600/IMG_0070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgQZOKIG9u3WVY73wT8LObHSPOwKseEm-1LL8Hpgdz2OL7-1faQ4ajIEc-RTByhPgEMSiyDdcLo18HStvI6iI1-hvPs_oWhjvw6Zu6oEkyZOXCayNuaN8YfKxY29Z3FmEdpNmSVenMg4K/s320/IMG_0070.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVqpd0qZKmvlzOQaVLPvOvTomPN-Qhna3uD1M376pN1GfuU9XREqYJ9x58CiVhTKYJ6eWx9oirA8W7UrI1CM0O85JYO38PfCVczDm-CY-6YKmurFYCcBYj3lDr5Wqgk4xTU8Nb7Ns05QRi/s1600/IMG_0078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVqpd0qZKmvlzOQaVLPvOvTomPN-Qhna3uD1M376pN1GfuU9XREqYJ9x58CiVhTKYJ6eWx9oirA8W7UrI1CM0O85JYO38PfCVczDm-CY-6YKmurFYCcBYj3lDr5Wqgk4xTU8Nb7Ns05QRi/s320/IMG_0078.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzijsYfs0O_n8UMmQp53pTzXNtyYCDWSVLRzcwzpIjBAn19ghiZ36ZXky1mrnolil1LrbSPE0nBbvIzP8mf0n6UzdVrFLohrW77noAIETQEnHcCyjprQSXWJvxrBXinZ6eRvVZ4xHHDLuI/s1600/IMG_0083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzijsYfs0O_n8UMmQp53pTzXNtyYCDWSVLRzcwzpIjBAn19ghiZ36ZXky1mrnolil1LrbSPE0nBbvIzP8mf0n6UzdVrFLohrW77noAIETQEnHcCyjprQSXWJvxrBXinZ6eRvVZ4xHHDLuI/s320/IMG_0083.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBA5jMx9YuW8mW9qy1I40KtQO9O0NSnTd3FzMvjPSsFduz68Zj0yn7e9px68caMbgjsLJnSfCJAWqwAiKkYZN9DwfVLu3C2JZPzBVsoeOiNJzVajqcbk94cI4AojtORwr0NuWrSdvqz3Kd/s1600/IMG_0080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBA5jMx9YuW8mW9qy1I40KtQO9O0NSnTd3FzMvjPSsFduz68Zj0yn7e9px68caMbgjsLJnSfCJAWqwAiKkYZN9DwfVLu3C2JZPzBVsoeOiNJzVajqcbk94cI4AojtORwr0NuWrSdvqz3Kd/s320/IMG_0080.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVAcKpRnIdtzwzhQZmei7I6gJSXypph42lCUfRA82S4fcWNDeo96rVmMvAVkxjp3M72UtrQnayXfJ6NXRorf3rntaw6HL-wkR4Y7khNxu749ORcDf3luCdAhAq7Sd7W7MZ27DFkw5EqWN/s1600/IMG_0082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVAcKpRnIdtzwzhQZmei7I6gJSXypph42lCUfRA82S4fcWNDeo96rVmMvAVkxjp3M72UtrQnayXfJ6NXRorf3rntaw6HL-wkR4Y7khNxu749ORcDf3luCdAhAq7Sd7W7MZ27DFkw5EqWN/s320/IMG_0082.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Upon arrival in Copacabana, we said goodbye to the Yankees (some of whom were moving on to spend time on Isla del Sol) and were off to seek lodging. Online inquiries prior to our arrival offered conflicting reports and thus led to the conclusion that we were probably best off just walking around until we found an acceptable place. That little feat involved the visitation of 5-6 "hostals" with a range of crummy rooms and/or steep prices, and we finally ended up staying at Hostal Sonia. The pad, costing us a total of Bs 50 (~USD 7.10) for a room with hot shower and (mainly Spanish) cable TV, was located a bit out of the center but rooms were clean and comfy and the walk into the center was under 5 minutes. For some reason somebody had written a rather negative review of the place on wikitravel.org, which we found to not be very accurate. Bad wiki, bad. Here's pics from their sun terrace:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzkRM3ltV0GquoytEM5Zy7QqPH6SQ-rnZtpjkzC_LPVve2WgFd-wrv5ciF63B9jiFBsLpJjzKt_97dGKa_FTnyQOGAKn0J1aSOXQ-gtIR4FGo9ErJ_cYZFycC_OLwxZNs1dWUK6E7Gj-KR/s1600/IMG_0115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzkRM3ltV0GquoytEM5Zy7QqPH6SQ-rnZtpjkzC_LPVve2WgFd-wrv5ciF63B9jiFBsLpJjzKt_97dGKa_FTnyQOGAKn0J1aSOXQ-gtIR4FGo9ErJ_cYZFycC_OLwxZNs1dWUK6E7Gj-KR/s320/IMG_0115.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fO3jR9imfkkFK8XjVr93Xn8Ct5i4k2b7qPz2i6g8y6rd_vx0R8vd-jzaiISFkNxG8Zyrn7WcaXfXbltTEzSyHwjy-efDYyoq5nQTy9JIxs9HXrcSoHSJTSYCXUt9Kt3BJDwSKxPhxk8v/s1600/IMG_0116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fO3jR9imfkkFK8XjVr93Xn8Ct5i4k2b7qPz2i6g8y6rd_vx0R8vd-jzaiISFkNxG8Zyrn7WcaXfXbltTEzSyHwjy-efDYyoq5nQTy9JIxs9HXrcSoHSJTSYCXUt9Kt3BJDwSKxPhxk8v/s320/IMG_0116.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Once settled, it was time to scope out the town a bit, grab lunch, and figure out bus tickets for our departure to Cusco 3 days later. We had a cheap (Bs 15), semi-tasty set lunch with service that being described as "offered at snail's pace" would probably be considered a compliment. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkdd1K1ycspAhyphenhyphensKCHXviechuHSPYrNA7I56J47gh5o9g5AJfZF6OL0S4z5te56J9I8KzUsfS8d2GLiy97FuIPPxmJrjtGbj87z2wxKLiWul2aBfMVbAtQJI3BnZT7LA36ADp1TyaU97o3/s1600/IMG_0084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkdd1K1ycspAhyphenhyphensKCHXviechuHSPYrNA7I56J47gh5o9g5AJfZF6OL0S4z5te56J9I8KzUsfS8d2GLiy97FuIPPxmJrjtGbj87z2wxKLiWul2aBfMVbAtQJI3BnZT7LA36ADp1TyaU97o3/s320/IMG_0084.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Fearing painful chair-sores, we decided to skip desert and left after 1.5 hours of "eating" the first two courses. From an American perspective, food service in Bolivia pretty much sucks. So instead of sugary-desert, it was time to check out town and get some data on bus tickets to Cusco.<br />
<br />
Unlike the popular Rio beach with which this high elevation town shares its namesake, bikinis are fairly hard to spot on the beaches of lake Titicaca. So gents, no love for you. Then again, it is winter; perhaps we just happened to have come here during the wrong season. Aside from that, the town is small, charming, with a good mix of shops, restaurants, bars, and vistas. Certainly a good place to lay low for a couple of days. Oh, and if you ever need to get your car blessed, apparently this is the place to do it (last pic.)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm1hyH7OrvN9YS09NMsqE-TLV1GqRzbRonIPoS6q6sm_ssu6s_goFT15j4TtoUv5Vky1DaDy_1HVrhT3NXON6QvU0Jvp4oy4ARuOeuNIW9N5cE6owBWe43TB5UQxArT4xuMBffNfboe5dp/s1600/IMG_0125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm1hyH7OrvN9YS09NMsqE-TLV1GqRzbRonIPoS6q6sm_ssu6s_goFT15j4TtoUv5Vky1DaDy_1HVrhT3NXON6QvU0Jvp4oy4ARuOeuNIW9N5cE6owBWe43TB5UQxArT4xuMBffNfboe5dp/s320/IMG_0125.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga9l3fZ4vOd6m34V0_jRh4Xi51jrRmafWgauEhxx9xt9BYXWYVD_vDc1M0g06YDLI1szStuyFmjoAPTu9ndHGle8RFbj8Zn9iXSrUTXtPWIOWP8owUIra0Pj76lDIBG1SvmwGrRfbz4AlB/s1600/IMG_0088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga9l3fZ4vOd6m34V0_jRh4Xi51jrRmafWgauEhxx9xt9BYXWYVD_vDc1M0g06YDLI1szStuyFmjoAPTu9ndHGle8RFbj8Zn9iXSrUTXtPWIOWP8owUIra0Pj76lDIBG1SvmwGrRfbz4AlB/s320/IMG_0088.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4dNk9kmrjpkPxGM4nxebUlVpqKym1C77ImGxpcq4UMadxCjGmj9mU3lwIMLVLQvyZTbUDekVIHTDZEncMmWt1qCrZhyj-BXt-MjEwrHMS1_tyiwWH9JsqxoXgYMLUJbmb4Ygs7qLOWNnd/s1600/IMG_0111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4dNk9kmrjpkPxGM4nxebUlVpqKym1C77ImGxpcq4UMadxCjGmj9mU3lwIMLVLQvyZTbUDekVIHTDZEncMmWt1qCrZhyj-BXt-MjEwrHMS1_tyiwWH9JsqxoXgYMLUJbmb4Ygs7qLOWNnd/s320/IMG_0111.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Since both of us had gone to bed fairly late in La Paz and had to be up early to catch the bus, we were ready for an afternoon nap. This led to a late dinner, for which we decided to sample on of the many beach shacks on the lake. On the way to grabbing grub, we were told of an early morning (5:30 am) hike up a local hill. Since I am generally an early riser, enjoy climbing on rocks, and am not hindered by a robo-boot, I figured I'd give it a try if I got up in time. Dinner was nice, though most shacks were closed by 9pm and neither of us was super hungry: a tasty fresh trout platter was therefore shared between the two of us. <br />
<br />
<b>Let's Go Worship the Sun</b><br />
So for some reason I figured that this early morning hike was a daily activity for folks who want to catch the sunrise over the city. I woke up at 4:45 debating whether it would be worth dragging my butt out of bed, but eventually decided to start wandering into town. I was pretty sure which mountain was to be climbed, but had also been advised that I would see people hiking in the direction of the mountain (strange thing to do every morning, I thought, but figured "when in Rome....") As I arrived at the base of "my mountain", I started to notice that folks seemed to be walking in the opposite direction. Could I have picked the wrong mountain? The answer became clear fairly quickly, as did the fact that this was June 21, which I suppose is the winter solstice in these parts of the world. Ah ha! Perhaps not a daily thing, but rather some kind of special celebration? Long story short, I ended up following the crowds up the "other" mountain (fun to do in the dark, btw), where I managed to position myself in a great spot to observe the celebration of the advent of the <a href="http://www.radiohc.cu/ingles/a_american/10/junio/21/lati12.htm">Aymara culture year</a>. I'd say 500-800 folks ended-up joining me on top of the hill. Locals brought various offerings, which were laid out on a wooden setup ready to be lit on fire. Ceremonies were performed, including some kind of "welcoming of the sun" spiel where palms were raised towards the sun as it started to peek out over the mountain ridges in the distance. Pretty. Darn. Cool.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMqEulwPjtnQl83k6woNgV6ivvYsb0T89217nK7z3lg_cPFhEDbkhjW0t1FVB2uEDWMpsN0kBRcYDear9Db1KJ1H9QpPUS8bVXnp2FvS0t7j68EAg2uSquqGHGcDFXpGOyUoc68SS9duIJ/s1600/IMG_0091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMqEulwPjtnQl83k6woNgV6ivvYsb0T89217nK7z3lg_cPFhEDbkhjW0t1FVB2uEDWMpsN0kBRcYDear9Db1KJ1H9QpPUS8bVXnp2FvS0t7j68EAg2uSquqGHGcDFXpGOyUoc68SS9duIJ/s320/IMG_0091.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijvG1-LCcrDOny2nRB7rpuykMbx0Yvv7ueCBVSG-ovaIzlkb6XlESRE-R42z0Sc_ihRCLqFuLbk9y1Tva2T9o9B172cS7rpWlRsb8W3Fhg4W8tucNL6JMdDn18FTHAOAZuz-MkmPp5aP8V/s1600/IMG_0094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijvG1-LCcrDOny2nRB7rpuykMbx0Yvv7ueCBVSG-ovaIzlkb6XlESRE-R42z0Sc_ihRCLqFuLbk9y1Tva2T9o9B172cS7rpWlRsb8W3Fhg4W8tucNL6JMdDn18FTHAOAZuz-MkmPp5aP8V/s320/IMG_0094.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW6Iw8Ql4Dfmdfr7QfM_bt99nZcWDOEshTJfcAytWPzOz6KYDaSMnySOd6zvfQz0AywbS5sZWs1DVJUUdGKVfCjwy7yVZoJmUBHx6cxiBEXJcVyCgh55Ke1ptcQOhiBaI5czI2yN-CtqHf/s1600/IMG_0097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW6Iw8Ql4Dfmdfr7QfM_bt99nZcWDOEshTJfcAytWPzOz6KYDaSMnySOd6zvfQz0AywbS5sZWs1DVJUUdGKVfCjwy7yVZoJmUBHx6cxiBEXJcVyCgh55Ke1ptcQOhiBaI5czI2yN-CtqHf/s320/IMG_0097.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2b9IiuoK1Xc7ZdBKRk0yuA993SFaPpiln-UUnaU8JYFHH8UekQIMeufwRk5gZhsw2_ttJ6RAqepwwYwfrXcAN7DTjPiQIc7LxsAzrYPoM_Ibt6r-kwX8qIW1njP-jJt355zUsNilK9XGW/s1600/IMG_0099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2b9IiuoK1Xc7ZdBKRk0yuA993SFaPpiln-UUnaU8JYFHH8UekQIMeufwRk5gZhsw2_ttJ6RAqepwwYwfrXcAN7DTjPiQIc7LxsAzrYPoM_Ibt6r-kwX8qIW1njP-jJt355zUsNilK9XGW/s320/IMG_0099.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirKjcyOFHQX9ooh52ITp1SpkfIy5S5H0x0gzZD6BXYY8Syi6TTOE5m42lBInyRG0U-QOTMZ1hACFJjp3L6GjNhvlcenJY16HVZUXGZf0qsFgQfSFzmyeMC1hGfspeVT36KHJCkwNF5DbAF/s1600/IMG_0102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirKjcyOFHQX9ooh52ITp1SpkfIy5S5H0x0gzZD6BXYY8Syi6TTOE5m42lBInyRG0U-QOTMZ1hACFJjp3L6GjNhvlcenJY16HVZUXGZf0qsFgQfSFzmyeMC1hGfspeVT36KHJCkwNF5DbAF/s320/IMG_0102.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs4nArFxE0uENe1J-WBn9Qyffg48nVSe59f7jesezNMpfGRXQs_RQjnPrkLbSOREePNsAmFBg6w9NWaYvnFI8LlU_hNiGQZB8UsmSJ1vj9B0ozL6YdSnlQaAlxUECr_yv7bnv_njbSc9lC/s1600/IMG_0101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs4nArFxE0uENe1J-WBn9Qyffg48nVSe59f7jesezNMpfGRXQs_RQjnPrkLbSOREePNsAmFBg6w9NWaYvnFI8LlU_hNiGQZB8UsmSJ1vj9B0ozL6YdSnlQaAlxUECr_yv7bnv_njbSc9lC/s320/IMG_0101.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQWRa_pMJoguxidESXCbS1oHuGxdyKn6KXuOpJ2kBIr2Yf4X1axWRY9jhlm3ydT3h_a773pV8ohP0-VIBGRFpRtYMakId6o-oF8MMFV5bnp9rMkobZxsyQ0zkyVIPBKHkPqdAeKT9PkKJw/s1600/IMG_0106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQWRa_pMJoguxidESXCbS1oHuGxdyKn6KXuOpJ2kBIr2Yf4X1axWRY9jhlm3ydT3h_a773pV8ohP0-VIBGRFpRtYMakId6o-oF8MMFV5bnp9rMkobZxsyQ0zkyVIPBKHkPqdAeKT9PkKJw/s320/IMG_0106.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The rest of the daylight hours was spent catching the Switzerland-Chile game (tough 1-0 loss, I've never seen that many cards handed out in such a fairly played game), Jason got his blog post written, and we scored us some bus tickets (Bs 90 to Cusco) and tickets for a tour of Isla del Sol (Bs 20.) Dinner was had at a quaint little restaurant that offered good food, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca_tea">Coca tea</a>, and again somewhat lax service. I had trout (it's a local speciality) for the second day in a row, while Jason settled on their pizza.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOegje2dmMPgRAloci4XNBTtAS1knA39eGLwuyycTWy0LlJUWaR8Y3xaihYonHYQFgteKG3nE0pIrS7rl5DRXzhoGDP2Qks1e9wC4dw9Jfce2Az9qGtCvFP4wVgbwsu7dk3UH9oBOi4q03/s1600/IMG_0121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOegje2dmMPgRAloci4XNBTtAS1knA39eGLwuyycTWy0LlJUWaR8Y3xaihYonHYQFgteKG3nE0pIrS7rl5DRXzhoGDP2Qks1e9wC4dw9Jfce2Az9qGtCvFP4wVgbwsu7dk3UH9oBOi4q03/s320/IMG_0121.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRCcD6i0bovxbsWJeo-SjeuCZaEs3wRnp58Qfh3a_krZitcHmuCCrMMC92goR_7ILzML-uAsPdFXAgP6pdV1fIwX6EksQZZny9xNG9oUwY7LBo7u9Q1nbQDR2BNYfQKJh8wPfVO96BEXdK/s1600/IMG_0123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRCcD6i0bovxbsWJeo-SjeuCZaEs3wRnp58Qfh3a_krZitcHmuCCrMMC92goR_7ILzML-uAsPdFXAgP6pdV1fIwX6EksQZZny9xNG9oUwY7LBo7u9Q1nbQDR2BNYfQKJh8wPfVO96BEXdK/s320/IMG_0123.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnowxRwaTwdYfHwBw9dOji1QHQ_5g3BbcA1Mric1Meh3g2W3WGrEPPRiGZfSLWlgrBf0RKjJEXCdvrmupBQOgfbnEEjjC2aGjZLRK2wMa0i4u6M_wgErsljEhDEK0bsSqr633scGWbeiV-/s1600/IMG_0122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnowxRwaTwdYfHwBw9dOji1QHQ_5g3BbcA1Mric1Meh3g2W3WGrEPPRiGZfSLWlgrBf0RKjJEXCdvrmupBQOgfbnEEjjC2aGjZLRK2wMa0i4u6M_wgErsljEhDEK0bsSqr633scGWbeiV-/s320/IMG_0122.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<b>Island of the Sun</b><br />
Tuesday would mark our last full day in Copacabana, and we both got up nice and early to catch a 7:30am breakfast before departing for the famous <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isla_del_sol">Isla del Sol</a>. Located on the southern portion of lake Titicaca, the island is believed to be the birth place of the sun god in Inca religion and sports various ruins from back in the day.<br />
<br />
As for breakfast options at that hour, well, they happen to be quite limited. We eventually did find a place run by a slightly senile lady who, after I helped her set up the shop, served us a rather disappointing (think popcorn "muesli"), slow, and a tad overpriced breakfast. Having not endured enough punishment, we also decided to order two take-away sandwiches for lunch from her. Yeah, we're smart that way.<br />
<br />
Our boat left about 15 minutes after its scheduled departure of 8:30am, and provided a slightly cramped and uneventful 2.5 hour ride to the island. The way the tours are set up is as follows: Boat goes to south part of island to drop off overnight guests, then goes on to the north part to drop off day visitors. Said visitors have the option to hike part of the island for ~2 hours and then return to the boat for a journey to the south port. For the more motivated visitors, one can hike 3-4 hours from the north to the south and then be picked up by the boat later in the day. <br />
<br />
Coming off a fresh boot repair in La Paz, Jason opted out of hiking the northern part for fear of re-destroying it, and instead chilled at the beach for a bit. I did a quick hike up the hill to take some of the pictures below, before returning about an hour later.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-d3viWAGPq23Wa1P3-JEJqcVDm_58G8GRY75MA5dBnsz5uaE80cJ3ppYB4xgxEE0iw5Y9g2rybMIYQWFpFEymH1naDL6NMO8x9ZS_gvvRkO3l4gaECXub2Inr-YOGpKHq2_id5LWojoX/s1600/IMG_0130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-d3viWAGPq23Wa1P3-JEJqcVDm_58G8GRY75MA5dBnsz5uaE80cJ3ppYB4xgxEE0iw5Y9g2rybMIYQWFpFEymH1naDL6NMO8x9ZS_gvvRkO3l4gaECXub2Inr-YOGpKHq2_id5LWojoX/s320/IMG_0130.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBj_PkYDCCV-dVGbXOj1tIc8kEs-z8zGeUk-UM-TJQeISIwr768a85TYzzCwOjW-qFOHcEmMRfgXamypJWfBQ1DkClIiD2jKZDak4PGrHBHI5nWZ1cEdP_hyucxH32EePvb_c9FddT9UcN/s1600/IMG_0133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBj_PkYDCCV-dVGbXOj1tIc8kEs-z8zGeUk-UM-TJQeISIwr768a85TYzzCwOjW-qFOHcEmMRfgXamypJWfBQ1DkClIiD2jKZDak4PGrHBHI5nWZ1cEdP_hyucxH32EePvb_c9FddT9UcN/s320/IMG_0133.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPEDkyfyJovqr4B7Kk4GKI9v33TV8RbxpXcIFK0jFxsOFlag3K4Aegu9JEBfPqxFVHs7VAyan4uiTgxaBkdVSYbz8EQTyZLSsTvc41sqSrNVkdtSW_a91faG3RGJrSZiEMDhhOS2FyK-vz/s1600/IMG_0138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPEDkyfyJovqr4B7Kk4GKI9v33TV8RbxpXcIFK0jFxsOFlag3K4Aegu9JEBfPqxFVHs7VAyan4uiTgxaBkdVSYbz8EQTyZLSsTvc41sqSrNVkdtSW_a91faG3RGJrSZiEMDhhOS2FyK-vz/s320/IMG_0138.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilQc5rjQV0Wn2osIXeAhDu_3FdIaJSYJ8mh_vPr8A4ijxrLOJshWSVA_XxbeiXCivihsv1PuJA9i9t2yvK2pTwJ_ndTy2BD2eYU31lR9jfwJKAZCK_LkxtSH0XRp7uwlObXyDK1hsxcd43/s1600/IMG_0139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilQc5rjQV0Wn2osIXeAhDu_3FdIaJSYJ8mh_vPr8A4ijxrLOJshWSVA_XxbeiXCivihsv1PuJA9i9t2yvK2pTwJ_ndTy2BD2eYU31lR9jfwJKAZCK_LkxtSH0XRp7uwlObXyDK1hsxcd43/s320/IMG_0139.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Gpx5GNA_f4XpMqLAsUlaGBPz7cPslqaO3ZIMs93ayXMFqGom3m_dR08wt21D1P58nvor-W_jHIQokbAk1lBcW6NhyMqvhz_DvUsayHfbrFTurH4vWpU4j55GtGZAJ37fyVT-bGiiB1s4/s1600/IMG_0140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Gpx5GNA_f4XpMqLAsUlaGBPz7cPslqaO3ZIMs93ayXMFqGom3m_dR08wt21D1P58nvor-W_jHIQokbAk1lBcW6NhyMqvhz_DvUsayHfbrFTurH4vWpU4j55GtGZAJ37fyVT-bGiiB1s4/s320/IMG_0140.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg0JdroMJQELmin9VdFQQGbvWcxURzcEyG73b3chGVwZMnJSEr4I-LQeZH7o15fXnx_dameTdsPzwJZpXX_4X0z__bMytlg5kqnWGba8gI4BM7SgkMEQ0iICTI46q5s4AnksjSKoV05rBA/s1600/IMG_0142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg0JdroMJQELmin9VdFQQGbvWcxURzcEyG73b3chGVwZMnJSEr4I-LQeZH7o15fXnx_dameTdsPzwJZpXX_4X0z__bMytlg5kqnWGba8gI4BM7SgkMEQ0iICTI46q5s4AnksjSKoV05rBA/s320/IMG_0142.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXHr5LOdmSti88IIbogUaWrH_5if7YCB93VHf3dtw8pW1bzPrFWue5OnMajhWRGmE6W5aXw-3jaFHcmurfPuvY3pUOC5dbkf43KbEUegHt1NHaTMWhJpT8ZYohcRHBh2TS2ZOSNtFIzxbZ/s1600/IMG_0145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXHr5LOdmSti88IIbogUaWrH_5if7YCB93VHf3dtw8pW1bzPrFWue5OnMajhWRGmE6W5aXw-3jaFHcmurfPuvY3pUOC5dbkf43KbEUegHt1NHaTMWhJpT8ZYohcRHBh2TS2ZOSNtFIzxbZ/s320/IMG_0145.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifEpDB4clUT4gmHp8NOggSxTwC4GbsOkQ6hP7KfxscmsGI0mvG78_WFgGasjO1UfB8Dpj8VMVN-3OfV7THerRKGrz-Cad3lm4bvg9-GjOpzFU_t56lkVrIZZ-KM_NwQM6jCLI2RtVeTiTZ/s1600/IMG_0149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifEpDB4clUT4gmHp8NOggSxTwC4GbsOkQ6hP7KfxscmsGI0mvG78_WFgGasjO1UfB8Dpj8VMVN-3OfV7THerRKGrz-Cad3lm4bvg9-GjOpzFU_t56lkVrIZZ-KM_NwQM6jCLI2RtVeTiTZ/s320/IMG_0149.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Our senile-lady sandwiches were then consumed, though I think this guy would have enjoyed them more:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxaYxew-qscmDH_9f_9R8U6NwmyrUyUscuMehYaK1v6tmcQc9YvZc4XKkAUESLAU9ER7K_N8l7VZ8NALyfoASqIV5Ul-t6og3iptydMti3uwEIQZ_Q6L8GOipfrKmarWyLSH_gRmDunZm/s1600/IMG_0155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxaYxew-qscmDH_9f_9R8U6NwmyrUyUscuMehYaK1v6tmcQc9YvZc4XKkAUESLAU9ER7K_N8l7VZ8NALyfoASqIV5Ul-t6og3iptydMti3uwEIQZ_Q6L8GOipfrKmarWyLSH_gRmDunZm/s320/IMG_0155.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
With lunch eaten, we worked our way back to the dock where the boat for the trip to the south port left about 20 minutes late once more. The south part of the island was pretty much a waste of time for us, as we were all tired, sunburnt, and ready to head back to Copacabana. As we departed for "home", we met some folks from England who had come from Cusco, and let us know that apparently the sun festival we were to witness there was a pretty big deal. Score. <br />
<br />
Now, for some strange reason the boat, instead of taking us straight back to town, did a quick detour to a "floating island", which for a fee of 3 Bs allowed folks to step foot on what I would describe as a straw covered barge for 15 minutes to take pics and drinks. Yeah, we opted out. As did most of the boat. Overall the trip was so-so, especially since Jason couldn't do a whole lot of climbing and there just wasn't all that much to see. Perhaps if I was an "Incaologist" the whole experience would have been more fun. <br />
<br />
The evening involved a quick email check (we're still trying to figure out our professional future), followed by some more trout from one of the beach shacks. The food, again, was excellent and at Bs 18 (USD 2.6) for a full trout, fries, and rice quite reasonably priced. This would also mark trout #3 in as many days for me. Yum.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwgPLhgK2Uksc926PAP395R4rkPDF-0ZIGDemzamqIOGOcvF99h-r49dQGpxvF-E8ySAxCU0fn2iqYu2vMyRH-yz1vxeJGt7hFyZZJDmIK1wxvxkuHE9QFXZnnGvfvUWEk17Z60xnealma/s1600/IMG_0160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwgPLhgK2Uksc926PAP395R4rkPDF-0ZIGDemzamqIOGOcvF99h-r49dQGpxvF-E8ySAxCU0fn2iqYu2vMyRH-yz1vxeJGt7hFyZZJDmIK1wxvxkuHE9QFXZnnGvfvUWEk17Z60xnealma/s320/IMG_0160.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPcb6g5CtL7UpJldgbxc6JEPlLIvXbiswAMSTLeOzqoIzz_RxvAKW2LgVuVhXg28ny_L7IldsSooIS0ZALseQxsotWCMA0v3vB77RGESVigkB8nJxZkCw_p0s-KwPh5YiFqgMS3Wnssf_/s1600/IMG_0161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPcb6g5CtL7UpJldgbxc6JEPlLIvXbiswAMSTLeOzqoIzz_RxvAKW2LgVuVhXg28ny_L7IldsSooIS0ZALseQxsotWCMA0v3vB77RGESVigkB8nJxZkCw_p0s-KwPh5YiFqgMS3Wnssf_/s320/IMG_0161.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguSGkSqvOKb2eat00eEfpn-OfIOA5xYTKWm9cGfAK9MwWHVSkj9427GlcWYCRXUYdbrUMH_oxOgYuIu651L85savU0FrvDxsjncEMo8nAW8ihLRHZwnHR2U7Ny1xN3o5505kLs1npz-x4A/s1600/IMG_0163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguSGkSqvOKb2eat00eEfpn-OfIOA5xYTKWm9cGfAK9MwWHVSkj9427GlcWYCRXUYdbrUMH_oxOgYuIu651L85savU0FrvDxsjncEMo8nAW8ihLRHZwnHR2U7Ny1xN3o5505kLs1npz-x4A/s320/IMG_0163.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Since this would essentially mark the end of our stay in Bolivia, it was time to add up how much money we had left over. The town lacks ATMs and given it was our last stop in Bolivia, we had tried to come up with a budget a few days earlier in hopes of getting sufficient cash in La Paz. Well, our math was wrong, and we quickly realized that we had about Bs 100 too much on our hands. As neither of us are big fans of money exchanges, we headed off for one last snack and souvenir shopping spree, before heading to bed for an early departure for Cusco the following morning.<br />
<br />
<b>A Slightly Strange Trip to Cusco</b><br />
We awoke early once more, this time to head to the travel agency that sold us the Cusco bus tickets. Hostal Sonia was nice enough to give us a quick ride to said location (better than carrying bags), once again confirming that Sonia's is a very good option if you stay in that town. It was about 8am at that time, and our tickets instructed us to be at the agency at 8:45. Time for breakfast, which we had across the street from the office and was loads better than the previous day's "desayuno." With our last meal consumed, we were down to 10 Bs (Lawton) and 5 Bs (me) that was spent on a couple more snacks.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8pp8lasJ5sZR79_NK4iHHJDXyXlNdfh1mJvdelSzKp0VH_3kbs9I11JiYRxIdBmKDtLqYSWWX9Qw8XkMGbzEhJXSMTVrlls0lbfw-hwQGZjFIIySi4vGoTtqxmBZH77WWMI8-m_fiaH4t/s1600/IMG_0164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8pp8lasJ5sZR79_NK4iHHJDXyXlNdfh1mJvdelSzKp0VH_3kbs9I11JiYRxIdBmKDtLqYSWWX9Qw8XkMGbzEhJXSMTVrlls0lbfw-hwQGZjFIIySi4vGoTtqxmBZH77WWMI8-m_fiaH4t/s320/IMG_0164.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
At about 8:35, with the tourist office still closed, a random guy without credentials came up to us and let us know that he was going to take us with a minivan to the border and then Puno, where we'd switch to a big "semi-cama" bus. That was not the story we had gotten from the agent the previous day: we were supposed to take a semi-cama bus from Copacabana to Puno, and then switch to a similar bus for the final leg to Cusco. With the office still being closed, we were unsure if this was a scam or a genuine request. We respectfully declined, figuring the office would open shortly (8:45am as per our ticket) and we would get clarification. <br />
<br />
Well, we were wrong, as the office didn't open, and by 8:55 we had to scramble to find the guy from earlier. He subsequently got us to the border by taxi, where we changed to a minivan for the two hour ride to Puno (he came along as well.) As in Asia, the van continuously picked up folks along the way, with the occupancy of the 12 passenger vehicle varying anywhere from a pleasant 3 to a smelly 15 or so people. Sure enough, the guy got us to the proper bus in Puno without charging and/or robbing us. Contrary to that, he was actually quite nice and helpful. He even managed to let us to skip the line at passport control in Peru for a super fast border crossing :) An "interesting" first segment, for sure.<br />
<br />
Part two of our journey came courtesy of a fairly modern and comfy semi-cama bus pictured below. The most memorable/funny highlight was two random ladies boarding the bus about 3 hours into the ride and commencing to happily chop away at what smelled and looked like a chicken carcass. We figure this was the optional - not free - lunch service. This all happened while the bus continued on with the rather bouncy journey. It was one of the more odd things we had seen on our travels; both of us declined to sample the food. Oh, and we are happy to report that no limbs were lost during that little exercise. The last picture below was my (failed) attempt at documenting this experience.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtoWzrXoWJ5H-7DgcddN4p75j8F8u16XzoMGu9I92XkBGIU37cdfKZq-RpiUTDhPxLrBR2LLJ3kR8SKWV3VUsGo3RU9TUcqBatKOcExHV7nGPB6tE7h_ISALYSUV0VemjTCbpSvhhcp9sH/s1600/IMG_0170.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtoWzrXoWJ5H-7DgcddN4p75j8F8u16XzoMGu9I92XkBGIU37cdfKZq-RpiUTDhPxLrBR2LLJ3kR8SKWV3VUsGo3RU9TUcqBatKOcExHV7nGPB6tE7h_ISALYSUV0VemjTCbpSvhhcp9sH/s320/IMG_0170.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZTvioUzBe5xuIk5v3ZCNPBlZLVKfDUeTYVdK71js5SXNmINIjQAMoazsD60E_NJdvThntUmbasgwZat-uGOGgq1WyIT63KOLQyuf4rteTfOj24qTwxRutDPE2WXiiHW9nb1YdOoNhMBkO/s1600/IMG_0178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZTvioUzBe5xuIk5v3ZCNPBlZLVKfDUeTYVdK71js5SXNmINIjQAMoazsD60E_NJdvThntUmbasgwZat-uGOGgq1WyIT63KOLQyuf4rteTfOj24qTwxRutDPE2WXiiHW9nb1YdOoNhMBkO/s320/IMG_0178.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNDJSynxLgzddLFDHitUgDbE6mgC67vhkXLLRf7KHUiPJdKTgHWQd_3yhyFudOF7JIXYplGC3scVapKWBAwYCHozkYkdtOAP83ou0laDtIbxjp4crczP7Hb5nS_yMzLXjdVrDiJhPqBhL0/s1600/IMG_0175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNDJSynxLgzddLFDHitUgDbE6mgC67vhkXLLRf7KHUiPJdKTgHWQd_3yhyFudOF7JIXYplGC3scVapKWBAwYCHozkYkdtOAP83ou0laDtIbxjp4crczP7Hb5nS_yMzLXjdVrDiJhPqBhL0/s320/IMG_0175.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Contrary to the chicken on the block, we arrived at the Cusco bus station safe, sound, and in one piece (each.) Tired, we paid the 10 soles cab ride to the "Southern Comfort" hostel (cheaper "matchbox" cabs can be found outside the station that offer the same service for 3 soles.) A quick dinner was consumed before catching some Z's.<br />
<br />
<b>More Sun Worshipping courtesy of "Inti Raymi"</b><br />
Since we have been steadily working our way into the heart of Inca-land, it came to little surprise that we would luck out and hit one of the biggest Cusco festivals: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inti_Raymi">Inti Raymi</a>. Inti Raymi, or "Festival of the Sun", is an old Incan religious ceremony in honor the the god Inti. The Spanish (and Catholics) put an end to the celebration initially in 1535 and ultimately in 1572, claiming the pagan ceremony opposed the catholic faith. A theatrical representation of the ceremony now has been going down near Cusco since 1944.<br />
<br />
We realized that it would be a big deal (in part indicated by the occupany rates among the hostels we had researched), although I think neither of us imagined the crowds that we would encounter during the day. We teamed up with our new-found friends/roomies Annika and Katharina to check out one of the performances at the main square - Plaza de Armas - where we also met up with a Kiwi named Darren. The five of us managed to form a little tourist group, first witnessing the performance at the square ...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP0xTovMvznQ95bdeI_zZ5QAEsxdQHRA2paE07yndY6BRTH2CGsE0qV_2W95Gu7bwSEsy_4v1ETH8vTrOp8ykJLY6aH1hoVF1b7AvUfiefwZQVaa5SYCO1b0yNahc3vFHPUDTcmj8Wyd6r/s1600/IMG_0192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP0xTovMvznQ95bdeI_zZ5QAEsxdQHRA2paE07yndY6BRTH2CGsE0qV_2W95Gu7bwSEsy_4v1ETH8vTrOp8ykJLY6aH1hoVF1b7AvUfiefwZQVaa5SYCO1b0yNahc3vFHPUDTcmj8Wyd6r/s320/IMG_0192.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG49VWYKlvqJzaxBaYY3F1Ba5rdr6gcA1bfXAl9-fT-S0DqtGk47DWpzNJFvVUQ9e6_XD1QCcgYoZxlAtIUlwXlOretapB-_5JlCec4mQpLFUzAgLDpMyT1BvaAtN1RFdajQKcV_nGXVFj/s1600/IMG_0199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG49VWYKlvqJzaxBaYY3F1Ba5rdr6gcA1bfXAl9-fT-S0DqtGk47DWpzNJFvVUQ9e6_XD1QCcgYoZxlAtIUlwXlOretapB-_5JlCec4mQpLFUzAgLDpMyT1BvaAtN1RFdajQKcV_nGXVFj/s320/IMG_0199.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Vq_08woeCiYpfI3Z1Yejauk5PZzbzZNkghET1Iw3G0Q77-U5Dxq1gFs55NMlobO2pjxpAtQFRiuLZZf6ubX01UcWiEtv9UzK0zq-2JQ37QqFQ3DdGQAL3Jp5NIRNlNrfZSU12ifKWjm_/s1600/IMG_0201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Vq_08woeCiYpfI3Z1Yejauk5PZzbzZNkghET1Iw3G0Q77-U5Dxq1gFs55NMlobO2pjxpAtQFRiuLZZf6ubX01UcWiEtv9UzK0zq-2JQ37QqFQ3DdGQAL3Jp5NIRNlNrfZSU12ifKWjm_/s320/IMG_0201.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhINj4JnHHRGc_2VqY3nvBNuUSgtL8zYmhj0QPdQ49yfBOhWS-HEfL1-7OM2QaRuoGxfai2v34KQiDhSwYb0MaV7MMrJtQYkQx44CNGmWiwzBiJ7QBuUaXiBSyFdY43BbwqW85j7noUNkOY/s1600/IMG_0202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhINj4JnHHRGc_2VqY3nvBNuUSgtL8zYmhj0QPdQ49yfBOhWS-HEfL1-7OM2QaRuoGxfai2v34KQiDhSwYb0MaV7MMrJtQYkQx44CNGmWiwzBiJ7QBuUaXiBSyFdY43BbwqW85j7noUNkOY/s320/IMG_0202.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixCEqnJJvlHyJVAYGJiKVqxkPO7LLncmafL189_yHFR4OH8i9RXrjwzc624bs2h06k5g9Uwf7VblDUuq7lyKercEz5oiBQX_zuEkDSOw3BE3wrgM-BBn24uKV5l8Ghw5n8mhvni-2S_elz/s1600/IMG_0210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixCEqnJJvlHyJVAYGJiKVqxkPO7LLncmafL189_yHFR4OH8i9RXrjwzc624bs2h06k5g9Uwf7VblDUuq7lyKercEz5oiBQX_zuEkDSOw3BE3wrgM-BBn24uKV5l8Ghw5n8mhvni-2S_elz/s320/IMG_0210.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZplva5Ghg751eHp87NSBSzBskTLjgm7WzenKDSPdIVvO5k2hEpQds_EjxXjrwcrnNCM4x0olBQNHNpgeRG9HsA3P0TxdxPEQtBa7t-HDvTHGUWI6mvB3LgnfJO6Ft0bzxwCZcfH0cG3PN/s1600/IMG_0212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZplva5Ghg751eHp87NSBSzBskTLjgm7WzenKDSPdIVvO5k2hEpQds_EjxXjrwcrnNCM4x0olBQNHNpgeRG9HsA3P0TxdxPEQtBa7t-HDvTHGUWI6mvB3LgnfJO6Ft0bzxwCZcfH0cG3PN/s320/IMG_0212.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXcdRPtG3x0sfvvsT-2iVZIFXBpxmXHARUe7886IIh48vtQt-rahzFicj1l5PjJy55rCpAsZq1ZFk3MS70CO1EmjIUrnw55R3qdiZt2K26n_Yjo8fL2a3ffRfuz9_FqHlBe86I0OdjoeU/s1600/IMG_0216.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqXcdRPtG3x0sfvvsT-2iVZIFXBpxmXHARUe7886IIh48vtQt-rahzFicj1l5PjJy55rCpAsZq1ZFk3MS70CO1EmjIUrnw55R3qdiZt2K26n_Yjo8fL2a3ffRfuz9_FqHlBe86I0OdjoeU/s320/IMG_0216.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijPU7VZ1WNScFLkQ4fYcFvBEfAv_eSJBUiJI1_-wGFA-JO29_PB2DtgPjltNsyHU_5VitDOjrWntJTyjI-c1bWh0xbzZnjlT6I5ob6f1Nj5oKmgWx_DZqYGA5-nOgZLZjBlpPbsXGX3QA/s1600/IMG_0221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijPU7VZ1WNScFLkQ4fYcFvBEfAv_eSJBUiJI1_-wGFA-JO29_PB2DtgPjltNsyHU_5VitDOjrWntJTyjI-c1bWh0xbzZnjlT6I5ob6f1Nj5oKmgWx_DZqYGA5-nOgZLZjBlpPbsXGX3QA/s320/IMG_0221.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
... and then trekking up through the city and then a semi-steep hill (good work Lawton) for a rather distant witnessing of yet another performance:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZmSdyf27tQpr6b3SpTqMiyN7XodpFto9_Zmtqda5amSSH1aFmY8sgPgpp6mUbr0zICnmShTq43IFbkQ1Gxci_yecjspv4UxpKURgDySUU2F_qp8sYhULDNEHym5D3LnqPHiSUziDoLQpy/s1600/IMG_0226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZmSdyf27tQpr6b3SpTqMiyN7XodpFto9_Zmtqda5amSSH1aFmY8sgPgpp6mUbr0zICnmShTq43IFbkQ1Gxci_yecjspv4UxpKURgDySUU2F_qp8sYhULDNEHym5D3LnqPHiSUziDoLQpy/s320/IMG_0226.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJkjqJXhuVpkgAwdrvs5ak_CHIc3TVkUMLPPyWBqcUVd2ZdFMjcx3oKpcfMzFWhJArPZaB3I5Y8kM4fm2xT2MfxdxVedUUSuDsei1oo8CCF-bmbXqDmELWAIe3OqzAPeJbfYdQTFyP_Vff/s1600/IMG_0238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJkjqJXhuVpkgAwdrvs5ak_CHIc3TVkUMLPPyWBqcUVd2ZdFMjcx3oKpcfMzFWhJArPZaB3I5Y8kM4fm2xT2MfxdxVedUUSuDsei1oo8CCF-bmbXqDmELWAIe3OqzAPeJbfYdQTFyP_Vff/s320/IMG_0238.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZs8LcRZfM3vVXx2YopAvt4ZlM5arBuhu62rKCQL7M0U4I3AD9LTiqpV976-CSZjGMhyphenhyphenfrht-JErmxYOROoZPXLshG8bjzwuoda6RBR7dCejA-9iYnFTE4n1EVB9NjkHll6lklr_9MarM1/s1600/P6240188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZs8LcRZfM3vVXx2YopAvt4ZlM5arBuhu62rKCQL7M0U4I3AD9LTiqpV976-CSZjGMhyphenhyphenfrht-JErmxYOROoZPXLshG8bjzwuoda6RBR7dCejA-9iYnFTE4n1EVB9NjkHll6lklr_9MarM1/s320/P6240188.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1_zaDMWiZr1_f4jpkLfTmmLyoozL0oOZUDNkOXvPao8DcirjdcFJJULcDNdJ2Vfyh76gGefoi47n1rvGWKXtT6vIu_pA2SgLJcv01UKMi-nkYZnMCXGObdAvk8KkkA-KTVF476j4Z60aH/s1600/IMG_0246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1_zaDMWiZr1_f4jpkLfTmmLyoozL0oOZUDNkOXvPao8DcirjdcFJJULcDNdJ2Vfyh76gGefoi47n1rvGWKXtT6vIu_pA2SgLJcv01UKMi-nkYZnMCXGObdAvk8KkkA-KTVF476j4Z60aH/s320/IMG_0246.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The performers btw, we discovered earlier, were more lazy than us as they took the "bus" to the top of the hill:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI7SAnUfEga7i6DFxcu6kb36LPGBp-dewgIC3XWF3vwZ0hOIGxBXE5F_zvsvtIqc-An5A_fR8L6BD6I0ETrQ178U26xQ9zFtq750ubwA3cCAhoBBLEh_8kuFs7geX9qVd9nt1xWoBhXZFM/s1600/IMG_0231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI7SAnUfEga7i6DFxcu6kb36LPGBp-dewgIC3XWF3vwZ0hOIGxBXE5F_zvsvtIqc-An5A_fR8L6BD6I0ETrQ178U26xQ9zFtq750ubwA3cCAhoBBLEh_8kuFs7geX9qVd9nt1xWoBhXZFM/s320/IMG_0231.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ1eAf4fECdfKi2D29Io4FylJDe31fld9853q45FgLhV7aBhMy1Qta8YEvb0mgeyV4MmCp9ssdOPMTa_Xs_DtgES1Istq1es47JGJNc82xnkwgjRxgYc11Evuh8m86c-8ArCXm08oXMb3O/s1600/IMG_0232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ1eAf4fECdfKi2D29Io4FylJDe31fld9853q45FgLhV7aBhMy1Qta8YEvb0mgeyV4MmCp9ssdOPMTa_Xs_DtgES1Istq1es47JGJNc82xnkwgjRxgYc11Evuh8m86c-8ArCXm08oXMb3O/s320/IMG_0232.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
What stunned us more than the actual acts were the masses of people who had climbed up the hill to try to catch a glimpse of the show, sunbathe, and people watch. The latter two activities were much more successful than the first, as our location prohibited decent views and proper audio consumption of the ongoing festival. Part 1 at the plaza was much more intimate in that regard. But it was fun none-the-less. So here's us hanging out and pics of the crowds:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSmeYo3P5Mn2d1DOfXf2wgGhTdekefknVXfll1Din74vxjmNZjvtNJLE8QywJj0CXOXAZwt-dfpmP2dy3ZKIeoJcBsGhqEg6xggKQgBZD01pdsysTa8nvWN-dfEJkBWuTXzxFAJsliqqKI/s1600/IMG_0242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSmeYo3P5Mn2d1DOfXf2wgGhTdekefknVXfll1Din74vxjmNZjvtNJLE8QywJj0CXOXAZwt-dfpmP2dy3ZKIeoJcBsGhqEg6xggKQgBZD01pdsysTa8nvWN-dfEJkBWuTXzxFAJsliqqKI/s320/IMG_0242.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHDzTN6g6uAn74vu0ZcA_NGhBar3l-LuEjebKN0dKHDN4gIzWKoIVJ8rrb-EheDfMMeF169Akj0BX54-nim0DbkPXvBBxbY6YAEQCB9Dy0HoHrUA7bKYHsLCWgUTMyGRFwnmi0VfoOx6c4/s1600/IMG_0240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHDzTN6g6uAn74vu0ZcA_NGhBar3l-LuEjebKN0dKHDN4gIzWKoIVJ8rrb-EheDfMMeF169Akj0BX54-nim0DbkPXvBBxbY6YAEQCB9Dy0HoHrUA7bKYHsLCWgUTMyGRFwnmi0VfoOx6c4/s320/IMG_0240.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Aycf-Wvx4Y9oZXAd_Z9bgcEkLZYTxIWRSzWtH3PSdCmAq4kG6zvB8f0QOQGt4IoBumgvs0V5xo1MWjLgCYP7C9qnCf7f-8qzCD5M6AaP37pTZv2G7Ws4I_FPAFU8DsOGyJ0Id77uFPv4/s1600/IMG_0235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Aycf-Wvx4Y9oZXAd_Z9bgcEkLZYTxIWRSzWtH3PSdCmAq4kG6zvB8f0QOQGt4IoBumgvs0V5xo1MWjLgCYP7C9qnCf7f-8qzCD5M6AaP37pTZv2G7Ws4I_FPAFU8DsOGyJ0Id77uFPv4/s320/IMG_0235.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpy3KUDGhcBv-xc91JMFaL0oV6FulhjD1kAwr4SEOlYyQf3OMRE-oebTFjqQjIDhgHuenF_fEF4laFsQhMiJN54AYFE8ZoQsF_Vm_c7uHXiAIet9FdC6l9Q83yny9UN4wvTwCXraqm_b-0/s1600/IMG_0236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpy3KUDGhcBv-xc91JMFaL0oV6FulhjD1kAwr4SEOlYyQf3OMRE-oebTFjqQjIDhgHuenF_fEF4laFsQhMiJN54AYFE8ZoQsF_Vm_c7uHXiAIet9FdC6l9Q83yny9UN4wvTwCXraqm_b-0/s320/IMG_0236.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pmWQ71wGZ1EwuLgtpsNxwGz69pMEGxdIErj7lB-nvy7bZThaHvNXmzoWTlmMjkxXNOUpdsB5y5wH5ieNrQoSzmqD3Ubi8SP3YxJx0M3rxAYlYc0kf9IHtJdXuPA0AaYNbcfKUHppkMBB/s1600/IMG_0241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pmWQ71wGZ1EwuLgtpsNxwGz69pMEGxdIErj7lB-nvy7bZThaHvNXmzoWTlmMjkxXNOUpdsB5y5wH5ieNrQoSzmqD3Ubi8SP3YxJx0M3rxAYlYc0kf9IHtJdXuPA0AaYNbcfKUHppkMBB/s320/IMG_0241.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjksmrXsz8SLtrq22nOoUhgbIoVUa5yBrHha4vU9KRwNz5LpSGyAFrLetE9-fhi3bgDwT4gchJ59rfzxXPl3VrLRE4lcTEtX-O3cV2gw4mVsKXStOSrB7q5DNvS02NxudlxqGon9zc2olLJ/s1600/IMG_0250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjksmrXsz8SLtrq22nOoUhgbIoVUa5yBrHha4vU9KRwNz5LpSGyAFrLetE9-fhi3bgDwT4gchJ59rfzxXPl3VrLRE4lcTEtX-O3cV2gw4mVsKXStOSrB7q5DNvS02NxudlxqGon9zc2olLJ/s320/IMG_0250.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid6U5eyMoRp9FRW3inUILezuMCGl3SwV55FNm8EJH9bCYFJeGTEmLTpWFy1Q-QrWlxnGY2KXdo8OKNw3A4Xjb3-6mGJKU15Bauy3EfhxLg0QGQkdI2uD5xseTtuNtBYFFv1S-g-R3si6ig/s1600/IMG_0251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid6U5eyMoRp9FRW3inUILezuMCGl3SwV55FNm8EJH9bCYFJeGTEmLTpWFy1Q-QrWlxnGY2KXdo8OKNw3A4Xjb3-6mGJKU15Bauy3EfhxLg0QGQkdI2uD5xseTtuNtBYFFv1S-g-R3si6ig/s320/IMG_0251.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Sun-soaked and tired, we navigated back down the hill in the latter parts of the afternoon to catch a decent S/. 15 set lunch at one of the many restaurants touting what usually was a mix of Mexican, Italian, and Peruvian food. Yeah, I ordered some grilled Alpaca (think mini-llama.) A bit tough, but tasty.<br />
