The Beach

My yep is almost over. Yesterday and today are in the South of the country at the beach. Susan and I got up and took a walk on the beach early this morning and saw the fisherman at work.

Quiet morning

Today was our first quiet morning we just have lunch out today. So I took my time at breakfast (the best so far) and am now catching up on my journal writing. I should go for a run but it's a little too hot for me and they don't have a gym at the hotel. So writing is what I am doing instead.

Train ride

Today was an exciting day. We were originally not going to be allowed but out guide talked to the company and we were able to take the train today from Kandy to Bandarawela. It is over of the most beautiful train rides in the world and I now understand why. You go through tea towels and through the heart of the country including over a mountain. So you see the trees and landscape change a lot. We were just one stop away when our train derailed which caused some excitement as we had to exit the train and then climbed up a hill to the road where our van was able to pick us up. It was a nice little treck.

Dambulla Cave Temple

This morning we walked up a large number of steps to see the 5 natural caves that make up the Dambulla Cave Temple. It was a wonderful experience and as a Buddhist temple you can feel the peace.

Afterwards we got to learn about the spices used in food as well as for medicine. It was really fascinating and I bought a couple of things to try. I am hoping the cinnamon oil will work for my tinnitus especially.

We made it to Kandy and visited a very popular temple the Temple of the golden tooth relic and got to walk around barefoot in the warm tiles. It was also interesting to see the national treasure of the elephant Raja the Tusker who was a part a festival for 50 years.

Ended to 12 hour day with drinks with my tourmates.

Elephants

Just wanted to update really fast. I got to see elephants in the wild today. We were in a national park in a Jeep Safari and they were just an amazing sight.

Sri Lanka - Dambulla

We are now on the tour. I am really happy to have these tour mates they are certainly making this a wonderful experience. 

Yesterday started with the fish market which was just disgusting I will not go back but I suppose it was good to see. Next we loaded into the van and headed to a middle class family home where we got to see how they turn coconut husk into rope as well as take the liquid from the coconut flowers to drink for alcohol or turn into trecel. We then got to cook prawn Curry with a woman and learn their style of cooking. It was a great experience.

Next we got to our hotel we were originally going to hike to the Dambulla came temple but our guide was concerned about rain so instead we went to a wholesale fruit and vegetable market and then got to sample fruit from a stand. It was quite fun.

We decided to go to dinner together but first a bar for a beer (rum and coke for me this time). We went upstairs for dinner and had a great time chatting.

This morning was an early start to Lion Rock which was a palace. It was not as difficult as I was expecting however we were there early and beat much of the heat later when it was warmer and more crowded I think it would be very difficult.

Busy day but made it to Sri Lanka

Today was half travel but I made it to Sri Lanka and joined my tour group. We are a nice group of 6. 2 couples and two single ladies. Had my first Sri Lankan food and it was tasty. Tomorrow we head to a fish market, cave temple and learn about coconut and it's importance.

Singapore

Yesterday was a wonderful full day filled with lots of humidity and some beautiful scenery. I had a long list and I made it through it all. :-)

I started on the MRT to Suntec Mall to board a hop on hop off bus tour. It was perfect for my single day. Gave me a last of the city and easy transportation from place to place with a little bit of info along the way.

My first real stop was Singapore Botanic Garden and the National Orchid. It was so beautiful with a rainforest, meadow, walking paths and so many flowers. A great way to explore a bit of the natural part of Singapore instead of just the city. It was well worth the time and I picked up a wonderful rose gold covered orchid necklace that I can't wait to wear.

Next I rode the bus a bit and changed to one to take me to the cultural areas soccer it was lunch time. I hopped off and had Vietnamese bahi mi which was perfect for lunch. Then it was time to concur the Marina Bay area.

It was huge. I started off with the Marina Bay Sands Skypark observation deck. It was high and have a wonderful view of the city as well as Gardens on the Bay. I didn't realize the size of the Gardens until then. They were my next stop, ok several stops. I started work the cool trees they were just as interesting as I expected a vertical garden with avatar style tree tops. Just fascinating. Then to the domes for the flower done which they were having a tulip exhibit in. Amazing how many people were seeing tulips for the first time. I enjoyed the little statues mixed in with the flowers/plants especially the Alice in Wonderland with the scculents. Then it was on to the Cloud Forest which was fascinating and you got to experience the levels of a mountain and the rare cloud forests. It also had a strong environmental twist which was heartbreaking at how bad we are to the planet.

Then I caught the bus back to my hotel for a break and to charge my camera. I had truffle fries and a beer and caught up on my journal a bit before heading back to Gardens on the Bay for the light show. I grabbed a great spot overlooking a fountain and across to the trees so I could see them light up very well from my place and hear the music.

