Murphy's Law and Ciudad Perdida

Lonely Planet South America on a Shoestring 2010 edition tells about a beautiful, quiet and small fishermen village called Taganga, in Colombia. 

Based on the awesome description we decided to give it a try. 

Taganga is the least interesting and impressive place on earth. Nature was gone many years ago along with fishermen and clean beaches. Natives were more focused in partying all night long and not allowing me to have my beauty sleep.

The driver smiling to the cam

We weren't aware of Murphy's law... Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. So we decided to take a 4 to 5 days tour to Ciudad Perdida (Lost City).
Sierra Nevada is gorgeous but the treks in the jungle were so physically intensive due the muddy paths, inclination and the daily rain that it was almost impossible to take a look around. I was so focused on the trail, where to step or how to cross safely rivers that I missed the most important thing, enjoying nature.

Luxury accommodation 

5 Star Facilities

In the morning we would walk for several hours, take short breaks and arrive to a new camp around 2 pm. Then have lunch and spend the rest of the day watching the heavy rains that would last till night. Nothing to do, just sleep or lay down on the improvised dorms outdoors. 

At this point we weren't fully aware of the laws of infernal dynamics and their adage about the cursedness of the universe yet.

Arhuacos natives

After 2 days I noticed that the water that our guides were giving us had a weird color and smell. I brought up that issue several times but they told me that I was being picky in a macho tone that really hurt my very feminist side. Turns out, the picky lady was right. They weren't purifying the water properly and... Yes, exactly! You totally got it! I got sick. Let's say that the jungle is not the best place to get sick.

Our friend Isaias, he came with us all way back and then he returned

We were in a camp less than 1 km away from the Lost City that it took us 2 days to arrive there, when we had to return. We did all the way back in 1 day. We walked for almost 10 hours with no food or water. If you want to get the picture, set your treadmill in the gym at inclination 12 and imagine mud everywhere... Then try to walk like that for hours.

The famous mula

Because I was sick and very slow after a few hours they got a mula (a small horse) to carry me around. The mula jumped incredible high and it scared me. I was afraid of fall and get hurt.

FYI, supposedly just one guy did all the way down in 1 day. Rui is the 2nd along with our guide. And me and the mula are the 3rd (the mula cannot complain much, because I'm very light). But I bet that the other guy had water and he was not sick. So maybe we deserve to be the #1.

I do not recommend the Lost City unless you like to do treks in the jungle in very harsh conditions, carrying a backpack all the time. You are part of a group, so you have to keep pace.
Your clothes, shoes and hair will be wet all the time. They'll be wet no matter what (even Nike dry fit got incredible wet). Food is not good or enough. You have to eat whatever they cook, if you have food restrictions you'll not eat at all. There is no alternative menu.

If you get sick you have to find your way back. There is no roads. And helicopters can't land in the middle of the jungle. 

If you think that this is a stroll in the park, think again.

Bagan: The City of the 1000 Pagodas

If you ask me about my favorite destination in Asia (after Japan, of course), I'll recommend you Myanmar (former Burma).

It's a new destination and because of that it is still very well preserved and you won't see so many western restaurants and new buildings replacing ancient constructions... Well, there are some exemptions. But generally speaking, it's authentic. 

Bagan

Bagan is a must see. It's known as the city of the temples.

Unfortunately the temple's restoration was a disaster.  Experts claim that they didn't pay any attention to details. Besides that, some tycoons connected with the regime, got authorization to destroy some temples in order to build a resort with luxury facilities (namely a golf course and swimming pools) and an awful 61 meter watchtower in the middle of the site. Based on these facts, UNESCO didn't recognize Bagan as a World Heritage Site which is really sad but understandable.

Bagan

From the almost 10.000 religious sites (monasteries, temples and pagodas), just 2229 temples and pagodas still remain in an area equivalent to 20 square kilometers. Most religious sites were destroyed during the many earthquakes that occurred in this area for the last 100 years.

