Archive for the ‘Travel’ Category
Top 5 Unusual Stockholm Hotels
November 25th, 2009 | 
Author: 
rome sanzio asked:
Every now and then, it is normal for everyone to crave something different and out of the way. One day, you might wake up and for no apparent reason feel like skipping work and spending the day at the movies instead. Or this need for variation may be exhibited in small, somewhat insignificant ways such as opting to order a cold latte with whipped cream instead of the usual hot decaf latte you start your mornings with or wearing white socks instead of the usual black.
Travel and vacations are considered by many as the ultimate form of deviating from the common daily routines we usually lead since it is on vacation and travel that we see new sights, meet new people, and experience new things. However, even vacationing and traveling can take on a humdrum vibe through repetition and consistency. Even you might feel bored with your vacations and travels if you visit a beach every summer, rent a cottage in the woods every winter or have dinner at a hotel every Valentine’s day.
Of course, the answer to how you can make vacations and travels more interesting is by injecting some variation and seeking the unusual. One such city that can certainly give you a one-of-a-kind vacation and travel experience like none other is the capital city of Sweden called Stockholm. Take hotels for instance. Most of the rather resemble one another, a five star hotel in this street may be quite identical with the other on the next block. So here’s a list of the top 5 most unusual hotels in Stockholm City that are guaranteed to give a pleasant and surprising twist to your usual vacations and travels.
Langholmen Hotel, Stockholm
This first unusual Stockholm hotel is not for the faint of heart. The main construction which is now called the langholmen Hotel, Stockholm was actually built for an entirely different purpose before it was converted into a hotel. Like a hotel, it once housed several “guests” too, although the reason why they are there are not really their decision and they cannot come and go as they please like in a normal hotel. Yes, the facilities which is now called the Langholmen Hotel in Stockholm was once a prison.
The Olde Crown Prison that once housed miscreants of all sorts now has a more inviting atmosphere to it since it was transformed into a hotel. Although the thick concrete walls and the heavy iron doors still remain, a lot of added comforts and conveniences, a touch of color and an overwhelming sense of history and curiosity has made this former prison a hotel you would not want to escape from.
Nordic Sea Hotel
The Nordic Sea Hotel is another Stockholm hotel that piques can easily pique the interest of tourists, travelers and vacationers. This Stockholm hotel is called the Nordic Sea Hotel because of the existence of a large, impressively noticeable aquarium in the hotel that houses hundreds of colorful fishes, plants and other marine animals.
And the presence of the Absolut IceBar definitely boosts up the popularity of the hotel too. You may need fur coats and mittens though because the entire bar, from floor to ceiling and even the glasses, are made from ice.
Af Chapman and Skeppsholmen
If you think a life at sea is both romantic and adventurous, then you might want to stay at the Af Chapman and Skeppsholmen hostel in Stockholm. The hostel is actually found in a boat, or rather the hostel is a boat. A British ship more than a century ago set is anchors along the shores of Sweden and several decades later, it was converted to the hostel we now know as the Af Chapman and Skeppsholmen. You are sure to get a good night’s sleep in this Stockholm hotel since the waves of the Lake Malaren would rock you to sleep.
Nordic Light Hotel
If ice bars and humongous aquariums do not pique your curiosity, then maybe the enchanting northern lights would. Experience a dazzling vacation if you check-in at the Nordic Light Hotel also in Stockholm since the entire hotel is based upon the beauty and fascination that the northern lights are popular for. You can easily change the mood and color of your own hotel suite or room by changing the lights at the Nordic Light Hotel. If you’re feeling light, a golden yellow lighting may be great and if you want to add a touch of romance, soft pink lights are perfect.
Vanadis Hotell & Bad
And finally, there is also the unusual and historic Vanadis Hotell & Bad which was made from a bathing facility. Bath houses are popular during the early 20th and late 19th century and one of these bath houses was converted into a hotel when the concept slowly lost popularity. The bath house theme is still present and can be seen at the amazing Vanadis Hotell pool area.
For more Stockholm hotel information, whether unusual or not, visit www.Stockholm.net now!
5 Essential Things to do in Devon For Families
Sandy Lee asked:
There are plenty of things to do in Devon especially for families. Crealy Adventure Park, Devon’s biggest indoor and outdoor adventure park, has 100 acres packed with thrilling rides, play zones, friendly animals and locally sourced food. Brave pirates can board the Queen Bess Pirate ship or ride the Tidal Wave Log Flume. Count down to lift-off on the Meteorite, or dare to enter the lair of the Cave Bears and defend yourself from flying molten lava balls. Enjoy endless play in the Adventure Zone, go panning for gold, meet the ponies in the Pony Grooming Parlour, ride on the Victorian Carousel, or race a Techno Kart. Crealy Adventure Park is Devon’s ultimate adventure playgrounds and a fabulous, fun-filled family day out for all.
Ride a Steam Train
If you love the chuffing of a steam train, playful otters and exotic butterflies then why not take a trip on the South Devon Railway? Step aboard one of their original carriages pulled by a gleaming engine and ride alongside the river Dart to Buckfastleigh, home of the Transport Museum and where the engines are maintained – heaven for boys big and small! Next door at the Dartmoor Otter Sanctuary, rescued otters frolic in specially built enclosures, where you can see them swimming underwater. In the steamy surroundings of the Buckfastleigh Butterfly House, brilliantly coloured butterflies flit through the air. For those who enjoy farm animals the Totnes Rare Breeds Farm is adjacent to the Totnes South Devon station.
Hang out with Sharks
Like fish with big teeth? Then Plymouth’s National Marine Aquarium has some residents they’d love you to meet. Here you can watch seahorses dancing in the Weird Creatures Zone, watch Emily, Enzo and Howardine the sand tiger sharks patrolling the huge Mediterranean Zone or watch Snorkel the logger head turtle gracefully swimming over reefs full of colourful fish and blacktip reef sharks in the Coral Sea Zone. Visit the Shallow Water Zone, home of Ernie the octopus and where the creatures of Plymouth Sound come into the aquarium’s rock pool.
Surfing in North Devon
If a family surfing safari is on your list of things to do in Devon, then Devon’s north coast is the perfect location with its sandy beaches where you can surf the Atlantic rollers. The beaches of Croyde and Woolacombe are the top spots to visit. Croyde boasts a five to one student to instructor ratio at the Surfing Croyde Bay Surfing School, whilst over at Woolacombe the Nick Thorne Surf School will help you master the fundamentals of the sport. They even hold kid’s surfing parties for a birthday with a difference!
Quaywest
If your family like their fun wet and wild then Quaywest must be one of your things to do in Devon. Quaywest is Britain’s biggest, wildest and wettest theme park, with its eight slides, two kiddies pool areas and swimming pool. Thrill seekers can take the 65ft plunge at the Devils Drop, experience the Wild Kamikaze or take a tube ride on the Raging Rapids. Little folk will love to splash and slide in the Toon Town Pool, or climbing aboard the Submarine Adventure. The park is open from May to September and nearby Goodrington sands, an award winning blue flag beach, is ideal for a spot of sandcastle building.
Bizarre Barbados Facts
Darshi Chohan asked:
Barbados is a beautiful, independent West Indian Continental island in the Atlantic Ocean. Luxury Barbados holidays are popular amongst tourists, and with a range of luxury Barbados hotels to choose from, you can find excellent accommodation to suit all tastes.
For a quieter holiday, pick out a Barbados boutique hotel, and spend your days on more secluded beaches away from the tourist crowds. Encircled by coral reefs set in crystal clear waters, you can enjoy your island paradise while you lounge on the beach as the golden sand trickles between your toes.
But Barbados is full of bizarre stories that are worth exploring too, with the coffins of Christ Church, the miniature snake in the Eastern region of the island, and a few odd locals beliefs making for interesting stories to research while on a luxury holiday in Barbados.
The Moving Christ Church Coffins
The parish of Christ Church is situated on the southern end of the island. Christ Church contains a major fishing centre, its main town, Oistins. A stay in a Barbados boutique hotel in this little town could give you the opportunity to live the life of a local, as you get to know the fisherman and stroll around the harbour.
The centre of the island’s tourism lies around Saint Lawrence Gap, where the selection of luxury hotels in Barbados is plentiful. The area has a buzzing nightlife, with a range of bars and clubs to entertain you. You’ll meet both locals and tourists when out at night, giving you a well-rounded experience on a luxury holiday in Barbados.
Christ Church is steeped in mystery, and a chat with the locals will let you in on the secrets of the land. Chase Vault is the keeper of a nearly two-hundred-year-old mystery, and much research has been done into its peculiar history. While nobody has yet confirmed the truth, perhaps you will discover something new whilst exploring on your Barbados luxury holiday.
In the Chase Vault, a number of ancient coffins are kept. These coffins are encased in a vault with a locked door, sealed shut by a giant boulder cemented into the ground. In 1812, the door was sealed with three coffins lying side-by-side, with other coffins placed on top. In 1819 when the vault was re-opened by Lord Combermere, the coffins were scattered about the room, with some upside down and others flung on their sides.
This controversy was well documented, and tied in with similar happenings in Suffolk and in a Lutheran cemetery on the Isle of Oesel in the Baltic Sea. This spurred much debate, and a theory was put forward about Masonic involvement, with claims of Masonic symbolism being present in the mysterious event. Determine the truth for yourself, as you spend an afternoon collecting evidence while on your Barbados luxury holiday.
The Smallest Snake
Another odd fact about Barbados is that it is home to the world’s smallest snake. An American evolutionary biologist discovered the snake in a tiny forest on the eastern side of Barbados. The snake is as thin as a spaghetti noodle, and when curled up, can fit into the size of an American quarter coin.
While you may not spot this tiny snake when on a luxury Barbados holiday on the eastern coast, a trip to the area will not be in vain. With a rugged Atlantic coastline waiting to be explored and beautiful beaches to relax on, all you need is to find a luxury Barbados hotel to complete your perfect holiday.
Barbados is a beautiful, independent West Indian Continental island in the Atlantic Ocean. Luxury Barbados holidays are popular amongst tourists, and with a range of luxury Barbados hotels to choose from, you can find excellent accommodation to suit all tastes.
