Colombia: Part 4 Into the Coffee Triangle

After lunch we took off in search of the ?PaNaCa?, the Parque Nacional de Caf�, apparently one of the best places to go and learn about the ?black gold?. When we finally found the park it was pouring with rain and the guide at the gate advised us to come back another day. Praise be to him, because as the kids fell asleep on the back seat, Karin and I embarked on one of our little side trips and ended up in the most pristine and fairy-tale cloud-forest I have ever seen in my life.

Back on the main road from Armenia to Pereira we took the exit to Salento and from there drove on to the Cocora Valley. Following a small, winding road, creeping over two mountain ranges and through a beautiful valley, and ending up in the town of Salento, a hidden away backpacker?s paradise, and the gateway to the Cocora Valley. Recently inaccessible due to guerrilla activities, this wondrous place is now open to visitors and is receiving its first curious outsiders with open arms. We drove 11km from Salento to ?Don de Juan B? a small local tourist complex, consisting of a great restaurant, a playing field for children, some shops, all the horses you could wish for, and the best cappuccino I have had in a long time - all in an idyllic setting in the middle of this beautiful valley, green and lush, even at 2500masl.

The views in this region are spectacular and during our visit the temperature varied from fresh in the sun, to crisp in the shade. The purest of air filled our lungs and we were immediately smitten by the sheer beauty of the land. We had wandered pretty far off our planned route and only had an hour before we had to get back to the hotel to put the kids to bed, but we unanimously decided that we would return tomorrow.

28 June: Armenia, Salento

Colombia claims to be the country with the greatest variety of palm trees in the world (some 250+ varieties if I am not mistaken) and the lower Cocora Valley has literally thousands of them. These beautiful tall trees are home to an endemic species of yellow and green parrot, one of many different birds and animals to be spotted here - deer, puma and even spectacled bears are known to roam the higher lands of this magical stretch of Colombia. Higher again the valley leads to the ?Parque Nacional de los Nevados?, about one day?s ride on horse-back, and we made a solemn pledge to return and make that journey as soon as Noa is old enough to sit on a horse by herself.

After enjoying two sublime cappuccinos and buying a couple of kilos of organically produced coffee beans, we began a 1.5hr ride following a small and treacherous path of mud and rocks, apparently a piece of cake for the well-trained horses. Strong and well-fed, these docile animals seemed very much at ease with carrying us (myself and Noa together) up and down the hills and through the valleys. Once again the variety of greens was overwhelming as we slowly moved from wide grasslands into cloud forest. Sunlight was breaking through the clouds here and there, and we could see the haze of far off rainfall in the distance. A delicate grey curtain lined with golden specs hung across the sky, and all was fresh air and a peaceful silence broken only by bird calls and the soft gurgle of water making its way down to the Quindio River - the ride was one of spectacular views and great peace. Knowing that we were riding at an altitude of almost 2800masl, and that this area, until five years ago, was almost completely unknown to the outside world, added to the feeling that again we had stumbled upon a very special part of South America, a continent that has already given us so much.

What can I say? I feel privileged to be allowed to roam these lands, to get to know the geography, history, flora, fauna, and the people. This great mix of cultures, ever changing, developing, growing, more and more conscious of its own existence and the attributes it has, is simply too much to take in sometimes. I do not think I will ever manage to fathom the depth and the wealth of what the Latin American continent has to offer, or even understand most of it, but I sure am thankful to be a spectator of some of its heritage and its culture, forever blossoming and becoming a more and more integral and valued part of the world.

29 June, Armenia

We had managed to draw up an extensive list of things to do and places to see, but this was our last day in the Coffee Triangle, so most will have to wait until next time. We settled on a coffee tour at the Eco Hotel Combia, where we were staying, followed by a visit to the renowned butterfly park and botanical gardens of Armenia. We were not disappointed. Although not as spectacular as the day before, both visits were very interesting. I never knew it takes about two years (!) to create a cup of coffee. Three months for a seedling to be planted, another four for it to blossom, eight more before the first harvest can take place and then two months to dry. Then the selection process can begin (about two thirds of the beans are pre-considered not good enough for export). The one third that is good enough is sold to the Coffee Federation of Colombia who handles export to foreign buyers who will roast the beans and sell them off. All in all a minimum of twenty-four months before I wake up and smell the coffee. The other two thirds are divided in two classes; half is sold for national consumption and the rest stays at the farm to be either sold locally, or used right then and there. Colombians therefore, like so many producers of our fancy stuff, are allowed only the worst of their own produce, or perhaps they only allow themselves that. What is true is that most Colombians seem to have no need for the exquisite espresso that is one of the final products of the crop they have grown for generations. That will probably change soon enough, especially with more and more tourists coming in and asking, like I did at the end of the tour, ?So, where is the machine? I could use a double!?

The Butterfly Park and Botanical Garden were also quite impressive. The knowledgeable guides and a variety of things to do and see, especially for the kids, made this a far nicer little outing than I had expected. Whilst our guide explained the different species of palm trees (which happened to be his specialty), Edie and Noa went haywire running through the park, getting lost in the maze, freaking out over the robotic insects show and chasing all kinds of insects, some wild butterflies included. It helps in these cases that we have two blond, blue-eyed little beauties, which has the effect of immediately making people smile and say things like : "oh what beautiful eyes!? and, "your daughters are so pretty, such lovely little girls!? If only they knew...

