TravelStream™ news feed for member ats2bad on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/ats2bad en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Tue, 20 Jan 2009 23:20:43 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ats2bad/1/1232506080/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ats2bad/1/1232506080/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ats2bad/1/1232506080/tpod.html Tue, 20 Jan 2009 23:20:43 -0500 Irish Traveler

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zancudo, Province of Puntarenas, Costa Rica

The manager of the hotel, Carlos, ( in Zancudo) was getting his hair dyed by a young woman (age 23). They suggested that I would look younger without my gray. I now have black hair. It drew a crowd of locals. Jersey boy and myself were the only gringos for miles. It was great for bonding with the locals. I paid Amanda 4 bucks. I had shaved my beard earlier in the morning.

I was brave enough to go swimming at night in the ocean. This is a place where the plankton lights up when you disturb the water. Very cool. Very scary. No one else would do it. Someone got bit by a Mana Ray the other day. The sun sets for a long time and changes colors.

Got back to Golfito today and hiked in the local forest jungle. This was very enjoyable. The trail leads to waterfalls. It was rigorous and a bit dangerous. Saw Obama's Inauguration on TV in the Marina Bar.

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Golfito, Province of Puntarenas, Costa Rica

I had a great time panning for gold in Dos Brazos. Hitchhiked from there to the boat dock at Puerto Jimenez, and took the ferry to Golfito. Found a wireless signal. Going to Latitude 8 to watch the Steelers game tonight.

This hummingbird flew into the only pane of glass for miles at a little outdoor patio soda (cafe) I was in. It fell at my feet. I picked it up, walked a few steps and threw it into the air. It fluttered away very slowly and landed a few yards away. Five minutes later, it flew back and landed on my head.


I need a few days to write a nice entry for my time in Dos Brazos. Stay tuned.
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Quepos, Province of Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Here for a few days so I can visit the National Park. Very nice hostel - pool -kitchen -wireless. Did I mention that I attract dogs. They are always at my feet.

I was at the bus stop early this morning waiting for the bus to board for Manuel Antonio National Park, when a young woman said to me, "You look like you're going to Manuel Antonio. You can come with us, we have a car." I guess I stood out in my hiking boots with shorts and floppy sun hat. Usually it means, "I'm a Gringo, please rob me". I went with her and two of her friends to the park. It was lots of fun to have some company. I guess her mother never told her not to talk to strangers. They are in the picture with Bambi. We saw lots of monkeys, a woodpecker, crabs, Jesus Christ Lizards ( too fast to photo ) and some really nice beaches. The hike was really enjoyable. I am losing weight. I think I finally weigh less than Oprah now !

UPDATE:

I have been here a few days and I highly recommend the Wide Mouth Frog Hostel. It is an excellent place to stay and a great value. The Lonely Planet says nasty things about Quepos and Manuel Antonio in their travel guide. I bypassed this area for that reason last year.They are wrong! Do not miss Manuel Antonio if you come to Costa Rica. At one point, I was taking a picture of Woody the woodpecker, Bambi was standing next to me, and Curious George was "barking" at me, asking for a handout. I felt like I was in a Disney movie.

I have met so many nice people at the hostel, at the bus station, and at the beach.What is there not to like? The only problem I had was when this young woman from Argentina kept standing in front of my camera when I was taking pictures of the monkey (with a baby), on the beach.
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Leon, Nicaragua

As any traveler knows, there is a time to leave and go to another town, country, or continent. The two words, marriage and baby are the ones that scare the Hell out of me. The Russians are coming to visit Nicaragua and I don't care, but mention the M and B words, and I'm outta town. In this case I'm just looking at other opportunities.
* * *
Before I go, though, I am going to look at some beach front, beach-view, and damned-near-at-the-beach property with an ex-pat and a local. There were hoards of high-rollin foreign investors here waiting to buy everything up, and when Dannyboy got re-elected, they left town on the next chicken bus. Nobody wants to invest in a politically unstable country. I'm going to kick some tires. If I find a fantastic deal, I can always marry a local and have a baby,( if I get my vasectomy reversed) to assure ownership. YEAH, RIGHT !

By the way, I had a few beers with fellow traveler and blogger at the beach the other day. She is a very interesting gal, and she tells the best dirty jokes. We saw mamma pig and her piglets digging at low tide. She emailed me this Bay-of-Pigs picture.

