To See the Seven Continents

Athens, Greece

2012-01-19T07:02:00.000-08:00

Athens: the sprawling and ancient capital of Greece.

As with most visitors to Athens, I was drawn first to the Acropolis; it was as if being in such close proximity to a historical place of this magnitude drew me in like the inescapable gravitational force of some massive astronomical body. The Acropolis is a rocky hill towering over central Athens, and I approached it from the North, climbing through the twisted and historic lanes of Plaka. Just on the walk up, I passed by several ancient sites from the Greeks and Romans.
Ancient history is everywhere in Athens.

The Acropolis walls, built firmly onto the slick rocks and precipitous cliffs around the summit. The stonework and engineering around the Acropolis are incredible, and of course the Architecture of the temples and monuments guided architectural trends for millennia after they were originally conceived and constructed.

This is where the realization set in...I was at the Acropolis! Walking up to and through the Propylaea, or the main entrance to the fortified summit, I was overwhelmed with thoughts of how many famous people through history had walked through this very structure. Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Alexander the Great, Roman Caesars and Senators, and countless other influential figures from European and Middle Eastern history.

The Temple of Athena Nike, which flanks one side of the Propylaea. In Greek, Nike means Victory...and Athena Nike is Victorious Athena, the symbolic goddess of Athens. Nike Athena represents the ancient Athenian victory in 449 BC over the mighty Persians, ancient enemies of Greece who had previously sacked and burned Athens and the previous temples and monuments on the Acropolis in 480 BC.

With the Persians taken care of and peace with that once mighty empire secured, Athens was able to flourish. It quickly established itself as the seat of power, stability, democracy, and learning in the ancient Mediterranean world. There were wars of course, particularly with the nearby Greek city-state of Sparta, but Athens endured and the iconic structures that we recognize collectively as the Acropolis today were constructed. The stonework is immaculate. They claim that no stones were cut to form; each one was cut to fit. This is remarkable and difficult to believe considering how tightly they are spaced. These monumental structures really are marvels of ancient engineering.

The Parthenon, the most famous of the Acropolis' structures. Commissioned by Pericles in the 5th century BC, this massive temple of Athena was miraculously completed in only 10 years! I heard a joke (told by a Greek by the way) stating that such a feat would be impossible for modern Greeks, since the project would be endlessly delayed due to bureaucracy and workers' strikes. Amazingly, and terribly sadly, the majority of the damage to the temple occurred in recent times, when a Venetian siege to oust the Turks set off a Turkish ammo dump IN THE PARTHENON resulting in a massive explosion and leaving the building in the crumbled state it is in today. Apparently, prior to this horribly destructive act, the temple was largely in tact, much the same as it was more than 1000 years before. A modern restoration process is underway (hence some of the heavy machinery in several of the pictures). The restoration is being done such that it is fully and easily reversible, just in case those in the future can do things better than we can now (good and wise plan in my opinion).

The next major act of devastation to the Acropolis came in the form of Lord Elgin of the British Empire in first decade of the 19th century. He oversaw the "acquisition" of literally tons of the original marble statues, friezes, and sculptures from the Acropolis' temples. In modern terms, this essentially constituted theft on a national level, as Elgin was "interpreting" (to the Empire's benefit) a deal he had made with the then occupying Turks, which granted him permission to erect scaffolding and excavate and remove "stones with inscriptions". These stolen artifacts are still housed in museums throughout England, and many Greeks are quick to point out that they would kindly like them back.

Apparently many of the carvings that are visible on site now are replicas, with the real versions (that is those not in England) housed below the Acropolis in the new Acropolis Museum...see more on this below.

The modern restoration project is detailing ALL stones around the site and piecing together as much as they can. Some replacement stones are being set, but only sparingly, when necessary to place one of the originals.

The Caryatids, otherwise known as the Porch of the Maidens, on the Erechtheion. These were enchanting pieces and once again feats of ancient engineering and art. Each is unique, and they are structural as well. Those graceful and feminine necks, being the thinnest point on the statues, can hold up the weight of the marble roof above them. Oh yea, and its all been standing for over 1500 years or so now. Quite impressive if I must say so myself.

The Erechtheion...a temple to the mythological King Erichthonius of Athens. Because of the Caryatids, the Turks (during the Ottoman era) used this structure as the local harem, where the Sultan or leading official kept his army of wives and mistresses.

These are now very accurate modern replica Caryatids (since 2007). The remaining originals are down below in the new Acropolis Museum, being restored.

Old meets new... looking out from the Propylaea onto the massive metropolis of Modern Athens. I was awed again and again by how large the city is. With over 3 million people, more than 1 in every 4 Greeks lives in Athens, and the city sprawls. Like LA, most buildings don't rise above 3 or 4 stories, the city has a coast, and is surrounded by mountains, which make for record breaking smog.

Now, onto the new Acropolis museum, where the remaining statues and friezes have been restored and safely displayed in a climate controlled environment (keeping them out of that damaging smog).

There are also scale models of what the original pediment artwork looked like (based on historical documents and pictures). Here Athena is seen with Zeus (seated with spear), Poseiden (seated with trident), Hades (with the axe)?, and Apollo (with the lyre)?

Inside on the top floor, they have a modern mock up of the real thing...it's quite tastefully done in my opinion, especially considering that the massive windows let you look out on the original structures on the hill above you!

Ah yes, and little models showing the Acropolis from various periods. This was during the Roman era, as can be discerned from the Herodes Atticus Theater seen in the bottom left.

The Museum is built over an active dig site...revealing how the modern city is just built up on top of the ancient one. They reveal this to you with several cutaways in the terrace outside and with glass floors inside.

The Herodes Atticus Theater, a remnant from the Roman Empire. They still show plays and concerts here in the summertime! That would be an amazing venue for sure!

Hadrians Arch (lower central left), another remnant of the Romans, and the remaining ruins of the Temple of Olympian Zeus...only 15 columns remain of the original 104.

A view through the trees to the Hephaisteion, the Temple of Hephaistos, who was the god of fire, volcanoes, metals, blacksmiths, metallurgy, craftsmen, technology, artisans, and sculptors. The temple is one of the best preserved around the city.

View out over the city with the immaculately (and accurately) reconstructed Stoa in the right foreground. The Stoa and Hephaisteion are on the old Agora, or marketplace. Probably not by coincidence, Athens modern market district is just to the North (rough direction of the photo) of the ancient Agora. There you can find all sorts of things from souvenirs and trinkets to clothing, hardware, and fresh food! I wandered through the central market, fish market and meat (mostly lamb and chicken from what I could make out) market, my mouth was just watering at all the cheese and olives and fresh seafood.

Looking across to the Hill of the Nymphs and the National Observatory of Athens...more to come on this below.

Not everything in central Athens is ancient. If fact, I was amazed by how much street art and graffiti there is there. I guess it is testament to the not-so-underlying angst amongst Greek teens and youth...those that drive the world famous demonstrations and riots against the government and current economic situation in the country.

This eye reminded me of the Evil Eye, the symbol which is all over the tourist shops in both Istanbul and Athens. The legend apparently goes that if something that people want or desire (either because it is attractive, valuable, or unusual...can be a person or thing) suddenly becomes indisposed then it is said to be a result of the spell of the Evil Eye. Supposedly, blue-eyed people are adept at casting the spell (on purpose or even inadvertently) and it can be reversed if the admirer mock-spits to counteract the envy in the spell.

Old and new again...this time a modern building built right over a small church!

The Roman Tower of the Winds...another very well preserved ruin. At the top of each of the eight sides are friezes of the eight winds, one for each of the cardinal and ordinal directions on a compass. It was pretty neat, each of the winds had their own unique style, including one dire looking one that was probably the predominant direction from which storms roll in.

I just love how this picture turned out. The ruin in the foreground is the Roman Forum and in the back right is one of the many, many churches scattered around the city. That orange building just looks like it was chopped right in half.

A modern version of classic Greek architecture. This is the neo-classical Academy of Athens. The painting might look tacky to some, but it is accurate. The ancient Greeks painted their sculptures and architecture.

I actually really liked this building. I'd like to see more reconstructions and full restorations like this and the Stoa. They are so much more beautiful than the ruined and shattered skeletons of the originals, even if most of the stone isn't that. In my opinion, it does more honor to the original and architect to restore and reconstruct these things than to let their crumbling remains slowly but surely decay and submit to the environment.

The charming streets and lanes of Plaka. The old, and unfortunately very touristy, part of town.

I was in Athens in January, and it was quite obviously not peak tourist season. Most of the cafes and restaurants had outdoor seating, and the vast majority of those seats and tables were empty while I was there. It was charming though, still, and the food I had there was delicious. My favorite meal was most definitely lamb braised in tomato sauce with zucchini and garlic...amazing..so simple but delicious and fresh.

Plaka sits just below the Acropolis, and of course, is scattered with more ruins.

Up close at the National Observatory of Athens. I was there for work, and the meeting was hosted by colleagues at the Observatory. I was very lucky to get an exclusive tour of the historic building and a trip up to the dome and roof, which provided for some excellent pictures.

You might be able to make out the the Greek word for Nymph (note the Greek letter phi for "ph"). This is the inscription for which the Hill of the Nymphs, upon which the Observatory is built, was named. The inscription is on a rock, below a tree, just outside of the front of the building, and it is apparently several thousand years old. Pretty neat to think of how many ancient Greeks sat up on that hill and looked up at the same stars as we see today.

Inside the Observatory building, which just received EU funding for a very nice and well-needed restoration. I love rooms like this...some of the books were several hundred years old too...and written in Greek, Latin, English, Russian, French, German, and several other languages. Pretty neat

And, the view from the top after dark...not too bad. The first picture on this post was taken from the same place before sunset.

Monastiraki Square. I found myself wandering through here several times...each time I took in a bit of the great atmosphere around the square. From here there is easy access to the massive flea market, market district, and other cool shops and restaurants. If you venture into the flea market, you need to find a little cafe on the central flea market square...the cafe is super characteristic, but the top floor has an incredible view...especially after dark. The food is tasty too!

Hadrians Library with the Acropolis behind... the Roman Emperor Hadrian definitely liked to build things, and this library was absolutely enormous! Unfortunately, not much of it is still standing, but the foundation is still visible. Viewed from above (like up by the pink building in the background here) you can appreciate just how massive this ancient structure was.

This is an awesome little promenade along the ancient Agora. The whole thing is lined with restaurants, offering plenty of dining options. Wander off the main path by one of the churches, and you'll find a rooftop beer garden here...they have cheap beer and unbeatable views.

Only in Athens...and maybe Rome. The Metro (which is really quite nice and has good coverage around the city, including the airport!) by the rebuilt Stoa.

There were a lot of stray dogs on the streets in Athens. They all looked pretty well fed though and many apparent strays were actually not (they had collars and tags).

An Evzoni in front of the Greek Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This sits across from Syntagma Square and at the foot of Parliament. Despite the goofy (and according to Hemingway, emasculating) uniforms, these guys are actually elite infantry that are painstakingly selected to meet strict criteria.

Evzoni changing of the guard ceremony...

These were their winter uniforms; their summer ones are white.

I think this guy escorting them was in the middle of cracking some joke about me taking a picture...right after they guy up front was obviously fighting laughter.

Greek Parliament. I purposefully restricted my trip to Athens only. I did this because my fiance wants to visit Greece more than any other place on the planet right now...so I'll have to be sure to get her over there with me the next time I go, which should be sometime in the next few years. Hopefully, it will be in the spring or fall. It was great to be so alone on the Acropolis, but wandering the city felt a little empty at times...like the potential for so much more was there, but not being fulfilled at the moment. Summer is supposedly just way too busy and uncomfortably hot. All I know is I can't wait to get back and see the coast, islands, and countryside...during the flights, the jagged coasts, mountains, and islands were just calling to me like so many sirens.

Around LA

2011-09-17T19:28:00.000-07:00

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I realized we would be moving to Los Angeles. I had visited here once before, in 2004, and I must admit, I was mostly put off by the city. Driving in from San Diego for the first time, I got hooked on the beauty of California, with the ocean, desert and mountains. Then we hit Orange County and the 405. Coming down those hills and seeing the LA basin filled with nothing but city and smog was disgusting for me. Then we hit the traffic...bumper to bumper on a Saturday morning. I established my first opinion on the city as a den of hypocrisy. I stated how ridiculous it was that people claim to be environmentally conscious and friendly here, yet they have an obsession with driving and some of the most polluted air in the country; how ridiculous it was that you have all of these celebrities "contributing" to the plight of the poor around the world, but doing little to nothing for those just a few miles away in Skid Row; how they claim to have some of the best and brightest working in the various high-tech industries that have set up in state, yet at the polls they continually screw themselves with terrible representation and governance that has literally driven one of the largest economies in the world into the ground. Having lived here now for nine months, I couldn't have been farther from the truth. All those things are true here, but that is a result of long and interesting history and the fact that there are just SO many people living out here! You truly have a little of everything, and you can find and focus on whatever you want. With that in mind, I'm finding so much that I do enjoy and appreciate and am really starting to enjoy living here.

The picture above is an original Banksy...the (in)famous street artist. Note, that the original piece consists of the boy with the machine gun with crayon bullets and the childish, bright flower and butterfly drawings around him. L.A. is one of his frequent haunts, and whenever he makes a visit, his randomly scattered works of art receive a lot of attention and press. Some pieces have even been cut out of the facades to be sold on the black market! It was neat to see this just a few days after he had put it up...especially since Urban Outfitters, on whose store the graffiti was posted, painted over it within a week. I can definitely recommend his movie, "Please exit through the gift shop" for a unique perspective on Banksy's art and glimpses into his world view and sense of humor and wit.

Starting in downtown...I don't take pictures in Skid Row, since I find it may be offensive to the many people who live there. I must say though, every visitor to LA should experience a walk through Skid Row...it is terribly eye opening and, when contrasted with the mansions, shops, and cars in Beverly Hills, is a prime example of just how extreme the divide is between rich and poor in LA. Downtown used to be a place to avoid, but it is an "up and coming" part of the city now. I really enjoy wandering around down there. The architecture is great, a neat mix of old and new with a lot of nostalgic, golden-era type buildings and theaters. The picture above shows the skyscrapers on Bunker Hill, a much despised financial fortress-district that is incredibly unfriendly for pedestrians (possibly deliberately so).

The LA Times building. Downtown is a bizarre and intriguing mix of expensive, massive structures and little pockets of awesomeness, Olvera Street, Little Tokyo, Chinatown, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Grand Central Market, and the Fashion District to name a few. There are some great bars and restaurants around too. It's surprisingly walkable (outside of Bunker Hill) too, though there are probably still some areas you'd want to avoid at night.

Olvera Street...the original LA. This street is testament to LA's Mexican heritage, and now it is a large open air Mexican market. There are some great restaurants and food stalls around here too!

The LA Grand Central Market between Broadway and Hill downtown. This place is AMAZING! Food vendors and stalls from all over the world. Obviously the Latin American nations are very well represented, but there are also Middle Eastern, European, and Asian specialty shops and eatery's as well. This is truly a gem.

Food trucks, an LA institution. These guys are EVERYWHERE and they are delicious! Most of them are either ethnic or specialty (like burgers, fries, or grilled cheese...yes there is The Grilled Cheese Truck). My favorite though are the fusion ones...particularly the Mexican-Asian hybrids. I mean, I guess it is only natural...having such a beautiful mix of cultures and people here, you're going to get a lot of interracial marriages (which is awesome and may partially explain the abundance of really good looking people here), and with those mixed couples will come the mixing of those cultural foods. All I can say is the first Mexican-Korean couple to blend Korean BBQ with Mexican tacos are my heroes.

