Capital Cities of Eastern Europe, Part 2

This is part 2 of 2 featuring the great cities of Eastern Europe. Sorry for the long delay in getting this done!

PRAGUE:

As I reflect on Prague, I can only smile at the surprises of its transcendent beauty and the great energy of the city. I also smile because I shared this part of the trip with a dear friend…our first time traveling away together…and it was joyful every moment. Even the “whineage”.

I covered a lot of ground with my active and fit friend and we toured the entire city, a couple of times, actually. First, we went out as princesses in an open car private tour of the city’s highlights. At the end we discovered The Charles Bridge, and we enjoyed the many vendors as we walked over bridge. And then we took a short boat ride on the river, to enjoy the incredible scenery and architecture from yet another angle. As we walked back to our hotel, we came upon a wall of graffiti, known as the John Lennon tribute wall. Street musicians enhanced the experience.

We had dinner up at the monastery which is at the Prague castle, high atop the city. The views from there were spectacular. We climbed that hill and toured the castle by day on two other occasions, going into the church, cathedral and palace that are there in this medieval town within a town that dates back to the 9^th century. We timed our visit to the cathedral in the late afternoon and caught some incredible lighting on the pillars reflecting through the stained glass. The main square is where you find the Astronomical Clock, which is quirky and fun, and currently under renovation.

 

We also toured Jewish Prague. We were able to go inside the oldest active synagogue in Europe. There were several other synagogues and a Jewish cemetery in the neighborhood.

Prague is GORGEOUS. It was spared the Nazi bombings. The Czech government did not resist, and capitulated to the Nazi surge rather than get bombed to pieces. Hitler liked Prague, and wanted to save it for himself. Today the Czech Republic is thriving…10million people live there, 1.2million in Prague. And they host 12M tourists a year. It’s not hard to see why.

 

VIENNA:

We lucked into a comfortable private car transfer for the 3+ hour drive from Prague to Vienna. They pronounce it more like “Vyenna”…in a very romantic and passionate way. The first settlements in Vienna go back to 800BC, but 1/3 of the city was destroyed in WWII, so it far less grand and intimidating than I’d expected, and much more modern and gracious.

We toured the whole city by bus, and also visited the magnificent St. Stephen’s Cathedral and the Schonnbrunn Palace. The Habsburg family ruled from the 14^th Century till the 1600s. I later learned that there was an Austral-Hungarian alliance during these years, as the Habsburgs also have a history in Hungary and the former Czechoslavakia. They were patrons of the arts and sciences, and this beautiful rococo palace still remains.

Vienna is best known for their musicians: Strauss, Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, to name a few. Beethoven is said to have lived in 80 different apartments in the city…and that he was a terrible tenant who never paid rent on time and played his music loud and late into the night!

We enjoyed an evening at the symphony, with some opera and ballet performances…clearly a very Viennese thing to do. We also enjoyed eating schnitzel, spaetzle and gorgeous pastries and shopping for crystals at the Swarovsky mother ship.

 

BUCHAREST:

The land of Dracula—spires and gabled rooflines. The city had an eerie feel to it, befitting the legend. At dusk each night, screeching black crows by the thousands flock to their trees for the night. I was also treated to a wonderful thunder and lightning storm that added to the ambience of my experience.

Romania keeps the “east” in Eastern Europe. It is clearly the bastard stepchild of the EU. You can feel that they are struggling here. Many stately old buildings have crumbling facades or are covered in graffiti.

The words “Roma” (my mother’s name) and “Romani” mean “gypsy”…and I thought there could be a possible ancestral link for me. They even have a Museum of Peasants! It is a city with many parks full of people, activities and events. You can feel that they are trying. There is an enormous palace that was built under communism by Caucescu as a symbol of opulence; and it now serves as the Parlaiment, and is the second-largest government building in the world, surpassed only by the Pentagon.

I took my usual HopOn-HopOff bus tour of the city. I also did a bike ride and saw many interesting sites. I fell upon the old section where there were ancient churches and old cobblestone streets going back to the 10th Century.

 

BUDAPEST:

Budapest has a long history of monarchy, nobility, occupation, war and destruction that has left it lacking in a real unique culture. And yet, it is an awesome city! 80% of Budapest was destroyed in WWII and has since been rebuilt, along with all 8 bridges that cross the Danube that had been blown up. They say that 70k Jews survived the holocaust in the Budapest ghetto, and interestingly, make no mention of how many died. There is a compelling memorial to those who were killed during the holocaust…”Shoes On The Danube”…which is extremely powerful.

In 1989, Hungary became independent of communism/socialism, and they seem to be a thriving member of the European Union. It’s interesting to me that our point of reference for these post-WW2, former communist countries, is really not an accurate depiction in the larger picture of their history. Most of these countries, in fact, have histories that are very European with monarchy-based governance.

The “Buda” side of the Danube is the hilly side of the river, atop which sits the old city castles, bastions and fortresses. It is truly a city within a city, although from down in “Pest” it looks like just a castle on the hilltop. A walkabout up there took me to some of the oldest structures in Europe, including a synagogue dating back to 500AD!

The “Pest” side of the city is a bit more modern and has a lot of energy and charm. The HopOn-HopOff tour also included a nighttime version, which was extra lovely, to see the city all lit up at night. They also offer a mellow ride on the Danube for yet another perspective of the city. There are many beautiful buildings and landmarks to enjoy.