OH.. and I heard some great live-music down the street at La Olla Quemada. My friend, Kevin Berry, plays percussion (bongos and Peruvian cajon). He has two more gigs this week at Via Via and Bigfoot (Hostel-Restaurants) I'll have a video up in a few days ..maybe Mañana ( which usually means never in Spanish)
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Leon, Nicaragua

UPDATE DEC 29, 2008

I was walking by the Art Museum this morning and took a peak through the barred window. There is a step there. And what did I see in the distance? The Nude Mary Magdalen by Guido Reni. I could not resist. I snapped a photo without flash. I uploaded picasa software and edited it as good as I could. If Mary Magdalen was a "best seller" of Reni's, God knows how many copies there are out there, with and without clothes. Go Visit the Art Museum in Leon!
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Original Blog

Don't miss the museums here in Leon. There are lots of Trustfundistas (*1) on the Gringo trail here to surf, party, and hook up. I am going to museums and meeting local musicians. The Art Museum is 3 blocks from the Lazybones Hostel on your way to the Salman Mercado. 12 Cordobas entrance fee (60 cents). I went with fellow traveler and travelpod-blogger, marmaladejenn. I took notes on three paintings that I saw there, to research on google.

Guido Reni, 1575 -1642 , from Bologna Italy is famous for his Mary Magdalen paintings. The one here has bare breasts. Not what expected to see. In fact, I can't find a topless Magdalen online from him. (*2)

The second painting shows an old man suckling on the breast of a young woman. He has a manacle on his wrist. Jennifer explains the story to me, before I can say anything sarcastic. I could not keep a straight face. We laughed anyway. I did research and came up with further details. Italian Valerius Maximus ( these Italians.. always Maximus, never Minimus) writes in Facta et Dicta Memorabilia: The story is of a young woman, Pero, who breast feeds her father, Cimon, because he is condemned to prison and starvation. The story shows the devotion to her father. Caritas Romana- Roman Charity. The powers to be are so impressed, that they free Cimon from his imprisonment. Knowng the Romans, I am sure they were very impressed. The painting is by Simon Pedro. I can't find anything about him. (*3)

( I have been to both The Prado and the Sofia in Madid, and this was just as enjoyable. )


The last painting is a large recreation of Picasso's Guernica. (sorry, no bare breasts) However, It is a painting of a family, complete with dog, standing in front of Picasso's painting. I have seen the original Guernica at the Prado in Madrid, Spain. Guernica is a war painting. The family looks like they are on vacation.... by Cuban painter: Emilio Falero who now lives in Florida. (*4)

NOTES:
*1 a Trust Fund -ista is a name for an never-employed rich kid who is traveling on a Trust Fund.
The Gringo Trail refers to the route all the backpackers take from place to place.

*2 google image: Reni Magdalen , to see the other versions of this painting. His Magdelen painting here was nude. ( I have a photo included on this page now)

*3 google: The Story of Cimon Pero -This story is famous and painted by many people. The painting I saw was similar to the one that I posted.

*4 google: Guernica

I may go back and take more notes. I saw one Picasso. There were lots of Mexican, and Central American art work as well. The photos I have here are not the exact same paintings I saw, but almost. You can't take pictures in the museum.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ats2bad/1/1231461720/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ats2bad/1/1231461720/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/ats2bad/1/1231461720/tpod.html Fri, 09 Jan 2009 18:46:06 -0500 Irish Traveler

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Puntarenas, Province of Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Earthquake at Vocan Poas near Alajuela, Costa Rica today . I could feel it during my afternoon nap here in Punterenas. What's strange that I was sleeping in this same hostel in '05 and an earthquake tremor almost rolled me out of bed. I had been sleeping on a sail boat a few months before and I said to myself, "Boy, it's windy tonight". A week later the Tsunami hit Thailand.

This quake did damage in the Poas neighborhood and in Alajuela.
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Puntarenas, Province of Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Here in the port town for a few days. It took 8 hours from doorstep to doorstep - SJDS to Punt. There are sail boats at the Costa Rica Yacht Club.
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San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua

Nice Beach Town. Very few tourists this year.
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San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua

Pictures from San Juan del Sur. Casa Oro can get noisy when the drunks get back at 3 am. I have had 82 hits on my blog in three days. Who the Hell is reading my blog? The CIA? NSA? Hi Matt, Hi Jeff.
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Ometepe Island, Nicaragua

I stayed on Isla Ometepe on New Years Eve/ Hostel Chico Largo @ Charco Verde. For $15 I got a dorm bed with breakfast and dinner/ rum drink included. I was the only person in the dorm, so I had a private room. Tourism is slow this year. The water was perfect. This is a huge fresh water lake. The view of the Volcano is beautiful. This is an active volcano. Hot gases mix with cold air to make a constant cloud at the top. As you will see from the pictures, the cloud shape is constantly developing and changing. It is almost too relaxing here.

FYI - This is an island with two volcanos in a fresh water lake in Nicaragua.
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