<br />
The evening was then spent socializing at the hostel, which was pretty much packed to the brim courtesy of the festival. In all, Southern Comfort was a nice hostel with decently comfy beds, cleanliness, foosball table, and free brekkie pancakes. The biggest downside was that the hot water heater was a tad strained during peak showering hours. Oh, and they do have a cute dog (for you, Selah.) She was absolutely in love with Jason, constantly seeking his lap for nap time :)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEWHXoZOFfHa5RS3Vj5D3_sjmSu8eqq04iPgTxRaXgvE5Y3ZTVS4LYvjIuiAhMK7rViZPnPNeuYT35-RJyGjMcWno-uK9boiswB9uX4ofa8Cv6qIyTXQp0e-T3uc3wvVC3pZUn7NOeOZJ5/s1600/P6290253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEWHXoZOFfHa5RS3Vj5D3_sjmSu8eqq04iPgTxRaXgvE5Y3ZTVS4LYvjIuiAhMK7rViZPnPNeuYT35-RJyGjMcWno-uK9boiswB9uX4ofa8Cv6qIyTXQp0e-T3uc3wvVC3pZUn7NOeOZJ5/s320/P6290253.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf4XAeUiji_bi6BPq9Yd6ScnWFnlChfNfrLpoc4_IxaHwJ2acCOtfJqS6BTOp2JXzT9a9fjwMzNqlQLsg-M2pVg-_re1-hGw4thePkEhzlzjgFzOqL5oxMtijFDdBjyUyEvnQeiXUGoSDP/s1600/P6290256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf4XAeUiji_bi6BPq9Yd6ScnWFnlChfNfrLpoc4_IxaHwJ2acCOtfJqS6BTOp2JXzT9a9fjwMzNqlQLsg-M2pVg-_re1-hGw4thePkEhzlzjgFzOqL5oxMtijFDdBjyUyEvnQeiXUGoSDP/s320/P6290256.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>Chores and Soccer</b><br />
Although we are nearing the end of our journey, we did have one more "tourist attraction" that had to be hit before wrapping things up. That attraction is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machu_picchu">Machu Picchu</a>, which can be visited in a variety of ways, ranging from day trips to a 4 day hike along the official Inca trail. Since neither of us booked the official trail permit ahead of time (for high season, you have to get that up to 6 months in advance given limited supply), we were basically down to doing an unofficial trek or just taking the train. Yeah, we opted for the train. Though the trip can be done in one day, we decided to hop on the train - currently it's actually a 60% bus journey due to land slide related rail damage earlier this year - from Cusco, spend a night in Aguas Calientes, head up to MP in the early morning, and take the train back in the eve. <br />
<br />
While we originally had planned on returning on Sunday, the return train was booked, so we settled for a Sunday departure and Monday return instead. Wouldn't really matter, right? Tickets were easily booked at the train station in Cusco (USD 96 for a return ticket.) They do take Visa.<br />
<br />
With our tickets sorted, it was time to head to Paddy's, the highest elevation Irish pub in the world (or something like that), where we were to catch the Switzerland-Honduras game which the Swiss tied, thus causing them to be eliminated from the world cup. Yeah, I was bummed but at least the US had qualified, right? The Sheperds pie (below), thankfully, was delicious. Jason sampled their Quesedillas (with fresh Guac), also quite good, though not cheesy enough for his taste.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtko6PFcSia2iUJ3GVB6zxZ-OwBZWglgxNkcMbmThkNnH74GkT93UA1QiEWSK50KgM0G98g-mI7LLVjRDUJ4uDFlk3e-8xrgl5B-G7d2Tww3yfXc83mFFHNdCEqxecpQ8pwmpQ3HCTZyZ6/s1600/IMG_0255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtko6PFcSia2iUJ3GVB6zxZ-OwBZWglgxNkcMbmThkNnH74GkT93UA1QiEWSK50KgM0G98g-mI7LLVjRDUJ4uDFlk3e-8xrgl5B-G7d2Tww3yfXc83mFFHNdCEqxecpQ8pwmpQ3HCTZyZ6/s320/IMG_0255.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo6QsldBlxyfEqeH22-Nb98R2EygKKTAX-e-5kjUztv1IR8V0mxlF9UqJ7lXoWTuw-P_NC6qM36wfJtMnvIlCWwVx22wr6fG-lbTeFV63x3qX9No_hHeWkYRSSwpnDIJPPlWmZnDsuVLYt/s1600/IMG_0259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo6QsldBlxyfEqeH22-Nb98R2EygKKTAX-e-5kjUztv1IR8V0mxlF9UqJ7lXoWTuw-P_NC6qM36wfJtMnvIlCWwVx22wr6fG-lbTeFV63x3qX9No_hHeWkYRSSwpnDIJPPlWmZnDsuVLYt/s320/IMG_0259.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYWPO8nymXBfIGE37RHOCw5KDAzgokyuwXrp8ndyW_P9n0tZGcKK0Q1PjfBLkwy1aEa-_zpkl8qm4VZMkThMVhwHg3cNnqGvVhHviCk1XyyjhKa-ys_Si1hrz-HP5nWjv_Sj5tnXLirL8/s1600/IMG_0256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXYWPO8nymXBfIGE37RHOCw5KDAzgokyuwXrp8ndyW_P9n0tZGcKK0Q1PjfBLkwy1aEa-_zpkl8qm4VZMkThMVhwHg3cNnqGvVhHviCk1XyyjhKa-ys_Si1hrz-HP5nWjv_Sj5tnXLirL8/s320/IMG_0256.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Upon return to the hostel, now having a good sense of when we'd be leaving Cusco, Jason went ahead and booked our last hostel for the trip in Arequipa. We were both glad to be done with that piece of traveling. Our last two nights in Lima will be spent at the Hilton Doubletree courtesy of an earlier reservation made with our combined Hilton loyalty program points. Flashpackers we are.<br />
<br />
We awoke Saturday with a mission to book the second to last set of bus tickets, this time from Cusco to Arequipa. Annika joined us, splitting the 3 soles cab fare to the bus station three ways. Bus prices ranged from 60 to 120 soles (20 to 40 USD), but unfortunately we were there too soon to book a Tuesday ticket with the bus company we had settled on. It would have to wait until we returned from our Machu Picchu trip. <br />
<br />
So why not go check out some more soccer? The US, having qualified out of the group stages, was scheduled to play against Ghana in the 1/8 finals at 1:30pm. First off, however, it was time to check out town a bit more, specifically Inca civil engineering/architecture and the famous 12 angled/sided stone. They even had a guard firmly discouraging us touching any of the stones, though I did manage to sneak in a quick cusp. The masonry was actually quite impressive, and apparently the walls are so strong that the Spaniards often used old Inca walls as foundations for their buildings. I can see why.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlBY5ZwuC7v4p2fELKACUsoYTv9F08zajt7XfOEWo44QwCtxgjVVBxy3IXo3N_qq02l29dxlBZIwAeyBKVDC97YQkqKOk9hu01TTBo28BpfRiuFXRhoUIJE_gebzqdvXIO5GBjXo_oiEOv/s1600/IMG_0263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlBY5ZwuC7v4p2fELKACUsoYTv9F08zajt7XfOEWo44QwCtxgjVVBxy3IXo3N_qq02l29dxlBZIwAeyBKVDC97YQkqKOk9hu01TTBo28BpfRiuFXRhoUIJE_gebzqdvXIO5GBjXo_oiEOv/s320/IMG_0263.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC61yHIgNKRBvdbffoqJQj33ck7P1ok4oD24XrQXG5j7qbVD7gOSIOfKb5WQ6sSv3LDRWIFy0vFgWyqTR4nPun8d_Klm6Wpzlo9-_oMmZw0gq5BrfbhtilSLjPqNsxO40mnGml0vqJQbpf/s1600/IMG_0266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC61yHIgNKRBvdbffoqJQj33ck7P1ok4oD24XrQXG5j7qbVD7gOSIOfKb5WQ6sSv3LDRWIFy0vFgWyqTR4nPun8d_Klm6Wpzlo9-_oMmZw0gq5BrfbhtilSLjPqNsxO40mnGml0vqJQbpf/s320/IMG_0266.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxz4euUhgdUnKG3JrywWZ5njgsa5-HRWe5wX2Yf2zMkU7FpIu7rHq_cLWe70BAsTwBIWUD_W2UqFmhwCJSoRfkdxfyPcpQqmjhsc5Rl-va15v073Y_lvj7TsJ2wO22ioXGLkafc9iTlz8L/s1600/IMG_0267.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxz4euUhgdUnKG3JrywWZ5njgsa5-HRWe5wX2Yf2zMkU7FpIu7rHq_cLWe70BAsTwBIWUD_W2UqFmhwCJSoRfkdxfyPcpQqmjhsc5Rl-va15v073Y_lvj7TsJ2wO22ioXGLkafc9iTlz8L/s320/IMG_0267.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We scoured town for a good 30-40 minutes to find a decent spot that would offer lunch (veg for Annika) and show the game, but ended up settling on good ol' Paddy's from the day before. The food again was quite good, as was the US-laced atmosphere. The game, as you probably know by now, was lost by the US and therefore a bit of a downer. Oh well. After the game the three of us hung at the Plaza de Armas to watch the sun set while listening to a random musical performance, before heading to the grocery store to purchase dinner supplies. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMu-PAwNR-CpZ_2ieDz6WwGh22zn29QhP9pvhSfxE3LvLVp8u0llP3gcXCTBDvu7nY8LaZk1KzsNC0aIlkoZVduUs57Bwan3xMfqmepBxRS4l7OCZclRrZ8ntJMylO-puj5ZqsrMnek-Bu/s1600/IMG_0274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMu-PAwNR-CpZ_2ieDz6WwGh22zn29QhP9pvhSfxE3LvLVp8u0llP3gcXCTBDvu7nY8LaZk1KzsNC0aIlkoZVduUs57Bwan3xMfqmepBxRS4l7OCZclRrZ8ntJMylO-puj5ZqsrMnek-Bu/s320/IMG_0274.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYUvuF_Hx3F6N9pk8j52HsQdXX_k23JF3LCpcw97lCpw_jtUPjLlpGSHj_w5JQIGHrNB7JMSUl0oVrP-4WrtTcnqASmvIfImjapdUmazomXx1XBi0mh_Bud7ekdy1caM0QR-ySxYHOzcuB/s1600/P6240198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYUvuF_Hx3F6N9pk8j52HsQdXX_k23JF3LCpcw97lCpw_jtUPjLlpGSHj_w5JQIGHrNB7JMSUl0oVrP-4WrtTcnqASmvIfImjapdUmazomXx1XBi0mh_Bud7ekdy1caM0QR-ySxYHOzcuB/s320/P6240198.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Dinner, would consist of Mac-n-cheese (yup, it was basically a "western food day" of yore), capped off by chilling at the still full hostel and movie night (Up! and The Shining) for me, Annika, and a couple of Austrians.<br />
<br />
<b>Off to Machu Picchu - Rise and Shine? </b><br />
Sunday and our departure to our sixth (of eight) "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Seven_Wonders_of_the_World">New Modern Wonders of the World</a>", Machu Picchu, had arrived. Built in 1400 in a classical Incan style, Machu Picchu's existence for the longest time was only locally known. It was brought to international attention by Hiram Bingham in 1911 when he "re-discovered" it with help from some locals, and is sometimes referred to as the "Lost City of the Incas." With its beautiful architecture and stunning location, it was a must-see attraction for us.<br />
<br />
We checked out, put our bags in storage at the hostel, caught a 2 hour partially jarring mini-bus ride to a temporary train station, and concluded with the final 1.5 hour train ride to the tourist town of Aguas Calientes. The train ride, because we were sitting on the right side, was fairly dull and resulted in at least me nodding off. Lawton wasn't that lucky. But we got there safely shortly before 1pm on what turned out to be a gorgeous day. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4oCtuFyNjR43imD4Cl0Gowznt0R41vx_c9RQJnhEw7TuPNh5IsvGJvKr_QoKjnYqT2JHaLw_6XwdkC9LVx8w8Z8XuotRUSyK2p1HT-CMcB-Xm3c0G7r8oiglhIbFQgUEowcF2bAXawics/s1600/IMG_0280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4oCtuFyNjR43imD4Cl0Gowznt0R41vx_c9RQJnhEw7TuPNh5IsvGJvKr_QoKjnYqT2JHaLw_6XwdkC9LVx8w8Z8XuotRUSyK2p1HT-CMcB-Xm3c0G7r8oiglhIbFQgUEowcF2bAXawics/s320/IMG_0280.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnXiK87xGDTMMzwZtYs5BroI-b-sju2OgO4rg-54sP6rupaRkgzh_HVGTr_rxTEUbBY0Gk2n2a6FYj86j_5rr0pxlMJKhdK3LLMATRD8FKzV1MsYrGyaVMev8ws5b-m_dXHilEe8yZnzca/s1600/IMG_0283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnXiK87xGDTMMzwZtYs5BroI-b-sju2OgO4rg-54sP6rupaRkgzh_HVGTr_rxTEUbBY0Gk2n2a6FYj86j_5rr0pxlMJKhdK3LLMATRD8FKzV1MsYrGyaVMev8ws5b-m_dXHilEe8yZnzca/s320/IMG_0283.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-mzyXCjOgQ3ag3V6ndAm-kYmeUSwl1Jb_tAHYxGIVzeETR1zvNlAMhCMAZEmNCjsz3I7PIbkIzYKjN7lNAjb7IR3EUI2YXCRPzlU4uWGDiNowiNbqs8qUsqh_oJ3yg2nX4AM25yqMmmpR/s1600/IMG_0286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-mzyXCjOgQ3ag3V6ndAm-kYmeUSwl1Jb_tAHYxGIVzeETR1zvNlAMhCMAZEmNCjsz3I7PIbkIzYKjN7lNAjb7IR3EUI2YXCRPzlU4uWGDiNowiNbqs8qUsqh_oJ3yg2nX4AM25yqMmmpR/s320/IMG_0286.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
We quickly arranged lodging, and were off to explore the town a bit and catch the Mexico-Argentina game. We also scored bus up the hill (USD 14, return) and MP entrance tickets (126 soles or about 40 USD) for the following day. Jason made the mistake of saying something along the lines of "if this weather holds up, tomorrow will be a great day to check out Machu Picchu." I'll let you guess the consequence of that little statement. Or you can just read on.<br />
<br />
Bedtime came fairly early after some Chinese food (yeah, we were eating Chinese in Peru), as we wanted to be at the bus station by 5:30 in hopes of me maybe being able to climb up to Wayna Picchu. They limit permits for that climb to 400 per day, so the moral of the story is to the to the gate early. Surely not too many people would have the same idea, yes? So the alarm was set for 4:45am and lights killed at a decent hour. <br />
<br />
The shower in our cheap hotel the next morning, surprisingly enough, was actually quite hot, and we managed to be at the bus station by 5:35. During initial approach, three main revelations hit: 1) The ground was wet, indicating rain during the night. 2) It was strangely cloudy. 3) The lines for the bus were INSANELY (~100 yards) long.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimK6-NOjGfO762KLIfRqal7z6L76qxtlCF5cA-LpAeCRiz_lIjK2q8Un2wb6bZA_hNne_9V0YnTtIcvBM5aZdj1M0hKcazjeLE7rtEr5AD_31eCyxTcj8xzswuxeMPw0vmbva8Ue-Crjul/s1600/IMG_0289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimK6-NOjGfO762KLIfRqal7z6L76qxtlCF5cA-LpAeCRiz_lIjK2q8Un2wb6bZA_hNne_9V0YnTtIcvBM5aZdj1M0hKcazjeLE7rtEr5AD_31eCyxTcj8xzswuxeMPw0vmbva8Ue-Crjul/s320/IMG_0289.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Upon queuing for a good 20 minutes, we ended up getting on bus #15, which by our calculations made us approximately guests number 510 and 511. This excludes folks staying the night at the hotel near the entrance or hiking up the curvy path to the gate. Lines at the gate were also long (below.) Worse yet, it started to rain. We've had gorgeous weather for the last couple weeks, but sure enough, the one day we were to visit one of the new wonders of the world, sun-love would not be on our side. Nor were permits for Wayna Picchu, which had sold out by the time we made it through the gate. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj35zSuD8gFiE0pgLqT7Cm3o4Ch60la1FR1EYre5Gy7xF6wWWY3ggdAbnJtsERSh3nN1rcvgehsdV5G-VrYP9VQdEsw5IrNTwr4onBu_sYrOoI6TYEgdykVwZ34ztcK6QHF-W5MUO7g0lTM/s1600/P6280209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj35zSuD8gFiE0pgLqT7Cm3o4Ch60la1FR1EYre5Gy7xF6wWWY3ggdAbnJtsERSh3nN1rcvgehsdV5G-VrYP9VQdEsw5IrNTwr4onBu_sYrOoI6TYEgdykVwZ34ztcK6QHF-W5MUO7g0lTM/s320/P6280209.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
We later met up with a Scottish girl from our Cusco hostel, Laura, who had gotten a permit but had been at the bus station at 4:30am (!!!) and managed to get on bus #6, or just over 175 people in. For reference, buses start running at 5:30 and the gate opens at 6am. Yikes. So no permits, and crummy weather. Boy, were we happy. Moral of the story: Get up early (3:30 or so) and get some sun-god praying in. We did neither and paid accordingly.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0VJ1YzjE0s0XVysOg0GumyJ5TnUPQEfHWGXcT2lIXgqNfi6omi1llrbOJ4rPWImL0CqK6d2-oNY-d_E2Vto61Fkwe2dnFsmQx9DjyuRpMmHpJ6xKW3t8MBFVSlgiSE2y8GHUbMkpuoLC/s1600/IMG_0292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0VJ1YzjE0s0XVysOg0GumyJ5TnUPQEfHWGXcT2lIXgqNfi6omi1llrbOJ4rPWImL0CqK6d2-oNY-d_E2Vto61Fkwe2dnFsmQx9DjyuRpMmHpJ6xKW3t8MBFVSlgiSE2y8GHUbMkpuoLC/s320/IMG_0292.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
On the upside, besides Laura, we ran into some cool dudes from DC (and later one Canadian) who were sharing our frustrations and fondness of making fun of Scottish folks. Misery does love company, and we made the best of it. After waiting for about an hour for the rain to subside, it was concluded that a poncho run was needed and the weather would have to be braved as is. Prior to braving the wetness, we also ran into the English teachers from our La Paz-Copacabana bus ride: they had been hiking the Inka trail for the last 3 days, and this was their finale. We did feel bad for them. So without further ado, I present to you the exclusive premiere of "The drenching of Jason and Swiss at Machu Picchu":<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMUSRPigfJAN8jGLyt8TzqGca89EN_f3n_Xj7ShRfCToPHoNeSHaqCDEqgtUQkjD7J3rmnm81lKmSo9HLsfhZn5KDzLaGu2VDqxHkfAKhTvebMIoyuiEJ6464KdvfufCbu9tYPW1VO6zgW/s1600/IMG_0293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMUSRPigfJAN8jGLyt8TzqGca89EN_f3n_Xj7ShRfCToPHoNeSHaqCDEqgtUQkjD7J3rmnm81lKmSo9HLsfhZn5KDzLaGu2VDqxHkfAKhTvebMIoyuiEJ6464KdvfufCbu9tYPW1VO6zgW/s320/IMG_0293.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoDvwGyKyqPaZkLktwS7RsUTtkzoEhyBWWS_YADGV9glRerNsaz2IWHUMHncj2ArlnF05mpSljn4VtIgSxP_KcN7l3ChhgEDYdYZqW-Jr2BEuEs8__TKqQUOZd4_ktEZh05i9e_sg6ypwu/s1600/IMG_0297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoDvwGyKyqPaZkLktwS7RsUTtkzoEhyBWWS_YADGV9glRerNsaz2IWHUMHncj2ArlnF05mpSljn4VtIgSxP_KcN7l3ChhgEDYdYZqW-Jr2BEuEs8__TKqQUOZd4_ktEZh05i9e_sg6ypwu/s320/IMG_0297.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI90Hb8WmGBonZZgg6YreVagvlawzmaQfokow4EV-F-cnXWk01gGG7pT8bjUA4ox2N3bKpdIOklwfh_z6_4zbbcz028ncbqKJYycby05JVBOscbVBv4mtVs6yN8w9Qh2a7gjFKUMEVEbGQ/s1600/P6280217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI90Hb8WmGBonZZgg6YreVagvlawzmaQfokow4EV-F-cnXWk01gGG7pT8bjUA4ox2N3bKpdIOklwfh_z6_4zbbcz028ncbqKJYycby05JVBOscbVBv4mtVs6yN8w9Qh2a7gjFKUMEVEbGQ/s320/P6280217.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZm5tnIkVTqQ0hszl8Glux-MSFnZkLO4WNwMipr3ZFT2Jhli91vy9TxOCQq4_XjwFcf3OGkLkkKp0ucvqJDBHVI9Cuw-Uj_d2rnX63n8yvyHZ23voCjLwFBIXi2RaEpKcWuvy7nx64ZIt/s1600/IMG_0299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZm5tnIkVTqQ0hszl8Glux-MSFnZkLO4WNwMipr3ZFT2Jhli91vy9TxOCQq4_XjwFcf3OGkLkkKp0ucvqJDBHVI9Cuw-Uj_d2rnX63n8yvyHZ23voCjLwFBIXi2RaEpKcWuvy7nx64ZIt/s320/IMG_0299.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVE9WEMKhMYjzKFZHXP6rDhUngJTsfF4-8uoHtr2u9kFdwYGBsJ6Zy76kfY8jBJXGB8dRHG8tSL2CxA9Df3sOYquK4rEUBJ_ms4KN7tsImwqWfXRfqr6nRJhKV6mKguVi21eTIXvn2m_ar/s1600/IMG_0301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVE9WEMKhMYjzKFZHXP6rDhUngJTsfF4-8uoHtr2u9kFdwYGBsJ6Zy76kfY8jBJXGB8dRHG8tSL2CxA9Df3sOYquK4rEUBJ_ms4KN7tsImwqWfXRfqr6nRJhKV6mKguVi21eTIXvn2m_ar/s320/IMG_0301.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlVgiLNPo0euieO1OlN9R3w4E8HOcTgjMzEEmZo3_lByTpZjpK1pQcHGXz6dr0dxaK1RbrJ_455K1unp2tUmALJWVf5qnfGSGpPixjLS_LTUSKH9M0R-EisPSaMqn1ctY5be_KfENku-l/s1600/IMG_0305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWlVgiLNPo0euieO1OlN9R3w4E8HOcTgjMzEEmZo3_lByTpZjpK1pQcHGXz6dr0dxaK1RbrJ_455K1unp2tUmALJWVf5qnfGSGpPixjLS_LTUSKH9M0R-EisPSaMqn1ctY5be_KfENku-l/s320/IMG_0305.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1VIr6w2IAZPP_V9Xb_-Li2HKZnV1N7_uNTS25Zzo3tukjtxAPL_NPgOYpkoZj_uQ_8xy9m8PIq01IoYQdp0DEsA9QNFWXGKyMILvAmllDW73Jtj5ZYnteOr2SDT2Bha8h4hLwvK9shDKB/s1600/P6280225.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1VIr6w2IAZPP_V9Xb_-Li2HKZnV1N7_uNTS25Zzo3tukjtxAPL_NPgOYpkoZj_uQ_8xy9m8PIq01IoYQdp0DEsA9QNFWXGKyMILvAmllDW73Jtj5ZYnteOr2SDT2Bha8h4hLwvK9shDKB/s320/P6280225.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1Tp1DOP7gd9p73XcvHuWlExR-mwhj5uDAnFGbRxqHnYIg9GnbsVI4QvggHsQ0GjaMmpFnw6oKkaMjpDWwJaX4k5UKWyLKAEdbh-77oWvLzwiXaXLykafkgFDiDZfi953j8_mrtN8w8zP/s1600/IMG_0308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1Tp1DOP7gd9p73XcvHuWlExR-mwhj5uDAnFGbRxqHnYIg9GnbsVI4QvggHsQ0GjaMmpFnw6oKkaMjpDWwJaX4k5UKWyLKAEdbh-77oWvLzwiXaXLykafkgFDiDZfi953j8_mrtN8w8zP/s320/IMG_0308.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioEQCSDs2WbdU9BblfvkLiQtnFtqWMwyMT3Fkoai4gfPobzB8sN78g2QmxE-MEJkSOmkW8gMhBmIzJNRF76GszuGaaTIZsT9VX-gEUxO1ntSFl70n8ixfslSzaCeWT8yeB2c9CQE88sSqs/s1600/IMG_0311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioEQCSDs2WbdU9BblfvkLiQtnFtqWMwyMT3Fkoai4gfPobzB8sN78g2QmxE-MEJkSOmkW8gMhBmIzJNRF76GszuGaaTIZsT9VX-gEUxO1ntSFl70n8ixfslSzaCeWT8yeB2c9CQE88sSqs/s320/IMG_0311.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_jn_KxC_hWLX5uBCsXkxcYdwPATmzyRvltKz8gMWWnNBiYQgvAYe9qqWmkA8_fJlSfXZXkaP4VveUvlW8w8uEJceTvsbeH6zNVvwt2sVDwI4zJUcyLOXWL6E-FYMNmgmZjjpXmSEKdqp/s1600/IMG_0316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_jn_KxC_hWLX5uBCsXkxcYdwPATmzyRvltKz8gMWWnNBiYQgvAYe9qqWmkA8_fJlSfXZXkaP4VveUvlW8w8uEJceTvsbeH6zNVvwt2sVDwI4zJUcyLOXWL6E-FYMNmgmZjjpXmSEKdqp/s320/IMG_0316.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9dsGauX8cOMD_ipPp3PjEuaR4Q_8438nwGGOb1m6M2BK9C5E4IMr39phGI_H9wmSmpppIn0CgDgESld9Ak9R_vgIRmn_ghjSC_aEfVoLBnwSHIOn-aOs-ku1ZlrUHR6JIIgopf0BIKtXC/s1600/P6280241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9dsGauX8cOMD_ipPp3PjEuaR4Q_8438nwGGOb1m6M2BK9C5E4IMr39phGI_H9wmSmpppIn0CgDgESld9Ak9R_vgIRmn_ghjSC_aEfVoLBnwSHIOn-aOs-ku1ZlrUHR6JIIgopf0BIKtXC/s320/P6280241.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw2qs5I-GZiAmA-mtlMMSeerLJa48887-t_VEXSzcW-hd0rD59nN0qsyaQTDbLPo6QvQsLXwM_2WLzA143qFWTJzlCMFxa8SEt1F_795xhzFMvftDsyhObkpoIezlYqLyw-2exXJiqk8u-/s1600/IMG_0321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw2qs5I-GZiAmA-mtlMMSeerLJa48887-t_VEXSzcW-hd0rD59nN0qsyaQTDbLPo6QvQsLXwM_2WLzA143qFWTJzlCMFxa8SEt1F_795xhzFMvftDsyhObkpoIezlYqLyw-2exXJiqk8u-/s320/IMG_0321.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
It must be said that the site is actually quite stunning and beautiful, despite the bad weather. Also, considering we've had great weather at The Great Wall, Petra, Ankor Wat, and the Taj Mahal, there really isn't too much room for complainging :)<br />
<br />
We, along with plenty of other tourists, hopped on the return bus sometime around 10 am to dry off and catch the end of the Holland-Slovenia soccer game. Multiple restaurants offered us their "deals", with prices dropping in rapid fashion as locales were trying to lure us in. It is just another feature of the tourist saturated town of Aguas Calientes, but I suppose it it what it is. A somewhat disappointing lunch was had later, before killing some time in the afternoon catching the Brazil-Chile game. The skies slowly started opening up around 4pm, or about an hour before we had to be at the train station to head back towards Cusco. Maybe next time...<br />
<br />
We arrived back in Cusco at 9:30pm, and decided to try to book our bus tickets from Arequipa for the following day before returning to our hostel. A 3 soles "matchbox taxi" cab ride got us to the bus station, where we found Flores, our company of choice, already closed. So we ended up settling for Carhuamayo instead. 60 soles should, in theory, get us to Arequipa by 5am on June 30. Jason will let you know how that plan worked out :)<br />
<br />
We got back to the hostel a bit after 10, cooked up our second box of Mac-n-Cheese, before catching up with stuff online and ultimately heading to bed. The hostel, contrary to just two days prior when we had left, was dead. Apparently all the "Inti Raymi" folks had moved on. The upside: the entire dorm room was ours, resulting in a very quiet night's sleep.<br />
<br />
The last day in Cusco was uneventful, save for lunch at "The Real McCoy" where Jason had pie and mash and I had the "creatively arranged" Bangers and mash. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLw4FHxYsFZ7NvZLQwRbSnlTTVcaf1ZD8XGL-Rjh3j4wjQD-Hnl0TCWaf7FmrWyoP6cmRkLBR1E2XHYwt-R9BYM4ObJQA4Jj4BjPlHZ9h2NNjBbuQeP8mfEEItVQ9IAYMqfaBpZJka-Fqx/s1600/P6290251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLw4FHxYsFZ7NvZLQwRbSnlTTVcaf1ZD8XGL-Rjh3j4wjQD-Hnl0TCWaf7FmrWyoP6cmRkLBR1E2XHYwt-R9BYM4ObJQA4Jj4BjPlHZ9h2NNjBbuQeP8mfEEItVQ9IAYMqfaBpZJka-Fqx/s320/P6290251.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
And yes, we've been on an English/Irish pub food kick for some reason. Lacking any scientific proof, I figure it's a function of a desire of "home"-like food, cold beer, and good coverage of the world cup. The food was pretty good and we did catch the Spain-Portugal game. Plus they have food and beer specials until the first goal is scored. See, we're being cultural watching soccer and all.<br />
<br />
The rest of the day was spent relaxing, blog writing (the stuff you're currently reading), and waiting for our 8:45pm bus departure for Arequipa. <br />
<br />
If all goes well, the next time you'll be hearing from me will be after my return to the US. Thanks for all the folks following our blog and I hope you enjoyed a small glimpse of our trip around the world. As mentioned in the intro, Jason will wrap up our blog with the summary of our visits to Araquipa and Lima. Greetings to all our friends, fellow travelers, and well-wishers!<br />
<br />
Ciao!Swisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13257087659483700434noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8978913163233101110.post-47960220277129815932010-06-24T20:30:00.001-07:002010-06-24T20:30:10.932-07:00Our final travel guest and my (sad) attempts at Spanish<p>June 5th --> 20th, by Jason</p> <p>Well our 23 hour journey to Buenos Aires with AndesMar wasn't as good as we'd hoped (it had been really hyped up by people we met and online) and while it wasn't bad I really don't get the hype over Argentinian buses...but at least that phase of the journey is complete. We arrived at the main Buenos Aires (BsAs) bus terminal around 4.30pm on Saturday. We hopped on the subway down to the Av. de Mayo area where our hostel was located and checked into the Estoril Terrazas Hostel. After a long journey we had a small bite to eat at a local cafe and then it was time for a good night's rest before Sonia arrived the next morning from San Francisco!</p> <p>A quick note: At this point we're almost 4 weeks since the "break" and my leg is doing well. Swiss has been great as my mule and very helpful, carrying all our bags everywhere. I'm able to put weight on my left leg without any pain so I'm down to one crutch, really a cain if you will, and pretty well mobile, so we're back moving pretty good! </p> <p><b>Our final US visitor...Sonia's here!!</b></p> <p>Sunday morning we were pleasantly surprised (OK, not surprised...I guess it was expected) with Sonia's arrival around 10am. We let her get settled and sneak in a quick nap, then we headed out into the city for a stroll down Avenida de Mayo, crossing over Avenida 9 de Julio, the widest street in the Americas I believe (while mobile, I'm not my normal speed and it still took us 4 cycles of the <i>long</i> lights to get across this one street, haha!) and to a little cafe for a long lunch.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNnPRO-TpI/AAAAAAAAEe0/8P-4d-5FcdU/s1600-h/P60635684.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6063568" border="0" alt="P6063568" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNnR_V-5ZI/AAAAAAAAEe4/JywQnZUYn5E/P6063568_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNnTTtJOFI/AAAAAAAAEe8/I0AoEMI2i6A/s1600-h/P60635744.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6063574" border="0" alt="P6063574" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNnWeFiv1I/AAAAAAAAEfA/h3GDmY8EZxQ/P6063574_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNnaqvQ6CI/AAAAAAAAEfE/XVr7QAvQ0IU/s1600-h/DSCN34564.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="DSCN3456" border="0" alt="DSCN3456" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNneO_HDrI/AAAAAAAAEfI/uM21AlQhYoI/DSCN3456_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNnfx2grDI/AAAAAAAAEfM/r5Bf5GEFAqs/s1600-h/P60635774.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6063577" border="0" alt="P6063577" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNnhmfqh9I/AAAAAAAAEfQ/pOxeNpY6GWw/P6063577_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNnjGRhjkI/AAAAAAAAEfU/XzWHqKFsW9s/s1600-h/P60635804.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6063580" border="0" alt="P6063580" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNnkrt3ggI/AAAAAAAAEfY/9iOIeVLCYlU/P6063580_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> </p> <p>We then continued our stroll down to Plaza de Mayo, sight of many famous events in Argentine history, including <i>Casa Rosada</i> where Eva Peron gave many of her famous speeches and the square where the coup of March 1976 started which marked the beginning of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirty_War" target="_blank">Dirty War</a> and years of military-led brutality around the nation. </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNnmFd20QI/AAAAAAAAEfc/Ua8bmPC2w1c/s1600-h/DSCN34613.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="DSCN3461" border="0" alt="DSCN3461" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNnnj_UTRI/AAAAAAAAEfg/K8uClX3Bq3Y/DSCN3461_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNnosar3tI/AAAAAAAAEfk/iRuBjIjPL-M/s1600-h/P60635824.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6063582" border="0" alt="P6063582" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNnqmzE2PI/AAAAAAAAEfo/MUUrfDeIu5s/P6063582_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNnsD_rb4I/AAAAAAAAEfs/FLwUzowtjP8/s1600-h/P60635864.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6063586" border="0" alt="P6063586" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNntooSx5I/AAAAAAAAEfw/99Ku7V3ziqY/P6063586_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNnu2EqnbI/AAAAAAAAEf0/EC7fro34E7E/s1600-h/P60635884.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6063588" border="0" alt="P6063588" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNnwUmZPlI/AAAAAAAAEf4/ePAcX0iqO_g/P6063588_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> </p> <p>A small dinner with Sonia and it was time for an early night so that Sonia could get caught up on her sleep after the long journey south.</p> <p><b>Shopping Streets and a delicious Japanese dinner</b></p> <p>Monday was a leisurely start (we easily convinced Sonia to adopt our slower style that's taking hold as our trip nears the end.) We headed up to Avenida de Florida to check out the shops and so Sonia could do some souvenir shopping! </p> <p>We took the subway there to cut down on the walking and let me tell you, the rumors are true, the BsAs subway is ANCIENT! The line that ran closest our hostel was literally like a rolling museum, an ancient wooden train with manual doors. That’s right, when you arrive at a station you manually open the train doors yourself (on most trains on the A line)…see the pictures below.</p> <p>Always ready to try something new we checked out a small burger shop full of locals and with very unique toppings all for a dollar! Swiss enjoyed one and Sonia and I split one and it was delicious! Sonia picked up a few gifts and we stopped into Galerias Pacifico for a proper lunch and to grab some pictures of their beautiful murals inside.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNnyeVd28I/AAAAAAAAEf8/HPWi4ZOaDdQ/s1600-h/P60735904.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6073590" border="0" alt="P6073590" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNnz3GAkKI/AAAAAAAAEgA/QBB5rE7etrE/P6073590_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNn1Tg7RxI/AAAAAAAAEgE/_Pqsm6LxqmI/s1600-h/P60735914.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6073591" border="0" alt="P6073591" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNn3NiRj4I/AAAAAAAAEgI/cXhQpEZuzvg/P6073591_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNn4lLT0NI/AAAAAAAAEgM/m2oy9rep75k/s1600-h/P60735954.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6073595" border="0" alt="P6073595" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNn6EDEepI/AAAAAAAAEgQ/M9ZJeQ4jyMM/P6073595_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNn7S_7V6I/AAAAAAAAEgU/Czywhz5C5jM/s1600-h/P60735984.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6073598" border="0" alt="P6073598" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNn9DaIktI/AAAAAAAAEgY/No6kcAVX8KU/P6073598_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNn-o-vwGI/AAAAAAAAEgc/CspGtQkJMAs/s1600-h/P60736014.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6073601" border="0" alt="P6073601" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNoAFT6-pI/AAAAAAAAEgg/HjV_BzRpA0I/P6073601_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNoB5lMbmI/AAAAAAAAEgk/id66hioLHHc/s1600-h/P60736024.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6073602" border="0" alt="P6073602" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNoE0ZJ4eI/AAAAAAAAEgo/VQ8JhhAKrls/P6073602_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNoHdQjtyI/AAAAAAAAEgs/Q_HHfAZSCtM/s1600-h/P60736034.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6073603" border="0" alt="P6073603" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNoKQXH40I/AAAAAAAAEgw/PNd-lltKd4o/P6073603_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNoNdIflEI/AAAAAAAAEg0/7Ws0dnQj7po/s1600-h/P60736064.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6073606" border="0" alt="P6073606" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNoQ0DpWpI/AAAAAAAAEg4/RNpY5U19aS0/P6073606_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNoTg2UlxI/AAAAAAAAEg8/21H5r0ZfIA8/s1600-h/P60736074.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6073607" border="0" alt="P6073607" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNoVGLIRPI/AAAAAAAAEhA/lT8_CapCGiY/P6073607_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNoWhxY4kI/AAAAAAAAEhE/TXLBtdP--9U/s1600-h/P60736084.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6073608" border="0" alt="P6073608" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNoZWHCCSI/AAAAAAAAEhI/X6EU0aJkbFQ/P6073608_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNobff4l7I/AAAAAAAAEhM/k0uikzU0TLI/s1600-h/P60736094.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6073609" border="0" alt="P6073609" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNodFDx8yI/AAAAAAAAEhQ/h3ubEPBSUuo/P6073609_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> </p> <p>Of course Argentine food courts are just amazing, I've never seen a place with no less than two spots with full grills serving steaks for lunch...a very unique Argentine lunch option (and very filling too.) Next up was a walk down the road to check out the Obelisco, a famous symbol of BsAs. </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNoeVeSFiI/AAAAAAAAEhU/Y1_wnKM8GuM/s1600-h/P60736194.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6073619" border="0" alt="P6073619" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNof1Ri5NI/AAAAAAAAEhY/FcYu5MGHfZQ/P6073619_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNohPNL_jI/AAAAAAAAEhc/Pycn5dcHW0w/s1600-h/P60736214.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6073621" border="0" alt="P6073621" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNoiX1T-iI/AAAAAAAAEhg/bxPQSoVdMfU/P6073621_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNoj-FQeDI/AAAAAAAAEhk/KSH8l8JNtHU/s1600-h/P60736234.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6073623" border="0" alt="P6073623" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNomEAaLJI/AAAAAAAAEho/MqUCjO3hwic/P6073623_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> </p> <p>That night we had made plans with Azra for a nice dinner to celebrate the end of her journey through Central and South America (remember Azra from our stay in Rio?) About seven of us headed out for a delicious dinner at <i>Osaka</i>, a Japanese/Peruvian fusion restaurant in the Palermo neighborhood of town. It was delicious!</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNon2-RwpI/AAAAAAAAEhs/ZqrWuWGy-ro/s1600-h/P60736264.