We arrive in Munich and our guide makes it clear this is Bavaria. This trip Bavarians favor autonomy from Germany and even have their own language. I've been here many times but looking through sober eyes now, I find it more vibrant, clean and sophisticated. We spend 2 days with Nancy, an excellent guide who has already emailed me to remain in touch. I have a mini-group of just 26 so this is like a vacation for me. It's a first time abroad … [Read more...]
Spectacular 5 Country Scandinavian Cruise – Costa’s Atlantica
I've cruised dozens of ships on various lines and in my opinion this is as good as it gets on a mega-liner of 2200+ passengers with 920 crew. Costa's Atlantica was a floating palace of art deco furnishings, marble inlaid floors and millions of dollars invested in original works of art. It exceeded my expectations. Also I normally loose weight on cruises shunning the ships artificial fare. This time I over indulged on varied menus of fresh food. I … [Read more...]
El Salvador, Part 2: The Thoughts
The end of 1970s was a turbulent period in Salvadorian politics. Various juntas formed and collapsed, tension soon spilled indo an epidemic of underground political violence and murders, until at some point a war against the government was declared by a leftist coalition (FMLN). After a 12-year carnage peace was finally struck in 1992, with the government taking necessary reforms to stay in power, and the FMLN re-organising into a political … [Read more...]
Mt. Rainier, WA – Pre-Climb
Rainier as seen from start of trail on the way to Camp Muir, and Bergshrund above Ingraham Flats A note regarding the National Park Service links listed on this page. The National Park Service is the most unorganized department for constantly changing links and NOT updating old URL's to point to their new URL's. We like to point our users directly to the correct information and this is a nightmare to keep updated across the articles posted on … [Read more...]
Mt. Rainier, WA – The Climb
Introduction We stayed one night at Camp Muir, then crossed the Cowlitz Glacier to Cathedral Gap (10,640 ft) and continued along the rock and scree ridge to Ingraham Glacier and Ingraham Flats at 11,100 ft. We spent the rest of the day here, caught some Z's until just past midnight - then left for the summit, reached the top and returned to Ingraham Flats. At this point due to exhaustion we caught some more Z's and then packed up the tent and … [Read more...]
The Skyclad Jain Monks in Kundalpur
During our four months trip in India this year, my husband and I stopped in Khajuraho to visit the Erotic Temples. There, we heard of a small village Kundalpur, where hundreds of Jain Monks will gather in a two-day festival to celebrate fifty women becoming Jain mothers. We left Khajuraho together with a local Jain couple and their family car for Kundalpur to take part in the festival. Kundalpur turned out to be a very enriching and deeply … [Read more...]
How to Avoid The Pitfalls of Using a Taxi
In general, this article is about problematic taxi drivers. It is really hard to put a percentage on the "bad" taxi drivers I've used on trips around the world as each country is different and it is these "bad" drivers who really stand out in your mind. If I had to choose a number, I would say maybe 30-40 percent of the taxi drivers I've used around the world have tried to pull something shady on me. In the same grain, there are many taxi drivers … [Read more...]
The G.A.P Top 5: Places of Independence
1. Yukon, Canada There's nothing you know like your own backyard, and even if it's 7000 km away from home it's still more familiar than Mexico, which is closer. Canada's Yukon, east of Alaska and north of British Columbia, has attracted independent types since frontier days. I like trekking in the mountains, which there are lots of (the last ice age missed this part of the continent) and the long light in the summertime. I don't recommend … [Read more...]
Choquequirao – the Real Lost City of the Inca
Machu Picchu is one of those things you can't miss, even if you hate crowds and band wagons. It is undoubtedly gorgeous and profound. However, all that 'lost city' stuff sounds like a cheap cliche these days. What is so lost about a shiny train, a bunch of new coaches, international cuisine, inflated tourist trap prices, tactical formations of retired Japanese and millions of North-American kids screaming for mommy? Machu Picchu is a Very Much … [Read more...]
Walking with Ghosts
Hurricane Katrina had no favorites. She picked equally on the weak and the strong, black and white. She stomped on the rich and the poor and she stopped life in its tracks. Imagine life with all your possessions in the front yard or in the gutters. Worse yet, imagine you have no possessions, no house. Imagine searching for your friends, your family or your pet weeks after they disappeared. Yes, just imagine! This is the reality for thousands … [Read more...]
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