Bagan

We went there during low season when it rains most. It was incredible hot all the time. Best time to go around and visit was during the very early morning and early evening (no public illumination).
Hotels in Myanmar can be very expensive mainly because there aren't too many, particularly with western standards.
During our trip we stayed in better hotels than we are used to. Basicaly because there is no mid range hotels, just very poor accommodations or very pricey ones.
We learned with our friends's experience. They were trying to save money and they didn't realize that travel on a budget in Myanmar is kind of hard. After a couple of days they got very sick with no medicine and they didn't enjoy their time at all.

Bagan

We spent more money in 5 days in Myanmar than in 15 days in Vietnam or in Thailand.
Many areas in Bagan are just reachable by bike or cab. We don't bike, even if we did it would be hard to ride in the muddy unpaved paths.
It was difficult to book a cab through the hotel. They were charging high fees and there was a schedule that the union (did I already express my love for unions?!) imposes to start and finish the service. But we were able to find a guy willing to ride us around on OUR schedule, starting early to avoid the hottest time of the day. It wasn't cheap but it was better than the previous quotes.

Bagan

Our driver was polite and punctual and drove us in really remote and badly shaped unpaved roads. This way we could explore much more.
We had all our meals in an awesome restaurant close to Ananda temple called Star Bean. The chef and his brother are great to talk to and they are knowledgeable about food. The chef used to work for a luxury restaurant. I highly recommend their tea leaf salad. They also bake delicious bread.

Bagan

Some of the temples and pagodas are closed. You have to find the person that has the key to open it for you. And some of them are really dark and you'll need a flash light to appreciate the murals and all the details.
One of the most spectacular murals is the one of the Portuguese traders in the Ananda Ok Kyaung.

Bagan

People are very kind and willing.
This is an amazing country to visit. In some sense I feel bad saying that because crowds of tourists can create lots of issues and in the end it will loose some of its authenticity. And because travelling to Myanmar also means that we are directly funding the regime that is committing the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya people.

The Old Continent: Rome

Europe is on the bottom of my travel list. Maybe because I'm European and I lived a significant part of my life there. It's far from exciting for me. Generally speaking, Europe is overrated, pricey for what you get and in some countries people are not very nice with foreigners. They confuse rudeness  with charm. And they are always complaining about everything. Don't get me even started on strikes. Well, for some reason they call it the Old Continent.
The positive side is that if you get sick, you'll get medical treatment for free.  

I don't like pasta, I don't know why I ordered it

Pretty much everywhere outside Europe, people created tons of myths mainly about Italy and France. When you want to impress a non European you say that you are originally from Europe. Most part of the times you'll hear "fancy" or "OMG" (I swear that I still don't understand why this happens, I don't know exactly what is fancy or fascinating about Europe). If you are in a rural area in the US, it is better to keep that to yourself and pretend that you are from Minnesota or Montana.

Rome by night

We went to Italy twice. Once to backpack in the north side of the country. We didn't have much money but we had lots of fun. It's not easy to travel in Europe on a budget. Accommodation and sightseeing entrance fees are very expensive. We saved some money buying food in grocery shops instead of having lunch in  restaurants.

On the second time we went to Italy, we went to Rome to spend the NYE. We weren't on a so tight budget. We decided to stay less days in order to save some money and have more options.

Through Tripadvisor we found a nice hotel few blocks away from the Vatican museum. 

Vaticano

We bought our entrance fees for the Vatican Museum online. It was smart because we didn't waste time on lines to get tickets and we were among the first visitors which allowed us to enjoy more the site. 

You should go early and rush to the Cappella Sistina. We did that and for a few minutes we were the only visitors there. We had time to appreciate some of the details. When we returned later to take a last look, we barely could move. It was crowded.

St Peters Basilica

After the museum we went to the Vatican City. Entrance fees are expensive. There are separate tickets for almost everything. Be prepared to face crowds of tourists. People get hysterical with pictures and sometimes they don't realize that they are blocking all the way and there are dozens of hostages assisting to the pic session and disliking it. 

Old streets near the Palatino

Getting lost in the old streets and appreciate the architecture is also another way to visit Rome and learn more about the city.