For a quieter holiday, pick out a Barbados boutique hotel, and spend your days on more secluded beaches away from the tourist crowds. Encircled by coral reefs set in crystal clear waters, you can enjoy your island paradise while you lounge on the beach as the golden sand trickles between your toes.
But Barbados is full of bizarre stories that are worth exploring too, with the coffins of Christ Church, the miniature snake in the Eastern region of the island, and a few odd locals beliefs making for interesting stories to research while on a luxury holiday in Barbados.
The Moving Christ Church Coffins
The parish of Christ Church is situated on the southern end of the island. Christ Church contains a major fishing centre, its main town, Oistins. A stay in a Barbados boutique hotel in this little town could give you the opportunity to live the life of a local, as you get to know the fisherman and stroll around the harbour.
The centre of the island’s tourism lies around Saint Lawrence Gap, where the selection of luxury hotels in Barbados is plentiful. The area has a buzzing nightlife, with a range of bars and clubs to entertain you. You’ll meet both locals and tourists when out at night, giving you a well-rounded experience on a luxury holiday in Barbados.
Christ Church is steeped in mystery, and a chat with the locals will let you in on the secrets of the land. Chase Vault is the keeper of a nearly two-hundred-year-old mystery, and much research has been done into its peculiar history. While nobody has yet confirmed the truth, perhaps you will discover something new whilst exploring on your Barbados luxury holiday.
In the Chase Vault, a number of ancient coffins are kept. These coffins are encased in a vault with a locked door, sealed shut by a giant boulder cemented into the ground. In 1812, the door was sealed with three coffins lying side-by-side, with other coffins placed on top. In 1819 when the vault was re-opened by Lord Combermere, the coffins were scattered about the room, with some upside down and others flung on their sides.
This controversy was well documented, and tied in with similar happenings in Suffolk and in a Lutheran cemetery on the Isle of Oesel in the Baltic Sea. This spurred much debate, and a theory was put forward about Masonic involvement, with claims of Masonic symbolism being present in the mysterious event. Determine the truth for yourself, as you spend an afternoon collecting evidence while on your Barbados luxury holiday.
The Smallest Snake
Another odd fact about Barbados is that it is home to the world’s smallest snake. An American evolutionary biologist discovered the snake in a tiny forest on the eastern side of Barbados. The snake is as thin as a spaghetti noodle, and when curled up, can fit into the size of an American quarter coin.
While you may not spot this tiny snake when on a luxury Barbados holiday on the eastern coast, a trip to the area will not be in vain. With a rugged Atlantic coastline waiting to be explored and beautiful beaches to relax on, all you need is to find a luxury Barbados hotel to complete your perfect holiday.
Latest Projects Abroad News From the Taricaya Conservation Research Centre in Peru
Projects Abroad asked:
February saw the arrival of our 500th volunteer at Taricaya and that made the month special to those of us who have been involved in the project from its infancy. As the Taricaya family continues to expand, I am still constantly amazed by the dedication and commitment of volunteers at the centre as they create their own part of Taricaya’s history. This month was no different to any other with more than enough work to keep us all busy and plenty more left to be done!
The seasonal rains finally arrived with vengeance this month and the depressions around the reserve began to fill with water. This makes some areas of the reserve inaccessible for those unwilling to wade through a few swamps but fortunately volunteers and staff relish such adventure and “swamp” clothes were separated for the times when a soaking became inevitable. One such occasion was the successful release of our ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) together with a radio collar. Whilst this particular cat is no threat to people, its presence around the lodge needed to be avoided for the safety of the other residents in the animal release program. A young paca or baby spider monkey would make a tasty snack for a hungry ocelot and so we hade to take her further into the reserve. With the collar duly attached volunteers took it in turns to carry her through the swamps and out to EMTO colpa where we released the margay (Leopardus wiedii) in 2005. This site is deep in our reserve but not close to any of the borders so a safe place for the ocelot to establish its territory. It will not compete with the margay as the ocelot is larger, primarily terrestrial and more active by day whereas the margay is nocturnal and prefers an arboreal lifestyle, as demonstrated by our sighting of it on the canopy walkway last year. With the ocelot successfully released we now have the task of monitoring its progress in the wild by means of radio-tracking. This will be exciting for us as we have never actively tracked released animals before and it will be great to get an insight into its natural history as it establishes itself back in the wild.
There was also an accidental release in February as one of our blue and yellow macaws (Ara ararauna) made a bid for freedom one morning as the flock was being fed. The escapee flew through the door as it was being opened and has joined forces with the scarlet macaw (Ara macao) released last month as they both circle the lodge regularly. The blue and yellow macaw is much friendlier than its scarlet cousin and comes down to the hammocks requesting food. It would be easy to recapture the bird but I think it is better flying around the camp and strengthening its flight muscles because there is another blue and yellow macaw approaching its release date. The blue and yellow macaws will almost certainly join up when the other is finally strong enough and I hope to release the other scarlet macaw at the same time so that both species form pairs and start their new lives in the reserve.
The rains have also meant a significant increase in the activity of the reptiles and amphibians around the reserve. The frogs and toads use the temporary water for breeding sites and their mating calls and displays inevitably attract predators such as snakes. The species list continues to grow as we encounter more wonderfully bizarre individuals. Notable captures/sightings in February include a new species of turtle (Chelonia), a rainbow boa, tree frogs (Hyla sp.) and a fantastic dwarf caiman (Paleosuchus trigonatus). The dwarf caiman capture came during a caiman hunt out on the river one night after dinner. One of the talks I give at the centre is on caiman and after the lecture I take volunteers out on the river to catch a caiman and illustrate the points I have previously outlined before releasing it back into the river. It is customary to catch either a black or a spectacled caiman but this time I was amazed to haul in a 1.1 metre dwarf caiman. Not only are these small crocodilians rare but the one I caught was close in length to the largest individual ever recorded. Dwarf caiman are rarely recorded over 1.2m so ours was a relative giant for the species. Their diminutive size means that they cannot compete with the larger caiman species and so dwarf caiman are reclusive and often nomadic and, as a defence against attack, their skins are much tougher with armoured scutes (plates) all over the body. This capture was unbelievable and fuels speculation about what other amazing creatures are out in our reserve awaiting discovery.
The topic of the fish project had become somewhat of a joke at Taricaya as Fondepes, the Peruvian organisation responsible for breeding the young fish, kept postponing the delivery date for the fish we had ordered. Week after week Fernando and I would chase them up with no success and it was looking as though the project would have to be put on hold until next year as water levels started to drop in the creek. It got to the stage where volunteers were laying sweep stakes on whether the fish would arrive at all and if so when!! Then amazingly when I had all but given up hope the babies arrived in their oxygen-enriched bags ready for release into our floating nursery. After acclimatising the young roe to the cooler temperature of the creek by floating them in their bags we then transferred them to the nursery. Now we must monitor growth rates and costs of food to conclude whether the project would be economically viable for the locals as yet another alternative source of income. Should the project prove successful then we will help slow down the over-fishing of the rivers that currently takes place and also provide the locals with a means of making money that does not involve illegal extraction from the surrounding forest.
Elsewhere at the pilot farm the flowers are continuing to flourish and we had good harvest last month from Percy’s farm also. The coffee beans are ripe and ready for harvest and the guinea pigs are continuing to reproduce as our base population becomes ever larger. The donkeys are doing well and the young Ronaldinho (named for its ability to kick in any direction!) is growing quickly into a strong juvenile. March will see us out on the trails clearing and remarking after the heavy storms of the wet season. The new mammal enclosure will be finished and work will continue on the existing projects. New accommodation in the form of more bungalows is also planned for March so Taricaya is continuing to expand and the hard work of everyone involved with the project continues to bear fruit as we continue to pioneer conservation work in Peruvian Amazon.
Find Out About Our Conservation Project in Peru
www.projects-abroad.co.uk
February saw the arrival of our 500th volunteer at Taricaya and that made the month special to those of us who have been involved in the project from its infancy. As the Taricaya family continues to expand, I am still constantly amazed by the dedication and commitment of volunteers at the centre as they create their own part of Taricaya’s history. This month was no different to any other with more than enough work to keep us all busy and plenty more left to be done!
The seasonal rains finally arrived with vengeance this month and the depressions around the reserve began to fill with water. This makes some areas of the reserve inaccessible for those unwilling to wade through a few swamps but fortunately volunteers and staff relish such adventure and “swamp” clothes were separated for the times when a soaking became inevitable. One such occasion was the successful release of our ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) together with a radio collar. Whilst this particular cat is no threat to people, its presence around the lodge needed to be avoided for the safety of the other residents in the animal release program. A young paca or baby spider monkey would make a tasty snack for a hungry ocelot and so we hade to take her further into the reserve. With the collar duly attached volunteers took it in turns to carry her through the swamps and out to EMTO colpa where we released the margay (Leopardus wiedii) in 2005. This site is deep in our reserve but not close to any of the borders so a safe place for the ocelot to establish its territory. It will not compete with the margay as the ocelot is larger, primarily terrestrial and more active by day whereas the margay is nocturnal and prefers an arboreal lifestyle, as demonstrated by our sighting of it on the canopy walkway last year. With the ocelot successfully released we now have the task of monitoring its progress in the wild by means of radio-tracking. This will be exciting for us as we have never actively tracked released animals before and it will be great to get an insight into its natural history as it establishes itself back in the wild.
There was also an accidental release in February as one of our blue and yellow macaws (Ara ararauna) made a bid for freedom one morning as the flock was being fed. The escapee flew through the door as it was being opened and has joined forces with the scarlet macaw (Ara macao) released last month as they both circle the lodge regularly. The blue and yellow macaw is much friendlier than its scarlet cousin and comes down to the hammocks requesting food. It would be easy to recapture the bird but I think it is better flying around the camp and strengthening its flight muscles because there is another blue and yellow macaw approaching its release date. The blue and yellow macaws will almost certainly join up when the other is finally strong enough and I hope to release the other scarlet macaw at the same time so that both species form pairs and start their new lives in the reserve.