The LA City Hall. Like I said, the city really has some iconic and unique architecture.

Speaking of iconic architecture...the LA Police Dept. This building is massive and imposing, with practically no windows (symbolism anyone?). The LAPD is a true force in the city...they even boast tanks (really armored vehicles) and gunship helicopters. Hopefully they learned a lot about restrained force from the Rodney King Riots in 1992.

Downtown during the Red Bull Soapbox Derby races. There is always something fun going on in the city. Missy and I spent the first 8 months here and only left the city one weekend to go surfing in San Clemente (when we weren't traveling that is). We kept saying we wanted to check out other places (like the Sierras, Santa Barbara, San Diego, up and down the coast, the desert, etc), but there was always something great to do in town!

The Bradbury Building...on Broadway amongst the crumbling and dilapidated old theaters is this architectural wonder...a must see and totally free to wander around.

Possibly, the ugliest cathedral in the world.

The Walt Disney Concert Hall...this place is amazing. Designed by Frank Gehry (seriously AMAZING architect...just google his name to check out his other works). You can spend a couple hours just wandering around this place, inside and out, though you need tickets to see the main concert hall, which I've heard is incredible as well!

Now, beyond downtown another architectural masterpiece: Watts Towers. Built over 33 years in the first half of the last century by an Italian immigrant and construction worker, Sabato Rodia, these complex structures peak at nearly 100 feet tall. They are constructed of cement and a variety of random materials, mostly collected scraps of garbage that have been so uniquely recycled here. Interesting decorations include pieces of colored glass, bottles, cans, jars, dishes, cups, tiles, and imprints from various objects like hammers and hands. The whole thing was structurally tested for stability before it was protected as a heritage site. The structures rise up out of the Watts area...a terribly impoverished area of the infamous south-central LA region.

A closer view at some of the random features in the Watts Towers.

A view of Griffith Observatory and downtown LA from Griffith Park, truly one of the highlights of the city! This is supposedly the larges metropolitan park in the United States, and it has some great peaceful spots, hiking trails, and bike paths. The observatory is an added gem; it is free to the public and has a great variety of science exhibitions. They also do free planet and star viewing with their large telescopes at night!

As close to Hollywood as this post is getting. Taken from Century City and the Annenburg Space for Photography, a brilliant, and free, gallery of photography. I really don't like Hollywood too much; the main drag is an awful example of tourism gone bad...it reminds me a lot of Niagara Falls actually. There are some redeeming qualities though. There is a pretty interesting theater district, some genuinely great clubs and bars for live music, and movies and music in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. It's just another example of how shifting your perspective and focusing on things you enjoy can overcome some truly negative aspects of the LA area.

A building at the Annenburg Space...it was supposedly designed to reflect a camera...pretty neat. Another great visit is the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). We were there just recently for the amazing Tim Burton exhibit, with over 700 pieces of original art by the famous Hollywood director. There are multiple galleries there though, and we just barely scratched the surface with our wander through the special exhibit and the gallery of modern art. Nearby are the La Brea tar pits, another interesting and bizarre feature of the area. After these, you can grab a delicious and authentic Ethiopian dinner in Little-Ethiopia on S. Fairfax.

View of UCLA (foreground) and downtown LA (background) from the Getty Center.

Views of the Hollywood Hills and the Griffith Observatory (big white building) in the foreground with the snow-covered San Gabriel mountains in behind and GoodYear blimp above. This was also taken from the Getty Center on a clear day after rains. I would highly recommend visits to either the Getty Center or Griffith Observatory on days after rains, when the basin is most free of the disgusting smog.

The Getty Center...another wonderful, and free, center of culture. There are various art and historical galleries in this massive complex, but these are just an added bonus on the incredible architecture, beautifully manicured grounds, and overwhelming views of the LA basin and Hollywood hills.

Onto the Westside now...the beautiful and peaceful Venice canals. Venice Beach has entirely it's own vibe...extremely bizarre, hip, chill, and vibrant. Wander just a few blocks in and you stumble upon the practically opposite world of the canals. Wandering around these canals and taking in the peaceful atmosphere and interesting hodge-podge of incredibly expensive homes is definitely amongst the best walks in the LA area.

Many of the homeowners have little docks and boats for relaxing on the water.

As I already mentioned, each house is quite unique, which just adds to the interesting atmosphere. Some obviously embrace exhibitionism while others surround their places with dense foliage to maintain privacy. The exhibitionists have a lot to boast though...most of the places have massive patios, balconies, and/or porches to relax outside. Most houses have lots of windows on the canal sides and many even have sliding walls to allow them to open up entire sides of their homes to the open and beautiful Southern California coastal air.

And our local haunt, Santa Monica. This is the great Farmers Market that takes over Arizona Ave. every Wednesday and Saturday. Doing some shopping here and enjoying a nice stroll along the pedestrian-only 3rd Street Promenade makes for a brilliant start to a Saturday.

The Palisades Park on the bluffs above the beach...just a short walk from our place and a favorite place to go relax. This is looking North, with the Santa Monica Mountains in the background. I absolutely love it here; it's peaceful and so beautiful.

The Santa Monica Pier...I'm not a big fan of the pier itself, which again is another example of tourism gone wrong with cheap shops, big unoriginal chains (Bubba Gump Shrimp has set up there), and a variety of opportunistic buskers. Once again, there are redeeming qualities...during the summer they do a series of free concerts and movies at the pier. It's so much fun to pack a picnic and some beer or wine and go relax down on the beach below the pier and enjoy the free shows!

We get some great sunsets at the Palisades Park too...

Just up around the coast is Malibu. This was a nice sunset we enjoyed at Point Dume State Beach.

There is this impressive cliff at Point Dume, which is ideal for top-rope climbing since you can walk up the back side!

Enjoying sunset from Point Dume, some surfers can be seen out in the water catching some evening waves.

Down south now in Huntington Beach for the US Open of Surfing. This is a picture of none other than Kelly Slater, possibly the greatest surfer to ever live and indisputably the most highly decorated in world championship victories.

These guys displayed some amazing control and maneuverability on their short boards, despite the only small-to-medium waves.

There was also a long-board hang ten competition, where competitors get extra points for their ability to walk to the front of the board and dangle all ten toes off the front lip. This is not an easy feat...the board must be positioned just right in a wave to counterbalance the weight of the surfer out on the front edge. The pic above shows a surfer seemingly floating above the face of the wave he's riding...it was an incredibly impressive display of skill.

We had a little bit of entertaining showmanship as well including two surfers getting onto the same board (having started on two separate boards, meeting up mid wave, and then transitioning onto one board and successfully riding it out) as shown above and the handstand seen below.

Pretty cool and just one more example of the seemingly infinite opportunities to get out and enjoy all types of different events and activities around the LA area.

St. John's, Newfoundland

2011-08-28T09:45:00.000-07:00

I had three days between when I returned from Moscow and when I had to take back off again for a conference in St. John's, Newfoundland in Canada. I must admit, I was very excited to see a different part of my native country, and I had heard good things about Newfoundland, despite all the silly jokes. I wasn't let down.

If two countries were able to reproduce, then Newfoundland would surely be the love child of Canada and Ireland. I was absolutely floored by how similar Newfoundland was to Ireland, in literally everything from its geography, climate, architecture, accents, and culture. The first thing to reveal this to me were the technicolor houses. All shades of color seemed to have been used throughout town...and as with Ireland, I suspect this is just a little something to keep spirits a bit higher when foul weather sets in.

My next wave of realization came when I stumbled upon George Street, a pedestrian only affair consisting of over 50 bars and pubs. I got in on a Friday night, and needless to say, the place was rowdy. The majority of the pubs are in the true Irish style, traditional music sets and all! I found a great place with modern Canadian folk though (think Great Big Sea or Spirit of the West), which was just what I wanted from live music in Newfoundland.

St John's sits on a harbor on the Eastern tip of Newfoundland Island. The island itself is truly massive, another fact I had not at all appreciated before getting there. I was floored talking to some Canadian tourists in the bar when they told me it took about 7 hours to drive across it on the Trans-Canada Highway, which is by far the fastest way across the island! Looking in more detail at a map however, this is not surprising; Newfoundland Island is as big or bigger than many Eastern US states. So, I resigned to the fact that I would only see the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador's capital (St. John's) as well as a little sample of the small area around it. I'm hoping to get back to Newfoundland at some point though, as it truly is a beautiful and fun place (in the summer).

On the walk up to Cabot Tower. The mouth of the harbor was heavily fortified up through WWII, being such an important point on the trans-Atlantic journey, both by air and sea. It was quite interesting to find out that St. John's had one of the busiest airports in the world for some time since most flights had to stop there for refueling between the Eastern North American coast and Europe.

Cabot Tower, one of St. John's key landmarks. It sits atop Signal Hill on the northern edge of the harbor's mouth. It's named after John Cabot (Giovanni Caboto), and was built to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Cabot's "discovery" of Newfoundland. Truly, First Nations people had discovered Newfoundland more than a millennium earlier, and then it was "rediscovered" by Norse (Viking) explorers in the Dark Ages. I was interested to hear that Newfoundland is still a very popular destination for modern Nordic people, some of which even make the journey by sailing ship from Scandinavia! Apparently, the Norwegians are big fans of this trip...I met several at the bars.

I mentioned the geography of Newfoundland reminded me a lot of Ireland. By "reminded me", I mean it was damned near identical! A lot of the photos here are coastal landscapes...I won't say a lot about them, but everything from the ruggedness of the coast to the colors of the rock and flora are just like Ireland. Someone even remarked that they look so close because it really is the same rock that makes up both places. Whatever it is, the resemblance is remarkable and definitely explains why so many Irish decided to settle there (explaining the incredible similarities between cultures).

Looking down at seabirds on the cliffs.

This amazing sea fog rolled over me while I was walking back down from Cabot Tower...

Looking across the mouth of the harbor to the lighthouse on the southern side. With mist like I just showed, it's no doubt how important lighthouses are to sailors around such rocky and jagged coast.

On the walk up or back from Cabot Tower, you go through this delightful little part of town: the Battery. Named after the guns that used to defend the harbor, it is now a sleepy little fishermans community of shanty houses clinging to the cliffs.

Newfoundland has a long and proud fishing heritage. The Great Banks just off the coast were once the most fertile seas in the world. As with most seas though, they have been overfished and fish populations are now devastated. Seafood is still the major ingredient on all menus in town though, with cod being a local favorite. One of my favorite things to try was the cod tongues. They are exactly as the name describes, the tongues cut out of cod, battered, and fried up in oil. They taste a bit like calamari, with a slight cod/fish flavor (no kidding) and less-rubbery consistency. Another great one was cod au gratin...cod baked up with mashed potatoes smothered in cheese...mmmm. Apparently, seal fin pie is also a popular one, though I couldn't find that anywhere.

In the distance on the left of this shot (looking back out of the harbor mouth) is Cape Spear...the easternmost point in North America (funny since it's on an island, but whatever...Key West claims the southernmost point in the contiguous USA). Some friends from the meeting and I ended up renting bikes and taking off both north and south from St. John's, including all the way out to Cape Spear, which was a bit of a haul, but beautiful.

Another example of the beautiful and complex coast...

The fishing village of Quidi Vidi...just outside of town

Yes, they have a brewery, and the beer is GOOD!

Further up the coast along Marine Lab drive

And Cape Spear...we were treated with some extra special sights here in the form of whales! There was a pod of humpbacks off the coast, and they treated us to a hell of a show. We even saw two of them fully breach out of the water! It was amazing!

It's funny, I had expected to see puffins, hoped to see iceburgs, and planned on not being lucky enough to see the whales. As it turned out: I saw whales practically every time I was in viewing distance of the Atlantic; I found out that I was there in totally the wrong time of year to see ice burgs at St. John's (though there were some truly unbelievable pictures of the towering behemoths making micro-machines out of tanker ships and molehills out of coastal cliffs and hills); and didn't see a single puffin (they live on islands off the coast supposedly). The whales were such a great surprise though! I've loved these animals since I was a child, and to see them obviously doing quite well off the coast here was spectacular.

Newfoundland is amazing. It's as simple as that. The people are great. The food and culture are awesome. The painted colors of St. John's row houses are warm and inviting, and the geography is breathtaking. It is a true gem of a place.

Moscow, Russia

2011-08-21T18:03:00.000-07:00

Moscow, the capital of the Russian Federation. For most of my life, I knew so little about Russia and it's people. On my second trip to the country, I found I had learned much about it, but still knew so little. It still blows my mind that there continues to be such tensions between the NATO nations (Western Europe, UK, US, Canada, etc.) and Russia. Russians can be somewhat xenophobic, which can be apparent when visiting. It's definitely not the friendliest of places, though it also didn't live up to all the warnings I received about Moscow. And despite what I was warned against, I often smiled at strangers who made eye contact with me (which is a common practice of mine). A friendly smile does indeed mark you as a visitor, but it is not always met with a scowl. I even found a few smiles returned. Behind this xenophobia and seeming unfriendliness, a true Russian friend, if you're lucky enough to make one, is a genuine one.

Where else to start on Moscow but the Kremlin. It is the center of Moscow, and thus, the center of Russia. The Kremlin is the old, walled palace complex. Princes, Tsars, Communist dictators, and now Capitalist dictators have all administered over the city and Russia from this fortress on the hill beside the Moscow River. Moscow dates back at least to the 1100s; it is a very old city with a rich and, like much of the rest of Russia, often dark history.

The Kremlin is quite interesting since it is comprised of architectural styles from a range of different eras. The medieval-Italian walls and towers, the neoclassical palaces, and the modernist blocks all make up the complex. Entrance is highly controlled since it is still the administrative capital. Walking over the Moscow River, a friend pointed out the building where President Medvedev works. The place is obviously still in business. It is clearly fortified, with zig-zagy barricades in place at the one road-entrance to prevent any suicidal rush attacks by tank or other ground vehicle. There are plenty of heavily armed soldiers visible at the entrances too, and I'm sure there are plenty more hidden away inside and in plain clothes and hidden sniper posts all around the complex too. These walls and towers have served as the barrier between Russia's rulers and the outside world for almost a millennium now. I also found out that those stars at the tops of the towers around the walls (each tower is unique too) are made of ruby glass and are supposedly very expensive. They light up at night too, like faint red beacons.

The famous red walls of the Kremlin

The Russian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, with eternal flame and all. Interestingly, it is supposedly tradition for newlyweds to come here on their wedding days, in full dress, to pay homage to their fallen comrades of yesteryear. They also do a regular changing of the guard, which is quite impressive, if not for the serious demeanor of the soldiers and officers then for the straight-legged, almost ballet-like, high kicks they perform while marching.

Wandering around those crimson battlements, one comes upon this, the first entrance to Red Square. Those iconic Soviet military parades, with row upon row of tanks and soldiers and ICBM's on proud display, rolled through this very place.

Greatly more iconic than those parades is St. Basil's Cathedral, a symbol of Moscow. Like Westminster Clock Tower (Big Ben), the Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower, the Pyramids, and Christ the Redeemer, St. Basil's is an instantly recognizable landmark that makes one think immediately of its home city.

I found out after my trip that my timing to see the landmark was quite fortuitous. They had just finished a face lift for St. Basil's 450th anniversary! The architect was commissioned in 1555 by none other than Ivan the Terrible (Tsar Ivan IV). The architect decided to make a cathedral in the Russian Orthodox style that mimicked a bonfire. After completion, legend has it that Ivan had the architect blinded, so that he could never build anything as beautiful again. Supposedly, there is no other building like St. Basil's in Russia or the rest of the world, so maybe the legend is true!