There’s a St. Stephen’s Cathedral here as well…same as in Prague and equally beautiful. The massive Parliament building, the indoor market, and the dramatic Chain Bridge. I also went to the Grand Chorale Synagogue with a magnificent holocaust remembrance garden. It’s one of several synagogues that still actively exist in Budapest, and surely one of the most grand in all of Europe.

Unfortunately, I struggled with a nasty head cold throughout my time here, which zapped my energy, but not my enthusiasm for this magnificent, interesting, unique city.

 

 

 

 

 

MOSCOW AND THE GREAT EASTERN EUROPEAN CAPITALS

Note: I decided to put this out in 2 parts, since I’m falling a bit behind in my writing. Part 1 is ready now, so here you go. Moscow, Warsaw, and Kiev. 

Over 3-1/2 weeks beginning in mid-August, I traveled to 7 major eastern European cities. This is a part of the world that is completely new to me. I’ve never traveled in this region, and I found a very mixed bag of countries and history. It was all very interesting and remarkably emotional.

MOSCOW:

This was one of the destinations I was most looking forward to. And it did not disappoint. Moscow is a bustling, upbeat, beautiful, clean city with a history as complex as its current story.  First off, I learned that it is pronounced “Mosc-o” not “Mosc-OW”. There are NO minority people of color here. EVERYONE I saw was white (or Asian), including the tourists. There were busloads of cigarette smoking Asian tourists. I was told that it is easy to go to Russia from China—Russia (ie. Putin) wants good relations with China, so they don’t require a visa – and they are geographically close.

For a country that historically officially rejected religion, they have many churches with those famous “onion” spires. There are several cathedrals inside the Kremlin walls. They were saved by priests who convinced Stalin that they were prestigious. Still many more churches and cathedrals were destroyed or turned into other things. Kruschev famously put a swimming pool inside one prominent cathedral.

I also visited the Grand Chorale Synagogue, which miraculously survived the Soviet regime, hiding their observance of Shabbat and Jewish holidays. Today, it proudly functions as a Chasidic Orthodox congregation. There are 26+ Jewish congregations throughout the greater Moscow area…all Orthodox, Chabad or Lubovitch. There are no “conservative” or “reform” congregations.

There is a Museum of Tolerance, which was funded by the Jewish owner of a big-name soccer team, who also happens to be a friend of Putin’s. Putin “gave” them the location, a former bus garage, for the museum, which chronicles the history and suffering of Jews in Russia. This feels nothing short of a miracle to me…acknowledgement from Russia to the plight of the Jews.

As pristine and opulent as the city feels, I got the sense that the people are struggling in the context of supposed “democracy”. One person said to me she will be voting for Putin again, “because she doesn’t see anyone else who she thinks can do the job”. Clearly, they are unaware of the reports of political assassinations that have made the news in the US. Their information is obviously manipulated. During our presidential campaign, they were told that Hillary Clinton was planning to start a war with Russia, so their people were happy that Trump won. A few people questioned me about his behavior and acceptance by Americans.

Most Russian people seem to lament the loss of the Soviet Union. It is always called “Soviet”, and is occasionally elaborated as “socialist”, but never referred to as “communist”. There are reminders of “the glory days” everywhere…in mosaics and art in the subways, in the monuments and elaborate state buildings of the Kremlin, and in the collections of fine arts that I was able to enjoy at the Pushkin museum.

Russia did not disappoint. It was everything I thought it would be…and more.

 

WARSAW:

Like most of Europe, Warsaw was settled by royalty in the 1300s. They were an independent country until the early 1900s, with a thriving art, music, and intellectual culture.  And then, in WWII, Russia and the Nazis invaded Poland from each side.

At the time, more than 1/3 of Warsaw’s residents were Jews. They were rounded up and forced to live in the Warsaw Ghetto…over 100,000 people living in a cramped area, 8 to a room, and starving. They tried to maintain life as normal, while quietly organizing a resistance. They eventually attempted the Warsaw Ghetto uprising in 1943, which lasted a month in combat with the Nazis. They were inevitably overpowered by the Nazis and they were all sent to extermination camps. There was another (secular) Warsaw resistance uprising in 1944 that lasted 2 months, and also failed. The Polish people still acknowledge the anniversary each year.

Everywhere you go there is a monument to someone or a group of people who perished. Orphanages…the orphans and their caretakers. Hospitals…they killed all the patients and deported all the staff. Poets. Writers. Musicians. Doctors. Over 300,000 people were sent by train from Warsaw to extermination camps.

Over 80% of Warsaw was destroyed…bombed, plundered and burned. After the war, they attempted to rebuild the older historic palaces, churches and synagogues as they originally were. One synagogue survived the war – the Nozyk Synagogue — because the Nazis had used it as a horse stable.

Warsaw still has a long way to go, and I doubt they will ever fully recover, having eliminated an entire race of people. There is still barren property with overgrown weeds where someone’s home once stood. There is graffiti on many old buildings. And some bombed out ruins still remain as a brutal reminder of the death and destruction caused by hate.

