Huatulco and Around

I haven’t written too much about Huatulco which is a lazy but not hazy kind of town. It’s perfect for the beach and if you just want to chill and be assured of perfectly hot, sunny weather with appropriately warm, limpid water and a few different swimming beaches to choose from. The beach we mostly go to is called Santa Cruz. By cab it costs 30 pesos which is about $2.00 so $4.00 there and back. It’s really not worth walking unless you want the exercise. Even in the early morning it’s already super hot and the tourist walkway to the beach doesn’t have a whole lot of shade. Mandatory water drinking and lots of stops along the way otherwise you get burned out. The bus is also available. Took it a couple of times coming back, costs 8 pesos per person so only half cheaper than taking a cab. I like to take the odd bus more for the experience than for saving money. The beaches are all outfitted with palapas, there is no natural shade on any of these beaches thus, not much of a choice. You pick your palapa and start ordering Cerveza which keeps them happy for a while. Actually it’s pretty good nobody’s ever tried to kick us out yet. The beach food is not great. Not a good idea to order either fish or shrimps. They are always prepared the same way with either butter, garlic, a la Veracruzana (tomatoes) diablo (piquante) ec....basically wherever we have been in Mexico these food items have been the norm if not the gold standard. Personally have never had the gold standard not even the plata standard maybe a little under the bronze category. Let’s just say we haven’t been lucky with food, invariably turn out to be a big disappointment. The guacamole was all right but the Nachos were a total disaster. We also went to another beach called La Entrega. This one is crescent shape and slightly bigger than Santa Cruz. It seems to be a favourite of many people here. There is more to see in terms of fish life if one is into snorkeling. Lots of rocks and little crevices where creatures can hide. Once again the water here is warm and crystal clear. Only problem is it’s further away and costs 60 pesos one way so about 9 to 10 bucks for a return trip. Not overly expensive for the distance but if you’re staying in Huatulco ,on a budget, it can start to add up. Yesterday we took a boat tour, on a Catamaran, to visit the 7 beautiful bays around Huatulco. They are truly magnificent with unspoiled, untouched gorgeous golden sand and turquoise waters. We saw the beach where the film Y Tu Mama Tambien was filmed, that was one of Alfonso Cuaron (he of Roma success) to reach a wide audience outside Mexico. The boat dropped us off, via a small launcha, to a beautiful beach where we could sit under a parasol and frolick in the water. We stayed there for about an hour and a half which was just perfect. Any longer and you fry. The sun is mucho mucho caliente. Off on the big boat again with beautiful vistas along the way. Jutting cragly rocks which resemble monstrous creatures of the deep, hazy mountains in the back and of course beautiful water with lazy,lapping waves. This time we were dropped off on another equally gorgeous beach where it was time to do some serious eating. Well not so serious in our case. We chose pechuga empanada (chicken breast lightly tossed in breadcrumbs) nothing too revolutionary. We have stayed away from fish and shellfish in general. Not that inspiring here. The fish filets we have had have been stringy and dry like the poor fish just couldn’t give enough. They do walk around with ostiones (oysters). We love oysters but the problem is with the walking around. You don’t know how long they’ve been sitting on that platter so best to stay away. Over our many travels in Mexico we have decided that we really don’t like Mexican food all that much. My favourite meal of the day here is usually breakfast because what can go wrong with eggs although the coffees is never good. We got back on the boat after two hours under the palapa which was cool. Gave the workers a time to rest and eat. Most of the tourists on the boat were from all over Mexico. There might have been a few Canadians in the bunch and even a couple of Americans but that’s about it. All in all a great trip for 350 pesos per person which is aground 23 dollars Canadian and well worth the money. The guys on the boat were great and beer ,water and other drinks were free of charge. I would definitely recommend his trip. I will post some of my photos on here. They’re not great, not a very good photographer and I was using an IPad. Hope you enjoyed reading this.

My Travels And A Little Bit of This And That: Huatulco Now

My Travels And A Little Bit of This And That: Huatulco Now: We arrived safely in Huatulco after a long but relatively painless time spent on the First Class Ado bus. For anybody who has never travell...

Huatulco Now

We arrived safely in Huatulco after a long but relatively painless time spent on the First Class Ado bus. For anybody who has never travelled in Mexico there is an extensive network o First Class buses which leave every time of day and night for anywhere and everywhere. If you take a First Class bus you go through security and your luggage is tagged and checked upon retrieval. It’s extremely safe and efficient unlike many other things in Mexico. This one works well. Many other destinations in Latin America offer the same kind of service. Argentina, Chile and Ecuador come to mind. Before getting into Huatulco I would be remiss if I don’t describe our visit of the Santo Domingo Church and Monsastery in Oaxaca. The Church is a study in Baroque excess as befits its location which was very important to the Church.The Church is only a small part of what forms an extensive labyrinth of courtyards and cloisters for the Dominican monks who lived there and worked on its construction. The Museum attached to the building now houses the Cultural Center of Oaxaca which features an impressive collection of pre-Columbian artefacts which was taken from an excavated tomb in the nearby archeological site of Monte Alban. (We visited that site last time we were in Oaxaca, not as extraordinary as other Zapotec sites, we preferred Mitla). The Museum is not only worth a visit for its priceless collection but also for the fact that it’s an architectural marvel which has been lovingly restored to its former splendour. In addition to the museum there is an ehno botanical garden which grows many of the plants native to the area as well a some others which can survive in this sometimes punishing climate. Apparently Oaxaca state is the best and most in many things. It has the most variety of peppers, the most variety of corn, the most variety of agave for Mescal and Tequila, the most indigenous groups, the most native languages spoken on and on it goes. It truly is a marvellous state and nobody can fault it fo it lacking in anything especially when it ones to the arts and food. Their different types of mole is famous worldwide. Huatulco is nothing like Oaxaca. The only culture to be had here is the beach culture although Zipolite and Puerto Angel are even better locations if that is all which one wants to do. The hotel whee we are is vey functional. The oom is big, two double beds, thee is a little balcony, television with cable and the WIFI is very good so far. We will be stayin around 20 days here and for 18 days the cost did not exceed $1000 and includes breakfast which is more than adequate. Whenever you get these package deals coffee is never ever good. It’s more like tepid slightly brownish sock juice although I have never had the latter. If you don’t go to a real coffee shop you’re out of luck when it comes to good coffee. We don’t really mind, kind of used to it. The town is called La Crucecita and it offers many restaurants, a nice zocalo, some ice cream shops and other hotels. It’s more than adequate for our needs. The closest swimmable beach can be walked to on this impressive tourist walkway built at great cost to the Mexican government when it had great hopes of turning Huatulco into a mega luxury destination. Although the town is popular with mostly Mexican and Canadian and American tourists, it’s no Cancun with its endless hordes of all inclusive patrons.which is a fine thing indeed. The weather here is much more reliable than in Cancun. At this time of the year it invariably hot and not too humid. It can get a trifle too hot but luckily we do have air conditioning in the room. It would be hard to survive without it. The little beach we have been walking to is called Santa Cruz and it’s a lovely little spit of sand. It’s not a huge beach for walking but it’s perfect for swimming with crystal clear water and no waves to speak of.There are many palapa restaurants to while away the hours, sipping a cold beer and eating guacamole. We won’t complain about the heat that would be downright unseemly considering the lousy weather Canada and parts of the U.S. are having. Tomorrow we will visit another beach, by cab. I will try and post some photos