Taking your eyes away from St. Basil's in Red Square and looking towards the Kremlin, you see this interesting structure that almost blends into the city-scape. This is Lenin's tomb. Still a heroic figure in Russia, Vladamir Lenin has been preserved and is entombed inside this interesting and massive mausoleum.

Lenin is very much still idolized in Russia; Stalin on the other hand is definitely not. The atrocities that occurred under his rule, particularly those millions of Russian citizens who were shipped off to the gulags in Siberia to die as slave laborers, have not been forgotten. Reading up on Russian history however, informed me that Stalin was just one of the latest in a long history of brutal and vicious Russian dictators. I don't envy the Russian leadership; they play in one of the most cutthroat, traitorous, power-hungry political arenas in the world. Russian political history is fraught with power struggles, political purges, and assassinations covered up like untimely or accidental deaths.

The ultimate slap in the face of Communism (and Lenin too!): the GUM (state department store) shopping mall, which is housed in this beautiful Russian-style-Victorian complex across Red Square from the Kremlin (and Lenin's tomb!).

Inside GUM, it's the ritziest of ritzy. Prada, Gucci, whatever you want, they've got it if it's high-end, designer fashion. They even have a Dyson vacuum store (can you say stupid rich trend?). I mean, this place used to be a state distribution center during the Communist-era, and now this? And this seemingly epitomizes the new-Russia (Moscow and St. Petersburg only in actuality). I was blown away by how seemingly obsessed those with money in Russia are on flaunting their wealth! I don't think "millionaire next door" is a phrase that applies to Russia's wealthy. If they have money, they're apparently spending it to show that they have money. This goes well beyond GUM and the blatantly expensive fashion too...it's apparent everywhere, from trendy, overpriced restaurants, clubs, and cafes to the variety of multi-$100K cars racing around (literally) on the streets. Interestingly, this is probably not a new trait of the wealthy Russian mentality. I mean, look at the architecture; it is equally ornate and flashy. I think this is just part of the Russian wealthy-elite characteristic...like birds of paradise or something!

While in Moscow, I covered the larger distances between sights using the famous Moscow Metro. One good thing Stalin did insist on was the best public transportation system for the people. The Metro stations are elaborate! Many have chandeliers, works of art, and expensive architecture and decor. Each is different too, themed on one thing or another. Shown above here is the statue in the Izmaylovo station, which is themed to commemorate the Great Patriotic War (WWII). The pillars lining the platforms have machine gun decorations and you are greeted by this massive statue of peasants armed to defend Mother Russia from the invading Nazis. It's really quite impressive; every visitor to Moscow should take a ride around in the metro and get out and wander around each of the stations. I found the Moscow Metro to be much more user friendly than the St. Petersburg equivalent. Some of the signs have the station names in both Cyrillic and Latin alphabets, though the announcements are still only in Russian (understandable...I mean you are in Russia! It's not like any American metro services say anything in Russian, right?!). Also, the trains come right into the platformed stations in Moscow, unlike the unmarked, dark tunnels that the doors open onto at stations in St. Petersburg.

So I ventured out to Izmaylovo to see this place, the Izmaylovo Market. Part flea market, part antique market, part carnival even, the market is housed in a series of old, colorful wooden buildings and structures just a short walk from the station (just make sure you get off at the right one...there are a couple with the name Izmaylovo...if the train comes above ground, then you've gone too far). Walking up to the market is just bizarre, with all those bright wooden buildings making it look like some crazy circus or carnival. Once inside, it is a seemingly endless maze of market stalls. It's really a lot of fun if you're into markets.

There's Lenin again. This is a typical stall there. If you're looking for original, touristy or otherwise, souvenirs, then this is the place to go. You can even buy a whole bunch of old Soviet stuff, from medals to propaganda to old weapons (guns, grenades, bazookas, etc). I even found a mint condition German MP40, the WWII submachine gun. Outside the market, a man was even selling tasers. This place is a junk collectors heaven.

Russian icons. Russia is famous for these religious paintings on wood, and has been since the middle ages.

Of course, the matryoshka dolls. The more traditional and more fun, new ones (like Lenin, Medvedev, Putin, and even Michael Jackson) are seen on display here.

They have grilled food too, but it is ridiculously overpriced. My Russian is nowhere near the ability to bargain either, so I went without. It all smelled amazing though...especially the salmon kabobs.

As I mentioned previously, this shows the wooden architecture. It was most impressive. I was blown away by how many things in Russia are made of wood. I know it makes sense when you consider Siberia, but still, it was quite remarkable. The workmanship and quality of just ordinary things too (tables, chairs, walkways, etc.) was incredible too. If you need some high quality, inexpensive wood furniture or decorations, go to Russia.

Back in the center, there are reminders of the Soviet-era all around if you pay attention. This was just a little mosaic at the top of a random door on a random street.

This bas-relief on the large building on one side of Red Square seems to be installed by the Soviets.

I think this one is on the State Duma (legislative) building. I also saw the old Soviet State broadcasting building, the ITAR-TASS, from which propaganda and highly controlled and skewed news was broadcast throughout the Soviet empire. Another interesting and dark landmark is the Lubyanka building, former headquarters of the KGB and current headquarters of its domestic predecessor, the FSB. The Lubyanka is imposing, even more so when considering how far underground it supposedly goes. Many, many, many people have died in the Lubyanka, probably most by way of executioners bullet to the head. Outside in Lubyanka Square, there used to be a massive, 6-meter-tall statue of "Iron Felix" Dzerzhinsky, the first head of the Bolshevic Cheka, which evolved into the KGB. This statue was one of the first things to go after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, which goes to show much much fear and hatred there was for the Soviet secret police.

One of the "Seven Sisters" as seen from Old Arbat Street. There were supposed to be seven of these Stalin Skyscrapers all around Moscow, but there are only six today. The grandest, the Palace of the Soviets, was never built. The original Cathedral of Christ the Savior was torn down and a massive foundation was dug. The Palace was supposed to be higher than the Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty combined, crowned with a 100-meter-tall (330 feet) aluminum statue of Lenin, and cover an enormous area. WWII interrupted construction and, combined with unstable ground so close to the river, ultimately canceled the project. The Soviets then turned the massive foundation into a public pool, which was supposedly quite popular. After the fall of the USSR, the Cathedral was rebuilt on the spot, much to the chagrin of swimming enthusiasts. Now, Old Arbat Street is also something to check out. Way too over-touristy for my standards, but it is historically relevant as the old bohemian district. There are plenty of places to eat and shop, the old architecture is great, and being a pedestrian-only street, it is a great place to go for a nice stroll.

The largest of the standing Stalin Skyscrapers is the main building of Moscow State University.

The Moscow River and another Stalin Skyscraper in the background. It's really amazing that most of these are apartment blocks now and one is even a Radisson hotel! Stalin must be rolling in his grave!

Along Ulista Kuznetskiy most, a beautiful old street with plenty of bookshops, neat cafes and restaurants, and great architecture, including this old bank which just totally had me fixated. Like St. Petersburg, I enjoyed my time in Moscow. It is a great city to walk around, just keep your head about you as there is a very legitimate and powerful underworld of organized crime. Moscow is a very expensive and cultured city...the New New York is what they're calling it, but I think it's well deserving of just being Moscow. It is rich in history and culture and now money too. There are supposedly more millionaires in Moscow than in any other city in the world right now, and as I mentioned before, they aren't too humble about displaying their wealth. I really look forward to getting back to Russia to explore more outside of its two great cities!

Southwest USA

2011-08-21T09:24:00.000-07:00

So when three coworkers and I were presented with the opportunity to take a road trip out to Santa Fe, New Mexico for a conference, we jumped at it. The plan: take 3 days to drive out from Los Angeles, the week in Santa Fe for the meeting, and then 4 days to drive back. We all agreed that the only way to do so was to camp along the way, the more remote the site, the better.

First stop after an epic 9 hour haul was Saguaro National Park, just outside of Tuscon, Arizona. We arrived late at night, with little sense for the landscape around us. We knew that the area was desolate and harsh, and we were surrounded by cacti (which made wandering off to go to the bathroom at night a bit challenging). Bolstered by competitive machismo, three of us decided to spend the night out on the sand, under the stars, with only our sleeping bags and pads between us and the desert. I say machismo, because the three of us kept going back and forth on the decision to do so and ultimately, none of us was willing to admit defeat to our fears of tarantulas, diamondback rattlesnakes, scorpions, coyotes, bats, bugs, and other desert creatures. So we laid our sleeping pads out under the epic night sky, starring a quarter moon, Jupiter, Venus, and a brilliant Milky Way. I slept like a baby.

I called this one "Put 'em up, put 'em up"

We woke up and were immediately in awe of the scenery around us. The drive through the park just got better and better too as we ventured deeper into the concentrated heart of Saguaro cactus land. Saguaro's namesake are these behemoth cacti, which can grow up to 15 feet high, weigh several tons, and live up to 200 years. We were there in the flowering season, which was fortunate as the cacti were all in bloom, with the white flowers and bright fruit.

This one just wants to give everyone a great big and very prickly hug...

Seriously though, Saguaro was absolutely bizarre and quite breathtaking. It was quite extraordinary how there were hundreds and thousands of these massive and otherworldly plants as far as the eye could see. After standing next to one of the towering giants, it becomes even more impressive. This photo really gives a sense for just how many of these cacti there are there. It literally is a forest of them.

Next stop: Tombstone, Arizona for some true Wild West history.

After all the Hollywood skew, I had no idea that the shootout at the OK Corral was actually more of a Republican/Democrat quarrel and feud between two groups of criminals. So apparently, the Earp's and their good friend Doc Holliday were in tight with the local Republicans, who (of course) represented the social elite and wealthy in the area. The Clanton's were a Democratic group that were more in line with the average person in town. The Clanton's were popular with the locals in Tombstone, since they raided Mexican ranches and provided cheaper than market-price beef. The Earp's supposedly tried to bully their way in on such a lucrative (and criminal) business. The tension reached a boiling point when both groups allegedly worked together on a stage coach robbery that went wrong, leaving several innocents dead and driving a wedge between the Earp's and the Clanton's. The not-well-known story goes that each group then tried incriminating the other for the murders, and (of course) the Earp's, being more connected to those with money and power, ended up with the upper hand in the eyes of the local law. The whole feud climaxed at the OK Corral in Tombstone, where the heavily armed Earp's and Holliday essentially ambushed and slaughtered the McLaury's and Billy Clanton, who were mostly unarmed at the time. The Clanton's struck back a few nights later, gravely wounding Virgil Earp and killing Morgan. Wyatt and Holliday returned the favor by using their connection with the law (Wyatt was a sworn in Marshall) to hunt down and kill the remaining Clanton's. For this wanton slaughter, Wyatt was finally held accountable for murder and was made a wanted man in the territory. He, being wily and connected, managed to escape to Los Angeles, California. There he befriended some powerful and wealthy producers and directors and was immortalized as a hero in Hollywood films. It goes to show how much Hollywood and pop culture can skew reality.

Nowadays, they still have cowboys and gunfights in Tombstone, but now it is all done with actors that work for the town. It is pretty neat though, and the guys are right into the character. I even got called a cow patty by one of them.

This was a great little shop selling sasparilla, the original root beer. It was delicious and refreshing on the +100 deg F day.

Mom and Dad, this pic is for you!

After another epic drive across to rolling scrub- and grass-lands southern Arizona and New Mexico, we arrived at White Sands National Monument just in time for our hike into the backcountry to set up camp and catch sunset.

White Sands may have been my favorite stop of the trip. It was such an amazing landscape and so entirely unique. Dunes are one thing and quite incredible in their own right, but brilliantly pure white dunes are on another level. Adding to the foreign feel of it, the "sand" is really gypsum. It is coarser grained than sand and has a smooth, chalky feeling to it, not at all gritty and penetrating like normal sand. It was even more bizarre and trippy at night, when it seems as though you are floating in an empty and featureless whiteness. The stars were incredible and you just have this wild and seemingly endless landscape around you. The scrub bushes and grassy areas looked like dark patches, like small and large black seas, and dark blobs, potentially hiding packs of vicious coyotes, zombie-alien hordes, or whatever else your imagination can conjure up in such an otherworldly and empty place. Camping overnight in the backcountry (i.e., pick a random dune in the middle of the massive park) at White Sands was beyond-words great. Oh yea, and night two of camping out and exposed to the wilderness of the desert. It was awesome, especially since the gypsum was nice and soft.

In the morning, the lighting was just perfect....contrasting the brilliant white dunes from the bright blue desert sky.

This place was really photogenic, but nothing is like seeing it in person and being surrounded by this incredible landscape.

I hope to get back to White Sands...I really loved it there.

Hatch, New Mexico...known for growing the best tasting chiles in the world! We had brunch here at a great little restaurant...obviously heavily themed around the famous chile. They even had green chile and chile and mango milkshakes (which were really good by the way). As mentioned in previous posts, New Mexican food is one of my favorite cuisines in the world, and I was looking forward to indulging in it all week long!

Just a few hours after the start of the Las Conchas Fire in New Mexico. The fire raged throughout the week of the conference and for quite some time after we left. This turned out to be the largest fire in state history, burning almost 160,000 acres of forest. It started from a downed power line. This is now the second time I've witnessed states' largest fires in history, having seen the equivalent in Colorado as well 2 summers ago. That fire also resulted from humanity and our continued infringement on wilderness that we don't truly understand or appreciate. It honestly disgusts me how much of an impact we have on this planet, and these fires are a very visible reminder of that.

On the way back to California now, our first stop was in Bisti Badlands...a barren wasteland of bizzare rock formations and pocketed terrain. The hike in was a little daunting, psychologically mostly. I'd never seen a place so totally devoid of life...there was practically no vegetation.

Bisti has one of the greatest concentrations of hoodoos in the world. This is a hoodoo...a hard rock balanced on a pillar of sandstone or dried mud. They form naturally due to erosion.

An "alien egg" rock. We camped out by a large group of these. Night three of sleeping under the stars. This one was probably the most terrifying and awesome of all since we were the most remote we had been yet. There was no discernible light from any city or town on the horizon, and we had just walked 2.5 miles into this wasteland from the road. All that and we were on a flat, cracked sand/dried mud plain surrounded by all these crazy rocks and hoodoos.

Some of the formations thrust out of the terrain like the bones of some long dead colossus. The place threatened death, and we were happy to be blessed with modern technology like GPS, otherwise venturing into the badlands would have been much more daunting. We also had the benefit of a very large wash that ran through the center of the badlands, which was a dominant feature. If we followed the wash "downstream" (weird to use that term when there was no water to be seen), it would lead us right to the car. Other creatures aren't so lucky though; we came across a dead cow on our walk in. The poor beast had apparently wandered into the badlands from a nearby ranch and become lost in the labyrinthine features of the landscape, where it probably died of exposure and thirst. It was a good reminder of us to respect the desert.

The landscape we wandered into and back out of... great experience overall.

Adding to the terror of the place, a lot of the land around Bisti is not so solid underneath due to water carving out underground channels and deep gouges. Some of the pits went very, very deep. So be warned: if you go to Bisti, step lightly and watch your way.

Monument Valley, an essential stop on any road trip of the American Southwest. To see these gargantuan rocks rising 300 meters (1000 feet) out of the base plane is awe inspiring.

Classic road trip shot...

Monument Valley has also been featured in many, many Hollywood western films and even Cruisin' USA, the video game!