The rains have also meant a significant increase in the activity of the reptiles and amphibians around the reserve. The frogs and toads use the temporary water for breeding sites and their mating calls and displays inevitably attract predators such as snakes. The species list continues to grow as we encounter more wonderfully bizarre individuals. Notable captures/sightings in February include a new species of turtle (Chelonia), a rainbow boa, tree frogs (Hyla sp.) and a fantastic dwarf caiman (Paleosuchus trigonatus). The dwarf caiman capture came during a caiman hunt out on the river one night after dinner. One of the talks I give at the centre is on caiman and after the lecture I take volunteers out on the river to catch a caiman and illustrate the points I have previously outlined before releasing it back into the river. It is customary to catch either a black or a spectacled caiman but this time I was amazed to haul in a 1.1 metre dwarf caiman. Not only are these small crocodilians rare but the one I caught was close in length to the largest individual ever recorded. Dwarf caiman are rarely recorded over 1.2m so ours was a relative giant for the species. Their diminutive size means that they cannot compete with the larger caiman species and so dwarf caiman are reclusive and often nomadic and, as a defence against attack, their skins are much tougher with armoured scutes (plates) all over the body. This capture was unbelievable and fuels speculation about what other amazing creatures are out in our reserve awaiting discovery.
The topic of the fish project had become somewhat of a joke at Taricaya as Fondepes, the Peruvian organisation responsible for breeding the young fish, kept postponing the delivery date for the fish we had ordered. Week after week Fernando and I would chase them up with no success and it was looking as though the project would have to be put on hold until next year as water levels started to drop in the creek. It got to the stage where volunteers were laying sweep stakes on whether the fish would arrive at all and if so when!! Then amazingly when I had all but given up hope the babies arrived in their oxygen-enriched bags ready for release into our floating nursery. After acclimatising the young roe to the cooler temperature of the creek by floating them in their bags we then transferred them to the nursery. Now we must monitor growth rates and costs of food to conclude whether the project would be economically viable for the locals as yet another alternative source of income. Should the project prove successful then we will help slow down the over-fishing of the rivers that currently takes place and also provide the locals with a means of making money that does not involve illegal extraction from the surrounding forest.
Elsewhere at the pilot farm the flowers are continuing to flourish and we had good harvest last month from Percy’s farm also. The coffee beans are ripe and ready for harvest and the guinea pigs are continuing to reproduce as our base population becomes ever larger. The donkeys are doing well and the young Ronaldinho (named for its ability to kick in any direction!) is growing quickly into a strong juvenile. March will see us out on the trails clearing and remarking after the heavy storms of the wet season. The new mammal enclosure will be finished and work will continue on the existing projects. New accommodation in the form of more bungalows is also planned for March so Taricaya is continuing to expand and the hard work of everyone involved with the project continues to bear fruit as we continue to pioneer conservation work in Peruvian Amazon.
Find Out About Our Conservation Project in Peru
www.projects-abroad.co.uk
Cuba.na Na Na Na Na Salsa
Alice asked:
I know there is some old saying to do with the first half of your life you are looked after by your parents and the second half you your life you look after your parents. Well I’ve been looking after my mother my whole life especially on occasions when my father isn’t around and she goes into complete competency melt down. The first time my dad went on a business trip abroad, she managed (and don’t ask me how) to put her hand in the bottom of the lawn mower whilst it was still running. I can still see, and will forever have imprinted in to my brain the moment when she shoved her hand in a sink full of water which instantaneously turned a deep shade of red, a bit like in the movie ‘Jaws’. Duggan women aren’t of a strong stomached nature and on my mother passing out, my sister ran out of the room with the good intension of phoning a family friend from down the road for help, only to pass out on the way due to “sight of blood”. So you are left with nine year old Alice running between relations with wet towels and sugar water trying to revive both. Needless to say I was rewarded on my Dad’s return from Hong Kong with a big bag of Haribo for being ‘daddy’s brave little girl’ and my mother was never allowed to mow the lawn again.
So this gives you an idea of the mental status of Mrs Duggan when embarking on a journey in to the depths of the Caribbean with her least responsible daughter, without the only man in the world that can salvage any situation no mater how dire. I’d like to say I was sympathetic towards this but in honesty if I see weakness in some one I kinda play on it? “You’ve got the passports right?”, “Flight IS from Gatwick not Heathrow right?” etc.. Cruel really, but highly amusing. Anyhow the joke was on me on arriving at Gatwick at 4.30am to find that our 07.55am flight to Havana with Cubana airways was not anywhere to be seen on the board, and after half an hour frantic running around to discover that the plane on which we were meant to be flying on (that was meant to arrive in the UK at 6.20am from Havana) had not even left Cuba yet. Another half an hour later it was revealed that the plane was faulty and another plane was being shipped in from Madrid and due to leave at 2.30pm. Marvellous. Anybody got any great suggestions how to spend 9 hours in Gatwick airport departures? No me either. Reading maybe – well I cleverly packed all my nice easy going books in my main luggage and was carrying only Ernest Hemingway, For Whom the Bell Tolls, trying to embrace the whole Cuba thing, which is not the easiest read to pass time, believe me. So giving in I bought a puzzler, plugged my ipod in and watched the weird and wonderful existence of the airport departure lounge inhabitant (and it is no wonder they make so many tv shows about them!)
Well the plane didn’t go at 2.30, it went at 4.30 and you’d think maybe after the hell my now extended family of Cubana airways victims had been through, we would be treated like movie stars, pampered with drinks and nibbles, checked on at ever available moment. Well you would think wrong and must be alerted to the fact that the communist regime demands Cubans all work, for more or less the same wage, and are in no danger of losing there jobs…..so where is the incentive to do their job well, especially when surrounded by hundreds of high maintenance tourists?! Anyways the plane had no entertainment, seating was a free for all, the staff were rude to the point of disbelief, there was a fucking annoying group of school kids among which were two blossoming lovers sat in front of me who snogged for the WHOLE 11 hour journey, and, as I had banished any hope of a vegetarian meal, no food. Gosh I sound like my grandma moaning. Still I console myself in the fact that the money spent on the flights went in to the Cuban economy and the not the pocket of that **** Branson.
Anyways with plenty of time on my hand I though it was about time I tackled the lonely planets guide “A brief history of Cuba”. And so the obsession began…..
Hands up, I knew very little about the Cuban culture/history before I went (“They’re communists, right?”) and generally have no interest in learning about history of places. A few years back I spent a month travelling in Japan with two of my bestest friends, one who was living out there for a few years. We had a great time, however both being History(ish) students I can imagine my “You’ve seen one temple you’ve seen them all, lets go do Karaoke again” mentality grated a bit. I figured I would be the same in Cuba… “yes yes very nice now lets go dance salsa and drink rum!” Unfortunately, I don’t know if I’m getting older and this is what happens, but I’m absolutely fascinated by the whole shebang.
So as I say all I knew was they were communists and that recently some dude called Castro had stepped down. I was concerned that this may cause mayhem and riots but was assured by work colleagues that caribbeaners(?!) are far to busy drinking rum and smoking cigars to get all worked up about stuff, and as long as the yanks stayed away there was unlikely to be any civil unrest (and I would hope that the yanks had f*cked up enough countries in the last few years to stay away, at least until I had got a sun tan).
Reading the guide helped set the scene for me so I jotted down a little summary of events as I saw them:
-Native Cubans all lived happily
-Natives of another Caribbean island arrive, kill all the native Cubans and live happily
-Spanish turn up and **** things up – killing loads and using the rest for slaves
-400 years later Jose Marti leads a revolution to get freed from the Spaniards and the USA step in last minute and steal the glory
-USA REALLY **** things up
-A group of rude boys (inc. Castro and Che Guavara) plot to over throw the Americans and some **** Batista, and trampled them freeing Cuban residents giving them the ‘ideal’ existence
-To **** of the US, Russia keep Cuba alive by buying lots of sugar and cigars
- Russia (or I should say the USSR) fucks up (greedy bastards) and Cuba gets screwed over and people are starving
- They start letting in lots of snappy happy tourists (such as myself) to take all their money so they can eat again.
So you can see why I gave up history at the 1st available moment!
Anyways back to the long gruelling flight…..we eventually got off that blasted craft about 1am Cuban time (5am English) due to a rather extended drop off in Holguin, and rushed through visa check and baggage which took us in to arrivals about 2am….
So first thought is will our transfer be there seeing we were meant to arrive at 4pm? On first inspection no, but after half an hour panic we deduced that our company we booked with has two names – how fucking stupid of us! So we taxied off in to Havana praying our hotel had 24hr reception. Unfortunately I didn’t get to see much of the city on the drive as planned being 3am but at least we were on our way. Getting closer to the hotel I started getting a nauseous feeling which is far too familiar with me now being in a city at night, stemming from a nasty incident in Barcelona a few years back (and yes the story gets more elaborate each time it is told – they had knives you know, did I say knives? I meant guns). So I wasn’t all best pleased when I found out our taxi couldn’t drive down the street our hotel was on and intended to leave us at the end of it. A few pesos (I’ll explain money later) encouraged him to wait while mother dear (entirely unfazed by this) ran up the road to check it was open. Halle-fucking-lujah it was. Almost kissing the cab driver I popped on my backpack and headed up the road to the lovely “Beltran de Santa Cruz” Hotel.
So being greeted with a smile by the receptionist he then blurts out “There is a bit of a problem with your room, the plumbing has broken and we have had to relocate you to another hotel, it is only just 5 minutes round the corner across the square”
What point would you snap? Honestly? I snapped here. “Look buddy, We’ve been up for 30 hours, 13 of these spend in fucking Gatwick airport, 13 on a fucking aeroplane fresh out of Bedrock and the rest in transit between these places, we haven’t eaten, we haven’t changed out underwear, we haven’t cleaned our teeth, and we smell like dead fucking rats and you are trying to tell me that you are going to make 2 poor helpless women lug there baggage across a city unknown to them at 4am in the morning to go to a hotel because you have a fucking plumbing problem?”
At least that is what was being said in my head…what I actually said, in a very weak and feeble whine “Please will you come with us, I’m scared”. And bless his cottons he did.
