NEVER STOP MOVING

Iguazu Falls

3/11-13 We flew from Cusco back to Lima, picked up our stored luggage from the hotel and boarded our flight to Buenos Aires. We stayed just one night in our BA hotel – Riva Urban Lofts – stored our luggage again and flew from the little domestic airport over to Iguazu Airport for our three day tour.

We have a tour through 01Argentina and they have arranged everything. Hotel, transport and tours. $860 total for both of us 3 days/2 nights. Our hotel is Arami right in town. Easy walk to shops and restaurants. Not too impressed with the town but the falls were amazing. We toured the falls all the first full day. Did the train to Garganta del Diablo then walked the trail loop to Devil’s Throat. Then we took the train again to another area and walked a much longer loop called the Upper trail. About 3 miles in all. Bob did not do the second trail but enjoyed the rest in the shade. It was very hot and humid.

Again, these falls are huge. MASSIVE in fact. Pictures don’t describe but here are some:

One fall in the 200+ total

Friendly butterflies

Lots of people

Proof that we were there

Machu Picchu in all its grandeur!

I’m not going to write much about this because you just have to see it for yourself to appreciate it. I put this on our schedule long after I booked the Costa Rica/Cruise trip. I did so much research to be fully informed. There is no way to describe it and seeing pictures does not do it justice. Yes, it is difficult because the steps are steep and uneven. It is huge too. But our guide was great in describing what life must have been like for the residents. They left no writings nor history. It is not known why they left except possibly in self defense. So go see it yourself. But do it soon. The Peru government has approved a large international airport in the Sacred Valley which will eliminate the transfers from Lima or even Cusco. It will be easier and cheaper to get there which means more people. They limit the number of visitors now so I’m not sure how they will handle it. The 2.5 hours transit in vehicle from Cusco is beautiful. Then the train is equally beautiful. You CANNOT DRIVE THERE! But you can do the overland trek which takes 4 days and you must have a guide.

Llamas greeting us

Our guide Johan

Proof we were there

The transit from Cusco to Machu Picchu is amazing

Village with Llama wool demonstration

The weaver with my purchase

Demonstration

Llamas

3/8 Our flight to Cusco from Lima was great with views of the Andes. We arrived on time and Johanna of Incas discovery met us with our guide, Johan. We boarded our private van with Johan and the driver. We drove to Ollantaytambo town to catch the train to Agua Calientes (Machu Picchu town). 2.5 hr drive with stops along the way to see and learn about the culture of this area. First stop was at a little village where they spin Llama fur into yarn. I bought a lovely hand woven throw from a local girl (see picture). Next stop was for a view from the highest point on the drive at 12,800 ft. Beautiful scenery. At Ollantaytambo, Johan took us through the back walkways to see how the ancient city irrigated and provided water to the people. We went inside a typical (even today) home where guinea pigs are raised for eating. This is called “guy” and a very popular dish with the Inca people. We did not sample any. I had guinea pigs for pets and could not imagine eating one. From the photos you will see they get rather large. The home was dirt floor and rough stone walls. Open fire pit in the center for heat.

The next photos show the irrigation ditches which are centuries old.

Next we got on the train for the journey to Agua Calientes (Machu Picchu town). The 2 hour ride was very scenic and all along the river which was very high and at least class 5 rapids. I was told only extreme sports enthusiasts ever kayak it this time of year. We met a couple from Germany on the train who have relocated to South Africa. They said they were too tired of German government and taxes. They have a ranch in South Africa but are looking to relocate to another desolate area, hence the visit to Peru, Brazil and Argentina.

view from 12,800 ft summit

Our new friends from South Africa

river along the train route

Tambor and Montezuma, Costa Rica

February 25 to March 6, 2017

The first 7 nights in Tambor was at a private home in a very quiet neighborhood. It was centrally located though and we saw so much and remained very active. From quiet walks on the beach to zipline – we did it all. The photos below show just some of the highlights. It has been hot… around 85 degrees with a nice breeze most of the time. The pool was very refreshing.

My son and his wife invited us to share this home with them for 7 nights. It was very relaxing and we also enjoyed the company of Annette’s daughter, Emily with her partner James. Three generations!