Oaxaca

Notmuch has changed since we were in Oaxaca many many years ago. The buildings are still there, the great landmarks like the Santa Domingo Monasterio, the two Zócalos, the artesaniaia, the many galleries and yet....something has changed fundamentally in ways that one can’t always immediately discern.
There is much more of everything and that’s the problem. More art, more tours, more people trying to make a little living selling this and that, more street stalls, more expatriates roaming the streets, in short Oaxaca is losing a bit of its original charm.  If it’s not careful, and I don’t think it is, it is in danger of succumbing to the same problem that has afflicted many other too popular destinations.  Soon it will price itself out of the range of ordinary people if it hasn’t already.  Real estate agents or people with money are invetsting in apartment buildings to turn them into potential long term rentals for travelers or for Air B and B purposes.  A great money venture for some but for others it might mean moving out of the city altogether once it becomes no longer affordable.
It doesn’t make me feel any better, as a traveler, to notice the devastating impact this trend can have on local populations but there’s no stopping this.  People are on the move always eager to discover new places plus there is the definite appeal of the hot, predictably sunny weather, it’s manna for Canadians and Americans wanting to escape the cold, especially this year.
The city is incredibly lively, lots of street art, musicians, things to sample, eat and do.  The streets are vibrant with people.
Our hotel was in a bed and breakfast about a 10 minute walk from the hub. The walking was fine except when it got super hot even if it’s a dry heat it can really beat you down.
We took one tour  which lasted all day.  We saw El Tule the largest tweet in the world, magnificent.  I couldn’t take a good enough photo to render its size it was just too big to accommodate my screen.
The petrified waterfalls of Hierve El Agua , a freaky quirck of nature which allows the water loaded



with calcium carbonate and other intervals to be deposited much in the same way that waterfalls would look. It’s an impressive site indeed, not found anywhere else. We also visited the archeological site of Mitla, a series of courtyards and temples with four minor dwellings all bearing the original engravings. The toms were robbed many years ago of their more precious cargo but the etchings and carvings remains mysteriously seductive with their intricate symbolism.
Of course we also samples some Mezcal and were brought up to date on the ways in which this

essential alcohol is prepared.  Mezcal has gone up in price and popularity although still not as popular as Tequila but it does have its aficionados.  Personally not something I particularly enjoy although  some of it can be quite refined. The most expensive Mezcal was a relatively thin bottle made with wild agave can osting about 2,500 pesos which is about $172.00 Canadian.

Leaving Puebla plus a little bit of this and that

We have had a generally lovely time in Puebla. The old city center is very easy to navigate. We did take a tourist bus but we chose wisely this time. It was a Sunday, less traffic on the road and the trip only lasted a couple of hours, piece of cake after Mexico City.
We took a day trip as well to the town of Cholula where one can see the archeological remains of what was once reputed to be the greatest pyramid in the known world. Twice the size of the biggest pyramid in Egypt built by the Aztec civilization and almost entirely destroyed by the conquering Spaniards at the behest of the very powerful Catholic Church intent on eradicating any and all traces of the pagan civilization and their gods.
We visited a church not funded or recognized by the Catholic diocese because of some pagan sculptures still left intact including the head of a puma.  An itinerant priest comes once in a while invited and paid for by the community. There was a mass being celebrated there while we were in attendance with a fun Mariachi band to accompany the religious proceedings.
I haven’t mentioned much about the food. We are invariably disappointed but of course we are on a limited spending budget and can’t afford to spend on 5 star restaurants.  The options were better in Mexico City. More taco stands, more restaurants that served excellent breakfasts for very reasonable prices.
Puebla doesn’t have a lot of so-called street food, the emphasis appears to be on dulcerias or sweets. So many of these stores carrying he exact same items which is usually a trend all over Mexico. The stores which sell the same items all gather in one street competing against aach other. It doesn’t appear to make much sense but that’s how they like it.
There is a lot of culture for the aficionado of art and architecture. The buildings have been beautifully preserved and restored.  We went to a great museum today but we missed the Amparo museum, it’s closed exceptionally on a Tuesday. We leave for Oaxaca tomorrow. Hasta Luego todo.

Touribus and Mexico City Traffic

We wanted to take the Touribus again to explore a different area of Mexico City. The day started out fine, a little hazy and hard on your eyes due to the pollution which wasn’t as bad as might have been expected.  We did notice very few people smoke. With the altitude and the pollution it would be really hard on your lungs if you were a smoker, additionally it’s quite expensive.

We got on the bus, mostly Mexican tourists, we didn’t notice any other nationalities except for one couple from Quebec carrying a French guidebook.  The bus goes down one of the greatest avenues in Mexico City, la Reforma. It’s where all the big hotels are, lots of businesses have their headquarters there as well. There’s also a trendy mall with the usual assortment of brand names. Last time we were in the city there was a big demonstration heading for the government buildings in the zocalo and they sort of grouped around there. We just followed along with them. This time no demonstration and we didn’t get off the bus.

We wanted to link up with another tourbus which would take us past the Frida Kahlo museum and onto the barrio of El Angel which was described as quaint with cobblestone streets and where Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo shared tow different houses linked by a small bridge. Handy for those days when you jus can’t stand each other.

We got off in the district of Roma and if you have seen the film you might know that the houses don’t look like much from the outside but they reveal a huge expanse with an interior courtyard and often a garage of sorts. It was interesting to note how incredibly difficult making the film must have been. It’s not exactly filled with vintage cars, there’s lots of traffic, newer buildings,cafes, it’s thoroughly modern looking in fact. I remember reading that Alfonso Charon, the. Director, would have to try many many shots in order to get the one perfect shot right.

The Touribus to El Angel arrived, little did we know that we would be stuck on there for a while, much longer than anticipated. The barrio itself turned out to be quaint but there was only the one street, the  Frida Kahlo barrio was bigger and much prettier but we couldn’t get off there because the next bus would have been too long coming. Most people got off at the Blue House.  The rest of the trip was a bit of a blur except for the relentless traffic.  If you think anyone of the big cities in Canada is bad never ever come to Mexico City. Cars are allowed on alternate days according to license plates via the net which informs you. We were told this by a reliable source who also told us that the average household (read middle class and up) has 3 cars in order to accommodate this law. Not sure how effective it is but apparently fines are very very high. Every day there are new cars being added to the mix. It’s frightening.  We were stuck on that bus for what felt like forever, the Touribus that never ends. The company has also given up on providing different languages so it’s all in Spanish over the loudspeaker. At some point nobody gives a crap because they’re either sleeping, texting, playing with their phones or cursing the day they ever got on that bus.