Eventually my head touched a pillow at 5.30am Cuba time (9.30am English) after dealing with the final disaster of the night that on opening my rucksack I found my suncream had exploded all over my stuff. A perfect start to a holiday wouldn’t you agree? Things could only get better.
I guess maybe I should actually tell you something about my trip instead of my script from “Holidays from hell”.
This was my first and most definitely not last trip to the Caribbean. I think I was about 8 when I bought “100% reggae” and decided that I would spend my honeymoon in Jamaica, so I hope I will again reach these shores, given I can find someone who will marry me. Plus there are so many other places to visit, St Lucia, Barbados, Antigua, Bahamas etc etc…Lets hope this future husband is rich! Cuba, however seems to have something different to the rest and walking out in to the sunny streets of Havana that first morning confirmed this. The Cubana airways big day out suddenly seemed a distant memory. Breath taking architecture ranging from the Spanish colonial style buildings in old Havana, (many completely derelict, but in a funky way!), to neo classical in the vedado district and art deco American influence in central Havana. Diversity that I have never seen in any city, and with the added benefit that unlike most cities they have avoided shoving eyesore 1970s tower blocks dead in the centre of some beautiful area. Any run down ugly buildings just added to the character.
It isn’t a cliché that there are bands playing at every restaurant, on every street corner with people singing and dancing around. Its true, I was there. The first pit stop was at il Patio restaurant in Cathedral square (possibly my favourite mojito of the whole holiday, though there were many and the 1st is bound to taste best!). There was a little 3 piece band playing (guitar, sax and bass) while some nut case woman danced around (mum said she had been there 2 years ago when her and my sister had gone!). They were awesome, I just couldn’t get enough of it! Then this guy from the crowd (Italian I think) just waltzed up, asked to have a go on the sax and just wiped the floor with some improvisation which put anything I ever managed when I played in to a remedial category. That wouldn’t happen anywhere else in the world and the punters went mad for it!
So the first day was mostly spent getting a feel for the place. Walking around getting lost, stopping for mojitos every now and again taking several thousand of photos at every new street at every possible angle. In the afternoon we did (on recommendation by some friends) a ferry trip across to the other side of the water to climb up to a fort (and a MASSIVE statue of Jesus). It was really fun actually as this clearly wasn’t a main tourist attraction and the ferry seemed to be literally the locals bus to and from work. We stuck out like sore thumbs! Also at the top of our little trek we discovered not only amazing views of Havana but also a mini museum of Che Guavara’s house where he lived post revolution and pre him running off to help Bolivia and get himself killed. Here I discovered he had asthma, just like me, which briefly inspired me to go and start a revolution, but I soon got over it.
Food in Cuba is shit, I mean really ****. I don’t actually understand how they can get it so wrong, but they do and especially as a vegetarian we were screwed. You get eggs, lots of eggs, so many eggs that the word is still making me feel physically sick. Mother, having been here before knew all this so had packed a kettle and a big bag of cous cous to help us in dire situations, but had also brilliantly worked out the whereabouts of the only Italian restaurant (possibly in the whole of Cuba) so in Havana at least we managed to get half decent meals! So after munching our way through a big margarita and one more quick mojito we scooted off to bed pretty early, still kinda fucked from the previous days monstrosities.
The second day was one massive lecture on politics and history for me. Though normally this concept would make me shudder with fear and despair, as I said before I’m utterly gripped by the fact that this teeny little spec on the earth’s surface has contributed so much to the history of the human race. We had a bit of fun first though getting a taxi ride to the Plaza de la Revolucion in a classic, bright purple (my favourite!) 1950s Buick with a rather bemused driver being made to pose for many a cheesy snap! The Plaza is kinda bare unfortunately with only 2 things to see. Firstly the Jose Marti memorial statue in front of the massive lookout, which we went up to get some awesome views across the city and watch lots of scary turkey vultures circle around it. And secondly my favourite bit – the huge Che image on the side of the government building with ‘Hasta la Victoria Siempre’ (Forever Onwards Towards Victory) written along side. I have a bit of a Che obsession to be honest, is it weird to think he was hot? Anyways bare as it was it felt pretty cool to be standing where so many political rallies and addresses from Castro and other revolutionaries has taken place.
After this we got a bug taxi (look at pics) to the hotel nationale (very posh!). It was so funny watching so many people turn up in mercs and swish cars and we turn up in a little yellow blob! Here we had a mojito looking out across the water to where we had been the previous day and then set off on quite a bit walk down the sea front where we finally ended up at the Museum of the Revolution. Here contained everything you would ever need to know about Cuba from the dawn of time. At some point it was really quite bizarre how much detail they added – “Here is the spoon Castro used whilst hiding in Argentina” – no joke! But it was fascinating. I won’t bother saying much about it (as I’ve already given you my brief history of Cuba) but one of the highlights was the “Wall of Cretins” thanking various political idiots for their input in causing/consolidating the revolution. They really don’t give a **** who they insult!
The next day we had rather a stressful bus journey (6 hours – 1 toilet stop) to a supposed beautiful, friendly colonial town though on first impressions this didn’t seem to be the case. The bus ride in showed some really quite nasty, run down areas lacking in the Havana charm, and on arrival into the bus station crowds of people were literally being restrained from mobbing us. They were advertising there “casas” – equivalent to hostelling in Cuba is to stay in casas with a Cuban family who cook and provide for you, but it all seemed all to threatening for me. So we jumped in a cab and headed for our hotel ‘Las Cuevas’ (the caves). Any doubts about the next few days in this place were soon dissolved when we saw how lush where we were staying was!! We dumped our luggage and were straight to poolside sampling the local delicacies – mojitos, pina colladas, and rather bizarre red, orange and blue drinks called Trinidad Colonials, which I took a liking to. We managed to befriend a group of locals in no time who were feeding us more rum and nibbles and giving us salsa lessons. I was pretty pro already after my set of classes I went to in my “I’m sad, lonely and desperate and need to learn salsa to meet more sad lonely and desperate people phase”, but I did learn a new step which was nice. Plus got a chance to laugh at my completely uncoordinated mother. Then at about 5pm, in a matter of 3 minutes the sky was covered in thick black clouds and the heavens opened. I’ve never been in a tropical storm before and I just found it absolutely hilarious – the whole area was flooded after 2 mins of rain, yet it is still bloody boiling and people were still dancing and in the pool! I asked my new best friend Tiago how long these storms usually last to which he replied “That is up to St Peter” – can’t argue with that!
For our first full day in Trinidad we got up bright and early and put on our **** walking gear and headed off into the mountains on a hike with another unfairly beautiful couple from the hotel and our lovely little tour guide Jordan, who kinda sounded like Borat when he talked which was a tad off putting but you got used to it!
The first part was walking through Trinidad centre which was a lot nicer than it had seemed from the bus the day before – lovely and colourful, with people all going about there everyday business or hanging about in there door ways, playing the guitar or selling fresh fruit. The second bit took us across some fields in to the national park in the thick jungle like mountains. We hiked for about two hours ending up eventually at a gorgeous waterfall and water reserve where Cuban kids were jumping in and playing. I abstained as always when is comes to water that may contain living things. Though I did dip my feet in and noticed a huge lobster like nasty thing crawling around on the bottom and concluded that I had made the right decision.
The hike back was not as fun. The midday heat had really hit in and Trinidad town is located on top of a hill and our hotel on top of a hill on that hill and energy levels were most definitely low by the end. Still we had an afternoon once again of cocktails by the pool and salsa dancing so can’t complain! This evening after dinner (hotel buffet slop) we were treated to an Afro-Caribbean traditional show. 4 uber hot black dudes pranced around stage doing crazy things like eating hot coal and picking up tables with their teeth. It was rather ****** and I may have left a little puddle on my seat.
Next day was our last day in Trinidad town as we were heading that evening to the Ancon Peninsula, about 30 mins south of Trinidad on the coast. Still we made the most of the morning in the hotel. It was actually called Las Cuevas for a reason and (as you probably guessed) this is because it was situated above a group of caves. One of which is open for tours during the day and very funkily becomes a night club by night (though we never went to this unfortunately). So my little buddy Tiago took us on a tour of it which was just amazing! Stalagmites and stalactites to your hearts content – could just imaging people salsaing around them! He he!
After this it was a bit more pool but, as seemed to be the pattern here, late afternoon St Peter pissed on us so we decided we may as well transfer to the new place while the weather was crappy. So off we went through town (which at this point resembled a river) and down to the coast for a few days of sunbathing and chilling. Arriving at the place it seemed nice enough but being an all-inclusive had a rather different clientele, namely idiotic, drunk, burnt Brits. Well I only saw one of these to be honest, a 50ish year old fat northerner who was being rude to a bar man, but it just really got me annoyed. I just don’t understand these people who just want to go on holiday to not actually experience anything of the country, treat the staff like slaves, and abuse the unlimited available alcohol. Anyways we checked in and had an explore and felt pretty disappointed to find that the ‘beach’ didn’t actually really exist– well there was a patch of sand but it didn’t extend to the sea. Compared to our last place it just all seemed a bit, well seedy. The sun wasn’t quite back out so we camped at the pool bar and had a few drinks. My mum, sensing that it wasn’t quite perfect, and of a far too sensitive nature decided to drink a few to many pinas and start really getting on my **** by being over enthusiastic about the place “I’m really warming to this place Alice, I’m really warming to it. Yes, I’m definitely warming to this place”…..then declared she wanted to swim in the ocean before dinner. So in a drastic mother/daughter roll reversal I was trying my best to, in the least patronising way possible explain that to throw herself off a small cliff edge to get to the sea when she was pissed as a **** was possibly not the best idea. Needless to say a combination of her being drunk and over emotional, and me still being a bit wound up and beginning to feel a bit ill culminated in us having our only argument of the holiday involving lots of “I’m just an embarrassment to you” and “I’ve booked us a rubbish holiday I bet you wish you were with your friends” comments……not enjoyable. Especially not enjoyable as the me beginning to feel sick actually turned out to be food poisoning and I spent the next 12 hours on the loo simultaneously pissing out of my ******** and vomiting. Not the highlight of my holiday.