I ended up having a late dinner at an Indian restaurant next to my hotel before turning in for the night.  I knew I had to be up early to fly to Sri Lanka.

Traveling

It was an early morning but it was better to be really then late for my flight. Got to the airport at about 5am and breezed right through. Got to grab some coffee which was just what I needed from Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. The flight to San Francisco was easy but was slow to land. So we were a bit late taxiing to the gate. Luckily my flight out was also delayed giving me time to get food and eat it before boarding the plane for my 17 hour flight. Saddly we were even more delayed one on the plane for to weather so it was almost 2 hours before we actually took off extending our flight.

Overall the flight was good. It had very little leather so I ended up not taking any Benadryl which was nice and I watched a few movies. A dog's way home which of course made me cry, Instant Family which ended up making me cry, On the Basis of Sex, Nutcracker because the flight was getting long and I wanted to watch something pretty, Eighth Grade because I was tired and angsty apparently and I ended with a nap and then Bohemian Rhapsody at least part of it.

Once off in Singapore it was actually really easy to navigate and customs was quick. I got a MRT pass and hopped the two trains I needed. I got a bit turned around in the city but I found the river and followed it remembering my Google Maps picture. It was a bit farther than I expected but I am really tied so that would be part of it. My room is comfortable and I can't wait to explore tomorrow after a good night's sleep.

Next trip starts tomorrow.

I am starting to get excited for my next trip.  It starts tomorrow morning and I will be visiting three new countries.

• Singapore
• Sri Lanka
• Japan

Singapore and Japan are short but they count, the majority of my time is going to be in Sri Lanka on an Intrepid Food Tour.
https://www.intrepidtravel.com/us/sri-lanka/sri-lanka-real-food-adventure-117708

Trip wrap up

So, I never wrote a wrap up on my trip.  The high point was Earth Lodge for sure.  i loved my time in the hammock relaxing, eating tasty food and reading far too many books.

I really loved Antigua and it's beautiful architecture as well as friendly people and tasty food.

The last few days of the trip were spent getting to and from Honduras.  Why this part of the trip was crummy is a long story.  The good part was getting to go to Macaw Mountain and see the tropical birds.

Earth Lodge

This place is beautiful. It is completely worth the trek .14 miles down the step dirt road. Hopefully worth the trek up the hill that I am doing later today. It is several basic cabins and a treehouse on a hill. It is beautiful with a view of the volcanos. The restaurant has tasty food for reasonable prices and dinner is served family style so that promotes good conversation between guests. I have some almost nothing but write in my journal, read almost 2 books and take naps in hammocks. It is a wonderful place to just relax.

Antigua Guatemala

Yesterday was a long travel day to Antigua but it was worth it. I have really enjoyed my time here.

It is colonial style with (at least in the weekends) a very busy "Arms park". It has street vendors a fountain in the middle and is very active. My guide for part of my time was Victor who you can tell really loves this place. He took me on an orientation walk around the city yesterday and was great about getting me understand the grid of the city and some of the history as well.

Yesterday I had a cooking class (where I was the only student) but I helped make pollo pepin (chicken stew with pumpkin seeds), guacamole (without the garlic and tomatoes I am used to), Fried plantain with chocolate bean filling and corn tortillas. It was fun to learn, but eating alone at the end wasn't quite as nice.

Today I went for breakfast of an omelette and coffee at a local spot then meet my guide for a trip to his village to meet a coffee farmer. He took me on a free Mike walk to see his coffee field and learn about the co-op he helped found as well as growing coffee. I then learned about the mashing, husking, fermenting, drying, roasting and finally drinking coffee. An 18 day process from harvest to drinking. His wife cooked a lunch of chicken stew with rice and tortillas of course.  We took a "chicken bus" up and back. Then walked through the huge market learning about what is available and generally seeing it. My guide and I parted ways then.

That left this afternoon for me to walk to the Cerro de la Cruz to look down on Antigua. Wander the streets of Antigua eating gelato and stepping into shops to purchase all sorts of things. It was a nice time even with a cold.

Mexico City

Yesterday was an amazing whirlwind in Mexico City. I landed at about 5am and spent an hour making my way through customs. Then caught a cab to my hotel which was in the old part of town. Very basic lodging but a perfect location. I managed an hour if rest before heading to the net up spot for my tour

The first half of the tour was visiting 3 markets around the city by walking out taking public transportation. The first market was the mural market and was filled with murals about the Mexican revolution. We ate tamales (4 different flavors) before heading to the next market. It was my favorite with lots of party supplies and was very crowded but also had a voodoo section with all sorts of supplies for cures. We did get to taste several special mole seasonings made my a local though. They were very good. The third market was filled with flowers more then I have ever seen in one place including poinsettias. We walked through the fruit and veggies and snacked on jicama and mambo or something like that. We ended this half of the tour with lunch if tacos and sauces and quesadillas with cactus. It was very tasty.