Problem is even if you do get off you’re still stuck in traffic and it doesn’t go any faster by car plus we had already paid for the day.  It’s difficult to describe just how seriously bad the traffic is. We are talking bumper to bumper for kilometres and remember this is a gigantic city, lots of streets to cover. On the positive side the city is pretty clean, not much garbage lying around. People seem to be more predisposed to pick up their refuse and put it in the right bins, more recycling going on too. A lot of people use the bikes like they have in Montreal, they also have trotinettes which are electric and appear in the city here and there.  Not unusual to see someone wearing a suit on one of those and who cam blame him for leaving the car at home....

We finally got off in the Roma barrio and had an excellent burger with a cold refreshing Dos Equis beer. We were limited in terms of food option but that burger tasted very very good indeed.  Tomorrow will be Puebla time. We were happy to get back to our hotel and a pleasantly hot shower. Onward and upward.

Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera Museums

Had a great day today but first a little note I want to bring to the attention of future travelers here. Mexico City is so huge that distances going from point A to point B can be really difficult to navigate by bus and metro especially when you don’t know the names of the streets and it’s never very clearly indicated on the buses.  We have had to rely mostly on taxis to get around. This is where the bulk of our expense has gone, excluding, of course, the hotel.  There is no way around that.  Last time we were here we did take the metro but they separate women from the men thus we were riding in different compartments and not too sure where we were to get off. Luckily we managed.  The buses come in different shapes, sizes and states, some not too great looking. Again way too complicated in a city this size.
Today we spent 45.00 in cab fare but that’s 3 cabs in total with an average time each ride of around 45 minutes.  Apparently a 45 minute cab ride is short in Mexico City.
We arrived at the Frida Kahlo Blue House where she spent a big part of her life. That was the first place where there was a crowd and some foreigners.  We had a little bit of a waiting time but it was well worth it.
The house itself is composed of many buildings, painted blue on the outside, with a beautiful spacious interior courtyard.
The Museum has many original Frida Kahlo paintings, including lithographs, photographs, her studio, with her iconic wheelchair, her bedroom and a number of the dresses called Tejuana dresses which she especially favoured.
Due to an accident which left her partially crippled she wore a lot of corsets which she decorated with many motifs some of them political. She remained a committed activist and Communist for most of her life.  I did take some photos with the IPad and will be attempting to post some later. Frida and Diego Rivera entertained a number of famous people in the Blue house.  One of the most famous guests was Trotsky with whom Frida had a brief affair. Trotsky was always concerned with the threat of assassination with good reason since he did end up with an icepick in his skull so Diego tried to accommodate him by buying the house next  to Frida which was very generous of him. There are many interesting photos of their time together.
The ticket booth was very weird with a mirror on one side and a little opening to talk so you couldn’t see who you were dealing with. I asked for the tickets in Spanish, guess my accent was pretty damn good because she asked how old we were. I responded with the truth which I won’t mention here but suffice it to say that we got in as Mexican citizens for the grand total of $2.64.  This ticket allowed us to visit the Diego Rivera museum in another part of town requiring anothert taxi.
The museum was designed by Rivera and is absolutely impressive. It’s built entirely of black volcanic rock recuperated from volcanic eruptions close to that area. It’s a massive building in the style of an Aztec pyramid with ceramic tile ceilings and alcoves filled with archeological treasures. There is a beautiful courtyard unadorned with plants or flowers except for three gorgeously huge  Aloe Vera plants.  There is also a sketch for a monumental mural consisting of 3 panels. It apparently represents one of the largest murals ever conceived.
A great day and with our previous cab waiting we headed back to El Centro. Traffic wasn’t bad at all. Tomorrow another adventure awaits.

Mexico City Redux o

This is our second time in Mexico City and it’s been very enjoyable so far. The trip from the airport was smooth. The airport was not overly busy for a city of 20 million plus.  Most travelers were taking connecting flights to other parts of the country or buses for cities nearby.  We haven’t seen too many tourists even in the zocalo which is one of the busiest places in the center of the city.
We were lucky to find this hotel, Hotel Marlowe, the first time around and it’s proven as ideal the second time.  There are a lot of food options nearby, it’s an area teeming with people, it feels very safe but of course one can never be too careful.
There are still a lot of security guards and police as well as army patrolling the streets.  The site of army trucks loaded with soldiers carrying heavy artillerie is sort of freaky at first but we remember similar sights especially in Guatemala.
Today we had a leisurely breakfast with all the fixings, coffee was even pretty good, not Nescafé, and it cost about $8.00 for the two of us.  We then headed for the tallest building in Latin America, one of the 50 tallest in the world and had a great visit admiring the huge city from the 43rd. Floor.  The city is absolutely phenomenal in size.  Not a great location, in a deep valley, ringed by mountains, two of them volcanoes.
Of course initially the city was surrounded by water which made it an ideal defensive location. The Spaniards changed all that when they won the war and defeated the Aztecs. They proceeded to drain the water and pave it over.  The only evidence of Aztecs having been in Mexico City is the Templo Major which was rediscovered in the mid seventies by an electrical company doing some excavating. The Catholic Church did everything in its power to erase all traces of the infidels in the city and they more or less succeeded except for these lingering ruins of the original city.
This evening we walked quite a few blocks in search of Garibaldi Plaza. We ended up in an iffy area of town, didn’t find the plaza and decided to turn back.
We found a new pasteleria store. There is a bewildering choice of all types of pastries, the biggest pastry stores we have seen and the pastries, as per usual, looked good. We had very good coffee and an  apple pie which turned out to be excellent.  I think pastries have improved tremendously since we last visited Mexico. They’re obviously using better flour, there are more whole wheat choices, healthier choices which is great to see.
Like elsewhere Mexicans appear to be extremely fond of their cellphones. They are on them constantly. Prices appear to be quite low thus affordable. One thing I noticed the Chinese company Huwei is very big here. Lots of ads. For their phones. Apparently Mexicans are not afraid of a little espionage by the Chinese or that their technology will eventually subsume theirs.
Tomorrow we have a big day planned. Going to visit the Frida Kalho Blue House and the Diego Rivera museum plus a whole lot of other interesting things to do and see.  The weather has been great. It’s even too hot but ok won’t complain about that one.

My Travels And A Little Bit of This And That: Parting Thoughts on Punta Cana, Dominican Republic...

My Travels And A Little Bit of This And That: Parting Thoughts on Punta Cana, Dominican Republic...: Our one week trip is coming to an end, we're leaving today January 30th, it's been nice to get away from the cold although the weath...

Parting Thoughts on Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Our one week trip is coming to an end, we're leaving today January 30th, it's been nice to get away from the cold although the weather here has been temperamental especially the wind which is finally starting to let up today.  Without the wind it would have been very very hot and muggy, I suppose the wind was welcome relief in retrospect.

Need to start with a little disclaimer.  Not a huge fan of all inclusive vacations, it's not my preferred mode of travel although it will certainly do in a pinch.  I've traveled a great deal and only managed three all inclusives in all that time.  First one was in Cuba a 3 star experience in Varadero on which I wrote extensively.  The second attempt was Fuerte Venture in the Canary Islands, departure from Nantes France. It was a 5 star outfit.  I also wrote extensively on that one.  This latest all inclusive is called Arena Blanca and it's a 4 star.  We've done all the stars, don't think there are 2 stars all inclusive outfits.