But a new day dawned. Feeling rather weakened from my night in the shitter I abstained from breakfast (if I saw a plate of eggs I don’t know what would have happened) but walking around I suddenly realised what an over reaction the previous day had been. The place was gorgeous. There wasn’t any drunk English people at all – just that one who was only kicking off because they refused to serve him (quite rightly so – the cunt) and even better than that we found the proper beach! A gorgeous little practically deserted beach with a tiny bar behind it and a semi circle of rocks about 100m out where, according to mum, was the best collection of tropical fish she had ever seen. It was perfect for me to whack my ipod on, indulge in a brilliant book (not Hemingway!) and recuperate from my traumatic night, whilst my overly excitable mother swam, and befriended any body who came within 10 feet of us. Much better!
The next day we took advantage of the hotel free bikes and went on a bike ride down through the peninsula. I haven’t been on a bike ride since I was about 10 and after this I just don’t know why?! It was such fun! Admittedly a bike ride surrounded by sea on both sides on a road lined with palm trees is a lot more appealing than cycling down the A413 but it really should be done more often!! We stopped off on the tip of the peninsula where there was a hotel and mum jetted off on a boat trip to do some snorkelling on the reef (I obviously didn’t – I’m not going to go in to my fear of the sea here – you’ll only mock me) and I had a chance to improve on my ‘getting stupid now’ tan (apparently those last 2 years working in suncare hasn’t really changed my opinion on skin cancer).
We had one more morning on the beach after this before our transfer back to Havana which I was actually ready for by this point. Anyone who knows me knows how obsessed I am with being sun tanned but this whole “culture” malarkey had really got to me and I was itching to get back to Havana and learn more! At the end of the day I could get a sun tan in Lanzagrotty if I wanted for a tenth of the price (with the added benefit of picking up a few STIs), and my tan was pretty much perfect by then anyway (if I don’t mind being incredibly arrogant!)
The bus journey back was even more of a fucking nightmare than the way there. 2 hours longer than it should have been, over booked (so people were standing), road closures etc etc. Plus when we got to Havana we were so late that there were no taxis at the bus station to take us to a hotel, and it was bloody raining again! After pretty much every other person on the bus had managed to hail a cab (we need to be more pushy!) we eventually got back to the lovely Beltran and had a gourmet meal of cous cous prepared en suite and settled down to bed ready to make the most of our last day.
The next morning Havana all of a sudden seemed 100 times more amazing than it was when I was there 9 days prior (and it was a pretty amazing then). Just mooching around I suddenly got that horrible “By 5pm this evening this is all going to be over” feeling. And I wasn’t ready for it. Trying not to let it detract, we walked through the beautiful streets of old Havana through cathedral square where we had that first life changing mojito, and on to the sea front where we decided it was time to tackle the hustle and bustle of the markets and buy some pressies and tacky souveniers, a Che Guavara beret being the most important, of course. Then we went on to find firstly a new discovery which was a street which appeared in ALL the paintings of Havana which were on sale in the market. This was a street with a sign hanging down saying “La Bodeguito del Medio” which turned out to be a tiny little bar where Hemingway used to hang out and it seemed many other celebs had been there too as the wall was covered in pictures and signatures. This took us on nicely to our next planned point of call. The Ambos Mundos Hotel, where Hemingway stayed when he was visiting. They have preserved his room exactly how he had it when he stayed and you can look round it. Also the roof of this hotel has a bar so we went up there and whiled away the rest of our afternoon having a few drinks up there, soaking up the city sunshine with fabulous views and lovely company.
On our walk back to the hotel to catch our transfer something occurred to me. These were streets of a capital city and there were people sitting in there doorways nattering, people playing guitars and others dancing and singing around, kids playing baseball, women hanging their washing out there windows. This wouldn’t happen anywhere else, ever. Can you imagine walking through London chatting to people, dancing with them, children playing? I bet 99% of Londoners don’t even know there next door neighbour’s names! And this was communism – everyone equal, everyone working as a team, no greed, no corruption, a real community. And I thought ‘I could do this’ – I could live in an ‘ideal’ world possibly I’d prefer the countryside – where the houses each have a chicken and a plot of land to grow veg. But I could really live like that. I’ve always been against people earning more money than is conceivable doing satanic jobs, effectively only making money by screwing other people over – bankers, lawyers etc. And I’ve been against the situation you are born in to reflecting how far you can make it in life (I know it isn’t meant to be like this but it is). And I love the ideal. Everyone gets the same, provided they work, whatever they do and as a benefit receive a perfect education system, perfect national health service, a perfect everything government run and a complete sense of patriotism. Real patriotism – not just beating up other nation’s football fans patriotism.
I started thinking about England and wondering why I wanted to stay living here. A country where our so called “left wing” prime minister (who apparently is Gordon Brown now, not Tony Blair anymore) spends £2000 of the British tax payers money per year on cleaners for his stupid amount of houses also paid for by the state. And where white trash Vicky Pollards with 10 babies leak money out of the welfare state whilst moaning about the “bloody asians and poles – they come over here taking our jobs and tax money”. They fucking pay tax so why shouldn’t they be entitled to it? I’d rather they got it than the fat **** Keith Millers of the world. It is disgusting really and I don’t want to be a part of it.
But of course Cuba doesn’t have the ideal. The dream is there and I think it probably worked before the eastern block dissolved, but then again if they can’t really support themselves as a single unit then communism fails doesn’t it.
Personally I think one of the major problems as to why things aren’t working as well as they should stems from tourism. Admittedly it saved the country from starvation but it has created no end of issues and seemingly split the people in to two personality types. Type one are mainly the older generation, still very much pro-Castro. These remember and appreciate that they lived well post revolution, pre special period (between the fall of the eastern block and start of tourism), and also appreciate that the tourists saved their arses when things were looking pretty bleak. These people hence treat tourists with gratitude, respect and kindness. The second type, what I’m calling the ‘next’ generation of Cubans, seem to be much more cynical and unsure what they get is really ‘fair’. These people are really quite resentful of tourists often to the point they are just plain rude (turning their backs, shooing away etc). I think the problem is as they are unaware of what life was like before. All they see is these rich idiots, with their snazzy clothes, flash digital cameras and disposable cash to throw about, travelling around seeing all different cultures and places. Everything they can’t have and what they could have if things were different. I suppose it would **** me off.
Another massive problem with letting tourists in is the discrepancy in what people earn depending on whether they work in the tourist industry or not. Money is a bit complex but Cuba has two currencies – local pesos and convertible pesos. Tourists are only eligible to use convertible pesos and each convertible peso is actually worth 10 Cuban pesos. So effectively if I were to go in to a shop and buy a bottle of water – this would cost me say 1cp (around 50p) and a cuban 1p (i.e around 5p). So effectively they are charging tourists ten times for everything which still always seems reasonable to us (2 mojitos tended to be around 5cp – £2.50 – not bad!). This means when you tip someone in a bar, say 1cp – they are getting about £5.00 worth out of it yet it is only costing you 50p. I think this is absolutely genius and I can’t see why other countries haven’t caught on. In Thailand why not charge £5.00 for a meal instead of 50p?! Tourists will still pay £5.00! However the people in tourist industry, with their tips, get much more disposable cash than anyone else which brings about inequality in the people – everything communism isn’t. Take for example the scenario of the hiking trip we did in to the mountains in Trinidad. The cost of this was 7cp each so 14cp in total and seeing as our guide stayed with us from 9am-2pm in the blistering heat enthusiastically talking all the time, we had a 20cp note and told him to keep the change. So he got 6cp – £3 to us, worth £30. This makes you feel great as a tourist. Giving a tip of not that much value to you makes a huge different to the local’s life. In fact their monthly salary is 300p so we actually tipped him a 5th of what he would earn in a month. Crazy really. However you think of all the doctors and teachers etc who slave their arses off and don’t see anything of the sort coming their way. Where is the incentive to work then? This isn’t fair and is where the system really breaks down. You could definitely feel a certain civil unrest and I reckon especially now as Castro has stepped down, big changes are afoot. I guess if you were thinking of going I’d recommend going asap. (Hark at me making political predictions when 2 weeks ago I didn’t even know what communism really meant!)
Anyways enough politics and back to reality. Damn I wish I could but I’m hooked! Six months ago, to spend all my time googling Che Guavara and ‘communism for dummies’ or writing ridiculously long blogs that no-one will read (except maybe Sam – and even he will probably have got bored by now), would have been fine as I had nout better else to do. However right now I do, like revise for these ******* exams, and this new found obsession is greatly reducing the productivity stakes!
All in all the holiday (which is what it was at the end of the day) was a big success. I’d love to go back there and see and do more of it, and like so many places I’ve been I say I will one day. But then I realise that to go back to somewhere I have already been means sacrificing going somewhere new which I can get momentarily obsessed with until the next place…..etc etc.
I know there is some old saying to do with the first half of your life you are looked after by your parents and the second half you your life you look after your parents. Well I’ve been looking after my mother my whole life especially on occasions when my father isn’t around and she goes into complete competency melt down. The first time my dad went on a business trip abroad, she managed (and don’t ask me how) to put her hand in the bottom of the lawn mower whilst it was still running. I can still see, and will forever have imprinted in to my brain the moment when she shoved her hand in a sink full of water which instantaneously turned a deep shade of red, a bit like in the movie ‘Jaws’. Duggan women aren’t of a strong stomached nature and on my mother passing out, my sister ran out of the room with the good intension of phoning a family friend from down the road for help, only to pass out on the way due to “sight of blood”. So you are left with nine year old Alice running between relations with wet towels and sugar water trying to revive both. Needless to say I was rewarded on my Dad’s return from Hong Kong with a big bag of Haribo for being ‘daddy’s brave little girl’ and my mother was never allowed to mow the lawn again.