It was nice of the dust devil to show up for this shot.

Camping again, this time in Page, Arizona, famous for Lake Powell...a reservoir filling a massive canyon. It was a beautiful landscape, but we were there on 4th of July, which made me really loathe the more popular form of camping involving RVs and 4x4 all-terrain vehicles and drunken idiots with no respect for nature. This night out under the stars was not so pleasant thanks to the constant drone of generators, powering those awful spotlights, water heaters, stoves, and refrigerators on all those RVs.

Oh well, we were in Page to explore Antelope Canyon...which, despite the hordes of tourists, was still an amazing experience. This is a picture through our guides' truck window. We had to drive up the wash to get to the slot canyon's entrance. The wash was deep sand, as it hadn't rained in several weeks. Our guide exhibited some impressive talent at navigating such a difficult path for a wheeled vehicle to take.

The entrance to the Upper Antelope Canyon...a classic example of a slot canyon.

We were there at just the right time of the year, midsummer, when the sun lines up just right in the sky around noon to bring in these awesome shafts of light down to the canyon's sandy floor.

The narrow, wavy slot in the sandstone is carved out by rushing water, which entirely fills the canyon during heavy rains. Incredibly, each flood ultimately reshapes the canyon, leaving it an entirely new place with different features! Slot canyons are incredibly dangerous, though, despite this beauty. Rains from miles away can cause a slot to fill in only a matter of moments with rushing water, even though the sky overhead of the canyon is blue and clear. People die horrible deaths in such places...imagine choking to death in raging whitewater that is slamming and rubbing you against the sandstone walls... you are quite literally wet-sanded and pulverized while drowning to death... not a pretty way to go.

When it is safe to go inside, the canyon is incredible. It is ever-changing in every sense, wide/thin, bright/dark, colorful/drab, crowded/empty, noisy/quiet, peaceful/unsettling.

This is looking straight up, which explains why the light only comes in in beams when the sun is just in the right place in the sky. It also explains why someone trapped inside during a flood has practically no chance of rising to the top unscathed.

When I was able to find a few precious moments alone in my own little area, it was very peaceful and inspiring. However, that was quickly shattered. There were SO many tourists in there...it was really quite frustrating. Access to the place is controlled by the Navajo Nation, but they don't seem to really limit the amount of people in the canyon. Tourists are litterally brought in by the truckload. We were lucky to find a guide that did "private" photo-tours for just a little extra than those on the trucks paid. We were still in the canyon with everyone else, but at least we had a lot more freedom to take our time and venture ahead or lag behind. Those on the trucks were led quickly along like herded cattle.

This place was truly incredible. The neat thing is there are many of these scattered around the West, and the location of many are kept secret for good reason.

On the way between Page and the Grand Canyon, we came down this escarpment to this incredible view, 1000's of feet down to this big basin, which itself was cut by a smaller canyon. The pictures do no justice.

The Mother of all canyons...the Grand Canyon. Carved out by the Colorado River, seen above.

It is epic, and like my first time there, I was just floored by it's size. I found myself appreciating it much more this time round. Maybe it was because if was a pleasant temperature for just sitting and staring (the first time we were there was in winter and very cold).

The Inner Canyon...the lager, Outer Canyon is 20 miles across. It is thought that it might have formed when a massive inland sea burst its walls and flash flooded to the sea. The Inner Canyon then formed in the more traditional way as the river gouged its way through the rock over millions of years.

The clouds started clearing and we got some very nice lighting.

The Southwest USA is such an incredible place, great to visit and perfect for a road trip, though I was happy to get back to more heavily vegetated places and especially back to the sea. I appreciate and respect the desert, but it isn't a place that I ever want to live.

Budapest, Hungary

2011-08-03T20:00:00.000-07:00

We were in Budapest for 4 days. Being the capital city of such a proud and unique country as Hungary, the city has much to boast. Above and beyond the Hungarian side of things, which is great on its own, you also have all the positive influences leftover from Hungary's many previous occupiers, which affect everything from the architecture to the food and luxury.

This lovely piece of religious architecture is the Matthias Church, built in the 14th century! Most interestingly, during the Turkish occupation of Hungary in the 16th century, the church was spared and converted into Buda's main mosque! It's obviously returned to its original status as a Christian holy place, however.

The city is actually split into two, very distinct parts by the Danube river. On the hilly Buda side are the castle complex, with the Matthias Church and Fisherman's Point, Gellert Hill, and some upscale neighborhoods, while on the flat Pest side is Parliament, plenty of shopping (including the great market halls) and restaurants, and some sprawling districts and suburbs. We stayed on the Pest side and spent most of our time there.

Literally our first stop in Budapest: one of the Great Market Halls. This place was everything a market lover can ask for. Delicious food stands, fresh produce, butchers shops, delicatessens, and local handicrafts, all under the same (big) roof!

The hall itself is quite lovely. Built a couple hundred years ago to bring the growing market scene all into the same building.

Did I mention delicious food at the market? Missy and I had these amazing cabbage rolls with sour cream and peppers, local beer, and these delectable apple filled pastries. Amazing lunch, and we were sitting up on the second floor with a nice birds-eye view down on the hustle and bustle of the market!

Garlic and dried peppers. From these little peppers comes a major staple of Hungarian cuisine: paprika...Hungary is famous for the ground pepper spice. Its everywhere and in everything too.

They are very big on salamis, pepperonis, and other cured meats, which I loved! We found out that Hungary is a very popular destination for Italian tourists. Now that I've been there, I understand why, given the foreign feel (Hungarian is quite a unique language and TOTALLY different from any Latin-based or Germanic or Slavic ones!) but delicious food and wine.

The Rudas Baths. Hungary is famous for its spas, a leftover from the Ottoman period, when Hungary was under Turkish rule. Unfortunately, I couldn't take any pictures inside, but if you ever go to Budapest (or elsewhere in Hungary), you MUST go to one of the historic Turkish-style baths. The main baths building is very old...hundreds of years. You walk into the main bathing hall and its like stepping into another time. Imagine an old stone-walled and cavernous room with 5 pools, all at different temperatures; it is domed with these colored glass tubes providing the main light, which comes through in colorful beams. It's an incredible experience! Very peaceful and relaxing. There are also side rooms for showers and massages. We went on an open day, when both sexes are allowed to bathe simultaneously, but normally they only allow either men or women during specific bathing hours. So, be careful to look up the times before you go as most of the baths are operated this way.

These beautiful old buildings are scattered around Pest, whereas they are much more concentrated in Buda. There are many Soviet-era buildings scattered around as well, which always remind you that you're in Eastern Europe.

One of several pedestrian-only shopping streets. There are a few of these; they are quite a bit over-the-top touristy though...

Hungary's beautiful Parliament Building. This place is right along the Danube, across the river from Buda Castle.

A monument outside of Parliament...testament to how strongly opposed Hungary was to Communist occupation by the Soviet Union. This is the plaque describing the flag seen above.

Looking across the Danube to Buda, the most prominent features on the skyline are the various buildings around Buda Castle on Castle Hill.

Heading up the hill to the castle complex.

Did I mention this Parliament building is beautiful? It's huge too! Also, one of the river cruisers is seen here. Cruising the Danube is apparently VERY popular. I guess it makes sense since the river winds its way through much of Eastern Europe, with plenty of beautiful old world cities and towns lining it's shores. Starting in Germany, it dumps out into the Black Sea, also not a bad place to visit I'm told. A Danube river cruise would probably be a great trip for an older retired couple (in my personal opinion).

Looking across the Danube towards Pest. You can see the difference immediately between the two sides: Buda is hilly, Pest is flat. Much of Hungary consists of a broad flat plane, which makes it ideal for agriculture. It also made it relatively easy to invade, unfortunately for Hungarians historically. Though I think their long history of invasions has brought them together and strengthened their Magyar identity!

Wandering the old city around Buda Castle... very well preserved and well worth a wander.

Parliament through the battlements at Fisherman's Point. This is a popular tourist stop, for good reason. The white stone and statue of King Stephen (see below), the first King of Hungary, are reason in themselves; add in the adjacent lot to Matthias Church and the phenomenal views out over the river and Pest, and you've got yourself a winner.

This was the view out our hostel window...not bad. Apparently, the Hotel Astoria was used as Nazi Headquarters during the occupation in WWII.

yes...Parliament again...

Budapest: beautiful city and recommended...highlights were definitely the food (cabbage rolls, goulash, dumplings...) and wine (and wine cellars), the Great Market Hall, and the baths. People were great as well...they particularly appreciated that Missy and I learned a little bit about the alphabet (so we could pronounce words at least half right) and some basic words and phrases in Hungarian...it's amazing how far those little things go when visiting somewhere.

Szentendre, Hungary

2011-07-30T15:00:00.000-07:00

Just a short train ride from Budapest, lies the pleasant little riverside town of Szentendre, a perfect daytrip getaway from the big city. The town lies in the beautiful Danube Bend region, so if you feel like exploring more around there, it makes for a great base for that also.

The old city center is pedestrians only, and it is very old...there are Roman ruins here as well.

In the Fo Ter (city's central square) stands the Plague Cross, erected to commemorate that dark period in European history.

Szentendre has become a popular tourist destination, most of whom come out for the day from Budapest (like we did). There are a bunch of great cafes and little shops catering to this. Though it's not at all hard to wander off the main track and find more quiet, laid-back parts of town.

Charming, pleasant, nice detail...all can easily describe it here.

We had lunch at this Mythos Cafe...very good food and great wine. I highly recommend the goulash soup! This fountain was really neat too...the lamb carrying the banner on top is on the coat of arms for the town.

Some spectacular woodwork here...Szentendre has a thriving arts community.

Looking out over the town hugging the hills. The mountain biking is apparently quite good around here.

The ever present borozo...wine cellar!

Sopron, Hungary

2011-07-30T08:48:00.000-07:00

Just across the border from Austria lies Sopron. Amazingly, this border was closed throughout the Cold War, much to the chagrin of the Hungarians. Now, however, the town is flooded with Austrian, German, and other tourists, though for good reason; it is immensely charming, with friendly people and great food!

The old town is essentially still fortified. There is a barrier of buildings standing between its streets and the ring road around it, and there are only a few entry points through this barrier. The picture above is on the outside, looking in.

Palinka: Hungarian fruit brandy. I had no idea what this was, but just saw things like apple, peach, and cherry written next to it. Being at a dessert place, I figured it was some kind of fruit dish. Missy and I both had quite the laugh when they brought out this tray with the palinka (in the fluted glass) and two glasses of water! The stuff is quite strong, but really tasty actually!

In the Fo Ter, the city's central square. I don't know if Sopron (pronounced Shopron) has World Heritage status, but it should. The old city and the areas around it are beautiful and very well preserved. It's also known as the most loyal city in Hungary, having turned down the chance to become part of Austria several times throughout its history.

The old fire tower is seen here. It is probably the most famous landmark in Sopron.

The region is known for its wine, kekfrankos, and there are wine cellars/bars all over the city. Missy and I quite enjoyed these. The wine is dirt cheap and quite tasty, and most of them really are in these ancient wine cellars! They're quite the experience!

Typical street scene in the old town. It's quite interesting to see the same building with multiple styles of architecture built into it. Many of the buildings in Sopron have Roman foundations and ground floors with totally different eras worth of architecture built on top of them!

This is one of MANY buildings, just normal buildings, with dates from the 1600s (about as old as any buildings still standing and in use in North America).

The warm and cool pastel colors of the buildings just adds to the pleasant feeling you get wandering Sopron's quiet central streets. We were there on a particularly quiet day, outside of peak tourist season. However, as soon as you stepped out of the central old town and onto the ring road and beyond, things livened up immediately.

Fire tower again.

The city's old walls. The foundations are Roman, as there was a fortified Roman town here. Hungary was famous for its thermal baths, which the Romans apparently quite enjoyed!

Sopron: a beautiful, quiet little town, perfect for a day or two getaway from either Vienna or Budapest...just be sure to go in the off-season if you're looking for peaceful scenes like these.

Vienna, Austria

2011-06-18T21:03:00.001-07:00

So continuing our Euro-trip 2011, our next stop was in Vienna, Austria, where I had to attend a conference for work. We took the train from Salzburg, which was quite beautiful. It always amazes me how densely packed Europe is yet how they still manage to have such beautiful countryside and general lack of suburbs. I wish the US and Canada would learn to do the same with their rural areas.

Vienna is a beautiful old city with a rich history. As former capital of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire, it is up there with the other major imperial European cities (Paris and St. Petersburg to name a couple) for post-Renaissance palaces and grandeur. This is the heart of the old city, St. Stephen's Cathedral, which is truly enormous.

There is much culture and history to be found in Vienna. Plus, the city center, or innertadt, is very easy to wander around on foot. The narrow and winding streets get you lost quickly, but it's so small that you wind up coming back to a familiar place or the outer edge in very little time.

The Vienna Opera House. I'm not a big fan of opera, so I did not attend. However, I've been told that Vienna draws some great international talent, and it's worth a show.

Opera is not my thing; markets and eating, however, are. If you feel the same, the large, outdoor Naschmarkt is a highly-recommended place to visit.

The market consists of fresh fruit, vegetable, fish, meat, dried goods, and spice stalls. Plus, there are plenty of places spanning the cost-spectrum serving up delicious treats and meals.

They are apparently very serious about their spices in Vienna. I wish we could find something like this in the States...

They also had more cured meats than I previously knew existed.

Vienna has some great museums. Missy was able to sample several, though being busy with the conference, I was not.

The old, Habsburg palaces have been converted into museums. This is one of two, "twin" palaces just outside of the innerstadt that kick off the Museums Quartier...an entire district of the city devoted to museums!

In the backround here, you can make out the Rathaus (Mayor's House). It was at this location that Hitler addressed the Viennese to rally the Austrians to his cause.

Greek myths capture in marble. Statues like these are all over the Habsburg palaces.

As in Germany, things are very proper in Vienna.

Best cafe ever? Perhaps... especially considering the inexpensive and delicious lunch specials, gorgeous interior, and picture perfect and delectable desserts, for which Vienna is famous. Relaxing inside over a gourmet coffee or sweet treat, you feel like you're some wealthy aristocrat from the turn of the century. I highly recommend seeking this place out!

Another public work of art...they are all over the city...this with a cherub plunging a torch into an old hag representing pestilence.

There is an interesting mix of architecture in Vienna... always something to keep you looking up!

Again at St. Stephen's. Our Austrian friend told us more interesting stories about Vienna. There is a metal stick outside one the churches that was used for fair measure...basically, if you feel the baker or seamstress had shorted you on your baguette or cloth, you could take it down to the fair measure stick and sort it out! Also of interest, O5, the Austrian resistance during World War II used the cathedral as a safe meeting place. Their mark still exists on the cathedral exterior!

My favorite part of Vienna were the heurigen. On the outskirts of the city, and easily accessible by public transport, is the wine country and a variety of small, locally run wine houses known as heurigen. You can go and relax there over the really good and cheap wine in beautiful countryside settings, some of which even overlook the city! It's great because getting there is fun in itself, as it definitely requires some wandering to find the more inaccessible and less touristy places. Then you just relax and enjoy the food (they have all sorts of great meat, bread, and cheese platters and dishes) and wine in some charming courtyard or fruit orchard.

Salzburg, Austria

2011-05-28T08:44:00.000-07:00

Just across the border from Germany, north of the Alps, is the city of Salzburg. It's a beautiful and very well-preserved old city with a very interesting history.