Arena Blanca was pretty nice overall, the best of the bunch.  The room was spacious, there was plenty of hot water, the food was decent although it too became boring after a week.  The beach did  have white sand but not quite like the pictures in the brochure.  Because there was so much wind there was a lot of flotsam which ended up on the beach and the water was never calm.  Apparently in this area it's still the Atlantic and not the Caribbean therefore it's natural to expect more waves. Waves do mean you can have some fun in the water which is always nice.  Impossible to go for lengthy swims, way too bumpy.

The complex also had two enormous pools, plenty of lawn chairs to go around.  Recently there was a report on the BBC which claimed that all inclusives have become so popular, there are so many tourists using them, that reserving your own spot on a pool chair is going to become necessary.  If not it will be a fight to the finish, ok maybe not quite but you get the picture.  Crazy tourists hungry for their tan want their place in the sun assured.

I have learned virtually nothing about the Dominican itself.  These places are not geared to learning, it's strictly fun in the sun.  There are a few things I've noticed.  Of course the area is heavily dependent on tourism, it's their bread and butter.  Without it the island would shrivel to nothing.  The Dominican is very popular with Europeans who,no doubt, find it quite a bargain with their Euro currency so strong.

Everything here is quoted in American dollars which really pisses me off.  You have to ask for the price in the Dominican peso otherwise it's not posted.  You don't get too much for 1000 pesos, a bottle of rum can be bought for around 800 pesos but bargaining is always an option and it's not the best rum around.

The trips outside Arena Blanca are extremely expensive.  The most expensive out of the 3 resorts we've been to and certainly more than any comparable trip in South America or Mexico.  

Couldn't help but notice that female tourists no matter their size, shape or age appear to prefer bikinis 

which could be seen as liberating or just plain gross in some cases.

Dominicans are generally trim and pleasant.  They work very hard picking up endlessly after the  messy don't really care where I put my stuff tourists.
Had to interrupt the post because bus was here to pick us up. Most of the money we spent we gave out in tips which are greatly appreciated.  I had also brought stuff from home for the ladies who clean the room.  They do a fantastic job and don't get paid very much.
What bothers me the most about all inclusive is the bloody waste when it comes to food.  The food is prepared on an industrial scale which means there is a lot of it, too much.  I didn't ask where the leftover food goes to, hopefully it serves a higher purpose than ending up in the trash.
One thing that was surprising there is very little animal life.  No insects, not even flies, I think they fumigate the entire place periodically.  In fact they were scheduled to fumigate our room with biodegradable (sic) stuff on the day we left. It's not just lack of insects though.  There are hardly any birds. We saw a few frigates, 4 or 5 pelicans (that's odd, so many in Mexico) and a type of crow or blackbird, a tinier version especially fond of eggs.  There were a couple of those which hung out in the main dining areas where the buffet was served.  Lots of stations at the buffet and they do vary the menu every day but nothing is ever piping hot except if you have something made on the spot.
Generally people don't socialize a great deal.  Everybody stays in their little bubble.  We befriended na older couple from Quebec who were there for 3 weeks and felt it was way too long.  They were on their second week when we met them.
For one week I would definitely recommend it, one week more unless you're a total lover of dolce farniente by the pool and at the beach then by all means two weeks might be just your bag.

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, first impressions

We arrived in Punta Cana yesterday from a cold, rainy Montreal.  Had to wait on the tarmac for about 40 minutes in order for them to deice the plane.  We arrived in Punta around 2:30.  It was quite a shock getting out of the airplane into 28 degree Celsius weather.  It takes a little adjusting plus we were wearing way too many clothes.  Had to peel off some layers pronto.

A little bus drove us to the main airport area.  It's a relatively small airport, very clean with palapa style buildings. On the plane they gave us tourist cards worth 10.00 U.S. each, included in the price of our tickets.  Kind of silly, we gave them back as soon as we landed.  Guess it's a little taxation bonus for the island.  A couple of the regular forms to fill out, nothing major.  There was nobody to greet us from Arena Blanca.  You have to exit the airport and look for the bus which will take you to the right spot.  Not too difficult, I got to practice my rusty Spanish right off the bat.  Could be confusing if you're older and not sure what's going on.

The bus dropped off a few tourists at another resort called Blue and Sand which looked all right but it's not as nice as Arena Blanca, we do share the same beach with them.

We arrived  in a spacious lobby, palapa style again.  The resort is quite spread out but easy to get around.  It's very airy, lots of beautiful green spaces, extremely clean and well maintained.  There are at least 4 or 5 restaurants a la carte to choose from in addition to the main buffet style restaurant which offers a wide variety of choices.  We were not disappointed with the food.  Lots of fresh fruits, the papaya was scrumptious, it must be the season for it.  A lot of mixed greens, plenty of variety with meats, even freshly cooked turkey, ribs, Chinese and Italian dishes cooked on the spot.  The deserts are varied and not too big which is perfect.  Of course there are plenty of drinks to be had including everyone's favorite: Pina Colada, it's always ready to go, you get it from a dispenser.  It doesn't have a lot of rum but that's fine, you can't get drunk on it.

Today we went to the beach.  The beach does have white sand which is very powdery and doesn't get hot, easy to walk on.  There is a fair bit of algae kind of brown looking which mars the look of the beach a bit, not quite like the pics. represent but it's a small complaint.  It's been windy, windier than usual for this time of the year, the sea is throwing up a lot of this algae.  The water is a beautiful turquoise color, very clear, the waves are tiny. There are wave breakers along where we are.  The water is warmer than it was in Cuba in Varadero.

This is the third all inclusive we will have been in. Varadero was a 3 star, too cheap for Cuba and some problems with the food and the room, way too long a stay at 2 weeks.  The Canary Islands were too cold, you couldn't swim either in the pool or in the ocean and it was basically boring.

So far I've noticed quite an international crowd here, people from all over.  There are quite a few Europeans, many French, German,Russian, Polish.  Of course lots of Quebecois, Canadians, Americans and some South Americans as well.  I like that, makes it more interesting.  The Dominican is apparently a favored destination of many who crave the sea, the sand and the sun.  The personnel here is extremely helpful.  They don't always have their hand out either but it's good to leave propina and little things in the room for the cleaners.  I brought quite a few things from home.  They're always happy to get stuff for their children too. 

We're not planning on doing any side trips since we're only here one week.  The only area of complaint concerns those very same trips.  They are the most expensive of anywhere we've traveled.  For instance a trip on a catamaran to a secluded beach with lobster meal (langouste actually) will run around $220.00 U.S. a person.  Most trips are in the $150.00 U.S. vicinity, way too much money for us. Whenever we've done trips of that nature in the tropics, we've often been disappointed.  Too much time spent with drunken idiots on buses, boats etc... with .lousy overpriced meals.  In terms of culture there's not much "artesania" here, not like Mexico which is so rich culturally therefore they don't have a lot of items for sale other than the usual trinkets.  It's fine our home is filled with stuff we've brought back from other trips, don't need more.  Apparently the Dominican is the biggest producer of cigars in the world, thought it was Cuba.