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6073626" border="0" alt="P6073626" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNop2zWHnI/AAAAAAAAEhw/GEvHRPZPUQ4/P6073626_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNorvEXIuI/AAAAAAAAEh0/GDa4nXL-vdI/s1600-h/P60736294.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6073629" border="0" alt="P6073629" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNot0E3yCI/AAAAAAAAEh4/VNrWutKgKew/P6073629_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNowPcqSMI/AAAAAAAAEh8/RGqrZ9WMNfM/s1600-h/P60736304.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6073630" border="0" alt="P6073630" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNox2dFEsI/AAAAAAAAEiA/du-YZ7vR11k/P6073630_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNozW7V_BI/AAAAAAAAEiE/0Lxcp5H0Bes/s1600-h/DSCN35004.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="DSCN3500" border="0" alt="DSCN3500" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNo1R6ic_I/AAAAAAAAEiI/4VFsyJDdTjA/DSCN3500_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNo2_79YJI/AAAAAAAAEiM/5ktcB-oPd_o/s1600-h/DSCN35014.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="DSCN3501" border="0" alt="DSCN3501" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNo44PxPsI/AAAAAAAAEiQ/QHMjhL0vB1s/DSCN3501_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNo6hV-kUI/AAAAAAAAEiU/nY8GQJhVZuo/s1600-h/P60736324.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6073632" border="0" alt="P6073632" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNo8R4lbUI/AAAAAAAAEiY/pKmXpbDELB4/P6073632_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNo9qh4hoI/AAAAAAAAEic/4k0OvQXPx4o/s1600-h/P60736354.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6073635" border="0" alt="P6073635" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNo_azmBGI/AAAAAAAAEig/7q4e6yXxHFU/P6073635_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNpAjHiHxI/AAAAAAAAEik/p_UJLJw7_6o/s1600-h/P60736364.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6073636" border="0" alt="P6073636" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNpCkLdcfI/AAAAAAAAEio/61Cu9rkNmG4/P6073636_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> </p> <p>Tuesday we set out in search of something on our maps called "Plaza Eva Peron" but whatever it was, it didn't have anything that we considered a monument or homage to Miss Evita herself. We did run into a statue paying homage to some engineer which at least Swiss could get his picture with it!</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNpD_AVbjI/AAAAAAAAEis/VLpgQ8a-pIA/s1600-h/P60836384.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6083638" border="0" alt="P6083638" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNpFX7o_lI/AAAAAAAAEiw/3jiRRcIYNnk/P6083638_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNpHGAD6yI/AAAAAAAAEi0/K7b8yKVj2Jg/s1600-h/P60836394.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6083639" border="0" alt="P6083639" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNpJblutiI/AAAAAAAAEi8/spXCmkgpcf4/P6083639_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNpK1VwuSI/AAAAAAAAEjA/MIC-LeF-NeY/s1600-h/P60836404.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6083640" border="0" alt="P6083640" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNpMbmU_jI/AAAAAAAAEjE/mb-gtmN3ZtE/P6083640_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> </p> <p>We headed down to the San Telmo neighborhood, a great little area with cobble stoned streets and neat little shops. I looked at a bag which I didn't end up buying and Sonia picked up a a few things for herself. We had lunch at a little place known for having sandwiches made from unique game meats. The food was pretty good, although I must say the venison burger was a bit gamey for my tastes, although Swiss's slow roasted beef with potatoes was quite well done. </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNpN6cP3TI/AAAAAAAAEjI/rVonKchHCyA/s1600-h/P60836474.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6083647" border="0" alt="P6083647" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNpPkqraPI/AAAAAAAAEjQ/WF2na-AC3f0/P6083647_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNpRp3bZzI/AAAAAAAAEjU/x6ImbJNTi0Y/s1600-h/P60836484.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6083648" border="0" alt="P6083648" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNpTUy7viI/AAAAAAAAEjY/D2wUIGHDe0g/P6083648_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNpV9ALqTI/AAAAAAAAEjc/u_wgJG19_T8/s1600-h/P60836524.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6083652" border="0" alt="P6083652" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNpYZXyA7I/AAAAAAAAEjg/wYdyjehtJE8/P6083652_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> </p> <p>A little stroll around the area and a stop for some coffee late in the afternoon where I had some time to write out a postcard for mom, my third to last of the trip! We headed back to our hostel and enjoyed a nice BBQ dinner there with Azra on our last night before flying home to London. It was a nice social affair and an introduction to late Argentine dinners for Sonia.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNpZwwbe9I/AAAAAAAAEjk/k7uLeaWaOVk/s1600-h/DSCN35204.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="DSCN3520" border="0" alt="DSCN3520" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNpbRRc4YI/AAAAAAAAEjo/ILfCjSnV7wY/DSCN3520_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNpc3nhTdI/AAAAAAAAEjs/wRrxDp9sLhw/s1600-h/DSCN35214.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="DSCN3521" border="0" alt="DSCN3521" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNpeaSNdVI/AAAAAAAAEjw/Wy8bG6K3gg8/DSCN3521_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNpf-mEO_I/AAAAAAAAEj0/5Q4gVsYL5ig/s1600-h/P60836544.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6083654" border="0" alt="P6083654" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNphkOztfI/AAAAAAAAEj4/-dyb-iV2Ud0/P6083654_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> </p> <p><b>Giant plastic dolls and coral buildings</b></p> <p>So Wednesday we decided we'd head over to Boca, a famous neighborhood in BsAs. Truth be told it was actually quite touristy, but something that had to be seen. It was full of people putting on "Tango Shows" at overpriced cafes and a very unique style of painting and decoration.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNpje2tAGI/AAAAAAAAEj8/9msEHCinDuI/s1600-h/DSCN35304.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="DSCN3530" border="0" alt="DSCN3530" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNplILcb2I/AAAAAAAAEkA/4V_a96PgPkA/DSCN3530_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNpngaR1jI/AAAAAAAAEkE/vCdH9gfn_C8/s1600-h/P60936594.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6093659" border="0" alt="P6093659" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNppDDseiI/AAAAAAAAEkI/lb11iGPywLg/P6093659_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNpq6IFE8I/AAAAAAAAEkM/mZvuR_yet8g/s1600-h/P60936614.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6093661" border="0" alt="P6093661" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNpsaESbpI/AAAAAAAAEkQ/HOZ8YaZtc6s/P6093661_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNpuNXBKSI/AAAAAAAAEkU/sz-LoYJM1c4/s1600-h/P60936624.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6093662" border="0" alt="P6093662" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNpv6Wy1JI/AAAAAAAAEkY/2QovAYA_IQA/P6093662_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNpxtEqoxI/AAAAAAAAEkc/lkT2pbsw9n4/s1600-h/P60936644.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6093664" border="0" alt="P6093664" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNpzeEQHTI/AAAAAAAAEkg/KsfRKwxYtS8/P6093664_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNp05Y6c2I/AAAAAAAAEkk/-G0RECDa-_4/s1600-h/DSCN35505.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="DSCN3550" border="0" alt="DSCN3550" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNp41yyGII/AAAAAAAAEko/UDXtVIQfVdQ/DSCN3550_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> </p> <p>We had a nice lunch at a local place we found and then headed over to the stadium to see where Boca Juniors plays, one of the more famous BsAs teams. We had a nice dinner of some takeout pizza and empanadas from a place just down below our place. Buenos Aires is known for it's grilled meats, ice cream, pizzas and empanadas...this knocked two off our list in one meal! The pizza was delicious too!</p> <p><b>A little online shopping...then off to the graveyard!</b></p> <p>So with less than a month until our return I decided it was time to order my replacement computer, of course a new Mac. The whole process took a little longer than planned as eBay decided to block my account (which it's done in every country both Swiss and I have used it in during this trip, good that they have a system but it sucks that it happens in each new country we visit...as unlocking it involves making a Skype call.) Needless to say everything got ordered but we got quite a late start to the day. Our first stop of the day was <i>Cementerio de la Recoleta</i>, the final resting place of Eva Peron and many of Buenos Aires deceased elite. I've never seen a cemetery like it.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNp8DEBG2I/AAAAAAAAEks/gXASdDKoGCQ/s1600-h/P61000014.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6100001" border="0" alt="P6100001" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNp-KbUtPI/AAAAAAAAEkw/-o_nL1yF7kQ/P6100001_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNp_Si1-II/AAAAAAAAEk0/6UU9faFKus0/s1600-h/P61000034.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6100003" border="0" alt="P6100003" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNqArzdwzI/AAAAAAAAEk4/iwDv9NSh0lY/P6100003_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNqB64IW1I/AAAAAAAAEk8/Zvb4XJMh28M/s1600-h/P61000044.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6100004" border="0" alt="P6100004" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNqDTfEXmI/AAAAAAAAElA/8WxFuuPXP9c/P6100004_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNqFbVnQgI/AAAAAAAAElE/AjQt4UJU0U0/s1600-h/P61000064.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6100006" border="0" alt="P6100006" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNqIvS6rSI/AAAAAAAAElI/CAkB8H7E3hE/P6100006_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNqKGGllrI/AAAAAAAAElM/MyvxLqVEgsQ/s1600-h/P61000084.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6100008" border="0" alt="P6100008" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNqMYBImpI/AAAAAAAAElQ/yJGAf5rakvM/P6100008_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNqPC5cQYI/AAAAAAAAElU/T2gkNsuQaNw/s1600-h/P61000104.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6100010" border="0" alt="P6100010" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNqStFnlNI/AAAAAAAAElY/DiA_WX_U0Rc/P6100010_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNqVDo42iI/AAAAAAAAElc/15aHLBt48Dk/s1600-h/P61000134.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6100013" border="0" alt="P6100013" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNqZLBjIoI/AAAAAAAAElg/MLDi-xtVZ9I/P6100013_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNqfIJJBzI/AAAAAAAAElk/FJiKvYQOK6w/s1600-h/P61000144.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6100014" border="0" alt="P6100014" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNqlgBCkpI/AAAAAAAAElo/s44ca0FpCs8/P6100014_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNqpUInkPI/AAAAAAAAEls/tlxnQ-B5wZQ/s1600-h/P61000164.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6100016" border="0" alt="P6100016" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNqykqD1QI/AAAAAAAAElw/qonZu-NBx3g/P6100016_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> </p> <p>We headed over to Palermo for a nice stroll around, but not before stopping by a little local place for a hot dog lunch, another common street food lunch in Argentina. </p> <p>Oh, and on the walk over to Palermo Swiss happened to get pooped on by a bird…some bad luck. That now makes #4 in his lifetime…</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNq3e9nNpI/AAAAAAAAEl0/72PQRkU_Tek/s1600-h/P61000184.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6100018" border="0" alt="P6100018" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNq9NvRrQI/AAAAAAAAEl4/JlcZDrHLwxc/P6100018_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> </p> <p>Palermo was a nice little neighborhood and reminded me of a cross between Pac. Heights and the Mission in San Francisco.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNrCMRovpI/AAAAAAAAEl8/Z87eYtbqelQ/s1600-h/P61000224.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6100022" border="0" alt="P6100022" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNrJR7BpnI/AAAAAAAAEmA/PZ3N3UsyCLk/P6100022_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNrP4o5YkI/AAAAAAAAEmE/_aRHVAQjRrA/s1600-h/P61000264.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6100026" border="0" alt="P6100026" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNrU1gNOeI/AAAAAAAAEmI/KBN2pi_HHu0/P6100026_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNrcDaHPOI/AAAAAAAAEmM/E3RBff_AfLw/s1600-h/P61000274.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6100027" border="0" alt="P6100027" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNrkJFGi5I/AAAAAAAAEmQ/qUbowuoc1mo/P6100027_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNrp16BXzI/AAAAAAAAEmU/pS4Y4VHLpm0/s1600-h/P61000334.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6100033" border="0" alt="P6100033" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNruOZIZwI/AAAAAAAAEmY/2YvkCvR1F0E/P6100033_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> </p> <p>Thursday night we hit up a very nice parilla, or grilled meat restaurant, for Sonia's last dinner in BsAs and our last dinner in Argentina. It was delicious...who doesn't love grilled beef?!? (OK, I know, vegetarians and vegans...they're the ones that lose out!)</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCNr3sTkUKI/AAAAAAAAEmc/fwbs7sFAgow/s1600-h/P61000394.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6100039" border="0" alt="P6100039" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQcU0TzGwI/AAAAAAAAEmw/Q7otlI-Ra7U/P6100039_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQcXuWoNxI/AAAAAAAAEm0/RCIn1iZQ-q4/s1600-h/P61000414.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6100041" border="0" alt="P6100041" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQcawXE-HI/AAAAAAAAEm4/Z7ifZeJpLck/P6100041_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQcedsCLpI/AAAAAAAAEm8/-wSln7CsGJY/s1600-h/P61000424.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6100042" border="0" alt="P6100042" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQchBcOphI/AAAAAAAAEnA/E3uHNtak9sc/P6100042_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> </p> <p><b>One Final Tradition</b></p> <p>Friday before our flight we had one last tradition to take care of, something Swiss and I have kept up the entire trip and something Sonia and I do in each country we visit...a visit to McDonald's. The food tasted the same as at home...speaking to the quality of the their supply chain...and Sonia even tried the McMexican sandwich, this odd little offering of a hamburger with salsa and cracked tortilla chips on top...it was interesting I'll say.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQcjTRD61I/AAAAAAAAEnE/6abeWhCP9qU/s1600-h/DSCN35884.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="DSCN3588" border="0" alt="DSCN3588" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQclVCcPsI/AAAAAAAAEnI/YwsTbDJ2lJ8/DSCN3588_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQco6aNI7I/AAAAAAAAEnM/xVfBAhslXjk/s1600-h/P61100454.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6110045" border="0" alt="P6110045" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQcqqfUrkI/AAAAAAAAEnQ/-G9Cpcx0EeU/P6110045_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQcsE60AII/AAAAAAAAEnU/Blk3-LKEX_w/s1600-h/P61100464.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6110046" border="0" alt="P6110046" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQcuL2VlAI/AAAAAAAAEnY/tO4bTg4BE3c/P6110046_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> </p> <p>With three of us it was cheaper to catch a taxi to the airport instead of taking the shuttle so we hopped into what turned out to be a death mobile. I of course had the front passenger seat which gives me extra legroom for my lovely boot, but which also puts me next to the Spanish speaking kamikaze pilot that was our driver. Of course he spoke no English but insisted on continuing to yell at me in Spanish as we drove in his taxi without a single working seatbelt, stopping in the middle of intersections to holler at random women and yelling at random trucks while driving 70 down the expressway. Luckily we made it to the airport safely and with, barely, enough time. We checked into our flight to La Paz while Sonia went to work out her flight back home on American (she tried to grab the earlier flight back to the states, a no go without paying a fee.) Of course the TACA Airlines folks were not so great for us. Swiss, with his Swiss passport, was not an issue, but my American passport was a bit of an issue. The check-in agent would not give me my boarding pass without showing him a copy of a passport photo, $135 cash and a copy of my visa application. Now what is the point of a visa on arrival and then having to have the application before you get there? Luckily I talked him out of that. I had to go withdraw some more pesos and change them to US dollars in order to get him to let me have my boarding pass, a quick goodbye with Sonia and it was a rush through security and immigration (note: you get to use the diplomatic line when you're on crutches) and we boarded our flight to Lima, where we then caught our connecting flight to La Paz. Flights were uneventful and service was pretty good on TACA, I'd recommend them for any South American flying. </p> <p><b>The La Paz airport is quite warm and comfy</b></p> <p>We arrived in La Paz just before 1am local time and not knowing if our hotel was open or not we decided to hang out there for a while until a more reasonable hour. Before we could do that, though, we had to make it through immigration. Not an issue for Swiss with his passport, a stamp and a Bienvenidos and he was in...I on the other hand had a few hoops to jump through. I had to get a visa application from one desk, fill out those forms, purchase a $135 visa (valid for 5 years at least) and then get my passport stamped then rechecked and scanned to enter the country. It was at least relatively straightforward. While there we met Suzanne, the only other American (that we could see) on our flight who was also buying her visa but was $2 short. We decided to contribute some karma points and give her the money so she could get in. She didn't know where she was staying that night so she joined us to hang out at the airport.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQcvg2gJEI/AAAAAAAAEnc/TNCDGWHD_O8/s1600-h/P61200474.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6120047" border="0" alt="P6120047" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQcye55y5I/AAAAAAAAEng/oqh8cm70aq0/P6120047_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> </p> <p>By about 6am we figured we were good to head into town and Swiss and I checked into the Hotel La Valle near Plaza Perez Velasco in central La Paz. A really good place especially for the price and really nice staff! I needed a nap and was up around noon and we then headed off for lunch (a 1/4 of a fried chicken with fries, salad, soup, rice and a coke was $2...prices have suddenly dropped back to Asian levels) and to watch the US vs England World Cup game. That afternoon was uneventful and I ended up sleeping until the next morning.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQc0Ac0c7I/AAAAAAAAEnk/4wBFmIRzuVU/s1600-h/P61200484.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6120048" border="0" alt="P6120048" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQc3sh98xI/AAAAAAAAEno/J3z59afTBSw/P6120048_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> </p> <p>Sunday we set off to do some sightseeing in downtown. First we stopped off near the stadium to find my Spanish course, easy enough to get to via the local minivan services for the next week.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQc6PzjNbI/AAAAAAAAEns/E7vZaiBtxNs/s1600-h/P61300574.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6130057" border="0" alt="P6130057" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQc8MgQrtI/AAAAAAAAEnw/_XHhpeC97ZU/P6130057_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQc9-zkgmI/AAAAAAAAEn0/_H998Wqthh8/s1600-h/P61300584.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6130058" border="0" alt="P6130058" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQdAIH3PkI/AAAAAAAAEn4/2vh7s1DI8oM/P6130058_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQdEWFKpwI/AAAAAAAAEn8/8LwG3_PbEns/s1600-h/P61300624.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6130062" border="0" alt="P6130062" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQdK9fZHiI/AAAAAAAAEoA/9PfStjhWBtY/P6130062_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQdOxG5UPI/AAAAAAAAEoE/idUZSEcQfXs/s1600-h/P61300634.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6130063" border="0" alt="P6130063" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQdWNAaNEI/AAAAAAAAEoI/ZemN7Lr3Qb4/P6130063_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQddqq6NmI/AAAAAAAAEoM/TJz-ssp3n6o/s1600-h/P61300674.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6130067" border="0" alt="P6130067" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQdgbdmQKI/AAAAAAAAEoQ/3S3HifdYL5A/P6130067_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQdjZpgYsI/AAAAAAAAEoU/ZsvdLmQxBWA/s1600-h/P61300684.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6130068" border="0" alt="P6130068" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQdmUSBoHI/AAAAAAAAEoY/Re8o-bgi63A/P6130068_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQdpBpN86I/AAAAAAAAEoc/97X9F4LeAT0/s1600-h/P61300704.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6130070" border="0" alt="P6130070" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQdr-rqGZI/AAAAAAAAEog/QMoLROdf1OY/P6130070_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> </p> <p>We ran into Rosie and her mother and made plans for dinner (we met them back in Salta, Argentina) We hit up a nice place and had some great pasta dishes that were actually really well done, although I had to leave dinner a little early. </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQduvkoo4I/AAAAAAAAEok/Nv4pzB8rZsU/s1600-h/P61300734.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="P6130073" border="0" alt="P6130073" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQdwg7H1GI/AAAAAAAAEoo/30y7Soqovfg/P6130073_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> </p> <p>The quick change from sea level in Buenos Aires up to 3660 meters in La Paz had finally done me in and I needed some rest. Before leaving, though, I noticed Mike from our hostel in Buenos Aires and Swiss was sure to say hi before he left.</p> <p><b>What do you mean you leave out the pronouns!??!</b></p> <p>So we had a week's stay in La Paz as I'd signed up for a week long class. Every morning I was there by 8.30am and was finished at 1pm with a half hour break in the middle. William, my teacher was a great guy and I was joined my Robert, a native Aussie who now lives permanently in Seattle with his wife. He and his wife are enjoying retirement and have been driving a motor home from Seattle to far northern Canada and throughout Central and South America for the past 14 months. Doing a group course also brings up lots of great interaction too, it was great. I did have a hard time with the fact that Spanish doesn't always (OK, it can be somewhat rare) include pronouns and so the subject is assumed from the conjugated form of the verb...speaking French and English made that little piece hard to wrap my head around...why don't I always say yo or ella?! </p> <p>Monday night was a little stressful as the right side of my boot decided to give out! Swiss did his best to find a replacement but apparently my feet are a few sizes larger than the average Bolivians...he got the name of a place near my school where I could go on Tuesday though. We grabbed a nice meal and caught up with our old friends Maggie and Chris (our Canadian friends from back in Sao Paulo!!) </p> <p>Tuesday Swiss joined Mike (from Buenos Aires) for a mountain bike ride down the World's Most Dangerous Road and got some great pictures of the local area.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQdzIN_onI/AAAAAAAAEos/BexgOoKacn4/s1600-h/IMG_00154.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_0015" border="0" alt="IMG_0015" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQd33LBIPI/AAAAAAAAEow/1JB_kjkjG0Y/IMG_0015_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQd6SE5XWI/AAAAAAAAEo0/O0MCmfgaC10/s1600-h/IMG_00164.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_0016" border="0" alt="IMG_0016" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQd91hTKBI/AAAAAAAAEo4/NocpV9Kbv5E/IMG_0016_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQeB7lC4yI/AAAAAAAAEo8/25lWfqoxRLE/s1600-h/IMG_00244.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_0024" border="0" alt="IMG_0024" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQeGYq7sxI/AAAAAAAAEpA/coug7NBDCuM/IMG_0024_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQeJi-XYsI/AAAAAAAAEpE/ZkcvApKhip0/s1600-h/IMG_00254.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_0025" border="0" alt="IMG_0025" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQiAdONkDI/AAAAAAAAEpI/8tg9EnfjGA4/IMG_0025_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQiDQ20_pI/AAAAAAAAEpM/aGogxLW8LxY/s1600-h/IMG_00284.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_0028" border="0" alt="IMG_0028" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQiFijeN1I/AAAAAAAAEpQ/jt8JZBi2P4M/IMG_0028_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQiJpGjdvI/AAAAAAAAEpU/ueSAWBaoZTk/s1600-h/IMG_00304.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_0030" border="0" alt="IMG_0030" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQiO5Yv4uI/AAAAAAAAEpY/c7WHuPUkehs/IMG_0030_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQiUAlJAII/AAAAAAAAEpc/DnYsY6SxyvQ/s1600-h/IMG_00314.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_0031" border="0" alt="IMG_0031" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQiWTz7IoI/AAAAAAAAEpg/90uZqPQlPiU/IMG_0031_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQiZ8eSO6I/AAAAAAAAEpk/6DUN8ENdbTY/s1600-h/IMG_00354.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_0035" border="0" alt="IMG_0035" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQicRJiIBI/AAAAAAAAEpo/d-jjD1EfrSM/IMG_0035_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQiepc6mbI/AAAAAAAAEps/Vc0flkNAftA/s1600-h/IMG_00414.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_0041" border="0" alt="IMG_0041" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQihBKNW1I/AAAAAAAAEpw/dR4VDyyuo2Q/IMG_0041_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQijH9DX7I/AAAAAAAAEp0/d6KYb-ZkdLA/s1600-h/IMG_00424.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_0042" border="0" alt="IMG_0042" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQil2AcpaI/AAAAAAAAEp4/NFEYA374zn8/IMG_0042_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQinnIkZsI/AAAAAAAAEp8/MU63ytibpw8/s1600-h/IMG_00474.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_0047" border="0" alt="IMG_0047" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQirIiBW-I/AAAAAAAAEqA/CEdIMag2XIQ/IMG_0047_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQisyoeH0I/AAAAAAAAEqE/tac-ka6n5Kg/s1600-h/IMG_00564.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_0056" border="0" alt="IMG_0056" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TCQiuymJbRI/AAAAAAAAEqI/_0oezpjSX24/IMG_0056_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> </p> <p>I went to the place literally just around the corner from my school and a very nice man who spoke very little English (OK, a few words) repaired my boot for dirt cheap. Unfortunately it only held up for a day and died again Wednesday night :( He was already gone for the night on Wednesday, so Swiss came with me to class on Thursday and took it for repairs while I was in class. He picked it up Thursday night for me and the guy had done the repairs and very sturdily reinforced that side, for no charge no less. </p> <p>Friday afternoon upon completing my course we headed to a local pub to watch the 2nd England World Cup match and I got caught up online. Swiss smartly discovered in our guide book that June 24th is a sun festival in Cusco, Peru...one of their largest and most important festivals of the year and right around when we were planning to be there, so we booked a place ahead also. We finalized our plans for the remainder of the trip, with just 2.5 weeks to go (which you can see on the map above!) and we head dinner at a little British run Indian restaurant. Now they did a good job on the main dishes, replicating flavors as best as possible and it was tasty (the llama tikka masala was actually pretty good) but the naan was nothing like naan at all...it was a large, dense flat bread. Oh well, you can't have it all!</p> <p>Saturday we got caught up online, Swiss got our last blog post up and we booked a room at the Doubletree Lima for our last two nights of the trip, between us we had enough Hilton points and figured it would be a nice way to enjoy ourselves before heading home to real life again! We booked our tickets to Copacabana our next destination, on the shores of Lake Titicaca and then did some gift shopping...there are some goods coming home for our respective families!</p> <p>Sunday morning we were up early and the driver of our bus was waiting for us downstairs, even 5 minutes early! You hear that Cambodia...when you book a bus ticket with a travel agency, in some places they actually show up! Off to Lake Titicaca!</p> Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16107969339140322691noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8978913163233101110.post-49952676402371314102010-06-19T10:07:00.000-07:002010-06-19T10:07:15.716-07:00Cruising from Brazil to Argentina via some Impressive FallsMay 19 to June 4, 2010 <i>(by Swiss)</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7AlmnhvVUX7ky8L7q_3YlXlpe3rusQl59W4Hpnc1aKW_vScoUp6EpfUR-VUgZ2NUPLL69lRx6gccaAofrXYNBcDCwCgFN-SUNjW-Lou4McEHg50J2MecMKEsJaplbX3rpPAkomjFlPYL/s1600/IMG_7041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7AlmnhvVUX7ky8L7q_3YlXlpe3rusQl59W4Hpnc1aKW_vScoUp6EpfUR-VUgZ2NUPLL69lRx6gccaAofrXYNBcDCwCgFN-SUNjW-Lou4McEHg50J2MecMKEsJaplbX3rpPAkomjFlPYL/s400/IMG_7041.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><i><br />
</i><br />
<br />
As you may have noticed by our somewhat delayed blog updates, we are nearing the end of our trip, and blog writing motivation has waned a bit. As I write this, we are within three weeks of returning to the US. This post will cover our visit to Salvador (Brazil), Porto Allegre (Brazil), Puerto Iguazu (Argentina), and Salta (Argentina.) Along with our blogging, sightseeing has taken a slight hit as we are spending more time relaxing (ok, being lazy) and prepping for our return to the US (you know, jobs and stuff.) Oh, and there have been some "mobility issues", on which I will elaborate shortly.<br />
<br />
<b>Salvadoring</b><br />
<br />
Although we thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Rio, it was time to explore a different part of Brazil. With winter approaching towards the south, we decided a trip north to Salvador would be in order. Located in the state of Bahia, Salvador is probably best known for its african roots, beautiful historic center, and colonial architecture. Oh, and its crime. Since flying there was actually cheaper than taking the bus, we hopped on our webjet flight northbound mid-day on May 19.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUff2SleJqSaWmRCpMK99bavx6JG1V12h70zFV-6ucSjHJ5ib-vJtBhrtQsZS2IM96qW3gBS7gXBWAlCG4pNtb4kkSO-cKOKs5UiPLEkKEJhg5wLYOFVS4pi-x4-DiMk4rxP6OETFzc6D/s1600/IMG_6924.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUff2SleJqSaWmRCpMK99bavx6JG1V12h70zFV-6ucSjHJ5ib-vJtBhrtQsZS2IM96qW3gBS7gXBWAlCG4pNtb4kkSO-cKOKs5UiPLEkKEJhg5wLYOFVS4pi-x4-DiMk4rxP6OETFzc6D/s320/IMG_6924.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVbJ91nwFQdZJW0K7GiZgjQUZLwdBK7JFv3zf7ykZ6EKVzAtFrnyAsUyl6uF40tBBH08OsgkE-rDnpRn9L4lOfQdF0LWkUDxMyTXeXQ_iUCNZW6t5KudFsSJ8t-mBeg0cF5YUoL-thrV90/s1600/IMG_6931.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVbJ91nwFQdZJW0K7GiZgjQUZLwdBK7JFv3zf7ykZ6EKVzAtFrnyAsUyl6uF40tBBH08OsgkE-rDnpRn9L4lOfQdF0LWkUDxMyTXeXQ_iUCNZW6t5KudFsSJ8t-mBeg0cF5YUoL-thrV90/s320/IMG_6931.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Our arrival in Salvador was fairly uneventful, as we arrived a tad late and promptly hopped on the public bus that would get us to the Barra (pronounced Baha) neighborhood, where we had booked our hostel accomodation at the Barra Guest House. A friendly girl on the bus just about walked us to the door of our hostel, where we checked in, got our free <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caipirinha">Caipirinha</a>, and got the rundown of the neighborhood (i.e., where not to go if one wants to stay alive.) To be honest, we found crime in the area to not be an issue as long as one stays on the beaten path and exercises common sense (stay in groups, hide valuables, don't carry too much cash on you, use reputable taxis, etc.)<br />
<br />
Our hostel, run by a British guy (Russel) and his Brazilian wife, ended up being one of the best hostels we have stayed at. Great breakfast (including made to order eggs and freshly made juices), clean rooms, nice atmosphere, and helpful advice about sums it up. This was clearly reflected in the fact that the hostel was top rated on hostelworld and booked full almost the entire time we were there. <br />
<br />
Our stay in Salvador revolved around three main themes: 1) Hostel life, 2) Touristy things, and 3) Doctor visits.<br />
<br />
1) Our hostel social life was quite enjoyable, especially on rainy days, and generally peaked at the daily 7pm free Caipirinha, which usually brought the entire group of guests (and former guests who couldn't get a room and were staying down the street) together for social hour. It was usually there where plans were made for subsequent activities, such as the night where we headed out for a tasty dinner of shrimp <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moqueca">Moqueca</a>, basically a seafood stew.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5mKx69WxNQKK9T8rboYrmWQXCdjrlfMwb2AdOAHzaf3zvKb_TIBZlqjHcImm8LXdrFfFxDx97zaiKWKs3NyH8lEIYI3R7aw9K6nZTxQufbUC1CN6TwQWOSG4d0yoLK4LF4vJ8YLl7LSZL/s1600/IMG_6955.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5mKx69WxNQKK9T8rboYrmWQXCdjrlfMwb2AdOAHzaf3zvKb_TIBZlqjHcImm8LXdrFfFxDx97zaiKWKs3NyH8lEIYI3R7aw9K6nZTxQufbUC1CN6TwQWOSG4d0yoLK4LF4vJ8YLl7LSZL/s320/IMG_6955.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNIxiQSvEs9u0iGzV7K7NeS94Wxww7ENurFNYJ-sL-1QjVuJpsPl9_V_7D-YTpPBnfJpQRWkQU0JmaDPQ999BQwbWvBM5dAAZUL9cey5LE3tsmPsLsQ49lm1ByCxjZSUeY99NJLWpCw13/s1600/IMG_6956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNIxiQSvEs9u0iGzV7K7NeS94Wxww7ENurFNYJ-sL-1QjVuJpsPl9_V_7D-YTpPBnfJpQRWkQU0JmaDPQ999BQwbWvBM5dAAZUL9cey5LE3tsmPsLsQ49lm1ByCxjZSUeY99NJLWpCw13/s320/IMG_6956.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
One of the days, in a lead up to a local performing arts show, the entire hostel got together for a very tasty and filling BBQ organized by Russell and his crew. All in all, it was a nice little home away from home. I even managed to team up with a Dutch guest (Joep) in a game of soccer against some Brazilian kids on one of the days. There are tougher ways to spend time abroad.<br />
<br />
