USA | Tuesday, 19 Feb 2008 | Views [919]
After we crossed into Texas we spent a couple of days at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. This is where the whooping cranes hang out in the US. There are only about 500 world-wide and it is a treat to see even a couple of them. Then it was on to ... Read more >
Tags: Family
USA | Thursday, 14 Feb 2008 | Views [1236]
Friends say they would love to travel the way we do. That, of course, isn’t the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. They really don’t want to miss out on family gatherings. They can’t imagine spending Christmas Eve on a kibbutz ... Read more >
Tags: Philosophy of travel
USA | Wednesday, 13 Feb 2008 | Views [982]
Tuesday was another long distance drive with little to report. The roads are pretty good and we are making good time despite the intermittent rain. It is a flat and uninspiring part of Mexico but I don’t miss driving on the winding mountain roads ... Read more >
Tags: On the Road
MEXICO | Sunday, 10 Feb 2008 | Views [1631]
It took a long time yesterday to drive the 175 miles to the Mexican border but it was the easiest crossing yet. Our Guatemalan papers were just a day old and our vehicle permit for Mexico was still valid so the only thing we had to do was have our ... Read more >
Tags: On the Road
GUATEMALA | Friday, 8 Feb 2008 | Views [1042]
We left Copan around 7 o’clock so we could arrive at the border at La Florida before the crowds. We quickly and painlessly processed out of Honduras and went through immigration into Guatemala. But our car papers had expired for the C-4 countries ... Read more >
Tags: On the Road
GUATEMALA | Thursday, 7 Feb 2008 | Views [1453]
The crown jewels of Mayan civilization are Tikal, Chichen Itza, Palenque, Uxmal, and Copan and now we have visited all of them. Like the others Copan was occupied from around 1400 BC until 600 AD and then declined. It lacks the towering pyramids ... Read more >
Tags: Culture
HONDURAS | Tuesday, 5 Feb 2008 | Views [900]
It isn't easy to like Nicaragua. The border crossing isn't bad but the roads can be terrible. The local people are friendly and accomodating but the police hassled us again. No fire extinguisher. Rather than even try to negotiate in Spanish I repeated ... Read more >
Tags: People
COSTA RICA | Friday, 1 Feb 2008 | Views [1979]
We spent our next to last night in Costa Rica in the farming village of Upala in the NW part of the country, a good jumping off point for exploring the Cano Negro Refuge. We originally planned to spend the night in Liberia but since Connie flawlessly ... Read more >
Tags: The Great Outdoors
COSTA RICA | Tuesday, 29 Jan 2008 | Views [818]
It is February and we are beginning the trek homeward but computer access from our laptop is sketchy. No photos and no detailed entries until we get it squared away. Sorry.
Tags: I should have known better!
COSTA RICA | Tuesday, 29 Jan 2008 | Views [2009]
I am writing this while in semi (I hope!) police custody. We spent our last two days in Panama in the mountain town of Cerro Punta. At an altitude of 1800 meters it is a good base from which to explore both Barca Volcano and La Amistad National Parks.... Read more >
Tags: I should have known better!
PANAMA | Saturday, 26 Jan 2008 | Views [1806]
We found a Subaru dealer in Panama City and got the Outback serviced. We have driven nearly 9,000 miles and with a little bit of luck (and the blessings of Sister Barbara of the Sisters of Mercy in Colon who was picking up her Subaru) this should get ... Read more >
Tags: The Great Outdoors
PANAMA | Wednesday, 23 Jan 2008 | Views [902]
We rolled into town just after noon yesterday and checked in at the Costa Inn. Its major draw is that it had rooms available. It also has secure parking and breakfast is included. Internet access is frustratingly sporadic and the TV selection ... Read more >
Tags: Sightseeing
PANAMA | Sunday, 20 Jan 2008 | Photo Gallery
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PANAMA | Saturday, 19 Jan 2008 | Views [1278]
Having read that the main border crossing from Costa Rica to Panama is the worst in Central America we elected to try an alternate route. We spent our last night in CR at San Vito, a lumpy, bumpy half-hour drive from the crossing at Rio Sereno. ... Read more >
Tags: Misadventures
COSTA RICA | Thursday, 17 Jan 2008 | Views [3485]
Canopy tours are all the rage in Costa Rica and we have avoided them…until today. Much of the life in the rainforest exists only in the canopy. Scientists like Meg Lowman of the Explorers Club continue to discover new species of plants and insects ... Read more >
Tags: Adventures
COSTA RICA | Wednesday, 16 Jan 2008 | Views [963]
National parks in the US are major tourist destinations and visitors expect a certain level of infrastructure: lodging, campgrounds, restaurants, and most important, access roads. But the reason the parks were established was as preserves to protect ... Read more >
Tags: Relaxation
COSTA RICA | Saturday, 12 Jan 2008 | Views [2403]
From our seaside suite in Jaco (hock-o) we backtracked 25 miles to Parque Nacional Carara. We may have missed out on seeing the resplendent quetzal in Monteverde but we scored big here in Carara. The biggest prize is the scarlet macaw. Poaching ... Read more >
Tags: The Great Outdoors
COSTA RICA | Friday, 11 Jan 2008 | Views [3719]
We are staying at the Nido del Colibri (Hummingbird Nest) in El Castillo which must be the nicest B&B in Costa Rica. The two guest rooms look out on the Volcan Arenal, one of the ten most active volcanoes in the world. The property teems ... Read more >
Tags: Mountains
COSTA RICA | Monday, 7 Jan 2008 | Views [2095]
The road from CA1 to Monteverde is rugged. The first 20 miles are paved followed by ten miles of rutted and potholed dirt. The last ten miles are really bad. Four-wheel-drive probably isn’t necessary but it does make one more confident. ... Read more >
Tags: The Great Outdoors
COSTA RICA | Thursday, 3 Jan 2008 | Views [799]
What do we find so fascinating about bird watching? First of all it’s a great excuse to be outdoors. Searching for new species and old favorites requires you to pay attention. You use all of your senses and tend to see so much more. You need ... Read more >
Tags: Relaxation
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