Last night we were treated to a Michael Jackson extravaganza. The impersonator was truly fabulous and the dancing was spot on.  It was fun and it was free.  I will provide another entry at the end of our stay if I feel there's a lot more to add. So far we like it a lot.

Parting reflections on Prague

Perhaps I was a little harsh on Prague in my last blog.  Upon reflection we won't have been here long enough to properly assess it.  Apparently there is a square but we were unable to find it,unable to even walk around too long because of the weather.  Rain and getting wet will do that to you.  Stan is also nursing the end of a cold while I caught a whiff of it myself.  Not viable excuses but they will have to do.  I'm sure Prague has a lot to recommend itself for and has been loved by countless other travelers.  We went for a walk in the evening and did see some lovely buildings and a fairy tale looking church complete with turrets.  We ate at the Bohemian restaurant, settling for burgers which were very meaty but unfortunately under cooked.  It was cool to see kids and dogs in bars, common enough in most of Europe, I had forgotten how great that can be. 

It does look lovely doesn't it? Adios for now.

Hello Prague

We are officially in Prague, arrived yesterday courtesy of Polski Bus and first impressions are of the so-so variety but first a few words in praise of Polski Bus.  We went from Gdansk to Warsaw, Warsaw to Krakow, Krakow to Prague for the unbelievable sum IN TOTAL of 151 zlotys which is approximately $51.00 and that's for the two of us.  These prices are unbeatable, cheaper than Mexico and that's saying a lot considering Mexico has extremely competitive prices.  Other travelers appear to have had a somewhat negative experience with this company, rude drivers, delays, cramped seats, "midget size" toilet, WiFi connectivity not great, people who sit where they want etc...That was not our experience. Yes the drivers  did not speak English but why is there an expectation that everywhere one goes, all over the damn world, everybody should and must speak English.  Frankly it's annoying and disturbing.  We travel to experience other cultures not to seek and find the same thing we left at home.   Sure it's helpful if one can understand the language and yes Stan speaks Polish but even if he hadn't been there I would have managed just fine.  Most of the buses are direct.  You get in at one end and off at another.  The only bus who stopped somewhere else was the bus to Prague and it was clearly indicated where you were, I don't understand what the problem might have been for other travelers.  They're just a bunch of whiny little babies, sorry but some of them expect royal service on a shoe string budget.  I've traveled all over the world and made efforts everywhere I went to speak whatever little local language I could without the expectation that they would know mine.  OK enough of a rant.  If you don't mind long bus rides in fairly comfortable buses I would recommend this company, enough said.
Driving into the Czech country was not much of a contrast except the roads were in much better condition.  Poland needs new roads that's for sure.  This highway was a paying highway in Poland but stopped being so once we entered the Czech Republic.  Noticeably there were no panels filled with ads along the road.  Poland is littered with them, they're quite unsightly especially around Zakopane, they were everywhere.  In the Czech Republic they filled up the panels with the Czech flag instead of removing them completely.
The arrival at the bus station was a bit complicated.  It was dark, we were tired, we didn't have a map of Prague or any of their currency which is the koruna (1 $ equals about 17.64 czk) not the easiest conversion and frankly we haven't been really bothering.
The cab driver knew where the hotel was. The hotel is called the Park Hotel and it's a big, square, glass building, not at all what I expected but good enough.  It's not in the old town of Prague but there are plenty of old buildings around.  We were hungry and had Vietnamese food, not very good and too expensive for what we got.  There are plenty of Asian restaurants around more than in Poland but they all seem a little questionable.  We love Vietnamese food and after two experiences here we're not impressed.
The next day it was raining pretty hard.  I suggested we take a tramway to the older section of Prague but first we went for breakfast at a coffee shop.  Weird breakfast with cucumber slices, tomatoes, two stringy pieces of white toast, slices of ham and cheese plus some bocconcini like cheese and a croissant on the side....like I said weird although the coffee was good.  There doesn't appear to be any buses in Prague. The whole public system runs with these very efficient tramways on rails which is great since they're never bogged down by traffic.  We took number 17 which did get us close to old town but we continued on since it was still raining. Went all the way to the end where we had to get off and hop back on another number 17 going in the opposite direction.  Lots of Soviet era buildings in the burbs and an unbelievable amount of graffiti.  It's a pain in most European capitals but I have to say Prague has really outdone itself when it comes to tagging. Every available surface which can be tagged has been, even upright standing poles for electricity, doors to private buildings, buildings themselves, signs, fences, you name it it's tagged.  It's extremely distracting.  I suppose if you only go to the old part of Prague you might not notice this as much but it was hard to miss for us.  We did get off at a bridge into the old city which was again filled, to the brim, with tourists.  Lots of beautiful old buildings, shops which sell the usual "tourist" crap, restaurants, cobblestone streets but no big meeting area plazas like in Warsaw or Krakow.  We preferred those two cities by a mile and then some. Yes it was raining and shoving your way through masses of people with umbrellas is no fun but the mood of the place is off somehow, sort of sour.  It's not a shiny, happy place full of vim and vigor it felt aged and tired frankly we did not enjoy old Prague or the little we saw of it. The weather might have had a role to play but regardless of weather the atmosphere was not "sympathique".
In the afternoon, the sun came out.  I went out for a walk by myself. There's a sort of hush to the place, it's all quiet and subdued. Found where they shop for groceries, kind of small, poor selection of fruits and vegetables, the bakery section slightly bigger than our room which isn't very big.  The buildings appear to be somewhat neglected, the stores I saw were more on the rundown end of the scale.  I found a bustling place with second hand goods, mostly clothes for women. Went in and was not impressed with the quality of the stuff.  We sell way better stuff in our cafe in Ste. Adele, much cheaper too. They had coats for around $18.00 (more like jackets) we sell them for about $5.00 to $8.00.  In any case it was a popular spot.  I noticed a lot of bars. Stan loves the beer Pilsner Urquell one of the best beers around.  I tasted it and it is very very good.
I'm sure Prague might be a great experience for other travelers but in our case it just didn't do it.  Poland was definitely the highlight.
This will be the last entry for my blog.  I've written about Paris before, don't want to repeat myself. I've written quite a bit about France in general. There are many different entries in my blog including some film criticism when I got bored and wanted to write something.  Hope you enjoyed reading this those of you who took the time.  It's fun to write but it's also great to be read so thank you.

