TravelStream™ news feed for member heidsontour on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/heidsontour en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Sat, 02 Feb 2008 14:59:57 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1196835540/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1196835540/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1196835540/tpod.html Sat, 02 Feb 2008 14:59:57 -0500 Heidssoloontour

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Havana, Cuba

Well Holy God! What an experience! A place where the "Republic" isfemale, Che is constantly smiling at you and the people are stillliving the revolution. I think that it is a place that will changevery soon though, so very interesting to see now. But I´m not surewhich way it will go....Anyway, La Habana is a huge city that must have been one of the mostbeautiful in the ´50s, and tofay the streets are like living museums with the famous American cars from this period everywhere. But it a place that is falling down mostly,apparently many floors collapse daily. I only really saw the centroand the old part, which is absolutely beautiful. Also, Venado, amostly residential part, is filled with magnificent colonial homes. Ionly stayed one night before I went down to Trinidad to meetAdelaide...who had fallen in love with the lovely Adolpho. Trinidad isquite a touristy place with a similarly beautiful old part to thetown. We stayed just outside the centre of the town in a house with a landlady, both straight of the 50´s, on a street just like you would have found in Ireland before that, complete with ponies and traps as the transportation. Each night there is live music and entertainment on a wideexpanse of steps in this area, where all the tourists, some locals andlots of hustlers looking for a drink in exchange for some salsadancing. We sat there drinking our own Cuba Libres and took it all in.This was my first exposure to music, dancing and pageantry and I´m sosorry that I didn´t get to have another night of it. A love affairbetween the Spanish guitar and the African drums is a greatdescription, but it doesn´t completely explain the magic. The reasonthat we didn´t get to go back was that we had a run in with the law thenext day....A plain-clothes police man approached Adolpho when we wereat the beach and then carted him off without explanation...Anyway, allthat goes with that is for another day, but suffice to say that we werepretty scared and got a not-so-nice glimpse of what it´s like to not bea tourist in this country, where it´s 30 years for saying anythingnegative about the place for example. Next up, Cienfuegus. We stayed in the most beautiful home just off themain square. I really liked this town--it has amazing art that I´m sosorry that I didn´t buy something there. The art in Cuba is amazing. There is so much of it everywhere and it´s so fanciful and free. Ialso bought a ticket for whatever was playing and got to see a kidsperformance of Spanish Flamenco, for Christmas perhaps, but judgingfrom the standard they might have been in a professional dance school. And the price alone was worth it just to see the beautiful theatre. Unfortunately I had to get moving after only one night in Cienfuegos asI still had everything to see in Havana. There we stayed with the mostwonderful lady in another beautiful colonial house. Everyone shouldstay with Martha Dulce. Not having Spanish really took from myexperience in Cuba but Martha took the time to speak slowly and we hadsome chats. So, time to start ticking off boxes...we went to a cigarmaking factory where they make around 120 per day, depending on thetype. Such a curious place where they have different types ofentertainment, like someone reading a book, for most of the dayapparently. Shopping at the market and strolling through the old partof town is a lovely way to spend a day, and I had the most amazingpasta in one of the fab hotels. Well... Some other museums and lotsof walking later it was already time to leave. I think that my body knows that it´s coming to the end of this trip andit´s feeling tired, and I´m feeling that I missed out in parts in Cubabecause of this. But, also things conspired against us..like the placewhere I set off to to listen to some music in Havana was closed. I´mkicking myself that I didn´t get to enjoy more music and dancing! Andthen there was nothing on on our last night... It´s a place thatrequires a budget larger than anywhere else in this part of the worldtoo. Also, with the 2 currencies in circulation, it´s a bit strange. Tourism is the largest industry in Cuba now and they need it. Thedaily rations aren´t enough...it´s illegal to kill a horse. So,everyone who works in the tourist industry is doing very well. Theconvertible for the foreigners is worth 25-times that of the localcurrency, and with tips that makes for a pretty large gap. Salariesare about $13 per month, which isn´t so difficult to make in one day ontips alone. My taxi driver from the airport told me that it takes hisbrother who is a doctor about 3 months to make what he earns in aweek. But then he gave up being an engineer to drive around all day. Plus, it´s really difficult to get such a job, there were 500applicants for his job, so he said. I really don´t like being negative but just to document it all.....themen are astoundingly forward. Walking around on your own or even withanother girl attracts attention that just doesn´t stop all day. Andit´s them all--from 13 to 90!! Incredible!! But it is a culturalthing. The poor Cuban women are always giving out about them too! When we were having coffee in a very nice place in the heart of the oldpart of Havana I watched as a waitress in her fifties continuouslybrushed away the wandering hand of a waiter who was "massaging" hershoulders....Our tour guide was kissed and love proclaimed to her byanother employee in front of us while she worked, giving us thetour...the list goes on. But even though I knew that I was probablysafer in Cuba that I would ever be at home (no jokes, thank you verymuch!), I just couldn´t relax. So, in summary, the freedom in the arts has produced and is stillproducing wonderful results, the men are tiresome, the architecture isamazing, but crumbling to varying extents, it is a country that issuffering very much from the embargo, and I think that the necessarydependence on the tourist trade has completely undermined therevolution.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1197613500/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1197613500/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1197613500/tpod.html Sun, 16 Dec 2007 23:51:33 -0500 Heidssoloontour

