Zach's travel musings

Denied Entry into Equatorial Guinea

2011-08-11T17:50:00.000-07:00

Due to its insular nature of Equatorial Guinea, it can be notoriously hard to find information online, especially of the Mainland area. However, a quick glance of the map shows that Equatorial Guinea is a very convenient transit country from Cameroon (Yaoundé/Douala) to Gabon (Libreville), as there are routes on the coast. This, along with the country’s Spanish-influenced past and the visa-free policies for Americans, makes Equatorial Guinea a relatively attractive country to visit. From Cameroon, there are two entry points – Rio Campo and Kye-Ossi / Ebebiyin.

However, Thorn Tree searches show the Rio Campo border to be frequently (and unpredictably) closed – also, past Kirbe the road goes to a dirt path, making travel difficult. Furthermore, if you get in through Rio Campo the road from there to Bata is notorious for checkpoints and bribery, according to local NGO sources.

The other entrance from Kye-Ossi / Ebebiyin is the main entrance for the mainland. However, when I visited there were only a trickle of people flowing through. Getting stamped out of Cameroon is easy enough (though customs will try to bribe you), but entering Equatorial Guinea is another story. While some Chinese construction workers (with visas) were let through, I was denied entry based on two excuses:

Americans do not need visas only for air travel to Malabo, not via ground. This one seemed to be a fake initial excuse, as they moved on from it after 10 minutes of contesting their claim.
I am Chinese (descent), therefore Chinese and not American (despite the American passport), therefore require a visa. This was an interesting argument – after waiting an hour for the (unhelpful) border guard to call Malabo and pleading my case, the guards stood firm.

I called the American Embassy to see what help could be provided, but they said there was indeed precedent for such decisions – in two years, I was the second American of non-Caucasian descent to be denied entry on the second argument (the other was Cameroonian-American). This was a problem that could not be solved with a bribe, as the head border guard made very clear. Also, having an American consulate ambassador was unhelpful, as no Equatorial Guineans were willing to talk on the phone.

Ultimately given the lack of traffic in the area and high suspicion of foreigners, I’d imagine other Americans of non-Caucasian descent will have the same problems. If you need to enter Equatorial Guinea by land, be sure to have contacts on the ground – not only will this help your entry case, but you will be able to avoid (some) bribery on the road to Bata.

For those able to enter, some information that may be of use:

The road to Bata has 7-8 checkpoints as of August 2011. Each checkpoint demands from 0 to 5,000 CFA, with 3,000 to 5,000 CFA being the normal payment. This information came from a Cameroonian and a Chinese group – if you have contacts in the country or are American, the bribes may be lower or non-existent (if you believe the rumor that Americans are not allowed to be bribed)
The road is newly paved.
When I was there on Thursday afternoon, many of the border guards, on both the Cameroonian and Equatorial Guinean side were drunk. Most also had AK-47’s. It is probably best to travel weekday mornings, and I would avoid Saturday at all cost.
If you are trying to transit to Gabon through Cogo, it should take 8-10hrs total transport time.
For best results, speak only English (even if you know Spanish or French). It'll force a translator.

A Beginner’s Guide to Taxi / Public Transport in Yaoundé, Cameroon

2011-08-11T17:12:00.000-07:00

At first, utilizing the public transport in Yaoundé (or any other Central African country) can be daunting – in Yaoundé at least, the non-African system of minibuses is non-existent, to be replaced by “shared taxis” or “combis.” These taxis make up half of the traffic of Yaoundé, and consist of up to (6) passengers (excluding the driver), each going to different destinations along a variably-set route.

To begin, there are three ways to take the taxis. The default way is by “combi” – where a trip costs 200CFA around town (the distances vary, but seem to be around 3km). In this setup, you stand on the side of the street, and wait for a taxi to approach (it may or may not honk to indicate it is free). Then, through the window you shout your destination, proposed cost, and number of passengers. The taxi driver will then honk or motion to indicate it is acceptable, or drive away otherwise. You ultimately are paying for one seat in the taxi. When you reach your destination, you can stop the cab by saying “C’est bon” and pay on the way out.

Then, the format is: “(location) (proposed cost) (passenger number)”, for example “Hôtel des Villes” or “Casino Supermarché, trois sont,” or “L’ambassade de Chine, trois sont, deux place.” For 200CFA taxi rides and for just one person, don’t include the cost or “place” designation per the first example. Also, for more than one seat it is assumed the fare quoted is per person. The place is generally an accepted landmark. Negotiation doesn’t occur, except for drivers asking “Combien?” occasionally to default 200CFA requests; however, the majority of taxi owners will not try to rip you off. That said, not having change is an endemic problem in taxis; even if you have a 500CFA coin for a 200CFA taxi, before entering it is imperative to say “J’ai __ franc s’il vous plait” to imply you need change at the end of the ride.

The system is a free market – you will have to increase your proposed offer above 200CFA (to 300CFA+) if:

You’re traveling further than 3km
You’re traveling during weekday rush hours or late-late night
You’ve gone through 10+ taxis and all won’t take you, or many ask “Combien?”
You’re going to a significantly off-the-main-road location
You only have 1 person
You speak absolutely no French or look completely oblivious

The above list is additive. The easiest way is just to go through taxis and increase your offer as you go. Also, keep in mind if you’re going to a new destination empty taxis are easiest to secure but may need a higher proposal to “set the route” to your destination.

Finally, a tricky aspect is the informal routing of taxis. You have to stand on the side of the road where the most common route is, but even then there are ideal places to stand to go to certain sections of town, and ideal “interchanges” to switch from taxi to taxi. This knowledge is something that takes weeks in the city to pick up (seeing the same routes being utilized on your journeys into and out of the city). An additional gem of knowledge is the 100CFA taxi, reserved for short (500m-1km) rides; foreigners rarely get this rate, but you can try by proposing “cent franc” at the flag-down.

Other ways to get a taxi include a “depot”, where you rent out the whole car for a fixed rate (1000-1500CFA for regular trips, 2000CFA for longer ones such as Bastos (North) -Southern Bus Terminals). You can also hire a taxi by the hour at 3000CFA, which can be useful for running errands. Although the shared taxi system is a challenge at first, it becomes a blessing in disguise for getting you to the exact place at a wonderfully affordable cost!

Places to go around Bastos and the UCLA IRTC Apartments, Yaoundé

2011-08-11T16:47:00.001-07:00

Bastos, located north of city center, is the ex-pat and diplomatic hub of Yaoundé, Cameroon. Most ex-pats will stay around this area. If you are staying at the UCLA IRTC Apartments (for researchers of any speciality, 11,000 CFA/night if space is available – highly recommended!), the following can be a good resource.

Home

To get home, instruct a taxi to go to “L’ambassade de Chine” – it will either take the route from Rue Bastos, or a valley coming from a Carrefour on the route to Mont Febe.

Supermarkets

Dovy Supermarche. A 10 minute walk from the apartment on Rue Bastos towards the city center. Has most of everything necessary, although most products are at European prices plus some (check for the non-imported goods). Decent fruit and vegetable selection, though more expensive (and of worse quality) than other places. Like any store in Yaoundé, bring empty beer or soda glass bottles to avoid paying a deposit (of 125CFA). Taxi: Dovy (Bastos), 100CFA.

Mahima Supermarche. Really convenient if you are by Centre Pasteur or going towards Centre-Ville – slightly cheaper than Dovy/Casino, and has a large selection of Indian spices and goods.

Casino Supermarche. In centre-ville, convenient to the Central Market and the Hilton-area. Nicest supermarket of the three with an expansive selection, but also the most expensive. Taxi: Casino, 200-300CFA.

Banking/ATM

Note: many ATMs do not take Visa cards, and almost none take Mastercard. Withdrawal limit is 200,000CFA/transaction.

ATMs by “L’hotel des Villes.” This is the closest reliable bank cluster with Visa ATMs (le guichet automatique). Taxi: “L’hotel des Villes” or “British Council,” 200CFA.

ATM across from the Hilton, SGBC. This ATM is to my knowledge the only Mastercard-accepting ATM machine in Yaounde.

ATM within the Hilton. Taxi: Hilton, 200-300CFA.

BICAC ATM by Casino and Centre Culturel Francais. Taxi: ”Centre Culturel Francais,” 200-300CFA.

Food-budget

Most will be street food or equivalent.

Corner Shack. As described above, 1 minute from the IRTC. 2-egg omelet with sausage and vegetables on a sandwich bun for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! 500CFA.

Outside Corner Shack. There are ladies that stand outside with food during lunch hours, though selection seems to vary and the quality when I tried it was sub-par. 500CFA.

Grilled Fish Lady. Coming outside the gate, turn right and an immediate right up the dirt hill, 30s from the IRTC. During lunch, a lady sells grilled fish for variable prices, but a regular-sized full fish should cost 1000CFA (+ additions 100CFA). Takes 20 minutes to cook, but bring your own plate if you wish. 600-1200CFA.

Baguette sandwich variations on the route to Rue Bastos. On the way to Rue Bastos from L’ambassade de Chine, there are many ladies selling spaghetti, avocado, or meatball sandwiches for lunch only; just tell them the amount of bread, meatballs and/or spaghetti you’d like. 100-500CFA.

Dovy Supermarche Patisserie. They sell deli “hamburgers” that can be a quick lunch when paired with their chocolate croissants. 500-1000CFA.

Spaghetti Omelets. Located all around town, but in Bastos you can find them right past Dovy on the way to city center for breakfast or lunch. 10 minutes from IRTC. It’s exactly what it sounds! 500CFA.

Grilled Pork Schwarma or Sandwiches. Located at Carrefour Bastos across from Expresso House, operating only at night, and extremely popular with locals. The front schwarma grill goes for 500CFA; the back for 900CFA for 4 brochettes. 15 min from the IRTC. 500-900CFA.

JC Chicken. Located across from Dovy (taxi drivers will know this place’s name), has a ¼ roast chicken and fries, excellently done, for 1200CFA any time of day. If you prefer it drier, go across the street next to Dovy, 1100CFA. 10 min from IRTC.

Uncle Donald’s. When you almost hit Carrerfour Nongkak from Bastos, look left right before entering the Carrefour. Sells actual schwarmas for lunch/dinner 1200CFA, + fries for 500CFA. Delicious, but be sure to take it to go (drinks are outrageously expensive and service horrible) – and go across the street, a (unlicensed bar) which has beers for 500-600CFA – you’ll recognize it by the arcade machines inside. You’re more than likely to see Peace Corps at night, or drum up conversation with the locals!

Carrerfour Nongkak. There is a variety of street and budget stall food options for lunch or dinner surrounding this Carrefour, which is one of the hotspots of Yaounde in general. 30 min from the IRTC, or take a 200CFA taxi.

Centre Pasteur de Cameroun. Outside Centre Pasteur, there is a wonderful row of stalls that sell breakfast and lunch, either grilled fish or local Cameroonian fare (1 stall does chicken, fish, or steak with tomato sauce and rice/plantains/foufou for 1200CFA, which is highly recommended). It is also accessible from Mahima supermarket but harder to find. Taxi 300CFA.

Food-midrange

Restaurant “La Barack” – The closest nice restaurant from IRTC, but nice is an understatement – the food deserves to be in the “top-range” category, especially French dishes using crème-fraishe (Cameroonian dishes not reviewed). The ambiance is great, with cheap beer and a projector showing music videos to boot! Find it on Rue Bastos, immediately after passing the Nigerian Embassy but before Dovy – it’ll be down a small dirt path on your left (opposite the road to go to La Salsa). Entrees 2000-4000CFA, Large Beer 800CFA.

Chez Patrick – Another wonderful choice, past Carrefour Bastos and next to JC Chicken Prestige (after passing it going towards city center, look to the right down the street for a shack on your left) – great ambiance and delicious local Cameroonian fare for great prices. Entrees 1500-2500CFA, Large beer 1000CFA.

JC Chicken Prestige – The exact same as JC Chicken, except more expensive x4 (you’re buying the “Prestige”. Skip this.

Bunker Nightclub – Located on Carrefour Nongkak, a hotspot for upper-class Cameroonians going out for grilled fish (or roast chicken). You *must* choose and bargain your fish – by doing so, you can get 3 large fish for under 10,000CFA; by not, a small and not-very-fresh (at all) fish for 4500CFA.

Pizza Roma – Pizza on Carrefour Bastos. Unknown entrée.

Expresso House – on Carrefour Bastos. Unknown entrée.

Options around Carrefour L’Interdance. This Carrefour is located close to Casino supermarket, though it is hard to find (it is named after a pharmacy) – but taxis will know the location (200-300CFA from IRTC). Round the Carrefour are a spattering of Cameroonian-owned French restaurants, of which one we tried (the street directly left of the Pharmacy, on the left side of the street on the Carrefour) was excellent for lunch. Entrees 3000CFA+.

Food-high end

L’Orient Rouge. Can’t miss this option right outside of the branchoff from the L’ambassade de Chine road and Rue Bastos. It has a nice ambiance but (very) bad Chinese food. 4000CFA+.

Chinese Restaurant across from Gothe Institute. 8 minutes from IRTC, once exiting onto Rue Bastos turn right instead of left – 200m down the street on the right is the Gothe Institute, and across the street is this 4-character Chinese restaurant. It has fairly good food (get Cantonese specialties, the owner is Cantonese), but is expensive. You get a 500-1000CFA/entrée discount off the menu if you’re Chinese. 4000CFA+.

La Salsa. Going towards city center on Rue Bastos, past the Nigerian Embassy but before Dovy turn right at the sign and walk a couple of minutes. Colleague reviews say it has wonderful salads and fresh options. 5000CFA+.