Written by Bob about our day to Tortuga Island: Monday (2.27) we took a panga skippered by Tavo and his wife Veronica to Tortuga Island. We spent an hour or so relaxing on the beach under coconut trees. Then Tavo took us to two different dive spots for snorkeling. The fish were plentiful and it was beautiful. Then back to the beach where Veronica prepared a wonderful meal of shrimp, chicken and papas fritas. After another couple of hours enjoying the ambience, Annette’s daughter Emily, and her guy James, took a guided walk up the hill above the beach. We motored back to Tambor and back to our vacation home. Tuesday Marla and I went to town for some provisions and gelato and then just spent an afternoon of nothingness while the rest of the gang motored to Montezuma which is the “hippy” center of the area and where we will spend Saturday and Sunday. We are having the best of times.

02-27-tavo-tortuga-island-14 — Annette and Will on Tortuga Is.

02-27-tavo-tortuga-island-31 — Miss Lauren, Tavo’s boat

02-27-tavo-tortuga-island-33 — Fishing Village of Tambor

Zipline in Montezuma with Sun Trails

This was my third time on a Zipline. First was in the Caribbean, second was in Whistler. The third time is the charm, so they say! It was awesome-best yet. 8 zips with a waterfall break half way through.

The swim break

Annette and Emily

The waterfall

View from the Zipline

Suspension Bridge

Happy Zippers

Costa Rica!

February 23-25, 2017

We are finally here! We have one full day in the area of Alajuela which is near the International Airport for Costa Rica. As soon as we checked into the hotel at 10pm, I asked about tours the next day to a volcano or a nature preserve to observe some wildlife. Kenneth, at the front desk, told us to just ask the next morning as there were many choices and the nearest volcano was just 30 minutes away. So we slept in and went to the desk about 11am. The desk clerk told us we were too late for any tours. BUT she could arrange a private tour in a taxi wherever we wanted to go. We climbed into Leonardo’s taxi and off we went to Volcano Poas which was about a 1 hour drive. It was a wonderful day and Leonardo was a delight. He told us his entire life story along with some bits about Costa Rica. He was born in Costa Rica but lived in the Los Angeles area for 30 years. He came back here to retire 5 years ago and now drives a taxi until he can start drawing his social security from his United States income.

005-poas-volvano-1 — Bob and Marla at the Volcano

006-volcano-2 — The volcano below – last eruption was in 2011

007-volcano-clouds — The clouds arrived just as we were leaving

Next Leonardo drove us by his favorite cheese vendor on the side of the road where he bought some fresh tortillas and cheese for his wife. He then stopped at a local restaurant and filled a thermos with a hot beverage. It seemed a little strange that he would do his shopping while taking us on a tour. But this was all for us, we learned a bit later.

A little further down the road Leonardo drove into a beautiful park like area with ponds, benches and various activities. Some people were just admiring the flowers and others were on the Zipline. He said it is very crowded on the weekends but for us it was a special day because there were no crowds. So we sat on a bench and he brought out the picnic for us. Fresh cheese and warm tortillas. The special beverage was hot agua dulce. It is a favorite beverage in Costa Rica and I plan to find it again. Very good. Like a sweet warm tea.

Farmers Market and Alajuela Town Square

Our final stop was the town square with farmers market, central park and a large church which is so typical of villages. Leonardo knows everyone in town and this was the highlight of our day. He smiled and chatted with shop keepers, people on the street and waved from his car window as we drove through the crazy traffic. Such a lively fun area. The local people are happy and friendly back to us also.

009-farmers-market — Leonardo buying from friend

So this is the end of our first full day in Costa Rica. Tomorrow we take a short flight over to the Nicoya Peninsula and the town of Tambor. Follow along!

Amtrak to Vancouver

One more day of work and then we are off to Vancouver, British Columbia on the Amtrak. Since we moved here 11 years ago we have used this awesome method of transportation to travel north to Vancouver (our nearest city) and South to Seattle or Portland frequently. This photo below was taken by me on a walk in my neighborhood. We have a bridge leading to Boulevard Park and I always wave as the train passes by. I wave because when I’m riding on that train people wave at me. Riding a train is one of life’s little pleasures and everyone should try it. Extremely relaxing and very affordable. The fare is reasonable. Check http://www.amtrak.com for schedules and rates. They also offer bus service which might be faster.

