Granada’s iconic cathedral
This past year, I have been traveling a little more like a normal tourist than I did when I set out on my travels three years ago. Back then, I made a point to use the transportation used by locals, eat at the night markets and food stalls, and visit every kind of neighborhood. I was reminded of this in Managua when my taxi driver took me to the bus station instead of the meeting place for the tourist shuttle. Continue reading
“The joy of living in peace”
The tour books say there is not much to see in Managua, Nicaragua. This sounds like an invitation. I like to look for what’s beneath the surface, whether the surface is sublime or funky. There are always secrets and special somethings everywhere you go, right? Continue reading
The Amatista
Until I spent a few days on the Amatista, “Amazon” meant big river (or even bigger online retailer), impenetrable jungles and dark-skinned men with blow darts. The vision is accurate as far as it goes – except that the blow darts are now mostly found in souvenir shops — but I learned this week how the Amazon is a lot more than a river. The Amazon basin, called “Amazonia,” is one of the earth’s natural superstars. Continue reading
Lima beans are probably on every child’s short list of least favorite foods but that’s not the worst thing that ever happened to them (the lima beans). Americans don’t seem to have made the connection between the beans and their namesake, the capital city of Peru, which is pronounced LEE-MA.
Although a visit to Machu Picchu is at the top of many bucket lists, I never planned to visit. It’s too high! But I went to Machu Picchu anyway and learned that no one ever exaggerated either its magnificence or the challenges it presents to people who are afraid of heights.
Flying into Cusco (Peru :)), you know your landing is going to be a little tricky because the air is thin at 11,000 feet. As you approach the city, you see that there isn’t much room for error because you will be landing in a small valley surrounded by mountains, and the landing strip is flanked by 3 and 4 story apartment buildings. A modified helicopter landing! You land safely and wonder how this isolated place could have been the the center of an empire.
Bogota, Colombia, is like so many of the world’s big cities — crowded, bogged down by traffic, leafy neighborhoods and the desperately poor, an interesting old town and, increasingly, a vibrant bar and cafe scene. Lots of music, trees and churches. Bogota is also one of the most painted cities I have ever visited. Art is everywhere.
Cartagena is a dream vacation spot on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. The old town is a maze of narrow streets lined with colorful colonial-style houses, shops and hotels. Vendors sell fresh fruit and Panama hats on every corner. Horse-drawn carriages breeze by the neighborhood’s many plazas, where musicians and dancers perform. Most of the music is Afro-Caribbean, a reminder that this was once a busy port for the slave trade.