La Taniere. Very hard to spot, but it’s down a small road on the way to Carrefour Nongkak, past Chez Wou and around a nice wine store on the right – it may be better to get a taxi straight to the destination. 20+ min from IRTC. It’s open for dinner, and has *wonderful* live music playing in a night-club-like decorated area, with fairly good Cameroon food to boot. Entrees 4000-5000CFA, Large Beer 1500CFA.

Chez Wou. On the route to Carrefour Nongkak on Rue Bastos. Unknown entrée and quality.

Café de Yaoundé. Located further away from Bastos, closer to city center – taxi drivers will know where to go, however. This is the expat go-to place for Italian, and from an Italian friend it is also as authentic as you’ll get on the continent – wonderful food and wonderful ambiance. Though, the day we went all 10 tables were filled with expats. 200-300CFA taxi from IRTC, 5000CFA+.

"Grilled Fish Lady"

“La Barack”

Kruger National Park, South Africa

2011-07-05T02:34:00.000-07:00

Kruger National Park is an easily accessible "safari reserve" located in the eastern half of the country, near the borders of Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Swaziland. It is also extremely rich in wildlife, and a great starting point for first-time safari-goers, with facilities that put comparable National Parks in the United States to shame. While on my three-day trip there, I saw 4 of the "Big-Five" - lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, and buffalo. The chances of seeing the "Big-Five", especially in the southern part of the reserve, seem to be high.

The schedule for most short organized tours to Kruger, from Johannesburg, is a three-day safari trip, with only one day spent in the park and no overnight accommodations in the park. However, the cheapest of these organized tours was ~$600 USD p.p, which for what is offered (camping accommodation, "private reserve" stays, etc...) I found extraordinarily expensive. A better alternative is to self-drive (rent a car) to the park; indeed, this is what most South Africans do.

To self-drive, you'll need to rent a car in Johannesburg, or rent a car in Nelspruit after finding your way there (either via bus or flight). Given the near-impossible nature of traversing Johannesburg without a car, the former seems to be more viable. See earlier Johannesburg post for details.

You will also need to book accommodation in the park at rest camps (and pay for your conservation fee to guarantee your spot, especially in high seasons). This part can be challenging to do with only few days' notice, but there were a few family cottages and huts available with 1 days' notice in the Southern section of the park for R1375 (for 6 ppl). Despite the capacity restrictions stated on the website, the rest camps are so large that nobody will check to see how many you have per unit; and the cottages can easily sleep double or triple the accommodation capacity. Those with kitchens come fully equipped with pots, pans, silverware, a burner, sinks, fridges, and microwaves. Bookings can be done at www.sanparks.org. Note that if you pay a conservation fee and stay overnight, your conservation fee is still valid the next day; so technically you can stay almost 48hrs on one fee of R180.

Once inside the park, one can also choose between different activities, such as a bush walk, bush barbeque, or night/afternoon drive. They seemed not too popular, and rates vary between rest camps (for the former and latter activities, R200-350). We chose to do the morning bush walk and night drive; although both were moderately interesting, I would not repeat either activity for the price - most of the wildlife we saw was from driving around the park, stopping where others did.

On the way back to Johannesburg, the tours will take you to Blyde River Canyon, easily accessible out of Kruger Gate; if it is cloudy, however, do not go! - you will not see anything.

With a car split among 3, the cost for 3 days including car rental, gas, housing, tours, etc... came out to $350. This included the expensive morning walks and night drives ($100 pp), and fairly expensive housing for 1 day ($100 pp). By using hut accommodation or splitting a cottage among more people and by avoiding the in-park walks and drives, one can do this trip for a mind-boggling $150 pp, which is an amazing cost for an African safari.

A yawning lion - 5-ft away from the photographer

Paris or London? And other logistical considerations

2010-11-28T11:07:00.000-08:00

For a short five day trip, is it worth going to Paris, London, or both cities? Although they both have things to offer, I found that Paris easily wins the battle based on its enormous amounts of attractions, cheaper cost of living and admissions fares for said attractions, and overall fast-paced liveliness. I’d imagine in the summer, the lines may change that impression, but at least for the winter Paris seems to be the place to go, or to heavily weight your short trip.

Otherwise, airfare to Europe can be surprisingly cheap during Winter and Spring season (late December non-withstanding), even during Thanksgiving holiday. I ended up using STA Travel/StudentUniverse to buy discount one way tickets to London, at $235 o/w nonstop from Los Angeles on Virgin Atlantic. These are usually mileage accruing. For the return, a non-stop flight using 20,000k American Airlines miles + $80 taxes/fees from Paris on Air Tahiti Nui fit the bill. In general, it seems that one-way tickets to European destinations are particularly cheap on Student discount sites; then, for the return one can match off-season one-way fares back through OneWorld (American), or Star Alliance (United). Be sure to call to obtain best partner availability. Also, look into returning from Spain rather than France or England, as taxes can range from $30 in Spain to $150 from London).

Paris, France

2010-11-25T11:06:00.000-08:00

During the 2010 Thanksgiving holiday, Paris was the second destination, where three days were spent. If one rushes, a lot of Paris can be seen in three days; though in hindsight, it may be worth taking the city in slowly (although this is also a budgetary drain), doing what the guidebooks say - sitting at a café and watching the city go by while sipping espresso (to which Starbucks does not hold a candle).

Despite being a large metropolitan area, Paris proper is a wonderfully manageable and organized city. It is broken up into arrondisements; for general reference, your (tourist-geared) trip will most likely focus on the Northwest, West, Southwest, and South portions of the city. For accommodations, we choose to live at the Best Western Rivy-Gauche (13e, highly recommended). The strategy for finding hotels through Kayak + Tripadvisor still works well; again, like London it may be worthwhile to book outside the city if late-night nightlife isn’t an issue (the Metro closes around midnight) – also, don’t be afraid of using the RER as it is just as convenient and at times faster than the Metro lines!

To use the Metro, one can buy a carnet of 10 tickets for 12€, which may be the most economical choice if your travels remain in the City proper (most will). However, if you are in a rush to see the city and it is cold, the all-day pass is a better deal (as with the case with our trip) - despite Paris being highly walk-able, the walks are less than pleasant in winter weather. Metro to metro transfer is not allowed, but Metro to RER to Metro is within 2 hours; so depending on your planning, you can cleverly get by using one carnet for multiple trips as the RER and Metro intermingle throughout the area. At night, jumping the turnstiles (by going in with someone else) seemed extremely common (1 of 2 people at an unmanned station), though a local friend says beware of ticket-checkers.

During my time there, tourist attractions I went to included the Catacombs, Eiffel Tower, Graveyard, Notre Dame, Champs d’Elysses, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre, Musee d’Orsay, Sacre Coeur/Montmatre, and the Sunday Bastille Market. I found the catacombs extremely worthwhile and one of the highlights of the trip, although it is not high on many guide books’ recommendations. The Eiffel Tower is a brisque walk up two observation desks; it is worth seeing at day and at night from afar (Westwards is the best picture opportunity). Although the graveyard is interesting – check out Oscar Wilde’s tomb – it is a bit of a jaunt East. Notre Dame, on the other hand, is on the Ile-de-France and is a must-see (free!) architectural masterpiece. Arc the Triomphe, Champs d’Elysses, and the Louvre can be done conveniently in one stretch. The Louvre has occasional evening hours (till 9pm) where admission is significantly reduced (free for under 26, 6€ otherwise) and is worth going to then; although the collection is vast, other than the Mona Lisa it houses no classical Impressionist work. For Impressionist pieces we went to the Musee d’Orsay, which also has cheaper late afternoon hours, though check their website for details. Finally, I found Sacre Coeur and the Moulin Rouge area including Montmatre fairly unremarkable.

Being Paris, food options are wide and varied, although restaurants within the city proper are tough for backpacking budgets. We dined at restaurants in the 13e Chinatown, which although are relatively cheap for Paris (10€ p/p) are fairly sub-par in quality (compared to Los Angeles). Otherwise, meals were mainly self-catering from Carrefour and local patisseries (especially in the Latin Quarter) – the quality of the cheese makes up for the stingy food options. The Sunday Bastille Market comes highly, highly recommended! The quality of the food present at the market, even in the middle of winter, puts any (even Californian) market to shame. Hard cheeses (if you can’t poke it) are oaky for bringing back to the States; others, including cured meats, are no-go. Also, the nightlife in the Latin Quarter is impressive, but extremely expensive – expect to pay Hollywood prices for drinks, though the novelty factor of post-binding crepes instead of In-and-Out makes it worthwhile.

For departures through Charles de Gaulle Airport, leave ample time to arrive and to catch your flight, as the airport is huge and hectic.

London, England

2010-11-23T11:05:00.000-08:00

London was a starting off point during the 2010 Thanksgiving holiday; although I only spent two days in the city, in reality a good feel of the city can be gotten within that time period (vs. its neighbor to the South).

Flying into Heathrow, one can catch the Underground, which painlessly goes into city center. Be sure to get an Octopus card for this trip; single-way fares are prohibitively expensive (4£ vs. 1.6£), although they may be steeper from Heathrow due to its Zone 7 allocation. Octopus is also convenient for its daily limit on use; once you reach the daily maximum (dependent on peak/non-peak travel), it stops deducting from the card. Octopus makes the world’s most expensive subway system slightly more affordable.

Transport within London was all done by a mix of Underground and buses, which are quite clearly marked (and surprisingly fast on city surface streets). It seems that nothing else is necessary to explore the city! Similarly, although I stayed at Reem Hotel (50£, recommended) in the Bayswater area, places further out of the city may be cheaper and just as convenient given the Underground’s speed. For nicer hotels, Kayak + reviews on Tripadvisor may be the way to go circa 2010.

For a short trip, walking around the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey in the Westminster section is a must- do. In particular, one can watch the House in session for free; if there is no line, it’s a worthwhile activity. Buckingham Palace and St. Paul’s Cathedral are underwhelming from the outside. No visit to London is complete without going to Harrod’s (although purchases may be ill-advised); also, the Tower of London was an interesting 3 hour jaunt, though it is quite expensive (18£ w/ ISIC, can get it cheaper online or using 2 for 1 coupons). On a previous trip a decade prior, I recall Greenwich, the London Aquarium, and Madame Tussauds’ being fairly interesting visits as well.

Easy connections outbound exist between London and Paris using Eurostar, though buy in advance for cheapest tickets (60-80€ o/w, cheaper r/t). Other (cheaper) ways to get there can be through Eurolines, or low-cost airfare, though beware the cost of getting to far out Luton Airport. Passing customs for France in St. Pancreas is a breeze, though don’t cross until you’ve eaten as food options in the departure lounge is limited. Also beware of the difficulty of converting pounds to euros at reasonable rates, and remember to change your quid to notes!

Almaty, Kazakhstan Long Distance Bus Station Maps and Schedules

2009-12-23T01:27:00.000-08:00

Information taken December 2009. Click photos to enlarge.

It may also be worth inquiring in-person at the bus station about other bus destinations and schedule changes not listed in the Lonely Planet or here (which is many).

Almaty, Kazakhstan

2009-12-23T01:05:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer: Due to the single day I spent in Almaty, there is not much I can enlighten the traveler about in this entry.

Unlike my initial thoughts about the "wilderness of Central Asia," Almaty seems like another metropolitan European city, with well-kept buildings, wide streets, and modern buses clogging around town. In fact, while on a bus (50T) I was surprised to hear songs by Juares, as Kazakhstan would be the last place one would expect to hear Mexican music.

Getting around the city is simple, even for those Russian language-challenged. From the train station, there are trolley tracks running down Abylay Khan that can take one to city-center. ATMs are also plentiful, as well as travel agents for onward travel.

While we were there, we managed some logistical tasks that may be of interest to future travelers:

Adding passport pages at the US Embassy. Unlike the Russian Embassy, I was able to add pages without advance notice and without working on US Embassy time (eg. not on their scheduled consular hours). This was not possible in Russia, and may be an option for those in a rush.
Obtaining a visa for the Kyrgyz Republic in one day. We were able to obtain a single-day visa for $130, although this was a bit of a swindling deal (the consular officer usually takes certified bank order but took our cash instead); the visas were as low as $30, US citizens included, for longer periods of time of processing (up to a week). Keep in mind that visa-on-demand can be obtained for $40 (15 day stays) or $50 (1 month stays) at the Bishkek airport, and there are 3-weekly flights on Air Astana from Almaty to Bishkek as of Dec 2009.

We were not able to do much touring in Almaty, but did take the Kok-Tobe cable car (800T one way, 1500T return) up. I would not recommend doing so on a cloudy day, as nothing can be seen and the cable car is not particularly impressive. Additionally, there is a bus which takes one down for 300T, but this is a huge ripoff - walk instead down the hill the 1/2 mile the bus takes you, and you will reach the public bus drop-off point where it ends. Then, take the public bus to Dostyq Road (50T).

Finally, in the 4th edition of Lonely Planet: Central Asia the long-distance bus station is not accurate, but has moved away from town. Buses can be caught there for pretty much anywhere in Central Asia; minibuses left for Bishkek when full (which was sooner than every hour) for 1000T.

Snowy Almaty, city center

The top of the Kok-Tobe cable car (on a foggy day)

Getting from Ürümqi to Almaty, via N895

2009-12-22T12:23:00.000-08:00

To get to Almaty, Kazakhstan from Ürümqi, China, we took the N895 train departing on Monday at 23:58. The tickets ended up costing $130 USD same-day purchase, but could have been probably bought for the going price of 690 RMB at the train station (however, we thought the train was sold out, but it was 3 carriages that were not even at 50% capacity). If doing the latter, the train station closes at 4PM.