This map illustrates the route. It is beautiful scenery! When we arrive at Pacific Central Station (shown below) we walk across the street, and take the Sky Train to downtown Vancouver’s Waterfront Station where cruise ships depart or a quick transfer to the airport from there. The Sky Train stops ‘inside’ the airport terminal. Good thing because it is raining today and expected to rain tomorrow.

bham-to-vanc-on-amtrak — Route to Vancouver

Right behind where this photo was taken is the Sky Train Station.

pacific_central_station_vancouver — Pacific Central Station in Vancouver, British Columbia

Packed Yet? with Full Itinerary: Southern Hemisphere

Departure February 22, 2017

Very soon we will be packed and on the way. We will be away for 64 days! No we are not packed yet. I get asked that question a lot just before a trip. I’ll probably start a couple days before departure. If I start too early I’ll take too much. Well, probably not too much because once that one suitcase is full – IT IS FULL. My suitcase is a carry on size and goes in the overhead bin. A backpack on wheels goes under the seat in front of me.

It is not really fun to pack. I would much rather spend my time planning and researching all the fun sights to see and things to do in each of these fantastic locations.

Day 1 – Train to Vancouver, Canada airport hotel
Day 2 – Air Canada to Toronto and finally Costa Rica
Days 3-13 Costa Rica
Days 14-16 Machu Picchu, Peru
Days 17-19 Iguazu Falls, Argentina
Days 20-27 Buenos Aires, Argentina
Days 28-64 Aboard Holland America’s Zaandam

The following is our schedule on the cruise: cruise-part-1 cruise-part-2

The photo below is of the Crows Nest on the top deck of the ship. This is our favorite area to hang out especially in rough seas. You can really feel the ship riding the waves from up here. Photo courtesy of Holland America.

This is a typical Outside Cabin. We save money by agreeing to a particular category when we reserve the cruise. It is possible to pick a particular cabin and get a preferred area, such as center-bottom deck, if you are prone to sea sickness. We don’t have that issue so have always been happy with the cabin as assigned. We were upgraded to a balcony cabin one time – keeping our fingers crossed it will happen again. The cabin is small but nicely arranged. Photo courtesy of Holland America.

Planning a Journey-Next up South America

I truly love planning trips. I’m a bit obsessed with it actually. Once the trip actually happens I think back to how much work (play) went into the planning and enjoy it all the more.

Picking the Location

We were invited to share a house with friends in Costa Rica. My goal is always to expand on whatever location and see more. So…. since we are so far south why not find a cruise that can bring us all the way home instead of flying? What started as a 10 day trip to Costa Rica is now 64 days exploring a bit of Peru and Argentina followed by a cruise for 36 days to get us back home. See cruise map below.

This is how I get so carried away, literally.

In 2003 we cruised from San Diego south to Valparaiso, Chile. Most of the passengers on that cruise stayed on the ship when we got off and sailed around the horn (tip of South America). We were so jealous of their wonderful adventure and have always wanted to go back. Also many passengers took that particular cruise to see Machu Picchu (from Lima) which is a rather expensive (about $3,500/pp) 3 day excursion if booked through the cruise line. Punta Arenas is the jumping off spot to Antarctica if you have that goal in mind. Antarctica it is a 6 hour flight, not really close at all.

cruise-route-south-america

Going South when the airline industry wants to go North

We have two weeks after Costa Rica before we get on the ship in Buenos Aires. Again, since we are so far south we should explore more of South America. As I looked for airfare south to Buenos Aires from Costa Rica I got frustrated because all the flights routed through Houston or Florida or other points north such as New Jersey. 26 hours later we would end up in Buenos Aires. I followed the advice of my favorite travel blog: Nomadic Matt’s Travel Blog Matt recommended looking at the final destination to see where flights might be coming from. Voila…. Lima was a better choice. We will fly from Costa Rica to Lima, Peru. Since we had to change planes anyway I decided we should stay in Lima for a few days. From Lima we will venture over to Machu Picchu. The challenges of planning that trip are in the post Machu Picchu Planning.

macchu-picchu

Machu Picchu Planning

central-south-america

In my last post I talked about the importance of planning well. I could call a travel agent but that just isn’t my style. I love to research, read other blogs, and spend lots of time looking at all the options. Trip Advisor has great forums where people exchange ideas and give suggestions based on their experiences.