Edie and Noa both possess a raw, unpolished inner energy that bursts out unexpectedly, loud, with fierce joy and usually a lot of noise, accompanied with wild body movements they call dancing. This is especially charming when staying in a fancy hotel or eating out in, for example Holland, where dining with kids is a little frowned upon. Dinner usually ends with Edie frantically bouncing around the restaurant, making all kinds of pirouettes, pli�s and what have you, with a wild-eyed gaze that lately makes me think of Billy Elliot. Maybe one day she actually will pick up ballet and everything will turn out just fine? Noa has had a princess fetish for some time now, which I silently pray will be over very soon, but on the other hand I must admit she makes me laugh every time she walks into a room with her air of disdain for all the lower people (she is 2.5), climbs onto a chair and attaches all kinds of girly stuff to my hair, claiming I am a princess too? only 5 minutes thereafter going down on all fours, dress torn to shreds, fingernails, hands, knees and face all filthy, pretending to be a dog.

All in all it was another great day in a great country. I really do not understand how this place has been the stage for so much violence for so long and until so recently. Intelligence and humor, commonplace everywhere we go, should not be the root for it, or the stunning beauty of the landscapes, or the friendliness and hospitality of the people. This is a country of great artists, writers, even politicians, and so far, I seriously think it has the potential to be one of the great destinations of this continent. Looking forward to tomorrow?

Source: http://bart-cat-travel.blogspot.com/2010/09/colombia-part-4-into-coffee-triangle.html

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Our 7 Links: Seven Blasts from the Past

We?ve learned so much since our very first blog post back in July of 2009. Although we never really know if a post will take off or or fade into obscurity, with a few years of experience we?re now better able to make a much more accurate guess.

"Our 7 Links: Seven Blasts from the Past" is a post from Two Go Round-The-World. Join Kathryn and Daniel as they plan, prepare and pack for a year-long RTW trip! Ready to dive in? Click here for a few easy ways to stay connected with us!

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Tnooz Thank You to TBEX11 Appy Hour Attendees

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Travels with my shirt

What do you do when you’ve had a bad year? As Simon Fenton states, “I decided to do what any normal person would: cross the Sahara, by any means possible.” And, ‘by any means possible’, he was serious. But, you’ll have to find out for yourself if a donkey and a camel were really modes [...]

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What You Need To Know About the Current FAA Shut Down

Who will be manning the control tower next month? (Photo by J Murphy)

The latest fallout of the ongoing battle between the Democratic and Republican parties has been the shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration late Friday.

Don't worry, no planes are going to fall out of the sky as a result. Air traffic controllers are considered essential staff and will stay at their posts. A trust fund, currently balanced (but not for long!) will pay their salaries.

But all non-essential staff have been furloughed (which will make it harder for the air traffic controllers to do their jobs, one would assume).

More worryingly the agency is not currently collecting taxes and losing approximately $30 million a DAY. So how it will pay these stalwart Air Traffic controllers in the future is an open question and one that will be made more difficult to solve every day that Congress dithers on extending the FAA's mandate.

In the meantime, greed has won out where many of the major airlines are concerned, with most carriers quietly raising prices over the weekend. Click on to American, Delta, United, Southwest, US Airways, Continental or Air Trans site and you'll see fares that look near identical to those that appeared early in the day on Friday, though they should be significantly lower without taxes. It seems these airlines will simply be pocketing the money that used to go to the government, an average of $25 FAA taxes on a $300 fare, according to the Associated Press.

Its unclear what Virgin American and JetBlue are doing; both had originally said they'd give their passengers a tax holiday (and in JetBlue's case even refund taxes collected) though the industry website Airline Reporter, which is posting a running commentary on changing airline policies, now says the strategy may have changed with these two airlines.  

We should heap praise on Spirit Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Alaskan Airlines all of which have lowered the fares one will find on their sites to reflect the lack of the FAA tax. If you're planning on flying any of the routes these carriers service, book now to get a lowered, tax-free rate.

Why have the two sides been unable to reach a deal on the existence of an agency that everyone agrees is key to flyer safety? Shamefully, the authorization bill is being used as a means for union busting. Certain congresspeople have added provisions denying the right of collective bargaining to airline and railway workers to the FAA reauthorization bill, and that highly political, unnecessary move has led to this unfortunate situation.

Alas, nobody thinks about the FAA until a plane crashes. So there hasn't been any public outcry over its shuttering. But beyond air traffic control (obviously a vital function), the agency was working on necessary modernization projects at airports across the country, all of which are now stalled. At one New York City airport, sightlines were being improved so that controllers could actually see the planes as they landed and taxied. As a New Yorker, I'm not too pleased that project is being delayed.

For the details on who the major players are in this battle, click here.

I'd urge everyone to write their congressperson and senator TODAY. Let them know their constituents are paying attention and don't approve of this sort of backroom union busting, especially when public safety is at stake.