So this gives you an idea of the mental status of Mrs Duggan when embarking on a journey in to the depths of the Caribbean with her least responsible daughter, without the only man in the world that can salvage any situation no mater how dire. I’d like to say I was sympathetic towards this but in honesty if I see weakness in some one I kinda play on it? “You’ve got the passports right?”, “Flight IS from Gatwick not Heathrow right?” etc.. Cruel really, but highly amusing. Anyhow the joke was on me on arriving at Gatwick at 4.30am to find that our 07.55am flight to Havana with Cubana airways was not anywhere to be seen on the board, and after half an hour frantic running around to discover that the plane on which we were meant to be flying on (that was meant to arrive in the UK at 6.20am from Havana) had not even left Cuba yet. Another half an hour later it was revealed that the plane was faulty and another plane was being shipped in from Madrid and due to leave at 2.30pm. Marvellous. Anybody got any great suggestions how to spend 9 hours in Gatwick airport departures? No me either. Reading maybe – well I cleverly packed all my nice easy going books in my main luggage and was carrying only Ernest Hemingway, For Whom the Bell Tolls, trying to embrace the whole Cuba thing, which is not the easiest read to pass time, believe me. So giving in I bought a puzzler, plugged my ipod in and watched the weird and wonderful existence of the airport departure lounge inhabitant (and it is no wonder they make so many tv shows about them!)
Well the plane didn’t go at 2.30, it went at 4.30 and you’d think maybe after the hell my now extended family of Cubana airways victims had been through, we would be treated like movie stars, pampered with drinks and nibbles, checked on at ever available moment. Well you would think wrong and must be alerted to the fact that the communist regime demands Cubans all work, for more or less the same wage, and are in no danger of losing there jobs…..so where is the incentive to do their job well, especially when surrounded by hundreds of high maintenance tourists?! Anyways the plane had no entertainment, seating was a free for all, the staff were rude to the point of disbelief, there was a fucking annoying group of school kids among which were two blossoming lovers sat in front of me who snogged for the WHOLE 11 hour journey, and, as I had banished any hope of a vegetarian meal, no food. Gosh I sound like my grandma moaning. Still I console myself in the fact that the money spent on the flights went in to the Cuban economy and the not the pocket of that **** Branson.
Anyways with plenty of time on my hand I though it was about time I tackled the lonely planets guide “A brief history of Cuba”. And so the obsession began…..
Hands up, I knew very little about the Cuban culture/history before I went (“They’re communists, right?”) and generally have no interest in learning about history of places. A few years back I spent a month travelling in Japan with two of my bestest friends, one who was living out there for a few years. We had a great time, however both being History(ish) students I can imagine my “You’ve seen one temple you’ve seen them all, lets go do Karaoke again” mentality grated a bit. I figured I would be the same in Cuba… “yes yes very nice now lets go dance salsa and drink rum!” Unfortunately, I don’t know if I’m getting older and this is what happens, but I’m absolutely fascinated by the whole shebang.
So as I say all I knew was they were communists and that recently some dude called Castro had stepped down. I was concerned that this may cause mayhem and riots but was assured by work colleagues that caribbeaners(?!) are far to busy drinking rum and smoking cigars to get all worked up about stuff, and as long as the yanks stayed away there was unlikely to be any civil unrest (and I would hope that the yanks had f*cked up enough countries in the last few years to stay away, at least until I had got a sun tan).
Reading the guide helped set the scene for me so I jotted down a little summary of events as I saw them:
-Native Cubans all lived happily
-Natives of another Caribbean island arrive, kill all the native Cubans and live happily
-Spanish turn up and **** things up – killing loads and using the rest for slaves
-400 years later Jose Marti leads a revolution to get freed from the Spaniards and the USA step in last minute and steal the glory
-USA REALLY **** things up
-A group of rude boys (inc. Castro and Che Guavara) plot to over throw the Americans and some **** Batista, and trampled them freeing Cuban residents giving them the ‘ideal’ existence
-To **** of the US, Russia keep Cuba alive by buying lots of sugar and cigars
- Russia (or I should say the USSR) fucks up (greedy bastards) and Cuba gets screwed over and people are starving
- They start letting in lots of snappy happy tourists (such as myself) to take all their money so they can eat again.
So you can see why I gave up history at the 1st available moment!
Anyways back to the long gruelling flight…..we eventually got off that blasted craft about 1am Cuban time (5am English) due to a rather extended drop off in Holguin, and rushed through visa check and baggage which took us in to arrivals about 2am….
So first thought is will our transfer be there seeing we were meant to arrive at 4pm? On first inspection no, but after half an hour panic we deduced that our company we booked with has two names – how fucking stupid of us! So we taxied off in to Havana praying our hotel had 24hr reception. Unfortunately I didn’t get to see much of the city on the drive as planned being 3am but at least we were on our way. Getting closer to the hotel I started getting a nauseous feeling which is far too familiar with me now being in a city at night, stemming from a nasty incident in Barcelona a few years back (and yes the story gets more elaborate each time it is told – they had knives you know, did I say knives? I meant guns). So I wasn’t all best pleased when I found out our taxi couldn’t drive down the street our hotel was on and intended to leave us at the end of it. A few pesos (I’ll explain money later) encouraged him to wait while mother dear (entirely unfazed by this) ran up the road to check it was open. Halle-fucking-lujah it was. Almost kissing the cab driver I popped on my backpack and headed up the road to the lovely “Beltran de Santa Cruz” Hotel.
So being greeted with a smile by the receptionist he then blurts out “There is a bit of a problem with your room, the plumbing has broken and we have had to relocate you to another hotel, it is only just 5 minutes round the corner across the square”
What point would you snap? Honestly? I snapped here. “Look buddy, We’ve been up for 30 hours, 13 of these spend in fucking Gatwick airport, 13 on a fucking aeroplane fresh out of Bedrock and the rest in transit between these places, we haven’t eaten, we haven’t changed out underwear, we haven’t cleaned our teeth, and we smell like dead fucking rats and you are trying to tell me that you are going to make 2 poor helpless women lug there baggage across a city unknown to them at 4am in the morning to go to a hotel because you have a fucking plumbing problem?”
At least that is what was being said in my head…what I actually said, in a very weak and feeble whine “Please will you come with us, I’m scared”. And bless his cottons he did.
Eventually my head touched a pillow at 5.30am Cuba time (9.30am English) after dealing with the final disaster of the night that on opening my rucksack I found my suncream had exploded all over my stuff. A perfect start to a holiday wouldn’t you agree? Things could only get better.
I guess maybe I should actually tell you something about my trip instead of my script from “Holidays from hell”.
This was my first and most definitely not last trip to the Caribbean. I think I was about 8 when I bought “100% reggae” and decided that I would spend my honeymoon in Jamaica, so I hope I will again reach these shores, given I can find someone who will marry me. Plus there are so many other places to visit, St Lucia, Barbados, Antigua, Bahamas etc etc…Lets hope this future husband is rich! Cuba, however seems to have something different to the rest and walking out in to the sunny streets of Havana that first morning confirmed this. The Cubana airways big day out suddenly seemed a distant memory. Breath taking architecture ranging from the Spanish colonial style buildings in old Havana, (many completely derelict, but in a funky way!), to neo classical in the vedado district and art deco American influence in central Havana. Diversity that I have never seen in any city, and with the added benefit that unlike most cities they have avoided shoving eyesore 1970s tower blocks dead in the centre of some beautiful area. Any run down ugly buildings just added to the character.
It isn’t a cliché that there are bands playing at every restaurant, on every street corner with people singing and dancing around. Its true, I was there. The first pit stop was at il Patio restaurant in Cathedral square (possibly my favourite mojito of the whole holiday, though there were many and the 1st is bound to taste best!). There was a little 3 piece band playing (guitar, sax and bass) while some nut case woman danced around (mum said she had been there 2 years ago when her and my sister had gone!). They were awesome, I just couldn’t get enough of it! Then this guy from the crowd (Italian I think) just waltzed up, asked to have a go on the sax and just wiped the floor with some improvisation which put anything I ever managed when I played in to a remedial category. That wouldn’t happen anywhere else in the world and the punters went mad for it!
So the first day was mostly spent getting a feel for the place. Walking around getting lost, stopping for mojitos every now and again taking several thousand of photos at every new street at every possible angle. In the afternoon we did (on recommendation by some friends) a ferry trip across to the other side of the water to climb up to a fort (and a MASSIVE statue of Jesus). It was really fun actually as this clearly wasn’t a main tourist attraction and the ferry seemed to be literally the locals bus to and from work. We stuck out like sore thumbs! Also at the top of our little trek we discovered not only amazing views of Havana but also a mini museum of Che Guavara’s house where he lived post revolution and pre him running off to help Bolivia and get himself killed. Here I discovered he had asthma, just like me, which briefly inspired me to go and start a revolution, but I soon got over it.
Food in Cuba is shit, I mean really ****. I don’t actually understand how they can get it so wrong, but they do and especially as a vegetarian we were screwed. You get eggs, lots of eggs, so many eggs that the word is still making me feel physically sick. Mother, having been here before knew all this so had packed a kettle and a big bag of cous cous to help us in dire situations, but had also brilliantly worked out the whereabouts of the only Italian restaurant (possibly in the whole of Cuba) so in Havana at least we managed to get half decent meals! So after munching our way through a big margarita and one more quick mojito we scooted off to bed pretty early, still kinda fucked from the previous days monstrosities.
The second day was one massive lecture on politics and history for me. Though normally this concept would make me shudder with fear and despair, as I said before I’m utterly gripped by the fact that this teeny little spec on the earth’s surface has contributed so much to the history of the human race. We had a bit of fun first though getting a taxi ride to the Plaza de la Revolucion in a classic, bright purple (my favourite!) 1950s Buick with a rather bemused driver being made to pose for many a cheesy snap! The Plaza is kinda bare unfortunately with only 2 things to see. Firstly the Jose Marti memorial statue in front of the massive lookout, which we went up to get some awesome views across the city and watch lots of scary turkey vultures circle around it. And secondly my favourite bit – the huge Che image on the side of the government building with ‘Hasta la Victoria Siempre’ (Forever Onwards Towards Victory) written along side. I have a bit of a Che obsession to be honest, is it weird to think he was hot? Anyways bare as it was it felt pretty cool to be standing where so many political rallies and addresses from Castro and other revolutionaries has taken place.