Planning our side trip to Machu Picchu was far from easy. I loved every minute/hour/days of it. It is a very complex procedure to get there. Many websites are not current with the fact that one of the train lines no longer runs. Also, due to increased tourism they are beginning to limit the number of visitors per day. There are many tour operators who will put everything together for you from Lima flights, hotels, tours, meals and all else. I did a little on my own and used Incas Discovery to do the complicated parts. Their website is http://www.incasdiscovery.com and you will not find prices there. Which is a good thing. Most of the others put together packages and you pick the one you want. No flexibility. Johanna at Incas Discovery worked with me to deliver what I needed. I did my own air from Lima and chose the hotels based on the train schedules and other set details. Instead of a packaged tour, she charged me for only what we needed. I compared prices of course because you can do the entire thing yourself as prices are available on line from the individual vendors.

Advance Planning does make it easier…If only I could slow down….

Our time in Lima, Peru was already set because I had purchased non refundable airfare. We are flying from Costa Rica and then to Buenos Aires after Lima. We had flexibility but I chose the dates that offered the best prices long before deciding we should go to Machu Picchu. Again, if I had taken more time to think about what we would do in Lima, we would have stayed longer. The packaged tour operators could not work with me because my flights were too tight.

As you can see from the map below part of the tour is by auto and part is by train. There are no other choices, except walking the whole way, which many people do, over many days.

machu-picchu-map-2014

Also, all the tour operators have you stay in Cuzco the first night to adjust to the altitude, which is 11,000 ft. Cuzco is where the airport is. The altitude at Aguas Calientes, the town at the base of Machu Picchu, is about 9,000 ft. We are going directly to our Aguas Calientes hotel from the airport. One more day would have been perfect as you can see from the summary. The entire excursion is about $800 each. Most tour operator’s prices started at 3 times that amount.

Here is the summary:
Day 1 – 10 AM Fly Lima to Cuzco, 2 hour bus to Ollantaytambo, 2 hour train to Aguas Calientes, Hotel
Day 2 – Hike Machu Picchu 9 AM to 4 PM, train to Ollantaytambo, bus to Cuzco, Hotel
Day 3 – 5 AM fly Cuzco to Lima, 11 AM fly Lima to Buenos Aires

2016 Cruise from Venice to Athens to Rome including Greek Islands

Venice to Athens to Rome

May 20th to June 16th, 2016 we enjoyed 25 days aboard the small ship Azamara Journey in a balcony cabin. Normally this cruise would have been outside our price range but a last minute itinerary change created many cancellations. Prices were cut 50% so we signed up. We departed Venice, Italy instead of the planned Istanbul, Turkey due to the refugee crisis. This was 2 cruises, back to back. We stayed in the same cabin the entire journey (which is unusual). The following shows our full itinerary. With maps of the regions below that.

5-24-16-itinerary-azamara — Venice to Athens

6-4-16-itinerary-azamara — Athens to Rome

We spent two days in Venice prior to getting on the cruise ship. Venice is a fascinating city. No cars, only water taxis called Vaporettos that are very easy to hop on and off all around. It is easy to get lost while walking around because the pathways wind around between tall buildings. The most fun of Venice is getting lost, then taking a Vaporetto back to your hotel. Make sure you pick up a map at one of the many information booths. If you get on the Vaporetto going the wrong direction, just stay on and it will take you where you need to go eventually. Enjoy the sights all along the way. No one is in a hurry in Venice.

Waterways instead of Roadways

Gondolas

Busy pathways

Bridges over the water

Bridges everywhere

Cathedrals

More Cathedrals

Venice as we departed

Vaporetto

Inside the Vaporetto

Fruit Market

DUBROVNIK, Croatia – Beautiful Walled City within a City

Chania, Crete, Greece

We took a tour of the island which included a World War II Cemetery. It was so beautiful. Then we went to Monestery Agia Triada built in 1632. On the way back we visited a hilltop with views all around and we could see our ship anchored. Notice Bob waving hello!