Source: http://paulinefrommerbriefing.blogspot.com/2011/07/taxes-currently-suspended-on-airline.html

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Dreaming of Brazil

Hi there everyone,

I have been quiet for a while, busy discovering new corners of South America, and doing some work while at it... I do promise to get back here more often from now on!

Today, let?s talk about Brazil. We have heard more than enough about it on the news lately, but I get the feeling the focus has been somewhat economic. Even though it is interesting to see how world financial flows have been thrown around and today?s money makers are in fact the developing countries of yesteryear, whilst the big powers of pre-2008 are scrambling to get by, that is not what this blog is about. Brazil has become Latin America?s economic super power and that is not something that can or should be ignored. In the realm of travel it has had two interesting consequences:

First, travel to Brazil has become more expensive; the Real has revalued a lot and prices are similar to those in Europe and North America, if not, in some cases, higher. That said, we are still traveling in great numbers to the old, and the not so old, continents, which means the current price tag on tourism in Brazil is probably not going to be prohibitive to travelers. One main difference is air fare prices, which remain very expensive throughout the Latin America region, compared to similar distance long-haul flights in other parts of the world. One day I will try and investigate how this comes to be and if something could be done about it, but for now, the cost of international flights will remain the only real obstacle for people to travel to Brazil and its neighbors. I promise that when I find a cure for this, I will share it here first!

Second, Brazilians are rapidly becoming the largest visitor groups to their neighboring countries. For Argentina this is already the case, with almost 20% of all Brazilians traveling abroad heading for Buenos Aires, Iguazu and Bariloche. Also Peru is well-visited, with Machu Picchu as the most important destination. This might in the end mean that some of the entries you will see from me in the future will be written in Portuguese? J

Funny, I am sitting here in the attic of my house, winter is about to hit Buenos Aires, and I have just found out the heater up here has decided to stop working. Six degrees Celsius outside and I am thinking of Brazil? Last time I went (apart from a few stopovers) is already a while ago now, a little over a year in fact! I wrote a piece on the North of Brazil then and I remember dedicating some of it to the Feijoada dish this region is famous for. Sitting here, sipping a cup of instant soup to keep warm, I all of a sudden feel hungry, so let?s see what the Feijoada is all about again, shall we? I Googled a bit and found a good entry, which I hereby will copy, hoping the good people on about.com/homecooking as well as Mrs. Heidi Haughy Cusick (who?s book ?Soul and Spice? is mentioned as the source) will be happy with my enthusiasm:

?The hearty Feijoada stew is the national dish of Brazil. It's loaded with black beans, pork, bacon, sausage, ham, and beef. Plan ahead to soak the beans overnight. This recipe takes some time to cook, but the result is well worth it.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes

Ingredients:

� 2 cups (1 pound) black beans, rinsed and picked over

� 3/4 pound pork butt or shoulder, trimmed of fat

� 6 ounces slab bacon

� 1/2 pound smoked pork sausages

� 1/2 pound hot Portuguese sausage such as linguica

� 1 or 2 pounds ham hock or shank, cut into 1-inch rounds

� 1 large yellow onion, chopped

� 2 to 4 ounces dried beef carne seca, minced (optional; see Note)

For the Seasonings:

� 3 garlic cloves, minced and sauteed in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

� 6 green onions, including tops, chopped

� 1 yellow onion, chopped

� Large handful of chopped fresh parsley (about 1/2 cup)

� 2 bay leaves, crumbled

� 1-1/2 tablespoons dried oregano, crushed

� Salt and ground black pepper

� Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Preparation:

Soak the black beans overnight in water to cover by several inches. Drain.

Place the drained black beans in a saucepan and add water to cover by 3 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the beans are tender, 2 to 2-1/2 hours. Add additional water as needed to keep the beans covered.

While the black beans are cooking, prepare the meats. Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F. Dice the pork butt or shoulder and the bacon into 1/2-inch cubes. Place the pork, whole sausages, and bacon in a large baking pan. Roast until well done. The sausages will be ready after 35 to 40 minutes and the other meats after 45 to 60 minutes.

Cook the ham hock at the same time as the meats are roasting. In a saucepan, combine the ham hock rounds and onion with water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until tender, about 1 hour. Remove the ham hock rounds from the water and remove the meat from the bones, if desired; set aside. Or leave the rounds intact for serving alongside the black beans. Strain the cooking liquid into a bowl. Add the strained onions from the liquid to the beans. Add the cooking liquid to the beans if needed to keep them immersed.

Once the black beans are almost cooked, check to make sure there is plenty of cooking liquid in the pot. It should be rather soupy at this point. Stir in the beef (carne seca). Cut the sausages into rounds and add them and all the other cooked meats to the pot. Then add all of the seasonings to the pot, including salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for another 30 minutes, or until the beans are very tender.

Taste and adjust the seasonings. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro or parsley just before serving.?

Of course, cooking this up at home is the second best option, and will suffice only until you can make your way to Brazil in person and sit down to an authentic Brazilian feast accompanied by a cachaca or two and perhaps a little samba. Here are a few ideas for you if you plan to visit:

Salvador and the beauty of Bahia

Diamantina National Park and Salvador

OK, I am off out to buy black beans and bring a little Brazilian heat into this cold Buenos Aires day, talk to you later!

