travelogue – monkeys in Florida

On March 21, 2006 By Rick McIn kayaking, travel, traveloguesLeave a comment

Joyce

This is Joyce Long from a TV interview where she was asked her opinion of another huge new proposed housing development which threatened to pollute pristine Silver Springs — the world’s largest limestone spring.

Joyce and I in a double kayak pushed hard up river because other boaters told us that monkeys had been spotted. These must be the most northerly monkeys in the wild in North America. They are descendents from escaped movie monkeys.

Six Tarzan films were shot here.

monkeys in Florida

Next travelogue on this trip >> Florida retirement?

travelogue – Key West, Florida

On March 20, 2006May 11, 2015 By Rick McIn photos, travel, travelogues, TVLeave a comment

… Homer: Florida?! But that’s America’s wang!

… Plant Psychiatrist: They prefer “The Sunshine State.”

I first learned about Florida from Miami Vice.

Sonny Crockett was the coolest cop on TV. He drove a Testarossa!

I wanted to put on expensive shoes (without socks) and drive that Ferrari to Key West. In the end I managed to drive a Chevy Nova rental — but without socks!

map

Ernest Hemmingway's house from 1931-1940. Descendents of his 6-toed cat still live here. — Ernest Hemmingway’s house from 1931-1940. Descendents of his 6-toed cat still live here.

See annotated photos of the southern most end of the USA by jumping to my photos on flickr.

I know what you are thinking. What ever happened to Rico Tubbs? (Philip Michael Thomas)

travelogue – Holocaust Memorial, Miami

On March 19, 2006May 11, 2015 By Rick McIn photos, travel, traveloguesLeave a comment

A few quiet streets away from the insanity of South Beach is a stunning memorial of the Jewish holocaust. Many visitors driving by only catch a glimpse of the giant bronze arm reaching for freedom.

Sculpture of Love and Anguish was created in 1984 by survivor Kenneth Triester. The arm has an Auschwitz tattoo and features terrified prisoners scrambling to escape.

The official website of the Holocaust Memorial.

No matter how many times I hear the story, it still drops me like a hammer.

I think of Sophie’s Choice.

I think of Schindler’s List.

And I think how impossible it is that genocide is still happening in the world today. 😦

travelogue – South Beach, Miami

On March 17, 2006May 11, 2015 By Rick McIn travel, travelogues2 Comments

If you’ve got it, you flaunt it at South Beach.

True that.

vibe

South Beach has a similar “vibe” to Santa Monica and Venice beaches in Los Angeles.

I love the art deco architecture. This neighbourhood was “a crime-ridden collection of crumbling eyesores populated primarily by drug-crazed lunatics” in the 1980s.

art deco

Surprisingly, I loved Miami. Loved the diversity. There is no better people-watching anywhere.

Amazingly the traffic is quite light (if you stay off the Ronald Reagan Turnpike).

I’ve never seen so many beautiful women in one place. Some are on the South Beach Diet: caffeine, cocaine and cigarettes.

American Airlines Arena, home of the Miami Heat. I saw my first NBA game (US$10). Shaq was still lumbering back and forth.

See more annotated photos of Miami by jumping to my photos in flickr.

travelogue – Is Guatemala safe?

On March 17, 2006 By Rick McIn travel, traveloguesLeave a comment

I am often asked if countries like Bolivia are “safe”.

To me they feel very “safe” for the tourist.

The real danger in life is motor vehicles. Your odds are good if you stay out of motor vehicles.

The risk of street violence, it seems to me, is worse in Toronto or other large North American cities.

One night down the street from my hostel in South Beach, Miami a rapper (or his loyal posse) initiated a shoot out at 5:30AM.

With any luck the American taxpayer will pay for his incarceration for up to 10 years. And the rapper gains some street cred.

Rolling Stone: Young Jeezy Arrested in Shooting

Next travelogue on this trip >> South Beach, Miami

travelogue – Xela, Guatemala

On March 12, 2006May 11, 2015 By Rick McIn hiking, photos, travel, travelogues1 Comment

The most dramatic region of Guatemala is the Western Highlands: towering stands of pine, and every town and village tells a story.