There were a couple of lovely things about Warsaw, most notably the resilient and gracious people. I also enjoyed some of the native foods: specifically borscht, potato pancakes and pierogis. And the hourly changing of the guard at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on the huge plaza (made famous by Pope John Paul’s giant mass there), which was my view from my hotel room. Most charming were the stone benches at bus stops that had a button you press, and they played Chopin piano conciertos. God knows, they are trying!

But clearly, I found Warsaw to be very depressing (admittedly, the rainy weather didn’t help). The timing of my visit coincided with the white supremacist rallies that were going on in the US. Listening to our president speak without unequivocal condemnation of these violent, racist thugs sent chills to my core. A far greater president, FDR, also looked the other way when he knew of the plight of the Jewish people throughout Europe during the war. He and the US have regretted it ever since. Surely we must all learn from these horrors so that those 6 million Jews and 12 million overall deaths at the hands of the Nazis were not in vain and will never be repeated. NEVER AGAIN.

 

KIEV:

My grandfather was born there in 1904 and came to the US in 1906. His name was “Gris” and was changed to “Green” on Ellis Island. We had a “Greece Family Circle” for many years that had been instrumental in bringing family to the US during the turn of the last century. I was excited to visit the Brodsky Synagogue. (Hebrew readers: take note of the V’ahavta above the arc.) This congregation dates back to the  1890s, and had also been used as a stable during WWII. There’s a good chance that my grandfather’s father may have attended services here,

I timed my visit to Kiev accidentally coinciding with their Independence Day. It is only the 26^th year that they’ve celebrated it, so they do it with huge pride and fanfare. There were military displays and parades. Their president spoke at the gathering, and he entertained many high-profile world figures, among them US General Mattis who attended the festivities. They are determined to become a strong part of the EU and leave it’s history of Soviet dominance behind. This young democracy is clearly proud to be independent of the Soviet hold and they harbor strong and active resistance to the Russians (who recently attacked and took over Ukrainan Crimea, so the conflict continues).

The city of Kiev is elegant and beautiful with more than a few Russian-style buildings and onion-domed churches dating back to the 1600s. Two of their more famous churches are the St. Sophia Basilica and the Mikhailovsky Cathedral. They also have an excellent subway system that I was proud to master, and I enjoyed admiring the elaborate décor they have there, in keeping with Russian style. Kiev is a city on the cusp of freedom and participation in the European community with fierce independence.

 

Coming Soon! Part 2, featuring Prague, Vienna, Bucharest and Budapest!

 

 

PEACEFUL, CHARMING, EXPENSIVE SCANDINAVIA AND THE BALTIC

This blog covers a lot of ground. Starting in Frankfurt, and continuing up to Oslo and Bergen and then on to Stockholm. From there, we boarded Royal Caribbean’s Serenade Of The Seas, and embarked on Talinn, St. Petersburg, Helsinki, Klaipeda (Lithuania), Berlin, Federicia and Copenhagen! ENJOY!

I set out to use Frankfurt, Germany as an access and jumping off point for Europe, never expecting to like it as much as I did. The city is very shiny and new, the result of a post-war rebuild and a booming German economy. The old buildings that still remain feature some very unique rooflines. And their police cars still use those horrible air-raid sirens, harkening back to the dark days of WWII. That could stand an upgrade. It is a super clean city – no litter anywhere, not even cigarette butts, despite the fact that these folks still like to smoke. They love their beautiful Bavarian cars – even the taxis are Mercedes – and yet, there was never any traffic in the city (but lots of bicycles), and no speed limit on the autobahn, which was fun. We toured the whole city and outskirts on an open-air bus, did a lot of walking, and enjoyed some schnitzel!

Next stop: Oslo. We totally lucked out and hit the 2 days of summer that they claim to get and enjoyed magnificent weather here. Oslo is a growing and very livable city filled with sculpture, charm, and a great vibe. You can feel you are in a place with happy people. Their system (ie. “government”) provides well for all of their people with free health care, free education, and excellent subsistence for those who are unemployed, resulting in very little “street life”. It is VERY expensive here, but people are paid well, taxed at 33%, and Norway boasts the lowest gender pay gap anywhere in the world.

The “happy” is even more profound in quaint, charming Bergen. This place just jumped off a picture postcard. The full-day trip to get there from Oslo involves a train, a high-mountain railway with waterfalls all around, and then a long fjord trip with endless weeping rock landscapes. All of this waterfront makes for some fine seafood dining, which we thoroughly enjoyed: lobster, king crab, mussels, jumbo shrimp and langostinos…though I was never able to successfully pair up a bagel and cream cheese with the abundant salmon! The other unique quality of this area was the endless daylight. Sunsets were after 10pm, and it never really got dark overnight. Both Norway and Sweden boast thousands of lakes (no wonder so many Scandinavians settled in Minnesota), which offers a lot of recreational opportunities during their short summers.

 

From there, we moved on to Stockholm, seemingly the most expensive of all of the northern European stops so far. Also a beautiful and picturesque city, it is a bit more “edgy” and bustling than its Scandinavian siblings, and there’s considerable traffic there. They also provide well for their people, and tax them at 35%. It seems to work…there was no obvious poverty or despair, and all the people were extremely gracious. This part of the world is teeming with Muslims…all 3 countries. There were times that we were well in the minority of women without a hijab. No doubt these people have run from the turmoil in their homelands, and they’ve come with plenty of money to sustain them in these expensive cities.