Happy trails

Bart

Source: http://bart-cat-travel.blogspot.com/2011/06/dreaming-of-brazil-hi-there-everyone-i.html

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Freebie Friday: Snore Free Hotel Rooms

Watercolor by Noemi Manalang

Well, you gotta give 'em points for creativity.

The Crowne Plaza chain has just announced its new and highly unusual crusade against snoring, which it will roll out in 10 European and Asian hotels this year.

The chain is taking a multi-pronged attack. First up, will be rooms specially designed to minimize nocturnal sounds. Equipped with white noise machines and sound-muffling panels, the design of the rooms will help diminish any offending noises nasally blocked sleepers may make. Rooms will also have anti-snoring pillows which prop the head up in a fashion that opens up the airwaves and inhibits snoring.

But the chain isn't just stopping at noise within each room, they also will be protecting light sleepers against noisy neighbors. Crowne Plaza will be dedicating some areas of these 10 hotels as "quiet zones"which will be monitored by "Snore Patrols", staffers whose job it will be to roam through these areas, knocking on the doors of people whose snoring may offend their neighbors. (Okay, a sidenote here: even in this recession, you'd have to be pretty desperate--or a dedicated sadist--to want that job, dontcha think?) Those who are caught snoring will not be allowed to book these quiet zones in the future. They will be strictly for quiet, light sleepers.

What do you think? Will these new measures save marriages and enhance sleep? Is this all just a huge waste of money? Or, perhaps most pertinently, has Crowne Plaza pulled off a major marketing coup, thanks to all the press this anti-snoring crusade is getting?

Source: http://paulinefrommerbriefing.blogspot.com/2011/07/freebie-friday-snore-free-hotel-rooms.html

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Finding a Lost World in the Azores

By Jeanine Barone It started with a rumor of a lost world on the island’s north coast. “You mean one of the faj�s,” says my guide, Elizabeth. “We’ve got dozens of them.” These flat, fertile shelves, formed by erosion and volcanic activity, huddle at the base of sheer sea cliffs. “But I’d like to hike…

Source: http://intelligenttravel.nationalgeographic.com/2011/07/26/finding-a-lost-world-in-the-azores/

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Galapagos Memories

Hello!

I still remember the first time I went to Galapagos. It was in 1994 and I was working at Pamir Travels & Adventures, owned by long-time friend and mentor Hugo Torres, doing a traineeship in Sales and Marketing. Those were the last days before email; I actually remember installing the first PC in Hugo?s office with an email account. For all the beauty and peace I find in the natural wonders of the continent I have called home for the past 15 years, I still get bewildered by the pace of technological development we have seen in just about the same time frame. If only we would apply more of our technological creativity to finding ways to protect the very world we live in, we would be way past trying to create paradise on earth, I bet you.

I was halfway through my traineeship when I had a meeting with Hugo and his wife Mireilla about how actual travel experience could enhance the sales process. That same afternoon, we had a group arriving from Germany. Since at the time I was the only one in the office speaking German, Hugo asked me if I wanted to accompany the driver to go and receive the group. The group consisted of Dr. Gerd and Mrs. Christel Gigler and some of their best friends, who had come to Ecuador to celebrate their 25^th marriage anniversary in style. We had a nice conversation aboard the bus on the way to their hotel and they asked me to accompany them on their city tour the next day, which I did. The day after we were bringing the group to the airport for their flight to the Galapagos Islands, when Gerd all of a sudden asked me: ?Bart, we have chartered a ship for our honeymoon, it has 10 beths and we are 9; would you like to join us?? I needed to ask him to repeat that twice before I really understood what he had just said, and when I looked at Mireilla who was with us that day, she nodded and gave me a look, as if to say ?what are you waiting for? This is a chance in a lifetime!? So, after some (about 5 seconds) of thinking I agreed and after some practical issues (such as me not having brought anything to the airport but the clothes I was wearing and for some reason my passport) were solved, I found myself with my new friends on my way to the Galapagos?

Samba was a refurbished, formerly Dutch trawler, which today would be considered a luxury, small-group cruise vessel. With five cabins it was actually smaller than most ships one will find, but therefore that much cozier when traveling in a group of friends. We sailed the 8-day, westerly route and it was one of the most amazing trips I have made in my life, when it comes to marine wildlife. I watched, swam and played with so many different species of animals I can hardly remember them all: Giant turtles, white-tipped reef sharks, golden rays, manta, sea lions, leather back turtle hatchlings, black hawks, albatross, red- and blue-footed boobies, spinner dolphins, blue whales, frigates, finches, Galapagos lizards, and so many more that it still dazzles me thinking back on it.

The only experience to come close to this was my 6-hour boat ride on the ?Golfo Nuevo? Bay near the Valdes Peninsula, when I actually had an 18m (54ft) Southern Right Whale come up alongside our zodiac, look me right in the eye, kind of asking for a tap on the back. I did and he (or she; I did not verify) started spinning slowly around his horizontal axis, allowing me to caress his skin and have one of my life?s most awesome encounters with nature.