In hindsight, there are faster and cheaper ways of getting to Almaty (our train took 36 hours). These include the overnight buses which travel through the Khorgas pass, or a bus/taxi to the Khorgas pass, walking across, and a bus/taxi to Almaty. One lesser known option but highly recommended by the Alashankou border guard is a train from Ürümqi to Alashankou (departs everyday), crossing the border by foot, and then taking a shuttle bus to the Kazakhstani border where a train meets you and takes you to Almaty 6 days out of 7 (100 RMB for the train to Alashankou, unknown (but low) amount to Almaty). All of these options are significantly faster and cheaper than the international train, which takes upwards of 6 hours to switch gauge. All of these options also run in winter.

Regardless, the train was an enjoyable if slow experience. The carriages were Kazakhstani metal. Bring your own food as there is no canteen car! There is power in the carriages. The border crossing is a different experience; I was interrogated individually for 2 hours by Chinese border patrol, holding up the train in the process. Be prepared to have all of your pictures gone through, and your documents meticulously inspected item-by-item. Anything deemed “not Chinese” will be taken, such as a Lonely Planet map book showing a picture of Taiwan. Although admittedly the interrogation was friendly, it was quite persistent. Also, delete or encrypt pictures if you do not want them taken; besides checking for pictures for export, I found out later that land crossings in Xinjiang practice counter-espionage, where they take any pictures military/infrastructure related from other countries and copy them off of your SD cards.

The international train will arrive at Almaty-2, north of city center.

The flat Kazakh steppe

Kazakh train official

Inside of a carriage

Ürümqi, Xinjiang, China

2009-12-21T11:50:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer: I visited Ürümqi and Kashgar during a politically sensitive time post-“7-5”, when there was no internet or international phone calls into or out of Xinjiang province, as well as little journalist access. Consequently, statements in this blog should be interpreted as a travelogue, not as a journalistic piece.

Lading in Ürümqi is like traveling back in time in Chinese history to see my first visit to Beijing in 1997. Our route took us by air from Beijing to Ürümqi, and the contrast on the approach from these two cities is significant. For me, Beijing a decade-and-a-half ago used to be defined by pollution the same way Ürümqi in winter is now. Although it was sunny the winter days I was in Ürümqi, the pollution cloud kept the city in a world of haze and smog. As one of the top polluted cities in China in the winter, it may be worth a visit just for the sights (and smell) of pollution out-of-control. The infrastructure is also less developed from eastern Chinese cities, with buildings (and costs) distinctly out-of-proportion from Beijing (for example, taxis with 6 RMB starting fare).

There is a lot to love about Ürümqi, however (though arguably not much in terms of the other gems in the region, and, you’ll inevitably find yourself in the city if you intend to do any Central Asia traveling). The city has a distinctly multicultural feel unlike anywhere else in China, and is composed of a mix of Uighurs, Han, Hui, and the usual mix of Central Asian ethnicities. Perhaps most telling is the sound of a Uighur speaking Mandarin Chinese in an accent usually only reserved for Caucasians learning the language. We did not get a chance to sightsee much in Ürümqi, but rather got a feel of the multicultural ambiance traveling through the city. There was also surprisingly little ethnic tension or hostility while we were there, which caught us off guard. We were helped throughout by Han, Uighurs, Russians, Kyrgyzs, and a Kazakh couple – the kindness of the people of Ürümqi stands in stark contrast to the violence of 7-5, and had there not been a huge police presence I would not have believed the city to be capable of producing such ethnic tension.

I recommend exploring the southern section of the city (around Hetian Lu), where the Uighur and Russian/Central Asian parts of town are for sensory overload. Food in the city is of particular note; do not leave without trying the lamb kababs sold on the street and lamian, a Xinjiang speciality (although these two are usually adapted to the Chinese palate).

If using Ürümqi as a base for travel, some notes:

You will want to know Chinese to navigate this city, or at least bring a Chinese friend; English does not go far, and even Mandarin is difficult to use in Uighur-only communities.
The Lonely Planet: China book is notoriously inaccurate for this chapter!
Buses to city center cost 10 RMB p/p; taxis no more than 50 RMB.
For flights to Kyrgyzstan (Bishkek), there are nondaily flights on China Southern and AC Kyrgyzstan as of Dec 2009. One may get a slight discount through a China Southern travel agent, but the cheapest option when we were there was 2100 RMB o/w. Flights on AC Kyrgyzstan were less than 1500 RMB o/w, but extremely unreliable. The booking office for AC Kyrgyzstan consisted of two people (one of which spoke no Chinese) working out of a hotel, and we were informed all flights were canceled over December due to low turnout. There are also flights to Osh; in Central Asia, Kayak is rather useless, but finding out all departures/arrivals from airport pages will net you timetables to work off of. To book the AC Kyrgyzstan flight, contact Эрбол at Xinhua Nanlu 786 (Huaqiao Binguan) [ask the receptionist], tel: 0991 8529061, 0991-8528062, or 13999935658. The Lonely Planet information on this is wrong. The above hotel is also good for arranging all things Kazakh and Russian, including overnight buses (it is the hub for business from Central Asia and Russia).

Huaqiao Binguan, for logistical travel information

Keeping warm in winter

Naan, the Central Asian islamic food of choice

Lamb kabab vendor at night

Winter in Moscow, Russia

2009-12-18T04:47:00.000-08:00

Although I admittedly do not have summer Moscow to compare it to, Moscow in the winter definitely has a distinct character worth exploring, if only for the four days I was present. Being so far North, the short days and long nights define the days and activities - at the end of December, sunrise occurred at 9am followed by a sunset at 4pm. However, the lack of cars and activity on the Metro shows the life truly starts around 11-12pm; and the ample cars at 2am means a shifted schedule more akin to a college town than a major center. The two times I was there, it was either bitterly cold - with highs of 0F - or passably warm, which was 20F. Needless to say, warm clothing is a necessity, but forget North Face; here, the choices are the local fur and down or freezing (and out of fashion).

First, logistics. Getting a visa to Russia is a huge pain, but doable once one gets all the rules (see earlier post about this process). We flew into Domodedovo, which is on the southern side of the city; there is an express train (250 руб) that takes 45 minutes to Paveletsky Station. It's probably worth it for the new visitor, but (at least in reverse) taking the metro to Domodedovskya and a bus to DME is cheaper (100 руб bus, 22 руб) and almost as convenient. The shuttles run on New Year’s. Similarly, there is a train to Sheremetyevo (300 руб) but buses can be picked up from Rechnoy Vokzal and Planernaya back and forth. Once inside the city, the Metro is excellent and extensive, and a pleasure to explore the stations. The one caveat is the station names; transfer stations, unlike elsewhere, all have different names and usually only one exit.

Second, registration. Registration (in Moscow at least) is “required” if you stay more than three days. However, this is three business days. Our hotel was willing to do this for us for $20 USD, and advised it even though we didn’t need it (if you stay less than three business days, they legally cannot detain you). Although stories exist of people being bribed by the police regardless, it probably is not necessary unless you are in Moscow an extended period of time.

Third, language. Russian is a very useful language to know if traveling to Moscow, as unlike other European countries Muscovites have not had to learn English to prosper. However, not knowing Russian (as we did not) is fine; but you must learn the Cyrillic alphabet! This is especially true on the Metro, which has very limited Roman alphabetization. Contrary to popular belief, I found Muscovites extremely helpful; those with limited English approached us clearly lost tourists on the street, and those who only knew Russian tried to simplify their language and help us around. Once Cyrillic becomes secondhand, navigating Moscow becomes infinitely less intimidating.

Fourth, food and shelter. We stayed at the Godzillas Hostel (off Tsvetnoy Bul’var) within the Metro Ring, which was extremely well-kept, organized, and definitely highly recommended (dorms from $28 USD, doubles from $35 USD). Food was all around expensive within the Ring; a typical “Russian” fast food meal came out to $5-7 USD, and stolovaya (canteen) cuisine up to $10 USD. McDonald’s was the only resemblance of cheap.

While we were in Moscow, we visited mainly Red Square and sights around the Red Square, such as the Lenin Maosoleum (free), St. Basil’s Cathedral (20 руб), and the Kremlin (350 руб). All of these I found worth my money, although I did not go to the armory. Red Square is a spectacular must-see, although it definitely does show Russia as a semi-police state (especially on New Year’s). Red Square can be seen in a day. Additionally, we went to the Great Patriotic War Museum (40 руб) off of Poklonnaya Gora / Park Pobedy station, which was quite fascinating despite the lack of English. The rest of the time was spent exploring the stunningly beautiful metro, shopping at Izmalylovo Market (definitely worth a visit) and exploring the streets of the city. Izmalylovo Market in particular is significantly cheaper than the market outside of Red Square on Okhotny Ryad metro; we were able to get a Siberian fox fur hat for 1500 руб. Note to save money on tickets, bring a student ID!

In summary, I think Moscow can be seen in 3 days. I regret not having time to see St. Petersburg, but the capital has definitely made me want to revisit Russia in the future (with basic knowledge of the Russian language). It is a fascinating mix of Soviet and Western influence, and has done much to dispel the Western notion of Russian life as backwards; given the design of the city (and the metro) alone one can see that Russia was truly a Cold War powerhouse. The Russian people are also extremely friendly, arguably giving arguably more help than those in New York or Boston. Visa and cost hurdles aside, Moscow is definitely worth a visit.

Kremlin at nightfall

Moscow Metro

Great Patriotic War museum

St. Basil's Cathedral

Sinaloa, El Fuerte and San Blas, Mexico mission trip

2009-12-06T04:55:00.000-08:00

For a weekend, I went on a mission trip with LIGA International down to San Blas, Mx, a clinic next to the larger town of El Fuerte in Sinaloa, Mx. Although I was unable to get out to see the town of El Fuerte much, I had these impressions of the area:

The scenery is a bit like what one would find in Guatemala, with arable land surrounded by volcano-like structures
El Fuerte itself seems to not have many attractions, though is a good stopover town. Avoid the Hotel La Choza and crash instead at the Rio Vista lounge, which was less than $20 USD p/p shared in a double setup and had views of the Rio Fuerte

If you happen to be stationed at San Blas, there is almost little to nothing to see. With regards to the clinic work, the locals are wonderfully friendly and accommodating; however, I have mixed opinions about LIGA International's mission at said clinic, learning more on the negative side for what I see as a waste of resources. The mileage (and contribution) first and second year med school students can deliver seem limited, if any.

Clinic at San Blas, Sinaloa, Mx

Central Asia / Former USSR trip

2009-10-16T13:13:00.000-07:00

With school, breaktime has become more and more valuable. With two weeks to work with, below is a semi-confirmed trip (airfare from LAX - MOW, from MOW - URC confirmed). Should be fun!

View Planned Central Asia / USSR trip in a larger map

I-10: New Orleans to Los Angeles

2009-07-04T12:27:00.000-07:00

To migrate to Los Angeles, I had to drive along I-10 for the majority of the route. Some of my impressions:

It's really hard to find Cajun food along the Louisiana route. Better luck going straight to the French quarter in New Orleans.
Having lived in Houston for a month and half, there is not much fun to do for the tourist; however, dinner in Chinatown/Bellaire can be nice.
Fuel up in San Antonio, TX, because gas prices only go up from there.
There is nothing between San Antonio, TX and El Paso, TX other than vast hill country. Although it's beautiful, stop wherever you can to get gas and food! And the speed limit is 80 MPH!
See previous entry for El Paso, TX.
The section between El Paso, TX and Tucson, AZ is likewise void of life aside from Las Cruces, NM. It is also among the most scenic of the drive.
Los Angeles, CA traffic is horrendous; avoid making it in during rush hour.
For hotels, I found Orbitz cheap at times, but without an Orbitz option Motel 6 was best for walk-in prices. (as low as $30/night taxes inc'd on Orbitz, $40/night otherwise for Motel 6)

Sonoran Desert typical off-highway view (New Mexico)

Texas Hill Country

El Paso, TX and Ciudad Juarez, MX

2009-07-04T11:43:00.000-07:00

Although only a day trip, I found the El Paso / Ciudad Juarez relationship fascinating, as although the two cities are sepearated by the Rio Grande for all intents and purposes they feel like one symbiotic unit. Prehaps it is due to El Paso's isolated location in the States, the large Hispanic / cowboy culture in both cities, or the creek-size Rio Grande separating the two huge metropolises. Regardless, a visit across the border is well-worth it, and most likely (was) a common adventure for those from El Paso.

As of Jun 2009, however, Ciudad Juarez and the state of Chihuahua has been engulfed in a war between drug cartels, which has led to kidnappings and killings galore. Although in context the area might be no more dangerous than Guatemala City, it's still potentially a serious situation. The steps of the Mexican military to curtail the violence were abundantly clear once crossing over into Juarez; at any given street corner, a armed-to-the-teeth army patrol would pass almost every minute. The positive spin is that this makes (in my opinion) the city safe to visit, while taking out the normal day-tripping American crowds.

Logistically, driving requires Mexican insurance; however, walking over the Paso del Norte / Santa Fe Bridge is pretty trivial and parking is $3. Once in Ciudad Juarez, the street blocks become much more walkable. I found the Mercado Juarez, on the Ave. 16 de Septiembre [cross bridge, walk along Ave. Juarez ~1000m, turn left] very underwhelming; however, the real market on the other side of Ave. 16 de Septiembre [turn right at the intersection of Ave. Juarez] was fairly impressive.

Things to buy in Mexico can include: spices (dried), liquor (1L handle of Kahlua / Cuervo-type liquor for $10US at 13 MXN to 1 USD, random trinkets / silver, and knockoffs. Street food is ample. There are ATMs along Ave. Juarez to pull pesos. The allowance is 1L liquor for Texas residents / 4L liquor otherwise. To cross the bridges is $0.35 USD to Juarez / 3 pesos to El Paso when walking.

The Rio Grande separating El Paso (left) and Ciudad Juarez (right)

Av. 16 de Septiembre; notice the military convoy

Silk road tentative trip - anyone in?