We boarded Royal Caribbean’s Serenade Of The Seas and settled into our tiny stateroom that would be home for the next 2 weeks. We remained in Stockholm for the first day, so we took a trip out to the mother ship of IKEA – I’m a fan! As we left Stockholm harbor, we sailed along the archipelago of idyllic Swedish islands with beautiful, isolated, waterfront country homes, accessed by ferries, much like Fire Island and Martha’s Vineyard.

Our first stop was Talinn, Estonia. The architecture was lovely, but honestly, there wasn’t much to the town. They have been ruled by the Germans, the Danes (in 1200s) and the Swedish empire(1600s). I got the distinct sense they were proud to have survived Soviet rule (1940s-1990s) and are happy to be independent. As in Scandinavia, people here are generally well paid and they are provided free health care and education, through a PhD. Their income tax is lower – just 20% — and employers pay the full 33% of social security.

The next 3 days were spent in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The city, once known as Petrograd and Leningrad, is reveling in their new-found freedom, in the shadow of many remnants of the former Soviet Union. They seem to prefer to focus on the 300-year history of Tsarist rulers, most notably Peter the Great, the city’s namesake. It was a lot to keep track of the Catherines and Nicholas’ and Alexanders as we meandered through the opulent, if not gauche, gold-gilded palaces. The Peterhof Palace, Russia’s “Versailles”, lived up to its billing…magnificent. And the Catherine Palace was completely destroyed in WWII and totally rebuilt by the Soviets to its original glory. We had a crowded tour of the Hermitage (Winter Palace), which is now a museum. It was too crowded to really enjoy the paintings, and we were not taken to the impressionist collection as I had hoped, but the building itself was a work of art.

 

 

A true highlight of our visit was an evening at the ballet. We saw a performance of Swan Lake, which was truly lovely, and made me nostalgic for my childhood family outings to Lincoln Center NYCB. On another evening, we went out on a riverboat and enjoyed a folkloric performance with 2 singers and an accordion player which was a lot of fun.

Since we didn’t have visas, we were not permitted to go out into the city independently…we had to be in a group tour. But on our last day our “tour” was a shopping trip, and after we completed our enamel egg and nesting doll purchases, we were able to steel away for an hour and enjoyed vodka and caviar at an elegant hotel. That was surely very special, and a uniquely Russian experience.

Our next stop in Helsinki, Finland was all too brief.  The land of Santa Claus and large ice breaker ships boasts a unique Lutheran church built into a rock and a beautiful white cathedral. We also enjoyed a craft market and a beautiful park on a gorgeous summer day. And the next day we were in Lithuania, and it was Maria’s 60^th birthday. We spent most of the day at the beach on the Corunian Spit, which is a UNESCO site. We strolled through a mature pine forest across the one mile width of the spit which led us to the Baltic sea, and a nice beach with soft, fine sand. We took in a small craft market on our way back to the ship, and indulged in some native charm and amber jewelry.

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARIA!

A long day tour to Berlin was another highlight of the cruise. We learned a lot about Germany that is clearly worth sharing. They require holocaust/WWII curriculum for all 3 years of high school. Home schooling is illegal, as is any organizing in the name of Nazism or white supremacy. I guess they learned the hard way! Today, less than 1% of Germany’s population are Jews. They also provide free education through university, as well as free health care to the poor, affordable government-sponsored health care, as well as private insurance options. You would think there are enough successful government health care program models that our congress could borrow from. They are taxed heavily (49%) but seem to earn well, and Berlin was thriving and bustling.

There are plenty of landmarks and remnants of Russia’s occupation of East Berlin; but it is clear that no one wants to revert to those days. Berlin is a hip, happening city. We visited the remains of the wall, Brandenberg Gate, the Reichstag, Checkpoint Charlie, the Cathedral, and a powerful memorial to the murdered Jews of Europe. As I posted on Facebook: “In the words of JFK: ‘Ich bin ein Berliner’…and in the words of Arnold Schwartzenegger: ‘I’ll be back’.”

The next port of call was Federicia, Denmark, which wasn’t terribly exciting. After the long day in Berlin and the 2 weeks of touring, it was OK to have a quiet stop. They were surely glad to have us in port, and they had a marching band come and play as we set sail to depart.

Our final stop was “Wonderful, Wonderful Copenhagen”. Denmark is a small, flat country smaller than many US states. Bicycles are the most common form of transport. The nation’s goal is to be carbon neutral by 2025. We took a city tour and boat outing and enjoyed this charming, picturesque city. This is another country that provides free education and health care for all of their people. They refer to it as “welfare”, oddly enough. Denmark is said to be the happiest country in the world, and we discovered “Freetown Christiania”, which is a nice little hippie hamlet that exists “above” the law. Yet Denmark has the highest anti-depressant usage (per capita) and the highest divorce rate (because it is very easy to do – no lawyers – done on line). It also wins, hands down, the most expensive, by far, of all of the great cities we visited. It was remarkable to experience, coming from South America, to see things get exponentially more expensive as I moved through Frankfurt, Oslo, Bergen, Stockholm, St. Petersburg, Berlin, and finally Copenhagen.