Not that the Galapagos did not offer similar opportunities: I went snorkeling with a piece of rope to play with an abundance of sea lions, who tried not only to bite the rope, but also take off my fins and mask, which was both scary and fun; Swimming back to the surface I literally swam through a cloud of golden rays, only to surface finding a pelican perched on my head, as the ship mates had decided to have a laugh and throw some leftovers of the preparation of the fish for that evening?s feast into the sea next to the boat. I watched a Galapagos hawk spot, catch and devour a baby leather back turtle only meters away from where I was laying, observing how hundreds of its fellow hatchlings made their way into the ocean, surviving the first of many perilous episodes in their lives; I almost stepped on a blue-footed booby, who had placed her nest right on the trail designated for two-legged visitors, completely impervious to the risk I posed her; I saw thousands of spinner dolphins jumping over each other in a feeding frenzy as we followed a pair of blue whales below Isabela Island; I stood in a bay, water to my knees, with two resting reef sharks laying at my feet, while small Galapagos penguins swam across at less than 10m (30ft) distance. I did and saw all that and remember thinking: ?this must be the best traineeship ever??

Galapagos is one of those very few places on earth where we can see what the world would look like if we had not consistently hunted and killed every animal in sight, what it would feel like if man and animal were actually able to live side by side, sharing the same space. I can tell you it is beautifully humbling and if you love nature, this is a place you definitely should not miss.

For a couple of ideas on Galapagos holidays, please have a look at the following links:

Galapagos & Peru Discovery

Galapagos: Last minute and special offers!

Thanks again for reading, hope to see you here soon!

Happy trails,

Bart

Source: http://bart-cat-travel.blogspot.com/2011/06/galapagos-memories.html

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On Camping, Vegas and Potato Chips

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Ask Tom: Live Q&A

Lonely Planet's Tom Hall was online this week answering readers' travel queries. Here's how he got on

Tom Hall was on Guardian Travel this week offering expert advice. He will be kicking off with ideas on places to go this summer where your pound will go further ... but of course you can ask his advice on anything you like to do with travel.

Tom will get to as many questions as he can in an hour, but due to the volume, he may not be able to answer all of them in the live blog. Unanswered questions will be considered for future Ask Tom blog posts.

So, if you're in need of inspiration, post a question for him below.

Tom Hall

guardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/blog/2011/may/17/asktom-blogpost

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It's Hard Not To Get Noticed

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VIDEO: Wine +Tapas Walk in Barcelona

Of course, we had a fabulous visit in Barcelona (h-a-r-d to go wrong, really). We strolled through some of Barcelona’s coolest neighborhoods with Danny Adler from Spanish Trails. He took us to four…er…five (maybe six) tapas places. And, uh, yes, there was wine involved. HA. We ended at a wonderful “cava house”–the Spanish version of [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AlaskaTravelgram/~3/H5Dw77dAOl0/

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Delta?s Small Community Air Service Cuts ? Justified?

Talk about timing! The same day that guest blogger Nate Vallier wrote about the Essential Air Service (EAS) program, Delta Air Lines (my former employer) announced it was cutting service to 24 small communities (see this story in the New York Times).� And you all know about my feelings on EAS, which I posted about [...]

Source: http://aviationqueen.wordpress.com/2011/07/22/deltas-small-community-air-service-cuts-justified/

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since 2003, the value of Brazilian real has increased 122 percent against the once mighty dollar

Copyright � 2010 Tony G�lvez. Read the original at http://www.braziltravelblog.com/2011/07/25/since-2003-the-value-of-brazilian-real-has-increased-122-percent-against-the-once-mighty-dollar/. If you find this text at a location other than the Brazil Travel Blog it is an unauthorized use of the blog material. Michael Sommers, author of the Moon Travel Guide to Brazil, published recently a blog post with the title The World?s Most Overvalued [...]

Source: http://www.braziltravelblog.com/2011/07/25/since-2003-the-value-of-brazilian-real-has-increased-122-percent-against-the-once-mighty-dollar/

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VIDEO: We took a tour of the Port of Anchorage

We tried out the new “Flip” camera from Klout on a recent visit to the Port of Anchorage. Marketing director Lindsey Whitt takes us on a walk-through. Free tours of the port are available each Sunday throughout the summer, between 11 am and 3 pm. Just meet at the Alaska Railroad HQ building on Ship [...]

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Freebie Friday: Parks Day in Canada

Mt Revelstoke National Park (phot by M. Chady)

Stand back, Teddy Roosevelt.

It was actually Canada that had the world's first national park service and tomorrow marks its 100th anniversary!

To celebrate, Canada's fabulous parks will be waiving entrance fees tomorrow and sponsoring 100 special events--wagon rides, seawall fishing demonstrations, scavenger hunts, nature walks, concerts, you name it. The cutest celebration? The announcement of the nation's new "Campfire song". (Not to be patronizing, but that's an event that could only be held north of the border).

Full information on all tomorrow's events can be found at ParksCanda.ca.