Auschwitz Birkenau and a few random thoughts upon leaving Poland

Left around 10:00 for our final tour, the most momentous one, to Auschwitz Birkenau.  We were picked up in a brand new mini Mercedes bus and the irony wasn't lost on me although it appears to have been lost on everybody else.  German efficiency at its best efficiency which we would soon encounter in Auschwitz where around 6,000 people a day were ruthlessly murdered. Auschwitz was one of the biggest concentration camps with Birkenau functioning as a sort of satellite camp where people were housed in the most appalling, inhuman conditions.  Both camps had gaz chambers as well as crematoriums, the ashes were dispersed in ponds on the Birkenau site.  The Nazis never dug any graves, everybody who died was cremated so as not to leave any traces of what was being done under the "cover of war".
I don't have too much to write about the visit, it's too horrific to contemplate and even more horrific to imagine. Even being physically there doesn't give you the full scope of how truly awful it must have been with the dogs, the constant barking, the crying, the mud (it was very muddy where grass is now found) the big lights, the incessant screaming in German, the smell of rotten bodies, the fear the smells coming from the crematorium, the ash falling like flakes.  The crematoriums worked on a 24 hour schedule especially during the last year of the war when Hitler was desperate to carry out his "final solution". It truly is amazing to contemplate the ingenuity, the skill, the intelligence, the efficiency, the organization which went into the act of killing untold amounts of people on a scale never before imagined. 
The most horrifying was seeing mountains of human hair used for all manner of things which I prefer not to think about.  People were taking a lot of pictures but I didn't feel like taking a single photo. There are many photos on the internet for those of you who want to see what it looked like.  We were pretty horrified to discover some graffiti on the wood in some of the barracks and on one entire wall in a barrack housing young children ages 2 to 14 in Birkenau.  Silly graffiti of names, hearts, so and so loves the usual drivel which certainly smacks of disrespect in a place where so many have died. It really pissed me off.  We were glad we went, it wasn't a pleasant visit but the memory of the horror perpetrated there must live on. It's essential lest we forget.

Parting thoughts on Poland:

1.  The Poles like to visit their own country many of them in groups here and in Warsaw, in Gdansk as well.
2. Polish food is not very varied with heavy emphasis on meat, not too many options for vegetarians or vegans although apparently Warsaw is the capital of vegans in Poland. We only saw one vegetarian restaurant there.
3. The country is mostly white, even in Krakow not too many foreigners of a different color or immigrants.  Stan's relatives are deathly afraid of immigrants mostly Muslim, even though there are hardly any in Poland. 
4. Poland is probably one of the most affordable countries to visit in Europe especially for Canadians, good value for the exchange rate.
5. Generally service is not of the highest quality especially in ordinary stores which don't cater to a tourist clientele.  They can be sort of surly, ok that was our experience and probably a gross over generalization.
6. I will never ever become conversant in Polish, it's too damn hard to pronounce.
7. There are a lot of cars, too many, the traffic is horrendous.
8. KFC is very very popular especially in the countryside although it's also found in the cities with Macdonald having a premier place.  
9. Everybody is wired to the max, hardly anybody without a phone except us. 
10. There's a lack of good highway but the more roads they build, the more cars will travel on them. It's the same where we live.
11. The Russian nesting dolls are very very popular. Stan had assured me we would never find them here, he was wrong. They're everywhere.
12. Paczki (polish donuts) and cheesecake both are way better in Montreal, at Jean-Talon market. They were a huge disappointment.
13. We enjoyed our time here, we discovered a lot of new places, there is a lot to see and do in Poland. 

Side note:  Running shoes are the shoes of choice of the entire planet (it seems).  No matter what the nationality or gender or age, most people are wearing sneakers brand name sneakers.

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Zakopane and the Wieliczka Salt mine

The Zakopane tour was a huge disappointment and it was the costliest at 300 zlotys per person it comes out to about $204.00 Canadian.  What you basically get is a long drive to the mountains in a car.  The car was a Mercedes surprisingly not all that comfortable.  We were the only two taking the tour that day.  The Zakopane tour depends a lot on the weather.  We left Krakow with foggy weather, the sun did turn up but the mountains remained shrouded in mist.  We were only able to see a tiny bit of a mountain with snow on it.  Zakopane is a ski/snowboard destination but it's also popular in the summer.  It's a bit of a tourist trap with a market selling mostly stuff made in China year round.  OK there are a few things produced  in Poland like sheep skin, some good quality leather, amber jewelry of course and some folkloric clothing items.  The rest consists mostly of cheap toys, trinkets etc...such that you find everywhere all over the world.
The trip there took forever.  It's only 100 kms. but again the traffic was pretty bad, there's a general lack of highway, too many secondary roads, the result being at least over 3 hours to get there.  Once there we took a short ride in a funicular down to the main square which had more of the same in terms of shops, gadgets, tourist crap and food.
We met our laconic guide again, he had to go park the car, and took a little walking tour of Zakopane.  Our guide by the way did not like Zakopane and couldn't understand why people would want to go there.  Guess he was right.
The highlight was this old house, the oldest in Zakopane built in the traditional style of the area.  It's all made of wood with a very peaked roof, less ornate than the Tyrolean style but resembling it with just a "je ne sais quoi" of something different  Truly impressive architecturally.  I took photos which I can't download right now so you'll just have to imagine it.  Zakopane does have an impressive setting nestled in the mountains but I think Mont Tremblant in Quebec is just as pretty although the mountains there are not as high.  Not a total waste of time and money since we got to see a different more "country" side of Poland.

The Wieliczka Salt mine was a tour we took the following day.  Impressive is too small a word, it's stupefyingly grandiose in scope, design, ingenuity and sheer brute labor.  It's one of the oldest salt mines in the world having been started in the 13th.century when rock salt was discovered.  It led to Poland's fortune for many many years to come.  The mine has been declared one of Unesco's world heritage site and along with the city of Krakow itself, it's easy to see why.  There are over 800+ steps going down, endless kilometer long galleries, huge cavernous chambers, chapels, all meticulously maintained.  It's hard to underscore what a mammoth undertaking this must have been, with pic and ax as primitive tools.  Some of the galleries are so huge they are used as ballrooms and concert halls.  They're also very popular for wedding ceremonies and special themed events.
There is a lot of walking involved and of course it's to be avoided at all cost if you're a tad claustrophobic.  The areas we walked in are wide enough and high enough but there's still that sense of pressure from the earth pressing down on you with its incredible force.  Nevertheless there's nothing dangerous about the mine, security is at a premium with millions of visitors per year of all nationalities.  It's a popular place indeed and well worth the visit.  I don't think my puny little camera will do it justice.  The best thing is to go online and check it out yourself.

These photos should give you a little taste of what the mine looks like inside.  It truly is magnificent and well worth seeking out on the net for extra photos.
We came back very tired but satisfied.  Stopped at a market near the main square which was thronged with people since it's the weekend.  We were hungry after our long day and had Polish sausage with potatoes and vegetables from this stand which is incredibly popular with locals and tourists alike.  I'm not sure if anybody is reading my blog.  I do still enjoy writing it and it will remain as a souvenir of our travels in Poland.  Tomorrow we will be visiting Auschwitz and Birkenau and that will be the end of our trip to Poland since we will be gone on the Polski Bus to Prague on Monday.