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Cancun, Mexico

After being delayed and due to torrential rain here I am again in the Mayan hostel...And boy is Cancun bad for me!! Last night I dined in McDonalds after popcorn and coke at the cinema, and then today I went again to the cinema, had nearly everything in Burger King and then some pizza later on...No sun to get a tan before I go home! Poor me!! I´ll have to sneak into a sun bed to make you jealous ;-) I cannot believe it...I´m at the end my friends. Tomorrow is my last day before I head off to San Fran briefly before heading home...And I´ve mixed feelings, I ´ll tell you! I´m so excited to get home for Christmas but I´m sooooo sad that I´m finishing this wonderful chapter in my life. Next stop cats or babies!! Ha ha!!So tomorrow let´s all join together in hope that there won´t be too much rain. I´m off to Isla Mujeres to mull around, maybe buy some MORE jewellery and catch up with Francois and Adelaide. And I´ll be mean to Cuba and tell you that I loved coming back to the smiling Mexicans :)Part IIOk, so now I´m terribly nostalgic and I wish that Christmas was another 2 months away! The sun came out for me too!! I left just after a terrible shower but by the time that I got to Isla Mujeres it was gorgeous and I had the perfect day...Adelaide and Francois were there waiting for me with big smiles, I had the best chicken fatitas of the trip, followed by fabulous nutella ice-cream, an hour in my bikini, some quality shopping and I met a lovely boy :) Anyway, determined to make it back in time to buy my cowboy boots and get a manicure, I said my goodbyes and headed off to the dock....But the lovely, friendly Mexicans who had a entirely broken-Spanish conversation with me while we were waiting brought a tear or two to my eyes on the trip back, this broke into a smile when Jingle bells started blasting out on the top deck and I swear that the captain swayed to the music! (Remember the way Mum used to bring us driving in the industrial park singing "Show me the way to go home"?...kinda like that!) I didn´t manage to get my treat but I did manage to get a great deal on my boots...The perfect day :)
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1196490120/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1196490120/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1196490120/tpod.html Sun, 16 Dec 2007 01:47:14 -0500 Heidssoloontour