Source: http://paulinefrommerbriefing.blogspot.com/2011/07/freebie-friday-parks-day-in-canada.html

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Ten Years in the Latin American Travel Game

Hello again fellow travelers. Recently Class Adventure Travel turned ten years old. It?s quite a monumental moment for us to tell the truth and both Karin and I feel very proud. Over the past ten years we have been working very hard to build up what we hope will one day become the preferred incoming tour operation company in Latin America. The journey so far has been fantastic and while the work has been hard, we have ? over the years ? traveled to so many extraordinary places, witnessed so many incredible things, and had the privilege to work with such great people that we both feel truly blessed.

It all started a little over 12 years ago when I was traveling through one of Ecuador?s innermost jungles, spending some time living it rough and experiencing the Amazon first hand. It was in the middle of some spectacular jungle trail ? somewhere not to far from Misahuall� ? (after being bitten by a spider and cured by a cacique!), where the idea first came to me to start a travel company in Latin America. It all centered around two of my deepest wishes; firstly that of turning my greatest hobby (travel, of course) into a professional way of living, and secondly trying to establish possibilities to help build a bridge between Latin America and the rest of the world.

I returned to Holland where Karin and I began working on getting some money together in order to be able to move back to Latin America and get a company started. Many people thought us crazy, the idea of starting a tour company in South America back then was not the type of initiative embraced for its financial viability. Eventually however, we managed to borrow enough money from a few friends and family members and were ready to get started. Against the advice of quite a few people, we both finally agreed that Peru would be the best place to begin. In the beginning of the nineties, Peru had just come out of a bloody civil war. Abimael Guzman, the leader of the notorious Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso), had only been captured a few years before we chose Peru, and while stability had returned to the country, many still feared some form of Maoist revolution would come. These fears however seemed blown out of proportion, and with a phenomenal array of both natural and man-made wonders, a peaceful Peru was a tourist Mecca just waiting to happen.

And so we went to Peru, with little more than a couple of suitcases, a little borrowed money, and a couple of really big dreams. Karin and I opened our first office in Lima in 1997. The first year was incredibly difficult, and I often had to work other jobs in order to support us while Karin kept on working tirelessly on getting and keeping Class Adventure Travel off the ground. We came very close to giving up that first year, but luck was on our side and after one year, more or less, business began to pick up. At the end of that famous first year we had received a grand total of 27 passengers? The work experience was what made all the difference though!

The following year I returned to Holland to work for a few months in order to gain some more capital for the company while Karin continued working in Lima. By the end of our second year we were gaining ground, and while we weren?t making any serious money, we could finally consider the company to be fully self-supportive. It was finally beginning to look as though we were going to succeed and at the end of the second year we had actually received a total of 303 passengers.

After over 4 years of courting, Karin finally decided to marry me in 1998; and when we returned to Peru from the wedding in Holland, things finally began to take off in earnest. We began to hire our first employees, we moved into a bigger office, and in the beginning of 2000 we formally opened our first office in Cusco. In 2003 we organized tours for over 2,000 clients, and it was time to start looking outwards to the rest of Latin America. Not only did Karin and I want to open new offices in other countries, we began thinking about moving to another Latin American country in order to get a new perspective on the continent. The options were many and we ended up traveling through Chile, Argentina, and Brazil looking for the right place to settle down.

It was in Sao Paulo, Brazil, that we opened our next office in 2004. Later that same year, Karin and I moved to Buenos Aires where we set up a regional head quarters for Argentina and Chile. In August that year our first daughter Edie was born ? the first proud Argentine-Dutch member of our family. Please note Karin basically went through this entire expansion and emigration phase pregnant (Edie was born 2 months after we had arrived to Argentina)? She is a strong woman and most definitely more than my significant other half; without her this company would not have survived, I am pretty sure of that.

As our family grew ? so did our company. We began to form alliances with a number of affiliate travel companies in other Latin American countries ? and it wasn?t long before the company was able to offer tours across the continent. Most recently we opened a proper office in Costa Rica? a venture that will give us the opportunity to offer tours in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama, and will give our clientele the opportunity of undertaking the very best there is on offer in each of these Central American countries.

Karin and I celebrated the birth of our second daughter Noa earlier this year, increasing the number of family members to 4 (2 Dutch and 2 Argentine!). Noa just turned 2 months old, while Class Adventure Travel turned 10 years old. In retrospect it seems like quite a journey, although in everyday working life one hardly realizes what has had to happen for our little company to become what it is today? After ten years in Latin America, we have seen so many breathtaking places, have learned so much, we?ve grown, we?ve been graced with the presence of two incredibly beautiful daughters, and we?re delighted that we get to continue our adventure through this extraordinary continent together with all the wonderful people in our team.

Oh yes, I almost forgot: as an anniversary special ? We have decided to knock 10% off all tours publicized on our website. The offer stands on all tours purchased before the 31^st of December this year ? regardless of when you?re actually traveling. It?s a good deal (at least I think so?), and our special way of trying to encourage all of you to travel to Latin America and witness some of the many beautiful things we have been lucky to see over the years. For more information take a look at CAT?s Special Promotional Offer on the Class Adventure Travel website. Hope you all like it; let me know what you think!

Bart

www.cat-travel.com

Source: http://bart-cat-travel.blogspot.com/2007/10/class-adventure-travel-turns-ten.html

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TSA Welcomes Its 500th Puppy!