2009-05-09T20:30:00.000-07:00

With a month and a half left until I start professional training, I have been getting a bit restless and am torn between taking one of the trips outlined below. I chose this route because it covers South and East Asia, goes through the Karakoram Highway and mountains which is part of the Silk Road, and enters China in Kashgar, which is where The Kite Runner was filmed and is en-route for "modernization" (read: demolition of Uyghur compounds). The part starting from Beijing is flexible. Anyone interested in joining?

Cost

Transport, air

$750 r/t early summer airfare, New York-Frankfort/Munich-Delhi and Chennai-New York return (priced from 22-May to 28-Jun)
$100 o/w Islamabad-Gilgit flight
$20 + 20,000 SkyTeam Frequent Flyer miles, Kashgar-Beijing, Beijing-Kuala Lampur, Malaysia (or any other asian destination). w/o the miles, it costs upwards of $800.
$120 o/w, Kuala Lampur-Chennai.

Transport, ground, estimate:

~$175, transport in India (bus/train/taxis/auto-rickshaws)
~$200, transport in Pakistan to Kashgar, China along the KKH (bus/jeep)
~$150, transport in China including train tickets Beijing-Qingdao
~$50, transport in Malaysia (bus/train)

Food, entertainment, room, other estimate:

12 certain days * $25/day in India
7 certain days * $20/day in Pakistan
7 certain days * $25/day in China
3 certain days * $35/day in Malaysia
16 unknown days * $ 25/day

Visa:

$120 Pakistan single-entry
$130(?) China single/multi-entry
$150(?) India 10-year multi-entry, or less for single

Total cost: $2700 +/- 15% ($2300 - $3100)

Sights

Delhi
Agra - Taj Majal
Jaipur
Amritsar - Golden Temple
Wagah border crossing w/ Pakistan
Lahore, Islamabad
Gilgit and Northern Areas
Karakoram Highway, old Silk Road, 2nd highest mountain in the world (K2), 8000m+ peaks
Kashgar, old Sunday Market
China proper (Beijing)
Malaysia
Chennai (Maderas)

Safety concerns

India: (None)
Pakistan: Flying to Gilgit to avoid Swat/Dir region of KKH, minimizing time in Punjab province and Gilgit (although these three are pretty safe), avoiding Peshawar (though arguably the coolest part of Pakistan =()
China: (None)
Malaysia: (None)

View Planned Silk Road / Asia trip in a larger map

Impressions about Central America: budget

2009-03-16T18:05:00.000-07:00

For my trip, I kept a running tally of all of my expenses accrued out of curiosity what the average backpacker's budget would look like. The numbers are below, for a total expenditure of $2458 (including airfare) for travel from Jan 19th to March 3rd. This number is verified within +/- 0.5%, based on comparison to expenditures from my bank account.

Int'l Airfare: PIT->GUA, PTY->PIT.
Theft: Money stolen at homestay and through huslers.
Telecommunications: Total costs for cell phone service in Guatemala, and internet.
Transportation: All buses, cars/taxis, boats, etc... within Central America, as well as border duties.
Food: All money spent on foods or drinks, including meals but excluding modest board in Guatemala for 2 1/2 weeks.
Tours/Entrance: All money spent on entrance fees or activities part of tourism. This includes $220 for scuba diving classes.
Education: Cost for Spanish lessons for 2 1/2 weeks at $65/20 hour/wk, plus supplies.
Room: All money spent on living arrangements, including homestays. This figure also includes modest board for 2 1/2 weeks in Guatemala.
Other: All other categories, including souvenirs.

Impressions about Central America

2009-03-16T17:54:00.000-07:00

Nicaragua: For the value, Nicaragua cannot be beat. It has the most off-the-beaten-track feel of all of the Central American countries I visited, yet amenities are comfortable. The costs are the lowest in all of Central America, and the wildlife is relatively well preserved. Between the volcanoes by Granada, the hiking in Isla de Ometepe, the amazing surfing and beach scene around San Juan del Sur, and the Carribean pleasures of Bluefields and the Corn Islands, the attractions are all present (although some of the high-altitude wonders of Guatemala and the Mayan cultural finds are missing). The people are also one of the kindest on the continent. Finally, and most important, Nicaragua is much safer than the countries in the north. If I return, I would spend more time in San Juan del Sur and around Granada. I would also travel to the Little Corn Islands. I spent around $20-30/day while in Nicaragua. 9/10

Guatemala: Guatemala is endowed with much natural beauty, and deserves its title as the “Nepal of the Americas.” However, Guatemala has a major security problem in its cities. While this should not be a deterrent, having to constantly think about one’s security does detract from the travel experience. With that said, Guatemala definitely has the cultural gems of the region and is a fascinating place to see cultural clash – in this case, between the Mayans and Ladinos. The Western Highlands have a beauty uniquely different from the rest of Central America, and Tikal in El Petén is a must-see. I also liked the food best in Guatemala. If I return, I would spend time in Xela and Coban, and try to hike El Mirador. I spent $37/day, including tuition during my stay; I found the costs to be maybe 5-10% more than Honduras and 15-25% more than Nicaragua. 7/10

Honduras: Honduras I found to have a definite different atmosphere from Guatemala; besides the obvious proliferation of cowboy hats, the people are extremely friendly and helpful and the society as-a-whole seems more unified. For tourist attractions, however, I was largely disappointed in the Bay Islands; they were expensive, but admittedly necessary for scuba certification. Copan was interesting, but lacked the “wow” factor of Tikal; however, the wildlife at Copan was quite stunning. Safety is an issue but I felt safer than while in Guatemala. If I were to return, I would spend time exploring the area around La Ceiba, which is quite beautiful; I would also try to visit the remote jungle area in the eastern half of the country. I spent around $50/day in Honduras, including scuba diving. 5/10

Belize: With limited time in Belize, there is not much to write about; however, the countryside looked extremely well preserved, the melting-pot culture is a must see, and I have only heard good things about the Caribbean Caye Caulker beaches. I would incorporate Belize as a week or week-and-a-half visit from the States, making sure to visit Caye Caulker as well as some of the inland rain forests; longer time would be cost-prohibitive for backpackers. NA/10

Costa Rica: Cannot comment, however I have heard great things about the rain forests and beaches. In my limited travels through the region there was an extremely noticeable price gap (bottle of Coke in Nicaragua: $0.60 USD, in Costa Rica $1.35 USD). It also seemed significantly more touristy than Nicaragua, and the people less friendly or perhaps more accustomed to gringos and the like. I would also visit Nicaragua on a separate week or week-and-a-half vacation, probably going to Montverde and the Nicosia Peninsula. NA/10

Panama: Panama is another destination I wished I had the opportunity to further explore. It is noticeably better developed than the rest of Central America, yet the prices are affordable; food can be found at Guatemalan prices, and rooming is perhaps at a 50% premium but still cheaper than Costa Rica and Belize. It also does not have the touristic feel of Costa Rica, for example. Panama City is a fascinating metropolis to explore (think a southern Miami). Safety is not an issue. With time, I would definitely venture out to explore the pristine rainforests of the Darien, and attempt to get to the Bocas del Toro. I spent $35/day while in Panama. 7/10

South America: Although I did not venture south, I met many people returning from the region or with plans to go. I heard raving reviews about Bolivia, Venezuela, and Argentina. In particular, Argentina was cited as being surprisingly affordable for its metropolitan sights. Colombia, Chile, and Peru were also recommended.

Panama City, Panama

2009-03-02T17:57:00.000-08:00

Panama City is a fascinating city unlike anywhere else in Central America; perhaps the first giveaway is the skyscrapers and visible downtown so unlike the usual capital sprawl. Although there are some odd contrasts, such as the chicken buses going past huge casinos and shopping malls, as a whole Panama City is a metropolis like its North American counterparts, except with Spanish language and 50% discounts on pretty much anything (much more noticeable when prices are published in USD or B./). It is also safe to walk around at night, something that is not taken for granted in Central America.

I found exploring the city by day and exploring the multiple casinos by night to be entertaining. Caseo Viejo was also worthwhile, if not to see the ancient buildings (after visiting San Juan, Puerto Rico this is not impressive) but the Panama City skyline and the Puente de la Americas instead. Finally, the canal is a must (although whether it is worthwhile is another story); visit the Miraflores Locks before 11am or you won’t be able to see the ships go through.

For getting around the city, the buses are pretty straightforward. There are only a few routes that go along the main roads, and all non-metro buses connect through the Albrook Bus Terminal to the north of the city. A ride costs $0.25, which beats a $4 taxi ride. For living, the Bella Vista area I stayed in was wonderful and quaint; the Caseo Viejo area didn’t look too nice, but La Exposition looked pretty good as well. I would recommend avoiding the Voyeur International Hostel due to its slight bait-and-switch tendencies and poor staff.

Panama City from Caseo Viejo

Miraflores Locks, Panama Canal

San Juan del Sur and vicinity, Nicaragua

2009-02-28T19:36:00.000-08:00

San Juan del Sur is a Nicaraguan beach town on the Pacific, bordering Costa Rica. It's known for its surfing, and for good reason - the surfing on Playa Madera (no picture, sorry!) is wonderful for beginners, with fast-rolling waves much better than what one would find on Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii and almost nobody present. The beach itself is also a beauty reminiscent of the California coastline. If you're into surfing, you can rent quality boards for $8/day, and get lessons for $20/day, teacher included. Also, there's little information available but you can stay on Playa Madera for extremely cheap ($10?) and from the looks of it, for surfing it is definitely a worthwhile investment. San Juan Del Sur is a wonderful place to make your travels, too... I very strongly recommend Casa Oro, probably one of the best organized and nicest hostels out there in Central America.

San Juan del Sur boardwalk

Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua

2009-02-25T19:17:00.000-08:00

Isla de Ometepe is a most-unusual place - a large island formed from two volcanoes in the middle of a largest freshwater lake, itself surrounded by land and surrounded from only a few hundred miles by the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. It's also a rustic place, not quite ready for tourism but filled with nature galore; a place for peace and quiet, and a place where you need at least 3 days to fully appreciate. Beware; if you intend to get from Moyagalpa to anywhere on the Maderas side, it will take you at least 3 hours if you're lucky... horrendous is an understatatement for the roads surrounding Volcan Maderas. You'll need to book a full day to get to and from your destination; don't let the low mile counts deceive you. Keep in mind that the Northern coast of Maderas is much easier to get back to Moyagalpa than the South coast, but from both places you'll most likely need to hitchhike. From experience, one can walk 5 miles on the South coast in the afternoon and not see one motorized vehicle.

With that said, Maderas is a wonderful cloud forest hike and worth the hike if you can afford the time to get to a trailhead! Contrary to what the tour guides say, the later the better; in the morning the volcano is covered in fog and it's not possible to see into the crater lake or out beyond the island. Book 6 hours if you're fast, 8-10 if you're not to climb to the top and back. Guides run $20/ea solo or split among groups of max. 3; book at any hotel.

For the record, if you decide to go to Maderas and need a place to stay, I would suggest avoiding Hacienda Merida; although it had good reviews in the Lonely Planet, I only found a profit-maximizing "resort" with truly horrendous customer service.

Volcan Conception from Merida

Cloud forest on Volcan Maderas

Hieroglyphics?!

Isla de Ometepe from Lago de Nicaragua

Granada and Volcan Masaya, Nicaragua

2009-02-24T19:54:00.000-08:00

I found Granada to be one of the liveliest places in Nicaragua, with much to see and do and definitely worth a long stay. Part of Granada is exploring the old cobblestone streets and admiring the beautiful architecture (eg. Antigua in Nicaragua), but Granada also has much to offer with surrounding attractions. It is definitely one of the places I wish I had more time, at least a week, to explore. I did not get the chance to go to the islands in Lago de Nicaragua, although they recieved raving reviews; I did get to go to Volcan Masaya, however, which although off the beaten track is definitely worth a visit. Only pictures reveal the size of its sulfur-emitting crater...

To get to Volcan Masaya, take any northbound bus to Managua and ask to get off at the entrance post; a shuttle can then take you to the summit for 50C, or it's a relatively nice 5 km walk.

The crater of Volcan Masaya; note the size of the cars

Granada from La Merced

The Granada Cathedral and Lago de Nicaragua

Managua, Nicaragua in pictures

2009-02-23T19:45:00.000-08:00

There's not much too Managua, really, other than to see Daniel Ortega's picture splattered everywhere in pink; spend 2 hours or so seeing the old town, climbing the hill behind the Crowne Plaza, etc... and you're set to move on! Expect to pay no more than 20-30L for taxi rides, and 15L for short hauls - and forget about navigating the bus system. Don't listen to the Lonely Planet, walking in the old part of town if you stick to the main roads is safe (during the day)! Also, nearly everything is closed on Monday, so plan ahead!

Looking towards Lago de Managua

One of three Daniel Ortega posters surrounding the abandoned square

The old cathedral - embodies Nicaragua to a tee.

León, Nicaragua

2009-02-22T19:48:00.000-08:00

When Nicaragua’s crown jewels are mentioned, Leon is always mentioned with Granada. However, for the typical tourist Granada is probably superior. I found Leon itself to have relatively few attractions, with the exception of the large and beautiful cathedral on the Parque Central. Otherwise, its streets look like a less spiced-up version of those of Granada, and the natural beauty of the surroundings is a bit lacking. While it is definitely worth a visit to experience the city and its atmosphere (is it possible to classify as sobering?), if one is in a rush it is not a must in the Nicaragua travel plans. Transport to Managua is available in microbuses which leave when full from the Market for 40L; if one is Tica-busing from Tegucigalpa, the 9AM bus has an unpublicized stop in Leon.