Xela (shay-la) is the jumping off point for Highland adventures. It is also the home of the most important trekking organization in Central America, Quetzaltrekkers — a charity which raises funds by leading hikes.

Cool!

More than that, Xela is a unique, unforgettable city with a surprise on every street.

See more photos of fascinating Xela by jumping to flickr.

I did get in some hiking. 🙂

cloud view

travelogue – Santiaguito volcano, Guatemala

On March 12, 2006May 3, 2016 By Rick McIn travel, traveloguesLeave a comment

A 5AM start from Xela (Quetzaltenango) got us to the top of the Santamaría volcano (3,772m) by about 10AM.

I had no big expectations. Volcano climbing is my least favourite hiking. An unrelenting steep slog.

Happy to relax at the top, our guide hurried us to a lower viewpoint. In front of our eyes, completely unexpectedly, we watched another volcano, Santiaguito, 1,200m below, explode! Wow!

It was like watching Mt. St. Helen’s erupt on TV. But there was no sound. Perhaps the wind pushed it away. We were lucky to get a gap in the clouds at just the right time. But it seems eruption plumes of several kms are a regular occurrence here.

Watching a volcano erupt from above is likely not possible anywhere else in the world!

Wikipedia on Santamaría and Santiaguito volcanos.

More details on our volcano climb in the next post >> Xela, Guatemala

travelogue – Atitlan, Guatemala

On March 10, 2006May 11, 2015 By Rick McIn photos, travel, traveloguesLeave a comment

In the 1960s Lake Atitlan was a paradise hide-a-way from the rest of the world. Gringos lived there in semi-permanent hippy colonies.

It’s still a paradise. And you can still live there for US$10 a day!

The lake is a caldera (collapsed volcanic cone) dominated by huge volcanos.

Everyone starts at Pana (Panajachel), then boats to one of the many villages not accessible by road. San Pedro is an idyl where people get stuck for weeks.

See more photos of Pana and Atitlan by jumping to flickr.

travelogue – Antigua, Guatemala

On March 7, 2006May 11, 2015 By Rick McIn photos, travel, travelogues1 Comment

Almost impossibly cute, you will either love or hate Antigua.

… Cobbled streets, mustard and ochre coloured houses with colonial fittings, the leafy central park …

In 1979 Unesco declared Antigua a World Heritage Site.

100_2517

It’s filled with gringo Spanish students, volunteers and with Guatemalan tourists.

The town is nestled ominously between volcanoes, one still VERY active.

I love it as I do many of the other expat hangouts of the world including San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and Pokhara, Nepal.

It costs about US$1 / hour to ride jammed into one of these buses. Some are “Bluebird” school buses, built in Brantford, Ontario – decades ago sold off as no longer road worthy.

Sure life is easy in Antigua. Certainly it is Western. Enjoy it for a few days while psyching up for the real Guatemala.

See more photos of pretty Antigua by jumping to flickr.

travelogue – Cobán, Guatemala

On March 6, 2006May 11, 2015 By Rick McIn photos, travel, traveloguesLeave a comment

The hottest new stop for backpackers in Guatemala is Cobán.

We celebrated surviving a LONG travel day from Belize: van, van, ferry, van. When I say van, I mean 25 people! in an underpowered Toyota.

On a tip from some volunteers, we headed out to a good new hostel called El Sapote near Semuc Champey. One of the many taking advantage of the surge in popularity in this “backpacker’s paradise” destination. We squashed a scorpion and relocated big spiders.

This is the jumping off point for the striking karst limestone mountains of Alta Verapaz. A bizarre landscape is reminiscent of Laos and the adventure tourism activities are the same: underground river walking and swimming (holding a candle!), spelunking, tire tube floating, … We lucked into one of the few sunny days and tried everything.

Adventure 1 -jump off bridge