The magnificent city of Krakow

We arrived in Krakow yesterday courtesy of PolskiBus once again. We were meant to leave Warsaw at 11:00 but ended up leaving around noon instead.  It was a very tiring bus ride although we did notice a lot of new highway construction happening, Poland is definitely booming or at least it's not "busting".  Buses are not as comfortable as the ones in Mexico or South America.  Getting to the washroom might be hazardous to your health.  You have to go down a steep flight of stairs and the washroom is tucked in right at the exit door.  If you have a mobility issue this could be a serious problem especially with all the rocking to and fro going on.  I had to brave it a couple of times.  I try to limit my liquid intake before boarding so I won't have to go too often.
The ride to the hotel was easy, once again by cab but this time the bus station was very close to our destination, not a huge outlay of cash.
The hotel is small in an older building not in the old town proper itself but extremely close by. Our room has a very high wooden ceiling with wooden beans.  The wall are white stucco.  There's a little balcony which looks out onto a private courtyard, three twin beds and a good size bathroom. It's very cute.  Once again we lucked out on accommodations.  It's always a bit of a crap shoot when you book via the internet.
We settled in and then went for a walk to get our bearings. We were hungry and decided on an Indian restaurant where the food turned out to be excellent.  Apparently Indian cuisine is quite popular in Krakow as well as pretzels.  Pretzel vendors are on every street corner.  I had no idea, a little taste of New York in Krakow. The old town is absolutely magnificent.  It hasn't been touched by the war,none of it was destroyed and it's in impeccable shape, everything beautifully maintained in pristine condition.  The whole of the old town functions as a bit of a museum with many spectacular houses, restaurants, well appointed boutique hotels, shops etc.... The main square is huge with the Krakow Cathedral at one end with its magnificent ornate turrets and  bell tower very similar in style to what one might find in Russia.  The Cathedral itself is sumptuous with a lot of gold inlay, statues, marble, reliquary and religious iconography.  We've seen a lot of churches in our travels and this one definitely stands out.  At night the plaza hums with people and performers, it's a busy, happy place with restaurants all around and terraces.  They have heat "lamps" to keep patrons warm and they also provide you with a red blanket you can wrap yourself in while eating your meal.  It's magical at night with all the buildings lit up.
The next day we walked to the world famous Wawel Castle.  It dates back to the 13th and 14 th century and was originally built at the behest of King Casimir III the Great.  Architecturally it's a blend of Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque.  It's a bit of a mess but it all seems to blend beautifully. The location itself is spectacular overlooking the Vistula river and the city of Krakow.  The most wonderful thing was the bell tower.  The tower is very high, you have to climb all these steep wooden steps.  There are bells along the way but the most incredible one is at the very top.  It weighs approximately ten tons,takes eight people to ring it and is only rung 25 times out of the year for special occasions.  With all that is involved we can understand why.  The mystery is how they ever got it up there, not only that one but the other ones as well.  The main cathedral is well known for its crypt where a lot of Kings and Queens are buried as well as other famous historical Polish figures like Stefan Batory and a general who fought in America during their war of independence.  There's also a museum named for Pope John Paul which houses religious vestments and other religious artifacts which we don't really care about but are still representative of the period and the value which the Poles attach to their Catholic faith.
Tomorrow we have booked a trip to Zacopane which is about 100 kms.from Krakow, in the high mountains.  It's going to be another gorgeous sunny day. It should be a good trip.

A Little Taste of Warsaw

It's only going to be a little taste since we didn't get to spend much time in this fabulous capital.  We arrived around 3:30 on Monday.  PolkiBus is efficient but not overly comfortable, it gets you where you want to go although it's not exactly fast.  There doesn't seem to be huge stretches of super highways in Poland.  There are little stretches here and there and then you're off on secondary roads with lots of trucks and two way traffic, like I said...slow but cheap we therefore have to settle in for the ride and not be in too much of a hurry.
Warsaw is a very modern capital.  A lot of shiny new buildings in the downtown core which we had to visit in order to deal with the computer connection issue.  Everybody is very wired,nothing unusual about that.  It's a world wide phenomenon, the IPhone is definitely king of the roost.  We took a cab which overcharged us.  It cost more for the ride to the old town than for the PolskiBus from Gdansk to Warsaw.  OK it was a considerable distance and we did hit a lot of traffic but when we did the same direction in reverse, it cost about 30 zlotes less, live and learn.  It was a metered fare not much we could do about the price.
Our apartment was in the old section of Warsaw.  The instructions to get in were a little complicated but we managed.  Seriously we could not have found a better, cuter location and right in the heart of everything.  Only problem it was on the third floor up rickety stairs thus a little difficult to handle with the heavy suitcases.  The apartment consisted of one open area, living room, dining room, kitchen, with a fold out couch.  There was a separate bedroom and a big bathroom with shower and bath, very well appointed.  The apt. cost about $75.00 a day, pretty reasonable considering what we got.
The old town is not very big but was entirely rebuilt.  If you've seen The Pianist you must know that the Germans left nothing but rubble behind them as they were busy decamping.  It's pretty amazing that the Polish government decided to rebuild the area as it was, they could have erected crappy, newer buildings instead.  It turned out to have been a wise investment since it appears to be a favorite tourist magnet.  There is a great big plaza, the Presidential Palace is not far away.  There is a museum which details the Warsaw uprising, lots of little shops, plenty of restaurants which serve traditional Polish food.  We finally got to eat pierogies, twice.  Still haven't eaten bigos but it's on the menu for this evening in Krakow.  Somehow hard to find on the Warsaw menu.
We mostly walked around and took in the sights.  We took a ride on a tramway. They have a very efficient public transit system, the cars all look shiny and new. We never got to take the subway.  You have to buy your ticket via a machine prior to boarding.  Each regular fare costs about $2,00 per person and is valid for 75 minutes.  You compost your ticket on the bus.  It appears to be based on some kind of honor system.  Some people get on with no apparent ticket maybe they know something we don't know.
We noticed a lot of Asian tourists, Japan and China otherwise there was still a distinct lack of visible minorities.  Warsaw is resolutely white in color with the odd splash of brown here and there.  The gypsies are still around begging.  They're a common site in most European big cities.
Warsaw is very clean with huge boulevards.  It feels wealthy and cosmopolitan.  It's no longer a Soviet backwater.  We enjoyed our brief time there.  I would definitely recommend a visit.