Leon: Sandinista Stronghold

Cathedral in Leon, the largest in Central America

Utila and the Bay Islands, Honduras

2009-02-16T19:38:00.000-08:00

Utila is one of the three Bay Islands off of the northern Caribbean coast of Honduras. It’s known as a scuba paradise, although most likely more for the price then the mind-boggling sights – its probably the cheapest place to get scuba-certified. If scuba diving isn’t a priority, it may be better going to a cheaper location with better beaches (Little Corn Island, Nicaragua possibly), although there is good snorkeling accompanying the scuba boats. Otherwise, it has been pretty touristy and looks like a typical backpacker haven with steeper prices. In my opinion, keep your expectations low and spend minimum days obtaining certification – although the wildlife is definitely interesting, the hyped whale sharks are hard to see; chances are you’ll see only a sea turtle or two instead.

Finding a scuba shop: To shop at all of them would take most likely a full day. It’s probably better to screen a couple based on price and commodities, and then vigorously weed out candidates from there. There are generally three categories: (all prices as of Feb 2009)

1) The most expensive ones ($270-290 USD all-inclusive) which guarantees good training but is run like a factory, taking in trainees and spitting them out ASAP. (Utila Dive Centre, Gunter Dive Shop)

2) The mid-range ones ($240-270 USD all-inclusive) which has decent facilities and good training, and are more relaxed. (many)

3) The dirt-cheap (one) ($229 USD all-inclusive) which has horrendous facilities but apparently decent training, and is the one the island loves to hate. (Paradise Divers)

Be aware that most dive shops will include both (a minimum) of two free dives, as well as (a minimum) of three days paid dormitory housing. Some also include more housing days, as well as additional free dives. Many places do not include the reef tax ($3-$5/day), and some give horrendous Lempira to USD exchange rates (up to 7% markup) as well as large credit card surcharges. Besides asking all of the usual questions, make sure to ask if the shop goes out to the North Shore; many of the cheaper deals hug the south of the island, which can make for repetitive dives.

In the end, I chose Utila Water Sports, which was $252 all-inclusive of 5 nights’ accommodation, reef tax, and four free fun dives (as opposed to the usual two). This was for a SSI course; add $15 for PADI. It takes five days at the least to get certified and use the fun dives!

When budgeting for Utila, be sure to factor in the cost of the ferry, which currently holds a monopoly on the passage (425L depart from La Ceiba, 400L return). Also factor in costs for meals, which run 50L for basic baleadas to 100L for a set course. It is also possible to cook, but expect to pay US-prices or more for groceries.

Main (and only main) Street in Utila

Dock of my dormitory, also used for confined training

Livingston, Guatemala and Las Siete Altares

2009-02-14T19:15:00.000-08:00

The two things the guidebooks generally say are true – first, that Livingston is unlike any other place in Guatemala; and second, that there is not much to do besides absorb said fact. If you are looking for natural wonders, Livingston may not be the best place (though the Rio Dulce is said to provide beautiful surroundings), however it is definitely a Caribbean cultural wonder for those used to Guatemala’s ladino and Mayan culture.

The main town is a bit touristy and overrun by hawkers and hustlers; for a more realistic Livingston, it’s worth walking along the beach towards Las Siete Altares. One doesn’t have to go far to see Garifuna settlements along the beach, though if one is looking for swimming it’s best to walk for at least half an hour to avoid the rampant pollution. Las Siete Altares is an hour-and-a-half walk down the beach, and is a set of freshwater ponds and waterfalls; it’s not too impressive, but good for a swim. If you decide to go, it’s also possible to take a taxi to a bridge or back to cut the walk to 30 minutes; inquire at the entry booth for the return trip.

The beach at Livingston

Largest waterfall at Las Siete Altares

Tapado, a must-try seafood stew unique to Livingston (60Q)

Reflection on the melting pot of Belize

2009-02-13T17:28:00.000-08:00

Belize is perhaps the friendliest and most integrated yet diverse of all of the countries I have visited. The ethic mix is impressive and ranges from Guatemalans, Europeans, Chinese, and Indians that have just immigrated to those that have had roots since the days of British Honduras. Surprising however is the integration of the cultures one finds in Belize; although a place like Hawaii has equal diversity, the integration is lacking. Perhaps it is the Belizean sun which equally tans all or the combination of languages that merge into a barely discernable Creole English, but just to see the integration the country is worth a visit.

Ethnic diversity, according to 2000 Belize govt. survey: Mestizo 34%, Kriol 25%, Maya 11%, Garifuna 6%, Spanish 15%, Mennonite 3.6%, Indian 3%, other 3%

Disclaimer: I spent very little time in Belize, so the sample size to gather this impression is statistically irrelevant. Also, staying in Belize for extended periods of time will bankrupt the average Central American backpacker!

Belmopan, Belize, Punta Gorda, Belize, and transferring to the Guatemalan coast

2009-02-13T17:07:00.000-08:00

Belmopan perhaps symbolizes classic Belize; the smallest capital in the world (population 16,000), it has persons of all ethnicities and races. Admittedly, however, there is not much to do – there is a Central Market for food, two banks with ATMs, and a pretty easily navigated bus station for transferring to all destinations Belize. I was unable to discern the exact schedule, but it looked like destinations south departed every 1 ½ hours, with 1:30 PM being a departure time.

Punta Gorda can be reached 5 hours later on a modified chicken bus. On James Bus Lines, the local bus cost BZ$19 for the trip. The trip takes one through orange groves, national parks, and relaxed costal towns. The bus is fascinating in itself for the ethnic diversity one finds – Garifuna, Chinese, German Memmonite, Indian, Creole, Europeans, Mayans, and Ladinos to name a few. The town of Punta Gorda itself does not feature many attractions (nor a very pretty beach), but is a good place to see the melting pot of Belize.

Punta Gorda is also good for transferring to Livingston, Guatemala and Puerto Barritos, Guatemala. However, the schedule is notoriously difficult to find. As of January 2009, there are definite daily departures operated by Belizean boats for Puerto Barritos at 9:30AM and 2PM; arrive 30 minutes earlier to buy the ticket at the customs dock. Livingston departs at 2PM, but if there are five or more passengers the captain will make a stop at Livingston on the 9:30AM boat. It costs between BZ$35 to BZ$50 depending on the amount of people in your group; the boat drivers have a bit of a cartel. There may also be departures from Guatemalan-owned Transportes El Chato and Belizean-owned Requena’s Charter Services but I am unsure of the schedule. Like all travel in C. America, take it for granted that the schedule is flexible and put in time in your schedule, keeping in mind hotels in Punta Gorda can be expensive (upwards of BZ$36/room). Pay a BZ$7.50 fee upon exit to customs.

Stew beans and rice with chicken - a cheap Belizean staple (BZ$5)

Sunday Market in Punta Gorda, worth a visit

Melchor de Mencos, Guatemala, Benque Viejo del Carmen, Belize, and the Belize-Guatemalan Border

2009-02-13T16:56:00.000-08:00

A quick rundown on getting to Belize from Flores/Tikal:

Minibuses leave from the Santa Elena, Guatemala bus terminal about every hour; there are also Pullman buses that leave at 6am and in the afternoon, but the minibus will allow for more flexibility. The minibus costs 25Q as of January 2009, and takes about 2 ½ hours. The route takes one through some amazing scenery, but gets rough towards the end when the road becomes unpaved. Ask the driver to stop at the border crossing (look for the Statue); a 5 minute walk across a bridge brings one to the crossing. The crossing is pretty standard; 20Q for exit formalities from Guatemala, and free for entry into Belize. Although taxis will do the 3km after the border crossing to Benque Viejo del Carmen for BZ$5, it is a manageable walk. Get ready for massive culture shock when entering Belize. To get to San Ignacio, take a bus that leaves every 30 minutes or hitchhike with the friendly people of Belize! One can catch connections throughout the country in Belmopan.

One fascinating aspect of Belize-Guatemalan relations is the “hidden tension” between the two countries on the international sphere. From speaking to Belizians and Guatemalans, it is clear the two do not get along; Guatemala believes Belize is part of its territory (as it amply shows on its tourist map), while Belize has stuck to a self-reliance mentality. Although the border crossing is easy, according to a member of the Belize Protection Forces I spoke to in Punta Gorda nationals rarely cross, although in the eclectic mix of ethnicities of Belize one finds many new Guatemalan immigrants of questionable legality.

What, signs in English in Centro America?

Santa Elena / Flores / Tikal National Park, Guatemala

2009-02-12T18:16:00.000-08:00

Santa Elena and Flores are sister cities deep in El Petén; unlike the highlands, being around sea level means these two cities do not have the bone-chilling freeze of the South. Santa Elena is a typical Guatemalan town (except slower moving), and Flores is a tiny island in the Lago Peten Itza connected to Santa Elena with functions as a tourist hub. The town itself is beautiful; think of it as the Antigua of the North. Tuks-tuks cost 5Q each, although the towns are small enough to walk in.

Tikal, a 1 ¼ hour drive away, is the regional highlight. It was an old Mayan capital, and it features impressive ruins and temples deep within the jungle. Be sure to bring water and snacks for the 10km walks! Although the temples and complexes are all intriguing, I would recommend skipping the Temple of the Inscriptions (Temple VI) if you do not have the time; the jungle walk there is possibly more interesting than the inscription-less ruin. Also, watch out when climbing Temple II and V; one slip equals death sacrificial-style... Finally, bring extra money as the ticket price jumped to 150Q as of Feb 2009. If you like Tikal’s partially excavated temples, consider a hike to El Mirador; someone I met there was able to do a 8-day jungle hike with food and camping equipment for $200 out of Carmelita.

To get to Tikal from Flores/Santa Elena, you can take a minibus which leaves on the hour through San Juan Travel Agency in Flores (60Q r/t as of Feb 2009), or take regular microbuses which go around town looking for passengers. If you go the microbus method, (from experience) I would strongly recommend not buying the round-trip; the driver has no incentive to return to pick you up and will demand cash up-front. Beware of the fleecing $10 USD microbuses that meet the buses! If you get stuck in Tikal, you can probably get on a random bus for 30Q. One can reasonably see the place in 6 hours.

One doesn't just find engrish in China...

Templo I, Tikal

Flores from my hotel

Busing direct vs. travel agency in Guatemala: Linea Dorada (Feb 2009)

2009-02-11T18:03:00.000-08:00

From the Zona 1 bus station in Guatemala City, here are the latest prices for Linea Dorada when one buys direct from the source. Luxury and first class is theoretically a different bus, however when I took it they used the same double-decker for both classes with the sole difference being priority boarding and a dinner consisting of a hot dog and soda. Although the bigger seats and recline of the luxury bus for an overnight trip is probably worth the extra $5 USD, check the seat maps for both buses at the ticket counter if you have a first-class ticket before choosing to upgrade or you may find yourself paying extra for the same services. The bus has no security, but for a reason I am not sure of people consider Linea Dorada the safest in El Petén.

In contrast, the cheapest ticket in Antigua I could find for first-class Linea Dorada to Santa Elena/Flores with a shuttle service from Antigua to Guatemala City was $30 USD / 240Q. With a difference of 90Q, I suppose you are paying the premium for the shuttle service direct to the station. Given the area of the bus station (the graffiti, lack of people, and history of crime), it’s probably worth the premium.

For Santa Elena/Flores, the bus leaves at 9AM and arrives at 6AM, making stops at both cities.

Edit: Having trouble getting the piture to load; its 150Q for first class and 190Q for luxury from Guatemala City to Santa Elena/Flores.

Antigua, Guatemala

2009-02-10T17:51:00.000-08:00

As my residence for 2 ½ weeks, Antigua has become my Guatemalan second home. As such, it is hard to give typical tourist attractions as the churches all seem alike after some time. However, even after time it is still easy to appreciate the beautiful setting amidst three volcanoes and the impressive colonial architecture around every corner. If traveling through, I would recommend staying a couple of days and just walking the streets and exploring the church ruinas that interest you the most. Be sure to go to Cerro de la Cruz (during daytime hours), the Central Mercado, and browse the Parque Central while you’re here!

Dusty bus station with Volcan de Agua in the background

The symbolic Antiguan landmark which I cannot identify

View from Cerro de la Cruz

Best place to go for internet: Bagel Barn, by the Parque Central, which has fast and free wireless and affordable drink prices – try the smoothies!

Best evening activity: Catch a movie at Café 2000, or Bagel Barn, at 8:00 or 7:15 respectively. The former is highly recommended for its atmosphere (and cheap 2x30Q mojitos)

Best place to find affordable (clean) street food: Antigua is admittedly lacking in this department. Try the area between the Parada de Autobuses and Mercado Central for cheap pollo fritos (Q7), fruit snacks (Q5), or the area around Inglesia de la Merced for tamalitos, or mini-tamales in the mid-morning and mid-afternoon (Q4-6). When in doubt, choose steamed or deep-fried food.

Best way to get mugged: Walk around the outskirts of town after 10pm, carry items in front pockets, go to Cerro de la Cruz after 4pm when the police escort leaves, or go to Guatemala City at night.

Best free thing to do when churches begin to bore you: Check out a Spain-sponsored museum between 4a Calle Poniente and 6a Ave Sur; it has interesting free exhibits and occasional movies.

Best place to learn Spanish: Empathetically not Antigua. However, it is by far the most comfortable place to do so, though do not expect to learn much in this decisively non-immersive setting.

Best investment if you're here in the dry season: A blanket, preferably of Mayan origin. Although 50F may sound warm, remember the houses do not have heat!

