Seville, Spain . December 2006
TEXT TO COME
Sentinel, Spain . December 30, 2006
TExT TO COME
Ronda, Spain . We have returned, decades later! January 1, 2007
TEXT TO COME
Spain December 2006
TEXT TO COME
Cuba / October 1979
TEXT TO COME
Barcelona . July 2014
Test to come…
December 2005. Tulous near Yongding (well 2 hours away; Fujan Province)— Photos Only. December 26, 2005
Greetings… Just photos of the tulous which are really amazing. And many of you have asked more about them and wanted visuals. So here goes — also a little noodle-making in the tulou courtyard (where they do everything.)
12.23.2015. Farewell Cartegena; Ola Medellin
Saludos desde nuestro ultima horas en Cartagena y primeras horas de Medellin
Had dinner at Club de Pesca last night… It was about 1.75 miles from the hotel… We decided to walk, although it was bit complicated — dark streets interspersed with lots of lights for Christmas and plazas that were really decorated. People everywhere, especially once we left the chi chi old section (quite beautiful, but obviously gentrified and forcing those who used to live there into the outer rings — probably closer to the mercado and areas like that). Once we crossed Avenida de Venezuela streets were really packed, music everywhere, food vendors, people strolling, sort of a carnival feeling. Traffic was horrendous so we were glad we decided to walk; would have been sitting in a taxi forever… but we also suffered walking along all the fumes from the idling cars and buses.. Along the way we were walking parallel to two “party buses” — wide vehicles that groups appear to rent… and there’s music on these buses, people were dancing… not sure if they go to a destination or just party on the bus.. Eventually we reached a bridge that we walked across.. it got us over some kind of lagoon.. The restaurant was on the water. When you arrive (before you climb the stairs up to the restaurant which is literally sitting on the water) they “announce you with a bell.
It’s a pretty upscale place — located right on the water in a 17th century fort. Charming… and just as we sat down and ordered cocktails (Mike is now into Lychee Martinis; I’m sticking with Mojitos), a “party boat” docked… we think it was an engagement party .. or maybe wedding rehearsal dinner. Anyway the guest were dancing and singing on the boat.. and then it docked right in front of us.. and the whole group began their dinner at the restaurant.
For the foodies… Tuna Tataki (tartare with tamarind I think), and a specialty of the house called “jaiba”.. which had crab and corn and in the middle was a very tiny and thin empanada. … for main courses we had cazuela (fish stew) and something that translated to “almond crunchy shrimp”… Both were quite good… cazuela especially… No dessert.. We are eating way too much. But we didn’t walk back.. too tired; took taxi.. and then packed to leave in the morning.. for Medellin.
A few interesting observations… Apparently the hotel decided to paint various hallways (didn’t really need it, but guess they wanted it fresh for the holidays?).. so they have about 10 guys painting one wall… gets done pretty fast; each does a strip about 8’wide… so that’s about 80′ covered in literally minutes..
By morning, Mike had some stomach issues… either too much ceviche (it’s been great but we’ve had it at every meal!) or maybe too many of those lychee martinis. I’m OK… so he slept in and had a very light breakfast..I did some work.. and then we headed to the airport.
6:30 pm – Medellin
Arrived in Medellin at about 3:30, and given Mike’s condition decided to take a taxi to the hotel (the drive from the airport to the hotel which is in the city takes about 45 minutes or maybe more… and the taxi was zipping along at about 75 mph (or so it seemed) up and down unbelievably curvy roads.. sort of like driving to Mendocino on Hwy 1… and the total cost was less than $20…
Got to the Hotel (Park 10) which is quite nice, but definitely not in the neighborhoods we are accustomed to staying in (sort of like being in the Zona Rosa in Mexico City)… Finding hotels in the heart of the city, the old sections, where lower income people live and where there is a lot of history is apparently quite difficult. We have the same problem in Bogota — where we relied on two friends who live in Bogota to pick the hotel. Anyway, it’s just that it will be a long walk (or metro ride) to the areas we hope to explore (along the lines of the Mercado Bazurto)…
So, we arrived at the hotel after climbing and descending about 2,500 ft. The ride (in spite of the speed) was pretty wonderful with amazingly lush greens and flower markets all around and spectacular views into the valley where Medellin (population 3 million) sits. The actual city of 3 million has soaring towers in the center of this really deep valley. They call Medellin the City of Eternal Spring…
We checked in and the front desk said something in Spanish about “decorations” in the room… First I thought that maybe the prior guest wanted some Xmas decorations and they were still hanging… then I thought he said the decorations were for us because we were on a “plan”… I remembered vaguely that when I made the reservations, we couldn’t get all three nights in the same room unless we got a “package”.. I figured this meant “con desayuno”/ with breakfast.. Didn’t read the details..
Our room is bedecked with rose petals making hearts.. and a dozen roses on the bed.. rose petals in the tub… champagne and truffles. I suppose we got the honeymoon package. Too bad I’m with a guy who is sick and already sound asleep.. I think they must think we are a bit crazy… We ordered some bland soup… and then asked a lot of questions about how to get to the Candelaria… the old section and also to the barrios high above the city.. which they warned against going to… Naturally we will go tomorrow…. Hopefully Mike will be better..
We also have a tradition on these many visits to developing nations to go to Xmas Eve Mass… very interesting insight into the culture of the country. So we asked what time the Mass would be at the cathedral/basilica (which is in the old downtown), but they told us the hours for a church close to the hotel in this upscale neighborhood… We stressed we wanted to go to the Basilica… so they finally got the information.. Now, we are on a hunt to find a decent restaurant to eat at after the mass. Naturally the reception desk at the hotel says there aren’t any restaurants there and we need to come back up to this area.