2) Salvador offers a variety of activities for people visiting the town. Our first day was spent on one of the beaches, which were much smaller than what we were used to in Rio, but nice nonetheless. With temperatures hovering around 30 deg C (86 deg F), a relaxing day at the beach was appreciated. It would mark our only beach day, as other days were filled with other activies and/or unfavorable weather.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQFz1Fu0ZNcoIR-GnSTSRHFA87eiIRXScVobfUW_7hrDMZy7i-IC2w_y108KisEc087D11e1w_xn6c4CQ7_VL4rJqoWbQ3NpEDtwdNhYrwTcTKWKUZuAPNPr8pLEjrQSxWc28vURf0ojbC/s1600/IMG_6932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQFz1Fu0ZNcoIR-GnSTSRHFA87eiIRXScVobfUW_7hrDMZy7i-IC2w_y108KisEc087D11e1w_xn6c4CQ7_VL4rJqoWbQ3NpEDtwdNhYrwTcTKWKUZuAPNPr8pLEjrQSxWc28vURf0ojbC/s320/IMG_6932.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Besides beaches, Salvador sports a beautiful old town with nice cobble stone roads and gorgeous architecture. We used one of our more sunny days to team up with Andrew (from England) for a stroll through town. This included a visit to the "golden church" of St. Francis, which was a worthwhile sight to see. Pics from town are shown below:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCOgrJsyH3Fhnv_EVtoxaep4lN-fZwGpb5dYGLi3RUkNZkkdoNx6RUZiuzjz6AIGnujxbh9WgK5rnFOxAyqAVybKUHK3fgF64RBlp1g77jUn1AAJAUQM9F6mKhZEuIjo7nNj1ULME42hWU/s1600/IMG_6938.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCOgrJsyH3Fhnv_EVtoxaep4lN-fZwGpb5dYGLi3RUkNZkkdoNx6RUZiuzjz6AIGnujxbh9WgK5rnFOxAyqAVybKUHK3fgF64RBlp1g77jUn1AAJAUQM9F6mKhZEuIjo7nNj1ULME42hWU/s320/IMG_6938.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWiF-QJ3tRg2POVG32-P8zTpelvVZrmJ6ps8-gK9hdneV6An8mF3uCx2qBYp9d_hnD9e3A01IiKpdfIbZZj5w3baLWw_X8kqRcKyyK_a3L4fSSjNh0VNxyyl1BU2cYKoJT9cgFR-Vy6YJc/s1600/IMG_6949.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWiF-QJ3tRg2POVG32-P8zTpelvVZrmJ6ps8-gK9hdneV6An8mF3uCx2qBYp9d_hnD9e3A01IiKpdfIbZZj5w3baLWw_X8kqRcKyyK_a3L4fSSjNh0VNxyyl1BU2cYKoJT9cgFR-Vy6YJc/s320/IMG_6949.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzn_qjcrZzbZslr3zdEMV-cbcatGYM_JlveFb8dkASm44CXQv7xVIGR2yuZgLFXRlpmdtyt-zvn0evEgqmJQc4Miq87X-qTkdV1ObIGq6nv3b8kZVdQ0dV_k7cjIpShWSbVmekmWVSLKL/s1600/IMG_6936.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzn_qjcrZzbZslr3zdEMV-cbcatGYM_JlveFb8dkASm44CXQv7xVIGR2yuZgLFXRlpmdtyt-zvn0evEgqmJQc4Miq87X-qTkdV1ObIGq6nv3b8kZVdQ0dV_k7cjIpShWSbVmekmWVSLKL/s320/IMG_6936.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuc41Wj498Wsx1t5fy2ZW3OedokL3KPMl58Ui_UWCu3G3g6wN2qWD_H5lBPKtgEsfjxriWlb8fKl-QX9mGYdX04kGvpb94iUk3PqBpxAzQ6PnOwLypPjg347YZmvqiNJnkw4FboKXvWMwd/s1600/IMG_6940.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuc41Wj498Wsx1t5fy2ZW3OedokL3KPMl58Ui_UWCu3G3g6wN2qWD_H5lBPKtgEsfjxriWlb8fKl-QX9mGYdX04kGvpb94iUk3PqBpxAzQ6PnOwLypPjg347YZmvqiNJnkw4FboKXvWMwd/s320/IMG_6940.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiCkoO1Hc1d_hOcOHUMKFQqZ-9Q_oyl84nrrSVJsFUe8Va8D0cuI2rYqcJad9se2Bf1N71tcb6LLtCrcoKnWWTSxj7qgXczkJ4yhv-La0sUYewT1SphN5Af5La2Je0hf094MEcXYFFXX4W/s1600/IMG_6947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiCkoO1Hc1d_hOcOHUMKFQqZ-9Q_oyl84nrrSVJsFUe8Va8D0cuI2rYqcJad9se2Bf1N71tcb6LLtCrcoKnWWTSxj7qgXczkJ4yhv-La0sUYewT1SphN5Af5La2Je0hf094MEcXYFFXX4W/s320/IMG_6947.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Our cultural highlight, however, was the "<a href="http://www.balefolcloricodabahia.com.br/">Bale Folclorico Da Bahia</a>" show we caught on the 22nd of June. A group of about 10 from our hostel got together to catch the show, which basically consists of a mix of traditional dances and athletic performances, inlcuding what I call the famous Brazilian fighting thingy, aka <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capoeira">Capoeira</a>. While pictures were not allowed, you just have to trust me that it's a must see event if you make it to Salvador. Russel was kind enough to arrange all the tickets (at cost, no markup) for us, which coupled with the BBQ mentioned earlier made for a fantastic day. The admission to the show is a well worth 30 reais.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_u5BnQel7bLojUpkQ1k-DmPNOE5FtUjw6DQCE2ahtF8JInSoQwhnEPxPuVgjCP4EEptJwbQfOEgqO53gI8dwvyfDTFR0LYb3QjmIY3hlZ3tr-FprXynEXBI8PH3kBGxZy9ggHfkO79aw/s1600/IMG_6958.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_u5BnQel7bLojUpkQ1k-DmPNOE5FtUjw6DQCE2ahtF8JInSoQwhnEPxPuVgjCP4EEptJwbQfOEgqO53gI8dwvyfDTFR0LYb3QjmIY3hlZ3tr-FprXynEXBI8PH3kBGxZy9ggHfkO79aw/s320/IMG_6958.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
3) Which now brings us to item 3: Doctor visits. So Jason had been feeling pain in his leg after we had an argument back in Rio. It basically involved me kicking the lower portion of his left leg. We had figured it was just bruised, as it got better within 1-2 days. When we got to the cobble stone laden streets of Salvador, however, things started to get worse. It was finally decided that the leg had to be examined by a doctor. Our first visit happened to be on a Sunday when most clinics are closed. We finally managed to find a place with an English speaking physician, who ordered an x-ray which revealed a broken fibula. Yes, I broke Jason's leg. You may email me hate mail as you please, I deserve it (and don't worry, I have been been getting plenty of crap from folks over the last couple of weeks.)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizpC4uClMGR1ptGS_Gn4t-JjtYurMiyxg0H38WhXhRXEfdJM7auIr3Sln2XlwD-yPq7vNDh-J2pJHFvV_OVn0UnyN0ZJzZrJ_E48Q-QFn_ksupmPLBrQ-U-LwMzsRX7ojoruSzAGHk4KQa/s1600/IMG_6961.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizpC4uClMGR1ptGS_Gn4t-JjtYurMiyxg0H38WhXhRXEfdJM7auIr3Sln2XlwD-yPq7vNDh-J2pJHFvV_OVn0UnyN0ZJzZrJ_E48Q-QFn_ksupmPLBrQ-U-LwMzsRX7ojoruSzAGHk4KQa/s320/IMG_6961.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
The doctor, though nice (he did the consult and x-ray for free), wanted to put Jason in a full leg plaster cast for 90 days. This, of course, would severely impact our trip. Jason decided to opt-out of the suggested treatment and instead seek at least one second opinion. Since the fibula is not a load bearing component of the leg (and rather useless, apparently, as we learned the bone is sometimes removed for re-constructive surgery in jaw cancer patients), we were a bit perplexed why he would need a full leg cast. <br />
<br />
A couple of consults with some other folks and finally a very thorough local doctor (orthopaedic surgeon with some US training) at a different clinic the following day reduced the recommended treatment from a full leg cast to a immobilizing boot and crutches for 6 weeks. Not perfect, but at least it would allow Jason to continue the trip and take proper showers. I would be the designated mule carrying our luggage.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy-7imVqcWzT8OXfKXjut3PBlWF9c3hiKUtszBCpagf3oeZe8jRlpKX5IpYFcrr-k0kouXLjsAO8uptvvP6Y-QtABVXkeb01BCwc2CbnP08otggx83f0GLXZd-cj8zOuJFXHZSW61AQM3B/s1600/IMG_6962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy-7imVqcWzT8OXfKXjut3PBlWF9c3hiKUtszBCpagf3oeZe8jRlpKX5IpYFcrr-k0kouXLjsAO8uptvvP6Y-QtABVXkeb01BCwc2CbnP08otggx83f0GLXZd-cj8zOuJFXHZSW61AQM3B/s320/IMG_6962.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
So that was our excitement for Salvador. Again, a very nice town to visit if you ever have a chance.<br />
<br />
<b>A brief flight, Brazilian BBQ, and off we were to the falls</b><br />
<br />
Our next item on our itinerary was Porto Alegre, which drew multiple "Why would you go there?" inquisitions by locals and fellow travelers leading up to our departure. Since we had gone through the same questioning when talking about Sao Paulo, it was taken with a grain of salt (Sao Paulo was quite alright, in our opinion.) <br />
<br />
The true answer to the question, however, was that our original itinerary included a flight from PA to Buenos Aires, so we had to get there in time to catch that flight. The flight plan to BA ended up getting nixed, since we decided to take the bus to the Iguazu falls instead. Although we had to bite the non-refundable airfare to BA, it would save Jason a US$130 airport entry fee extended to US citizens arriving via airplane to BA courtesy of the Argentinian government. If you go by land (or are a citizen of any country but the US, Australia, or Canada), it's free. Given that we were to visit the falls either way, and would have to backtrack from BA to do so, biting the bullet on the airfare and instead taking the bus made tons of time and financial sense.<br />
<br />
Our trip to Porto Alegre, again courtesy of webjet, was fairly uneventful. Well, except that robo-footed Jason (and I by affiliation), got the VIP treatment, including front row seats and wheelchair service to the correct city bus upon arrival in Porto Alegre. It may have been our easiest travel segment to date.<br />
<br />
We ended up only staying one night in Porto Alegre, which was spent searching for meat. We had heard that the south of Brazil is famous for its BBQ, or Churrasca, as they call it over here, so that would be our goal for PA. Our hostel recommended a place that offered all you can eat BBQ with a show for 50 reais (USD 28), which frankly was a bit above what we wanted to spend. So off to ever-reliable <a href="http://wikitravel.org/">wikitravel.org</a> it was, where we found Churrascaria Giovanaz that supposedly had all-you-can eat BBQ for reasonable prices. A quick cab ride to the understated, Portugese-only speaking establishment revealed a sign at the entrance hinting at 14 reais menu, though neither of us were sure how much the thing would end up costing. Sure enough, after pigging out for a good hour on a variety of meats (including what we think were Chicken hearts) and solid side dishes ranging from salads to fried polenta, our charge for the food ended up being 14 reais per person - 8 USD - plus some tax and service charge. Nifty.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBjPXJwQOCLY-jc6gJlyIohL7SzTk4lGcQQxBeEh4hVSRik0G-t43fotrHIOwx0OsyA0eBWcLoTyr5jTs34TMUYltQWDKc6jYcpiLQ8my_4b_PnW-3GQNZRVi626DH0jjpzpD9hlDSOikN/s1600/IMG_6967.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBjPXJwQOCLY-jc6gJlyIohL7SzTk4lGcQQxBeEh4hVSRik0G-t43fotrHIOwx0OsyA0eBWcLoTyr5jTs34TMUYltQWDKc6jYcpiLQ8my_4b_PnW-3GQNZRVi626DH0jjpzpD9hlDSOikN/s320/IMG_6967.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkj6O61tUrAbbhBiY-wIWI_x_-CdyeXYqhosJAKnGntfW_oxtmC8t7vA_MmUtPAxvVnvH9j6gYDnFJhNLb319wn7s67F1pzKncNZ9y0R2YjK3pPtS4yy0HH9cpHLMSLHU23bzkbCxTxoor/s1600/IMG_6968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkj6O61tUrAbbhBiY-wIWI_x_-CdyeXYqhosJAKnGntfW_oxtmC8t7vA_MmUtPAxvVnvH9j6gYDnFJhNLb319wn7s67F1pzKncNZ9y0R2YjK3pPtS4yy0HH9cpHLMSLHU23bzkbCxTxoor/s320/IMG_6968.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
This would essentially sum up our visit to Porto Alegre, as we caught an overnight bus to Foz de Iguazu the next day after a fairly noisy stay at Hostel Porto do Sol. To be honest, from the little we saw of PA, it didn't seem like that bad of a place. Especially if you like meat. <br />
<br />
<b>Some Big Ass Falls</b><br />
<br />
Ask most travelers who have been to Argentina or Brazil, they will likely agree that one of the "must see" destinations are the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iguazu_Falls">Iguazu Falls</a>, located near the intersection of Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. Visitors have the option to visit the falls from both the Brazilian and Argentinan side, though the consensus is that the Argentinian side is a bit more impressive. Couple that with Jason's new handicap, and we reached the conclusion to focus our visit to the Argentinian side which is best accessed from the Argentinian town of Puerto Iguazu. <br />
<br />
Our overnight bus dropped us off in the Brazilian border town of Foz de Igazu in the morning hours of May 27, where we promptly used public transport to get over to Puerto Iguazu. Though not quite as convenient as using a pre-arranged shuttle touted by folks at the bus station, at about 1/8th the cost, it got us across the border and to our hostel within about one hour with no major obstacles. We had booked a room in a 10-bed dorm at Bambu Hostel, and they were nice enough to upgrade us to a 4 bed dorm given Jason's leg condition. The hostel was clean, cozy, and staff were very nice. Recommended if you ever make it to Puerto Igazu.<br />
<br />
The main event, of course, would be our visit to the falls. They were very much handicap friendly, offering free transfers and suspension equipped wheelchairs for folks with disabilities. Stopping short of claiming a non-accidental disability, which would have earned Jason a free entry to the park, we both forked over 85 pesos and had a great day visitng the very impressive Iguazu falls:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8wRyqpbIc9N1iUCbxiVTHRv1cdcFTBaC6xJh0qjPgmUVeDobSz3VdQKGZenp_srWBj3dFBiPkoQpphbRFpB3hl4R8oQCLKmb5jaJrkTyP2PbJWP_YvEhl-E9_SIvrod2VtIWefiufku1q/s1600/IMG_6974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8wRyqpbIc9N1iUCbxiVTHRv1cdcFTBaC6xJh0qjPgmUVeDobSz3VdQKGZenp_srWBj3dFBiPkoQpphbRFpB3hl4R8oQCLKmb5jaJrkTyP2PbJWP_YvEhl-E9_SIvrod2VtIWefiufku1q/s320/IMG_6974.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz-1t2LyVunpFZumFZt2fKOcj_G22VtoLywnM8aeMj9wt6ziPagiPqi0PhO0TxpzhwXkcI5FhbKUu-9ojx75HuirzUkgV1by-vXTMn-gosry6DP35bLWFuB2fRs-H4YWyLHiop8_IGhCbL/s1600/IMG_6977.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz-1t2LyVunpFZumFZt2fKOcj_G22VtoLywnM8aeMj9wt6ziPagiPqi0PhO0TxpzhwXkcI5FhbKUu-9ojx75HuirzUkgV1by-vXTMn-gosry6DP35bLWFuB2fRs-H4YWyLHiop8_IGhCbL/s320/IMG_6977.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggd9Zffhcko7kGzQ03-o1lt4X2Xo6_mCnIhuc3_uXmBGukaecNsxZf0yd0An0m-kkC6A15ejzyvTiFy8gL26_QrjLhrKfC_eiJceCE7QjfrvJJM31iZbssRcf2uDgPRMPILkLtVE2XeQKj/s1600/IMG_6976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggd9Zffhcko7kGzQ03-o1lt4X2Xo6_mCnIhuc3_uXmBGukaecNsxZf0yd0An0m-kkC6A15ejzyvTiFy8gL26_QrjLhrKfC_eiJceCE7QjfrvJJM31iZbssRcf2uDgPRMPILkLtVE2XeQKj/s320/IMG_6976.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNIyPh4WB0LfZ3845jXQPG46PnRJVoGXPyV3V4Pl_ASPWI8q-Jt_4Vs4tFtb8sATHOrcD1t6L6M0deI5JurdNVPMmJk-ypoEhQZxJ31gQaLDQ6TGGkj6bZUHBFtpCEtQfwr0XygDcpnfR4/s1600/IMG_6991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNIyPh4WB0LfZ3845jXQPG46PnRJVoGXPyV3V4Pl_ASPWI8q-Jt_4Vs4tFtb8sATHOrcD1t6L6M0deI5JurdNVPMmJk-ypoEhQZxJ31gQaLDQ6TGGkj6bZUHBFtpCEtQfwr0XygDcpnfR4/s320/IMG_6991.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrD9P22oFxkK2MsJG0pilarRRWw6aaHOWf2TkDCNi6SXQ9IQMDizR53U6kggpFp_TT7alpoVZrxZ6Ucj9yS2_cdjyIMU-BFrngs_Jbu0pm5FtbIng_6L6FuY9zAOcqrjsiEenhEdqn5EQK/s1600/IMG_6997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrD9P22oFxkK2MsJG0pilarRRWw6aaHOWf2TkDCNi6SXQ9IQMDizR53U6kggpFp_TT7alpoVZrxZ6Ucj9yS2_cdjyIMU-BFrngs_Jbu0pm5FtbIng_6L6FuY9zAOcqrjsiEenhEdqn5EQK/s320/IMG_6997.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd5N9ziuf4AmtnKMowyr_uAG1gmgR8G5wqko3Hf7Vg5FgOYusVcqcV5q3b9TV21BLVvywAMEPqCTt8FIu7R5rlFnoCBSkTyodVsPh4N1WtXATGMh3O87u3j3CN0wyMVXDMAzAd-I-teILr/s1600/IMG_7003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd5N9ziuf4AmtnKMowyr_uAG1gmgR8G5wqko3Hf7Vg5FgOYusVcqcV5q3b9TV21BLVvywAMEPqCTt8FIu7R5rlFnoCBSkTyodVsPh4N1WtXATGMh3O87u3j3CN0wyMVXDMAzAd-I-teILr/s320/IMG_7003.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5GK-evUwe53oRH1A-2z5MhGRwmOLYagNSxfq1i5-Fyf5GUPaq5NLVyiVR8ud-6xWDJz8lPnNg3SMX6kP8B9fhC4b7Q25kwrS3cMezqD4PiKsSvUiL0mdR_SfOs1AGM6ck-f8HodpGXTb4/s1600/IMG_7019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5GK-evUwe53oRH1A-2z5MhGRwmOLYagNSxfq1i5-Fyf5GUPaq5NLVyiVR8ud-6xWDJz8lPnNg3SMX6kP8B9fhC4b7Q25kwrS3cMezqD4PiKsSvUiL0mdR_SfOs1AGM6ck-f8HodpGXTb4/s320/IMG_7019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLYZZCMjKqopjTVs_lg8zafaL2szCsyteNgNeTH739ZGMyt4FvikYsiZlYMgZKmpNamkOxLYY98s2c3Lsf9BVzEF7j8DUW032mI57faG9LgVdBZUckkrh4zTY8ynJL7AP0nOo82YMFnXe-/s1600/IMG_7042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLYZZCMjKqopjTVs_lg8zafaL2szCsyteNgNeTH739ZGMyt4FvikYsiZlYMgZKmpNamkOxLYY98s2c3Lsf9BVzEF7j8DUW032mI57faG9LgVdBZUckkrh4zTY8ynJL7AP0nOo82YMFnXe-/s320/IMG_7042.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL9f1i4h_vgJtGj-PcymFYmhLpqlF0UAJdn5j3n6ghalHVXQPPkd7xcc9bQBsikzXiWgY1wPeOevfYT7ZcN4wkIuVfTKbGKmvJOlNnL6E2odCR_fEYNGj-DjGm3Q8vOlwzIMVXwrltaPf4/s1600/IMG_7028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL9f1i4h_vgJtGj-PcymFYmhLpqlF0UAJdn5j3n6ghalHVXQPPkd7xcc9bQBsikzXiWgY1wPeOevfYT7ZcN4wkIuVfTKbGKmvJOlNnL6E2odCR_fEYNGj-DjGm3Q8vOlwzIMVXwrltaPf4/s320/IMG_7028.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifz79XDXPoXm4nfhqyRxc-bELpGXWD5BRcpZaO3PaGUNNRivFHc8UjeQ289mtBzNNgUd3h6D8JHqJn-DSZZLSmwk-T_YnFzmh0DQLNinZ2BFA3zcNpNDa1cshbezC9w2wAX-X63ms3ZV3d/s1600/IMG_7030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifz79XDXPoXm4nfhqyRxc-bELpGXWD5BRcpZaO3PaGUNNRivFHc8UjeQ289mtBzNNgUd3h6D8JHqJn-DSZZLSmwk-T_YnFzmh0DQLNinZ2BFA3zcNpNDa1cshbezC9w2wAX-X63ms3ZV3d/s320/IMG_7030.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_8nssGWwaKPvhV6-aUmUvSILFYTSe-sEwukVpxy-01mJJLGLYM5ytKwijLaWF9qPUk4Xu3Yidf01cHPqMXZ3ERoJoYUJCry5byL7orlSn5lIFb6QjctfK75d8n7PSmcMIiLVYgKj0u14/s1600/IMG_7036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi_8nssGWwaKPvhV6-aUmUvSILFYTSe-sEwukVpxy-01mJJLGLYM5ytKwijLaWF9qPUk4Xu3Yidf01cHPqMXZ3ERoJoYUJCry5byL7orlSn5lIFb6QjctfK75d8n7PSmcMIiLVYgKj0u14/s320/IMG_7036.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4668527287/" title="Swiss pushing me up hill! by lawtonjm, on Flickr"><img alt="Swiss pushing me up hill!" height="320" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1298/4668527287_0d01620023.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDiN75tr393epHaIboA7K0EJOiWoLbtROJvkfY9uMcaHvBgcErpdOqAMuvAEUEKy0SChRe33GRRT0YddE4MgPekmHIPnJVApDrLcHe-hD3rbW22_cwjCoqsMy6252w6STaoXQfVqGQvGzg/s1600/IMG_7053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDiN75tr393epHaIboA7K0EJOiWoLbtROJvkfY9uMcaHvBgcErpdOqAMuvAEUEKy0SChRe33GRRT0YddE4MgPekmHIPnJVApDrLcHe-hD3rbW22_cwjCoqsMy6252w6STaoXQfVqGQvGzg/s320/IMG_7053.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBYzKDp5dgJqGt_2NEh3xzrj4ilR1DFo1k5WdTyIP6sfERPysm4QF0QxpPgckG6T-JzKb-RimEhMzTNMGIYJBnXwQ3LXnY0YpxJebv3jRL1owfywNPp18HMiglv6btyQCBTRyMPTSSCJno/s1600/IMG_7058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBYzKDp5dgJqGt_2NEh3xzrj4ilR1DFo1k5WdTyIP6sfERPysm4QF0QxpPgckG6T-JzKb-RimEhMzTNMGIYJBnXwQ3LXnY0YpxJebv3jRL1owfywNPp18HMiglv6btyQCBTRyMPTSSCJno/s320/IMG_7058.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Besides water and wheelchairs, the falls also offered visits by animals/critters with varying degrees of "I'd-like-to-interact-with-you'd-ness":<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii26Q4QGcXZN_7_Sj1a6iuuJACqg0VGzQPOaHpwYsDk_PpiggIhrzTuFd6oM5k1p1fesEWNmlZsyrR-ORre2kt8VqRfp9lTxG6x6R-se50FZ5309VFH7t5omVMKXEIsumhwhh1TzyrQ_8Y/s1600/IMG_6988.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii26Q4QGcXZN_7_Sj1a6iuuJACqg0VGzQPOaHpwYsDk_PpiggIhrzTuFd6oM5k1p1fesEWNmlZsyrR-ORre2kt8VqRfp9lTxG6x6R-se50FZ5309VFH7t5omVMKXEIsumhwhh1TzyrQ_8Y/s320/IMG_6988.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4668514339/" title="Swiss makes a new friend by lawtonjm, on Flickr"><img alt="Swiss makes a new friend" height="240" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4668514339_e41f05b5ed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1MPfzFoAOyDt8WB8to0qanokDj8TanZLitsn_cfajzFFhIW4M6KGq1S2pqskvnIb54nDMJ1CTFx05Iw9sq7dHh1tJpOV6XO0b2AZSsi5KIMy3_zya3hSoBHf2fqkPE1o5uA5Bcl-dkjF/s1600/IMG_7012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1MPfzFoAOyDt8WB8to0qanokDj8TanZLitsn_cfajzFFhIW4M6KGq1S2pqskvnIb54nDMJ1CTFx05Iw9sq7dHh1tJpOV6XO0b2AZSsi5KIMy3_zya3hSoBHf2fqkPE1o5uA5Bcl-dkjF/s320/IMG_7012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp5VzTSS37izIOqBjMtSvcl8ZgrbUSF5Y6B7bC3nTvpIiN42RaB_RqomtlUS4OqYptnoJl0OKxGF_iKHiq31SRkWTnkPeWairHtTxqr_0LRzozMMVqEb3zQHeeWxV7E6unJa1qnMqPl8Xj/s1600/IMG_7015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp5VzTSS37izIOqBjMtSvcl8ZgrbUSF5Y6B7bC3nTvpIiN42RaB_RqomtlUS4OqYptnoJl0OKxGF_iKHiq31SRkWTnkPeWairHtTxqr_0LRzozMMVqEb3zQHeeWxV7E6unJa1qnMqPl8Xj/s320/IMG_7015.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7kG7S6PaH-BYx0y9ALeyHzmt4ea0W5o6Ip5iuRE7ntxnHgy3F00U6nyp77qq81mzc2j__sz1VDY0C1EbaQ90T9Ym61-_-J5vhGcerFRR-NZmo_TRXqmjHOjiNzGWE7QvLsbWnP_RQdXWi/s1600/IMG_7059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7kG7S6PaH-BYx0y9ALeyHzmt4ea0W5o6Ip5iuRE7ntxnHgy3F00U6nyp77qq81mzc2j__sz1VDY0C1EbaQ90T9Ym61-_-J5vhGcerFRR-NZmo_TRXqmjHOjiNzGWE7QvLsbWnP_RQdXWi/s320/IMG_7059.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF3roNg7Le0IE9xw0km3z0FHglie5zpZgd5D8SXzLBpideYFhcS5TmQBdf5z9uUL14MBn9ElObwuPTxoeXcDQ_8nTCXSyqbqGkzsBLTF-Qtil2Dffo_EOsNpcr8BFU13qbRAt4aF7FnyL1/s1600/IMG_7068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF3roNg7Le0IE9xw0km3z0FHglie5zpZgd5D8SXzLBpideYFhcS5TmQBdf5z9uUL14MBn9ElObwuPTxoeXcDQ_8nTCXSyqbqGkzsBLTF-Qtil2Dffo_EOsNpcr8BFU13qbRAt4aF7FnyL1/s320/IMG_7068.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The remaining time in Puerto Iguazu was spent checking out the town (not much to it, to be honest), and catching the sunset at the intersection of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijLweLZlDVaOpwW91u8ikGPDc7t2N2Gq9tCDNkHIVUVgdUS8ADnE8AoUZYlxXBdzwnkPN4y4kWUi1l1IPlDOi4H0jPioORvgnQ2nQXXIGyjKQaCCTVLlHs6lbqwSRcwuRmWW08A4BIpMF3/s1600/IMG_7080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijLweLZlDVaOpwW91u8ikGPDc7t2N2Gq9tCDNkHIVUVgdUS8ADnE8AoUZYlxXBdzwnkPN4y4kWUi1l1IPlDOi4H0jPioORvgnQ2nQXXIGyjKQaCCTVLlHs6lbqwSRcwuRmWW08A4BIpMF3/s320/IMG_7080.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYBQmzcp_u0vs6GDrjVY9cTt13wuR4RMxCGgb9PkraNyRNwf78zpmGfQbcDVpa_We85qfzX1-m6RXzecoe6f6qpmunLvyQnfG8L-PZaoIlrt1MYtjLL_f4yeZTMTF-TXAV7XfJ2GZhcBOe/s1600/IMG_7082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYBQmzcp_u0vs6GDrjVY9cTt13wuR4RMxCGgb9PkraNyRNwf78zpmGfQbcDVpa_We85qfzX1-m6RXzecoe6f6qpmunLvyQnfG8L-PZaoIlrt1MYtjLL_f4yeZTMTF-TXAV7XfJ2GZhcBOe/s320/IMG_7082.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggQHQYX8xwFVxLgI02SVcl6qWOjvYbs4l_zeskrGdCrFbkNAmDL4pCvPgeHEss5F7KfOQI1t3cc1nQt0roOvSvpb5nOTuH3EL335TpHvjaRhe2NE7CwHMZ_q5HNhsTXDWUOR4Dd_1wQYbK/s1600/IMG_7083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggQHQYX8xwFVxLgI02SVcl6qWOjvYbs4l_zeskrGdCrFbkNAmDL4pCvPgeHEss5F7KfOQI1t3cc1nQt0roOvSvpb5nOTuH3EL335TpHvjaRhe2NE7CwHMZ_q5HNhsTXDWUOR4Dd_1wQYbK/s320/IMG_7083.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24xZH-Wr5lAj1KHLDYtLTpZgk1DQL_MvTfo12Cht8fhugd_tQcS0I5Lr96Lj0i9MdBFO4-or3zg0Nn-P3e6ZUw1_eTpZCpONqOxajEo6lXoZP6MfAkgO841V4dD3U1p12SxDEOTZ300Dt/s1600/IMG_7072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24xZH-Wr5lAj1KHLDYtLTpZgk1DQL_MvTfo12Cht8fhugd_tQcS0I5Lr96Lj0i9MdBFO4-or3zg0Nn-P3e6ZUw1_eTpZCpONqOxajEo6lXoZP6MfAkgO841V4dD3U1p12SxDEOTZ300Dt/s320/IMG_7072.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqKkO-ZUw8VlEt0TJj9uYEaQSGy2RH9s0wrsAL5TRguEM6fB8gPzrquQ_brsf5E_U3xL3LoOHI2ep7hB1FCkXT-yriIotMoF04w4HybGE12GO-nznTXTSHUtMdggWvXl6uVJfT4hFH9upe/s1600/IMG_7084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqKkO-ZUw8VlEt0TJj9uYEaQSGy2RH9s0wrsAL5TRguEM6fB8gPzrquQ_brsf5E_U3xL3LoOHI2ep7hB1FCkXT-yriIotMoF04w4HybGE12GO-nznTXTSHUtMdggWvXl6uVJfT4hFH9upe/s320/IMG_7084.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
With Igazu under our belt, it was time to head on to the city of Salta. We had heard various praises about bus service in Argentina, and thus opted to brave the 23 hour overnight ride courtesy of Flecha bus. The service, at a cost of around 280 pesos, was nice but didn't live up the hype we've been hearing over the previous couple of weeks. On the up side, the bus service did include meals and wide, comfy, reclining seats.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6LxjH9uk2atGrbZ_ldhAHvlNwfa7CaP6iJ4ofubwoZkii28BGUtfRUFaKTYgFrJiv0EQ8Iv_C4QsBshemxlgQLYlwidFBlBQPTXGumqt79RuFpvhOiDImdqMeL35pC_PwhbwVQa4W-Z5e/s1600/IMG_7090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6LxjH9uk2atGrbZ_ldhAHvlNwfa7CaP6iJ4ofubwoZkii28BGUtfRUFaKTYgFrJiv0EQ8Iv_C4QsBshemxlgQLYlwidFBlBQPTXGumqt79RuFpvhOiDImdqMeL35pC_PwhbwVQa4W-Z5e/s320/IMG_7090.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRgfnIA9NqhPWSPFiBCDZsbd3qyqDTmCZUvGLxoVVX5TPNVt3yD6Uc3-gyGWQv8k5FqKi0xp1HBz0XnXO0Ov57knM5lJBUKJZhHItztPiCV3pwry4gMUGRXzy-M2hV-RYI-SADm60GJnGA/s1600/IMG_7099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRgfnIA9NqhPWSPFiBCDZsbd3qyqDTmCZUvGLxoVVX5TPNVt3yD6Uc3-gyGWQv8k5FqKi0xp1HBz0XnXO0Ov57knM5lJBUKJZhHItztPiCV3pwry4gMUGRXzy-M2hV-RYI-SADm60GJnGA/s320/IMG_7099.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<b>A couple days in Salta</b><br />
<br />
Salta, located in the north-west of Argentina, would provide us with a couple days to chill out, enjoy Argentinan cuisine, update the blog, and catch up on resume/job stuff. It turns out Salta is a very charming small-ish town with nice restaurants, beautiful architecture, and with prices in town being fairly cheap, a great place to lay low for a few days. <br />
<br />
We stayed at Las Rejas Hostel, which was run by a nice Argentinian couple and offered comfortable digs with decent breakfast and fast wifi. During our stay, we met a variety of backpackers from around the world. It was also during our stay when our electronics started to go south: My camera had been on the brinks for months and was really starting to bite the dust, while Jason's laptop decided to no longer recognize the n, o, up, right, colon, and apostrophe keys. If your name is Lawt<u>on</u>, you can imagine how troublesome it is to type without the n and o keys. So part of the stay was spent nerding out and assigning keyboard shortcuts to those missing keys. <br />
<br />
The other major achievement was for Jason to finally sample some <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yerba_mat%C3%A9">Yerba Mate</a>, courtesy of a Mate kit we had bought in Puerto Iguazu. Now, Argentinians are crazy about this stuff, and you'll see them drinking it out of their gourds all over the place. So you'd think it would be pretty tasty. Well, here's Jason's reaction to sampling the stuff:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4669527494/" title="Yeah, Yerba Matte wasn't as good as I had hoped by lawtonjm, on Flickr"><img alt="Yeah, Yerba Matte wasn't as good as I had hoped" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4037/4669527494_888497fb9c.jpg" width="375" /></a></div><br />
Most of the time, however, was spent bumming around town which included a visit to the "<a href="http://maam.culturasalta.gov.ar/index.php?lang=english">Museum of High Altitude Archeology</a>." That latter activity revealed the fascinating history of children that were "sacrificed" by being left also high in the mountains to die after various ceremonies, including childhood weddings. Three of these children were discovered in 1999, mummified in excellent condition, and are on display at the museum. Yeah, it's a bit creepy, but given the number of mummies (Egypt) and embalmed folks (Vietnam) we have seen on this trip, it was also quite appropriate. Below are some pictures from strolling around in Salta.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguHgQZ70WQv76JE9bo0IiM9z8AmRa0PkNIRMXUoiB9pqMPwgK6jdsxLbhIyMV3kOzLR09DHSFjzaX_7ZMwzryEOkYObeXejL5XYrOawk39ycekMNdkv__IfVUwsZfcZmareGfdm-ur84D-/s1600/IMG_7137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguHgQZ70WQv76JE9bo0IiM9z8AmRa0PkNIRMXUoiB9pqMPwgK6jdsxLbhIyMV3kOzLR09DHSFjzaX_7ZMwzryEOkYObeXejL5XYrOawk39ycekMNdkv__IfVUwsZfcZmareGfdm-ur84D-/s320/IMG_7137.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQHgOsITOQ_BGld0-TzZwyHrwBgGOU_EPqI6k1Bk63nN6bbNxfWf2AjuG_entqadJuR0bWeDyqaCxEd-UQ8edljwBMajTwxdlUGwQZsPkVOLZOkd-XVRNYV48Q1qkQ_2GzdeX3qhrRWpL4/s1600/IMG_7133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQHgOsITOQ_BGld0-TzZwyHrwBgGOU_EPqI6k1Bk63nN6bbNxfWf2AjuG_entqadJuR0bWeDyqaCxEd-UQ8edljwBMajTwxdlUGwQZsPkVOLZOkd-XVRNYV48Q1qkQ_2GzdeX3qhrRWpL4/s320/IMG_7133.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDYpyP5TCgTG1G643l8Bv5os9CHboVNRTfZx5E11dvzRDAZEsq3GfDzLDXgDJH029jm3sgCbyF0c3bT3ExI53fEcWI7OnKszrVc8gzK5fs94szdYH00KtItDx3aNneZs33HHZ-fVi-N8Wz/s1600/IMG_7148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDYpyP5TCgTG1G643l8Bv5os9CHboVNRTfZx5E11dvzRDAZEsq3GfDzLDXgDJH029jm3sgCbyF0c3bT3ExI53fEcWI7OnKszrVc8gzK5fs94szdYH00KtItDx3aNneZs33HHZ-fVi-N8Wz/s320/IMG_7148.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjia4d6Pby8fahb33ECbgZgzDn1zlaor8s3ec9vwAH0zHwZLrUUFUMbW2kA3_zi4ncGnZmsJL8aQ_7aCG7ETL2j7AnhDbNdQmCvb2VNHuK2Zf7mQjt4d5XLOg36rfyx5TUmacYlz52WTmqv/s1600/IMG_7145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjia4d6Pby8fahb33ECbgZgzDn1zlaor8s3ec9vwAH0zHwZLrUUFUMbW2kA3_zi4ncGnZmsJL8aQ_7aCG7ETL2j7AnhDbNdQmCvb2VNHuK2Zf7mQjt4d5XLOg36rfyx5TUmacYlz52WTmqv/s320/IMG_7145.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-XRlmN-jMaVC84W8Iz0dQn9q174tkokaWTReBUzEgB6d_k1MPwox6vVn7jvOEsQlabs_Y8iFzujG8PB2gkfqwdik9PzaexMbpgrrZpaf7RU8JiDvw4NcwwraAqVW4hjxs8sdoJPWtK5ZZ/s1600/IMG_7126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-XRlmN-jMaVC84W8Iz0dQn9q174tkokaWTReBUzEgB6d_k1MPwox6vVn7jvOEsQlabs_Y8iFzujG8PB2gkfqwdik9PzaexMbpgrrZpaf7RU8JiDvw4NcwwraAqVW4hjxs8sdoJPWtK5ZZ/s320/IMG_7126.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZsHBDajgp8adc1bsgWSIQTIlb69CXUcG5SEd6jfebxFwTz7V4A2vXDtDVNCWoRQG9SzRT-_TKjvkMjpGqNQ1HOM0e3OzyT1qvibRsznTDAsDR_FGaHbf1rEFX5J-ZhI57nHh-wztjMpqT/s1600/IMG_7156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZsHBDajgp8adc1bsgWSIQTIlb69CXUcG5SEd6jfebxFwTz7V4A2vXDtDVNCWoRQG9SzRT-_TKjvkMjpGqNQ1HOM0e3OzyT1qvibRsznTDAsDR_FGaHbf1rEFX5J-ZhI57nHh-wztjMpqT/s320/IMG_7156.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Oh, and how cool is this shot?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrHNchjSDkQnPtg-AnV2NG7MbT3K-1mmsB-hl9VjWb2wv-6SYIiGv81N3OqStsY2eHdM9XNADvy9IQS0zwkYwC62qV5JZE3VZQrQYA4yBaGBmO_-hRFDAAgFIIanmeNLrWtTnyJ5ScnGR/s1600/IMG_7142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrHNchjSDkQnPtg-AnV2NG7MbT3K-1mmsB-hl9VjWb2wv-6SYIiGv81N3OqStsY2eHdM9XNADvy9IQS0zwkYwC62qV5JZE3VZQrQYA4yBaGBmO_-hRFDAAgFIIanmeNLrWtTnyJ5ScnGR/s320/IMG_7142.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<br />
In terms of distance to our digs, the greatest excursion during our stay was a visit to San Bernando Hill, which courtesy of yet another Swiss designed gondola, could be reached fairly easily with minimal walking/hobbling. The top of the hill afforded beautiful views of Salta, though we both wished we had brought a book to enjoy more time on top of the hill.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVguYhS6fgPUUysRi1hgEfOl6aJ4BiNOlYNEka6IWK_KLNIrFGmzVN1BwSSI5zALDTioUZSq7p8JudoW4xJO1jXCfLZBVpUWZyQ__VFxTdQGE2G7wuR983hhBJZEpSUC863cd_hmEwSYKb/s1600/IMG_7110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVguYhS6fgPUUysRi1hgEfOl6aJ4BiNOlYNEka6IWK_KLNIrFGmzVN1BwSSI5zALDTioUZSq7p8JudoW4xJO1jXCfLZBVpUWZyQ__VFxTdQGE2G7wuR983hhBJZEpSUC863cd_hmEwSYKb/s320/IMG_7110.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4669072445/" title="Looking out on Salta by lawtonjm, on Flickr"><img alt="Looking out on Salta" height="240" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4015/4669072445_c97056381a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnV7tpLqIdgwVSpWvs7DLzcUXXQeSuLndgbBWdCWsBu2ZgtHDMzqQuR1SOnPwU6xH6LPzLgN6TtpACcu_QFWf4TInk8qk-b0jgXIXAaPj3vG4jyEmCXEiGNwnDyFtP67wIe4DCv8TpUENG/s1600/IMG_7112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnV7tpLqIdgwVSpWvs7DLzcUXXQeSuLndgbBWdCWsBu2ZgtHDMzqQuR1SOnPwU6xH6LPzLgN6TtpACcu_QFWf4TInk8qk-b0jgXIXAaPj3vG4jyEmCXEiGNwnDyFtP67wIe4DCv8TpUENG/s320/IMG_7112.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