Volcan Pacaya / Acatenango / de Fuego, Guatemala

2009-02-08T18:10:00.000-08:00

Volcan Pacaya is an active volcano which is probably the largest tourist attraction around Antigua, Guatemala. As it is on the other side of Volcan Agua, it is not viewable from Antigua. Almost all tourist agencies in Antigua will provide transportation round-trip leaving at 6am or 2/2:30pm for as low as $5 USD, or 40Q as of Feb 2009. This is exclusive of a 40Q entrance fee payable at the park. After a 1 ½ hour drive, it is a 3.5km hike to the top for which there are multiple trails depending on the guide’s mood. A walking stick, sneakers, marshmallows for s’mores, and water is recommended, and for the night hikes a flashlight may be a good idea. At 2200m, depending on the volcano’s mood you may see tumbling rocks or slow-flowing lava. However, at the time of writing the park guides were not climbing to the 2551m active crater. The whole tour takes 6-6 ½ hours.

Volcan Acatenango (3971m) is an extinct volcano which sits next to Volcan de Fuego, a highly active volcano. On a clear day, one can commonly see smoke coming off of the top of Volcan de Fuego. At the time of writing, it was possible to climb Acatenango and to climb parts of Fuego, however very few companies in Antigua sponsor these activities for less than $49 USD/day or $79 USD/2 days. It is possible to do it sans guided tour, and logistically it is not difficult. From an employee of one of the guided tours, one can find the Acatenango trailhead in La Soldad (upon paying a villager a 10Q “entrance fee” for doing so), and follow it directly to the top. Start before sunrise and retreat if fog settles in, especially in the crater. However, the horror stories of groups of twenty Guatemaltecos being robbed at gunpoint and of recent armed robberies (the guide indicated the last robbery only occurred two months ago, a lifetime for the mountain) make this a very dangerous trip without security. Check the security situation before proceeding.

Volcan Pacaya close-up

Lava on Volcan Pacaya

Copan Ruinas and Copan Archeological Site, Honduras

2009-02-07T20:50:00.000-08:00

Copan Ruinas is a small town a couple of kilometers from the Guatemalan-Honduras border. If crossing from Guatemala, the cowboy hats and leather boots should make it apparent one has made it to another country. The town itself is beautiful and quaint, with cobblestone streets and a beautiful and spacious Parque Central (although its assortment of street food was disappointing to say the least). It also offers horseback riding at the agencies/hotels ($15 USD per person, advertised for 3 hours but in reality more like 2), which is recommended for the opportunity to see traditional Indian life as well as colorful quetzals, the national (but non-nesting in-country) bird of Guatemala. We did not go to Macaw Mountain, but it received good reviews from a friend. Like many towns, US dollars can obtain a better rate for travel agency related items than the local currency.

A 15-minute walk brings one to the Copan Archaeological Site, the main draw of Copan Ruinas and one of the largest attractions of Honduras. The ruins are quite interesting for their beautiful hieroglyphics and sculptures, which one can only appreciate after seeing the lack thereof at Tikal. Whether it is worth the $15 USD entrance fee plus possible transport cost is a toss-up. The tunnels seemed underwhelming from the entrance, and not worth the additional $15 USD. It also may be worthwhile walking along the outskirts of the East Patio Plaza, where it is possible to spot quetzals. Budgeting 3 hours for the trip seems appropriate. The wildlife and upkeep of Copan is noticeably better than that of Tikal.

To get to Copan from Antigua, one can take a shuttle for as low as USD $7 as of Feb 2009, departing Antigua at 4am and arriving at 10am with a 30-minute breakfast break. However, coming back requires a more expensive shuttle bookable in Copan for USD $12 as of Feb 2009, leaving at 6am or noon. Although theoretically it should be free to cross a CA-4 border, good luck convincing the border guards. Guatemala charged a 10Q entrance/exit fee bluntly labeled as such, while Honduras charged a $3 USD “processing tax.” for entry only. Oddly, I was also able to get another Guatemala entry stamp (but no exit stamp or Honduras stamps); if you need to stay more than 90 days, it’s worth trying your luck here instead of leaving the CA-4.

Guatemala / Honduras checkpoint into Copan Ruinas

Facing Site 11

Guatemala City, Guatemala – “Guate,” or “La Ciudad”

2009-02-06T19:32:00.000-08:00

Guatemala City is one of those places most locals and even tourists would recommending skipping altogether. Given the extraordinarily high murder rate, most of which is drug-related, this recommendation comes as no surprise. As for safety, the advice I gathered from residents and my teacher includes:

1) Try to avoid city buses. This recommendation comes from the large number of petty crime and the increasing number of bus driver murders (2/day average if one reads the newspapers). I would modify this recommendation to avoiding the far-out city buses, but using popular routes such as 83 Aeropuerto.

2) Avoid Zona 3, 4, 7, and the South of 1. Zona 3 is probably the biggest no-no; largely a slum, it has limited police presence and much gang activity. Along the diagonal separating Zona 3, every fourth or fifth road is blocked off; this is supposedly to limit escape routes in the event of a murder. Zona 4 has the Mercado Terminal, which my teacher says is asking for robbery if a tourist enters its mazes.

3) Avoid walking around at night. Pretty standard advice for the country.

Note: Despite the warnings, the “off-limit” zones also contain quite interesting off-the-beaten-track destinations. The Mercado Terminal in Zona 4 is huge, the Municipal Dump and Graveyard in Zona 3 is a great way to see the socioeconomic disparity of Guatemala, and the Chicken Bus for Antigua picks up in Zona 3 and Zona 7…

Besides the attractions in the danger zones, there is enough to see in Zona 1 around 3-5 Avenida to last a day. The Central Market is worthwhile, as well as seeing the beautiful museum and church surrounding the Parque Central (and the snipers mounted on top). While driving or walking through the city, the contrasts are also quite interesting; McDonalds, Dominos, and various strip malls sit next to Chicken Buses and hawkers selling fruit for 1Q.

Note: Photos courtesy L.Y.

Palacio National facing the Parque Central, Zona 1

The cathedral facing the Parque Central, Zona 1

A bit of Pittsburgh in Guatemala

2009-02-02T14:29:00.001-08:00

Although probably irrevelant for most readers, I thought I'd share the Super Bowl experience in Guatemala. For the most American of all events, almost all of the expats in the Antigua area crowded around Mono Loco, a bar near the Parque Central, for four hours of Super Bowl hysteria. The number of Hines Ward jerseys and the yelling with each Holmes run goes to show that Pittsburgh fans are everywhere. For sports events, the bar is a good place to check out, or if you're craving a bit of Americana in Guatemala. (Though it is pricey by Guatemalan standards)

Congrats to the Steelers for one for the other thumb!

San Antonio Agua Calientes

2009-01-29T19:49:00.000-08:00

San Antonio Agua Calientes is a mainly Mayan town, very close to Antigua (a 20-30 minute and 3Q bus ride by la camioneta, or chicken bus - or, a 15 minute hitchhike by pickup truck which I did, although this is possibly not the brightest idea). You can tell you're arriving in town after going through Ciudad Vieja, turning off the highway, and seeing a very-Americanized "Welcome to San Antonio Agua Calientes" sign in classic green and yellow. The town itself is off-the-beaten-tourist track, and does not have much to see except for the Mayan culture and lifestyle. (On a side note, while there we saw five casket shops... hmm...) There is a very good Mayan market in the Parque Central which sells beautiful hand-woven Mayan goods and features many women at work; the precision of the stitching is otherworldly. Catch the bus back to Antigua on a different road up-the-hill from where you get off; ask the helpful locals if you get lost!

Panajachel and Lago de Atitlan

2009-01-25T19:35:00.000-08:00

To see the Lago de Atitlan, Panajachel is a must-go; however, I found the city itself utterly forgettable. The lake, however, is a must-see; possibly one of the most beautiful lakes I have seen, save for the 4000m high lakes in Tibet. The lake is ringed by volcanoes and has a beautiful blue tinge (although whether raw sewage contributes to this or not, I am not sure). While there, we did not go to the other towns surrounding the lake, as my friend suggested that they were forgettable; the main reason to go to the lake is to see the lake itself. However, water taxis were offering 25Q p/p one way to the other towns. Apparently, there is a very difficult-to-get 10Q local price, but we were not able to secure it. There is also a public boat that goes on the coastline of the lake from the Panajachel dock which costs 10Q p/p and is worthwhile, if only to see the beautiful houses of the Guatemalan elite. These houses are built into the mountains and accessible only by boat.

Otherwise, it is possible to swim in the lake as my host father attempted, although the water is pretty frigid and of questionable quality. There are food stands along the road bordering the cost (fries and chicken for 15Q), and enough restaurants to satisfy any need. The road to Panajachel was undergoing construction as of Jan. 2009, so book more than the allotted 2 1/2 hour time from Antigua. A minivan with twelve people inside (my host family + guests) is also an interesting, alternative way to travel!

Note: pictures courtesy D.A.

Houses built into the mountains

Panajachel pier, for transit to lackside towns

Volcan San Pedro across the lake (3020m)

Monterrico, Guatemala - beach town

2009-01-24T18:57:00.000-08:00

Monterrico is a pretty sleepy costal Pacific beach town, about a 2 1/2 hour drive from Antigua by shuttle bus. Although it seemed pretty off-the-beaten-track at the time of writing for the usual tourist, there is definitely enough going on for a day-trip from Antigua, or for an overnight in town. We chose the day-trip option; as of Jan. 2009, shuttles leave Antigua at 8AM ($10-12 US O/W), and leave Monterrico at 4PM (60Q, ~$7.5 US O/W). Do not buy the round-trip in Antigua, as you can get it cheaper in Monterrico from at least two sources; also check on the schedule, as we went on a Saturday. You'll get a bit better rate with USD than with Quetzals in Antigua.

Once in town, you'll notice how much the surroundings have changed; descending from 1500m to sea level makes quite a difference in the flora and fauna. The beach is known for turtles, but unfortunately the season in January isn't correct; as a consequence, while we were there we saw very very few tourists. The Tortugario Monterrico Visitor's Center was interesting for its live turtles, crocodiles, and iguanas, although the new prices - 40Q for tourists - makes it a bit expensive for its content. See if you can get in for the Guatemalan 10Q price, however.

At the Tortugario, it is definitely worth booking a boat tour of the mangrove forest. It is a very reasonable price - 50Q per person - and is much more worthwhile. The Tortugario staff will deliver you to a very well trained villager who will take you and/or a friend around the mangrove forest for about an hour and a half and explain the surroundings (though in Spanish only). Bring sunblock! The mangroves held a contrast I found quite fascinating. On one hand, passing by every ten minutes or so were mini-barges dragging the cars of the Guatemalan wealthy from La Avellana to Monterrico. On the other was the village of Agua Dulce, a place two kilometers deep in the mangroves, accessible only by boat and with no electricity or fresh water.

Finally, the beach is a must-see. Although it admittedly is not the nicest beach, it is a black-sand beach of volcanic origin, perfect for sunbathing. The Pacific becomes deep quickly, but is the warmest water I have been in, at least compared to beaches in the Caribbean, Hawaiian, Northern Asian and Northern American coasts.

Cost: 370Q, including transportation, Tortugario admission and tour, beach, beach snacks and water, and lunch.

Note: Pictures courtesy D. A

Monterrico beach entrance

Baby turtles

Car barge in the mangroves

Monterrico pier

Black sand beach looking north

Parramos, Guatemala

2009-01-23T13:27:00.000-08:00

A bit of introduction about el pueblo in which I am living. Parramos is a small village, about 2000m(+/- 500?) nestled between the towns of Antigua and Chimaltenango in Guatemala. This town is empathetically not a tourist destination, and as far as I know is not yet on Lonely Planet. As my host family says, it's muy tranquilo, in contrast to the touristic and un-Guatemalan Antigua and the dangerous Guatemala City (nicknamed here as Guate). My Spanish professor tells me it's 70% Mayan and 30% Mixed/Ladino, which makes for an interesting demographic.

Parramos will be my jumping-off point for Guatemalan adventures as well as my home for learning Spanish in a trial-by-fire of sorts. The homestay cost here is cheaper than Antigua (390Q, or $50/wk as of January 2009), as well as the classes with a private tutor (500Q, or $64/wk as of January 2009 for 20 hours M-F). Yet, Antigua is only a 30-minute and 3Q ride on the Chicken bus, the converted school buses which run everywhere on the continent. Parramos is a commuter town, with its residents on one hand catering to the touristy Antigua and the larger village of Chimaltengango. Although it does not have the tourist venues, fast food restaurants, and views of Antigua, it also lacks the chaos a tourist hub brings. Of course, night-time in Guatemala is a different matter... the locals do not recommend venturing outside after 9:30PM latest.

Parramos' Parque Central

One of the many churches in the town

The main road, Antigua to Chimaltenango

Another view across the Parque Central, with (active) Volcan Acatenango and Fuego (3976m) in background

Back to traveling - planning for Central America

2009-01-07T22:27:00.000-08:00

I've recently decided to learn some Spanish to help in my medical studies. After comparing tuition ($200 per course in the States, + room + board) I think it is more cost- and time- effective to travel abroad to pick up some language skills instead. From mid-January to March I will be in Guatemala, and will try to learn enough Spanish to backpack to Panama by myself. I'll keep the blog maintained while I'm there! And of course, contact me if you're interested in joining my little jaunt.

X61, goodbye. EEE PC 4G, hello!

Hong Kong in pictures

2008-10-15T18:41:00.000-07:00

(Backdated entry)... if you can afford Hong Kong, it's definitely lives up to its reputation as the (better) New York of the East and hypermodern technological capital of the world (though Seoul and Tokyo may be in the running as well).

A discourse on Tibetan / Nepali carpets

2008-10-07T09:07:00.000-07:00

I've been having trouble finding information on purchasing "Nepali" carpets other than a YouTube link for Carpet House in Thamel. Hopefully this post, then, comes in useful.