After this we got a bug taxi (look at pics) to the hotel nationale (very posh!). It was so funny watching so many people turn up in mercs and swish cars and we turn up in a little yellow blob! Here we had a mojito looking out across the water to where we had been the previous day and then set off on quite a bit walk down the sea front where we finally ended up at the Museum of the Revolution. Here contained everything you would ever need to know about Cuba from the dawn of time. At some point it was really quite bizarre how much detail they added – “Here is the spoon Castro used whilst hiding in Argentina” – no joke! But it was fascinating. I won’t bother saying much about it (as I’ve already given you my brief history of Cuba) but one of the highlights was the “Wall of Cretins” thanking various political idiots for their input in causing/consolidating the revolution. They really don’t give a **** who they insult!
The next day we had rather a stressful bus journey (6 hours – 1 toilet stop) to a supposed beautiful, friendly colonial town though on first impressions this didn’t seem to be the case. The bus ride in showed some really quite nasty, run down areas lacking in the Havana charm, and on arrival into the bus station crowds of people were literally being restrained from mobbing us. They were advertising there “casas” – equivalent to hostelling in Cuba is to stay in casas with a Cuban family who cook and provide for you, but it all seemed all to threatening for me. So we jumped in a cab and headed for our hotel ‘Las Cuevas’ (the caves). Any doubts about the next few days in this place were soon dissolved when we saw how lush where we were staying was!! We dumped our luggage and were straight to poolside sampling the local delicacies – mojitos, pina colladas, and rather bizarre red, orange and blue drinks called Trinidad Colonials, which I took a liking to. We managed to befriend a group of locals in no time who were feeding us more rum and nibbles and giving us salsa lessons. I was pretty pro already after my set of classes I went to in my “I’m sad, lonely and desperate and need to learn salsa to meet more sad lonely and desperate people phase”, but I did learn a new step which was nice. Plus got a chance to laugh at my completely uncoordinated mother. Then at about 5pm, in a matter of 3 minutes the sky was covered in thick black clouds and the heavens opened. I’ve never been in a tropical storm before and I just found it absolutely hilarious – the whole area was flooded after 2 mins of rain, yet it is still bloody boiling and people were still dancing and in the pool! I asked my new best friend Tiago how long these storms usually last to which he replied “That is up to St Peter” – can’t argue with that!
For our first full day in Trinidad we got up bright and early and put on our **** walking gear and headed off into the mountains on a hike with another unfairly beautiful couple from the hotel and our lovely little tour guide Jordan, who kinda sounded like Borat when he talked which was a tad off putting but you got used to it!
The first part was walking through Trinidad centre which was a lot nicer than it had seemed from the bus the day before – lovely and colourful, with people all going about there everyday business or hanging about in there door ways, playing the guitar or selling fresh fruit. The second bit took us across some fields in to the national park in the thick jungle like mountains. We hiked for about two hours ending up eventually at a gorgeous waterfall and water reserve where Cuban kids were jumping in and playing. I abstained as always when is comes to water that may contain living things. Though I did dip my feet in and noticed a huge lobster like nasty thing crawling around on the bottom and concluded that I had made the right decision.
The hike back was not as fun. The midday heat had really hit in and Trinidad town is located on top of a hill and our hotel on top of a hill on that hill and energy levels were most definitely low by the end. Still we had an afternoon once again of cocktails by the pool and salsa dancing so can’t complain! This evening after dinner (hotel buffet slop) we were treated to an Afro-Caribbean traditional show. 4 uber hot black dudes pranced around stage doing crazy things like eating hot coal and picking up tables with their teeth. It was rather ****** and I may have left a little puddle on my seat.
Next day was our last day in Trinidad town as we were heading that evening to the Ancon Peninsula, about 30 mins south of Trinidad on the coast. Still we made the most of the morning in the hotel. It was actually called Las Cuevas for a reason and (as you probably guessed) this is because it was situated above a group of caves. One of which is open for tours during the day and very funkily becomes a night club by night (though we never went to this unfortunately). So my little buddy Tiago took us on a tour of it which was just amazing! Stalagmites and stalactites to your hearts content – could just imaging people salsaing around them! He he!
After this it was a bit more pool but, as seemed to be the pattern here, late afternoon St Peter pissed on us so we decided we may as well transfer to the new place while the weather was crappy. So off we went through town (which at this point resembled a river) and down to the coast for a few days of sunbathing and chilling. Arriving at the place it seemed nice enough but being an all-inclusive had a rather different clientele, namely idiotic, drunk, burnt Brits. Well I only saw one of these to be honest, a 50ish year old fat northerner who was being rude to a bar man, but it just really got me annoyed. I just don’t understand these people who just want to go on holiday to not actually experience anything of the country, treat the staff like slaves, and abuse the unlimited available alcohol. Anyways we checked in and had an explore and felt pretty disappointed to find that the ‘beach’ didn’t actually really exist– well there was a patch of sand but it didn’t extend to the sea. Compared to our last place it just all seemed a bit, well seedy. The sun wasn’t quite back out so we camped at the pool bar and had a few drinks. My mum, sensing that it wasn’t quite perfect, and of a far too sensitive nature decided to drink a few to many pinas and start really getting on my **** by being over enthusiastic about the place “I’m really warming to this place Alice, I’m really warming to it. Yes, I’m definitely warming to this place”…..then declared she wanted to swim in the ocean before dinner. So in a drastic mother/daughter roll reversal I was trying my best to, in the least patronising way possible explain that to throw herself off a small cliff edge to get to the sea when she was pissed as a **** was possibly not the best idea. Needless to say a combination of her being drunk and over emotional, and me still being a bit wound up and beginning to feel a bit ill culminated in us having our only argument of the holiday involving lots of “I’m just an embarrassment to you” and “I’ve booked us a rubbish holiday I bet you wish you were with your friends” comments……not enjoyable. Especially not enjoyable as the me beginning to feel sick actually turned out to be food poisoning and I spent the next 12 hours on the loo simultaneously pissing out of my ******** and vomiting. Not the highlight of my holiday.
But a new day dawned. Feeling rather weakened from my night in the shitter I abstained from breakfast (if I saw a plate of eggs I don’t know what would have happened) but walking around I suddenly realised what an over reaction the previous day had been. The place was gorgeous. There wasn’t any drunk English people at all – just that one who was only kicking off because they refused to serve him (quite rightly so – the cunt) and even better than that we found the proper beach! A gorgeous little practically deserted beach with a tiny bar behind it and a semi circle of rocks about 100m out where, according to mum, was the best collection of tropical fish she had ever seen. It was perfect for me to whack my ipod on, indulge in a brilliant book (not Hemingway!) and recuperate from my traumatic night, whilst my overly excitable mother swam, and befriended any body who came within 10 feet of us. Much better!
The next day we took advantage of the hotel free bikes and went on a bike ride down through the peninsula. I haven’t been on a bike ride since I was about 10 and after this I just don’t know why?! It was such fun! Admittedly a bike ride surrounded by sea on both sides on a road lined with palm trees is a lot more appealing than cycling down the A413 but it really should be done more often!! We stopped off on the tip of the peninsula where there was a hotel and mum jetted off on a boat trip to do some snorkelling on the reef (I obviously didn’t – I’m not going to go in to my fear of the sea here – you’ll only mock me) and I had a chance to improve on my ‘getting stupid now’ tan (apparently those last 2 years working in suncare hasn’t really changed my opinion on skin cancer).
We had one more morning on the beach after this before our transfer back to Havana which I was actually ready for by this point. Anyone who knows me knows how obsessed I am with being sun tanned but this whole “culture” malarkey had really got to me and I was itching to get back to Havana and learn more! At the end of the day I could get a sun tan in Lanzagrotty if I wanted for a tenth of the price (with the added benefit of picking up a few STIs), and my tan was pretty much perfect by then anyway (if I don’t mind being incredibly arrogant!)
The bus journey back was even more of a fucking nightmare than the way there. 2 hours longer than it should have been, over booked (so people were standing), road closures etc etc. Plus when we got to Havana we were so late that there were no taxis at the bus station to take us to a hotel, and it was bloody raining again! After pretty much every other person on the bus had managed to hail a cab (we need to be more pushy!) we eventually got back to the lovely Beltran and had a gourmet meal of cous cous prepared en suite and settled down to bed ready to make the most of our last day.
The next morning Havana all of a sudden seemed 100 times more amazing than it was when I was there 9 days prior (and it was a pretty amazing then). Just mooching around I suddenly got that horrible “By 5pm this evening this is all going to be over” feeling. And I wasn’t ready for it. Trying not to let it detract, we walked through the beautiful streets of old Havana through cathedral square where we had that first life changing mojito, and on to the sea front where we decided it was time to tackle the hustle and bustle of the markets and buy some pressies and tacky souveniers, a Che Guavara beret being the most important, of course. Then we went on to find firstly a new discovery which was a street which appeared in ALL the paintings of Havana which were on sale in the market. This was a street with a sign hanging down saying “La Bodeguito del Medio” which turned out to be a tiny little bar where Hemingway used to hang out and it seemed many other celebs had been there too as the wall was covered in pictures and signatures. This took us on nicely to our next planned point of call. The Ambos Mundos Hotel, where Hemingway stayed when he was visiting. They have preserved his room exactly how he had it when he stayed and you can look round it. Also the roof of this hotel has a bar so we went up there and whiled away the rest of our afternoon having a few drinks up there, soaking up the city sunshine with fabulous views and lovely company.
On our walk back to the hotel to catch our transfer something occurred to me. These were streets of a capital city and there were people sitting in there doorways nattering, people playing guitars and others dancing and singing around, kids playing baseball, women hanging their washing out there windows. This wouldn’t happen anywhere else, ever. Can you imagine walking through London chatting to people, dancing with them, children playing? I bet 99% of Londoners don’t even know there next door neighbour’s names! And this was communism – everyone equal, everyone working as a team, no greed, no corruption, a real community. And I thought ‘I could do this’ – I could live in an ‘ideal’ world possibly I’d prefer the countryside – where the houses each have a chicken and a plot of land to grow veg. But I could really live like that. I’ve always been against people earning more money than is conceivable doing satanic jobs, effectively only making money by screwing other people over – bankers, lawyers etc. And I’ve been against the situation you are born in to reflecting how far you can make it in life (I know it isn’t meant to be like this but it is). And I love the ideal. Everyone gets the same, provided they work, whatever they do and as a benefit receive a perfect education system, perfect national health service, a perfect everything government run and a complete sense of patriotism. Real patriotism – not just beating up other nation’s football fans patriotism.
