Aguascalientes, Mexico – Mexico may be best known for its spirits like tequila and mezcal, but Mexican wine is one of the fastest-growing industries in the country. Within Mexico are several wine regions, many of which are becoming regular household names. Aguascalientes, while one of the smallest states in Mexico, is the fifth-largest wine-producing region in the country. With an average elevation of more than 6,500 feet above sea level, … [Read more...]
Isla Grande, Colombia – the Island of Total Tranquility
A friend and I discovered a sign indicating 'restaurant' near our eco lodge, a metal shack located behind the owners home. An elderly woman who we call grandmum lives there with her husband and her son. She is a wiry and energetic woman who is always happy to see us; for some reason, there are never any other guests. Sometimes her dog Lola comes running out; she recently suffered an injury, a nasty claw mark down her back resulting from a fight … [Read more...]
Cafe Artisanal Cirpes, Colombia – February 2023
While not native to Colombia, coffee is now an important agricultural crop within the counry. Not on any map, but located about 25 minutes from Guatape, this 4.5 hectare coffee farm is perched on a steep hillside far above the Guatape River. Accessible only by foot or a sturdy Jeep, the road to get here is steep and extremely rocky at times. From the main road, the road leading to the coffee farm is about 1km (almost all downhill going and uphill … [Read more...]
Looking for Gold in Santa Fe de Antioquia, Colombia
My first introduction to gold mining in Colombia was through stories told years ago by a friend of the family. His father had been mining in the country sometime in the 1920s and hit it rich. He brought the gold back with him to the states by ship. But partway into his journey he began to suffer from yellow fever and probably malaria which left him delirious. His findings were stolen from him on the ship, leaving only a few nuggets in his … [Read more...]
Karl Bushby, Adventurer and Author
Karl Bushby is a British ex-paratrooper, walking adventurer and author. Since 1998, he has embarked on his Goliath Expedition - a round-the-world circumnavigation solely on foot. His journey has covered 43,493km so far. Giant Steps: The Remarkable Story of the Goliath Expedition From Punta Arenas to Russia is his book journaling his extraordinary journey. Karl was kind enough to let me interview him recently. Q1. One of the common … [Read more...]
A Night in Florida to Remember, But for All the Wrong Reasons
I was super excited; I was flying back to Florida from Medellin, my first time in the U.S. in nearly 3 months. I had booked my hotel several weeks before, remembering the sticker shock of the price for one night, as compared to the cheap living I had experienced in Colombia. I arrived at the Fort Lauderdale airport, one of my favorite smaller airports to arrive into after an international flight. No one was at customs, the agent asked me what my … [Read more...]
Five of my Most Memorable Drinks
I have been fortunate to have sampled a lot of alcohol on my travels around the planet, ranging from regional beers, to homemade rice wine, local concoctions in various villages including illegally made home-wine in a remote Iranian dessert village and some truly special beverages that were memorable due to their quality, pedigree and age along with external factors including companions and location. But there are a few drinks I count as being … [Read more...]
The Noisiest Place I’ve Ever Stayed At
In choosing the title for this post, one would think the noisiest place I ever stayed at would be in a city somewhere, with a room above a nightclub or in a part of town featuring endless partying. But not so, in actuality this not-so distinguished award goes to a rural located eco /glamping lodge on the outskirts of charming Santa Fe de Antioquia in Colombia (about a 90 minute drive from Medellin). I have never stayed at such a noisy place in … [Read more...]
The Rock of Guatapé, Colombia – June 2022
The Rock of Guatapé or otherwise known as Peñol Stone is a 220 meter (approximately 750 foot) tall granite monolith located about a two hour drive from the center of Medellin in Colombia. The closest city is Guatape, about a 10-15 minute drive away. First climbed in 1954, the 'rock' is still owned by the descendants of that original climber. Visitors can walk to the main entrance from the base (about a 10-15 minute walk), or take a tuk-tuk … [Read more...]
Searching for the Soul of Cartagena, Colombia
Darkness has fallen in Cartagena and the buzzing sounds of the motor bikes with their bright lights passing constantly are rattling my senses. I am now wandering the busy streets searching for the soul of this city. I'm pretty sure I've found it inside the city walls of old Cartagena. I soon spot paintings of people smoking cigars hanging on the walls inside a building; the interior immediately appeals to me from the curb so I enter the dimly lit … [Read more...]
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