Source: http://blog.tsa.gov/2011/04/tsa-welcomes-its-500th-puppy.html

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A Cape of Captivation!

It?s no wonder why Cape Town continues to draw in a diverse range of travellers and visitors all year round. From the beautiful white sands to the impressive presence of the magnificent Table Mountain, the mother city of Africa is certainly a region I?ll be returning to.

"A Cape of Captivation!" is a post from Two Go Round-The-World. Join Kathryn and Daniel as they plan, prepare and pack for a year-long RTW trip! Ready to dive in? Click here for a few easy ways to stay connected with us!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/twortw/~3/WhcSB--C7vA/

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Memory, Photography, and Machu Picchu

Hi there to all of you. It has been a while since my last entry, but times have been and continue to be hectic, what, with the world crisis and all. More later on that boring but serious pit-bull-like subject? For now, on to more elevating stuff: www.fotomission.org!
People that know me will agree I am a lousy photographer. I actually prefer to travel without a camera, as looking at the world through a lens never was my greatest pleasure in life. I really love looking at pictures though, especially if they are good and/or about an area I have recently visited or about my past (so much has happened, so few memories) and so I am a photo fanatic nevertheless. Also, of course, travel and photography are as strongly linked as it is impossible for me to combine the two on a personal level. If it weren?t for Karin, who actually is a great photographer (most of our current best online pictures still come from her Nikon D80!), most of what we do (and sell) would have never made it to the public eye? Now that would have been a true disaster!

Travel photography of course plays an important role in a couple of our most-sold destinations: The Sacred Valley of the Incas and Machu Picchu. I have been there several times and all of my visits have been truly amazing, although tremendously different experiences:

Jan 6th, 1991, Ollantaytambo, Sacred Valley: Epiphany or Three Kings Day as it is better known in Peru. Took a cab to Ollanta to participate in the fiestas and enjoy endless quantities of ?Chicha? (corn juice, fermented on human saliva additive; yummy!). Somehow made it up the fortress? ruins and crashed out lying on one of those immense granite building blocks, only to wake up in the middle of the night from the reflective light of a huge full moon. The awe and absolute natural beauty of that moment stay with me to this day, but guess what?I had no camera!
? The only other time I have seen a moon like that was during another midnight escapade, this time to the Geysers of El Tatio in the Chilean part of the Atacama Desert in 2004. During that mind-boggling occasion I forgot to wake up Karin and, in addition to being punished for the rest of that trip, I again have no photographic evidence of what I witnessed.
Jan 10th, 1991, Machu Picchu, take 1: after a disastrously funny ?San Pedro ? hallucinogenic cactus experience? somewhere near a ?temple of the moon?, I woke up sick, having to cancel my planned Inca Trail hike and take the train instead. Getting to see the ruins and somehow making it up to Wayna Picchu made more than made up for Montezuma?s bitter revenge. The view from up there I will never forget, but I would need to become a great painter to share it with you.
Sometime in 1995: First Inca Trail to Machu Picchu: those were the times when you could still do it yourself? so we each hoisted over 25kg of canned food, lighter fluid, cooking equipment, tents, hard liquor and yes, some cannabis on our backs and into the mountains we went. The first night it rained so hard that we literally had a small creek running through our tent. I woke up because Karin had managed to crawl on top of me in her sleep, avoiding the water from running into her sleeping bag. She slept straight through the event, but made it kind of difficult for me to forget the fact I was soaked and very, very cold. The second morning we had to climb some 2,200m (6,600ft) straight up to the infamous Dead Woman?s Pass, where Karin almost became a dead woman herself as she slipped and almost fell down a small crevasse. I?m not sure why, but I had been holding a flap on the back of her pack for quite some time already and managed to steady her before worse could happen. The images that stay with me though are those of the moss dangling in some seriously bewildering ways from the trees in the cloud forest we passed through on day 3. Fairytale type stuff, really, but still, somewhat regrettably, these images live on only in my mind.

I could go on and on, but that would be taking things out of perspective. Maybe one day I will share some of my earlier travel experiences with you, but for now, suffice it to say that sometimes it would have been great to have a camera on me with the actual knowledge on how to use it properly. Had I known the people from Fotomission years ago, I might have become a different type of traveler. Let me share with you some of their ?About Us? page:

?Photography is a powerful language; it is the language of light. With it we strive to understand and shed light on the complexities of human activity, its dependence on its causes and in connection with its effects, not merely in relation to how it affects us as individuals, but our world as a whole.

No other form of communication or expression has done as much to transform our sense of self, our daily lives and our society as the photograph. Photography is probably the most influential medium of the modern era.

Fotomission is a volunteer operated non-profit organization dedicated to promoting as well as producing artistic and documentary exhibitions, publications and online presentations of significant and socially conscious photographic endeavors.

Our mission is to utilize artistic and documentary photography as a means of creating positive social change while at the same time promoting the art of photography.?