2 things dominate the skyline in Salzburg center, the Altstadt (old town): the Prince-Archbishops' Castle (Festung Hohensalzburg) on the hill and all the churches. Can you guess who ran things in Salzburg back in the day?

Looking down on the city from the castle. Salzburg is a great city to just walk around. Missy and I were there three days and got to see much of it without any need of buses or taxis. The buses are pretty good though (except in the relatively car-less Altstadt), with plenty of options both local and within the region, including Germany.

The castle is well worth the walk up the hill. There are museums and fantastic views. Plus, there is plenty of history on that hill; a fortified castle has been on this hill in Salzburg (the city name itself means Salt Fortress) since 1077!

In the castle's courtyard...those trees were great

The Prince-Archbishop's oven and furnace to keep the royal quarters nice and toasty warm. It's amazing how much money (and power) these old rulers wielded.

Different parts of the castle have been added and altered over the millennium that is has been around.

Can you tell I liked the trees?

There is a marionette museum in the castle...random but pretty cool

In the Altstadt, which is a neat mix between wide open squares near the churches and narrow lanes and streets walled in by tall row houses. There are these great passageways going under a lot of the buildings as well...it makes you feel almost like you've stepped back in time!

There are more historic sections of town across the river...if you can, search out a staircase that seems to disappear into one of the buildings...it's actually a public stair (despite its appearance) that leads one up to a park and great views over the Altdstadt and the rest of Salzburg.

This whole mountainside seems to be parkland and the staircase leads right up to it...there is this old defensive wall that wraps around it too. Beautiful views and a great escape from all the people too!

Like I said, incredible views down on the city. I had no idea that the mountains were so close until we got up here. The wild thing is that the mountain in the background is also visible from Berchtesgaden...it's wild how close things are in Europe. I'm very accustomed now to the vast distances of North America.

Oh what a pleasant view around the river bend....and if you wander over to that church on the horizon you'll find...

The best beer house EVER

Run by Augustine monks...for centuries now... the Augustiner Braustubl is one of the highlights of my visit to Salzburg! The place is a big complex across the way from the Augustiner church. You enter through a series of corridors, hallways, and staircases and find yourself in what feels like a massive beer hall in a basement enclosed on two sides by Earth and on the other two by a long corridor with food stalls, washrooms, and THE BEER. Everything obviously culminates in the beer since you come around the corner and face an open area centered around a large fountain with a big rack full of empty ceramic beer mugs, a man at a cash register, and two men operating two massive oak casks and slinging out frothy mugs of fresh, monk-brewed beer. The system works like this: 1) grab a mug from the racks; they are dirty and empty. 2) take the mug to the giant central fountain and wash your mug until personally satisfied with its cleanliness. 3) take the mug to the cash register and tell the man what kind of beer you desire (light or strong); get a receipt. 4) take the receipt to the men at the casks and get your clean mug filled with delicious, monk-brewed beer. 5) don't slip on the tile floor as you stroll out to the beer hall with your beer. 6) try and find a seat with whoever and enjoy! AWESOME EXPERIENCE! We ended up inviting this Austrian farming couple and their Czech farmhand to join us at our table. They shared their fresh deli meats (literally fresh from the farm and their personal butcher), butter, and bread while we talked about life over the mugs of beer. Priceless cultural experience.

When in Salzburg, you must seek this out. A good friend and colleague of mine told us about this place before we left for Austria; he is from Salzburg, so we knew it was a good tip. It's called bosna, and it has apparently been a Salzburger institution for quite some time now. Apparently, Bulgarian immigrants to Salzburg combined their favorite combo of spices with the Austrian love of ground saussages to produce this: the bosna...amazing. There is only one "best place in town" (of course) and it is in the small passageway across from the ice cream shop just past the McDonalds....you'll know what I'm talking about if you actually are there and just explore a bit. You'll see a sign down the passageway marked "Bosna"...thats it. If its the same woman we got...she doesn't speak ANY English (fair enough!) and you'll just have to point to what you want. Get the original. Soooooooo good

We stayed in the small hostel attached to the church in the background here....great location. The town is lively...lots of tourists (almost too many for comfort actually). It's all very relaxed and peaceful though, and the Austrians working everywhere at least make you feel welcome for the most part.

The old city is beautiful...I can't stress that enough. This is looking at the section of town with the stairs I mentioned earlier. They go right up the hill you can see here. Also in this area are: 1) the brothel that has been around since Roman times (along the road that has also been along so long); 2) bars carved into the mountain; yes, the back walls are actually carved out of the rock; 3) a building at a particularly narrow part of the lane with massive scars at the foundation, reputedly from the American tank during the occupation that was attempting to navigate between the buildings and mountain on the old Roman road to get to the brothel...true story

The cloak of peace...a very neat statue at one of the churches...reminded me a lot of Lord of the Rings

Just outside the Franziskaner Kirche (Franciscan Church) is this carving of a hand.... it is the hand of asylum. ANYONE who was running from persecution for ANY crime could run to this church, and so long as they touched this hand, they were granted asylum. I'm probably making it out to be more dramatic that it was, but I imagine all sorts of folks, the Robin Hoods and Bonnie and Clydes alike who made their way here, running from the local enforcement and making a diving reach for this hand of safety. I also have pictures of them finding the church doors closed and barred and an already strung noose or sharpened axe of the enforcement working FOR the church....

They are big on building right into the mountain in Salzburg, as this church is testament to. There are also catacombs here within the tunnels, which came highly recommended. They were closed for renovation when we were there unfortunately, so I cannot comment further.

Another view of the castle looming overhead, always reminding the lowly Salzburger of who was in charge...

More awesomely dramatic trees silhouetted on white facades

Mozart: they have a SERIOUS obsession with him here, as Salzburg was his birth-city. They also have an obsession with the Hollywood hit the Sound of Music. That is all I will say on either of these topics and far-overly-done tourist draws.

A cool thing about the Altstadt is the regulation that all businesses must have an old, iron-wrought sign...even McDonalds. Some of them are obviously very old and quite original. Overall, I'd highly recommend Salzburg...its a bit over-touristy at times, but you can still easily escape that and drift off into another time.

Bavaria, Germany

2011-04-16T22:01:00.000-07:00

Berchtesgaden: a beautiful resort town in the Bavarian Alps.

It's incredibly pleasant here with incredible views to the high Alps all around the town. Missy and I had lunch at a little cafe on a terrace overlooking the town and mountains. The food was great (tomato and sour cream soup with basil and frankfurters and sour kraut), as was the beer of course (heffeweisen), and you just could not beat the atmosphere!

Bavaria is very picturesque. Bavarian architecture is neat and clean, and the geography is remarkable. It encompassing everything from green rolling hills and bountiful fields, lush forests, and sheer Alpine mountains.

Looking down over part of Berchtesgaden and the Alps in the background. There is a small river/creek running through town that had the clearest water running in it. Based on the bus ride up, this crystal clear water is typical of the region.

Good example of many of those geographical features I mentioned previously.

Despite all this beauty, Berchtesgaden has a truly dark and troubling recent past...

It was home to the southern administrative center of the Nazi empire, including Hitler's Eagle's Nest. Many of the Nazi high command had vacation homes here.

I'm not going to do a thorough history of Adolf Hitler or the top Nazis here. I recommend however that you read up on them. Briefly though, Hitler came to power by taking advantage of WWI-ravaged Germany. He used the general plight of the German people during the 20's and 30's to rise politically and seize totalitarian authority in 1933.

An old (original?) copy of Mein Kampf: Hitler's "My Struggle" written while he was in prison for extreme political activism in the 20's. This book became his "little red book" of sorts, defining his social philosophy. It was something his followers could use as a guide book, to unite them all under one fascist goal.

Hitler was most obviously not a trusting man. This map shows how the policed state of Nazi-Germany was split up into two zones: one overseen by Heinrich Himmler, the other by Hermann Goering. This essentially hedged Hitler's bets; neither man had full control over the Gestapo (secret police) in Germany. Only Hitler himself had that authority. Thus, it would be difficult for either man to organize a coup unless the other was also involved, which would be highly unlikely.

Two of history's most evil men. Himmler, leader of the SS and in charge of all their activity, including the death camps responsible for murdering millions of innocent men, women, and children. Goering, leader of the Nazi Luftwaffe (airforce) and Wehrmacht (army), responsible for much of the military activity during the blitzkrieg and Battle of Britain.

Himmler's SS knife and ring, featuring the SS skull and crossbones, totenkopf emblem. This symbol is a very old German symbol of the deathman's head. It symbolizes human death and the dead themselves. Fitting I think for the SS, which were responsible for bringing death to so very many during the Nazi-era.

It was very unsettling and interesting to see the examples of the various propaganda put out during the Nazi-era. Nazi propaganda like this was organized and overseen by Joseph Goebbels. The Dokumentationszentrum Obersalzburg (the name of the museum where all these pictures were taken) also includes a haunting description of the intricate Nazi "undesirable" classification scheme. This included different symbols to mark Jews, gypsies, Poles, political dissidents, homosexuals, and various other types of people that the Nazis considered sub-human. Goebbels and the Nazi high command all played key roles as architects of this system, which ultimately ended up in the death of around 10 million innocent people.

You can see my blog post on Oswiecim (Auschwitz), Poland here. Note the map in this picture: it shows all the railroad links to the camps at Auschwitz and Birkenau. Throughout the Nazi empire, Jews and other "undesirables", were being rounded up by the SS and sent off to the various concentration camps. I had interesting discussions with Missy and our friend Simon about the camps and how the average citizen at the time should have known or suspected something. These conversations led me to a new understanding of German citizens and non-undesirable occupied citizens during the war. Many might have known something awful was happening at the prison and labor camps; I mean, most people knew that great numbers of certain types of people were being rounded up and sent away. However, living in the Fascist police state that was Germany or one of the occupied countries, what option would you have of doing anything about it? If you tried to protest, you would be silenced, and you would put the lives of yourself and your ENTIRE family at risk. If your protests were at all effective, you AND YOUR FAMILY would be marked as "undesirables" yourselves and be hauled away by the SS to meet the same fate as all those others. For the option of trying to leave, where would you go? Being at war, the world was not an easy place to travel around then. It's not like a German family could just up and "escape" to Britain or North America to get away and protest the issue. I don't know about Switzerland and Sweden; perhaps those provided the relatively wealthy Germans with an opportunity of escape. However, I'm pretty sure any citizens of occupied nations would simply not be allowed to flee. This forced most people to simply live through it and try to ignore what was happening around them. They thought about themselves and their families first, which I think is a perfectly understandable reaction in a time like WWII. However, I must point out that there were citizens, both German and occupied alike, who put EVERYTHING at stake to try and help Jewish (and other Nazi-marked "undesirable") friends and neighbors and even absolute strangers. These people are truly heroic and should serve as role models for anyone who ever has to go through such horrific times.

A French police officer saluting a Nazi Luftwaffe officer under the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

More Goebbels propaganda: this poster showing a British bomber piloted by a bomb-wielding death and descending on a German town.

By the end of the war, Hitler, through Goebbels, called for all German citizens to take arms and defend their homeland from the surrounding Allied forces (see photo below for some of the Allied propaganda...I particularly like the arms emblazoned with the US, French, UK, and Soviet flags tearing apart the swastika).

Being focused somewhat on the Nazi high command (since most of them had vacation homes in Obersalzburg), it was interesting to see a wall devoted to brief biographies of each man. It was also interesting to see how many of the bastards took their own lives when they realized they had lost (Hitler himself included). I honestly wish they hadn't. I don't believe in an eye for an eye punishment, but, in my opinion, these men deserved the worst kinds of slow, horrible death. We can at least know that they died miserable. I guess thinking this puts me closer to their level, that I would want to do such things to other human beings. Considering this time in history gives you some disturbing and conflicting feelings.

The Dokumentationszentrum culminates in an actual bunker used by the Nazis. This is really just part of an intricate system of fortified tunnels and bunkers which ran underneath most of the Obersalzburg area. This is one of the main staircases down into the bunker...

at the bottom of the stairs are these three holes in the wall: machine gun emplacements.

View up the stairs from one of the emplacements. I can easily imagine SS MG-42 gunners stationed here, looking up waiting for Allied troops to break through at the top. The long staircase would have turned into a brutal and effective killing zone.

This was inscribed into one of the walls inside the bunker. I'm torn on which of the Allied groups would have inscribed it. It's not Russian since the D is using the Latin alphabet. It may be American (DB = ?-Brigade?), but I'm confused by the patriarchal crosses (2-barred cross) on either side of the date (5th May 1945). I know the Americans took Berchtesgaden and the Eagle's Nest, so maybe the guys that wrote this (AG, PS, DA initials?) were members of an Eastern Orthodox church or of Slovakian heritage. Regardless, it was amazing to see this and know it was probably carved in there by Allied troops at the end of the war in Europe.

The bunker included airlocks to ensure that a gas attack wouldn't poison and kill those inside. It was also self-powered by gas generators.

Back outside the bunker, the views from Obersalzburg are stunning...back into the beautiful wonderland that is Bavaria.

Wandering around and enjoying the scenery up here gave me a kind of odd and disturbing feeling, knowing that the Nazi's high command all enjoyed the same thing. It gives them an all-too-human side, which I really don't enjoy admitting. I mean, here they are, literal demons from human history, responsible for one of it's darkest periods, and they thoroughly enjoy some of the same things I do (hiking, climbing, beautiful mountain scenery, and fresh high-altitude air). Disturbing is the better way to describe how I feel about that I guess.

But wait...what is that on top of that mountain (very highest point on the mountain in the back center of this photo)? If you guessed: Hitler's Eagle's Nest, you're correct.

This mountain-top fortress was built for Hitler by Martin Bormann (another top Nazi) as a gift to Hitler for his 50th birthday. Amusingly, Hitler barely spent any time there as he suffered from vertigo!

Looking down on the museum building at Obersalzburg. On this site was originally a guesthouse for visitors to the Nazi stronghold in the mountains. There are pictures in the museum of the effectiveness of the Allied bombing campaign on Obersalzburg however. Most of the original buildings were destroyed.

Back in Munich, the capital city of Bavaria. This is the elaborate Rathaus, a.k.a city hall.

Munich's city center is beautiful and great to just wander around.

Proud showing of the German tri-color. I know the Germans are often reserved about national pride (entirely thanks to the Nazi era), but it is nice to see their flag displayed.

The Rathaus and cathedral.

They are big on painting on their buildings in Bavaria. Lowenbrau is one of the many famous Bavarian beers, of which they are truly proud.

Beer is a huge part of the culture here, and there are beer gardens and halls all around the city. They do the seating en mass, picnic table style, which is great for meeting new people!

The outdoor beer garden at the Viktualienmarkt. This is where we hung out for a good part of the day spent at Oktoberfest (covered in a previous post from 2007). Once again, I found myself relaxing at a table with friends and strangers (who we inevitably ended up having a great conversation with) over some delicious Bavarian lager!

The Rathaus' beer cellar.

One of the deli stalls along the Viktualienmarkt (the main city market). The market is just awesome to wander around, with stall after stall of fresh fruits and vegetables, mouth-watering cuts of meats, flowers, cheeses, and more! I love Bavaria. It is one of those places that I see myself returning to again and again to continue to explore and enjoy.

Whistler and Squamish, British Columbia

2011-04-15T22:30:00.000-07:00

So I mentioned in the Seattle post that we were in the Pacific Northwest (US) on our way up to a wedding in Whistler, B.C. Well, here it is. I had always been really, really anxious to get to B.C. I'd also been genuinely ashamed that I'd seen so much of the world, but hadn't been to Western Canada, my home country that anyone who knows me understands I am VERY proud of! First take: I loved it, and I cannot wait to go back!