This was my first time to this part of the world, and I enjoyed each place we discovered. Though it was very costly, it was also very beautiful and interesting, and the people were extremely gracious and kind. Scandinavia is growing and blooming with non-confrontational societies that provide well for their citizens with goals of a peaceful, high quality of life.

Next Blog: Moscow and the Great Eastern European Capitals (to include Moscow, Warsaw, Kiev, Prague, Vienna, Bucharest, and Budapest) in mid-September.

THE NATURE OF THE GALAPAGOS AND COLOMBIA

 

I left Quito to fly to Galapagos, personally escorted throughout with SA Expeditions with great care and efficiency. At the airport I observed 3 couples traveling together, wearing the same “Legend” sticker on their chests, as if we were kids boarding the bus to sleepaway camp. It wasn’t long before we became fast friends, aided by fortuitously being assigned to the same tour sub-group on the trip. One couple was Kim & Chris* (*yes, SPFHSers, there’s another Kim and Chris), both lawyers from LA, traveling with 2 other couples, all UCLA Law alums. Enjoyed some laughs sharing the sights on our hikes and snorkel adventures.

I also enjoyed the company of the 2 other single people I was seated with at meals. Zakaia, from New Zealand, a pale, blonde, 50 y/o woman who was teaching “communications” at a university in Dubai. BRAVE woman. And Bob, who sells BBC and has lived and worked all over Europe and Latin America. We had fun one night at karaoke (Zakaia can sing), and had some very interesting conversations between us “never-marrieds”, who were clearly living well, happy, and enjoying life.

The wildlife was amazing: The sheer numbers of the black iguanas piled up on the black lava rock. The feeling of being both grossed out and in awe at the same time. The equal number of giant red crab marching across the black rock. The frigates, herons, and various other bird life, including the one that can’t fly, and pelicans swooping down on the water for fish. And the star: The Blue-Footed Boobie. The blue color is hard to describe. And the elusive penguins, who dart so fast through the water. The playful sea lions, who seemed at ease with human interaction, posed on the rocks, barked through water patrols, and generally rolled around and through the water. Leading up to the superstars: the turtles. They just float around the sea with calm authority, in massive numbers. Some of them are up to 6 feet long, head to tail. They, too, seem basically comfortable with the big human fish gawking all around them. We did 4 nature outings each day. I was lucky enough to have someone lend me their GoPro, so I had a ball shooting video while snorkeling. It was a fabulous time.

Arrived in Colombia in mid-afternoon on July 4 and Rich arrived after midnight. The next day we roamed around, getting acquainted with the area. We wandered around Zona G for dinner that night. Rich stopped a young Colombian family walking in the neighborhood and asked them for a restaurant suggestion, and we ended up at El Cielo, one of the most interesting, unique, yummy dining experiences I’ve ever had.

The next day we did a day tour. Our first stop was Montserrate, the peak in the center of Bogota. We never confirmed it, but we concluded it had to have been a monastery at one time. There were spectacular views of all of Bogota from atop this gondola ride. There was a still-functioning, lovely church at the top, the Virgin was on the next peak. There were a couple of lovely-looking restaurants, which we skipped. We walked around the beautiful grounds past sculptures for the stations of the cross. We met back up with our driver, almost by magic, and continued our tour in town, at the small, fabulous Botero museum that also had some other masters represented (Picasso, Pissarro, Monet, Renoir, Tolouise Lautrec). Then we walked the old quarter to Bolivar Plaza, with the main government buildings and the national cathedral.

The landing in Medellin came as a huge relief after a long delay on the ground and a very bumpy, uncomfortable approach over the mountain ranges that surround the city. We had a near-hour-long drive through winding mountain roads to our super-hip “lifestyle” hotel, “The Charlee” in the Zona Rosa party neighborhood of Medellin. The youthful energy of the city was immediately appealing to both of us. From our large balcony on the 11^th floor, we could hear competing music and loud chatter till the early morning hours.

Our first full day in Medellin, we spent with a business associate who is doing some cutting-edge real estate projects in Colombia. It was interesting to see the opportunities of a new generation of mobile workers and digital nomads.

That night we went out into the fray of “9-o’clock-on-a-Saturday…”, Medellin style. We walked for a while in search of a restaurant, and covered the whole neighborhood finding mostly “express” food or hostel fare, and bars. Ultimately, we ended up right next door to our hotel, and experimented with the local fare of arepas, which we both really enjoyed.

We toured Medellin in a private car. First stop was a park with some artisans and a replica of an original pueblo. We also saw a lot of the underbelly, as it was, going downtown to the cultural center and Botero plaza with his huge metal sculptures. The area was somewhat seedy, the merchants selling everything from pineapple to sneakers, in between gamblers, and homeless addicts laying here and there in the street. There were he/she prostitutes (out in the daytime), ironically all around the city’s oldest church. We rode the metro to the world’s first metro cable-car, which connects the city’s poorest people living in shanties on the hillside to the city center below. Classic Poma gondola cars go up the mountainsides of 3 parts of the city to offer “mass transit” to the masses. Genius.