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Cancun, Mexico

So I did end up staying here in the end...my luck with the weather is holding out and the weather turned in Tulum today. Just after I came back from diving in fact :) Only thing was that this delayed me a bit and since it was dark when I arrived here I decided to stay put for the night and head over to Isla (as the locals call it) in the morning. This whole being on my own thing is just great for the blog homework and for the liver too, a double whammy which means that I can`t make any calls when I sit down to the internet in the evening. The dives this morning were great and I`m glad that I had booked the flights and had my backpack with me as the cave course would have tempted me otherwise. I wonder if there are any nice dives in Clare? That was Lucas` pitch. That and moving to Columbia and fulfilling his dream of making hash-spuds once he heard that I`m a biochemist...interesting propositions. Anyway, the dives were amazing- and part of the current longest underwater river in the world too. The formations and colours were spectacular, and because I was more relaxed I could appreciate it all a bit more. Oh, and we saw a shrimp :) But I think The Temple of Doom will remain my favourite. In spite of my fear of sounding like an intro in the lonely Planet, there are no over water rivers at all in the Yucatan peninsula; they are all under the limestone. The ancient Maya built their cities around them and worshipped them. Lots of skeletons and other offerings such as jewellery were found in the cenote at Chichen Itza for example. And I was wrong in the last entry--there are cenotes in may other places in the world such as Africa and France I think. But the ones here are the most accessible and most impressive according to Lucas, my dive master. He also worked In Buddha View...Has everyone passes through that place or what??Well I don`t have any time to really see anything here in Cancun but I hope to before I leave. It`s a mad place that feels like an American Malaga, but then I`ve only really seen between the bus station and the hostel. But after spending the last 2 and a bit months where I have it kinda blew my mind when I got here....huge urges to shop!! But they pass so quickly when you have to carry everything around on your back :( Hasto luego chicos!!Part IIStayed in Cancun and made a lovely friend in Kelly on my second day. My first was filled by enjoying the western delights here...namely a day filled eating bad things, going to the cinema and treating myself to mani/pedi upkeep. Next day Kelly and I went sunbathing in Isla Mujers, which is a quieter version of here, with really nice shops and Happy Hour Margaritas :) Kelly really wanted to come to Cuba too, so left her organise that while I went off on the worst day of my trip to Chichen Itza. 9 hours all told in the bus, most of which involved driving around Cancun, was put on a different tour with really rude operators and then I found out that you can´t go into the main pyramid any more and in fact, nearly no climbing at all is allowed. OK, it is a pretty impressive site that they are trying to conserve, so I shouldn´t complain. One thing, there are murals/engravings that depict Africans, American Indians and maybe others that I´ve now forgotten, that dates from about 500 BC. Pretty cool?! Also, Chichen Itza was the "bloodiest" ancient city-- lots of children and/or virgins skeletons were found in the cenote around which the city was built, and get this, at the end of the ball game the star was also "offered up" to the Gods. I would have been grand! And they still can´t figure out how they managed to create the acoustics with the main pyramid. Actually I could go on, it´s pretty cool. Anyway, I came back to Kelly talking to 2 guys that had been in Cuba and between everything she bailed. Pity, we would have had great fun! What else...oh, my camera is officially dead. Thank you very much Mr Rip-me-off Hong-Kong-man. Hopefully I can rescue some pics when I get home.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1196121540/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1196121540/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1196121540/tpod.html Sat, 01 Dec 2007 03:10:46 -0500 Heidssoloontour