So the wedding was based around a week-long ski trip to the world renowned Whistler-Blackcomb mountains. After a brief, but exciting afternoon/evening tearing up the bars in downtown Vancouver, we took the beautiful Sea-to-Sky highway connecting Vancouver to Whistler and beyond. I don't know where to start on this one. It's like sensory overload up there for me. The geography is a combination of so much of what I love: epic mountains (and lots of them), lush green valleys, the sea and islands. It's a genuinely amazing place. So the above picture shows a fine example of the cliffs that make the skiing/riding so epic here. These suckers will pop out of seemingly nowhere on the mountain...dangerously so when skiing/riding in the trees! So long as you're confident in your abilities, it really adds to the fun, especially when there was as much fresh powder as we got that week!

Speaking of fresh powder.... it snowed the first 5 days/nights we were there. The base at mid-mountain was over 15 feet of snow. In one word: AWESOME. Most of these pictures were taken when it all cleared up finally for the last few days we were there.

Can you say winter wonderland? If you haven't already figured it out, this is going to be a picture-heavy post.

So for those fans of the winter Olympics, Whistler-Blackcomb was an essential part of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic games.

First stop in Vancouver: Curling (also an Olympic sport, and a hell of a lot of fun!).

I also swung by the sliding center, used for bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton. The bottom 1/4 or so of the track is open to the public to try out skeleton of all things, though it is pretty solidly booked in advance.

It's hard to believe that those crazy athletes involved in the "sliding" sports barrel down this narrow ice tube at 100 mph. Kind of cool to see in person, and the visitors center is chock-full of great things, including a virtual bobsleigh ride! Seriously, it was pretty neat though...they had an official Olympic torch from the games that you can hold, real bobsleighs and luges, and the podium used for the ceremonies!

Part of our view from the hot tub of "the Royal Suite" (the decked out condo we crammed into for the week). It was pretty wicked if I must say so myself. We had over 180 degrees of views looking at both Whistler and Blackcomb mountains as well as further up in to the steep-sided valley that the resort lies in. In this picture, you can also see the Peak-to-Peak gondola, which is one of the longest/highest in the world and connects the two mountains. Needless to say, hanging out in the hot tub up there was pretty amazing!

As mentioned previously, I LOVE the geography of this area. Whistler village sits down in this valley (one of many to cut up into the mountains right from the coast), and on either side are these very legitimate and extreme mountains. It was amazing. Even more cool was that you could drive down the valley towards Squamish, very clearly pass through the snow line, and end up in lush, verdant green coastal forest.

At the Olympic Nordic Center, you can rent snow shoes (as we did) or cross country skis and just wander. There are plenty of great trails and terrain to explore. I'd recommend it as a great way to spend part of a day, especially if you may be needing a rest from the slopes.

Looking up at Blackcomb mountain from the Nordic Center. Whistler-Blackcomb was very easily the best snowboarding I have ever done. Despite being adjacent to each other, they were both very different mountains to ride. Whistler (up at the top) was big and open, with incredible bowls to just let loose in. Blackcomb was pocked with these epic rock formations and covered in incredible terrain. The rocks made you feel small, very small, almost like you're on some incredible, giant alien snow-world. The terrain was just awesome and very varied; you'd go from glades, to chutes, to small bowls, to woods. Best riding EVER.

Check out all the little people on the runs...these mountains are huge. The best part is these are only the front-sides. The backs of both mountains are also open. Behind Whistler is more amazing terrain (including plenty of couloirs and chutes to risk), and the main feature behind Blackcomb (aside to more crazy rocks and a couple triple, yes TRIPLE, black-diamond runs) is the larger-than-life (and human comprehension) Blackcomb glacier.

Did I mention that they got a lot of snow that week?

And now some pictures from the drive up the valley. I don't think I need to say much...if you like mountains like I do, then they should speak for themselves.

And like I said, down towards Squamish (where the valleys meet the inlet from the sea), you pass through the snowline and find this incredible green woodland. Along the highway, there are lots and lots of trailheads to choose from with hikes ranging from simple (3-5 km) loops through the woods (like we did) to 20km backcountry trips up into the mountains.

Best bumper sticker ever? It's definitely up there... (we saw this in the parking lot at the trailhead)

I've never seen a landscape so green. Moss was seemingly growing on everything it could cling too. The woods were dark from the taller growth, but everything seemed to just glow green. It was really neat. I look forward to doing some summer backpacking trips up in this area at some point. It seems like a great place to camp (with appropriate wet-weather gear of course).

Everything is so green because of the abundance of water. This is of course thanks to the close proximity to the ocean and the coastal mountain range, which force the water-thick air to condense and let loose on the mountains.

A nice view of the sound at Squamish. I think I've said this before, but glaciers are great. These deep valleys were gouged out by glaciers receding after the last ice age.

The famous Squamish Chief. This is one of the rock climbing Meccas of the world.

I can't wait to get back to B.C. The place is a nature-lover's wonderland. Next trip will be in the summer, when I can take advantage of the terrain opened up for backpacking and mountain biking! Looking forward to it for sure.

Seattle, Washington

2011-04-15T20:39:00.001-07:00

On our way to our good friends' wedding in Whister, BC (next post), we flew through Seattle, since I've been wanting to get a glimpse of the city for quite some time now. We landed in what I consider the stereotypical weather for the city: gloomily overcast with random patches of drizzly rain. Seattle's much smaller than I had expected. I don't know if it was the weather, but there was a very distinct somberness to the city, and I also noticed that there was also a lot of punk and grunge going on amongst the younger generations. Was I just noticing these things because of a predisposition? I hope not...but this definitely made me more aware.

As I'm finding myself doing more and more, our first stop in this new place was the Pike Place Market, right in downtown by the sound. This place was great! There is a farmer's market, with lots and lots of fresh fruit and veggies (see next couple pics), plenty of random specialties (like chocolate spaghetti at a noodle stand, several ethnic specialty shops, and a handmade cheese store), and some bonus stalls. The first of which was a small Chinese stall that sold deep fried chicken guts! It was great! $3 got my friend and I a sizable bag (more than we could eat actually) of chicken hearts, gizzards, and livers, all battered and fried to a level of perfection that would make a certain Colonel proud. I must say, they were quite tasty...particularly the hearts and gizzards. The livers reminded me of deep fried pate, which was hard to get by after the 4th or 5th, but overall, great starter snack and an awesome find for an American marketplace! Next, we stopped for the main course. I got some great fish and chips (though, I must admit, nowhere near London or Kaikoura quality), and Missy got a very tasty burger. I'd recommend this overall...seems to be quite touristy, but the market has maintained its character despite that.

Speaking of touristy, one of the original Starbucks! Yes, you heard it ladies and gentlemen, the Seattle-born standard that started it all and put a cookie-cutter, same-as-the-last, nowhere-near-local coffee shop in every major city and medium-to-small sized town around the world (I have seen Starbucks on 5 different continents now). It's funny to see too that some marketing pud somewhere along the way decided to make the double-tailed mermaid a little more PC by covering up here bare breasts with her hair (compare the one shown here to your local...they changed it). And this place was packed. I stepped inside and got right out of the frenzy to go check out the Mexican grocery right next door, but my friend showed everyone up by ordering a straight black coffee...no sugar, no cream. It was hilarious, while everyone else is waiting 20+ minutes for the EXACT SAME mocha-cappa-frapa-hazelnut-sugary-death-a-cino (grande, aka large...or wait is it really medium?) that they can get at the Starbucks around the corner from where they live, my buddy gets his in all of about 10 seconds. I'm sure the guy behind the bar was absolutely thrilled by the order...finally someone just got a coffee! I think there is a certain kind of mob mentality associated with tourism.

One of the great things about being right on the Sound are the views. Actually, I was very pleasantly surprised by a lot of the views around Seattle. And I didn't get any good shots of glorious Rainier, which we got a teaser glimpse of at the airport through a break in the clouds (at its enormous base; the peak was still above the clouds). Anyway, the surrounding area is amazing geographically. The opening picture at the start of this post looks across the sound at the Olympic peninsula. I certainly hope I get the chance to come back to Washington to do some exploring in and on the epic mountains and volcanoes that they are blessed with.

Next stop after downtown, the Gas Works park. This haunting but unusually pleasant public park lies on the ~20 acres of land that used to be used as a coal gasification plant. Gasification is the process that breaks down coal (or other carbon-based materials) into a purer fuel. A lot of the old machinery, pipes, and storage containers remain, and it's pretty neat to wander around and just hang out.

It's got some great views back over the city. If it weren't for those cursed clouds, we'd probably have had a good view of Rainier from there too!

This one pleasantly surprised us. A test flight of Boeing's new 787, which is proving a little troublesome for the aerospace giant, which has some of its major facilities in the greater Seattle area. It is shown here with the Space Needle, which honestly is a lot smaller than I had expected. So don't worry Toronto, it's got nothing on the CN Tower!

Hearing about a quirky, liberal enclave with a good bar-scene just north of downtown called Fremont, I decided we should stay there. The motels are definitely sketchy, but it is a cool little part of town. I especially liked the statues, like the full-blown (like 16 feet high!) statue of angry Lenin. This gem must be one of the only of its kind (i.e. statues of Communist leaders) in America. But the guy that erected it had good intentions; it was apparently rescued by the purchaser from one of the Baltic states as it was recognized for some unique qualities. Unlike the standard norm, Lenin in this statue is strongly marching out of a backdrop of flames and rifles. His hands are down firmly at his sides (no proud display of the red book or friendly waving of his hat here folks) and his face is definitely stern. The sculptor was from one of the Eastern block nations that was not too happy to be part of the USSR apparently! Sorry no pictures here, but I was only there at night and I didn't have my camera with me (just google image it!). Another cool statue is the troll under the bridge...

Yes, this is a troll statue. Yes, it is under a bridge. Yes, that is a full-sized Volkswagen Beetle it is crushing in its enormous left hand. Seriously, I put my head inside its cavernous nostril; this thing is big. And awesome. Quirky things like this should be more common...but then maybe that would take that special feeling away when you come across one. I don't know, but I like this a lot. Overall, Seattle was neat. A little stereotypical, but the city had a Hell of a lot of unique character traits that I wish a lot of other cities around the US could boast.

Latest Travel Map and Upcoming Posts

2011-03-06T12:19:00.000-08:00

So...I have recently found a nice online app to produce a travel map of where you've lived, been, and want to go. See below for my most up to date.

Also, had a bit of travel recently to Washington state and British Columbia...those posts will be coming soon. I'm also hoping to get a post on my Colorado favorites and some around-L.A. stuff. Missy and I will be in Bavaria, Austria, and Hungary in April too, so that will be on here soon as well. Enjoy!

Get Your Own Map

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Colonia, Uruguay

2011-01-03T12:30:00.000-08:00

Another possible daytrip (though I'd recommend a weekend if you have the time) from Buenos Aires is a hop across the estuary to Uruguay. International ferries depart frequently each day, and it couldn't be easier to check out this smaller buffer state between Argentina and Brazil.

I LOVED Colonia. It is the definition of pleasant, and I found the Uruguayans to be remarkably friendly and polite (they reminded me a lot of Canadians). Supposedly, Uruguayans have the reputation of being the friendliest of S. American people, and from what I could see, it is a well deserved title. Colonia is a little vacation town on the coast, literally right across the Rio de la Plata estuary from BA. Compared to the bustling metropolis that is modern Buenos Aires, however, Colonia is about the furthest thing from it.

Central Colonia's streets are all tree-lined...and they have those wonderfully colorful buildings that I love about South America.

They certainly are proud. It was easy for me to find my Uruguay flag patch, and the flag was all over the place. They should be proud...they were originally formed by colonial powers to serve as a buffer zone between the large powers of Argentina and Brazil, but from this, they have formed a national identity and culture and have many things to be proud of. The country is similar to Northeastern Argentina in many ways...including the taste for the best beef and wine as well as yerba mate, an herbal drink that provides a caffeine-like energy boost and is sipped day-(and night-) round by people from carved gourds, which make great souvenirs.

Peaceful and pleasant. I felt very, very safe wandering around town. I talked to a few people as well about Uruguay...they told me it was no problem to walk around most of the country with no fear of being robbed. The only exception was parts of Montevideo. Their take on BA was totally different though...they warned me again and again to be careful about my camera and money there.

Great food at this little place, which had taken over part of the street. As expected, the cuisine is protein-heavy. They also had these awesome little desert cake/cookies.

People kept the place clean, tidy, and well-maintained...much appreciated.

Stray dogs? I don't know...but they seemed very, very happy with where they lived. I think most of them were probably owned, but had free-reign to just wander the town. They all seemed well-fed, friendly, and happy...and there were a lot of them lounging around.

Outside of Havana, Cuba, Colonia has one of the largest numbers of classic vehicles still in use...it was incredible.

Amazing how architecture can have such a personality to it..

I spent the day mostly wandering town...stopping every now and then for a coffee or treat at a cafe or to take a peak in one of the shops. It was so great and the town is so very photogenic.

Life here seemed slower, more at peace and relaxed. That feeling passed on to me almost as soon as I stepped out of the ferry terminal and into town. At first it was eerie and unrecognized, but as the true meaning of the feeling dawned on me, I liked it a lot.

There were several of these old "cars" around...no idea what they are.

Here in Colonia, I developed a strong desire to return to Uruguay... to devote a week or two to this small country and hopefully just relax, enjoying the friendly people, local food and wine, and pleasant atmosphere.

Tigre, Argentina

2011-01-02T16:23:00.001-08:00

A short train ride and a great day trip from BA is the small town of Tigre, at the Rio de la Plata river delta.

Popular with rowers for good reason, Tigre is home to several rowing clubs, each with their own unique paddle design.

All along the waterways are these little cottages and houses...most of which are vacation homes for those who want to get away from the hustle and bustle of BA. Tigre is VERY laid back...especially in the backwaters in the delta.

I took a boat tour back into the delta...its a good deal and highly recommended, however the shorter ones don't get back to the truly wild parts of the delta, which are supposed to be beautiful. The shorter tours are nice to just relax (if you like boat rides that is) and enjoy the scenery of the populated parts near town. This is one of many old hulking shells of old ships long ago abandoned to the elements.

One of the popular modes of transport...

but there are also gas stations for those that prefer the motorized form.

In town, there is an amusement park right along the water and this awesome waterway walk and park.

Tigre's museum...awesome with some great works most by local artists.

As mentioned above, I'd highly recommend a trip out to Tigre for some relaxation, fresh air, and to get away from the city for a bit.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

2011-01-02T09:19:00.000-08:00

Argentina's capital, Buenos Aires. I had about 5 days to wander around here and nearby (Tigre and Colonia, Uruguay featured in upcoming posts). I really didn't know what to expect from BA... I found the city to be much more European than I had expected and a hell of a lot colder (it was mid-winter for them...and they are pretty far south). I also found that they fondly embrace their Argentine culture: their passion for tango, love of protein-heavy cuisine, European and, slowly and carefully emerging, African heritage, pride for their Pampas gauchos and of course, their intense and crazed obsession for futbol. A few of these things have become stereotypical of the country, and I found this is for good reason... nationally, Argentines really are somewhat obsessed with and genuinely proud of these things. These things are part of the national identity, and the neat thing is, it doesn't seem tacky or just a show for tourism...it seems genuine, which I genuinely appreciated.