We made an early start back to the airport for our flight to San Andres. We arrived and picked up our bags and dropped the big ones off at the Hotel Casablanca, near the airport, where we will stay on Thursday night, as we make our way back. We were only allowed 10kg to go from San Andres to Providencia. There were 19 seats on the prop plane that flew across the beautiful Caribbean for the 25-minute flight to Providencia. We landed at this hut-like airport, and made our way to our hotel, Deep Blue. It’s a 30-room property built into the hillside overlooking the water on the northeast corner of the island. We were greeted warmly, booked an excursion and massages, and then relaxed in the spacious suite. We were visited by a chatty green parrot who liked to whistle and say “Hola”. He hung out for a while during a light afternoon rain. We ate dinner by the waterside at the hotel.

We awoke to overcast, grey skies, surely promising rain, and we went about our excursion as planned. Went out on a boat with Arnold to Crab Key, the island that we can see from our terrace. There was a small green turtle swimming around as we arrived. We hiked up to the rocks at the top of the island and chatted with the other tourists who were there enjoying the view. We went back down and got into the warm, gentle water and began to snorkel. We swam around the whole island in some fairly strong current while enjoying the multitudes of small, colorful fish obliviously swimming around us. Arnold came back for us and took us out to the reef to do more open-water snorkeling. As we reached the site, the skies opened up and began pelting us with rain. Already wet and planning to get back into the water, it really was inconsequential, but somehow it added to the excitement. Rich and I snorkeled around the beautiful reef (a UNESCO site, 9-miles long, said to be second to only the Great Barrier Reef), taking in more beautiful fish and underwater sea life. After a bit, we climbed back into the boat and then continued our tour around the island with a lunch stop at Arturo’s on the Southwest Beach. Within minutes of arrival, another front moved in with a huge thunderstorm, as we dined on fresh fish, shrimp, and coconut rice. We re-boarded the boat during a break in the weather, to complete our circumvention of the island, and another deluge hit as we powered through the waters in the teeming rain, drenched to the bone. It was quite an outing!

Slept in to the pouring rain that was relentless throughout the day, apart from 2 or 3 short breaks in the action of high winds and stormy weather. It is VERY wet here. And not much to do. The TV does not have any English channels…not even BBC or CNN. And the limited internet is down 2 long flights of wet, stone steps in the main office. Rich is reading, and I’m writing and reviewing travel agendas, which is nearly impossible to advance without internet. Massage ladies will be returning here this evening. Woo hoo! Real “down time” can be a challenge. The sun did come out for our last day, and it was truly gorgeous.

Leaving the Island was bittersweet…we’d made some good friends in our short time there. San Andres wasn’t much…just a necessary layover. We stayed near the airport for convenience sake, so it’s possible that other parts of the island might have been more interesting.

We arrived in Cartagena to more brief rain, and made our way to our fantastic hotel inside the walls of the old city. We enjoyed a full tour of the city, old and new, the fortress and cathedral; and quickly caught on to how this is the crown jewel of Colombia. We did a lot of wandering aimlessly through the narrow, charming, old streets filled with quaint shops, street vendors, and lovely restaurants. We also enjoyed some much deserved down time at the rooftop pool. I had a blast with Rich, and really loved Cartagena. I look forward to returning soon to the gracious people of Colombia.

NEXT POST: Sometime in mid-late August. COMING UP-Frankfurt, Norway, and a 2-week Scandinavia/Baltic cruise to 8 countries.

DON’T FORGET:  Hey everyone, let’s play along. It’s not too late.  Please submit your answers. Prizes will be awarded.

1. In what city will I be when my big, blue, soft-sided suitcase is damaged and unusable?
2. In what city will I be when my carry-on suitcase falls apart?
3. In what city will I be when I pay for overweight or additional luggage?
4. In what city will I be when Trump is impeached?
5. In what city will I be when Trump actually leaves office?
6. How many pieces of jewelry will I buy (not just “fine” jewelry, and not just for me)?
7. How many hotels will I stay in?
8. What city will I be in when I break down and eat US fast food (eg Subway, BK, etc.)?

 

 

 

COLORFUL PERU, COSMOPOLITAN QUITO

June 28, 2017

APOLOGIES: Due to technical difficulties and abilities, there are no photos posted to this blog as yet. I am attempting to resolve this and will update. 

UPDATE: PHOTOS HAVE NOW BEEN ADDED. THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE!

Posting almost daily on Facebook is a helpful way for me to record each days’ activities. But there are those who do not have facebook who are following this blog; and the challenge is to share and avoid being too repetitious. Your indulgence is appreciated.

Lima is a very mellow and modern city. We ate some great meals in upscale restaurants all over the city, including a fun evening with Hailey Titinger, my niece Alex’s life-long friend and travel partner, due to the wonders of social media. The cuisine heavily features hot peppers and cilantro…not the best for me…but I gravitated to the more Asian-fusion direction that they also feature.

Maria and I enjoyed strolling around the San Isidro and Miraflores neighborhoods, people-watching and shopping. The changing of the guard at the Presidential palace, Pizzaro’s crypt at the national cathedral, walking the elevated malecon along the coast, watching the hang-gliders and surfers…all enjoyable.

The pace picked up once we flew on to Cusco. The city is 11,000+ feet above sea level, and the altitude really kicked our asses. Good thing to have gone there first, to acclimate to the altitude to be able to hike at Machu Picchu later in the week. The night we arrived there were parades in the town square, celebrating Cusco, the entire month of June. People were out in force, dressed in traditional attire…so authentic and charming. Cusco exists on tourism as the gateway to Machu Picchu and the people there are proud to share their heritage.