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Tulum, Mexico

If anyone is still bothering to check my blog I`ll apologise as it`s a mess of random bits! It`s just neigh on impossible to make yourself sit down and do it when this wonderful place beckons....plus, I've discovered skype and that usually takes over whenever I do actually get to a computer for more than 10 minutes...as you all know how addicted I am to the phone!! I just know that I`ll be writing up the blog and uploading pics over Christmas :) However, there are certain things that just HAVE to be shared and the cenote diving that I did here in Tulum is just one of them. Fingers crossed nobody will start queuing for this computer...better move on so!While I was waiting there I read that cenote-diving only started in the 1980s and that they are exclusive to the Yucatan. Basically they are like caves--I`m no expert here-- but collapsed caves, formed after the last ice-age when Central America reemerged. So there is a big hole or cave that you enter and you pass through tunnels and larger openings containing all the cave-like things such as stalactites, etc. OK, I can hear the yawning so I`ll skip the class. Gunnar and I signed up for 2 dives on our first day here and neither of us really knew what to expect. The first site was Grande Cenote. I was a bit nervous about my buoyancy in fresh water but Nadia inspired confidence and it was great to have only the 3 of us diving. Plus we were the first in that day, so no silty water for us :) There were lots of really tight swimthroughs and we had torches so this was already encompassing my 2 favourites in diving...then we saw amazing columns and huge caverns. The visibility is unmeasurable as it's like being in air and looking up at the light coming in through the entrance is amazing- the most dazzling blue, even more amazing when we turned off the torches. But it was the second dive that just knocked me over. The Temple of Doom or The mouth of the skull. First off you have to jump into the relatively small entrance which is about a 3m jump. A good start! Then we entered the world of halocline layers, which basically describes the effect of the salt water stream that runs through the fresh water here- it`s like swimming through vasoline-filled water. It`s apparently like being on LSD but I can`t vouch for that! All I was thinking of was Homer Simpson when he had the big chili at the fair :) The light is bended when it moves though this and the effect is only spectacular from the cobalt-coloured light that makes it`s way in. But then we entered a huge cave with lots of formations- columns, stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone, bunches of carrots...I don`t know what else but it sure beat Ailwee cave. Think it`s called the coliseum room. But because of the visibility it was just like flying or floating on air. Also there are small amounts of trapped air at the top of parts of the tunnels or caves and it looks like mercury! I think that that was the most different part to the dives; you`re in a world that you are somewhat familiar with above ground but you`re diving in perfect viz. Nadia is still here 6 years after her first dive and to be honest I'm unsure whether I should do another one or not for that reason! So, I`ll now stop indulging myself and do some homework....Tulum is a touristy place but it has every reason to be so. The beach has powdery white sand and turquoise water and the local Mayan ruins are perched on a cliff overlooking this beautiful vista. The people are really friendly and because things are spread out you get an excuse to rent a bike :) I`ve already decided that I'm staying just one more day.....PS I think that the camera is dying. I`ll keep you posted.Well amigos, It`s way past my bedtime but i couldn`t sleep so here I am full of excitement reading all about Cuba!! Booked all my flights finally today so at least I have to be somewhere pretty soon as I was beginning to think that I`d never drag my ass out of my oh so comfy bunk here ;) So I`m finally living up to the silly name that I gave this blog and...I was going to say travelling but I`ve barely moved in the last 2 days,...well, on my own for the first time since I arrived in Central America. And I decided to actively avoid making new friends because I needed a break to be perfectly honest...now that doesn`t sound very nice but every so often (once in nearly 7 months) a girl needs some quality alone time :) Lucky girl that I am I`m even alone in my dorm tonight...well apart from the tree...yes! Anyway, I know that I`m tired now as I`m rambling, but I`ll give you the goss anyway...Dave gave me some excellent advice when we were travelling together--he told me to grab every opportunity and not to think about money in the final weeks so I`ve taken that on board and gone a bit mad maybe, but sure I`ll be working until I`m 70 probably so why not?! So, first off I decided not to limit his advice to this trip and go skiing with Nic just to have something to look forward to when the Jan blues set in...unfortunately that didn`t work out, but we might figure something out yet. Then today I booked another dive...so maybe it'll be 6 years before you see me again!! Cannot wait for the morning!! And then i went down to the internet and booked the flight to Cuba. Who-ha!! That`ll be an adventura to remember...And I actually got a very cheap flight, which is a bit weird as I`ve been told that it's a standard price...Is there another cuba somewhere else?? Hope not!! Don`t have a book yet so really don`t have any real plans there which is kinda nice too, but there is a girl that I know there at the mo so we`ll see. 10 whole days :)) So, I`ve a couple of days this side and the other side before I HAVE to leave..Yes Mom!! Not sure how I`ll fit in Chichen Itza, Isla Mujeras, more diving in Cozumel and present/christmas shopping but I`ll give it a shot. Oh and I guess I should try to top up the tan too ;-) It might be a duty free christmas yet! Then I`ll try to acclimatise in SF in my flip flops and T-shirts. Hopefully Quinn will crank up the heat for me! I`m staying with one of our dive buddies from Koh Tao. It`ll be so nice to meet up with her again and this time have a bit more time to catch up! I`m really looking forward to seeing the city at Christmas...my first US Christmas actually. God I hope it`s not too cold!! I had to buy a coat last Sept! OK, I better try to get some sleep as I`m up early and leaving here and I don`t know where I`m off to yet. Oh, and if you`re reading this you`ll have already noticed that I`ve uploaded some pics...the nicest guy figured out my camera in 2 seconds....silly options...but it`s still moody and might be on the way out...PLEASE stay with me until I get home..Please!!! Nightie night xx
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1198045980/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1198045980/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1198045980/tpod.html Sat, 01 Dec 2007 01:33:56 -0500 Heidssoloontour

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Limerick, Ireland

I'm gonna be sooooo cold!!!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1197873120/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1197873120/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1197873120/tpod.html Sat, 01 Dec 2007 01:33:00 -0500 Heidssoloontour

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San Francisco, California, United States

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]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1195689000/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1195689000/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1195689000/tpod.html Fri, 30 Nov 2007 20:16:09 -0500 Heidssoloontour