Pretty cool stuff! Take a look at the following link to get a better idea of a great tour these guys have set up and which might be a great tip for an upcoming photo-traveling experience: http://www.fotomission.org/expeditions/machu_picchu/index.html

Remember, May is a great time to visit Machu Picchu. It?s right after the rainy season and guarantees lush, green views and good temperatures, as well as good late afternoon and evening light for great picture taking. This is actually one of those gems when it comes to organized tours; well-organized, unique, very dedicated staff and great photographic memories for sure! Need I say more?
Happy Trails!
Bart

Source: http://bart-cat-travel.blogspot.com/2009/02/memory-photography-and-machu-picchu.html

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God in the machine: Inti Raymi in Cusco and Corpus Christi

Hi there,

I am not a very religious man and although I very much believe there is more to life than meets the eye, I have tended to stay away from institutionalized religion due to some authority issues, which sadly have stood in the way of my enlightenment. That does not mean I do not see the beauty in the history and rituals of some religious habits and festivities, and part of the attraction of Latin America certainly lies in its cultural heritage, and therefore also in its divine celebrations.

I will have to be honest and say I have never witnessed either of the two important religious festivals I am about to describe here. Not sure as to why, as I have certainly not shunned them, I?ve simply not been in the right place at the right time I guess, as is always a possibility when one tries to get to know an entire continent. I was asked to give some reflections on these two events as they are coming up, so I did a little research. I must say that after all I read, I may change my travel plans for this year and make sure to be in Cusco on June 24^th and anywhere in Brazil, Peru or Ecuador roughly 50 days after Easter?

Inti Raymi

The Festival of the Sun was a religious ceremony of the Inca Empire in honor of the sun-god Inti, one of the most venerated gods in Inca religion. According to chronicler Garcilaso de la Vega, Sapa Inca Pachacuti created the Inti Raymi to celebrate the winter solstice and a new year in the Andes of the Southern Hemisphere.

Today, it's the second largest festival in South America. Hundreds of thousands of people converge on Cusco from other parts of Peru, South America and the world, for a week long celebration marking the beginning of a new year - the Inti Raymi, the Festival of the Sun.

During the Inca Empire, the Inti Raymi was the most important of four ceremonies celebrated in Cusco, as related by Inca Garcilaso de la Vega. The celebration took place in the Haukaypata or the main plaza in the city. The ceremony was also said to indicate the mythical origin of the Incas, with nine days of colorful dances and processions, as well as animal sacrifices to ensure a good cropping season. The last Inti Raymi with the Inca Emperor's presence was carried out in 1535, after which the Spanish conquest and the Catholic Church suppressed it. Some natives participated in similar ceremonies in the years after, but it was completely prohibited in 1572 by the Viceroy Francisco de Toledo, who claimed it was a pagan ceremony opposed to the Catholic faith.

In 1944, a historical reconstruction of Inti Raymi was directed by Faustino Espinoza Navarro with indigenous actors. The reconstruction was so popular that it was repeated a number of times and the Inti Raymi festival has now been reestablished as a much looked forward to yearly event.

Corpus Christi

Latin for Body of Christ, this is the holiday when Catholics commemorate the institution of the Holy Eucharist, or communion. It?s held either on a Thursday or a Sunday roughly 50 days after Easter.

The appearance of Corpus Christi as a feast in the Christian calendar was primarily due to the petitions of the thirteenth-century Augustinian nun Juliana of Li�ge. From her early youth Juliana revered the Blessed Sacrament, and always longed for a special feast in its honor. In 1208 she reported her first vision of Christ during which she was instructed to plead for the institution of the feast of Corpus Christi. The vision was repeated for the next 20 years but she kept it a secret. When she eventually relayed it to her confessor, he relayed it to the bishop. Sadly, the celebration of Corpus Christi became widespread only long after St. Juliana had died.

Throughout Latin America, Corpus Christi is celebrated every year and it is considered one of the most important religious holidays after Christmas and Easter. Decorating the streets with colorful carpets made from wood shavings and other materials is one of the highlights of this celebration of the faith.

I hope to have given a more or less adequate description of both festivals, which as I said I have not experienced myself thus far. I truly hope to be able to make the time this year or next to go and witness them - let me know if you?re thinking of going too! Also, if you have any first-hand stories to share about any of these festivities then I?d love to hear them.

Thanks again and happy trails

Bart

Source: http://bart-cat-travel.blogspot.com/2011/06/god-in-machine-inti-raymi-in-cusco-and.html

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Freebie Friday: Kids Fly Free in the Middle East This August

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(Photo by SJ Dunphy)

?????I admit today's post is going to be of limited interest to most of my readers. But it allows me to post this photo of Doha, Qatar's high tech, ever-changing skyline (a plus, right?)

??And for those parents hoping to fly with their kids around the Middle East next month--I know you're out there!--Qatar Airways has an unbeatable deal. Parents who book before Aug. 27 will be able to bring along up to two children just per adult for the cost of air taxes throughout the month. The deal covers travel to the following gateways: Abu Dhabi, Aleppo, Amman, Bahrain, Beirut, Damascus, Doha, Dubai, Kuwait, Muscat and Riyadh.

For complete information, click here.

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Source: http://paulinefrommerbriefing.blogspot.com/2011/07/freebie-friday-kids-fly-free-in-middle.html

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