In any case, our first look at Medellin — seen from the taxi — reveals it to be a pretty exquisite city… combination of old and new… dense urban structures and that valley wall that climbs up and up to a spectacular national park..
OK.. need to take advantage of the fact that Mike is sleeping.. I can get a lot of work done.. and then won’t feel guilty tomorrow..
All the best –
Fern
12/22/2015. Following Up on Electronics Crises
Obviously Mike could not really go very long without a phone… and since he no longer can charge his camera, his iPhone was to be his back up… So, at about 5:30 (after some research), we headed to the “other part of Cartagena” — across Avenida de Venezuela.. where real people live (as opposed to the idyllic well-preserved colonial old town.. to find either a camera store or an electronic store.. or both.. We thought we had it figured out and that it was about a mile or so on foot… so off we went.. Along the way hearing incredible choir singers voices wafting through plazas.. It was quite wonderful (although I thought about Oakland’s newcomers who have been complaining that Oakland church-goers sing too loud and they can hear the singing in their new condos)…
Anyway, we walked and kept asking.. and finally someone directed us to a sort of a mall — three stories, with lots of different shops all independently owned. We went to the camera store, but no real luck there… They had fairly cheap amateur cameras so Mike decided to wait.. Then we asked for an electronic store and Mike bought two iPhone cables for charging (about 1/4 the price of these things in the US — I almost bought some for everyone we knew. Then Mike showed the guy his iphone whose plastic (thin glass?) top started to separate from the phone and the phone was clearly disintegrating.. The guy looked at it and then told Mike to follow him and off they went for about 30 minutes while I dawdled in the shop and charged my phone which was now dead.
So they fixed Mike’s phone… Here’s the story.
The guy in the electronic store took Mike down to a basement level … then they crossed an alley… and entered a shop that was lined with stalls that were about 3′ x 6′.. on both sides… Behind the counter in one of the stalls were two guys -=- one on a laptop reading instructions… The other had a phone wedged between his ear and his shoulder talking to his girlfriend (the whole time)… He picked up Mike’s phone.. looked at it.. and immediately told the guy who brought Mike there (obviously his friend) that Mike’s battery over charged and expanded pushing out the glass front. In between talking to his girlfriend he told Mike’s guy that he could replace the battery and fix the phone for 60,000 COP (less than $20)… Mike said “Go for it..
He then (never stopping the conversation with the girlfriend) proceeded using a tiny screw driver, a double edged razor blade, a toothbrush, and a tube of some miracle clear glue. He removed the battery, replaced it with a new battery (which had to be purchased by the other guy at a stall somewhere across the street). Once the battery was in, he had to delicately fuse the glass? with its backing using the superglue applied with the double edge razor blade…
He then snapped it shut — handed it back to Mike… Voila! Mike is back connected to the world.
Dublin. September 6, 2016
Greetings from Dublin –
Thanks for all the notes about our food poisoning… on the mend; eating normally now and looking forward to dinner.
Following breakfast (actually was able to eat it), we headed for a walk through town – but naturally made the opposite turn on the quay from where we were headed…. And decided rather than turning around to just head in that direction, stopping often for Mike and Richard to “test out various benches” along the way. The tree-lined quays are also lined with benches, making walking very easy and pleasant. Eventually, Elizabeth and I left Mike and Richard in the lovely Merrion Square near the lake. It’s the Georgian section of town, surrounded by stately Georgian homes (once residential, now many used as offices.
Then we headed through the town – through the walking streets, stopping at several shops (Elizabeth bought a really beautiful woolen blanket throw), through Trinity College campus (quite lovely – and clearly the start of school, with students touring the campus and settling in), meandering through the Temple Bar neighborhood on the other side of the Liffy, over pedestrian bridges that literally line the canals, and stopping briefly at the Liebeskind-designed theater (overdone and very self-conscious). Elizabeth’s comment:” I’d much rather be looking at the canal with my back to the building.” After that we strolled past the famine statues, and over the Calatrava bridge heading full circle back to the hotel – a 7.5 mile walk in all… and met up with the guys who were having Irish whiskeys in the outdoor bar area of the hotel.
Tonight we went for dinner to the Temple Bar neighborhood – clearly a hangout for college students with Trinity College close by… But there’s a full range of restaurants in the area. We had reservations at Boxty.. good thing because the wait for a table was more than an hour. We were joined by a friend from Tacoma and her son who is starting graduate school at University College Dublin next week. The Temple Bar neighborhood was the location of the first performance of Handel’s Messiah in 1742 and apparently an annual performance is held on the street.
In the 18th century this area was the major prostitution center. Later, the area declined in popularity and then suffered from urban decay with many buildings falling into disrepair. About 40 years ago there was a proposal to construct a bus terminal, but while that project was in the planning stages, many buildings were leased out at low rents and then small shops, artists, and galleries popped up. The protests led to the cancelation of the bus terminal project and an NGO was set up to oversee renovation of the area as a cultural quarter.
According to Richard and Elizabeth, who visited Dublin in the 1980s, Dublin is a totally changed place – in the 80s there were virtually no restaurants, very few ways to cross the canals, and poverty evident everywhere. Indeed. it’s a very different city today.
More tomorrow-
Fern
Fern's Travel Notes 