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Flores, Guatemala

Flores doesn't have all that much to offer, but Tikal really is fantastic. We signed up for the sunrise bus which means leaving at 3 am and making your way up to the top of Temple IV I think. Tikal dates from the 4th century BC and the highest temple is 70 m tall. There are a couple of masks depicting the long nosed deity still in place and also some alters at some ruins. The 2 museums outside are very interesting, one contains the artifacts unearthed with the Chocolate king-- beautifully illustrated bones, jade jewellery and bowls. When the Spanish arrived they thought that the people were very blood thirsty as they mistook the red streams flowing from the temples with blood. Historians now believe that this was in fact only the dye they used for their artwork...camillo or something. But they were a little blood thirsty! I managed to cover every inch of the place and didn't leave until the last bus at 6. The ruins are set in the jungle and I managed to see lots of wildlife--ocetal turkeys, toucans, spider monkeys, acoutis...and we heard lots of howler monkeys at sunrise. Unfortunately we didn´t get to actually see the sun rise as it was too foggy but it was still pretty cool to hear the jungle wake up. I spent most of the day with Fernando from Chile which was really nice- boys love climbing and ignoring rules! And we also got to chat with a caretaker who told us about the murals in the tunnels which are elaborately decorated with jade teeth and earrings...unfortunately off limits to us though. He is also of the Mayan religion and believed that none of the Mayan people who had occupied the city were actually dead and that he could tell the past and future among other things. A really great day.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1195775640/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1195775640/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1195775640/tpod.html Fri, 30 Nov 2007 19:42:48 -0500 Heidssoloontour

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Caye Caulker, Belize

The day after Tikal and getting up super early we had another early start, leaving Flores at 5 am for a 12 h trip to Caye Caulker. It was so nice to get back to the sea and the Caribbean architecture! But of course first things first-- an innocent beer to watch the sunset which ended 12 hours later with the 2 of us dancing home from Wish Willie's! After a good aul hangover we signed up for a days diving. First off the Blue Hole. I was a bit nervous about it--a rapid descent to 40 m, but I didn`t get that narked and the columns that you swim beside are really cool. I was a bit disappointed as I only got to see 2, maybe 3 reef sharks, but it was definitely an experience. It's quite dark down there and for some reason I couldn't see that well at all. The next 2 dives were a lot nicer in my opinion. Beautiful corral and nice fish, but the stingrays were my favourite! We saw a really big one half buried- he was maybe 2 m long, and I also saw 2 others swimming. Unfortunately our time was up, Dave's and mine....Dave was heading south and I was going north into Mexico. I'm looking forward to seeing you soon Dave and hearing all about the end of your trip :)
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1195239540/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1195239540/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1195239540/tpod.html Fri, 30 Nov 2007 12:30:02 -0500 Heidssoloontour

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Lanquin, Guatemala

The highlight here definitely had to be cuddling up to Dave in a cow shed ;-) No, El Retiro was a great hostel with fantastic food, good craic and giant-sized Jenga. We did a trip with them to see the beautiful Semus Champey. First off we went caving with a candle to guide us and Swedish Christmas songs for ambiance! It was really nice and a bit of an adventure climbing up and down in parts and swimming with the candle! Then off to the main highlight Semus Champey itself. It is a series of pools formed on a limestone bridge where the river still flows though the Highlands. They are coloured in various emerald green shades and perfect for swimming. We also got to go down under the last pool and see the waterfall from below. The nest day we went tubing- my first time- and even though it was a bit on the short side it was good fun. I even got to have a good fall when I crashed into an offending tree! The sun finally came out too so we chilled out with some beers with the Swedish group and Edith (?)from Norway and a Hanco from Holland....I can`t believe that I`ve forgotten the names already.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1194979800/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1194979800/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/heidsontour/central_america/1194979800/tpod.html Fri, 30 Nov 2007 12:17:09 -0500 Heidssoloontour

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Lago Atitlan, Guatemala

When you descend towards Lago Atitlan from the Highlands it really does take your breath away! It is a crater lake formed by the collapse of 2 volcanoes whose eruptions were so huge that debris was scattered as far away as Florida and Panama! Later on other 3 smaller volcanoes sprung up around this lake. We headed for the hippie San Pedro and chilled out in a Mayan sauna and went swimming in the chilly water :) Then off to Santa Cruz the next day for some more chilling and a dive --first time in fresh water for me and it's also at altitude which kept us put another day. It's the deepest crater lake or lake in Central America, with a measured depth of 345m to the bed of silt, but they estimate that it's another 340-ish m deep. There wasn`t a whole lot to see except for lots of crabs and algae but it was pretty cool to feel the heat from the volcano when you buried your hand in the silt. There were also some petrified trees and me flying out of the water a couple of times!!
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