The last item of note once again revolves around meat. As you may know, Argentina is world reknowned for its <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentine_beef">beef</a>. We were recommended a parilla, "La Monumental", by our ever-helpful host and decided to give it a shot. The meat, as it turned out, was excellent and coupled with garlic/parsley french fries and local wine, made for an excellent dinner. So excellent, in fact, that we re-visited the place a few days later for seconds :) If you make it to Salta, check out "La Monumental"; it's tasty, unpretentious, and very reasonably priced.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHiPf8n7g1LCMVWtF0cPQRWJYoKuHNZeZRPKTmm3ULbLE7lQthvRxtp3KvF0ZL0Y_egc-Y4q8NIucLavD8T7PIsLcohSm37yzKz638pnpwhbXt85BCJ74L1E89J32udTG3LaTbUUiisdD6/s1600/IMG_7103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHiPf8n7g1LCMVWtF0cPQRWJYoKuHNZeZRPKTmm3ULbLE7lQthvRxtp3KvF0ZL0Y_egc-Y4q8NIucLavD8T7PIsLcohSm37yzKz638pnpwhbXt85BCJ74L1E89J32udTG3LaTbUUiisdD6/s320/IMG_7103.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXbAPUz_87OR1ASAQSmfFoyQ93pIwC3Vx0mJ_FXbqM59J3ttzXeDhLbZCdsqP1kjngnwyBu8DpUr8z01EMmzIl6VrCS8Ue-vbESc6Ky2gbSOIOYjdsNe9y_G04nnP3RX8JMteotmnADs5b/s1600/IMG_7106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXbAPUz_87OR1ASAQSmfFoyQ93pIwC3Vx0mJ_FXbqM59J3ttzXeDhLbZCdsqP1kjngnwyBu8DpUr8z01EMmzIl6VrCS8Ue-vbESc6Ky2gbSOIOYjdsNe9y_G04nnP3RX8JMteotmnADs5b/s320/IMG_7106.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn8B-iK2AqlrMhL9yvXpyNPI1UdQ1GI-gxb8mlnRPraKeGVUoInYE5fHQ9g5cLvcTZrH8evhpoLYWySTLAudj8snI_ldJJlLiQDckDMJo60C6vOrnlYwT0wNDluS4VNNA3C8N0ax1HJMwk/s1600/IMG_7107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn8B-iK2AqlrMhL9yvXpyNPI1UdQ1GI-gxb8mlnRPraKeGVUoInYE5fHQ9g5cLvcTZrH8evhpoLYWySTLAudj8snI_ldJJlLiQDckDMJo60C6vOrnlYwT0wNDluS4VNNA3C8N0ax1HJMwk/s320/IMG_7107.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Which brings us to the end of our stay in Salta. We booked yet another Argentinan bus, this time with Andesmar, to Buenos Aires. The 19 hour ride, while nice but yet again not all that great, got us to BA safely where we were to spend almost a week meeting up with our friend Sonia. But I'll let Jason tell that part of the story...Swisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13257087659483700434noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8978913163233101110.post-67693116354361082822010-06-01T14:14:00.001-07:002010-06-01T14:14:02.634-07:00Ola and welcome to Brazil, now where are you staying!?!<p>May 4th – May 19th, by Jason</p> <p>Well we hopped onto the Royal Jordanian city shuttle and quickly arrived at Amman airport, with about two and a half hours on our hands. Luckily a chocolate chip cookie at Starbucks was a nice treat and a good way to use up the last of my local currency. We boarded the flight to Cairo and were pleasantly surprised by the service on Royal Jordanian. It was a quick flight (about an hour and 15 minutes) on a new jet with meal service, exit row seats and very friendly flight attendants! We arrived in Cairo only to be continually disappointed with Egypt…this time the transfers between terminals at their airport are complicated, infrequent, not well marked and we ended up going around the whole airport two and a half times before we finally arrived at the correct place. Unfortunately Cairo airport does not allow check in until three hours prior to departure, so we had plenty of time on our hands (8pm – 12.30am) and we couldn’t use the business class lounge (we were both upgraded on this segment of the trip) because it’s only after check-in and immigration. We finally made it back there and enjoyed the lounge for about two hours and finally boarded our 3.30am departure to Istanbul. </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TAV3_05SH1I/AAAAAAAAEds/xSAzZFUGCYk/s1600-h/IMG_66354.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_6635" border="0" alt="IMG_6635" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TAV4A81EF7I/AAAAAAAAEdw/iFqNDKWg_Js/IMG_6635_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="324" height="244" /></a> </p> <p>It was a Turkish Airlines flight and while service in-flight was fantastic (I was stuffed!) the seating left much to be desired! They had literally taken a row of economy seats (6 across) and just used the middle seat as a giant arm rest…so really no extra seat space, rather disappointing. We arrived in Istanbul just before 6am to request a seat for Swiss up in business class, only to be denied by a few different folks. We figured they would at least let him join me in the business class lounge for our 5 hour layover, but they wouldn’t even do that. Very disappointing service by Turkish Airlines! We finally boarded the flight to find over 20 empty seats up in business class. I made one last ditch effort with a flight attendant on-board but she wouldn’t allow him to join me up there…rather disappointing since he’d paid money to upgrade his ticket fare class and was willing to spend miles (which would’ve meant additional revenue for Turkish for the currently empty seat via reimbursement from United Airlines and Star Alliance.) At this point it was rather upsetting but there was nothing we could do. Let’s just say the difference in seats between business and economy class is quite, ummm, big (pun intended!) </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TAV4BnQG9sI/AAAAAAAAEd0/eq2_RBSh91w/s1600-h/IMG_66394.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_6639" border="0" alt="IMG_6639" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TAV4CfRoU_I/AAAAAAAAEd4/34SnkG1NXU4/IMG_6639_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TAV4DQmyiyI/AAAAAAAAEd8/Nk178dZA2lw/s1600-h/IMG_66364.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_6636" border="0" alt="IMG_6636" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TAV4EWVjtUI/AAAAAAAAEeA/Np01SUMKCXo/IMG_6636_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>After 14.5 hours and a quick hop over Africa and the Atlantic and we’d arrived on our last continent (and now the 6th continent either of us had visited,) South America!</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TAV4FLJSg0I/AAAAAAAAEeE/g007paNm6ow/s1600-h/IMG_66404.jpg" target="_blank"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="IMG_6640" border="0" alt="IMG_6640" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GQ-a42Mfj54/TAV4FyNUBRI/AAAAAAAAEeI/-TaifLaIhB8/IMG_6640_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="324" /></a> </p> <p>We arrived in Sao Paulo around 7pm on Wednesday night after a rather smooth flight (and thankfully for Swiss they were pouring stiff drinks back in Economy!) We were waiting in line at immigration when we were approached by immigration police (as was everyone else in line) asking to see our passports and also the address and directions to our destination in Sao Paulo (ie. Where are you staying??) We quickly passed through immigration, collected our bags, breezed through customs and hit up the ATM for some local currency.</p> <p> <a title="My 6th continent! Arrival in Sao Paulo! by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4585962623/" target="_blank"><img style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px" alt="My 6th continent! Arrival in Sao Paulo!" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4004/4585962623_413709ff81.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> </p> <p>The nice lady at the tourist information office hooked us up with directions, maps, ideas, etc. A quick bus ride to the metro station, three different metro trains and we were at our new place, the Saci Hostel. A new place run by some young Brazilians, it’s a fantastic little hostel less than 5 minutes from the metro and in a very nice and very safe neighborhood. We grabbed a quick bite to eat at a local little shop (our first indication that many Brazilians don’t speak English, and guess what…Portuguese is not that same as Spanish!!) with a very nice owner and it was time for bed to work off this jet lag!</p> <p>Thursday morning we were up and ready to figure out what the hell we were going to do here in Brazil for three weeks. But first, it was time to find a guide book! After sleeping in we caught the metro downtown to Se station where we grabbed a quick lunch and set off to a neighborhood our hostel recommended as having some used book stores. Turned out to be nearly ALL used book stores, but sadly nothing in the guidebook sections was both recent and in English. [On a side note, to any DGS Alums who are reading, I did spot the Zumdahl we used in AP Chemistry with Mr. Mayfield back in '97/'98 on a shelf, a real trip down memory lane!!] </p> <a title="The second hand bookstore hunt for a new Lonely Planet by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4585964641/" target="_blank"><img alt="The second hand bookstore hunt for a new Lonely Planet" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4042/4585964641_6e73a0c057.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="As seen in a used bookstore in Sao Paulo, my old AP Chemistry book! by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4586589434/" target="_blank"><img alt="As seen in a used bookstore in Sao Paulo, my old AP Chemistry book!" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4049/4586589434_f90194523f.jpg" width="241" height="320" /></a> <p>We headed back to the metro and whisked over to Av Paulista where there are some more tourist friendly (ie. nice but also expensive!) bookstores. I picked up a copy of "South America on Shoestring" by Lonely Planet [if anyone would like to purchase a nearly new copy of the latest edition when I get home, just e-mail me!! ;-)] We took the long walk home along Av. Paulista and had a relaxing evening and dinner at a local cafe. </p> <p>Friday morning we set out with the goal of checking out Parque do Ibirapuera, getting Swiss a new memory card and walking the entire length of Av Paulista! A quick metro ride near the park and we weren't actually that close! We walked through a residential neighborhood and happened across an electronics store but they didn't have SD memory cards, but the shopkeeper was kind enough to tell us they were near by in "Shopping" [the brazilian portuguese word for a shopping mall] but the directions were lost on us. We wandered into a nearby mall that was quite high end and without any SD cards for sale, so it was back off to the park. Parque do Ibirapuera is one of the largest green spaces in São Paulo and a nice place to relax. The area includes monuments, museums, restaurants, walking/biking trails and a lake, among other amenities. We stayed for a while to soak up the sun and I caught up on some reading. </p> <a title="The lake in the middle of Parque do Ibirapuera by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4588538445/" target="_blank"><img alt="The lake in the middle of Parque do Ibirapuera" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3316/4588538445_afd8c96540.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="Parque do Ibirapuera by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4588539699/" target="_blank"><img alt="Parque do Ibirapuera" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3327/4588539699_4abc5dde46.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="At the park, with a nice view of part of the Sao Paulo skyline by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4588760489/" target="_blank"><img alt="At the park, with a nice view of part of the Sao Paulo skyline" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4003/4588760489_b2da8c6241.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <p>Afterwards it was off in search of the elusive memory card and conveniently along the way we happened upon a neighborhood farmers market that was closing up. It looked pretty good and while we didn't buy any produce, there happened to be a local <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pastel_%28food%29" target="_blank">pastéis</a> maker drawing quite a crowd along with fresh squeezed sugar cane juice man right next door. We stopped for lunch and then it was off shopping.</p> <p><a title="The food vendor at the end of the random farmer's market we ran into by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4589160114/" target="_blank"><img alt="The food vendor at the end of the random farmer's market we ran into" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3304/4589160114_6773c3da61.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="Lunch of fresh Brazilian Pastez by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4588541237/" target="_blank"><img alt="Lunch of fresh Brazilian Pastez" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4070/4588541237_2f2e1f739b.jpg" width="241" height="320" /></a> </p> <p>Luckily the first place we wandered into reminded of an Asian market with many stalls (many staffed by the numerous Brazilians of Asian decent) and Swiss picked up a memory card and I scored a blank DVD. </p> <a title="Sao Paulo on Av Paulista by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4588541797/" target="_blank"><img alt="Sao Paulo on Av Paulista" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4072/4588541797_8fc4fbaab5.jpg" width="241" height="320" /></a> <p>We finished our walk and yearned for something more, so it was off to the nearby soccer (futebol for our non-US based Portuguese speaking readers, football, futbol or Fussball depending on where you're from) stadium to check out the Brazilian Futebol Museum. A large, new and modern homage to the tradition and spirit of soccer in Brazil (the country with the most World Cup championships, 5, and having appeared in every World Cup tournament since its creation.) A very well done museum and a fun experience, worth the R$ 6 admission (just over 3 USD.) Even better was the excitement we found outside afterwards. Apparently two groups of young people had a fruit fight over something (which involved shields and fake swords also) up a hill just outside the stadium. Looked like fun...from a distance ;-) haha</p> <a title="We have no idea, seen outside the Football (Soccer) Museum by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4588543429/" target="_blank"><img alt="We have no idea, seen outside the Football (Soccer) Museum" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4018/4588543429_c1e1ea786e.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="Swiss and Sao Paulo municipal football stadium by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4589163432/" target="_blank"><img alt="Swiss and Sao Paulo municipal football stadium" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4066/4589163432_efb80e010e.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <p>Friday night we were on a search for pizza, a supposed São Paulo specialty. We were directed to Pizza & Arte, a local place near to our hostel that served as a pizza restaurant, local watering hole and also inside a miniature art exhibition gallery. The owner spoke little English but did a great job accommodating us with a delicious pizza (it would give most SF artisinal places a run for their money) and a few beers to wash it down with. We also got to see local residents just hanging out, with a manner of dress and casual attitude that reminded me a lot of San Francisco. We were the only ones eating as it was early by Brazilian standards (8pm, gasp!) but it was a delicious dinner!</p> <a title="Delicious Sao Paulo pizza! by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4599128969/" target="_blank"><img alt="Delicious Sao Paulo pizza!" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1064/4599128969_2bf8b4a8cb.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <p>Swiss stayed up to celebrate the birthday of one of the owners of our hostel, Barbara, while I called it early evening and in desperate need of some rest. </p> <p>Saturday morning was a dreary start and the weather did not clear up much during the day. We decided it was time to book a flight from Rio de Janeiro (our next destination) up to Salvador (very far up North) as we'd found a fare that was less than the bus ticket up that way and 14 hours faster. Interesting thing about buying domestic tickets from Brazilian airlines through their websites, they only sell online to Brazilian citizens (those carrying a Brazilian CPF number or national identity number) Without that number you CANNOT complete an online purchase. So it was back Av Paulista to a travel agency where after a bit of a wait we booked our ticket and they charged us just R$ 5 more than the online fare we would've otherwise paid (I don't know how they make a profit with that little markup, but I won't complain!) We were joined by our new friend, Tine, from the hostel, and she was happily off shopping while we got our tickets. From there it was off to Liberdade, the traditional Japanese neighborhood in São Paulo. Brazil and specifically the city of São Paulo is home to the largest Japanese population (and their descendants) outside of Japan. A stroll through the neighborhood showed a uniquely Japanese / Brazilian fusion neighborhood, but like the SF Japantown neighborhood, the new immigrants from Korea and China have also left their mark, turning it into a bit more of an "Asian" neighborhood rather than something entirely and uniquely Japanese. It was still a fun little stroll through a neighborhood that reminded me of Asia and of course we stopped off for a nice lunch, Tine had some Chinese stir fry, Swiss got a Sushi boat and I had a delicious bowl of Japanese pork ramen (all ordered from a Portuguese menu!)</p> <a title="Walking around Liberdade with Tine by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4599131775/" target="_blank"><img alt="Walking around Liberdade with Tine" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4033/4599131775_fa11841011.jpg" width="241" height="320" /></a> <a title="Swiss devours his sushi sampler by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4599750316/" target="_blank"><img alt="Swiss devours his sushi sampler" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1419/4599750316_38abc251b3.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <p>Of course with our luck the rain had rolled in right as we were leaving for the subway station and it started raining on us on the walk there. By the time the subway had rolled into our station and we got off at our stop it was pouring outside! We had earlier made plans to stay in, watch a movie and eat junk food (microwave popcorn, chocolate, etc) and so we needed to head to the grocery story, about a 5-7 minute dry walk from our hostel. Luckily Tine had a poncho and Swiss was wearing a jacket to keep a little warm, but I was in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt...it was a long walk to the grocery store...</p> <a title="Yeah, no umbrella or poncho! by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4599135521/" target="_blank"><img alt="Yeah, no umbrella or poncho!" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1054/4599135521_a8c62ce6d2.jpg" width="241" height="320" /></a> <p>...and a long walk home! :) We watched a movie (Pulp Fiction) and enjoyed some junk food and relaxed...it was fun to have a nice Saturday night in. </p> <p>Sunday was a rather uneventful day and I won't bore you with any details, but we left the hostel, took the subway directly to the bus station, bought a ticket for a bus that was leaving just 4 minutes later and promptly boarded our bus to Rio de Janeiro (about a 5 hour ride) We arrived safely and after a little confusion about which bus to take, we were on our way towards Copacabana and our new home. We checked in and grabbed a small bite to eat at a little Kilo restaurant. An unique piece of Brazilian culture, these kilo restaurants are everywhere! Now I don't mean to judge (OK, who are we kidding, yes I do!!) but the place we went wasn't that good. While the whole experience put us off and we didn't try any others, I can't imagine buffets where you pay by the kilo to be very good either way. After a long day of traveling it was time to call it an early night.</p> <p>Monday was a business day and there's not much to write about. It was cloudy and the weather was somewhat crap so we stayed in and tended to "business," ie. we uploaded photos and I wrote the blog entry I was very behind on! We got back to an old habit, too, that night...mainly of cooking dinner instead of going out. It turns out that Brazil is a relatively expensive country (after having spent 6.5 months in Asia, Japan excluded, do not argue with us, it's relatively expensive.) I think we also had this romantic notion in our heads that South America was as cheap as Southeast Asia which is of course not that case. The cost of a single night in Brazil for lodging has jumped to nearly $30 US for 2 people, compared to $6-15 in most parts of Asia, so still cheap than Australia but more expensive that where we'd spent the last 6.5 months! It called for us to tighten up the budgets and watch the money just a little closer. Actually its kind of nice to get back to cooking after eating out nearly continuously for 6 months...so it's not all bad either. While on our way to the supermarket that night we ran into Maggie and Chris, our friends from Canada we met back in São Paulo and we made plans to try and meet up the next day. </p> <p>Tuesday we were up and ready to go a little before 10am and off to walk towards Ipanema / Leblon neighborhoods and the botanical gardens. The walk looked small on the map, and where we'd budgeted 30 minutes to get there, it took us just under an hour and a half to actually get there by foot. Needless to say we missed Chris and Maggie (although apparently they were also late because they misjudged the distance and we probably didn't miss each other by much, oh well!) so instead we went to a nearby barber shop and got haircuts. With some broken spanglish and a few spanish words they happened to understand we both walked out with pretty good haircuts. The afternoon was spent on Ipanema enjoying the waves, the beach and catching some sun (I can't come home too pale after all this traveling!)</p> <a title="The laguna in Rio by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4599175267/" target="_blank"><img alt="The laguna in Rio" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1225/4599175267_a8e25cd1d1.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="Just west of Ipanema Beach by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4599179269/" target="_blank"><img alt="Just west of Ipanema Beach" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1006/4599179269_73e0e99346.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="Ipanema Beach by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4599799314/" target="_blank"><img alt="Ipanema Beach" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1160/4599799314_194e73b827.jpg" width="241" height="320" /></a> <p>Some cooking back at the hostel that night and chatting with the others staying there (Sam from Italy, Luke from Sheffield and James and Gabreila from the UK and Peru respectively…a little UN meeting if you will.)</p> <p>Wednesday was a quiet day really not worth mentioning. My leg was not feeling too hot so we took it easy and I rested it. The weather was crap so our next sightseeing trip to head up Sugar Loaf Mountain was put on hold for clearer skies. Thursday our wishes were answered with beautiful/clear blue skies and a great trip up Sugar Loaf. We had originally hoped to hike up to the half way station and then take the tram the rest of the way but that trail was closed for repairs and my leg wasn’t quite 100% so we took the cable car the whole way up. The views were amazing and we packed a lunch to enjoy up there. The first station about half way up allows for great views of the Rio city airport and we could watch flights taking off and landing!</p> <a title="Swiss and Rio from half way up Sugar Loaf by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4604407009/" target="_blank"><img alt="Swiss and Rio from half way up Sugar Loaf" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3394/4604407009_3fe99d963a.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="Looking out on Rio by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4605024204/" target="_blank"><img alt="Looking out on Rio" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1326/4605024204_f02a38ab1d.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="Mother and baby by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4604414505/" target="_blank"><img alt="Mother and baby" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1174/4604414505_6abfafdea1.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="Swiss and me before going up to Sugar Loaf in Rio by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4605031094/" target="_blank"><img alt="Swiss and me before going up to Sugar Loaf in Rio" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4067/4605031094_7a1e6423c2.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <p>We of course completed the journey up to the top with even more amazing views of Rio and it’s amazing beaches and shoreline!</p> <a title="Rio and Copacabana Beach by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4604418423/" target="_blank"><img alt="Rio and Copacabana Beach" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1304/4604418423_552c0410df.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="Swiss and Copacabana Beach by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4604419113/" target="_blank"><img alt="Swiss and Copacabana Beach" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1115/4604419113_ec0ecba3d8.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="Rio (Copacabana and Botafogo) by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4605033738/" target="_blank"><img alt="Rio (Copacabana and Botafogo)" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1270/4605033738_8c067cc80c.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="The Rio city airport by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4605035064/" target="_blank"><img alt="The Rio city airport" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3367/4605035064_661220ea05.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="Coming down from Sugar Loaf by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4604423033/" target="_blank"><img alt="Coming down from Sugar Loaf" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1093/4604423033_a0d6f14fd6.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <p>We tried to get a little more sun on Copacabana Beach but with the tall buildings just across the street blocking the late afternoon sun it was a bit of a fail. We enjoyed another nice evening hanging out back at our hostel. Swiss even got to practice his Swiss German with one of the employees at our hostel, a Swiss guy from Basel now living in Rio. </p> <p>Friday was a big day for us! If I hadn’t already mentioned it, <a href="http://www.bootiesf.com/" target="_blank">Bootie</a>, a now (since we left) thrice monthly party at DNA Lounge which has expanded around the world in the last 6.5 years was starting their latest monthly party down in Rio at a club just 5 blocks from our hostel. It was a sign we had to go! (I really enjoy going back home and it’s one of the few clubs I’ve ever heard Swiss say he enjoys going to! The following day was a futebol match at Maracana stadium, between Fluminense (the local team) and Atletico GO. We headed over to the Fluminense club office to buy our tickets for the following days game and while there we met a local Brazilian who lives in NYC now and heard these gringos speaking English. </p> <a title="The tiniest ticket vending window by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4611884520/" target="_blank"><img alt="The tiniest ticket vending window" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/4611884520_f1711d0632.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <p>He introduced himself and asked us if we’d like to join him for the game. He’s back in Rio for knee surgery and was headed to catch one last game before he was couch ridden for a few weeks. We grabbed his cell phone number and made plans to meet the next day. The weather was crap again so we didn’t do much else and since Rio has quite the late night life scene and well, frankly, we’re old men relatively speaking when it comes to staying up late. We headed out to Fosfobox around 11pm and thanks to my SF drivers license we got in at the friends rate. Inside I introduced myself to A plus D, the creative duo behind Bootie who were down to celebrate the new regular club opening in Brazil. We had a great time and it was fun to have an experience that really reminded me of home!</p> <p>Saturday was a bit of a late start, obviously, but we successfully met up with Pedro and enjoyed a real Brazilian soccer game at one of the largest stadiums in the world, it was also a good time!!</p> <a title="The subway ride to the game by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4611276767/" target="_blank"><img alt="The subway ride to the game" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1159/4611276767_a8da5c5995.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="300" data="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"> <param name="flashvars" value="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=5535a9c99c&photo_id=4611368739"></param> <param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377"></param> <param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"></param> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=5535a9c99c&photo_id=4611368739" height="300" width="400"></embed></object><a title="Outside Maracana Stadium by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4611888574/" target="_blank"><img alt="Outside Maracana Stadium" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1367/4611888574_38a96432b5.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="Enjoying a pre-game cerveja with our new Brazilian friend Pedro by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4611279625/" target="_blank"><img alt="Enjoying a pre-game cerveja with our new Brazilian friend Pedro" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1253/4611279625_5a3e35985e.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="With the Fluminense mascot by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4611280707/" target="_blank"><img alt="With the Fluminense mascot" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1345/4611280707_0bf094c4ff.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="Waving the team flags by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4611282793/" target="_blank"><img alt="Waving the team flags" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4028/4611282793_75c5aaf4aa.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <p>Sunday was a gorgeous day in Rio, finally, and so we headed out at a decent hour and enjoyed a full afternoon of sun and beach. </p> <a title="Hanging out on Copacabana Beach by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4617423554/" target="_blank"><img alt="Hanging out on Copacabana Beach" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3377/4617423554_2937d7a124.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <p>Monday was a day to explore more of the city with our new friend Azra from London. We took the streetcar up to Santa Teresa and walked around the streets for a little while, stopped for a nice beer at a German cafe and then a walk over to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escadaria_Selar%C3%B3n" target="_blank">Escaderia Selaron</a>, which was very cool!!</p> <a title="The Santa Teresa Tram by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4616812399/" target="_blank"><img alt="The Santa Teresa Tram" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4013/4616812399_b6f9ae4283.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="Hanging off the tram by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4616813463/" target="_blank"><img alt="Hanging off the tram" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3329/4616813463_e7e7ba2c12.jpg" width="241" height="320" /></a> <a title="Views of Rio from Santa Teresa by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4616817895/" target="_blank"><img alt="Views of Rio from Santa Teresa" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4024/4616817895_ea4f00f87c.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="The tram in action by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4616816489/" target="_blank"><img alt="The tram in action" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4023/4616816489_28fd4386c2.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="Escadaria Selaron by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4617436552/" target="_blank"><img alt="Escadaria Selaron" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4032/4617436552_ba693bc5cc.jpg" width="241" height="320" /></a> <a title="Swiss and me at Escadaria Selaron by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4617438722/" target="_blank"><img alt="Swiss and me at Escadaria Selaron" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3331/4617438722_fa01ce9218.jpg" width="241" height="320" /></a> <a title="Escadaria Selaron by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4616828645/" target="_blank"><img alt="Escadaria Selaron" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4046/4616828645_a726c42c7b.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <p>Tuesday we went on a hunt for a new watch for me, specifically a new Swatch watch! We took the bus over to Leblon, a nice high end shopping district with many foreign shops. Unfortunately, though, Brazil considers watches to be a luxury item and taxes them at a very steep rate, making the cost of a Swatch nearly 4 times the cost of the identical watch back home. Needless to say I didn’t purchase a watch there. While in the mall, though we spotted a “Bob’s Burger” which is the Brazilian McDonald’s. While Azra chose a healthier option of frozen yogurt, we had a burger from said chain. Let’s just say that it was a dry and disappointing experience and McDonald’s offers a better (albeit unhealthy) experience! From there we headed down towards Ipanema and stopped at H. Stern. Apparently Azra is a bit of a gem expert and Brazil is a HUGE gem nation and we were walking by their world headquarters. So we stopped in and enjoyed their free tour and afterwards the gem viewing with complimentary coffee to boot! A very informative tour that we stumbled upon and with a great price of: FREE!</p> <p>For our last night we decided to check out a semi-famous little local place that has a special signature sandwich, filet mignon on baguette with sliced pineapple and melted cheese. In case you were wondering, it was delicious!</p> <a title="Filet Mignon with cheese and grilled pineapple...delicious!! by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4619808979/" target="_blank"><img alt="Filet Mignon with cheese and grilled pineapple...delicious!!" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3411/4619808979_99f1c8b966.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <p>Wednesday would mark our departure from Rio, our longest stop of the trip now at a 10 day stay! It’s a gorgeous city and a lot of fun, definitely a place I’ll return to. Next stop Salvador!!</p> Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16107969339140322691noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8978913163233101110.post-60128575438476705732010-05-13T04:22:00.000-07:002010-05-13T04:22:21.834-07:00A rather Blue Red Sea and an Ancient CityApril 27 to May 4, 2010 <i>(by Swiss)</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheEP6OjKUr-iTit0mVNxxj5u-4J39S-uH3QPhFDYIBEPn0PMcSTjSFdwMcthw9R5MtpVuweVbByoVym7sgOuVeNvQI144WffuYi00nA3sAV_9aTS6XM80VrD4DO5utLg7WMxePUtfWVviX/s1600/IMG_6527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheEP6OjKUr-iTit0mVNxxj5u-4J39S-uH3QPhFDYIBEPn0PMcSTjSFdwMcthw9R5MtpVuweVbByoVym7sgOuVeNvQI144WffuYi00nA3sAV_9aTS6XM80VrD4DO5utLg7WMxePUtfWVviX/s320/IMG_6527.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><i><br />
</i><br />
<br />
With the Giza and Mediterranean sea checked off our list, it was time to move on to the red sea. To be honest, both of us are starting to get a tad exhausted, so our goal was to indulge in some R&R in Dahab before heading on to the country of Jordan. Dahab, located just north of Sharm el Sheikh, is an old Bedouin village turned backpacker haven. Still relatively expensive compared to, say, India, it's a much more economical alternative to Sharm el Sheikh while offering easy access to the red sea and affiliated activities. We were to spend 3 days there, then move on for a visit to the ancient city of Petra, Jordan before wrapping up in Amman for our flight back to Cairo. <br />
<br />
<b>The Quest for Dahab</b><br />
<br />
As seems to be the case at times when traveling over land in Egypt, the destination is more easily selected than figuring out how exactly to get there. In our case, we were in Alexandria, and wanted to get to Dahab. This involved the following over the course of ~15 hours:<br />
<br />
- Taxi to bus station (we originally tried to hail one of the many mini-buses buzzing around Alexandria, which use a system of hand gestures to indicate their final destination - we knew the proper hand gesture, but struck out on scoring a ride)<br />
- Oh, and our taxi driver happened to be illiterate, severely crimping our "have someone write down in Arabic where you want the taxi to go" style<br />
- Waiting at seedy bus station with complete inability to read any Arabic signs (save for numbers)<br />
- Catching the EGP 80 overnight bus to Sharm el Sheikh - not a sleeper bus, btw<br />
- The showing of a movie starting sometime after 10pm, in Arabic, with the volume cranked up waaay too high<br />
- Multiple passport/ID checks while on the bus<br />
- The conclusion of the first movie a bit after midnight, only to be followed by a second movie, again in Arabic, which wrapped up sometime around 4am<br />
- Meeting of new Canadian travel buddy, Marie<br />
- Arrival in Sharm el Sheikh at 7am, booking of EGP 11 ticket for 9am bus to Dahab<br />
- 2 hour bus ride to Dahab<br />
- Yet more ID checks<br />
- Being "welcomed" (i.e., attacked/surrounded/smothered/etc) by a mob of taxi drivers upon de-bussing<br />
- Negotiating a decent fare into town - we felt like wall street traders with all the yelling by the drivers<br />
- Eventual arrival at our pre-booked hotel<br />
<br />
It's about as relaxing as it sounds. But we got there safely, and were ready to chill out for a few days. Below are some pictures from our journey, including our new French-Canadian friend Marie.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpSSPGXaPAIfjWPy-fGZh_QyReBaJA_NZRzRe7PmjMrG8-sAy3o5-LUSvEdf-iqkWbtJbvRe0nlO-DkQEkG8Ts_Uj7Y-l4BQDulGpCizke-rUnajvUnO4Q85hL9TOPsttMldJVLitIXjrn/s1600/IMG_6428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpSSPGXaPAIfjWPy-fGZh_QyReBaJA_NZRzRe7PmjMrG8-sAy3o5-LUSvEdf-iqkWbtJbvRe0nlO-DkQEkG8Ts_Uj7Y-l4BQDulGpCizke-rUnajvUnO4Q85hL9TOPsttMldJVLitIXjrn/s320/IMG_6428.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKnVU24CvluFfFoJLl-LyUDmJGSkaEegbwk7pW-h0QCrW9szUvE_bszsExuosvKqCmc4ottaCi7D-gsqyCNhZnc35NDkgoslpr-nt555IziMDl-d88DjEu3qU3tNM4MphEQJydtS_q06_T/s1600/IMG_6419.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKnVU24CvluFfFoJLl-LyUDmJGSkaEegbwk7pW-h0QCrW9szUvE_bszsExuosvKqCmc4ottaCi7D-gsqyCNhZnc35NDkgoslpr-nt555IziMDl-d88DjEu3qU3tNM4MphEQJydtS_q06_T/s320/IMG_6419.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrXTcdYC3qE1ftvgA9jpyaGkXn1oMTvN_LaUw9twtawd43a119BJGBFRCewTghKTTOPnRFdP3xKQlr9ICyZhGMcAF-f3VbQ1UGOj4L1MqTjSYHD4v9lhOg7bY8Tv7p37KrApPPFNLAbz01/s1600/IMG_6417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrXTcdYC3qE1ftvgA9jpyaGkXn1oMTvN_LaUw9twtawd43a119BJGBFRCewTghKTTOPnRFdP3xKQlr9ICyZhGMcAF-f3VbQ1UGOj4L1MqTjSYHD4v9lhOg7bY8Tv7p37KrApPPFNLAbz01/s320/IMG_6417.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipJkPSCDt26iWJBZGIJvLYSO0qYrruZ9b6U3qTnWQcOJjHpzDk4g2p1EQdaUHP_EloLcEkZPGRQbxf56YK0gJrhCJjFhmXEnfPWSZ3a7eYDV3Dxi64NRrQ3DtdevF2AvuxeRJ_JNB66uz0/s1600/IMG_6422.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipJkPSCDt26iWJBZGIJvLYSO0qYrruZ9b6U3qTnWQcOJjHpzDk4g2p1EQdaUHP_EloLcEkZPGRQbxf56YK0gJrhCJjFhmXEnfPWSZ3a7eYDV3Dxi64NRrQ3DtdevF2AvuxeRJ_JNB66uz0/s320/IMG_6422.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Jason was still feeling a tad unwell after picking up a bug somewhere in Egypt, so once we settled in, he headed off for a nap while I went out to sort out diving activities for the next two days. I had found <a href="http://www.bigbluedahab.com/">Big Blue Dahab</a> via the ever-reliable <a href="http://tripadvisor.com/">tripadvisor.com</a>, and promptly signed up for a boat trip to Gabr El Bint scheduled for the following day. The red sea, as you may know, is world famous for diving and I had to sample it. A fairly unexciting dinner was had at Maya Maya restaurant located directly on the beach before it was time for bed.<br />
<br />
<b>Dive Day (part un)</b><br />
<br />