Brief history: The "Nepali" carpet industry started when there was a plan to provide refugees from Tibet fleeing Chinese rule with a vocation in the 1960's. The Tibetans who came brought with them the expertise of carpetmaking to the Jawalakhel Tibetan Refugee Camp, and from there carpet-making was born into an industry for Tibetans and Nepalis alike. A handmade carpet, 4 x 6 ft, can take up to 8 weeks to make. Child labor is a problem in the industry, like many in the economic south.

There are 60-, 80-, and 100-knot carpets available. The numbers refer to the knots per square inch. As I learned in Tibet, check the bottom very carefully for imprecisions in the weaving, to weed out "machine-made" carpets. This is especially tough for the 100-knot carpets. There are three places I found to buy the carpets - Thamel, Boudhanath, and around the Jawalakhel Tibetan Refugee Camp (500m from the Zoo). The actual Carpet Factory at the camp is expensive, but check the stores around there for cheaper carpets. The best prices I found were around this area, at 5300 RMB for a 4 x 6 m 60-knot (Khamsum Carpets, Jawalakhel and Boudhanath, tel: 012334984). However, you may be able to find cheaper at a supplier (12000 RMB for a 2 x 3 m was bought by my Nepali friend two years ago), but finding the supplier will be tough. Thamel stores were on average 50% more expensive, except for "sale" carpets at Thamel House. Be aware that your "Tibetan" carpet is probably made from Nepali labor, unless you're looking at a very fancy one.

Interesting note: Did you know that many "Tibetan Carpets" made in Tibet are actually from Nepal? According to the Khamsum Carpets shopowner (and he could be lying), the main three purchasers of carpets are from Tibetan businessmen within Tibet, Americans, and Koreans. He stated that although the wool is from Tibet (this could be a lie), the infastructure for washing and dying the wool is in Nepal, as well as cheap(er) labor. Wool is shipped across the border, and carpets are bought by the truck-load back. Based on the costs I saw, this makes sense:

4.5 x 6.5 (ft) 60-knot carpet bought in Lhasa, August 2007: 1250 RMB (USD $166)

4 x 6 (ft) 60-knot carpet bought in Nepal, October 2008: 5300 NPR (USD $72)

Recipe: Nepali-Indian mushroom matar

2008-10-04T10:28:00.001-07:00

Note: the following was taken from an adaptation of Friend's Restauarant, however the portions were not measured and should be taken as approximate.

Mushrooms and peas, the classic generic South Asian vegetable dish....

1 small bag peas, ½ lb (approx), frozen or fresh

½ lb mushroom (approx), fresh

1 onion, finely diced

½ of full head garlic, finely diced

Equivalent of garlic in fresh ginger, finely diced

½ handful of cilantro, finely diced

1 roma tomato, finely diced

2 chilies, finely diced

2 tsp ketchup (approx, can add more)

Spices:

2 heaping tsp cumin powder

2 heaping tsp chili powder (eqv. to cumin)

½ tsp salt

1 heaping tsp white pepper powder

¾ in butter (or ghee)

Post-boiled peas, showing other raw ingredients

Boil the peas for 5-10 minutes, until soft. Drain.

In a stir-fry pan under medium heat with oil, stir-fry the garlic, ginger, and chilies for a minute. Then, add the onion. When the onion turns brown, add the tomato, cilantro, and 1 cup water. Then, add the spices (and butter) in the order listed. Cook for a few minutes, adding water if necessary, and add the peas. Cook three minutes, and take off flame.

In a separate deep-frying pan, fry the mushrooms for five minutes. Drain; add to the pea mixture. Put the pea mixture back on flame, adding water if it is too dry. Add the ketchup, and salt (to taste).

Adding the peas to the sauce

Completed dish

Serves 1

Recipe: Nepali-Indian Chicken Masala

2008-10-04T09:49:00.000-07:00

Note: the following was taken from an adaptation of Friend's Restauarant, however the portions were not measured and should be taken as approximate.

I am not sure what region of Indian chicken masala originates from, but as it is a Nepali adaptation it probably doesn't affect the end dish. The masala indicates that this dish will be more spicy then the "chicken curry" equivalent (and oily too...), and this recipe can be taken as a generic Nepali masala base for other main ingredients (tofu, paneer, mixed vegetables etc...)

1 chicken breast, cut to 1in cubes

½ roma tomato, sliced

½ roma tomato, finely diced

2 onions, finely diced

cilantro, 1 handful, finely diced

¾ in butter (or ghee)

juice of ½ small fresh lime

Marinade:

(initial)

3 tbsp curd (yoghurt may substitute)

1 tbsp chat masala (approx)*

1 tbsp chili powder

½ tsp salt

½ tsp white pepper

juice of ½ small fresh lime

red coloring (optional)

(later)

1 cup water

2 tbsp curry powder (approx, may be less)

2 heaping tbsp cumin powder (approx)

½ tsp salt

½ tsp MSG (optional)

Picture showing the first set of ingredients, with pre-diced tomato.

On the chicken breast, sprinkle the curd, chat masala, chili powder, and lime juice. Mix, and add salt, white pepper, and red coloring (optional).

In a stir-fry pan with oil under medium heat, braise the chicken by leaving the pieces (not the entire marinade) on the pan until each side is golden-brown (flip). This may take up to 10 minutes. Remove from flame when finished.

While the chicken is braised, add 1 cup water, the curry powder and the cumin powder to the leftover marinade. Add more coloring (optional), and the salt and MSG (optional).

In a separate stir-fry pan under medium heat with oil, add the onion. Stir fry until brown, and then add finely diced tomato, along with butter and the leftover marinade. After a minute, add the cilantro and leftover tomato. Add the cooked chicken. Cook two minutes, adding water if necessary, and add the juice of the other lime half. Remove all of the contents of the pan but the oil; serve.

The chicken before red coloring is added

Braising the chicken

The marinade post-chicken and post-later additions, ready to be stir-fried

Post-diced tomato, pre-marinade addition

Completed dish

*According to the box (pictured above), chat masala contains white salt, black salt, dry mango, mint leaves, cumin seeds, bishop’s weed, yellow chilies, dried ginger.

Note: when stir-frying, water should be used if the mixture becomes too dry or burns; let it boil off to keep a broth consistency. The base sauce in this looks like tomato, onion, curd, and the spices, as opposed to the typical tomato and/or onion and/or garlic and/or garam-masala base, and the curd is probably the emulsifier.

Serves 1

Recipe: Nepali Chili Chicken

2008-10-04T09:28:00.000-07:00

Note: the following was taken from an adaptation of Friend's Restauarant, however the portions were not measured and should be taken as approximate.

Chili chicken is an appetizer found in many of the Nepali restaurants. Its origin is unclear - although it apparently has Chinese roots, I could not find it in Tibet and it features more South Asian spices than East Asian spices. Adjust the spiciness to your taste!

1 roma tomato (or equivalent size), triangularly cut

1 bell pepper, triangularly cut

8 pcs cut chicken (boneless or bone-in), about 1in in size

4 chilies, cut in half

1 spring onion, sliced into 3in pieces (green parts only)

1 onion, triangularly cut

1 garlic head, minced

1 heaping tbsp hot sauce

corn starch, in water

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper powder

Chicken Batter (enough for 4x recipe!):

2 cups flour

1 cup corn starch

¼ tsp MSG (optional)

½ tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper powder

½ tsp garlic paste

1 egg

red coloring (optional)

2 cups water, or enough to make smooth but firm consistency

All but the bell peppers, and actual use was half of the hot sauce pictured. Also, the batter.

Make the batter by mixing all ingredients above (the egg needs not be prepared), and make sure it is a smooth but firm consistency. Then, dip the chicken into the marinade and spread evenly (there will be ample leftover sauce). Deep fry the chicken, sauce excluded, for ten or so minutes or until cooked. Then, add the onion slices, bell pepper slices, and fry 30 more seconds. Drain and set aside.

In a stir-fry pan on medium heat, stir-fry with oil and garlic for 30 seconds; add tomato and the chilies. At this point the garlic should start to brown. Add water to keep from drying, 1 tbsp ketchup, and the hot sauce. Then, add the non-batter1/2 tsp salt, MSG (optional), and 1/2 tsp black pepper. The mixture should look like a broth. Add in the deep fried chicken and vegetables. At this point, add water as necessary so the mixture does not get dry. Finally, emulsify the broth by adding corn starch in water. Serve with raw onions on top or lightly cooked.

Right after adding the chicken

Note: when stir-frying, water should be used if the mixture becomes too dry or burns; let it boil off to keep a broth consistency. Also, I'd imagine soy sauce or vinegar can be added to taste to make it more East Asian.

Serves 1

Completed dish

Annapurna and Dhaulagiri, in pictures

2008-10-02T09:25:00.000-07:00

Photos taken with max 3x optical zoom on a Canon SD870IS point-and-shoot, long exposure. Email for enlargements!

360 view of Annapurna Range at Annapurna Base Camp

Annapurna I (8091m), at Annapurna Base Camp

Dhaulagiri I (8167m), from Poon Hill during sunrise

Dhaulagiri Range, from Poon Hill during sunrise

Dhaulagiri Range and Annapurna Range, from trek to Poon Hill before sunrise

Macchapucchre (Fish Tail) (6993m), from Annapurna Base Camp during sunset

Recipe: Nepali Dal Bhat

2008-10-01T05:22:00.000-07:00

Note: the following recipe is adapted from a cooking course at Via Via Cafe, Kathmandu, based on a chef's interpretation and my loose notes. The measurements may not be fully accurate! For spices, it is best to rely on "parts" relative to each other.

Disclaimer: If there is one thing I learned in the mountains, everyone's dal bhat is different! The pickle, dal, and curries are all up for experimentation.

Dal Bhat, as served on the Annapurna Trek

Dal Bhat is the quissential Nepali dish and a staple in the rice-cultivating regions. It generally consists of dal (lentils), baht (rice), a vegetable curry / saag, and a chutney. It is eaten (traditionally) by mixing the dal with the rice to form a soupy mixture, making a ball of the mixture with your hands, and adding curry and chutney. For the trekker, a spoon is acceptable too...

Starting with the easy:

Bhat (fluffy rice)

x cups rice

2x-4x water

(x ~ 3/4 cup p.p)

Equipment: Pot, Steamer

To make fluffy (read: not sticky) rice, first wash and then boil x cups rice in water for 10-20 minutes, until a rice grain is still slightly hard when squeezed with the fingers. At this point, it is almost cooked; pour the contents of the pot into a drainer, and then steam the rice above a steamer until ready to serve.

Dal (lentils)

1.5 cups lentil (any kind) (for up to 4 people)

3-8 cups water*

1/2 - 1 head garlic, finely chopped

1 cup sliced onions, finely chopped

2 chillies (optional), whole if dried or chopped if fresh

Spices (displayed as parts, 1 heaping tsp will probably do of each):

2 parts salt

1 part tumeric

1 part cumin seed

oil/ghee

Optional:

1 part jeera, to be added to boiled dal (recommended)

ginger, to be added to boiled dal (recommended)

jimbu, to be used as a replacement to ginger (recommended)

2 tomatoes, small (for color)

cilantro

*The amount of water used literally can vary magnitudes; it determines the consistancy of liquid. If using a steamer, however, I recommend using more rather than less water to avoid burning the dal...

Equipment: Pressure cooker or pot, frying pan

Wash lentils and let soak; drain. Add fresh water, the salt and tumeric and 1-2 tbsp ghee/oil (and other optional spices except cumin), and either cook under pressure cooker for 10-20 minutes or in a pot, simmered and covered, for 20-30 min until the lentils look like porridge.

In a frying pan on medium heat, fry the oil/ghee with the garlic, onion, ginger, cumin seed, chilis until golden brown. If using jimbu instead of garlic, fry until dark. Add tomato (optional) and make a gravy-like consistency. Add the pre-cooked dal, salt to taste, and cilantro, water if necessary, and boil. Alternatively, add fried mix + ingredients to pot.

Frying the dal

Vegetable Curry (tarkari)

(Any) vegetables, boiled or steamed*

2-3 onions, finely chopped

equivalent amount of garlic, finely chopped

4-5 tomatoes, small, finely chopped

chilies, chopped (to taste)

oil/ghee

Spices (displayed as parts, 1 heaping tsp will probably do of each):

1 part garammasala

1 part cumin powder

1 part tumeric powder

1 part curry powder

1 part salt

1/2-1 part chili powder

Optional:

cilantro

ginger

lemon juice

coriander/cinnamon/cardamon/cloves (pinch)

*Common Nepali choices are potato (boiled), green beans, califlower, cabbage, peas, carrots, but any will do. Steaming or boiling helps to slightly pre-cook the vegetables to lessen frying time. Blanch the vegetables if boiling to ensure they are not fully cooked.

Equipment: frying pan

In a frying pan under medium heat, fry in oil/ghee the garlic, onion, ginger, and chilies until golden brown. Add the cumin, tumeric, curry, and chili powder, followed by garammasala, a cup of water, and salt. Add finely diced tomatoes and vegetables. Cook under low heat until the curry has a gravy-like consistency. Add cilantro at end, and lemon juice. Alternatively, one may try to use a blender with the tomatoes/onions/garlic/ginger/chilies to achieve the curry-like consistency before adding vegetables (though I haven't tried it myself).

Prepared raw ingredients

Curried Spinach (saag)

300g spinach leaves (adult/leafy preferred), cut to bite-size pieces

1/2-1 head garlic

oil/ghee

Spices (displayed as parts, 1heaping tsp will probably do of each):

1 part cumin seed

1 part currry powder

1 part salt

1 part white pepper

Equipment: frying pan

In a frying pan, fry oil/ghee, garlic, cumin seed. On browning, add spinach, salt, curry powder and white pepper. Cook until spinach is tender.