We got a combined ticket that included several sites namely the Colosseum, Baths of Caracalla, Villa Dei Quintili, Palatino and the National Roman Museums. They have different options, the one we got is called Roma Archeologia Card and it costs around USD$30.
It will save you lots of time in useless lines.

Colosseum

My favorite site in Rome was the Palatino. We liked it so much that we went there twice. It also hard to see everything properly in a couple of hours. It's very spread out and it has many beautiful details.

Palatino

Lonely Planet recommends thousands of churches. After 3 or 4 I was already dying (maybe even before the first one.. You guys should know this, I'm not a church person). And in order to to see the baroque ornates and other details we had to add coins to turn on the lights. It recalls me an amusement park in Lisbon when I was a little girl. If I paid they would allow me to go in, turn on the lights and I could say hi to Frankstein and his friends. OK, not exactly the same.

Somewhere in Rome

If you are travelling to Europe during the winter, you should consider Lisbon, Portugal. It's much warmer, sunnier and considerable cheaper than many other destinations in Europe. And no need to add coins to see the churches, they let you see all the details for free.
I have a preference for the south side of Portugal. Food is delicious and the landscapes are breathtaking. But if you have some time, in one week you can travel from one side to the other. Keep this in mind.

Cabo Espichel, Portugal

At Home in El Salvador

Last year we went to El Salvador to visit our friend Ligia and her lovely family and friends. First we flew to Guatemala City. We visited Antigua Guatemala and then we got a bus from Guatemala City to San Salvador.

On our bus there was an American tourist travelling across Central America by herself. In the Guatemala border our bus was delayed because the officers were trying to get money from the American lady (they try to take money from everyone but Americans get much higher quotes). Travelling with an American passport can be a hassle in many countries. After a long negotiation, they settled for $20 (it started at $200). And we could keep our trip towards El Salvador. 

We spent our first night in a small village called Armenia where Ligia is originally from. It's a short drive from San Salvador, just 50 minutes away. 

Since our visit coincided with the semana santa, there were some festivities. This was a very unique moment to learn more about local culture. And of course, food. In Delmy's house there was always great food. I still recall a soup with shrimps that I ate there and it was delicious.

In the following days we went to several places. Godofredo took us to the Santa Ana Volcano. We did a short trek and enjoyed the views over the volcano. Such a beautiful place!

Rarely we have the opportunity of staying with a local family and spend some time with locals. In this trip we spent all the time with locals learning more about their life and about El Salvador.

Delmy was always checking if we were eating enough and she was always providing us with the best that Salvadorian cuisine has to offer. We had the finest food. 

La Ruta de Las Flores is a must see in El Salvador. It's a group of charming small villages with beautiful colonial churches, traditional architecture, surrounded by mountains and where you can enjoy good coffee and taste good food. In Juayua they organize a food festival every weekend. We also had some food there. Very simple but tasty. We went for lunch to a restaurant with Ligia and Melissa which was simply outstanding.

We visited El Salvador's downtown by ourselves. And in a few occasions we took public transportation. People were always nice and welcoming with us. We never felt in danger but we are aware that El Salvador is facing many challenges namely related with gang violence. I hope things change quickly and this very kind people can have a better future. 

San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

Travelling in Latin America is always exciting. In one moment we are seeing Mayan ruins, in another we are checking colonial cities and after that we could end up in the jungle or in a desert.

Valle de La Luna

We crossed by land from Peru to Chile. It was an overnight bus trip very long, not so comfortable and tiring. We arrived to San Pedro de Atacama in the early morning with no hotel reservation and carrying a backpack. In these moments I'm grateful for travelling light.

San Pedro de Atacama 

It was really hard to find decent and affordable accommodation, specially if you are on a budget. Atacama is a fancy destination with a very few budget options. After going from side to side of this tinny village we found a place to spend the next night.

San Pedro de Atacama

San Pedro de Atacama

We tried to explore as much as we could since we only had one day there which might not be enough. We wanted to go to the Valle de La Luna.

We inquired about tours in the several tour agencies across the village (there is plenty of competition and the packages are very similar) and we found a small tour of less than 10 people including the guide that was also the driver.