I awoke fairly early to get to the dive shop by 7:30am for our departure to the boat. A brief breakfast overlooking the slightly too choppy seas got me carbed-up enough for what promised to be a nice, long day in the sun and water.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkG7_CSQ9bJl1_aIP3aluHlPIpcfxDXefXhJ2FwYAWe5MbFWm9Il_00Zb_aqt6CCVZHjbrUBCAa1QAG3Q5_Rdhe3pZC1z4P119D9KgTJpzy_Y8XIVMQH086QmtxW0aJKQpPWS9aP_ZRibb/s1600/IMG_6431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkG7_CSQ9bJl1_aIP3aluHlPIpcfxDXefXhJ2FwYAWe5MbFWm9Il_00Zb_aqt6CCVZHjbrUBCAa1QAG3Q5_Rdhe3pZC1z4P119D9KgTJpzy_Y8XIVMQH086QmtxW0aJKQpPWS9aP_ZRibb/s320/IMG_6431.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4V6AHaG28Nc5-dp4xrtJsVPEqTgv47VdAa_UK25J8fkfn_653uLr2toQv5P_hBGpQpQaFO1FxLqbd_VaBTCZNIxnodia5rMfbLrE0AAlbWaVZSdndYjNIM3yufe2sEX53L6snAuNv8Vm3/s1600/IMG_6433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4V6AHaG28Nc5-dp4xrtJsVPEqTgv47VdAa_UK25J8fkfn_653uLr2toQv5P_hBGpQpQaFO1FxLqbd_VaBTCZNIxnodia5rMfbLrE0AAlbWaVZSdndYjNIM3yufe2sEX53L6snAuNv8Vm3/s320/IMG_6433.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The diving was very nice, and while the locals scoffed about poor visibility, I found it to be better than most anywhere I've dived so far. Beggars just can't be choosers. During our day on the boat, I met a variety of cool divers from all over the world, which officially enabled the experience to be filed in the "good times" category. I'll just let the pictures speak for themselves (thanks Ann and Erika for sharing some of them):<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYo2ubDxhUTu83D7C1bYurUWxC9Mfjus1VbIajisPuInoenDd2EuurmN6HVGL8tlz2wSe9WfV8Pffj4ot9yb6uxlzG-4uijrPuj8NbpcYKOsztEatQJm-pJTCw-LHJFJdW1z1shZjCGrIk/s1600/IMG_2574.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYo2ubDxhUTu83D7C1bYurUWxC9Mfjus1VbIajisPuInoenDd2EuurmN6HVGL8tlz2wSe9WfV8Pffj4ot9yb6uxlzG-4uijrPuj8NbpcYKOsztEatQJm-pJTCw-LHJFJdW1z1shZjCGrIk/s320/IMG_2574.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMhCzbV0w65RxI0nf8Eipk6WmSQfQoiLhwhUMoNWgBYMx9Apx98iu9oJPyIZRHPV8vPy3Qm64dzT63Uv2tYC4pvOrd3SddB51U7evd3xD7xZp8ppbuGRRY5nwUxRCjOEYmD6nS7T5YDxBI/s1600/IMG_2590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMhCzbV0w65RxI0nf8Eipk6WmSQfQoiLhwhUMoNWgBYMx9Apx98iu9oJPyIZRHPV8vPy3Qm64dzT63Uv2tYC4pvOrd3SddB51U7evd3xD7xZp8ppbuGRRY5nwUxRCjOEYmD6nS7T5YDxBI/s320/IMG_2590.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI0B6AINQWYtxvAvC7sjdPgVoFUv6KwDr7kiS5j-TDr54s5o4TuQ2AeWjml84EYDuQaPzLhCTVbnc0HxSn6KM3SnDxYWn4PYdyt55Gn0zMNfkxARfR_b7W-MyCBNYTpttQ3epC4FKIFP8b/s1600/IMG_2592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI0B6AINQWYtxvAvC7sjdPgVoFUv6KwDr7kiS5j-TDr54s5o4TuQ2AeWjml84EYDuQaPzLhCTVbnc0HxSn6KM3SnDxYWn4PYdyt55Gn0zMNfkxARfR_b7W-MyCBNYTpttQ3epC4FKIFP8b/s320/IMG_2592.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOkeGlz9B1sMCJi9QL-PMVXV-g60Tg8Jnk6o8K9lfTeWvoK-CG-SlSZXLg0iWqiAL0ixBFzTRhJqsNAC35NNVRqimZ_JiBCQ7_MDpKgNxpr588fp7lRrj1khtCB0Crq8bSfnhHhyM8nrL5/s1600/IMG_6438.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOkeGlz9B1sMCJi9QL-PMVXV-g60Tg8Jnk6o8K9lfTeWvoK-CG-SlSZXLg0iWqiAL0ixBFzTRhJqsNAC35NNVRqimZ_JiBCQ7_MDpKgNxpr588fp7lRrj1khtCB0Crq8bSfnhHhyM8nrL5/s320/IMG_6438.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg0vfppaNSwqra_yEaMfP61HHNR-iX9iHb3x7qhnqrrTJOXRNB7STgROnsHilrIt70lC5N61pyIiI0mDBIJliWyqkfwnQNyadA3J4zp480EXXDO0EGDQLHHDoLxIMXw0WVGOhpWxg8Jnei/s1600/IMG_0757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg0vfppaNSwqra_yEaMfP61HHNR-iX9iHb3x7qhnqrrTJOXRNB7STgROnsHilrIt70lC5N61pyIiI0mDBIJliWyqkfwnQNyadA3J4zp480EXXDO0EGDQLHHDoLxIMXw0WVGOhpWxg8Jnei/s320/IMG_0757.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFlcFbr1DNjibJCcN9NfL-xzNkPu_CBMF8R-J35q2bb2RH9fLlGEwYvb1T_Sn_FF-Rqelluk6u2tDEdaNnQ3-NYsU1bO2_fsaPJ6WMzMRlob5wspqU5gSAA74-u8vfuUw_S0a2gUZgRXpx/s1600/IMG_0759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFlcFbr1DNjibJCcN9NfL-xzNkPu_CBMF8R-J35q2bb2RH9fLlGEwYvb1T_Sn_FF-Rqelluk6u2tDEdaNnQ3-NYsU1bO2_fsaPJ6WMzMRlob5wspqU5gSAA74-u8vfuUw_S0a2gUZgRXpx/s320/IMG_0759.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3-D1gDjhdgs8LmmQ3lEeBC2K6kjt8ywqqEDQx4flZXtgc2gq9142iyGQ-uK0dVtBljp_evEJ8iegqqHy9aNcluTG1xPdeVpkFW1Rt9vfXRQ14azGcMkTHBcAS_ipXuVStEBcIjygmucSO/s1600/IMG_0744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3-D1gDjhdgs8LmmQ3lEeBC2K6kjt8ywqqEDQx4flZXtgc2gq9142iyGQ-uK0dVtBljp_evEJ8iegqqHy9aNcluTG1xPdeVpkFW1Rt9vfXRQ14azGcMkTHBcAS_ipXuVStEBcIjygmucSO/s320/IMG_0744.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh48xkqFze1IjN-rfnnXL0MCbvgGiqiVTrK_eLqjh0f0nQVhGr6NY98-KC5-LXiOF5xmYcXg1SYF0g1PVRbGwy9eFZg51PtR8qd_QKdNOC6Rwyu226j9uSDGLYpVD8fFpqql4dDCgk4MwOE/s1600/IMG_0725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh48xkqFze1IjN-rfnnXL0MCbvgGiqiVTrK_eLqjh0f0nQVhGr6NY98-KC5-LXiOF5xmYcXg1SYF0g1PVRbGwy9eFZg51PtR8qd_QKdNOC6Rwyu226j9uSDGLYpVD8fFpqql4dDCgk4MwOE/s320/IMG_0725.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRKQnanEQfMO3NHzYPQ_KwQicNtsclz5bY8NicDH4qE9a70w81zqeu87SK_2JCqI1bYd5oReTfURUS7pS-f5w5zRJs22pphRhupgW-DS5FLREGrlMwceokvMzK5hWMg6pFkFA3TENTgpjJ/s1600/IMG_2597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRKQnanEQfMO3NHzYPQ_KwQicNtsclz5bY8NicDH4qE9a70w81zqeu87SK_2JCqI1bYd5oReTfURUS7pS-f5w5zRJs22pphRhupgW-DS5FLREGrlMwceokvMzK5hWMg6pFkFA3TENTgpjJ/s320/IMG_2597.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Our crew got back to the dive shop shortly after 5pm, where I soon managed to meet back up with Jason and Marie. While I was diving, Jason and Marie hung out for the day, enjoying a nice lunch and meeting a nice Egyptian kid and hanging out at "his" beachfront sitting area, enjoying some nice tea, reading and relaxing with the waves.<br />
<br />
Marie had plans to hike Mt. Sinai, joining a tour which departed at 10pm in order to allow for sunrise witnessing, so we had a nice dinner at Funny Mummy before parting ways.<br />
<br />
<b>Dive Day (part deux)</b><br />
<br />
Day 2 for me, much like day 1, involved more diving. Dahab offers a plethora of shore dives (no boat required), and plans were to check out Golden Blocks and Three Pools south of town. I had originally wanted to check out the world famous Blue Hole and the Canyon, but the choppy sea conditions nixed that plan. Both sites were very nice, with each dive lasting over an hour. With no underwater camera on hand this time, photo-documentation was a little more scarce. I suppose I have to put "underwater camera" on my wish list :)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnFwGF-1HBl_0Nt-WXAMLW6VOpWJmvNsJIHIXNDeHf_Dng25Fz3DU0pDbgwMTpsibUMJoZyIoxhImiDg1oxA3gfk-Std4Agl9yiPlAuNJ_GzXC9YNBdG771YCpaaWNOZZ8LAeDovwcWQ-1/s1600/IMG_6441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnFwGF-1HBl_0Nt-WXAMLW6VOpWJmvNsJIHIXNDeHf_Dng25Fz3DU0pDbgwMTpsibUMJoZyIoxhImiDg1oxA3gfk-Std4Agl9yiPlAuNJ_GzXC9YNBdG771YCpaaWNOZZ8LAeDovwcWQ-1/s320/IMG_6441.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxQw-VXSxna5Ves6WdcA5ky3SGgLDXMKg1LEsMgnrMJ0I5ASsq9tEhrycB7jXwe0IeLpmwZxQL6qa-4-lPqjwPGI4ln3UK0D55hDh8IFitzAP60WYHv_XosgThVmFQyiHLNUtBSutMdJD/s1600/IMG_6442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxQw-VXSxna5Ves6WdcA5ky3SGgLDXMKg1LEsMgnrMJ0I5ASsq9tEhrycB7jXwe0IeLpmwZxQL6qa-4-lPqjwPGI4ln3UK0D55hDh8IFitzAP60WYHv_XosgThVmFQyiHLNUtBSutMdJD/s320/IMG_6442.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4j2QD-Cm5maEBCt7kLJToe7mUQh1zHRG_Cj_dp-N7zptfri1i-ZlVWVVgBYNmHDNuRKfJ4NIG7VeOig-GxP6djL73V9I7RT0LZDZY20qs04g2MSzZSP7js2JrNqhigcLtYU9X1Qd42U29/s1600/IMG_6443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4j2QD-Cm5maEBCt7kLJToe7mUQh1zHRG_Cj_dp-N7zptfri1i-ZlVWVVgBYNmHDNuRKfJ4NIG7VeOig-GxP6djL73V9I7RT0LZDZY20qs04g2MSzZSP7js2JrNqhigcLtYU9X1Qd42U29/s320/IMG_6443.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
While I was out swimming with the fishies, Jason met back up with Marie after her hike. They met a very nice couple from Seattle, Jaimee and Asa, who were doing a similar type trip as Jason and I. We all met up for a tasty dinner at Jasmine restaurant, where we exchanged travel stories for the evening. More good times, basically, before bedtime.<br />
<br />
<b>Time changes, Labor day, and what we now call "The Epic Journey to Aqaba"</b><br />
<br />
We awoke Friday morning to the sound of my phone alarm, only to realize that we just encountered an overnight time shift (spring forward to daylight savings), and thus had lost an hour. This happened on a Friday, we surmise, because we were in a Muslim country where their Friday is equivalent to our Sunday. Oops. We had plans to catch a shuttle to Nuweiba at 10am, and since it now was 8:30 instead of 7:30, it got us off to a somewhat scrambly start. So showering, packing, saying goodbyes, and snack shopping all had to get done in time for our 10am pickup, which I'm happy to report we achieved with about 15 minutes to spare.<br />
<br />
The shuttle was to take us to Nuweiba (about one hour away), where we planned on boarding a ferry to Aqaba, Jordan. Time permitting (we weren't sure when exactly the ferry was leaving and there was conflicting information aplenty), we would move on from Aqaba to Petra, our final destination. But I get ahead of myself.<br />
<br />
Save for the numerous police checks, the ride to Nuweiba went off without a hitch and we arrived at the ferry ticket office shortly before 11:30 am. The USD 70 (yes, that is USD) ferry tickets were purchased, and we were informed that the boat was leaving at 3pm. So we had about 3.5 hours to burn, which for some strange reason seems to be about the median waiting time for public transport on our trip lately.<br />
<br />
While waiting for the boat, we met a couple other western travelers, including Mike (USA), Ravi (USA), and Stefan (Belgium.) We also met a couple of Canadian students, one which I'm pretty sure is the love of my life, although I've forgotten her name. So maybe it wasn't meant to be after all. Damn memory.<br />
<br />
Time was spent chatting about life, working our way through immigration (Ravi kept getting mistaken for a local and asked to move to the non-foreigner line), and placing bets as to when the ferry would ACTUALLY leave. Early-on in our waiting stint, a couple of local men offered us a variety fresh fruit, a welcome snack and kind gesture. Unfortunately they didn't speak a lick of English, and feel free guess how well Lawton and I speak Arabic. <br />
<br />
Regardless, the majority of the time was basically spent like this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZLAtHaV_vlt6ncaPnVlTIn4juxswN7q7loDJd2KUlqHE-r0zltC_xhnfB9rMG4ZETAHaikDmm9q08vsLMIRUd0T-alFgLxO5Lfz7uU5xORa6Wp5AD_siLk7UxpOdsZYjYSeFfaw1AzB9C/s1600/IMG_6445.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZLAtHaV_vlt6ncaPnVlTIn4juxswN7q7loDJd2KUlqHE-r0zltC_xhnfB9rMG4ZETAHaikDmm9q08vsLMIRUd0T-alFgLxO5Lfz7uU5xORa6Wp5AD_siLk7UxpOdsZYjYSeFfaw1AzB9C/s320/IMG_6445.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-rxusaXlf9c1O516Xqos5kSU2UoKHGIrRYH7sfhwvKuvRctoYxIvKGAAodQx8U0IIBKxcNXg7cdvagWUF5uVr7WpHoaJeVdVcJy-djKyiw0eql9DbSy2hGQLn4W-ce4QSn7l2Cxig1HvP/s1600/IMG_6449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-rxusaXlf9c1O516Xqos5kSU2UoKHGIrRYH7sfhwvKuvRctoYxIvKGAAodQx8U0IIBKxcNXg7cdvagWUF5uVr7WpHoaJeVdVcJy-djKyiw0eql9DbSy2hGQLn4W-ce4QSn7l2Cxig1HvP/s320/IMG_6449.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbbDuGWO_QGjRoTKIZziZ7tsTaSIiiYsh0_0tBPo0H5QQicCNjRG4iPzZOH64oipozTAOdhFWyI9fPUuROin8J19pRBaRPzQjDC_29L5EdzcqlQxSjBZnr8H8LobBUMAKt5FY4v_eR5baO/s1600/IMG_6456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbbDuGWO_QGjRoTKIZziZ7tsTaSIiiYsh0_0tBPo0H5QQicCNjRG4iPzZOH64oipozTAOdhFWyI9fPUuROin8J19pRBaRPzQjDC_29L5EdzcqlQxSjBZnr8H8LobBUMAKt5FY4v_eR5baO/s320/IMG_6456.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
My "bet" for an early 14:45 departure, ludicrously optimistic in hind sight, of course turned out to be way off. Other times thrown out there, ranging from 15:00 to 17:00, were off as well, as the ferry didn't take off until almost 18:30. Although we did get to board the ship around five, so Mike's bet of a 17:00 departure was probably the closest. Lucky for me, no money was involved in the betting process. And I got to spend more time with, um...Esther, my Canadian love.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh54Q2hq27eV2pZZwyfX_OIUsnrCwF4-pz0fi1I99RSqnJCF6rnPSroJicQ3upwVyrNXrUyHa_4S1sqX7GJJANMLGu0-HtF7k1OFpnw7Jlvxh-rH6v6kkKrNnsui4wXn04DKrq4GvJ3Xr_B/s1600/IMG_6454.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh54Q2hq27eV2pZZwyfX_OIUsnrCwF4-pz0fi1I99RSqnJCF6rnPSroJicQ3upwVyrNXrUyHa_4S1sqX7GJJANMLGu0-HtF7k1OFpnw7Jlvxh-rH6v6kkKrNnsui4wXn04DKrq4GvJ3Xr_B/s320/IMG_6454.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu5ufVuQVBelq-zR9IseuMIgmb0kXbfGdr58y9pdcp0AaRrmDAZ3rlKU4mwg6KAuPnqgEHVosK-GEgUTr0GKoHD0PaoWeswoAKx1T1-_Eq58zani7NPXyhkhShDvjAD4ejeqPQ9rc4hjAP/s1600/IMG_6457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu5ufVuQVBelq-zR9IseuMIgmb0kXbfGdr58y9pdcp0AaRrmDAZ3rlKU4mwg6KAuPnqgEHVosK-GEgUTr0GKoHD0PaoWeswoAKx1T1-_Eq58zani7NPXyhkhShDvjAD4ejeqPQ9rc4hjAP/s320/IMG_6457.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The ferry ride to Aqaba was supposed to take about 1.5 hours, and the boat is actually quite nice. Tired and hungry, we caved in to purchase some of their on-board food, before heading up for views on the top deck. We were all happy to be on our way, and still had a slight glimmer of hope to maybe, perhaps, somehow making it to Petra that night. Maybe.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoe8_tpoUX0DAAuSVOraWIZgY78P2nW2XHz2hmGDnns5KaU1QeKWAM207iYqpz8xnHNh7vuB_IH2yxDP-mTRzXhaUmY0Z-FIsmRYvb-ZsopjaiGxsDj5sUrkZlXAimyDGU6ptb1CuSahZq/s1600/IMG_6468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoe8_tpoUX0DAAuSVOraWIZgY78P2nW2XHz2hmGDnns5KaU1QeKWAM207iYqpz8xnHNh7vuB_IH2yxDP-mTRzXhaUmY0Z-FIsmRYvb-ZsopjaiGxsDj5sUrkZlXAimyDGU6ptb1CuSahZq/s320/IMG_6468.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj01KuKt4Wary22Gfl-qNT_m9lCy261ahHllN45FK3vHafvq8AwfBu7TCnq-3nzxVfbRL21UlwPbaUiSVH3z5ZNKt5x3wNYyA8Nnh6BeOTypoEnFtC2-Mbjau1Zu_TZ33YJq94f70pEjygc/s1600/IMG_6462.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj01KuKt4Wary22Gfl-qNT_m9lCy261ahHllN45FK3vHafvq8AwfBu7TCnq-3nzxVfbRL21UlwPbaUiSVH3z5ZNKt5x3wNYyA8Nnh6BeOTypoEnFtC2-Mbjau1Zu_TZ33YJq94f70pEjygc/s320/IMG_6462.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhToCdGZgSgrvhEZcq2CqGyBihjIhsKyqK-X9FJ9IAqNAvaTILv7BhksrRCYr5vOjSq_wmGe891DoepJ22pyz2yg_j6szV48VSM3sFHVllYLBeevXKWQV3sLyUsI5yF_F19Tfk8UU9DWbja/s1600/IMG_6465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhToCdGZgSgrvhEZcq2CqGyBihjIhsKyqK-X9FJ9IAqNAvaTILv7BhksrRCYr5vOjSq_wmGe891DoepJ22pyz2yg_j6szV48VSM3sFHVllYLBeevXKWQV3sLyUsI5yF_F19Tfk8UU9DWbja/s320/IMG_6465.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrdAT4PYD9clqVfyfW1PoJIDAlE4tmsVk_5JoEUInBaD9EYS-oDjvHh_M8lk8Kg5J8LPNL2Jdrzky9lvcKx6EVNzirIu0lkFweICwFwH3AeeYtPzoJI6_ghn3Jha4S6IyAYuQBJbQNv93Q/s1600/IMG_6412.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrdAT4PYD9clqVfyfW1PoJIDAlE4tmsVk_5JoEUInBaD9EYS-oDjvHh_M8lk8Kg5J8LPNL2Jdrzky9lvcKx6EVNzirIu0lkFweICwFwH3AeeYtPzoJI6_ghn3Jha4S6IyAYuQBJbQNv93Q/s320/IMG_6412.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Inevitably, those hopes were shattered as we didn't arrive at the Aqaba port, make it through customs, and finally into town until well after 10pm. The only transport option to Petra at that hour was to hire a cab, which at 40 JD was above what we were willing to pay, even though our new found friend, Ravi, was now going to join us in our journey to Petra. <br />
<br />
So the three of us teamed up with Stefan (Mike went on to Amman as buses were still running up there) to seek out lodging, which we quickly learned was all but impossible, as the next day was May 1st. May 1st the world over, except for the US apparently, happens to be international labor day. In Aqaba, that means all hotels were packed to the brim with folks enjoying a long weekend. I mean, there were literally zero rooms available, except if you were willing to splurge well beyond flashpacking levels. <br />
<br />
After declining a couple of offers to sleep on roofs of hotels (true story, bra), we eventually found one guy around midnight with sufficient pity to offer our group a furnished apartment for the night. The pad offered shelter and a bed for each of us. And yes, it was literally a full apartment including balcony, kitchen, and dining area. Though a bit overpriced at 15 JD (USD 21) per person, it was a welcome find after about 1.5 hours of room hunting.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuvdJYjUJvlZDwwuzvLjAHgfkrEMz5VMDDJ7mlX6lXalTjG79963_fomgoZqObMpLreVDsEAW0kb0_D3qfuIRKTOEAjh7oR5tGx9K7aCVrUbQOlNmne7rpeXy07rDubhwJRG0mqE6i0RJa/s1600/IMG_6476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuvdJYjUJvlZDwwuzvLjAHgfkrEMz5VMDDJ7mlX6lXalTjG79963_fomgoZqObMpLreVDsEAW0kb0_D3qfuIRKTOEAjh7oR5tGx9K7aCVrUbQOlNmne7rpeXy07rDubhwJRG0mqE6i0RJa/s320/IMG_6476.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinHrY4CmSB3MEixZ7Uzu38yORrYES0a_5EgXiXW4TU0_eA8_NJB5mA1dpYV310K4Ed21Q_MSvBrTb_okTC1-MVd16mOJo_umAHFRVV_Tk7Agy_JsJ8eDwFuBjMaTfwt6yDRT7B1vsvv9ZP/s1600/IMG_6479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinHrY4CmSB3MEixZ7Uzu38yORrYES0a_5EgXiXW4TU0_eA8_NJB5mA1dpYV310K4Ed21Q_MSvBrTb_okTC1-MVd16mOJo_umAHFRVV_Tk7Agy_JsJ8eDwFuBjMaTfwt6yDRT7B1vsvv9ZP/s320/IMG_6479.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Dinner was had sometime after midnight, and well deserved bedtime came around 1am.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuCNWOfKFcUzyzewnkhTmb_8N_Wfr34Y_dXRlWveAXBaVio9oSe14YX_5i-qYYdu9HS7X7TQZ85vyeqxzpfAB3g3luLPs_iH_dLfyXwC4i_IwIB23Qhox8zORxMFw68mrNT97Ho71TmrO-/s1600/IMG_6481.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuCNWOfKFcUzyzewnkhTmb_8N_Wfr34Y_dXRlWveAXBaVio9oSe14YX_5i-qYYdu9HS7X7TQZ85vyeqxzpfAB3g3luLPs_iH_dLfyXwC4i_IwIB23Qhox8zORxMFw68mrNT97Ho71TmrO-/s320/IMG_6481.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<b>Off to Wadi Musa and Petra</b><br />
<br />
Despite the prior day's late bedtime, Ravi, Lawton, and I were up and going early to work our way to Petra. A fairly common way to get around in Jordan is to show up to a mini-bus station, where you pay ~JD 5 or so for a share ride to your desired destination. Buses leave when they are full, and we happened to just miss one, causing us to have to wait yet again for around an hour for other passengers to show up:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE1bksvqJvLXvn4f2hT5TUZ8CX4z8qb5nK0Yl-MuU1z6ezi7njVUyKnqHUUpx8da25cbT1zI9EL47rS372gHbxgJmvf95c55G-YUUQozlD0EtBpoEZIsAOVp01ihUH02RKjBBGfR1lsq2f/s1600/IMG_6484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE1bksvqJvLXvn4f2hT5TUZ8CX4z8qb5nK0Yl-MuU1z6ezi7njVUyKnqHUUpx8da25cbT1zI9EL47rS372gHbxgJmvf95c55G-YUUQozlD0EtBpoEZIsAOVp01ihUH02RKjBBGfR1lsq2f/s320/IMG_6484.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Look familiar? Besides the slight delay in getting out of Aqaba, which was laced with various offers by cab drivers to take us to Petra, the ride to Wadi Musa (3km from Petra offering cheap lodging) went very well and we arrived about two hours later. We scoped out a couple of places to stay, finally settling on Orient Gate hotel which offered a triple room with view for JD 20 (USD 28) including breakfast and transport to Petra. <br />
<br />
The rest of the day involved relaxing, enjoying the gorgeous views from our pad, eating, and concluding with a lazy viewing of "The Bourne Ultimatum" in the common lounge. Energy was to be conserved for a full day exploration of the ancient city of Petra the following day.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1m_RvRj-GoHVvqQoHC_hBHThdVEtdDH697SDPoLfveQ5YxbTcBfNzCWSpsEXZq0VpMpPIfgSr0nh45_mvefcV1TUDRmOhcvPfxOCrRG8gHYJYN3bfExeG8SSABlooRTVrhVVgoXoCkNIe/s1600/IMG_6496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1m_RvRj-GoHVvqQoHC_hBHThdVEtdDH697SDPoLfveQ5YxbTcBfNzCWSpsEXZq0VpMpPIfgSr0nh45_mvefcV1TUDRmOhcvPfxOCrRG8gHYJYN3bfExeG8SSABlooRTVrhVVgoXoCkNIe/s320/IMG_6496.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEatqasfmeGm1wKBC31gXcvIrDtKXFGUFdRZS_0rDxLX9jwTkQuusIAOjMPT-kalGC13Tf3cvySYak0wlWt1ZQwSirZ8YZd7z-C92_JWBAW-TWUXOy0Yjy-KF2JjH6isAK6WGAPuKVyWgi/s1600/IMG_6498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEatqasfmeGm1wKBC31gXcvIrDtKXFGUFdRZS_0rDxLX9jwTkQuusIAOjMPT-kalGC13Tf3cvySYak0wlWt1ZQwSirZ8YZd7z-C92_JWBAW-TWUXOy0Yjy-KF2JjH6isAK6WGAPuKVyWgi/s320/IMG_6498.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAFLy1lfbjoOmiB4JK8A1rY_w5lotktoSwC3vHihZgeM4BBX7EYXlmYYAsYskygUQb1HCJ35fUwAMUwA5qWYA2ZHQljAWz2lVrcDMkwSAC4XX69o_k7Fgxp8bLUL_ajRtIdhSp_CTRWUX/s1600/IMG_6497.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAFLy1lfbjoOmiB4JK8A1rY_w5lotktoSwC3vHihZgeM4BBX7EYXlmYYAsYskygUQb1HCJ35fUwAMUwA5qWYA2ZHQljAWz2lVrcDMkwSAC4XX69o_k7Fgxp8bLUL_ajRtIdhSp_CTRWUX/s320/IMG_6497.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2r5iAYv6dmjboTRHdIOdc7_cmR5jcNt-Zo-37JzbDOdyeWWgozmXlhgKZtfVCd-v4n_JgjZMS2R1L9o9Z9uXL8QrAvFl9Pb_HjOoXhHTP7zdpPSssV9VS3mBnsoy9mkRWSW0d542wjJ1/s1600/IMG_6499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2r5iAYv6dmjboTRHdIOdc7_cmR5jcNt-Zo-37JzbDOdyeWWgozmXlhgKZtfVCd-v4n_JgjZMS2R1L9o9Z9uXL8QrAvFl9Pb_HjOoXhHTP7zdpPSssV9VS3mBnsoy9mkRWSW0d542wjJ1/s320/IMG_6499.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<b>Petra-day</b><br />
<br />
Our main reason for visiting Jordan, which btw is quite a bit more expensive than Egypt, was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petra">Petra</a>. Sporting stunning scenery and rock cut architecture, Petra is believed to have been established sometime in the 6th century BC and served as the capital of the Nabateans. Yet another UNESCO world heritage site we can now cross of the list, be warned, the admission price is quite steep and is slated to increase even more by the end of the year. For a <u>one-day</u> visit, we paid 33 JD (USD 47.) Starting in November, be ready to shell out JD 50 (USD 71) for the same ticket. And don't even get me started on day visitors (i.e., tours from Egypt), who will be forking over JD 90 (USD 127) to see the site. Makes the Taj Mahal sound downright cheap. I guess it's their top attraction, but come on...not cool!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgseRiafSNLPOtBB1NKCh3_nlw2ej0VlQ1yiO3B9qlSZ7p5IV0DM1XGuFm9G0JdVulz4eMK2KlGkIApZLCjOX2p2UtirbPGrOktAS2bezh2ACdemh8Ty4uOw-EcSNV1NSE80h-0BRx8GrSw/s1600/IMG_6502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgseRiafSNLPOtBB1NKCh3_nlw2ej0VlQ1yiO3B9qlSZ7p5IV0DM1XGuFm9G0JdVulz4eMK2KlGkIApZLCjOX2p2UtirbPGrOktAS2bezh2ACdemh8Ty4uOw-EcSNV1NSE80h-0BRx8GrSw/s320/IMG_6502.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
We managed to get up nice and early for a 7:30 breakfast and the subsequent cab ride got us to the site a little after 8am. While we only spent one day there, the site is large enough to easily spend two days exploring. Instead of boring you with prose, check out some of our pictures below. It was absolutely stunning.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK6c4WWsDeNNUA8mRl71uoeepeTyDZsQ8tCcHHck1OOk605f1cQEzrAxE7Ge-tYa_RYfOLZKoHacNlhrMEH-jrHApRJpTR6AdKjgRClwNF3aDd9WmCjS4EOLw8OLn8G0Od2Efsr3s1KOrb/s1600/IMG_6513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK6c4WWsDeNNUA8mRl71uoeepeTyDZsQ8tCcHHck1OOk605f1cQEzrAxE7Ge-tYa_RYfOLZKoHacNlhrMEH-jrHApRJpTR6AdKjgRClwNF3aDd9WmCjS4EOLw8OLn8G0Od2Efsr3s1KOrb/s320/IMG_6513.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTURE0Li6d0IFsNMBq98LTf1lwAnF1XQLPlOdPAHcWbShbrVSO08VJnBAKOu8VasZhKRZB2XRqpD7LtVipWthPRQua_hw3MnKfQn2C_lEgSPiYsWO5OYhzqiPZNQLivBwE8lGNdYJX3Me/s1600/IMG_6512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTURE0Li6d0IFsNMBq98LTf1lwAnF1XQLPlOdPAHcWbShbrVSO08VJnBAKOu8VasZhKRZB2XRqpD7LtVipWthPRQua_hw3MnKfQn2C_lEgSPiYsWO5OYhzqiPZNQLivBwE8lGNdYJX3Me/s320/IMG_6512.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw6pvmtVeBKSGCc0hXHNQd737D2WvHByHYERyj9CzFNYAkPXm7iIyk-I5J_SXhEKP4KXgmeQh9nyeY2PQQ-1mQlsv-QLzOSM1KHvUg4DGkVLY9Ky85Op8h4CBPcz1A-N9n76fwzp7A9mYP/s1600/IMG_6515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw6pvmtVeBKSGCc0hXHNQd737D2WvHByHYERyj9CzFNYAkPXm7iIyk-I5J_SXhEKP4KXgmeQh9nyeY2PQQ-1mQlsv-QLzOSM1KHvUg4DGkVLY9Ky85Op8h4CBPcz1A-N9n76fwzp7A9mYP/s320/IMG_6515.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoRG1WZB4CQ8WIB4x6AGE6q90RhC2xEXaxFpOawG5kL5NTXbwOSOCBGODHD3X7hWETzYKFW4o6bwPkzV1HKdlp82GgvGOs9PbD7SQojMBS2ZpvI59FeLt07rNnxM6_x47WnwplZv12yQU4/s1600/IMG_6521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoRG1WZB4CQ8WIB4x6AGE6q90RhC2xEXaxFpOawG5kL5NTXbwOSOCBGODHD3X7hWETzYKFW4o6bwPkzV1HKdlp82GgvGOs9PbD7SQojMBS2ZpvI59FeLt07rNnxM6_x47WnwplZv12yQU4/s320/IMG_6521.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6p06AFL8oKi7vX2Cdqgiag785kvJPPCSbehVHQS4doye2eqa6-Jd1CTdAVdAOWZfLP4MsSY-nr_FkUQYjEAzCrrouS1Oyk1vFuunfsfD3Wyz9B-UVeXSB4QqB-dolf_ydKKAMevBJp8kO/s1600/IMG_6532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6p06AFL8oKi7vX2Cdqgiag785kvJPPCSbehVHQS4doye2eqa6-Jd1CTdAVdAOWZfLP4MsSY-nr_FkUQYjEAzCrrouS1Oyk1vFuunfsfD3Wyz9B-UVeXSB4QqB-dolf_ydKKAMevBJp8kO/s320/IMG_6532.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZProBFq_HHllZUX4o9I6KqY9teCjqQd-R4puxGCvy8rJ1ZaVDqCjQyZkpdLSpsMyKeVRSQu_KtvnkHM9f650Zg56KhMGXYo90QOgToI9iRKV6FlmNH8XDx3AYSs3jRTThyphenhyphenXMu532pyWuV/s1600/IMG_6511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZProBFq_HHllZUX4o9I6KqY9teCjqQd-R4puxGCvy8rJ1ZaVDqCjQyZkpdLSpsMyKeVRSQu_KtvnkHM9f650Zg56KhMGXYo90QOgToI9iRKV6FlmNH8XDx3AYSs3jRTThyphenhyphenXMu532pyWuV/s320/IMG_6511.JPG" width="214" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCw8bSEaWHSFJa0vinbG8jJz8aDOjpcBEf0TDw4emU_8MM32Ahlqx5PQcoxPZpYbCBvOliHOyajhdaYmPbp1kHNL0pOmBT1xtZ_Rsywd-6jHnWWzgcCPs_A06TGhuTbwt-mB_wwy72VED8/s1600/IMG_6536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCw8bSEaWHSFJa0vinbG8jJz8aDOjpcBEf0TDw4emU_8MM32Ahlqx5PQcoxPZpYbCBvOliHOyajhdaYmPbp1kHNL0pOmBT1xtZ_Rsywd-6jHnWWzgcCPs_A06TGhuTbwt-mB_wwy72VED8/s320/IMG_6536.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt97qs5OnyOPzcKGRdyZ9YyBJ2dGIlWgz71ahciE4YCCsm__nAYYbc8hhgmuqarAD1LyFd6eegSKNG-OiS0U-EgFM12OLF5XqBre5seNUBXqLjoM8FCrjlxR8_ykR-Y4F9BvC2X4IvuY_r/s1600/IMG_6540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt97qs5OnyOPzcKGRdyZ9YyBJ2dGIlWgz71ahciE4YCCsm__nAYYbc8hhgmuqarAD1LyFd6eegSKNG-OiS0U-EgFM12OLF5XqBre5seNUBXqLjoM8FCrjlxR8_ykR-Y4F9BvC2X4IvuY_r/s320/IMG_6540.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNudRC7gFFSu251ot-usiut5QiRw80JEEH1gdjm_trxpIdQhHywbqcHVONVSPQHE-jwxVypAVcVTBivjgtwj707FsJ2TTCetmOt1jd6Ho2gekc-L4DAis8THtsaUmLbaCSda2a_a46BUkw/s1600/IMG_6532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNudRC7gFFSu251ot-usiut5QiRw80JEEH1gdjm_trxpIdQhHywbqcHVONVSPQHE-jwxVypAVcVTBivjgtwj707FsJ2TTCetmOt1jd6Ho2gekc-L4DAis8THtsaUmLbaCSda2a_a46BUkw/s320/IMG_6532.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsm4h0MKbBH840kx8sqYdT2apFp83ONf4pbw7St2UMOatkSovPoG6oWutBYhg-HVBpO0LH3p4HdD68dSHP8umbl4UBbQ1vmTYbVdCCOsRbbywEgnve6LVXxnS4S9vsVP9qb_3s14mBDYO/s1600/IMG_6534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKsm4h0MKbBH840kx8sqYdT2apFp83ONf4pbw7St2UMOatkSovPoG6oWutBYhg-HVBpO0LH3p4HdD68dSHP8umbl4UBbQ1vmTYbVdCCOsRbbywEgnve6LVXxnS4S9vsVP9qb_3s14mBDYO/s320/IMG_6534.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mbr9qXz7SK8GcaTNrfc1mV2YFkythyF5v8hRoaOc5O9YU7FH-s18KtgDAESTyAr16HnQhJlPKzJv2ssL80TmDoWPz5QuNEvYBKYJxAxcIJMZzpy3hbIKcAY71xfgGgLKt4I5MNbAqKN8/s1600/IMG_6541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mbr9qXz7SK8GcaTNrfc1mV2YFkythyF5v8hRoaOc5O9YU7FH-s18KtgDAESTyAr16HnQhJlPKzJv2ssL80TmDoWPz5QuNEvYBKYJxAxcIJMZzpy3hbIKcAY71xfgGgLKt4I5MNbAqKN8/s320/IMG_6541.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnWuqz6bjcSkVjAr6WIf5ltKWA5Pxt57boIjYsR6ldwV2s0RKRvIu4yt9ZNe5NDAcvyTtnUJT_Jo4Vfje60ZnBis-R9HtmKwOcTnbFL97P7NkpOfI2rVobc2b78prjbJ7uXtMnbhvq5oBG/s1600/IMG_6545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnWuqz6bjcSkVjAr6WIf5ltKWA5Pxt57boIjYsR6ldwV2s0RKRvIu4yt9ZNe5NDAcvyTtnUJT_Jo4Vfje60ZnBis-R9HtmKwOcTnbFL97P7NkpOfI2rVobc2b78prjbJ7uXtMnbhvq5oBG/s320/IMG_6545.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqmfRmp0KEWbFwJMAsX_FARq_Hg3R1qYzZQdmf9FRKdEWv9KPPEJPcKsA5Jx5TIfTkG-bkotKTqFxeNvAL1_42DWNUR_56Ous_dL92SebMn51ivF9sG81lzcbQr2Uyjz2J2MAP_0fqpN6N/s1600/IMG_6558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqmfRmp0KEWbFwJMAsX_FARq_Hg3R1qYzZQdmf9FRKdEWv9KPPEJPcKsA5Jx5TIfTkG-bkotKTqFxeNvAL1_42DWNUR_56Ous_dL92SebMn51ivF9sG81lzcbQr2Uyjz2J2MAP_0fqpN6N/s320/IMG_6558.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: auto;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCi-1LJRY7sEQt0Q1GMGnxDIM7vakbfUv0_u1iXnsX0i4GzvsmsNJUcynK7S86fg3qnX0QVbQoYj7hzAXcBI9QUq546A-1IQEIpWXWwWpFuODEUnDq-YBQvg85KAlt6OkGX3wWVz3CVA2z/s1600/IMG_6553.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCi-1LJRY7sEQt0Q1GMGnxDIM7vakbfUv0_u1iXnsX0i4GzvsmsNJUcynK7S86fg3qnX0QVbQoYj7hzAXcBI9QUq546A-1IQEIpWXWwWpFuODEUnDq-YBQvg85KAlt6OkGX3wWVz3CVA2z/s320/IMG_6553.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpnLM4MYk57rulF-L7TWCZpwZWYoBEgs0ZoP5cvFkGw9b1Z_y4cvcCrQVNVd82tlwpzFNjVm1HfJ7n8ZwJ4n-TLTXaQVft7U2oUQV8LCPj0T0m1JwjYNvWsNO8zrzyLZvWD8VhFZRGkaJM/s1600/IMG_6569.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpnLM4MYk57rulF-L7TWCZpwZWYoBEgs0ZoP5cvFkGw9b1Z_y4cvcCrQVNVd82tlwpzFNjVm1HfJ7n8ZwJ4n-TLTXaQVft7U2oUQV8LCPj0T0m1JwjYNvWsNO8zrzyLZvWD8VhFZRGkaJM/s320/IMG_6569.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic3TOeek3bCrTQ6Wwe2xkqKtRfc7VPSSOhgYI0mJj8jgDnL8OeD_iDtHKjnxATD42o6SXNUovS-pkB5tvGQdAjYDZAgUTBXe4t4lIEfwASS5KOHhn28SOGVEbzWmvLZ8Kcxpsp2AUYXBAW/s1600/IMG_6567.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic3TOeek3bCrTQ6Wwe2xkqKtRfc7VPSSOhgYI0mJj8jgDnL8OeD_iDtHKjnxATD42o6SXNUovS-pkB5tvGQdAjYDZAgUTBXe4t4lIEfwASS5KOHhn28SOGVEbzWmvLZ8Kcxpsp2AUYXBAW/s320/IMG_6567.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSerMNfWSkL-B3Ei6opAt9-ywzYxNYZxcYZv4kB_zjNGvEAdXqaqYA1DsB6ZAxXb32J92d_jU0rhYgYtlURXKf-AN5WUZQKYVuEfL1GFbs59e7eI1HHU4wqlcOvdM9OEbVJAgAbyP_x4dc/s1600/IMG_6574.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSerMNfWSkL-B3Ei6opAt9-ywzYxNYZxcYZv4kB_zjNGvEAdXqaqYA1DsB6ZAxXb32J92d_jU0rhYgYtlURXKf-AN5WUZQKYVuEfL1GFbs59e7eI1HHU4wqlcOvdM9OEbVJAgAbyP_x4dc/s320/IMG_6574.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXe8agi4gvT_eA9RF0NAbQMPXx2ieGrOtIFU1Kpp1kzypXrJ77SLWXFqGA9us9eL8PYdQq3Xk7oImPRYu_j_WBm_ducgUGs8kFtKyOlv_4I9h10BgDB_sHQsk4pa_1fmfslDfTT7tYY7ci/s1600/IMG_6591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXe8agi4gvT_eA9RF0NAbQMPXx2ieGrOtIFU1Kpp1kzypXrJ77SLWXFqGA9us9eL8PYdQq3Xk7oImPRYu_j_WBm_ducgUGs8kFtKyOlv_4I9h10BgDB_sHQsk4pa_1fmfslDfTT7tYY7ci/s320/IMG_6591.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmetBjRAaHknL_ZtPvncmzox6M3EWKq5WgM4VrIqC4w_O2vh_rjFgZeCh2vvsxNrPy_nlujD3QwKP_yfKxP3qKrmlGWNSTN6GYk1zlAGWB30OCSNLMTYYheHxk5fSP1PrCN-_8cHshEtDt/s1600/IMG_6588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmetBjRAaHknL_ZtPvncmzox6M3EWKq5WgM4VrIqC4w_O2vh_rjFgZeCh2vvsxNrPy_nlujD3QwKP_yfKxP3qKrmlGWNSTN6GYk1zlAGWB30OCSNLMTYYheHxk5fSP1PrCN-_8cHshEtDt/s320/IMG_6588.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOUDJbRHqWHyGHhRfnF7qcRDG1FzqUdGw6oK1Eyidd8GMFbBLyGejfW23B2pwZ7ulg0i3ktZHrS3vbXMMTkeLJv5RnP1zNmuwnJCanuk9I9f1DMCmUH1n9AZM3oG-LS-lgCmsrgMLyQ_pn/s1600/IMG_6598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOUDJbRHqWHyGHhRfnF7qcRDG1FzqUdGw6oK1Eyidd8GMFbBLyGejfW23B2pwZ7ulg0i3ktZHrS3vbXMMTkeLJv5RnP1zNmuwnJCanuk9I9f1DMCmUH1n9AZM3oG-LS-lgCmsrgMLyQ_pn/s320/IMG_6598.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjvMO53A3cMqy3vMRTZsuyB_O_nvvK5osWw72vrLQuvkEJID1diduIF2GVERk7bYsCNEOhTgXrqOQtOLRip_WJ6jFIDn1b8V7M2ufHBfLobsZYy0shDM7kUksfL84itYb7anHywwu3EvR/s1600/IMG_6599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjvMO53A3cMqy3vMRTZsuyB_O_nvvK5osWw72vrLQuvkEJID1diduIF2GVERk7bYsCNEOhTgXrqOQtOLRip_WJ6jFIDn1b8V7M2ufHBfLobsZYy0shDM7kUksfL84itYb7anHywwu3EvR/s320/IMG_6599.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbaGy4MALRJTN27YCRT2xyUPpwL7CfD4oeyXqW7M632xJO7Zumd96nIGPLHrySwv3lpRiaOKeDalFeC1RnqyhBtlOICHnJP1ihVRKChdbiA8zcO1Z0QP-m2M6HFqEMj0n5K0Ths1bGxA8F/s1600/IMG_6741.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbaGy4MALRJTN27YCRT2xyUPpwL7CfD4oeyXqW7M632xJO7Zumd96nIGPLHrySwv3lpRiaOKeDalFeC1RnqyhBtlOICHnJP1ihVRKChdbiA8zcO1Z0QP-m2M6HFqEMj0n5K0Ths1bGxA8F/s320/IMG_6741.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTVNMWhfKmMTDNDKcLk6YbTjAvZcYP5EjJtquyfkjsP2L6p3BaJLqeAMK4ckUp0-D8u_GzaoFY_ueyZhybAZbjuQDfxlyQjAt2uP-gkCQeYUcI84XLePQ04WLsmcelW5cQTSv_S3DI8JjN/s1600/IMG_6736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTVNMWhfKmMTDNDKcLk6YbTjAvZcYP5EjJtquyfkjsP2L6p3BaJLqeAMK4ckUp0-D8u_GzaoFY_ueyZhybAZbjuQDfxlyQjAt2uP-gkCQeYUcI84XLePQ04WLsmcelW5cQTSv_S3DI8JjN/s320/IMG_6736.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglHw0IAPH1QFqHaTgnxaSvNTVu28UItuFVK-q_sWajnodhznWTwUh2cly56lLrLRr82ApOhYIuq3dfYHH2PgbzgKMC4lRjjpuyAztIkStux-yPHiuJudZmT7o1aJ-gJI6x5pSjsed3pnjZ/s1600/IMG_6737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglHw0IAPH1QFqHaTgnxaSvNTVu28UItuFVK-q_sWajnodhznWTwUh2cly56lLrLRr82ApOhYIuq3dfYHH2PgbzgKMC4lRjjpuyAztIkStux-yPHiuJudZmT7o1aJ-gJI6x5pSjsed3pnjZ/s320/IMG_6737.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Don't ask me how many miles/kms we walked, but I assure you, it was a lot. We got back to our hotel around 5:30pm in a state of complete exhaustion. <br />
<br />
So what better way to unwind than a Turkish bath/massage? We teamed up with another Orient Gate guest, Matt from Los Angeles, to check out the Salome Turkish bath. For JD 20, we got access to the facilities, which ironically enough lacked an actual bath (perhaps because we were in the middle of the desert.) It did, however, sport a steam room and places to lay down and relax. The "highlight" involved a good scrubbin' and massage. With our collective skins now feeling like a baby's butt, we showered and enjoyed a post massage herbal tea and Sheesha before heading for a late carb laden pizza dinner to wrap up the day. Sleep, as you can imagine, came quite easy that night.<br />
<br />
<b>Northbound to Amman</b><br />
<br />
Our last stop in Jordan, and basically the middle east save for a layover in Cairo, would be Amman. With a population of 2 million, it also happens to be the capital of Jordan. Ravi, or Rev Rav (a nickname he earned due to the fact that he is an ordained minister), decided to join us for the ride up north. <br />
<br />
And yes, you read correctly, our friend Ravi is an ordained minister thanks to an online degree he completed a while back. He got the degree, which apparently is free and takes less than 10 minutes to complete, to partake in a very good friend's wedding. Since another friend was already tapped for the best man slot, Ravi stepped up and became the minister for the wedding. I don't know if it's an Indian thing (Rav is Indian-American), but it surely sounds like something our good friend Sujit would do. Paul Precoda's wedding a couple years ago comes to mind, where Sujit went from not being invited to the wedding at all to being <u>IN</u> the wedding in a matter of days. But I digress.<br />
<br />
FYI, Rev Rav also doubles as an entertainer, having apparently mastered - or at least invented - the art of "ministaining." We have his contact info if you are in need of a ministainer for your wedding. He accepts cash or gin.<br />
<br />
Contrary to our experience in Aqaba, we managed to get on a near full mini-bus just in the nick of time, and were off for the 3 hour ride to Amman well before noon. We arrived at a bus station in Amman in the early parts of the afternoon, and after a frustrating taxi haggling session, managed to get to Farah hostel. While the hostel didn't have triple rooms, they did have four bed dorm rooms which at 5 JD/bed worked out about as good as a private room, especially since nobody else checked in. They also offered free breakfast and wifi, which allowed us to try once again to score me a Turkish airlines upgrade (negative) and check email. Not content with disappointing airline news from Turkish, I also received an email stating that my Spirit Airlines flight from Ft Lauderdale to Detroit had been canceled/moved to 4pm, causing my layover in FL to now be 10 hours for the trip back to the USA. So if anybody wants to hang out around Ft Lauderdale on July 7, drop me a line :)<br />
<br />
