Grand Bay Hotel Isla Navidad Resort Manzanillo

... course, in the process learned quite a bit about ourselves. <br><br>On issue (among many) we've dealt with in the past has been the notion of exactly what is needed on a journey. There are many articles and books devoted to this question. We were reminded of a quote from Alexander Solzhenitzyn (Russian novelist, historian and Nobel prize winner):<br> "Own only what you can always ...

The day started beautifully, hardly any traffic and relatively cool.<br><br>Throughout this trip I will do my best to stay off the major roadways, keeping my travels to secondary highways. So with that in mind once I left the state and headed west towards Montgomery, AL. Along the way I noticed something a little different, there are lots of graveyards a stones throw from the interstates and highways. Guess if they ever want ...

... Chinese authorities. The mountain turned out to be a mole hill.<br><br>Then there was the notion of just sending the passport out to the unknown. Would it ever return? <br><br>Therefore it was with much relief that David tore off the end of the FedEx package to reveal our passports with the Chinese visa stamped within the inner pages. We marveled at how some entities have the power to change the face of a document that others consider sacred.<br><br>Breathe

... be an All-Star baseball team at the hotel for a tournament and they had taken over the very small pool. We told the kids we could swim in the morning instead and luckily, they were ok with that. We had dinner at a Waffle House across the street. It was a really nice night.<br><br><br>

... and takes a seat. I see Ted back at the RV 15 minutes later. Apparently he met some resistance from Red due to his lack of proper attire. He chucks a shirt on and treks back to the restaurant. 15 minutes later I see Ted back at the RV. Ted is not happy. Red closed shop on Ted. Bolted the door. Ted hates Red. String cheese and beef jerky for Ted. We fish that night with no luck. I like to think it was because we didn't have the proper bait.

... it - narrow and packed downtown. Grand Central - great bar with a good live band. We leave drunk and lost, then after staggering around for food we never find (skirting the ghetto), nab someone else's cab (cab system equal to Montgomery) back to the Waffle House. After an enormous feast we sleep in the parking lot until Waffle House guy pounds the door in the morning. "We needs this spot for custumas". Ted pulls us into an adjacent lot - we sleep some more.

... Lot of ceramics.<br>Saw many porcelain works of Boehm.<br>Took 3 hours to see this big garden,Saw the Rose garden,Oriental Gardens,fountains,conservatory,a bayou area and mirror lake.<br>Back to Mobile and had dinner at Godfather's Pizza.Eat as much pizza as you can.

Drove to Fort Conde .It is an old French fort now with exhibits about the history of Mobile.<br>The TIC is also there.<br>Saw the picture and costumes about Mardi Gras .It originated in Mobile and not New Orleans.<br>Walk to the Museum of Mobile which is nearby.Saw the iron grill styles .<br>Also the history of Mobile was exhibited.Ship building is an industry in this city.<br>of Mobile.<br>Ride the ...

I got into Mobile and stayed with my Grandparents, who I hadn't seen in quite some time. This was very nice to be in a safe place where I could just relax and talk about things that had happened over time, and whatnot. As with San Antonio I didn't do too much other than to rest and visit with my family, and eat some good food. But this was a great stop nonetheless, and I look forward to visiting my roots in Mobile again.<br>

... and South African (Owen and Roger) who incidentally both live in Wales had a rental car and were heading north, so I hitched a ride with them to La Ticla, the next spot up. The waves were a bit disappointing after being spoilt at Nexpa, but it was a good chance to let the sore shoulders, minor cuts and rashes (from surfing) have a couple of days rest. Stayed the night there and were assaulted by mosquitoes and the dawn cacophony of demented chickens whose population ...