Everywhere we went, people could not believe how well we spoke Spanish. People consistently commented on our command of the language, to which we would reply, “Vivo en Mexico y ella es Puertorriquena.” It was surprising and flattering to hear their praises.

Our wonderful, patient, knowledgeable and enthusiatic guide, Silver, from SA Expeditions, joined us in Cusco and took us to Saksawaman, where the Incas created their terraces to farm their food. We toured Qorincancha, a former Incan palace, taken over and adapted by the Dominicans after the Incas were conquered.

Our second day of touring, Silver took us to a town of weavers, where we were shown how the alpaca wool is cleaned, treated, dyed, spun and woven into beautiful blankets, accessories and garments. We then went through the Sacred Valley on to Marasal, a huge salt mine, on our way to the Vistadome train ride onto Machu Picchu.

The big day, the big climb: Machu Picchu is one of the 7 wonders of the world. It is purely remarkable to think that 600 years ago, the indigenous people built this entire “city” at the top of 9000+ foot mountains. The place was specifically selected because of the position of the surrounding peaks as well as the winding river below which they believed mirrored the Milky Way and was highly spiritual. We climbed up and down the uneven stone stairways taking in the amazing views and incredible structures built over a 200-year period in the 1400-1600s. A truly remarkable feat! Both what they built…and the fact that we climbed it! The only down side are the tons of mosquito bites that days later continue to be painful, itchy and annoying.

Maria headed back to NYC and I moved on to the mountainous region of Quito. Quito feels like many cities in the US. They function on the US Dollar…I’ve never been to any foreign country that does not have their own currency. They have tons of traffic here, they use diesel and they’re pretty lax about emissions, so the air can be stinky; and at 7000+ feet, it’s already a challenge to breathe here. There are exquisite flowers everywhere, and a dozen roses costs $2. Most everything else feels a bit more expensive than Peru and elsewhere in South America. The city has abundant Dunkin Donuts, KFC, and Subways along with the 2 big burger guys. I have not succumbed, despite the fact that I have not taken to the native cuisine.

The first day I did what I usually do in a new city: the hop-on-hop-off bus around the whole city. We went to a city-wide overlook with the statue Panecillo. I’ll be returning to a couple of the districts that we drove through on the tour, most notably the historic center.

On Saturday, I hired a driver who quickly became my guide and my friend, Patricio. We went 2 hours north of town to Otavalo to the big weekend market. And then to the Parque de Condors to see the famed South American big-bird. He also took me to Ibarra and a recreational lake as well as the town Atuntaqi, where a lot of clothing is made.

And then Sunday, he took me to the equator, Latitude 0, where there are 2 separate museums and monuments identifying this landmark. There were many experiments with water, magnetics, power, balance, etc. and I successfully balanced an egg on the head of a nail. Pretty cool.

The coolest thing, by far, was meeting with a shaman at the Mitad del Mundo exhibit. He gave me some dirt in my hands, had me smell it, pray with it, and then throw it into the fire. He then fanned the fire around my body while he chanted prayers and blessings for me. It was really powerful and very special.

Just not sure how much more blessed I could be.

NEXT POST: I’ll be looking to write again sometime after my Galapagos trip and my 2 weeks in Colombia with Rich! 

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Man Plans, God Laughs

So, my grand trip around the world is now officially underway, as I arrived Saturday night in Lima, Peru. But it was not my usual, highly anticipated travel departure story. Of course, I have been planning and organizing this trip for over a year now; but with so many special events planned for this spring – my 60^th birthday celebration, my niece Alex’s college graduation, the cruise to Bermuda with Charlie and company – I was consciously trying to stay present and enjoy each event as it came, rather than wish it all away in anticipation of this grand journey.

Soon after arriving in NJ, ready and psyched for my June 10 departure, I got word from my primary doctor in Colorado that my blood tests indicated some more potential kidney issues. As many of you know, I’ve had 2 kidney procedures in 6 months, and it seems that my blood numbers haven’t yet normalized. My doctor was very alarmed and emphatic that I must see a kidney specialist before taking this trip – that I can’t “bury my head in the sand and ignore this without risking serious possible consequences”. Needless to say, this was very disturbing and upsetting news. And on top of it all, I felt fine, and had no obvious symptoms.

It was no easy task to find a nephrologist in NJ who could see me and evaluate my situation before my scheduled departure. I had to have all of my history and medical records (from doctors in Colorado and Cabo) sent to his office. I ended up getting an appointment 4 days before my planned departure; and I now found myself uncertain of everything. Can I leave on the 10^th? Will I have to come back to the US for testing or treatment? If so, when? Should I plan to come back to Colorado midway through the summer and see a nephrologist out there? And of course, what if I am really sick and can’t go at all? I had everything booked through August 18, but I still have a lot of plans thereafter that don’t yet have reservations. Suddenly, everything came to a screeching halt! I spent the 3 weeks prior to my scheduled departure in complete limbo about the entire trip.