Settled-in, the three of us grabbed a large but tasty lunch before visiting the Amman amphitheatre, strolling around the city, ingesting a small dinner, and heading off to bed.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpyUc_8tXQRiBdJjNWrQrnlunPlU1Zk115ctpwenCPlwNSEW-KHc_6gNs8dqR0LJR2dimMIzKLvJRkTl92-hOVwNOebfFfmayBpDva5TrWKjaFcCSdNIzLRwNA3t_OX94JnXntDPIECfDB/s1600/IMG_6619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpyUc_8tXQRiBdJjNWrQrnlunPlU1Zk115ctpwenCPlwNSEW-KHc_6gNs8dqR0LJR2dimMIzKLvJRkTl92-hOVwNOebfFfmayBpDva5TrWKjaFcCSdNIzLRwNA3t_OX94JnXntDPIECfDB/s320/IMG_6619.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8MWKvKtGQ418pm9CGqRYUT9JKT8zAU3dphtleG2w3ToWr8KImFu5bj1ht2gOACMAC4YKIG2YZHEvMgbDk58iJKyvXXBuKKjpjwjuU_3EgYRKwPls5ynLaTjUDVm58WBz-UiFKgk5jD2KX/s1600/IMG_6622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8MWKvKtGQ418pm9CGqRYUT9JKT8zAU3dphtleG2w3ToWr8KImFu5bj1ht2gOACMAC4YKIG2YZHEvMgbDk58iJKyvXXBuKKjpjwjuU_3EgYRKwPls5ynLaTjUDVm58WBz-UiFKgk5jD2KX/s320/IMG_6622.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawPHN4senGTOMzo6TrliVtBXgIS19koGVXgc0REMfiR1tTfb7uOwy7iWHF5P1vJ3DAWHOIHxh5dFaKiYnXfCmPnsd9Jmv1Qvoiz8J4Bwjmuh15WmqLI_ZuFhBMv7AGAnpkwJoxEhAnWhI/s1600/IMG_6621.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawPHN4senGTOMzo6TrliVtBXgIS19koGVXgc0REMfiR1tTfb7uOwy7iWHF5P1vJ3DAWHOIHxh5dFaKiYnXfCmPnsd9Jmv1Qvoiz8J4Bwjmuh15WmqLI_ZuFhBMv7AGAnpkwJoxEhAnWhI/s320/IMG_6621.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy2QnO1h6gbhz8hPi_Y-UVuMoA3g4WSkyWCD8IzWMqD9zM_Egu58WxbkBARHCkV3u7MoHLiJg3j0fstfny_vqTaNhroTTjgVdQd5_qJzYNoaSNmWeXjdXgEIho1XWBA79_gf5shRDHLiZJ/s1600/IMG_6623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy2QnO1h6gbhz8hPi_Y-UVuMoA3g4WSkyWCD8IzWMqD9zM_Egu58WxbkBARHCkV3u7MoHLiJg3j0fstfny_vqTaNhroTTjgVdQd5_qJzYNoaSNmWeXjdXgEIho1XWBA79_gf5shRDHLiZJ/s320/IMG_6623.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qNaQ0mVOYCmQnE5a8B8lGYJOwmjgiv5wqDD5tWyecDp5bxBFI0lRTTuhYScz6peHr01GnaqSZGeLFiMrOQun4YXTqIXIJGDSATwdGwpL6Zz9saQhTDeH4laPWZaigZKuf352rq6Srl4D/s1600/IMG_6625.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_qNaQ0mVOYCmQnE5a8B8lGYJOwmjgiv5wqDD5tWyecDp5bxBFI0lRTTuhYScz6peHr01GnaqSZGeLFiMrOQun4YXTqIXIJGDSATwdGwpL6Zz9saQhTDeH4laPWZaigZKuf352rq6Srl4D/s320/IMG_6625.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<b>Good Bye Jordan / Reverend</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
To kick off our last day in Jordan, we slept in a bit before saying good bye to Rev Rav (he was scheduled for a tour), packed our belongings once more, and checked out. We had learned that Royal Jordanian had a city terminal near 7th circle, which allowed us to check-in our bags downtown and catch a ride to the airport with their shuttles. The service, costing 1.5 JD for the bags and 3 JD for the shuttle, was very convenient and allowed us to check out the area around 7th circle for a bit. The main objective, besides checking the bags, was to locate a McDonald's to keep alive our streak of sampling Mickey D's around the world. I'm happy to report that we were successful, and after Lawton scored some American green-backs from HSBC, we were off to the airport. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKbIcw30vSziEo6EkpWXOn9yitAgq2v7TmdtoNlFuomm8TMwGdX3BFxVfMG_xwbPFcUBDI077AZ1A26SS5ef7PhR7XdDlq78R7TQETEC1c-gkxc7ZK5trEvllaSmDKwOS5-IKBorrviGJs/s1600/IMG_6630.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKbIcw30vSziEo6EkpWXOn9yitAgq2v7TmdtoNlFuomm8TMwGdX3BFxVfMG_xwbPFcUBDI077AZ1A26SS5ef7PhR7XdDlq78R7TQETEC1c-gkxc7ZK5trEvllaSmDKwOS5-IKBorrviGJs/s320/IMG_6630.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnCbwxAlZrJc0Bl3CMS2KxrU-10VmKGZJrkwQpTzEKypE43UUmCyohIXg5A9F3R4CnZysnyTkH6wzOsgThXpjFk_ie-y23WI-Rfx84K9lZyYHU_3GTTRPQIAG39z1jUTsV0qRTND0mBbN-/s1600/IMG_6631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnCbwxAlZrJc0Bl3CMS2KxrU-10VmKGZJrkwQpTzEKypE43UUmCyohIXg5A9F3R4CnZysnyTkH6wzOsgThXpjFk_ie-y23WI-Rfx84K9lZyYHU_3GTTRPQIAG39z1jUTsV0qRTND0mBbN-/s320/IMG_6631.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Our next post will now officially come from a different (and our last) continent!</div>Swisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13257087659483700434noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8978913163233101110.post-16680957403502201982010-05-10T17:51:00.001-07:002010-05-10T17:51:51.360-07:00Welcome to Egypt, now get out!!<p><em>April 20th to 26th, 2010 by Jason</em></p> <p>So we arrived at the Delhi airport around 2.30am and checked in, all very smooth. Besides the fact that security at Delhi airport was slow and bureaucratic as usual, we were at the gate and waiting with plenty of time to spare (2.50am for a 5.45am departure!) Our flights were with Kuwait Airways, which of course required a connection in Kuwait City to get to Cairo. Conveniently they do not serve alcohol on Kuwait, which made the flights much more boring. That coupled with the fact that the food was mediocre at best (OK, not really that good) and the in-flight entertainment system was, well, non-existent, made the whole experience just long and boring. </p> <p>Unfortunately Swiss was not feeling too well during the first flight so when we arrived for our 4 hour layover in Kuwait City so he sprawled out and attempted to sleep on some chairs while I, with nothing better to do (and hungry since I didn’t eat the crappy breakfast they served us in flight) headed over to McDonald’s for breakfast and a read of the newspaper (it was a better choice than Pizza Hut at least!)</p> <p><a title="Kuwaiti McDonald's" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/63282110@N00/4545185560/" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Kuwaiti McDonald's" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4072/4545185560_c6582e196b.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a><a title="Breakfast in Kuwait, I was starving!" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/63282110@N00/4545182492/" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Breakfast in Kuwait, I was starving!" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4056/4545182492_13b9871a32.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>We boarded our second flight and it was uneventful, again with crap food and another non-functioning entertainment system. Oh well, it got us where we needed to go. Of course our hunt was still on to pay for the upgraded economy fare on our Turkish Airlines flights to Brazil, now just 2 weeks away. So upon landing in Cairo and purchasing the $15 USD entry visa we met our driver from our hostel and swung by Terminal 3 to visit the Turkish office. I walked up to the office at 3.02pm and asked the woman if I could pay for our upgrades only for her to say that the office closed at 3pm and that I’d have to come back tomorrow. What?!?! Strike 2 Turkish Airlines, strike 2!! I was not pleased but they wouldn’t budge, trust me I pleaded. They gave me their address in downtown Cairo but they closed at 5 and they were certain I wouldn’t make it. I hopped back into our car and off we went…it had been a long day of traveling thus far. </p> <p><a title="Welcome to Egypt, taxi from the airport" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/63282110@N00/4544556743/" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Welcome to Egypt, taxi from the airport" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4031/4544556743_477d90603d.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a></p> <p>Luckily we arrived at our hostel and quickly learned a new term, “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baksheesh" target="_blank">baksheesh</a>.” It’s an Arabic term for a small tip, and as we’d quickly learn, everyone expects to be tipped in Egypt, everyone! </p> <p>Luckily the friendly folks at the Nubian Hostel in Cairo informed us that the Turkish Airlines office was just a 5 minute walk away and one of the hostel staff even walked us there (without requesting a tip even!) and we arrived almost an hour before they closed, renewing our faith in the kindness of Egyptian people. It was a lengthy process (they stuck us with the new guy, and to be fair, taking an existing ticket and re-issuing as a new fare class and paying the difference is probably not a standard part of training) but we eventually got our new tickets issued as “B” class economy fares, tickets that could be upgraded using United Airlines miles, or so we’d been told before we started this adventure. We each paid $231 USD for the privilege. We quickly returned back to the hostel to Skype United Airlines and apply our miles to upgrade both flights (Cairo to Istanbul and Istanbul to Sao Paulo.) Since we had separate tickets/reservations for the remainder of the trip it had to be done in two steps. The United agent promptly applied my miles and upgraded both segments to business class (25,000 miles for the first flight, 30,000 miles for the second flight) and we moved on to Swiss’s ticket. She upgraded the first (and much shorter) flight but for the second flight came back with a response of “upgrade cabin full!” A real let down after all the work, the phone calls and multiple office visits in three locations and the money spent solely to do this upgrade. She kindly said that we could try again later and that Turkish may open more seats for upgrade as the travel date drew closer. Dejected and a little depressed (and Swiss still not feeling well from the morning) we took a little nap. That nap turned into 8.30pm and with Swiss still not doing well I went out to get him some water and we called it a really early evening and got some rest so we’d be ready to tackle Cairo full of energy the next day!</p> <p><strong>Come take a peek at Egyptian Bureaucracy!! </strong></p> <p>We woke up Wednesday morning full of energy although a little later than planned. It was too late to start a day trip out to the pyramids at Giza and also a little late to hit up Cairo Egyptian Museum we decided to make plans for the pyramids for Thursday (driver booked through our hostel, only $20 USD for a full day!) and we headed over to Mugamma, a hub of Egyptian bureaucracy and home to the office where foreigners can modify their entry visas. Since we’d settled on only spending about 10 days in Egypt so that we could squeeze in a trip to Petra/Jordan on the side, we decided to go get our visas changed to multi-entry kind. Reports were conflicting, somewhere between free to 10 USD to make the change but we figured we’d give it a shot. We arrived and eventually went to window 42, where we thought we could get it done. The woman there did not speak much English and sent us to window 43. The lady there informed us we’d need to head down to Window 5 in order to start the paperwork for a multi-entry visa. While waiting in line for Window 5 we were informed by a nice gentleman in line that we were at the wrong window and that we needed to head over to Window 3 but unsure of the whole process we decided to stick it out and see what they said, sure enough we were directed to Window 5. The woman at Window 5 spoke little English and directed us to Window 4 where the nice gentleman spoke excellent English and gave us the form to fill out and told us to complete it and head back to Window 43 in order to pay. We filled out the form like good little kids and went to Window 43 down the hall, where the lady again spoke little English and told us we needed to go back to Window 5 for something, but we weren’t really sure what we needed to do there. Luckily a woman who spoke Arabic (although covered in full burqa, so we’re not sure if she was Egyptian or a westerner that moved to the middle east as she spoke English with no accent at all…either well a very welcome assistance) told us that the man at Window 4 needed to write the amount due on our form so that the payment collection lady at Window 43 knew how much to get from us. We went back and he wrote “51.50 LE” on the top of each of our forms (just under 10 USD) and we went back to Window 43. There she took our money and affixed what looked like postage stamps to the top of each of our forms, for the amount of 51.50 LE. Trust me, at this point if we could’ve taken a picture we would have (they kept our cameras back at security!) Now <strong>BACK</strong> to Window 4 where he took our forms and passports and told us to return in 1 hour. Given that we were touring the pyramids the next day and all government offices are closed on Fridays, we had to pick them up that day or we’d be without passports! So this situation resulted in a quick walk around the area, with a stop by the museum to make sure they’re open on Fridays (they are) and a quick view of the Nile River, as seen below:</p> <a title="Part of downtown Cairo by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4545196314/" target="_blank"><img alt="Part of downtown Cairo" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4033/4545196314_4fe0bbbbb9.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="On the Nile River by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4544569247/" target="_blank"><img alt="On the Nile River" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4036/4544569247_4329c6562f.jpg" width="241" height="320" /></a> <a title="Mogamma...the Russian era beauracratic building where we got upgraded to multi entry visa by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4544572509/" target="_blank"><img alt="Mogamma...the Russian era beauracratic building where we got upgraded to multi entry visa" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4037/4544572509_164c173f27.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <p>That last picture above is of Mugamma, the large Russian built behemoth where we ran around inside for an hour! Sure enough we returned an hour later and had our passports with a re-entry visa included. Now given that it was nearly 10 USD for the re-entry visa and it would’ve been only 15 USD to just buy a new visa when we got back into Egypt, was it really worth it?! Probably not, but it was an interesting adventure! I grabbed a small snack on the way back to the hostel (the chicken shawarma sandwiches are tasty!) and we started at figuring out what was next for Egypt. It took us a few hours and I’ll spare you the details but we now had a plan: up to Alexandria on Saturday for a few days on the Mediterranean, an overnight bus down to Dahab on the Sinai Peninsula where Swiss could go diving in the Red Sea and I could relax on the beach, over to Jordan via a ferry (more costly but a little more direct/easier than going through Israel to get to Jordan, one border crossing instead of two) up to Petra and then finally catch a flight we just bought from Amman back to Cairo so we could make our flight on to Brazil! A little tired and stressed after all that planning it was time for a tea and some sheesha (or a hooka as we call it back in the states.) </p> <p><strong>The first death threat of the trip</strong></p> <p>So we headed to a little local place for some tea (our second stop after the first place tried to charge us almost 4 USD for a cup of tea, come on now!) and Swiss got a sheesha. </p> <a title="Mint tea and sheesha by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4544583025/" target="_blank"><img alt="Mint tea and sheesha" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4072/4544583025_6d2ce86765.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <p>We were just minding our own business when a local man came up and pulled up a chair to our table. “Oh no, here we go” is all we could think. He started off nice enough, asking us where we were from and when we had arrived in Egypt. Once he heard what he wanted to hear (we’d just arrived yesterday) he started in on his little speech (as we later figured out.) Go figure, his sister was getting married that weekend and they wanted to have a proper party with nice imported alcohol, not the locally made, less than tasty whiskey, etc. He wanted to give us cash and have us go into a local duty free store where foreigners can buy alcohol up to 48 hours after arrival with their passports (although his story changed between 72 and 48 hours a few times, the first thing that made us a little suspicious.) We explained to him that we didn’t have our passports with us and that we weren’t entirely comfortable with the request considering that we were foreigners in a new country and we’d need some time to think about it (and if it really was 48 hours, we had until the next night to execute the transaction, we’d need time to think about it.) He was a little annoyed but gave us his business card and his shop was just a few doors down…he told us he’d return in 30 minutes (Egyptians are persistent!) We talked it over and decided we didn’t want anything to do with it. He came back over as promised in 30 minutes and we informed him that we didn’t want to do it. He was more than a little annoyed and started to get a little aggressive with his words, when we warned him that he was being a little threatening he quickly apologized and again turned polite, but was still persisting. He told us that it was a little rude as foreigners, visitors to HIS country, that we didn’t comply with his request and didn’t trust. We (mainly Swiss) tried to tell him that it wasn’t anything personal, just that as foreigners in a new country (and having traveled for 8 months and seen quite a few scams) we didn’t know who we could trust nor understand the local laws fully and thus we didn’t feel comfortable with the request. He grew more agitated and finally started stamping his foot, letting us know that we were visitors in HIS country, HIS city and that we were no longer welcome there. We were told that it was best if we packed up our bags and left immediately and he directly told Swiss that if he saw him around the area again that he’d kill him! WELL, we’d had about enough and decided it was time to go! We paid our bill (to add insult to injury the shop owner insisted we pay him 1 USD for the unopened bottle of water he set on our table which we’d never ordered!) and we headed home. We told the kind staff at our hostel about the request and he immediately asked us if the guys sister was getting married this weekend. Apparently it’s a common request and of no harm or consequence to the people in the area. It’s a racket of locals that buy alcohol duty free off of foreigners and then sell it to Egyptians for a profit. There would’ve been no harm in us helping him and no consequence to us, but we had no way to know it at the time. Honestly, if he had left us alone, let us talk to our hostel staff on our own and let us come back the next day I almost (read, almost! but most likely not) would’ve helped home, but certainly not after a death threat. Needless to say it soured the evening and in all honestly overshadowed the rest of our stay in Cairo. Cairo is now on my list of places I’ll likely never return to, sadly because of one bad apple. Such is the experience.</p> <p><strong>The Great Pyramids of Giza</strong></p> <p>Thursday morning we woke up early and were ready to go just after 8am for our full day of touring Giza, Saqqara and the museum at Memphis. After the previous evening we were excited just to be out of Cairo proper. Our driver was a very nice Egyptian man who throughout the day was very polite and courteous and did his best through broken English to explain to us what he could. A really great guy! Here’s a few pics from our drive out to Giza:</p> <a title="The Nile River by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4545218724/" target="_blank"><img alt="The Nile River" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4060/4545218724_7989399923.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="The Pyramids at Giza by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4545227628/" target="_blank"><img alt="The Pyramids at Giza" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4016/4545227628_23a8449d32.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <p>Now here’s the thing with Egypt…entry costs are ridiculous! And of course each site is a different high price ticket. Entrance to the grounds of Giza themselves is 60 LE and that doesn’t include entrance inside any of the actual pyramids themselves, just the privilege to walk around them and get hassled by touts and salespeople the whole time. Given my claustrophobia and our desire to have some of our bank account left for other items we skipped going inside the pyramids at Giza (which I’m very comfortable with!) From others we met we found out that it’s actually quite plain, almost 100 LE to enter and really not worth it. Guess we called that one correctly. So we walked around the pyramids and of course got plenty of photos. One note before I show you the photos: any policeman or security officer who politely tries to show you a spot for a good photo will always want baksheesh, or a tip, if you actually take a picture at “their” spot…quite the annoyance. And now for a few photos:</p> <a title="Swiss and the Pyramid of Khafre by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4544616069/" target="_blank"><img alt="Swiss and the Pyramid of Khafre" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4021/4544616069_5110a0e954.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="The Sphinx and the Pyramid of Khafre by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4544599387/" target="_blank"><img alt="The Sphinx and the Pyramid of Khafre" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4033/4544599387_12ac54f3ed.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="In front of the Sphinx by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4544603735/" target="_blank"><img alt="In front of the Sphinx" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4056/4544603735_1205cf0fc8.jpg" width="241" height="320" /></a> <a title="In front of a lot of sand by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4544646223/" target="_blank"><img alt="In front of a lot of sand" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4007/4544646223_7ab2a1f0b1.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="The Sphinx and the Pyramid of Khafre by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4545240736/" target="_blank"><img alt="The Sphinx and the Pyramid of Khafre" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4058/4545240736_07fd17a7ed.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="Swiss goes all Arab Desert by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4545259550/" target="_blank"><img alt="Swiss goes all Arab Desert" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2033/4545259550_4fbe6a41a1.jpg" width="241" height="320" /></a> <a title="The Sphinx and the Pyramids by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4545286310/" target="_blank"><img alt="The Sphinx and the Pyramids" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4006/4545286310_8966745681.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="A local camel tout by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4544642153/" target="_blank"><img alt="A local camel tout" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4001/4544642153_ba25e92912.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <p>The sad part really is that since the government does nothing to keep touts out of the area, you’re constantly hounded by people selling trinkets, postcards, camel rides, etc if you’re not their with a large tour group (and even then they still get bothered a little bit.) At the end we both said that if we were ever to return it would be in a large tour group to avoid the hassle, which is a real shame. Next up was Saqqara only about a half hour away and is a good place to see some of the Egyptian’s early attempts at pyramid building. (Oh, and another 60 LE entry fee.) A few highlights:</p> <a title="The exterior of Kagemni's Tomb? by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4545302416/" target="_blank"><img alt="The exterior of Kagemni's Tomb?" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4014/4545302416_aa9b58d9f7.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="Carvings inside Mereruka's Tomb by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4545300328/" target="_blank"><img alt="Carvings inside Mereruka's Tomb" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4020/4545300328_26c50b0f27.jpg" width="241" height="320" /></a> <a title="In front of the Step Pyramid of Djoser by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4545314436/" target="_blank"><img alt="In front of the Step Pyramid of Djoser" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4061/4545314436_7e3908aa97.jpg" width="241" height="320" /></a> <a title="A cool trifecta shot by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4545324064/" target="_blank"><img alt="A cool trifecta shot" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4023/4545324064_9a49da43ee.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="The main walkway in by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4544698047/" target="_blank"><img alt="The main walkway in" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4015/4544698047_7dd8e16b83.jpg" width="241" height="320" /></a> <p>After all that it was time for lunch. The place our driver took us too was a little pricey, 60 LE/person…but so tasty it was worth it! Grilled meats and tasty mezze with loads of bread hit the spot (trust me, we both walked out ready for a nice nap!) </p> <a title="One fantastic lunch! by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4544702773/" target="_blank"><img alt="One fantastic lunch!" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4002/4544702773_ce2f889dd3.jpg" width="241" height="320" /></a> <p>But alas, we had one more sight to see. This time it was off to Memphis for their museum, an homage to a large statue of King Memphis that was uncovered (and left to stay on it’s side for some reason.) </p> <a title="That's one big statue (Ramesses II) by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4544704899/" target="_blank"><img alt="That's one big statue (Ramesses II)" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4025/4544704899_5dd9d47713.jpg" width="241" height="320" /></a> <a title="More giant statues! by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4544715585/" target="_blank"><img alt="More giant statues!" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2737/4544715585_8425ef9c77.jpg" width="241" height="320" /></a> <a title="Swiss and the little Sphinx by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4545343446/" target="_blank"><img alt="Swiss and the little Sphinx" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2595/4545343446_4c99721ac2.jpg" width="241" height="320" /></a> <a title="What a beautiful place to live! by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4544718645/" target="_blank"><img alt="What a beautiful place to live!" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4055/4544718645_dd241023de.jpg" width="241" height="320" /></a> <p>Museum entry was another 35 LE, so in case you’re keeping count that’s now 155 LE in entrance fees and if you add in 10 USD each for the driver, it came to 40 USD per person for the day, not including lunch (don’t forget a tip for our driver too!) Of course it’s a once in a lifetime experience and much cheaper than doing a large group tour, but it’s a little outside most budget traveler’s means. Luckily, as Swiss mentioned earlier, we’re flashpackers, haha, and we could do it, but Egypt is not much of a backpacker’s destination at these rates! After our large late lunch and a long day of sightseeing we were exhausted and called it an early evening. </p> <p><strong>The Cairo Egyptian Museum</strong></p> <p>Fridays are quiet days in Muslim countries, it’s like a Sunday in a Christian country with most offices and many shops closed. Luckily, though, the Egyptian Museum is open every day of the week and we decided to head over for a day. It’s a huge place with an amazing amount of artifacts and requires almost a full day of viewing. Thing is, it’s a lot to take in in a single day, so many people recommend you split it over two days. With it’s high admission price I don’t think many backpackers can justify paying the admission twice. We decided to do one day and also pay the extra ticket for the Royal Mummy rooms also (in total 160 LE or 29 USD!) No cameras are allowed inside but this is definitely one museum in the world you can’t miss! Some pics from outside at least:</p> <a title="The Egyptian Museum (no cameras inside) by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4563603749/" target="_blank"><img alt="The Egyptian Museum (no cameras inside)" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4039/4563603749_e43410f627.jpg" width="241" height="320" /></a> <a title="Outside the Egyptian Museum by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4563610549/" target="_blank"><img alt="Outside the Egyptian Museum" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4014/4563610549_39515136b6.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="Outside the Egyptian Museum by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4563616947/" target="_blank"><img alt="Outside the Egyptian Museum" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3229/4563616947_37189bc30c.jpg" width="241" height="320" /></a> <p>We stayed in the museum about 4 hours and had a bit of overload. It’s a very cool place but after a while there’s only so much you can take in/absorb/read. Afterwards we took the subway (our first subway in Africa!) a few stops away and had a nice Egyptian lunch (a very late lunch though) and the rest of the day was fairly quiet and uneventful.</p> <p><strong>Off to Alexandria and some time on the Mediterranean!</strong></p> <p>So of course we had to choose between Alexandria and heading south to Luxor the next day. We’d heard that Luxor would be quite hot and full of tourists and annoying touts, so we made the decision to head north to Alexandria. While some would argue it’s a mistake to miss Luxor, on a trip this long you can’t see every sight and sometimes you just don’t want to be hassled anymore! We’re both young and I’m certain I’ll make it back to Egypt (minus Cairo of course ;-) at some point in the future to see Luxor. So Alexandria it is! We hopped into a cab over to the train station and took the next departure up to Alexandria. We left at 11am and it’s about a 3 hour journey up there, so we arrived around 2pm. </p> <a title="Our train to Alexandria by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4563636323/" target="_blank"><img alt="Our train to Alexandria" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3659/4563636323_7728dc03ee.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <p>We hadn’t booked a place ahead of time as reviews ranged wildly online and all the places were in a small area. We checked out three different places and settled on the Swiss Canal Hotel for 2 nights. It was the best value for money and a nice room (newly remodeled with TV, refrigerator and private en suite bathroom.) It was already after 4pm, so of course we were ready for lunch (which really became dinner.) In a nice change from Cairo, a nice man running a barber shop next to our hotel recommended a restaurant down an alley from our place. Turned out to be a delicious grilled meat place with wonderful mezze and a fantastic owner, an Egyptian married to an American from Michigan. He was so very nice and treated us so well, Alexandria was looking up compared with Cairo. After a huge linner (lunch/dinner) it was time for a walk around town. </p> <a title="In downtown Alexandria by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4564277530/" target="_blank"><img alt="In downtown Alexandria" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3185/4564277530_6ea21b20d3.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="The beautiful mosque just downtown by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4563650199/" target="_blank"><img alt="The beautiful mosque just downtown" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3272/4563650199_ee67456bbd.jpg" width="241" height="320" /></a> <p>During the walk we found a nice place for tea and Swiss had another sheesha. We even got to enjoy the excitement of their tram system power connection coming loose and ripping off a bit of metal from an overhead support!</p> <a title="Oops, broken tram! by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4564310528/" target="_blank"><img alt="Oops, broken tram!" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4067/4564310528_a780874917.jpg" width="241" height="320" /></a> <p>After a long day of travel and hotel searching we called it a day and enjoyed some bad movies and American TV on satellite in our room and relaxed. </p> <p><strong>Alexandria Sightseeing</strong></p> <p>We got up the next morning, Swiss a little earlier than me. He hit up the tea shop next door to our hotel for breakfast while I slowly got up and got ready for the day. We grabbed a quick lunch from GAD, an Egyptian quick food shop (think Egyptian style deli, with falafels and shawarma instead of sliced turkey and ham) </p> <a title="A park on El Corniche by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4563683321/" target="_blank"><img alt="A park on El Corniche" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3144/4563683321_ba7c114ccd.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <p>We took a nice walk down El Corniche to the famous <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandria_library" target="_blank">Alexandria Library</a>. Unfortunately, as some may know, that original library was destroyed some years ago and today in it’s place is a very nice but very modern replacement. We took some shots of the area then avoided the crowds!</p> <a title="Alexandria Library by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4574953264/" target="_blank"><img alt="Alexandria Library" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3311/4574953264_dbe3e82ef6.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="Swiss at the Alexandria Library by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4574958804/" target="_blank"><img alt="Swiss at the Alexandria Library" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3361/4574958804_d5710ec722.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="Me and Alexander the Great :) by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4574961786/" target="_blank"><img alt="Me and Alexander the Great :)" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4012/4574961786_79f8cb6e53.jpg" width="241" height="320" /></a> <p>From there it was over to see a set of Roman ruins a bit south of downtown!</p> <a title="Roman Amphitheatre Ruins by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4574331029/" target="_blank"><img alt="Roman Amphitheatre Ruins" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3344/4574331029_33c8cfd81b.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="Roman ruins in Alexandria by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4574364045/" target="_blank"><img alt="Roman ruins in Alexandria" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4067/4574364045_3a74b9acd0.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="Me and the Roman ruins by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4575003226/" target="_blank"><img alt="Me and the Roman ruins" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4031/4575003226_6b132bacc0.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="Swiss takes an old school roman bath by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4574412947/" target="_blank"><img alt="Swiss takes an old school roman bath" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3353/4574412947_2ea6d47536.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="Roman Amphitheatre Ruins by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4574415373/" target="_blank"><img alt="Roman Amphitheatre Ruins" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4050/4574415373_675ca07d60.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <p>A nice little break (we’ve hit the point where more than 2 sights a day and we’re overloaded) at the local tea shop turned into almost 3 hours of tea and talking to some locals. Swiss and our new friends:</p> <p><a title="Our new local friends from the tea shop by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4575058070/" target="_blank"><img alt="Our new local friends from the tea shop" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4039/4575058070_652343d8a7.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a></p> <p>The guy on the right thinks he looks like Barack Obama, we tried to tell him otherwise ;-) </p> <p>We then had a nice dinner at a little Egyptian/Italian place downtown (think Italian with an Egyptian twist.) A few drinks from our refrigerator and some Law & Order [oh man Selah, I miss Law & Order at the GNE gym!] and it was a night! :)</p> <p><strong>What did I eat last night?</strong></p> <p>Monday morning we were up and checked out of our room a little before 10am. It was a slow start as my stomach was not doing so well, something that I hoped would pass in a few hours or a day or so. Fingers crossed. We took the tram down to near the end to visit <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citadel_of_Qaitbay" target="_blank">Qaitbay Fort or the Citadel of Qaitbay</a>. But not before Swiss made a quick detour into the HSBC which was randomly located between an ice cream shop and abandoned building near the fort, but a great place to exchange for US dollars at a very good rate (relative to the commissions some exchange places charge!) </p> <a title="Qaitbay Fort and the Mediterranean by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4574429457/" target="_blank"><img alt="Qaitbay Fort and the Mediterranean" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4016/4574429457_11c4d30e4d.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="Qaitbay Fort by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4574433567/" target="_blank"><img alt="Qaitbay Fort" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4025/4574433567_3fa20788c0.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <a title="A view of the sea from in the fort by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4575090754/" target="_blank"><img alt="A view of the sea from in the fort" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4035/4575090754_3f65c2a194.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <p>From there we took the leisurely stroll along the Corniche back towards downtown, </p> <a title="A walk back to downtown along El Corniche by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4575096188/" target="_blank"><img alt="A walk back to downtown along El Corniche" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3386/4575096188_c21ce7bbee.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <p>with the hopes that we’d find a seafood place for lunch (for Swiss, at this point I still was not feeling well.) We ended up not finding anything (only one place was open and it was fairly pricey for what they offered) and we ended up near our hotel where a local place there actually did some seafood with accompanying sides for a pretty reasonable price. Not feeling well, it was decided that we’d go back to our usual for tea and to relax for the afternoon. </p> <a title="Sunset on Alexandria by lawtonjm, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lawtonjm/4575103250/" target="_blank"><img alt="Sunset on Alexandria" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3362/4575103250_dfe1003cb4.jpg" width="320" height="241" /></a> <p>Feeling just slightly better, but not wanting to risk it with Egyptian food (maybe something in one of the salads got me? meat? who knows…) We headed to McDonalds for a bite to eat. Remember, we have a tradition to uphold, to go once in each country and this was also our last chance in Egypt and we couldn’t let the streak die now! [Our next destination, Dahab, does not have any McDonalds.] Dinner went fairly well, I didn’t feel too bad afterwards and so we headed off to grab our luggage from the hotel and start heading towards the bus station for our trip to Dahab!</p> Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16107969339140322691noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8978913163233101110.post-25719431918140558812010-05-03T22:01:00.000-07:002010-05-03T22:01:54.959-07:00"Wrapping up India" staring DelhiApril 15 to 20, 2010 (by Swiss)<br />