The famous Maradona and his notorious "Hand of God" goal represented in this painting on the street. In the 1986 World Cup, Argentina played England, and Diego Maradona scored both goals in the 2-1 victory, which is big considering the tension between the two nations over the Falklands and the war fought between the two nations over those South Atlantic islands. His first goal came by way of a hand ball, which miraculously went unnoticed by the officials and became known as the "Hand of God" goal. I love the angels lifting Maradona, holding down the faceless English player, and blinding the officials here...as well as the strings attached to Maradona and being controlled by God. The second goal by Maradona was equally miraculous...from 60 m out and through no less than 6 English players! Note too the pillar mural seen here featuring tango dancers legs on cobbled streets and a horse...two more points I'll hit on a few times in this post.

The barrio of San Telmo...one of BA's oldest neighborhoods. I stayed here, enticed by the history and descriptions of old buildings and cobbled streets, great culture, and delicious and inexpensive food. San Telmo is historically important to BA, and it has seen its economic ups and downs. Now it is doing well, particularly concerning the income from the tourism industry. This mural represents some of the important aspects of the barrio, its football team and its history, including the candombe, an African-based tradition of drum playing.

Normal street view in San Telmo... the streets were very, very busy during the day but practically abandoned at night. However, I felt most safe in San Telmo, which cannot be said for other parts of the city...especially at night.

Another mural, but this a map of the neighborhood. Everything in BA is laid out on a grid, making it pretty easy to get around. Also, I was amazed by how walkable the city was...it seems huge when you look at maps of it, and indeed, when the city sprawl and metropolitan area is considered, it is second in size on the continent after Sao Paulo! However, the city center and central barrios are great to walk around in decent weather.

Oh the food.... one of my favorite parts of my stay in Argentina was eating the food and drinking the wine. Argentinians are very fond of all things meat. They have these parrillas, or grill-houses where seemingly endless amounts of meat, steaks, saussages, offal, everything are cooked up on massive grills. When I was still in Puerto Iguazu, I had my first Argentine dinner. It consisted of one of the steaks I had ever eaten, cooked to med-rare perfection and ideally seasoned, with fries on the side soaking in the juices. They serve it with this picante salsa consisting of chopped onions, peppers, and herbs too. I got that and a beer for only US$7.50... I knew I was going to like eating there. Once I got to BA, however, I quit on the beer and switched to wine. It's inexpensive and delicious... Argentina is one of the world's best wine-producing nations thanks to its variety of climates, several of which are perfectly suited for grape-growing. The picture above is from a small parrilla in San Telmo; I ended up eating at this place 4 different times. My meal consisted of the grilled ribs and blood sausage seen here, the unlimited bread, and a side of potatoes. Plus my own personal carafe (dolphin shaped) of Malbec wine... all for about US$12. I was sooooo excited to see blood sausage on the menu...I'm obsessed with the stuff after Ireland. The flavor is immensely similar to the Irish black pudding, however, the Argentine style of cooking it is different. The grind of the offal is more course and the sausage is cooked less thoroughly than in Ireland. It is still very chunky and juicy inside. I found it was best suited for smearing on the delicious bread.

BA is an antique-collectors paradise. There are a ton of antique markets around town, both officially set up in stores and out in open air markets on the streets and squares. This old rugby ball is representative of another favorite sport of Argentina.

Gaucho gear for sale in the market in San Telmo's main square, the Plaza Dorrego...a highly recommended excursion. Argentina's Pampas are enormous plains ideal for ranching, which also partially explains the obsession with meat dishes... they have some of the best beef to choose from in the world. I only saw part of the Pampas from the bus on the way down from Puerto Iguazu, but they seemed beautiful (mist shrouded and in an other-worldly, pale blue light in the morning) and were massively expansive.

Collectors Quilmes beer bottles. Quilmes is the national beer...a light lager style. Like I said, nothing special when compared to the wine.

A market hawker takes a nap.

Tango. By sheer luck, I ended up in BA for their annual tango festival. By additional luck, I was staying in San Telmo, which is one of the centers of the tango activity. I witnessed several milongas, which are public gatherings to celebrate tango through music and dancing. I learned a lot about the dance and really developed a good appreciation for its underlying simplicity, yet intricacy and beauty at the master-level.

Tango was invented in BA. In the more conservative 1800's, this dance allowed a guy and girl to get into a promiscuously close embrace, which apparently contributed to its popularity. Nowadays, many different forms of tango exist, but the basics are all the same: you and a partner walk, yes walk, around in a counter-clockwise circle. That's it. Anything else, like dips, twirls, kicks, etc can be added in for bonus points. I found it intriguingly interesting, which is unusual, since I'm not a big dance fanatic, but I found everything from the subtle invitation (a slight nod or gesture from the man, returned as a sometimes even slighter reaction by the woman) to the elegant movement and complex interactions to be amazing. I'd recommend doing some research online and watching some videos if you are interested in this fascinating dance; I'm not able in anyway to do it justice with only words and still-pictures.

I saw this tango show in the Plaza Dorrego in San Telmo...this old guy was a smooth classic. These two must be popular...they are also in the picture on the Wikipedia Tango site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentine_Tango!

Seriously...obsessed. Tango was everywhere in BA and definitely an important part of the culture.

The Pink House, La Casa Rosada, which is the Argentine equivalent of the White House, serving as the physical epicenter of the executive branch of the government.

In the Plaza de Mayo, downtown BA's main square. It was here on the 25th of May, 1810 that a revolution started that led to Argentine independence. It's in the downtown area around here that you really feel more like you are in Europe then South America.

Avenida 9 de Julio...one of the widest avenues in the world.

As expected now in S. American cities, the street art is awesome in BA.

This building's architecture is based on Dante's Divine Comedy, with the lower floors representing the seven layers Hell, Purgatory at the base of the central tower, and Heaven above. Pretty impressive stuff.

The National Congress building...enormous.

A cracked-face angel inside La Recoleta Cemetery...an enormous cemetery for BA's historic and wealthy right in the city center. This was easily one of my favorite parts of the city...I could wander around in there for hours just looking at all the details on the seemingly countless vaults and tombs.

The cemetery consists of a maze of mausoleums, vaults, and tombs, each of which seems more exquisite than the last.

It's a modern-day necropolis, city of the dead. Really neat and kind of spooky. We were wondering how special you would have to be to arrange or attend parties amongst these houses of the dead.

Evita is buried here. She has her very own cult following, and half of everyone visiting the cemetery seemed to be there just to see her tomb.

I wonder if this guy was a pirate?

Did I mention it was a bit creepy? The pic below shows one of the many crypt doors that was eerily ajar, revealing the coffins within.

Many of the tombs were immaculately well maintained and up-kept, though there were also quite a few that had fallen into serious disrepair. It really did feel like you were walking around some macabre city in miniature...so cool.

Did I mention exquisite?

At the awesome market outside of the cemetery, we were treated to this wonderful marching beat. Drums are a big thing in BA culture... which is partially a result of the African heritage of the slaves brought to South America during the colonial period. Drums are also a popular part of football matches as fans from opposing squads try to out-drum each other to show their support.

Candombe street parade outside my hostel. I found myself following several of these traditional drum parades, which are evidence of the slowly emerging African culture in BA. There is nothing like having an uplifting drum beat as a background, and you could hear these candombe's quite often wandering around San Telmo.

Finally, La Boca: the mouth. La Boca is another barrio, neighboring San Telmo, but very, very different. It is a blue-collar neighborhood where many of the city's dock-workers live and play and can be a bit intimidating for visitors.

Maradona...a national hero. Also most popular in La Boca since he played for their local team, the Juniors.

This fruit market was awesome...a showcase of the agricultural wealth of South America.

The famous La Boca painted houses...now just a tourist hot spot.

Fanatics indeed....football (soccer) is immensely popular here and another important part of the culture. They take pride in the sport and their many teams, from the local ones right up to the national squad. As is the norm, tango is also featured on the mural below.

Cataratas del Iguazú, Argentina

2011-01-01T14:07:00.000-08:00

I crossed the bridge and the border into Argentina. The town on the Argentine side is much smaller than the city on the Brazilian side, yet like Brazil, the national park, and the falls, are still several miles from town.

The Argentine side gets you up close and personal with the falls. There are walkways both along the top and the bottom of the cascades.

There are several different levels where the water pools before cascading over and down

Looking over the top of a waterfall and across to the hotel on the Brazilian side

A nice example of how close you can get... both above and below.

I had a spectacular day there... it started out overcast, but by the end of the day it had cleared up nicely

It wasn't all up close...the Argentine side also has a lot of trails through the forest and several places with sweeping views

It's impossible to convey just how much water is rushing over this part of the falls. It had gouged a massive and deep trough too and was obviously still very much at work making it deeper. The noise coming from this part was thunderous.

Thankfully that boat (which is actually quite large) gives a good sense of scale

These guys were just hanging out watching all the people go by...

The showpiece on the Argentine side has got to be the Garganta del Diablo, the Devil's Throat, which is the largest of the falls....and it is enormous. Watching the turbulent water falling and cascading down is absolutely hypnotizing.

If ever there, you need to check out both sides of the falls...amazing and totally beautiful place.

Foz do Iguacu, Brasil

2010-12-27T14:31:00.000-08:00

This is going to be a pretty picture-heavy/writing-light post. Foz do Iguacu, Iguazu Falls...the Brazilian side. There is a city of 300,000 people near this natural wonder along the border between Brazil and Argentina (the border with Paraguay is also across the river that this one flows into nearby). A meeting for work here was the reason for my entire South American journey, and I stayed in a hostel in the city. The city itself is nothing to write home about, but the falls more than make up for that. They are one of those places that are just indescribable in their sheer scale and scope. I've done my best to do them justice with pictures, but really you need to see them in person...they are spectacular.

The falls are really a series of falls along the Iguazu River. There are more than 250 separate waterfalls here, all spread out over a huge area. The flow rate over these cascades is more than 3 times the amount that goes over Niagara Falls...as Eleanor Roosevelt once said of Iguazu: "Poor Niagara," and she was right.

These little guys were all over the place...and they are cheeky too...they've obviously been well fed by tourists.

The Brazilian side of the falls focuses more on the epic scale and sweeping views of the system of falls, while the Argentine side (upcoming post) gets visitors up close and personal with the falls.

The torrent below.

You can pay an exorbitant amount to take a speed-raft trip along the river. These boats are great for giving a better sense of scale to these shots! Those are big rafts...there is seating for over thirty people on board each.

If taking the boat ride...be prepared to get wet.

The jungle around the falls is lush, and I saw many different species of tropical, colorful birds, including flocks of toucans.

These walkways provide the means of hiking along the steep canyon walls; they also allow you to get out closer to the falls.

As is the norm very close to large falls, there were plenty of rainbows.

Nice shot down on the walkways. Unlike Niagara, there is very, very little infrastructure around the falls. Fortunately, they have been kept quite natural thanks to their national park status on both sides.

If you get to visit the falls, you need to spare some time to check out the bird park just outside of the park entrance. They have an amazing collection of exotic (to us North Americans that is) birds, most of which are native to Brazil (or some neighboring country in S. America). The following pics are all from this bird park and are just some examples of what I saw.

These toucans were trouble. You could walk around inside the large cages, and these guys had no fear. They would swoop right overhead, literally buzzing you.

Brazilian flag colors on this guy above:

Several different species of toucan, all native to Brazil!

Not just birds here...they had some reptiles too including cayman and these lengthy anacondas, all native to Brazil of course.

This parrot cage was one of my favorite parts. There were more macaws in this one enclosure than I had seen collectively in my entire life.

Red ones...

blue ones...

And this guy...apparently a very rare species.

Back in town, the one thing I thoroughly enjoyed and had been looking forward to my entire trip was the Brazilian churrascaria, that is grill-house. These places have a set price for all-you-can-eat food, and man is it amazing. The restaurant is centered around an enormous grill, on which is cooking up just about every cut and kind of meat you can imagine. It is a seemingly endless supply of steaks, sausages, cutlets, drum-sticks, legs, thighs, flanks, and offal. To make you feel a little less guilty and further from imminent heart failure, they have a "salad bar", consisting of a bunch of vegetables (fresh, pickled, and grilled/cooked), salads (house, macaroni, potato, etc), beans, rice, oh and a huge amount of deserts (ha...suckers...who needs desert when you have unlimited meat?!?). The meat is a never-ending stream coming at you care of the tireless wait-staff. The cuts come out on the skewers on which they were cooked, and the waiters just cut you off as much or as little as you desire. Your plate at times looks like something out of a horror film with the amount of different meats stacked on there. The best part is the price, all this for somewhere around US$16!

A plate shot...so good...the meats were all very fresh and cooked to perfection! What should be rare was rare, and what should be cooked thoroughly was still tender and moist. Amazing. I ended up eating at these a couple times during my stay in the south of Brazil (where this style originates, which is why I saved it for down there), and I found it was all I needed the entire day! Who knows how many weeks or months I may have taken off my life by doing so, but I tell you, it was well worth it!

So this does it for Brazil...I loved it there. I've already made arrangements to return in 2014 for the World Cup, which should be epic there, and I look forward to return again and again to explore more of that massive and amazing country throughout my life. I only sampled a small amount of the country, and I can't wait to get back to travel further north along the coast as well as inland to the enormous Pantanal swampland and the remote Amazon.

Sao Paulo, Brasil

2010-12-27T14:05:00.000-08:00

I had a full day in Brazil's largest city, Sao Paulo. As a massive city, one day is nowhere near the amount of time you would need to get to know it, but I figured I should at least get a brief sample of the place. From the enormous rodoviaria (bus station), I took the city's excellent metro service around all day, popping up to check out different places around town.

Like Rio, there was some AWESOME street art around the city... this massive mural was one of my favorites.

Check out that detail...amazing.
The seemingly ever-present Brazilian flag in graffiti form below:

The Avenida Paulista, Sao Paulo's version of 5th Avenue. It is lined with these interesting skyscrapers; there is apparently an architect's war going on here...with each trying to do something more unique than the last. It's neat, but really, I'm not a big-city kind of guy. I did manage to find a cool little cafe here, which made for some great relaxation and people-watching over a nice coffee.

I had some really lucky timing at this cathedral. The monks in residence here do an amazing chorus only a few times each week, and I caught one! My luck didn't last all day though...the thing I was looking forward to most was the city's main market. It is supposed to be an incredible display of the wealth of foods that Brazil can maintain, and there are supposedly some great stalls to catch a bite to eat. I spent the good part of an hour wandering the streets (nothing is on a square grid there, and street signs are difficult to spot if they exist at all) trying to find it. With the help of a couple of police officers, a store-owner, and a taxi driver (stopped on the side...I didn't just get in and take the ride as I knew I was pretty close), I found the market closed. It was the only day that month that it was closed.

Much of the city I saw was very run down. I didn't feel at all safe wandering around there, though there was a pretty significant police presence. There is evidently a very large homeless population in Sao Paulo too, which is sad.

This was a pleasant surprise. Being quite sick of wandering the city, I stumbled upon this park along Avenida Paulista, the Parque Siqueira Campos. This park has preserved the lush forest that used to cover the area on which the city has claimed. It was beautiful and so pleasant and peaceful. It is heavily used by the locals too, which is great to see. It's sad though that such beauty has been replaced by the concrete jungle and enormous sprawling suburbs that is now Sao Paulo. Overall, I felt that a day was enough for me in the city...just not my type of place, and when I return to Brazil, I don't plan to spend any time there.