It literally came down to the day before leaving when I heard back from the local specialist that my blood tests were OK and that he saw nothing alarming or indicating any undue risk with my (still elevated) blood readings. Of course, this came as a huge relief…but I couldn’t help wondering what the message is in all of this. Clearly, we cannot take our good health for granted. And surely, I have to be conscious and conscientious about my kidney-related matters. Of course, this also prompted me to secure international travel health insurance…just to be safe. So, a little staggered and punch-drunk, I embarked today on this grand journey, perhaps a bit more humbled by my own frailties and very grateful for the good health to pursue this amazing opportunity.

NOW LET’S HAVE FUN!

Here, below, is my itinerary for the coming year. The * indicates that these parts are not yet booked and are subject to some changes.

The ^ indicates that I have no travel companion for this part. So, if you are open and able to join me on this adventure, please consider it!

It is sure to be the trip of a lifetime! Thirty-nine countries! Along the way, I will share stories and photos through this blog.

I thought it might be fun to make a game of this, so please feel free to participate in these challenges…there will be prizes!

1. In what city will I be when my big, blue, soft-sided suitcase is damaged and unusable?
2. In what city will I be when my carry-on suitcase falls apart?
3. In what city will I be when I pay for overweight or additional luggage?
4. In what city will I be when Trump is impeached?
5. In what city will I be when Trump actually leaves office?
6. How many pieces of jewelry will I buy (not just “fine” jewelry, and not just for me)?
7. How many hotels will I stay in?
8. What city will I be in when I break down and eat US fast food (eg Subway, BK, etc.)?

June 10-16      Lima, Peru

June 16-18      Cusco, Peru

June 18-21      Machu Pichu, Peru

June 22-28      Quito, Ecuador

June 29-July 3 Galapagos, Ecuador

July 4-7            Bogota, Colombia

July 7-10          Medellin, Colombia

July 10-14        Providencia, Colombia

July 14-17        Cartagena, Colombia

July 17-20        Frankfurt, Germany

July 21-24        Oslo, Norway

July 25-28        Bergen, Norway

July 28-31        Stockholm, Sweden

Aug 1-10          Baltic Cruise: Talinn, St. Petersburg, Helsinki, Latvia, Lithuania, Berlin,     Federicia

Aug 11-13       Copenhagen, Denmark

Aug 14-18       Moscow, Russia

Aug 18-20^     Kiev, Ukraine

Aug 21-24^     Warsaw, Poland

Aug 25-30       Prague, Czech Republic

Aug 30-Sep 2  Vienna, Austria

Sep 2-5*^        Bucharest, Romania

Sep 6-10*^      Budapest, Hungary

Sep 11-17*^    Croatia

Sep 18-23*^    (southern) Italy

Sep 24-27*^    Sicily, Italy

Sep 27-30*^   Salamanca, Spain

Oct 1-3*^        Segovia, Spain

Oct 3-6            Madrid, Spain

Oct 6-11          Barcelona, Spain

Oct 12-14        Dijon, France

Oct 15-21        Burgundy, France

Oct 21-Nov 3   Paris, France

Nov 4-6*         Avignon, France

Nov 7-9*         Monte Carlo, Monaco

Nov 9-11*       Nice, France

Nov 11-15       London, UK

Nov 15-17       Casablanca, Morocco

Nov 17-20       Fes, Morocco

Nov 21-23       Merzouga Desert, Morocco

Nov 23-26       Marrakech, Morocco

Nov 26-28       Asni, Morocco

Nov 29-Dec 5*^   Tel Aviv, Israel

Dec 6-8*^        Jerusalem, Israel

Dec 8-12*^      Eilat, Israel

Dec 13-15*^    Athens, Greece

Dec 15-18*^    Crete, Greece

Dec 19-24*^    Munich, Germany

Dec 24-28*^    Singapore

Dec 29-Jan 8* Thailand

Jan 9-30*         Southeast Asia: Viet Nam, Laos, Cambodia

Jan 30-Feb 2* Hong Kong

Feb 2-15*^      Japan

Feb 16-20*^   Tasmania

Feb 21-Mar 9*^       Sydney, Australia

Mar 10-16*     Brisbane/Gold Coast, Australia

Mar 16-22       Woolgoolga, Australia

Mar 23-26*     Sydney, Australia

Mar 26-Apr 9*^      New Zealand

Apr 10-14*^    Fiji

Apr 15-21        Kona, Hawaii

Apr 22-24*^    Seattle, Washington

Apr 25-30*^    Vancouver, Vancouver Island, Canada

May 1-3*^       Canadian Pacific Railroad

May 3-6*^       Banff, Canada

May 7-9*^       Lake Louise, Canada

May 10-11*^  Calgary, Canada

May 11*          RETURN TO BAJA

Years of Planning and Dreaming

Dreams do come true. If you make them come true. That’s how I’m feeling about putting together this trip of a lifetime around the world. I remember looking at the globe as a child and wondering what it would be like to go around it…and see as much of it as possible. So, with the help of a wonderful product from (United Airlines’) Star Alliance, I’m putting together the trip of my dreams.

I’ll be leaving on June 10, 2017, beginning in Peru. I expect to finish up in Canada in May 2018. There will be many miles and over 35 countries in between. I hope to share my adventures with all of you through Facebook, and in greater detail here, on my blog. I hope you will enjoy coming along with me on this incredible journey. It will be such a joy to share my experiences; and I welcome your comments and questions. It can be lonely traveling on your own for so long, but this blog will help us stay connected, and I’ll look forward to hearing from you.