Valle de La Luna

The Valle de La Luna is gorgeous. It's clear that this area doesn't see water for a long time now. Apparently it's one of the driest and oldest places on earth. And  the range of colors and textures look somewhat similar to the surface of the moon. 

Valle de La Luna

Our guide showed us some spots around, we did some short treks and in the end of the visit he took us to a nice spot to see the sunset. It was really cool but a bit freezing. The temperatures drop quickly. 

Rui got sick at night. But thankfully the guide gave us some little cactus leaves that are used to make tea. That saved his life... OK, he was not that bad and the tea wasn't that great.

Landscape along the Paso de Jama Border

Our next destination was Bolivia but since the road that goes from Atacama to Bolivia is in really bad shape, I guess that at that time it wasn't completely paved, it was more practical to go first to Argentina and from there get another bus to Bolivia. A small detour. In the next morning we headed off to Argentina. 

Landscape along the Paso de Jama Border

 We would cross the Paso de Jama border. This is a mountain pass through the Andes at an elevation of more than 4,000 mt (about 14,000 ft) at the border. 
We were pleasantly surprised by the beautiful landscapes across the border.

Landscape along the Paso de Jama Border

Foodie Guide to the Cayman

Caribbean cuisine is very simple and tasty. But because of the tourism many local restaurants changed menus to accommodate westerns palates and they substitute local cuisine for fries, pizza, pasta and burgers. I avoid these places at all costs.

In Cayman was hard to find local cuisine. We had to head off from George Town to enjoy good old style Caymanian food. 

Local places are not fancy at all. They are all about food. If you are looking for something else like views or fancy French places (don't get me even started on French and Italian cuisine for American taste), stay in George Town. Eventually you'll find what you are looking for... A tourist trap.

Vivine's Kitchen 

Ms. Vivine's house in East End is the backdrop for her charming restaurant located just across the coast. 

Menu is small but everything (exempt the rum cake) is made from scratch in her kitchen with fresh ingredients.

We had the oxtail and the fried fish. Both were terrific. Price is unbeatable, KYD$6 each (cash only, no such thing as an ATM around it). We still had room (or at least we were very willing) to try the rice cake.

Menu

Oxtail

Fried Fish

Rice Cake

Seaside Paradise

As soon as we arrived there we realized that we were in the right place. The owner, a native Caymanian lady, had just started cooking and the smell that was coming from the kitchen was awesome. She was in her kitchen, next to the stove. And this was really just her kitchen... home cooked is an understatement.

Everything is fresh and made from scratch. Menu is short and it changes every day.

We had what they called dolphin fish, mahi mahi (KYD$18, cash only). 

Fried Mahi Mahi

Restaurant

Peppers Smokehouse

This one is located just across Marriott at 7 Mile Beach. It's nothing to write home about but food is pretty decent. 

The grilled fish was surprisingly good. Grilled to perfection and moist. Only thing I didn't appreciate was the butter on top of it (thankfully it was just a little bit).

Some Jerk chicken pieces were a bit dry. But overall it was OK. It goes well with the fried bread, they called it "Jamaican Surprise". 

Grilled Fish

This one is dedicated to my friend Ferhan that loves chicken

Singh's Roti Shop & Bar
In George Town but away from the most touristic area. This is the place to go if you want to try Trinidadian and local dishes.
We ordered the conch roti and the goat roti with a paratha on the side. The conch one was delicious. But the goat and paratha was even better.
The difference between the conch roti and the goat paratha roti is that the conch roti is already stuffed, the paratha roti comes with some dough on the side to dip in the goat (the paratha itself).

Goat Paratha Roti

Conch Roti

Goat Paratha Roti

Popo Jeb's
In our last day before our departure we stopped by to have lunch at this Filipino place, we didn't have time to go around. This restaurant is at walking distance from the cruise ship dock which made me suspicious about it... But after tasting the food I realized that I was wrong.
This is not authentic Cayman cuisine but it looks pretty legit Filipino food (now I'm looking forward to go to Philippines).

Tapsilog

Longsilog