The second half of the day was spent on a shuttle bus for an hour and a half then exploring the pyramids and the rest of the archeological site at Teotihuacan. I climbed the Moon and Sun pyramid and it was amazing. Next we visited the families, one where we rated mezcal, tequila and learned about calling obsidian a second settling products made it of prickly pear and the third fed us dinner of posole. It was such good food.

A very long but rewarding day.

On my way

Made my flight which is leaving a few minutes later than planned. I will have about the hours to get to my tour group to start a tour through markets and to the to of the Sun Pyramid. Birthday vacation here I come!

Central America Here I Come

Ok, so my next trip is almost here!  I can't wait.  Tomorrow I am heading to a part of the world I have never visited before.

• November 23rd –Flight to Mexico City – 10pm -AM 495
• November 24th
• 5:25am land Mexico City
• 8:45am Urban Adventure - Markets and pyramids can't go wrong there.

               http://www.urbanadventures.com/Mexico-City-tour-teotihuacan-mexico-city-markets-and-food-experience

• November 25th – Fly to Guatemala City 10:35am - AM 670  – Shuttle to Antigua
• Antigua Bite Size Break - http://www.intrepidtravel.com/us/guatemala/bite-size-break-antigua-101648
• Starts at 5pm
• Antigua - Guatemalan Cooking Class

• November 26th

• Antigua Bite Size Break
• Antigua - Coffee and market tour
• November 27th
• Earth Lodge – check in by 9pm – Famous Treehouse - http://www.earthlodgeguatemala.com/
• November 28th
• Earth Lodge
• November 29th
• Check out of Earth Lodge
• Travel to Guatemala City
• November 30th
• Copan Honduras Trip - https://www.viator.com/tours/Guatemala-City/Copan-and-Quirigua-Overnight-Trip-from-Guatemala-City/d4595-5555GUACOPQUI
• December 1st
• Day 2 of Copan Honduras Trip - Return 5:30pm

• December 2nd – Fly home from Guatemala City - 11:20am - AM 673
• Arrive Seattle 8:05pm

San Antonio weekend

So I am spending the weekend in San Antonio TX. I am excited to explore my first Texas city. I am staying in the historic Menger Hotel and so far it is awesome. Can't wait to explore the River walk tomorrow and go on a ghost tour in the evening.

Photos Added

I finally went through my photos and added my favorites to the earlier blog entries.  As I was going through I realized I hadn't included any of the lotus field we visited, so those are below.

Bangkok

I had a short but sweet visit to Bangkok. We drove all day with a border crossing with a nice long wait to get into Thailand. Once in Bangkok it turns out that our hotel was actually in a great spot this time and was super modern. It was difficult to want to leave the hotel at all but we had dinner and drinks on the popular nighty life streets just a 10 minute walk from the hotel.

This morning I got up early and went to the Royal palace and to see the emerald Buddha. I went in right when it opened so I had plenty of time to battle through tour groups and got shopping in before it was back to the hotel to shower, check out and make my way to the airport.

I am boarding my flight home from Taipei note. Can't wait to get home.

Battenbang

We left Siem Reap at 8am to head to Battenbang Cambodia our last city. We go there at just about noon. Our hotel looked really nice from the outside which was a great change from the last one. They greeted us with a disgusting drink and nice cold towels that smelled very strongly of menthol. Our rooms were not ready yet to we went into town for lunch. It was a great place actually. They did fresh juices so I had an apple, carrot and ginger juice with a Cambodian version of a bahn mi.

Hanna, Emma, Erica and I were all on the same afternoon tour of the city so we had a couple of hours to walk around first. It was super hot and we walked pretty constantly the whole time but it was worth it. We saw a pagoda with Buddhist monks living in it and several of the French colonial houses. I was hot and tired when we got back but we left almost immediately for a tuk tuk tour. 

Our first stop was a rice paper making family. It was a similar process to the coconut paper but for their fire they use the rice husks leaving almost nothing unused from the rice. Then we went to see rice noodles being made by a family for surrounding restaurants. They started my grinding rice, then making it into a paste. The best part was the 75 year old man who was pressing the paste into noodles using a huge stick over the pot of boiling water. Once cooked and cooled the noodles were coiled into bundles and put into baskets for the restaurants.

Next it was out to ride the bamboo train. You kind of have to read about it because it is amazing that they even run. They are fast but bumpy and with no rails. It was quite an experience.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norry?wprov=sfla

We had a cooking class next. It turns out out was with our tuk tuk driver. In his house on an amazing rooftop kitchen space he taught us to cook Cambodian chicken curry, spring rolls and fish amok. It was a amazing experience.