Tomato Pickle (golbheda ko achar)

Note: This is copied verbatim from recipe list; I have not tried to make this. It also works as the sauce for momos. Personally, I think this recipe is overkill and a lot can probably be left out. Mint-based chutneys as an alternative, which is much easier, also work very well in dal bhat.

Blend:

2 cups roasted tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped

3 fresh red chilis, minced

1 tbsp garlic, minced

1 tbsp ginger, minced

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tbsp cilantro, chopped

1 tbsp mustard seeds

1 tbsp mustard oil

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

salt, to taste

Garnish:

1 tbsp mustard oil

1 tsp fenugreek

10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 tbsp green onion, finely chopped

Blend the first set of ingredients to a smooth paste. Transfer to large bowl. Then, in a frying pan heat the mustard oil. Add fenugreek. When it turns dark, add garlic slices until they turn golden brown. Pour the garlic-oil mixture and chopped green onion mixture over the blended paste, mix, and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Note: An alternate recipe suggested by a coworker is to blend boiled tomatoes, chili powder, fresh garlic and salt, and refrigerate.

Completed, based on the recipe

Annapurna and Pokhara, Nepal, in pictures

2008-09-20T19:00:00.000-07:00

(Backdated entry)... Pokhara is definitely a must-see site in Nepal, and is the gateway to the Annapurna Base Camp and Annapurna Circuit treks - I pursued the latter, and found it a grueling but unforgettable experience. For those interested, although we had a guide and porter, it is entirely possible to do without either as the trails are marked and decently heavily traveled.

Typical "hotel"...

...with a quite atypical view.

Traffic jam

Annapurnas from Phewa Lake, Pokhara

Kathmandu in Pictures

2008-09-16T09:58:00.000-07:00

Jawlakhel, Patan. This is the area where I live. Although quite residential, it is home to a lot of international workers for UNICEF, UN, the Embassies, etc... In my house alone, we have an Austrian engineer, a Japanese UN Peacekeeper, two British doctors, a Norwegian students, and three Indian visitors. Accordingly, there is a great mix of food around, covering Nepali, Indian, Mexican, Indo-Chinese, Japanese, Cajun, and Italian. Reviews forthcoming...

The guesthouse

Typical traffic. Tuk Tuk/Tempo in green.

Durbar Square, Kathmandu. This square is accessible from Patan; what I did was take a microbus to Ratna Park (20 min), and then do a 15-20 minute walk through the narrow streets of Kathmandu. Getting back, one can easily go to Thamel. Thamel itself is a maze of shops and stalls; you'll need a good map to navigate it, and even then it is difficult. Thamel is also easily accessible from Ratna Park via a 10 minute walk; walk past the large pond on the right, past the large abandoned white building (very obvious) to the left, and turn left at the US embassy.

Walk towards Durbar Square

A building of the Square

Bodhnath Stupa, outer Kathmandu. We were able to get a taxi (150Rp) from Ratna Park (30min), to this center of Tibetian Buddhism. While the monastery cannot quite compare to the monasteries in Tibet, it is a hotbed of the Tibetan population and a great place to see daily Tibetan culture.

The Bodhnath Stupa... creepy eyes...

Tibetan schoolchildren and the random white guy playing soccer

Not fond of the Chinese...

Pashupatinath Temple, Kathmandu. Supposedly one of the most important Shiva temples, it is the center of Hinduism. The crowd here is noticeably different from the one encountered at Bodhnath, yet it is only a fifteen minute walk away through pristine farmland! (Just follow the road that is straight ahead of the Bodhnath exit). The architecture is beautiful, and the people plenty; they have a check-in for shoes for the temple, but you can only get in if you're Hindi - at least, I almost got through until the guard realized "one of these is not the same as the others." If you're of brown complexion, don't bring your yellow or pale skinned friends; my British-Indian friends were not allowed in as a result of me, so be careful! Definitely a place to visit however. Cool wild monkeys (technically macaques) also scattered around the temple grounds!

The walk to Pashupatinath

Temple entrance, Hindus only

Monkeys! She was not happy at the picture...

Load shedding, strikes, non-taxi transport, and cell phone

2008-09-12T11:00:00.000-07:00

Quissential to Nepal, the following four terms:

1) Load shedding. Load shedding is a euphamism for scheduled power cuts. This occurs in Nepal to meet power supply and demand. During the monsoon season, the power cuts are less than during the dry season. Most of Nepal is used to this, and nice facilities will have generators which will kick in during the load shedding hours. Although there is a schedule for different sections of town - today, for example, load shedding occured during 14:00 - 18:00 - this schedule is not followed percisely. Account for your portable electronics to be fully charged, and that services which require two sections of town (eg. television, communicatons) to be down twice the load schedding schedule, on average. The current load shedding schedule, as of 9/11/2008, is 31.5 hrs/wk; however, this is subject to rapid change, as from mid-August to mid-September the schedule was set at 16 hrs/wk.

2) Strikes. Strikes in Kathmandu are frequent, and can bring the whole capital to a standstill. It is part of the Nepali political process, and probably occur for good reason. When a strike is called, notice is usually passed from public word-of-mouth. By the time one sees a strike article in the newspaper, such as the Kathmandu Post or www.eKantipur.com (a good website for Nepali news!), it is probably many hours already in effect. During a strike, transportation screeches to a halt, as well as the sector in question (markets, hospitals, shops, etc...) and police are stationed to prevent massive protests. The positive side effect of this is that the air becomes wonderful to breathe! During a strike, many governments do not advise their nationals to travel outside; the Korean goverment, for example, calls its citizens to inform them to stay home. However, I found my trip outside fine; just avoid the protesters one meets, if any, and obey the strike rules.

3) Non-taxi transport. Other transport in Nepal occurs by walking, bike, motorbike, tempo, mini-bus, or bus. Tempos, mini-buses, and buses are hard to navigate without knowing Nepali, but they usually stick to the main roads (there are few in Kathmandu and Patan). One can rent a bike for use, or travel like the Nepalis do - on motorbike. However, walking will be the transport of choice for most. Get a map, as there are literally no road signs in Nepal and most roads are unmarked. With the map, one can at least match hotel and restaurant names to locations and triangulate a position. This is particularly handy in Thamel.

4) Cell phone. A rudimentary GSM cell phone network, with no EDGE/GPRS data service, exists. I am unsure about CDMA. Mobi mobile sells SIM cards for 510 Rp, incuding 490 Rp credit, through stores. One can add more credit through recharge cards. The reception in Kathmandu is excellent; however call-service is poor. I am not sure if this is due to an analog network, or VOIP. It is very cheap to call nepal, 35 Rp/ min for international, and free to recieve calls, as of September 2008.

Patan, Nepal - first impressions

2008-09-09T06:55:00.000-07:00

Airport:

Immigration in KTM is in a small building more reminiscent of a cabin in the woods than an immigration depot. It took around 45 minutes to pass the visa-on-demand. As of July 2008, prices are $25USD/15days, $40USD/30days, $100USD/90days, all mutiple entry visas, payable in USD/GBP/CAD/JPN/HKD. Money exchange at site; passport photo needed but at site; ATM outside; hounds of people past immigration. ATM rate good for NPR; using Bank of America debit, recieved ~74NPR-1USD (before $5 fee).

Landing at KTM.

First impressions:

Nepal is a fascinating landscape; reminiscent of Tibet but without the altitude sickness and the low hanging clouds. Large mountains in the background, as can be seen in the photo from my guesthouse. The air does not look polluted, but the streets are pretty bad; mostly motorbikes and car exhaust. The buildings are definitely unique, as are the unlabeled roads. The people are wonderfully nice, however! First motorbike ride today was a death-defying experience. Make sure the driver doesn't brake...

View from my guesthouse in the Kathmandu Valley.

Otherwise, internet is slow but available. Visited Patan hospital, more on that later.

Bangkok en transit

2008-09-08T10:11:00.000-07:00

Went through Bangkok as part of the stopover from Beijing. From Beijing, as of September 2008 there are three main ways to get to Kathmandu:

1) via CTU-LXA: very expensive and potential Tibet Travel Permit concern

2) via CAN: infrequent via China Southern

3) via HKG: many airlines. Royal Nepal flies this route, but you cannot book outside of Nepal... nor would you want to given their record

4) via BKK: my route, courtesy Star Alliance

Went via EgyptAir, a very nice carrier to BKK. At BKK, did a stopover at Queen's Garden Resort at River View, which is a 10min taxi drive away; BKK immigration took less than 10 minutes. Booked through Web Sawadee, which I recommend although I am uncertain about the prices. One-way transfer free, return 150 bhat. Bring USD or GBP, as exchanging RMB is horribad rates!

The view from the window. Suprisingly, the hotel is not bad.

A suprise in the morning, however - if you leave the airport, prepare to pay a 700 bhat "Airport Tax"! In hindsight, I would have probably slept in the airport - which is actually decently nice - or checked in my bags before I left / got my boarding pass, and then left the airport to avoid the tax. Otherwise, BKK is a ripoff for food (Burger King is 2-3x NYC prices), but it's a pretty airport. Free wi-fi outside the OneTeam lounge! Good to know, as this trick has worked at PEK also.

Note: Thai airlines is amazing. The ample alcohol, meal and snack, and drinks, along with the new planes and very good flight attendants made this my most pleasant flight yet! Unlike on AirTran, when a couple with a crying baby was evicted from the plane, here the situation was taken care of with a quick toy to a crying child during takeoff. US Airways, get learning!

Thais love their king!

Beijing: change, and olympic interlude

2008-09-05T10:38:00.000-07:00

Beijing has changed an amazing amount since August 2007. The subway has expanded almost 3-fold, the airport and infastructure is brand new, the air (seems) cleaner, and the prices have gone up! It is more and more looking like a Western metropolis, and nothing like the dusty city I found myself first in nine years ago.

Beijing Metro:

Arrived at Beijing Train Station at 5AM; the train station is still the same, the busiest part of town. The subway, however, has changed signifigantly; cards are now RF-ID, only 2RMB, and the subway lines have expanded! Be sure to keep your card, as you will need it on the way out. For Olympics I presume, each station has a bag scanner. If NYC could emulate the efficiency of Beijing's Metro. I always find it suprising when people do not run to catch the leaving train, as I am used to Boston's once-in-a-forever subway system. The crowding from before has been reduced; the trains are nicer; even the recordings from nine years back have been changed! It's a marvel to ride.

Outside of Wukesong station, the auto-rickshaws are gone; taxis will have to do. Taxis are now 10RMB flag, then 2RMB/km after initial few km. If you can catch one in the suburbs, they are 5RMB usually to a Metro stop. It's a tight squeeze for two!

Air:

The air quality is signifigantly better than even a year before, although these are my subjective observations. It is still hazy, however, but does not give instant asthma anymore. Interesting.

Tailoring:

In case anyone is looking to tailor clothing (suit, qipao, etc...), there was an entry I found on the web for Daxin Fabrics, at Gongzhufen. Expanding on this, the place is located about a 5 minute walk down Changan Jie past Ciwei Shopping Center. You'll pass by a KFC, and eventually a Giordano/Baleno store and turn a corner to the left. You can get tailored attire here; buy the fabric, then find the tailor. It was 280RMB for a suit to be tailored, though I may have gotten ripped off. Shipping abroad to the US takes 1-2 months at ~300RMB. I suspect China is no longer good for this anymore, as things have become signifigantly more expensive.

5% of what this place has.

All-you-can-eat-buffet:

Golden Dragon, in the Jiangguomen area, has an amazing all-you-can-eat buffet, 189RMB, which includes food from pretty much every corner of the world. I can almost guarantee this will be the largest buffet you will ever encounter. Of particlar interest is the sashimi section.

Airport:

New airport express line leaves Dongzhimen for 25RMB, train came every 15min in the afternoon, and takes (30?) minutes to arrive, also RF-ID card (keep to exit). Terminal 3 is the international departure terminal! The terminal is stunning in its construction, although of gigantic proportions. Definitely a not-miss.

Thought: For all the advertising for the Paraolympics, not many people are watching...

Call for travelers

2008-09-02T20:22:00.000-07:00

Places I would like to go in the near future. Friends, interested?

China:

*Urumqi, Xinjiang
*Kashgar, Xinjiang
*Ali/Ngari prefecture, Tibet
*Zhongmu, Tibet
*Jiuzhaigou, Sichuan
*Chengdu, Sichuan
*Zhongdian, Yunnan
Possible route:

Karakoram Highway/Silk Road

*3 week trip: Beijing -> Chengdu/Zhongdian/Lanzhou -> Urumqi -> Turpan/Aletai -> Kashgar ->either Almaty (Kazakhstan) by train or Gilgit (Pakistan) by bus via Tashkurgan

This trip should work well, at least in the China region. Chengdu and Lanzhou are easily accessible, as well as Urumqi, then train to Turban/Kasghar/Kazakhstan or Aletai, which is in the north of the province and has rave reviews from the Chinese I spoke to who went. Apparently there is also a route through Inner Mongolia, but that is not traveled by anyone. Train to Kashgar information.

Another interesting route for passerby, though I will not be traveling it:

DPRK Excursion
*5 day trip: Beijing -> Dandong/Shinuiju -> Pyongyang -> Beijing

This trip can be done with surprisingly minimal effort. One would need a multi-entry Chinese visa, and arrange for a tour guide in Shinuiju to join a Chinese tour, for up to 4000 RMB. It is a purely organized tour in the DPRK.

Tibetan Himalayas, in pictures

2007-09-02T07:47:00.000-07:00

Pictures taken on a Canon SD110 or a Kodak C360. Email for enlargements!

Everest (8848m), from Rongphu Monestery, Tibet

Everest during sunset, from Everest Base Camp, Tibet

Namcha Barwa (7782m), from Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon, Bayi Zhen, Tibet

Yarlung Zangbo River, with the edge of Namcha Bawa visible, Bayi Zhen, Tibet