Leaving Gdansk

This part of the trip has been a little different since we've ben visiting and staying with Polish relatives.  In a way it's a unique opportunity to see Poland from a non tourist perspective.  The relatives we stayed with,a lovely couple of retired academics, live in an apartment in a Soviet era built huge complex.  The buildings are rather ugly, squat cubes or rectangles with huge numbers printed on the size of each building.  Most buildings are around 6 to 7 floors, no elevators.  You get into the building via a code and each apartment is locked with a double door.  Apparently there were a lot of thefts, break ins earlier on.  These apartment complexes dot the city of Gdynia but they are also found in Gdansk.  They actually look pretty good now, they're very well maintained and the grounds are also maintained very well with a lot of trees, shrubbery and flowers.  It's one thing the Soviets did quite well make renting and owning relatively affordable.
I was curious about life under a communist regime but could only get a little bit of the history due to my limited Polish conversational skills.
During the Soviet era food was more scarce.  Poles were encouraged to tend their little gardens in community plots.  We visited such a plot.  It was huge with about 1000 garden spots which one can buy and pass on to next of kin.  Each plot has a little cabin for washing up, relaxing, drinking vodka after a hard day's work in the garden, a toilet and a glassed in fair size greenhouse.  Obviously this is prime land but it's original purpose remains.  It cannot be developed for another purpose, that's fantastic.
In the Soviet era health and education, even higher education, were free and there were no long delays for major operations.  The interesting thing was that solidarity was more evident.  People were in it together, there was less of the dog eat dog mentality, everybody had a job even if that job produced inefficient results.  Everybody had housing, there was nobody on the street but life was still rather grim and humorless.  The Soviets didn't go for a lot of sparkly, shiny stuff and fun.
Regarding modern Gdynia and Gdansk, Gdansk itself was a bit of a disappointment aside from the old town, it's very very spread out, sort of hard to actually "visit" if one doesn't have a car.  The port of Gdynia was equally unimpressive compared to other beautiful ports visited in France like St. Malo and Concarneau.  It was all right but there wasn't much to write about beside the fact that there was a tourist Pirate boat just like the ones they have in Mexico and an old navy boat left over from the war with a newer one on which young recruits train. 
In general Poles do not seem to like immigrants especially older Poles who are weary of anything new disruptive to the old way of life.  In Gdynia we din't see any visible minorites.  The town is very white.  That trend more or less continues in Warsaw.  Poland is a very Catholic country, the dead Pope Polish  John Paul still enjoys en enduring popularity, his picture is very very present.  It was in both the homes we were in.  People still go to church on Sunday and this includes young people or at least the young people we met.  It was a lovely time, a different time for me since I didn't get to share a lot or ask a lot of questions.  I always have a lot of questions but had to be satisfied with the limited way I was able to participate.  Meanwhile I had fun trying to pronounce words like wszystko (everything) Pszcszyna (a town in Poland) bezwzgledny (fittingly this means rutheless).  Polish is loaded with czs sounds and lots and lots of w, easy roll off the tongue it is not, definitely a challenge.  We're in Warsaw now ensconced in out lovely apartment, you can't find hotels in the old town.  There are none. I'll be writing on our stay here in the next installment.

A Cautionary Tale

I'll be writing a little more on our departure from Gdansk but first a cautionary tale for travelers.  We packed on the Sunday to leave for Warsaw on the Monday.  In the middle of the night I realized I had packed my computer but not the connecting cable for the power source.  I got up, disconnected it and put it in the back pack.  We arrived in Warsaw around 3:00, our apartment is fantastic (more on that later) and I wanted to connect my computer.  I took the computer out, took out the power chord only to soon realize that the little jack which  fits into the two prong European socket had been left behind.  I've had that little adapter since South America and now it was gone, without it no way of connecting the computer.
Being my usual optimistic self I thought it might be easy to find a suitable replacement, Stan w(as more circumspect and much less enthusiastic, turns out he was right.  In the old city, there was nothing, nada.  We were directed to a mall where there was a huge store which dealt in electronics called Saturn.  We made it there after a short cab ride.  Again no success, lots of adapters but they are all from Europe going to somewhere else none for stupid Canadian coming to Europe.  Without the computer I didn't even know which hotel I had booked in Krakow, no way to make other reservations, no communication with family, no banking etc... We spent a long time in that store to no avail.  Went to check out another much smaller store, same result.  Finally I decided to go back to Saturn and seek out another solution.  It turns out we could buy a "universal" type cable which I could plug into my power jack instead of the north American version.  We had to return the next day with the computer so they could sell me the one which wouldn't fry my computer. 
Since I'm writing this the solution worked out well but we spent quite a few fruitless hours.  The best thing to do is to carry a few of those, they don't cost much and they don't take up any room.  And now for a few more thoughts on leaving Gdansk followed by our stay in Warsaw.

Gdansk, Poland, First Impressions, September 2017

The trip getting here was relatively painless.  Lately I've dreaded getting onto airplanes. Spaces are getting smaller, tighter, meaner, suffocatingly hot with endlessly recycled air although too cold for comfort as well, at times.  Many have never had the luxury of flying it seems a little churlish to complain, I'm moving on.

No complaints about KLM performed effectively and Amsterdam airport was a pleasant surprise.  Spacious and airy with a lot of nooks and crannies where one might plonk down and relax, much better than Heathrow or Frankfurt which are both pretty dreadful.

On the plane to Gdansk noticed a lot more men getting on, a possible 3 to 1 ratio, 3 men for every woman but I'm no mathematician so this might be more of an impression than an actual bona fide statistic.  I suspect that men are one of Poland's frequent export.  They go where the jobs are in Europe.  Although Poland is part of the European union they have chosen to stay with their currency, the zlote, which is about three times less in value than the euro.  Coming back with pockets full of euros is therefore an attractive proposition.  We are staying with relatives therefore haven't been able to fully test out of the costs in terms of buying power.   This will become more apparent once we start to travel on our own.  We're leaving Gdansk for Warsaw on Monday, courtesy of PoliskBus big red double decker affairs, cost for two 56 zwote which is about $20.00, pretty cheap so far.  I rented a do it yourself apartment in the heart of old Warsaw.  There is no host to greet you.  They send you instructions via email on how to get there and into the apartment.  It's a cozy little arrangement hopefully it will work out just fine and we won't be stranded in the street.  Apparently there are a lot of these triple A rated apartments around in Europe.  Poland seems to have quite a few of these.

We're not actually in Gdansk proper. We are in Gdynia with the Baltic town of Sopot further south.  This is where Poles come to play and relax.  We took a little drive through the forest to get to Sopot but didn't actually visit the town itself.  We went instead to the heart of old Gdansk with its magnificent beautifully preserved buildings some of  which were destroyed during the war but have been rebuilt or restored to their former splendor.  A lot of the buildings are intricately decorated some with nautical scenes, historical figures or Roman mythological creatures.  A number of buildings have these mythological statues standing guard at the top.  There were a lot of tourists ambling about,not that unusual even for the month of September.  Along with the usual trinkets found all over the world (fridge magnets, postcards, little costume dolls etc... possibly all Made in China) the main currency here is definitely amber.  Amber shops are everywhere with amber on display in all shapes and sizes.  I have a few amber necklaces from Poland at home although I'm not a huge fan.  I know I shouldn't say this but I don't like its "plastic" appearance.  Of course there are big differences in the quality of the amber, mine is probably on the cheap end of the scale.

Since we are staying with relatives it's a little different experience.  My Polish is insufficient for my needs which can be very frustrating.  It's hard listening to a conversation you don't actually understand but appearing to nod in all the "right" places as though you might have understood at least a little.  Sometimes they forget I don't speak Polish and talk to me as though "I get it", it's fine, we just pretend I do.  It's been a while since I've traveled in a county where I didn't speak the language.  We mostly traveled to Latin America, Mexico and France so NO PROBLEM.  This is motivating makes me want to learn more so I don't feel so foolish.  We're so dependent on our words, I can't share little anecdotes, have to resort to other means to make my personality come through, don't shine as bright, I'm a little duller penny.  Stan has to do most of the heavy lifting, it can be a bit trying for him as well.  

I'm being called to eat.  They're constantly prying us with food. Poles love to eat,anytime, anywhere, anything ok well maybe not anything but they certainly don't restrict themselves to habitual eating times like the French.  They manage to stay quite thin, women love to wear makeup.  More on the geography, culture next time. For now do widzenia.