<br />
Time flies when you're having fun, right? And so it became time for us to say "good bye" to India, but not without one last stop. For our grand finale, we were scheduled to spend about four days in India's capital of Delhi, located in what we concluded must be a giant oven. Average day time temperatures when we were scheduled to be in the city peaked around 45 deg C, or 113 deg F for you folks in the states. Hot. Couple that with 22+ million inhabitants, and we were ready for a sweaty and potentially smelly experience. <br />
<br />
As fortune would have it, I have some wonderful family friends - the Nath family - living in Delhi, and they were gracious enough to welcome us into their home for our stay. An SMS from Madhu Nath a few days prior to our arrival confirmed that her driver would be waiting for us at the airport, a welcome convenience after a streak of trains, planes, and taxi haggling. Besides some sight seeing, our plan included the picking up of my Swiss passport at the embassy and research upgrade possibilities for our Turkish airlines flight from Cairo to Sao Paolo. Fingers crossed.<br />
<br />
<b>An Unexpected, but Welcome, Welcome</b><br />
<br />
Our Spice Jet barely made it out of Bagdogra as heavy winds/storms were sweeping in from the east. This, coupled with security line related slowdowns and a good 30 minute taxi session to the gate at Delhi got us to the airport exit about one hour late. The driver, however, was there as promised and we quickly got transported to the Nath home. <br />
<br />
What we didn't expect were the spoils we were about to experience over the next couple of days. The driver dropped us off at the guest suite, which easily beat any place we had stayed in our 8 months of travel. As some of you may know, scoring a real mattress in parts of Asia can be challenging, especially on the budget circuit. Same goes for proper showers, hot water, and (drumroll) A/C. I am happy to report that we had it all, including a separate sitting room with satellite TV. Besides beautiful diggs, Madhu, Ravi and Nikhil showered us with great company, excellent food, tips, and transportation into and out of Delhi. In a sense, it was a much welcome break from "traveling", and a relaxing way to wrap up our final days in India.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJdkJK9R6fCBiu5jeJ6_ojrJ0uwLavLNCm4BZRHCjf_jGcSzROAoJCHH9evXtOktA85MT4Fdb2ZUkcUCD4sSMIg1oEAL3RjvhWfljZXqwuU6qjhZzF6QClTjqln-uwpHGWZp-fx0PcNQe/s1600/IMG_6123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCJdkJK9R6fCBiu5jeJ6_ojrJ0uwLavLNCm4BZRHCjf_jGcSzROAoJCHH9evXtOktA85MT4Fdb2ZUkcUCD4sSMIg1oEAL3RjvhWfljZXqwuU6qjhZzF6QClTjqln-uwpHGWZp-fx0PcNQe/s320/IMG_6123.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqo7tj7rtpTdv65kAIM0FLldrlBOQez3K5YnIvZI_7jdVtuHg7TRfPURqVeARU_jfXTNY0nd8prwrACoUb0zV3c-mfbCPTGa16_aVkPE1AKKfYUWp1VfpugpMpnzmB_6vD9VJ2SBiASgqO/s1600/IMG_6124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqo7tj7rtpTdv65kAIM0FLldrlBOQez3K5YnIvZI_7jdVtuHg7TRfPURqVeARU_jfXTNY0nd8prwrACoUb0zV3c-mfbCPTGa16_aVkPE1AKKfYUWp1VfpugpMpnzmB_6vD9VJ2SBiASgqO/s320/IMG_6124.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Once settled in our "suite", we quickly hopped into the shower before being escorted over to the main house for a tasty dinner with Madhu and Ravi, who I haven't seen since the last time I had visited India, i.e., 1997. The rest of the evening were spent chatting away before heading to bed for a good nights sleep.<br />
<br />
<b>"Driver, please take us to _____" and the Art of creating an International Incident</b><br />
<br />
As mentioned in the intro, we did have some "chores" to knock out while in Delhi. Madhu was nice enough to lend us her driver for a good chunk of the day on Friday, who would take us to the Swiss embassy, the Turkish airlines office, the museum of modern art, and finally Khan market to round out the afternoon. So an itinerary was set, and we were off after a yummy breakfast courtesty of Shankar, who we both can attest cooks a mean Masala Omelet.<br />
<br />
We arrived at the Swiss embassy shortly before noon, and since I was the only one with "business", I was allowed inside the complex while Lawton and our driver remained outside. As promised, my passport for which I applied in Shanghai was patiently waiting at the embassy in Delhi. A bit of Swiss German, some chicken scratch, and I became the proud owner of the little gem shown below. Kudos to the Swiss authorities, who managed the whole affair across three countries (China, Switzerland, and India) both expediently and professionally. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ixcFjbqQAG8SDcsY0o-4zXDnuOEULYoSsoys4Mu7n8j1Krl1hT7Vc6I2fJg1R2OkHP7lThA18sibdlTXfgUUs6D5tlWH10WMNNyRM09vG_nZ6CkF2dRhzh0Smd-g4n4UoNKOg9SiW0PX/s1600/IMG_6126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ixcFjbqQAG8SDcsY0o-4zXDnuOEULYoSsoys4Mu7n8j1Krl1hT7Vc6I2fJg1R2OkHP7lThA18sibdlTXfgUUs6D5tlWH10WMNNyRM09vG_nZ6CkF2dRhzh0Smd-g4n4UoNKOg9SiW0PX/s320/IMG_6126.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Upon leaving the complex, I located our driver who was patiently waiting in the parking lot. Jason, however, was absent. The driver didn't really speak any English, but he did manage to communicate that he had walked off to the right a bit after I headed into the building. We had talked about maybe swinging by the nearby Egyptian embassy to try to score a multi-entry visa for that country, as we were planning on visiting neighboring Jordan for a glance at the ancient city of Petra. Not knowing how long I would be spending on Swiss soil, I figured he may have walked off in the direction of the Egyptian embassy. <br />
<br />
Well, my assumption was wrong, which I discovered about half an hour (and one brief phone call) later. Jason, continuing our tradition of visiting US embassies abroad, apparently had decided to swing by the Delhi branch conveniently located near the Swiss embassy. It was there where he decided to take a picture. We had done this in the past at other locations without incident, and there weren't any obvious signs posted advising against such action. <br />
<br />
As it turns out, taking pictures of embassies, and especially the US embassy, is a big no-no in Delhi. As a result of this policy, Jason got to experience the 3rd degree courtesy of the embassy security force and Delhi police, which included a brief interrogation ("I'm a US citizen on vacation", "I'm staying with friends", "No, I'm not here for a US visa as I am a citizen of the US"...), deletion of pictures, filling out of a form (it's India, after-all), a copy of his passport, concluding with a friendly picture of Mr. Jason M Lawton for their files. And no, they did not inform him which no-fly lists he managed to get on. I can, however, report that our departure from Delhi went without a glitch or excessive cavity searches. <br />
<br />
When all said and done, we had a nice chuckle about Jason, the international troublemaker and moved on to Turkish airlines. Oh, and signs regarding the "no picture" policy are there, but they are a tad scarce, especially given the apparent reaction the snapping of pictures elicits.<br />
<br />
So on to our visit with Turkish airlines. As most of you know, we enjoy scheming. Our grand scheme for Delhi was to see if we could score a seat upgrade to Business class for our flight from Cairo to Sao Paolo. The flight, courtesy of Turkish airlines, involves a 3 hour segment from Cairo to Istanbul and a subsequent 14 hour segment from Istanbul to Sao Paolo. Couple the fact that Turkish airlines is part of the star alliance frequent flyer network with both of us having well north of 100,000 miles, and you may arrive at the conclusion that it might well be worth the effort to try to upgrade to business class using frequent flyer miles. We thought it was.<br />
<br />
Upon arrival at the office we learned that our current tickets, being V(ictor) class fares, were not elgible for an upgrade. For that to happen, you have to have a Y(am?) or B(aker) ticket. We could, however, change our fare class by forking over 200 bucks, and yes, the agent informed us, there were 4 business class tickets available. She advised us to check with both United airlines (office downstairs) and Star alliance (which involves a phone call to a US number) before shelling over the dough, as the transaction would be non-refundable. She assured us that we could just call Turkish airlines the next day (Saturday) to complete the fare class change. <br />
<br />
A visit with United confirmed that upgrades with a B(aker) class ticket are possible but once again pointed us to having to call Star Alliance to figure out how many miles we'd need. This, unfortunately, would necessitate a Skype session when we got back to our room. But things were looking promising. By the following day, we figured, we might have our business class tickets squared away. Key words being "figured" and "might."<br />
<br />
Done with Turkish, it was time for a visit to the Museum of Modern art, a well executed museum housed in a fairly new (and air conditioned) wing. Photos were not allowed inside, so we are limited to a couple of shots taken outside of the building. The exhibition is well worth a visit and features works from a variety of artists coupled with nice descriptions about the corresponding period and its influence on the art. It was also a pleasantly different way to experience an Indian history lesson and well worth a visit if you ever make it to Delhi.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2j99-zrOrSxB3ABo6sW8u2xmgN2GhGuN6oVe45_QfELZis9p7MosVl-Ar6Th8VISZM7GJtTDpewJL9bQCmWCZ1sMnfgcrkibyvg-40Mxe36EuzzReEuqDq0ujcKo02ZcwJpb0y-pCRfbq/s1600/IMG_6130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2j99-zrOrSxB3ABo6sW8u2xmgN2GhGuN6oVe45_QfELZis9p7MosVl-Ar6Th8VISZM7GJtTDpewJL9bQCmWCZ1sMnfgcrkibyvg-40Mxe36EuzzReEuqDq0ujcKo02ZcwJpb0y-pCRfbq/s320/IMG_6130.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkX1wpK6ipnmY0FH-4PY-L1xv8ztlnQVcE9tYMzDnWYGMhxYLWNLYg2FKUCM1zOIjusXiZ7uslxgcnQOWB_5H0YB77wniVhLQW-Z7SjBmvx0tt8STf7s8IygxjFmDl0Aq3NGBRVFudQqQJ/s1600/IMG_6129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkX1wpK6ipnmY0FH-4PY-L1xv8ztlnQVcE9tYMzDnWYGMhxYLWNLYg2FKUCM1zOIjusXiZ7uslxgcnQOWB_5H0YB77wniVhLQW-Z7SjBmvx0tt8STf7s8IygxjFmDl0Aq3NGBRVFudQqQJ/s320/IMG_6129.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Madhu needed her driver back around 3pm, so after our museum visit he dropped us off for good at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khan_Market" target="_blank">Khan market</a>, where our mission was to shop around a bit and maybe score a nice shirt for the evening activity, which was a visit to the Delhi country club where a ABBA shadow band from Sweden was performing. Khan market is basically a collection of various shops - ranging from semi-upscale to swanky - where you can procure various items including Indian clothing and western food specialties. Both of us bought a nice light dress shirt from <a href="http://www.anokhi.com/" target="_blank">Anokhi</a>, before continuing our browsing through the book and food stores. A worthwhile visit overall, especially if you want to get some high quality Indian clothing.<br />
<br />
As the evening drew near, we learned that Madhu and Ravi were both tied up until around 8pm, so we grabbed a ride to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lodi_Gardens" target="_blank">Lodi gardens</a> for an evening stroll. Lodi gardens are located between Khan market and Safdarjung's tomb, and offer a nice mix of paths, landscape, tombs, and other sites for visitors to enjoy. It's also nicely lit up, making it a popular spot for a visit by joggers, walkers, and people watchers in the evening hours. Since temperatures were finally starting to drop from the brutal highs during the day, we managed to enjoy a good 1-2 hours walking around the gardens. I'm sure a day-light visit would have been nice as well. Pictures below.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI-oPo35H6dwFQOCh1lYLZCKPZjhRSjr-qY28ZmHUnlNyD3ujXX5GBcsS8nRTR67E5yTMn0vR7Cu0pOw0WXHQ0MRZgtH3XI9_aPde11MHBoVYVfhry25S7YKdSyFiAef0MXjhItGU-smnd/s1600/IMG_6145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI-oPo35H6dwFQOCh1lYLZCKPZjhRSjr-qY28ZmHUnlNyD3ujXX5GBcsS8nRTR67E5yTMn0vR7Cu0pOw0WXHQ0MRZgtH3XI9_aPde11MHBoVYVfhry25S7YKdSyFiAef0MXjhItGU-smnd/s320/IMG_6145.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ7imm_sG00oksiSkxUgDQmaYYYColwea3DyjShHTZdCEPTTmypwexaWA9HItG-jgzXv3PNW04QaBevcjV6T0VxVFXUm_lH3tq-GOqhpCn-Jg5vN-PMq5xkHR6JhdWB9ZN9NpJYZMMkPwl/s1600/IMG_6139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ7imm_sG00oksiSkxUgDQmaYYYColwea3DyjShHTZdCEPTTmypwexaWA9HItG-jgzXv3PNW04QaBevcjV6T0VxVFXUm_lH3tq-GOqhpCn-Jg5vN-PMq5xkHR6JhdWB9ZN9NpJYZMMkPwl/s320/IMG_6139.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX6fdFyHy36lTzhPAXe4EaFzNczrQw_Q8uyi5YKlGRNiwR-aXVb-CSiesw3lhcDffHMPD1UWHhKjnRSHzTDe_E4GF1N_OiQV70CBhgSj8CsX_deh8W3vU3HbePLoeqlWdXKQrYuVYGYpxO/s1600/IMG_6146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX6fdFyHy36lTzhPAXe4EaFzNczrQw_Q8uyi5YKlGRNiwR-aXVb-CSiesw3lhcDffHMPD1UWHhKjnRSHzTDe_E4GF1N_OiQV70CBhgSj8CsX_deh8W3vU3HbePLoeqlWdXKQrYuVYGYpxO/s320/IMG_6146.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Hk4RoFB09a2MPi5ZB1hrYWa_dEkGUlm2MEw-5ztbTgwm8EbaSDCoBJi2MwSTpT3EyBlQ4O-dw2yFnQEULfT6po2JEqU3x16visGZ1PYhAIorHkLqDph1hCw8QHenfbfJ749ju2yycdXX/s1600/IMG_6147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Hk4RoFB09a2MPi5ZB1hrYWa_dEkGUlm2MEw-5ztbTgwm8EbaSDCoBJi2MwSTpT3EyBlQ4O-dw2yFnQEULfT6po2JEqU3x16visGZ1PYhAIorHkLqDph1hCw8QHenfbfJ749ju2yycdXX/s320/IMG_6147.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We left the gardens shortly after 8pm for a ride to the country club, where we both rinsed off and changed into our new Anokhi shirts before joining Madhu and Ravi for a tasty dinner and show. The cover band was actually pretty good, though a tad loud for casual conversation levels. So we retreated to the dining room for a nice veg dinner while the band played in the background.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsS6xPy_CKpF5ehJlCXvKc2It0EjqpDMh8UuK695s8SGLq3SFpgZqBVnW-sPUfF4qF47uMfC3ykIt3skOJLvdRnKSKyzUpN4Q72oBO8It1zl8vDxoj1qsuYPvwFWfbqklnaJW4VovNlZCO/s1600/IMG_6151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsS6xPy_CKpF5ehJlCXvKc2It0EjqpDMh8UuK695s8SGLq3SFpgZqBVnW-sPUfF4qF47uMfC3ykIt3skOJLvdRnKSKyzUpN4Q72oBO8It1zl8vDxoj1qsuYPvwFWfbqklnaJW4VovNlZCO/s320/IMG_6151.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
It was during this dinner where we first managed to discover <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kulfi" target="_blank">Kulfi</a>, a delicious Indian ice-cream like desert that for some reason had eluded us thus far. We both agreed that this is a must find once we return to the US. Exhausted from a full day of chores, activities, and a very filling dinner, we rode back to our pad with Madhu and Ravi to once more enjoy our bed with a real mattress.<br />
<br />
<b>Old Delhi and the beginning of the "Turkish Airlines S<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>aga"</b></span></b><br />
<br />
We kicked off our Saturday with trying to be productive, that is, get upgraded to Business class for our Cairo-Sao Paolo leg. A quick Skype call to Star Alliance confirmed that we could upgrade our flight if it was a B(aker) class ticket, and the upgrade would cost us 25,000 (Cairo-Istanbul) and 30,000 (Istanbul-Sao Paolo) miles. Confident that everything from the Star Alliance side was ok, we called up Turkish airlines to change our fare class. When we finally got through to them after multiple attempts, their reservation system was down in Delhi. So for the better part of the following hour, we called their offices around the world trying to get the fare class change done, with no success. <br />
<br />
It wasn't until later in the afternoon (while sight seeing) when we actually got a hold of a Delhi agent linked to a working reservation system, and she basically contradicted the agent from the prior day saying that while we could do the fare class change over the phone, it would be canceled within one day as we needed to pay them. And no, they do not take credit cards over the phone. A second visit to their office was not possible either. With no manager or other agents on shift that Saturday, it was decided to try again on Monday with hopes that we would get a hold of the agent we had talked to on Friday. I hate to say it, but Turkish airlines was quickly dropping down our list of preferred airlines.<br />
<br />
We grabbed a late breakfast with Madhu and decided to hire a cab to drive us into the city. Plans were to explore Old Delhi, sample Indian McDonalds (a must in every country and time was running short), the Red fort, and then grab some dinner in town. Oh, and we wanted to try out the Delhi metro. We got into town right during the peak of yet another scorching day, hopped on the subway, sampled McDonalds, before heading to the red fort. For those of you who are curious, the McDonalds menu in India is devoid of any beef or pork, and offers a variety of Indian themed sandwiches. The food was pretty good, actually, including my Indian themed chicken Big Mac. And there was A/C.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiODawQjuNvpkOcZgmTFDeLWiA6BcVW7SbIcgBxvIdqaA7tzXOPxmcoIucbaVT0N6g2oR-KmXw-i3vg1aOtACG1DfIed5-qIbbSiJzgX0IQ23EaygacC7OsOCRyw_illC5aLhfIq0Kk8RMb/s1600/IMG_6157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiODawQjuNvpkOcZgmTFDeLWiA6BcVW7SbIcgBxvIdqaA7tzXOPxmcoIucbaVT0N6g2oR-KmXw-i3vg1aOtACG1DfIed5-qIbbSiJzgX0IQ23EaygacC7OsOCRyw_illC5aLhfIq0Kk8RMb/s320/IMG_6157.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Next up was the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Fort" target="_blank">Red Fort</a>, located in the heart of Old Delhi. Built originally in the 17th century by Mughal emperor Shahjahan to serve as the capital of the Mughals, it has over time been used as a military camp and now is a popular tourist attraction. It was also designated a UNESCO world heritage site in 2007, bringing our visits of such sites to approx 1,000,000 or so.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZdM4gixUutYSsBcFwtRzmbkOPhduMTVWfS1BwQ2DuNS9zSq3id2E3n82RRCH81Wxe_xWHnyB8br5JeR4cC3K_DNs52EZPBTRnmFum-KD_zoytIWcmwr55lMv_QawBjCqCaI014dRqYZt/s1600/IMG_6158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYZdM4gixUutYSsBcFwtRzmbkOPhduMTVWfS1BwQ2DuNS9zSq3id2E3n82RRCH81Wxe_xWHnyB8br5JeR4cC3K_DNs52EZPBTRnmFum-KD_zoytIWcmwr55lMv_QawBjCqCaI014dRqYZt/s320/IMG_6158.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKIXOff_Ky11uVG4Iyg5qLQ99HgS_LYMpXlyheBvkPo9n2JFj6j27djqO0wKqo_P_umRZNWFOv0CeN4Lg9D1cJpDjLnZmY3seOabLM5YpPXNnjebHIdq83TDfOl_yfRotgYwG-3E8S3UWJ/s1600/IMG_6163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKIXOff_Ky11uVG4Iyg5qLQ99HgS_LYMpXlyheBvkPo9n2JFj6j27djqO0wKqo_P_umRZNWFOv0CeN4Lg9D1cJpDjLnZmY3seOabLM5YpPXNnjebHIdq83TDfOl_yfRotgYwG-3E8S3UWJ/s320/IMG_6163.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHkQeE2DVB97WbeV3N8Vxz6NOSGYwZaQ_u_vbFSEnU47JnxzxK6qkqw_mehkfOyQVlKsfzDnBCcwav9SHjbRl1t7fui7oO1jI44TLJPehQvaTSuhWWVIXB98F6nYpjLZPwAszZKnLt5FSM/s1600/IMG_6165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHkQeE2DVB97WbeV3N8Vxz6NOSGYwZaQ_u_vbFSEnU47JnxzxK6qkqw_mehkfOyQVlKsfzDnBCcwav9SHjbRl1t7fui7oO1jI44TLJPehQvaTSuhWWVIXB98F6nYpjLZPwAszZKnLt5FSM/s320/IMG_6165.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid41BiqnMOn6gZgrRWuTJBcWEFL-Lk1BmHkKuTptEUpDNFW0PyThWiTgWWZ3aFou-jQjT33rox5faurEvA9NnVYQ00Yy_psPLkxzqVmxVYPZTY-HLFml3-fipxYRhWEXQZowhdRX2UOP60/s1600/IMG_6166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid41BiqnMOn6gZgrRWuTJBcWEFL-Lk1BmHkKuTptEUpDNFW0PyThWiTgWWZ3aFou-jQjT33rox5faurEvA9NnVYQ00Yy_psPLkxzqVmxVYPZTY-HLFml3-fipxYRhWEXQZowhdRX2UOP60/s320/IMG_6166.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcVlJgaiJUL2sgdvG49LIzJuK19gsqh1Q-_m1pOHS7gUw2mcBERKku1xy8eEtofwdT0fSGx2HYJIgyplmtsEqLUw3rXp61IB3LUHG-i2cNbvZayhApU14XKa4HccxwkRINdof1LnekNazC/s1600/IMG_6168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcVlJgaiJUL2sgdvG49LIzJuK19gsqh1Q-_m1pOHS7gUw2mcBERKku1xy8eEtofwdT0fSGx2HYJIgyplmtsEqLUw3rXp61IB3LUHG-i2cNbvZayhApU14XKa4HccxwkRINdof1LnekNazC/s320/IMG_6168.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUSS7JGLz9d3IMaEC00KuPURCPW2urjUZyCdJKW9U6koVccpTSjbfl5l4MWSUj5su6TJrVeVqPdb1Zfx7mwlhXo8DyFg-T3d5Vwbvt_BFM7TO3xGtzu66sSsz2W6vbW0MiY9imUm3Oe3rA/s1600/IMG_6178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUSS7JGLz9d3IMaEC00KuPURCPW2urjUZyCdJKW9U6koVccpTSjbfl5l4MWSUj5su6TJrVeVqPdb1Zfx7mwlhXo8DyFg-T3d5Vwbvt_BFM7TO3xGtzu66sSsz2W6vbW0MiY9imUm3Oe3rA/s320/IMG_6178.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1kpIYLeeccrI6cXzpbMYGnn2MP8wL5x0qsKtqPWksXsrsfWumWfYRbSTa_CqYOEzPRhs5Hjv01vnSBPh2Hj8Mn9slOEj4WzkfT4NhKsqHC0T3xVL2Xz4GRcjgfyJS6wUoQirMniUX4Zd7/s1600/IMG_6182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1kpIYLeeccrI6cXzpbMYGnn2MP8wL5x0qsKtqPWksXsrsfWumWfYRbSTa_CqYOEzPRhs5Hjv01vnSBPh2Hj8Mn9slOEj4WzkfT4NhKsqHC0T3xVL2Xz4GRcjgfyJS6wUoQirMniUX4Zd7/s320/IMG_6182.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Oh, and there was a cool chipmunk which I gracefully stalked for a close up picture:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDvUzETjZItW5fswwXpmIbMyjymV7TPJScBmcwZY884EHWKQWqtVm_k2FOrE1N2IEtXo0SJgauq4o6LU2BLIXImfSgxxzwrIQvL8c1VbGRMH-djmHRhlgFmGZSnmYZkA1SPF8ukAnuYqFQ/s1600/P4173200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDvUzETjZItW5fswwXpmIbMyjymV7TPJScBmcwZY884EHWKQWqtVm_k2FOrE1N2IEtXo0SJgauq4o6LU2BLIXImfSgxxzwrIQvL8c1VbGRMH-djmHRhlgFmGZSnmYZkA1SPF8ukAnuYqFQ/s320/P4173200.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzi7ipCaUvyJZex1agL0Yh-RTzPJFfLdn6lJhUFbmKhSJl2QoGUaiCeVg6ijT7c4ewphUJ2eRiX9d_Ia59xyx2hzh_hw_iCQJtFjJxHgybXYd_G_lN8X_IL4dOuR2p2sEYmsUBEqSkSxls/s1600/IMG_6176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzi7ipCaUvyJZex1agL0Yh-RTzPJFfLdn6lJhUFbmKhSJl2QoGUaiCeVg6ijT7c4ewphUJ2eRiX9d_Ia59xyx2hzh_hw_iCQJtFjJxHgybXYd_G_lN8X_IL4dOuR2p2sEYmsUBEqSkSxls/s320/IMG_6176.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
It was outside the red fort where we noticed a strange character walking around with what appeared to be a large stainless steel soup bowl. He approached Jason with a request to take a picture, which of course immediately prompted a question by us as to why he was walking around in this heat with a giant bowl. <br />
<br />
Long story short, he is an Australian cook writing a book about dishes around the world that can be made in a pot. This now being the second encounter with cooks that seem to travel the world (we <a href="http://www.jasonswissrtw.com/2010/04/india-meet-portugal-portugal-meet-india.html" target="_blank">met Belgian cooks</a> on the train from Mumbai to Goa), we can't help but figure this is a popular thing to do in the cooking community. Well, here's a shot of Jason taking the dudes picture. We will keep our eyes pealed for his book.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRei4D3GKysPuwx_uMrE9BA-TtGbQW9Q2hB5Pg705_68a5W0xlpBDnuwiqD7PZ8uweHsKaPagkpfxzJqgoTz428TnX5MJYSohyphenhyphenDRx-ufDwpCCYL83IkVV0k-OVfdXzleGtbm3NFcQ5Vp7o/s1600/IMG_6186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRei4D3GKysPuwx_uMrE9BA-TtGbQW9Q2hB5Pg705_68a5W0xlpBDnuwiqD7PZ8uweHsKaPagkpfxzJqgoTz428TnX5MJYSohyphenhyphenDRx-ufDwpCCYL83IkVV0k-OVfdXzleGtbm3NFcQ5Vp7o/s320/IMG_6186.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Although it was a hot day, we decided to leave the fort and explore a bit of old Delhi, including the buzzing bazaar and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jama_Masjid,_Delhi" target="_blank">Jama Masjid</a>. Jama Masjid, which I think means "congregational mosque", was comissioned by Mughal emporer Shah Jahan, the same dude who did the Taj Mahal, and completed 1656. It today is India's largest mosque and located a convenient 10-15 mintue walk from the red fort. Unfortunately we arrived at the mosque right during prayer time and didn't have a chance to go inside.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs2CrZfSbm5Gge9VvmSvX40NWZoKROXGIidVSl7yGawrrAAicYUjTe4TjfmqEMzIjqWFnq-CLNw9PzoA3Ihp9ogr4l0lHXdKZByi8FR8Y1rve5n3nyK7gf7xe3RBl69oN0jVydjeTy6vd3/s1600/IMG_6189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs2CrZfSbm5Gge9VvmSvX40NWZoKROXGIidVSl7yGawrrAAicYUjTe4TjfmqEMzIjqWFnq-CLNw9PzoA3Ihp9ogr4l0lHXdKZByi8FR8Y1rve5n3nyK7gf7xe3RBl69oN0jVydjeTy6vd3/s320/IMG_6189.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizbjvJ3HOYtRL3gyL0CELkWKovvrjz-uxdulnUuEntRRhV9zRwJiFX1-VB945DJfENB1__zCkGqSxj02Aj-m022kuhI0ufqyXAMPkYT4EjbMuwygijgkkSynOUPHBA21grlDDixs8vL0K0/s1600/IMG_6188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizbjvJ3HOYtRL3gyL0CELkWKovvrjz-uxdulnUuEntRRhV9zRwJiFX1-VB945DJfENB1__zCkGqSxj02Aj-m022kuhI0ufqyXAMPkYT4EjbMuwygijgkkSynOUPHBA21grlDDixs8vL0K0/s320/IMG_6188.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigMvYkZ0QsTInqC5Sbn5nhcc7lQGq1OgGF9eLYe6HbBz3sPz5FcEOB1Exuzaz8_VPc4VBHfBdG4liv-6WzM4pJTq0SWRKaX125antulZDUflOc6bN58Ca_1thQ4CvMDc8WDan75c6eVLxy/s1600/IMG_6193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigMvYkZ0QsTInqC5Sbn5nhcc7lQGq1OgGF9eLYe6HbBz3sPz5FcEOB1Exuzaz8_VPc4VBHfBdG4liv-6WzM4pJTq0SWRKaX125antulZDUflOc6bN58Ca_1thQ4CvMDc8WDan75c6eVLxy/s320/IMG_6193.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwjTSQtuF989KQpIPGk8l08RJcfwr8h8vH43p3qTzxX4jsrBIxDSkfsU4SmwQ1XuuJUb7z82fM1AjS14V_7lcUSjB1dWFf5f8RQ348s3nwr1jOhbm-UbfSjwuymBikWe2AMWDOYQjnhbNy/s1600/IMG_6197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwjTSQtuF989KQpIPGk8l08RJcfwr8h8vH43p3qTzxX4jsrBIxDSkfsU4SmwQ1XuuJUb7z82fM1AjS14V_7lcUSjB1dWFf5f8RQ348s3nwr1jOhbm-UbfSjwuymBikWe2AMWDOYQjnhbNy/s320/IMG_6197.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Dinner was to be had around Connaught place, which we reached by yet another short subway ride on the efficient but packed Delhi subway system. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuWc1mymj13HbOYpdERX0qBdA0ZbJun3h5U89ciE_z9u2oN6y76T0TJkk9Dv865IZIPsJegSZ1j9XjswUm1jkqZy1Xo-zbqJN6IskP-IB3WL_5FC2dsRWC2Sgx-d1ONKL4KCXgZfmQADWz/s1600/IMG_6200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuWc1mymj13HbOYpdERX0qBdA0ZbJun3h5U89ciE_z9u2oN6y76T0TJkk9Dv865IZIPsJegSZ1j9XjswUm1jkqZy1Xo-zbqJN6IskP-IB3WL_5FC2dsRWC2Sgx-d1ONKL4KCXgZfmQADWz/s320/IMG_6200.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZo8UVs7ADM0wTNM5e9mRNXw-t46RAvLSsIUTjHXwy2LaD2-1bwgr_G5f5pK8Sf-I9aCX8A5SmvW2kXi0tmCgirPYa-mNLdBdPs132X0lwpoYtsAMvUjCIjDMMc9-H-TzcX3h7zVaz3_K/s1600/IMG_6201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZo8UVs7ADM0wTNM5e9mRNXw-t46RAvLSsIUTjHXwy2LaD2-1bwgr_G5f5pK8Sf-I9aCX8A5SmvW2kXi0tmCgirPYa-mNLdBdPs132X0lwpoYtsAMvUjCIjDMMc9-H-TzcX3h7zVaz3_K/s320/IMG_6201.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
As it was a tad early for dinner, we decided to check out the area and chill at Central park, which offered grassy areas to sit down and take in the city. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8p6s2wz7rVO7ctgLIBgGsOCgapD9DcALtJd_nIX-6pl6bRfpXxM_ym4z8gsPJ9PHlymRXIRoFln5WYTvG1xxHNSwa-ffSquU7By-BwOfBhW41LheiVV7uYI1OOZ72GtwH5PaJs6if6qs7/s1600/IMG_6204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8p6s2wz7rVO7ctgLIBgGsOCgapD9DcALtJd_nIX-6pl6bRfpXxM_ym4z8gsPJ9PHlymRXIRoFln5WYTvG1xxHNSwa-ffSquU7By-BwOfBhW41LheiVV7uYI1OOZ72GtwH5PaJs6if6qs7/s320/IMG_6204.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguSJC8EqMFST5n0UmVChI8Qi3BYVIFjMU3p1jnQ4lSOmYLODlS6-LXqPAYu862a6PEnBh5MbiHbHtmQuwXCpFMHJVxtq6N2z8W2xzV1b8ffEXDtl3REElCxUTGMGbHThuHMiKe6l8mLFlX/s1600/IMG_6205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguSJC8EqMFST5n0UmVChI8Qi3BYVIFjMU3p1jnQ4lSOmYLODlS6-LXqPAYu862a6PEnBh5MbiHbHtmQuwXCpFMHJVxtq6N2z8W2xzV1b8ffEXDtl3REElCxUTGMGbHThuHMiKe6l8mLFlX/s320/IMG_6205.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We later grabbed some <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dosa" target="_blank">Dosas</a> at Saravana Bhavan, which to our surprise turned out the be a south Indian chain restaurant that actually has a location in Sunnyvale, CA. Small world. Even though it was a chain restaurant, the food was excellent and prices very reasonable. <br />
<br />
For our ride home, we felt adventurous enough to score a tuk tuk for the 30 minute ride to the Naths house, an experience that was fun but not to be repeated. We decided that freeways are best traveled by vehicles having more than 150cc engines and sporting a bit more generous crumple zones.<br />
<br />
<b>Badminton and Movies</b><br />
<br />
Our Sunday plans were to meet up with Nikhil, who is Madhu and Ravi's son (and Chiara's brother). Since he lives closer to downtown, we grabbed a quick bite for breakfast before catching a cab into town. Nikhil had worked for my Dad years ago, so I've known him since I was quite young. Needless to say, I was pretty stoked to see him again. We arrived at his house in the later parts of the morning, where we hung out for a bit to catch up on the news. Plans for the afternoon were to visit the Yonex 2010 Asian Badminton Championships (A/C!) with Nikhil and some of his friends. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2loU7DwVJaD7wAcpR4hh4L51ZjakKmwdMlf2g4l_5hXZEOLQF4klL-q7znUkDVx9osrxIEvnamPiW7HKQP7JyEjkAEykwchj8bRZn4MDgP3LJTFXOjglBdTFwLYc8w8-OFodFA1dK4jOB/s1600/IMG_6211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2loU7DwVJaD7wAcpR4hh4L51ZjakKmwdMlf2g4l_5hXZEOLQF4klL-q7znUkDVx9osrxIEvnamPiW7HKQP7JyEjkAEykwchj8bRZn4MDgP3LJTFXOjglBdTFwLYc8w8-OFodFA1dK4jOB/s320/IMG_6211.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We arrived at the stadium, which was still a bit under construction for the upcoming <a href="http://www.cwgdelhi2010.org/" target="_blank">commonwealth games</a>, in the early afternoon heat. Since cameras were not allowed, there is fairly little documentation of the event. This, coupled with my lack of ability to describe Badminton in an exciting manner, leads me to basically sum it up this way: The Chinese are really, really, ridiculously good at badminton.<br />
<br />
Upon leaving the tournament, we headed back to Nikhil's for yet more A/C and a quick afternoon nap. Plans for the evening were a movie and then dinner. Indians are notorious late-eaters, so it's no big deal to show up to a restaurant at 10pm. So we met up with another one of Nikhil's friends (her name escapes me right now - sorry), who joined us to an evening screening of "The Hurt Locker" followed by an excellent 10pm meal at Bukhara. Bukhara serves Delhi's - some claim India's - best Indian cuisine, which in our case was mainly focused on their tandoori cooked meats. And you get a bib. Score. To sum it up, the movie was ok, the food excellent (you must try their Daal), and the bibs ueber-cool. Stuffed, happy, and tired we cranked up some Lady GaGa (he had a nice audio system) and cruised toward his pad to call it a night.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipFNn9gv7sY4Prx4-2gyG3GC8kMVVXoFzcCU1SZxKMI8eTRceCxLTUIkmHB-xfbs1C7dewvltaJqWmHVCw6MiFfQyBvLMie4K_Gi2hg8zO0XYlZ-1FGmsinrQID75Yh0yagPfTXsvAGGZd/s1600/IMG00035-20100418-2318.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipFNn9gv7sY4Prx4-2gyG3GC8kMVVXoFzcCU1SZxKMI8eTRceCxLTUIkmHB-xfbs1C7dewvltaJqWmHVCw6MiFfQyBvLMie4K_Gi2hg8zO0XYlZ-1FGmsinrQID75Yh0yagPfTXsvAGGZd/s320/IMG00035-20100418-2318.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmB51M3MEV6VqYcrGm7rAoOGa0d8IJShB8YmmteXLVhf7fdQ3o-U0wRs0wO-Ert9thAqPYIZbTmLxjx3k1-aajDUlg89OFOIKSytj0Z74TZyzhrozmSb1T-xVsVGgI0Zscri6_gt6TeUR/s1600/IMG_6212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmB51M3MEV6VqYcrGm7rAoOGa0d8IJShB8YmmteXLVhf7fdQ3o-U0wRs0wO-Ert9thAqPYIZbTmLxjx3k1-aajDUlg89OFOIKSytj0Z74TZyzhrozmSb1T-xVsVGgI0Zscri6_gt6TeUR/s320/IMG_6212.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<b>Counting down</b><br />
<br />
Monday morning came early as we grabbed a ride with Nikhil back to "the farm", which is the nickname for Madhu and Ravi's place. Since this would be our last day in India, we had to take care of lodging arrangements in Egypt and straighten things out with Turkish airlines. Not too much exciting stuff to write about, and while we did manage to get Turkish to finally change our fare class, they told us it would not become effective until we paid for the change. With no payment accepted over the phone, this would have to happen once we got to Cairo, and thus delayed our upgrade scheme once more. We met with the entire family for a nice dinner of Thai curry and some Indian dishes, after which it became time to say goodbye to our wonderful hosts. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht48Ny4cGoNU3rFwADPyI_K__bYH3zonCXRjKphZLhs-uqWlxm82QphLyQt42GA1WAwMO_gufRYUGZISWRByXgUUOcGOFhKyQTqjJmnff7hiOEKMMP7RuineXc8T3I9aoBTgT8w5v-HnFK/s1600/IMG_6221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht48Ny4cGoNU3rFwADPyI_K__bYH3zonCXRjKphZLhs-uqWlxm82QphLyQt42GA1WAwMO_gufRYUGZISWRByXgUUOcGOFhKyQTqjJmnff7hiOEKMMP7RuineXc8T3I9aoBTgT8w5v-HnFK/s320/IMG_6221.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglseV4z9qIrywQa0iJdis2TTgFqTsPm99wTvWqZPsomssymtE0l2H7T2y54uE3Jxlrb7_wiFpgpFD30yKWq2uPaOJ2TulvzVU2bdTm2-Nga6rvbEcx5cSt8SXJdv44HXvNP-qpKR7DlTiq/s1600/IMG_6222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglseV4z9qIrywQa0iJdis2TTgFqTsPm99wTvWqZPsomssymtE0l2H7T2y54uE3Jxlrb7_wiFpgpFD30yKWq2uPaOJ2TulvzVU2bdTm2-Nga6rvbEcx5cSt8SXJdv44HXvNP-qpKR7DlTiq/s320/IMG_6222.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Madhu was kind enough to arrange us a driver to pick us up at 2am for our ride to the airport, which we groggily caught after a 2 hour nap. It was officially time to say good-bye to India, we had a great time!Swisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13257087659483700434noreply@blogger.com3