Ouro Preto, Brasil

2010-12-25T15:11:00.000-08:00

After an overnight, bouncy, and twisty bus journey north of Rio, I arrived early morning in Ouro Preto, which translates to Black Gold. This place is an old, old town in the state of Minas Gerais. I spent only a couple days here, but that was enough to wander around the historic city center, get a feel for the place, and eat some awesome Minas cuisine!

Ouro has a ton of Boroque churches, which is part of the reason it was designated a Unesco World Heritage Site. As you should know by now if you follow this blog, I love historic, well-preserved old cities, and Ouro Preto definitely fits this bill. As an added bonus, it is surrounded by these incredible mountains, and the town itself is built on very hilly terrain, which offers spectacular views over different parts of the city as you wander around its twisty cobbled streets.

Like Paraty, the place has been really well preserved, and the locals maintain everything just wonderfully.

Why don't we have detail like this on buildings anymore?

Ouro Preto is a town steeped in history, and it holds a special place in the financial and political history of Brazil. It was in Ouro Preto that the Inconfidencia Mineira revolution was attempted in 1789. The attempt was the result of Portuguese colonial rule over Brazil and the increased demand of gold from Ouro Preto's mines. The political elite organized the revolt, but it was quelled and the leaders executed. The statue, seen in the middle of the town square and political rally in the picture above, is of Tiradentes, one of the most prominent leaders of the attempted revolt, and the main building on the square now houses a museum devoted to Ouro Preto's history with a lot covering the attempted revolt. Even Minas Gerais' state flag (seen below) reflects this history; the words "Libertas quae sera tamen" was the motto of the Inconfidencia. It translates to "Freedom albeit late."

One of those sweeping views from around town. You can see the churches sticking up above the other buildings.

You definitely burn some calories wandering around town. The hills it is built on are steep, but they didn't stop the cities architects and contractors.

There are favelas clinging to the hills here too...many of these serve as the homes of local miners and their families. In the local hills and mountains, the dominant resource is aluminum, but other stones, metals, and minerals are still mined too including iron, bauxite, manganese, talcum, marble, gold, hematite, dolomite, tourmaline, pyrite, muscovite, topaz and imperial topaz, which is unique to the area. This wealth of minerals is very evident in the multitude of gem shops around town and even peddlers offering discounted, uncut gems on the street. It's unfortunate that this wealth isn't more evenly distributed amongst the workers; there is an enormous difference between these favela dwellings and some of the more expensive ones around town.

A neat thing about Ouro Preto is that the town is still very much lived in. Despite heavy dependence on tourism and even more so than Paraty, the place has not at all been ruined or made fake by over-catering to tourists.

Just another typical view of town.

The observatory at the old School of Mines. Ouro Preto is also a university town (the Federal University of Ouro Preto is here), which is another bonus point in my books.

You can get some INCREDIBLE handmade stoneware in the markets in Ouro Preto, and the stuff is really well-priced. I got a couple hand carved and painted stone candlesticks for only US$4.50 and a stone shot glass for US$1! The carvings are intricate, and you can see people doing the work right in front of you (picture above). Then they use those wonderful bright colors to paint the pieces...really a great deal. As with most street markets, just remember to politely and respectfully haggle, or run the risk of being taken advantage of!

Awesome restaurant... Minas is known nationwide for its cuisine. When I told Brazilians I met along the way that I was headed into the state, all of them told me to make sure I enjoy the food. That was another great thing about Brazil in general; we met some really nice and friendly people. Missy wasn't with me in Ouro Preto, and I was approached by several people about our age just wondering where I was from and what I was doing in Brazil. They were beyond friendly and after nothing but a little practice with their English (which was really good for the most part!) and to make a new, foreign friend. I have more notes in my guide book from these meetings as these new friends pointed out their favorite places around the country, and I even collected some email addresses of those who offered places for Missy and I to stay around the country when we return in 2014 for the World Cup!

One of my plate-fulls of amazing food at Chaferez...my favorite of the local restaurants. Buffet style meals are popular in Brazil, and this one was incredible. They also had unlimited cachaca, the Brazilian spirit distilled from sugar and similar to a strong rum (seen in the small shot glass next to the beer). Brazilians take their cachaca seriously too, and Paraty had entire cachaceria's devoted just to the beverage! Each region is known for its different styles of it, and the amazing caipirinha drink is made using it (along with fresh lime juice and sugar...delicious!).

Minas food is very savory, salty, and stew-like. Rice and bread serve as the major starches and for sopping up the various sauces. As is the norm in Brazil, there are lots of meat dishes...lamb, beef, pork, and poultry. This is just part of the spread from Chaferez; it was absolutely delicious and served all you can eat! I stuffed myself there.

The museum is located in this old building on the city's main square. I'd recommend a visit...they have a lot of really neat stuff in there and many of the displays and interactive exhibits have English translations.

You just get this incredible feel walking around the place...like you are in another time. Also, I felt extremely safe here... I was alone the whole time and wandered around much of the city without any problems.

Sunset over Ouro Preto, with one of its famous Baroque cathedrals in silhouette.

Paraty, Brasil

2010-12-21T00:20:00.001-08:00

There are just a few places that I personally consider to be close to Heaven on Earth...New Zealand has always topped my list, but now I must add the Costa Verde in Brazil. Missy and I took 4 days in a beautiful little, historic town down the coast from Rio named Paraty.

Being a beautifully preserved colonial town, possibly with the best examples of Portuguese colonial architecture ANYWHERE, Paraty draws its fair share of tourists. Miraculously though, the place isn't spoiled by it. It doesn't feel fake like Disney World. Perhaps it is because if you get a place in the old center, you are sleeping in a building that actually is hundreds of years old. We were very lucky to find a great place that has been a guest house and family owned for over a century now. Impressive and really added to the charm of the place. The shops and restaurants obviously cater to tourists, but most of them are actually Brazilian, so as a foreign visitor, it still feels great and very local. Plus most of the places are privately owned and small businesses...it isn't all corporate and large hotels...actually, I didn't see a single large chain hotel at all there. I loved it!

Paraty is old...very old, yet they have done a wonderful job keeping everything maintained and repaired. There were always workers painting or fixing buildings. This gives the place a very unique feel. You know how old everything is by the style, make, and quality of it all, but the fresh, vibrant paints and lack of a feel of decrepitude about the place seem to transport you back in time. It's awesome really.

I try to avoid people in my pictures...but don't let that fool you. There were a lot of others in Paraty with us. The newer parts of town expand just beyond the border of the old, historic center, which butts right up against Paraty Bay.

The old and irregularly cobbled streets make you wander slowly. So you have plenty of time to relax and take in the atmosphere and detail on the buildings. They have these awesome old windows, the panes and shutters of which took all different shapes and styles. Also, some of the bigger buildings had these geometric, colorful designs along the edges.

Little shops were everywhere in the old center; it is really an antique, art, and small-trinket lovers place to be. In fact, there were some really great galleries sprinkled around town...it is obviously an artists haven. I guess there is a good reason for this, the surrounding area as well as the town itself are beautiful beyond any description.

Looking out on Paraty Bay...with over 60 islands and more beaches than there are days in a year.

Boating is popular in Paraty Bay, and many people make their living doing so... not fishing though but taxiing tourists from island to island and beach to beach.

One of the brightest highlights of our trip was just such a boat ride on the good ship Moana. The captain is Italian born and married to a Brazilian woman. His son serves as first hand on board. The ship is gorgeous...an old wooden schooner probably somewhere around 60 feet or so in length and painted bright green and yellow. The length of the deck is covered with a canvas tarp to keep passengers sheltered from the Sun while still allowing them to take in the sea air and phenomenal scenery. We shared our bay trip with about 10 other people, all of whom were Brazilian, which was awesome. Only one of the older guys spoke great English, so I got to practice my Portuguese quite a bit, but still got a solid English explanation of a lot of the area.

Setting out and looking back on the town. Here you can see the pretty significant mountains around the town. This is one of the things that both Missy and I were surprised by...we were not expecting such large mountains right up against the coast. However, anyone that knows me knows that this is one of my favorite types of landscape in the world...mountains and beaches! The bus ride out to Paraty from Rio was also spectacular...the Costa Verde is mountainous the whole way and the coast is littered with these beautiful islands, both big and small.

Still looking back at Paraty, but now showcasing some of those mountains I've mentioned.

One of the beaches we stopped at with another ship seen here. As soon as we knew we were there for a while, I jumped right off the side of the ship into the crystal clear turquoise water. It was winter in Brazil, but the water was lovely.

The coast here is popular with retirees... I'm considering looking into a place myself!

Off to the next beach!

Back in town: a man and his dog outside the fish market.

The old church.

The best times to walk around are early morning and in the evening...the play of shadows and perfect lighting on the buildings is spectacular.

The view from our room...it was awesome and so relaxing.

Next stop, a little down the coast at the little village of Trinidade. This place is popular with surfers and those who really just want to lose themselves for a while. Camping is quite popular here, we met quite a few surfers who just set up on the beach in a tent with their boards...pretty cool.

La piscina, the pool. A short hike from the village and its busy beaches is this place....a natural pool of crystal clear water, no deeper than about 8 or 9 feet, and sheltered by these enormouse boulders. Beautiful and very peaceful. We hung out here all afternoon.

People came and went, and Missy and I spent the time chilling on our boulder. I also crossed to the other side and scrambled around on the rocks a bit...pretty fun.

Looking down on the main Trinidade beaches...there are these restaurant shacks there who set up the chairs for their clientele. So the place has everything you need if you're camping out.

Overall, I'm really looking forward to returning to Paraty and the Costa Verde the next time we're in Brazil.... it really is the type of place that I absolutely love.

Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

2010-10-05T21:11:00.000-07:00

Rio de Janeiro (pronounced heeo-dgee-janeiro in Brazillian Portuguese). This place totally rocked my expectations. Coming into Brazil, I didn't know what exactly to expect...I thought of Rio as a very dangerous city, and in many ways it is. In many ways, it's not at all though, and I found the majority of people I interacted with to be beyond friendly, nice, helpful, and proud. I thought of Brazil as a place of beauty, and my expectations were far exceeded in that aspect. This is the start of my month and a half journey through South America, and what a place to start: Rio...the opening picture here shows the world-famous, iconic Corcovado (topped by the Christ the Redeemer statue) and its jungle shrouded peak (really a massive state park in the middle of the city!). In the foreground is one of Rio's equally famous and notorious favelas, or slums. This past month, Rio became the center of the world media attention when the police cracked down on some of the drug lords and gangs that rule over the various favelas. What ensued was a small-scale war. It's really hard to believe that such brutal and horrible things go on in such a beautiful city, but it is a big city. To be honest, Missy and I were quite cautious not to venture outside of the "safe" areas. However, we did walk around and travel the city via public transport on our own. We went out at night and took taxis. We enjoyed ourselves and only followed our normal, common-sense approach to safety. All this and the entire time we kept remarking how familiar and comfortable we felt there. We had practically no problems. So, I guess Rio is a two-faced city, a place of dichotomy. There is the safe (and relatively wealthy) side of it, which we came to love and enjoy, and there is the dangerous (and mostly poor) side of it, which we really only glimpsed on our bus rides to/from the airport and the rodoviaria (city bus terminal) and from afar when we saw the favelas clinging to the mountainsides.

The view from Leblon beach, where we found a great little hostel to shack up in for the first few days. These mountains are incredible! They reminded me something of those bizarre peaks from the Li River area in China, but the scale was quite different. The mountains permeating the landscape of Rio are enormous and incredible steep. Yet, somewhat miraculously, the people of Rio have built all around and much of the way up them. They are truly a part of the city, surrounding you and never letting you forget where you are.

The people of Rio seem quite active. There are ongoing games of futbol on pitches (official and otherwise) all over the city (and the beach), and along the beaches, there are always people jogging, power-walking, working out, or playing volleyball. They have a great climate there, and they enjoy it. The ever-present and wonderfully unique Brazilian flag is most often visible somewhere too.

Each beach has a distinct tile pattern for the sidewalks. This is part of the pattern at Leblon. Every hundred meters or so there are also little food and drink stalls right on the beach, which is great for a fresh coconut drink, cold beer, or street food snack.

The view back on Ipanema from Arpoador (the rocky outcrop separating Ipanema and Copacabana beaches). The Corcovado is seen in the distance...it is incredible how it is visible from so many different parts of the city.

Surfers shredding it up at Arpoador. They didn't even need to paddle out...they would ride a wave in, then walk out on the rocks and jump back in beyond the break point...probably have no idea how lucky they are!

Looking towards Copacabana and the famous Guanabara Bay. Sugarloaf Mountain is the tallest in the background there. There is a cable car up to the top, which is supposed to be spectacular at sunset. Missy and I didn't make it up due to time and also because I've heard it is quite touristy, and we got our fill of that (the cost for the great views) at the Corcovado. We will be returning to Brazil, so maybe we'll catch a sunset from up there then...

Another view from Ipanema...this shows how the city just climbs up the mountainsides.

Up on the Corcovado looking at the backside of Christ the Redeemer...it's pretty big.

Looking down on Ipanema and Leblon from the Corcovado. Supposedly, Ipanema means dirty water in the old native language and is called so because of the bay seen in the picture here.

We were lucky to have some great weather up there...the clouds were coming and going, but at least we could see. Apparently it had rained almost non-stop for the week before we go there!

Yay, hordes of inconsiderate tourists! Just what I absolutely love. These people pretended they were the only ones up there...absolutely ignoring the other 20 some-odd people within a 5 foot radius of them. Worst of all were the ones who decided to imitate the Christ statue and stood with their arms out while one of their idiot friends laid on the ground to get a picture of them in place of the statue...so basically, they took up about as much space as two people could in the crowd. Missy and I started out by being respectful of their ridiculous ways, but by after about a dozen of them stayed in position for much much more time than it takes to get the shot, we stopped caring. Like all the people seen here, I was definitely a guest star in many a "look I'm Christ the Redeemer" shots. Oh well.

Looking down on the city center, Sugarloaf, and the amazingly beautiful Gunabara bay.

Looking more north now...

Now more northwest...the enormous soccer stadium is seen in the lower center here. It is the biggest in the world, and will be one of the venues for the 2014 World Cup, which Missy and I WILL be returning for! Unfortunately, it is in a bit of a rough neighborhood, so it is best to arrange tickets and transport through the place you are staying (they all provide this service to enjoy the national sport).

Couldn't really get enough of it up there...that is til the other tourists drove you absolutely mad.

Centro...downtown Rio. Missy and I wandered around here a bit. It was a week day and it had the feel of many other major cities...very business oriented.

There are these awesome old colonial buildings sprinkled all around though, which I loved.

A nice, mixed skyline.

Teatro Municipal, the central theater. We didn't catch a show, but the cafe is pretty sweet.

The favela of Santa Teresa. Yes, I said favela, and yes, Missy and I went there on our own and just walked around. Santa Teresa is a middle-class favela and is quite safe. It's beautiful too, and there are some great little places to eat or enjoy a nice coffee, juice, or cocktail.

Looking at one of the neighboring favelas. The views out over the city from Santa Teresa were awesome.

As we found in Colombia...Rio (and the other big Brazilian cities) have some very, very talented street artists. Santa Teresa had some awesome murals and pieces, but true works of art are scattered throughout the city. Keep your eyes peeled on the buses, you'll see a ton. Our favorite was the modern-day Wizard of Oz mural (we were on a bus though and didn't snag a picture in time). It featured more modern takes on the main characters skipping down the yellow-brick road, with Dorothy jamming to her iPod and the Tin Man wielding a chainsaw...amazing stuff.

Notice the kids playing soccer through the gate...

Rowing in Ipanema.