I started thinking about England and wondering why I wanted to stay living here. A country where our so called “left wing” prime minister (who apparently is Gordon Brown now, not Tony Blair anymore) spends £2000 of the British tax payers money per year on cleaners for his stupid amount of houses also paid for by the state. And where white trash Vicky Pollards with 10 babies leak money out of the welfare state whilst moaning about the “bloody asians and poles – they come over here taking our jobs and tax money”. They fucking pay tax so why shouldn’t they be entitled to it? I’d rather they got it than the fat **** Keith Millers of the world. It is disgusting really and I don’t want to be a part of it.
But of course Cuba doesn’t have the ideal. The dream is there and I think it probably worked before the eastern block dissolved, but then again if they can’t really support themselves as a single unit then communism fails doesn’t it.
Personally I think one of the major problems as to why things aren’t working as well as they should stems from tourism. Admittedly it saved the country from starvation but it has created no end of issues and seemingly split the people in to two personality types. Type one are mainly the older generation, still very much pro-Castro. These remember and appreciate that they lived well post revolution, pre special period (between the fall of the eastern block and start of tourism), and also appreciate that the tourists saved their arses when things were looking pretty bleak. These people hence treat tourists with gratitude, respect and kindness. The second type, what I’m calling the ‘next’ generation of Cubans, seem to be much more cynical and unsure what they get is really ‘fair’. These people are really quite resentful of tourists often to the point they are just plain rude (turning their backs, shooing away etc). I think the problem is as they are unaware of what life was like before. All they see is these rich idiots, with their snazzy clothes, flash digital cameras and disposable cash to throw about, travelling around seeing all different cultures and places. Everything they can’t have and what they could have if things were different. I suppose it would **** me off.
Another massive problem with letting tourists in is the discrepancy in what people earn depending on whether they work in the tourist industry or not. Money is a bit complex but Cuba has two currencies – local pesos and convertible pesos. Tourists are only eligible to use convertible pesos and each convertible peso is actually worth 10 Cuban pesos. So effectively if I were to go in to a shop and buy a bottle of water – this would cost me say 1cp (around 50p) and a cuban 1p (i.e around 5p). So effectively they are charging tourists ten times for everything which still always seems reasonable to us (2 mojitos tended to be around 5cp – £2.50 – not bad!). This means when you tip someone in a bar, say 1cp – they are getting about £5.00 worth out of it yet it is only costing you 50p. I think this is absolutely genius and I can’t see why other countries haven’t caught on. In Thailand why not charge £5.00 for a meal instead of 50p?! Tourists will still pay £5.00! However the people in tourist industry, with their tips, get much more disposable cash than anyone else which brings about inequality in the people – everything communism isn’t. Take for example the scenario of the hiking trip we did in to the mountains in Trinidad. The cost of this was 7cp each so 14cp in total and seeing as our guide stayed with us from 9am-2pm in the blistering heat enthusiastically talking all the time, we had a 20cp note and told him to keep the change. So he got 6cp – £3 to us, worth £30. This makes you feel great as a tourist. Giving a tip of not that much value to you makes a huge different to the local’s life. In fact their monthly salary is 300p so we actually tipped him a 5th of what he would earn in a month. Crazy really. However you think of all the doctors and teachers etc who slave their arses off and don’t see anything of the sort coming their way. Where is the incentive to work then? This isn’t fair and is where the system really breaks down. You could definitely feel a certain civil unrest and I reckon especially now as Castro has stepped down, big changes are afoot. I guess if you were thinking of going I’d recommend going asap. (Hark at me making political predictions when 2 weeks ago I didn’t even know what communism really meant!)
Anyways enough politics and back to reality. Damn I wish I could but I’m hooked! Six months ago, to spend all my time googling Che Guavara and ‘communism for dummies’ or writing ridiculously long blogs that no-one will read (except maybe Sam – and even he will probably have got bored by now), would have been fine as I had nout better else to do. However right now I do, like revise for these ******* exams, and this new found obsession is greatly reducing the productivity stakes!
All in all the holiday (which is what it was at the end of the day) was a big success. I’d love to go back there and see and do more of it, and like so many places I’ve been I say I will one day. But then I realise that to go back to somewhere I have already been means sacrificing going somewhere new which I can get momentarily obsessed with until the next place…..etc etc.
Seattle is a City in The United States
Douglas Scott asked:
Seattle is the largest city in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located in the US state of Washington between Puget Sound and Lake Washington, about 96 miles south of the United States Canadian border in King County, of which it is the county seat.The greater Seattle area is home to 3 million people.
The Emerald City Seattle is one of the most lovable cities in the world. Surrounded by lakes, rivers, Puget Sound, and mountains it is a recreation enthusiasts dream.
The Seattle Space Needle noticeably defines the Seattle skyline. Enjoy a meal at Sky City, the restaurant at the top that revolves 360 degrees while you dine.
World famous Pike Place Market is a must for visitors and hosts the original store of corporate coffee giant Starbucks. Born in 1907, Seattles Pike Place Market is the granddaddy of farmers markets. Today, its a major tourist attraction with 200 businesses operating year round, 190 craftspeople and 120 farmer booths plus street performers and musicians. Flowers by the bucketful, flying fish, fresh pastries and fruit, handmade cheeses, local honey, wine, an assortment of restaurants, import goods, antiques, collectibles and lots of surprises are around every corner.
The Aquarium is where you can touch a sea anemone. Learn about the lives of salmon at the worlds first aquarium based salmon ladder. Marvel at the impossibly bright coloured coral reef fish.
Feed the seagulls at the statue of Ivar Haglund, stroll by the fountains on the wooden piers of Waterfront Park, admire the view or shop for souvenirs. There is a bustling collection of attractions, restaurants and shopping, as well as starting points for ferries, cruise ships.
See more than 1000 animals of 400 different species, from elephants and gorillas to piranhas and penguins, in naturalistic exhibits at the Woodland Park Zoo.
Seattle has a mild climate that is usually classified as Marine west coast. However, due to its wet winter dry summer pattern, it shows some characteristics of a Mediterranean climate and is sometimes classified this way.
This is a place that balances big business and a healthy environment, sports and the arts, family and single living, individualism and a deep sense of community pride. With quality schooling, affordable health care and a low incidence of crime, it offers a life that balances favourable working and living conditions. But remember, nothing beats seeing the real thing on a visit to Seattle.
Seattle is the largest city in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located in the US state of Washington between Puget Sound and Lake Washington, about 96 miles south of the United States Canadian border in King County, of which it is the county seat.The greater Seattle area is home to 3 million people.
The Emerald City Seattle is one of the most lovable cities in the world. Surrounded by lakes, rivers, Puget Sound, and mountains it is a recreation enthusiasts dream.
The Seattle Space Needle noticeably defines the Seattle skyline. Enjoy a meal at Sky City, the restaurant at the top that revolves 360 degrees while you dine.
World famous Pike Place Market is a must for visitors and hosts the original store of corporate coffee giant Starbucks. Born in 1907, Seattles Pike Place Market is the granddaddy of farmers markets. Today, its a major tourist attraction with 200 businesses operating year round, 190 craftspeople and 120 farmer booths plus street performers and musicians. Flowers by the bucketful, flying fish, fresh pastries and fruit, handmade cheeses, local honey, wine, an assortment of restaurants, import goods, antiques, collectibles and lots of surprises are around every corner.
The Aquarium is where you can touch a sea anemone. Learn about the lives of salmon at the worlds first aquarium based salmon ladder. Marvel at the impossibly bright coloured coral reef fish.
Feed the seagulls at the statue of Ivar Haglund, stroll by the fountains on the wooden piers of Waterfront Park, admire the view or shop for souvenirs. There is a bustling collection of attractions, restaurants and shopping, as well as starting points for ferries, cruise ships.
See more than 1000 animals of 400 different species, from elephants and gorillas to piranhas and penguins, in naturalistic exhibits at the Woodland Park Zoo.
Seattle has a mild climate that is usually classified as Marine west coast. However, due to its wet winter dry summer pattern, it shows some characteristics of a Mediterranean climate and is sometimes classified this way.
This is a place that balances big business and a healthy environment, sports and the arts, family and single living, individualism and a deep sense of community pride. With quality schooling, affordable health care and a low incidence of crime, it offers a life that balances favourable working and living conditions. But remember, nothing beats seeing the real thing on a visit to Seattle.
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Payday Loans Service Just in Front of You
While waiting for your next payday, sometimes we can’t avoid sudden outcome for daily needs, whether it would be paying the rent, electricity, or other monthly payment. And if you are convince that you can pay the bills until the next payday, it is no problem if you want to get payday loan to pay this month bills.
You can get payday loan quite easy since there are many services near you. But instead of putting the ignition key and drive around town looking for payday loan, you can just visit Personalcashadvance.com to get the amount of cash you need. Personalcashadvance.com has years of experience in partnering with payday lender companies to let you get your payday loans easier. A payday advance provides you with an unsecured, short-term cash advance until your payday with certain amount of interest rate and adjustable payment. Payday loan is popular and becomes main tool whenever we are short on cash. Personalcashadvance.com has a commitment to provide you with reliable lenders and user friendly online form you can complete in just a few seconds. Make sure to provide them with latest self information so that they will process your check payday loans request faster.
Ready to get your cash advance? Visit Personalcashadvance.com and get the payday loan up to $1500. Be sure to read their terms and condition first before applying the form.
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Smart Ways To Finance Your RV or Motorhome
Jim Johnson asked:
Unless you have a lot of money saved up, you will most likely need to arrange some form of financing when you buy an RV or motorhome. And of course, financing often seems like a black hole where you know what goes in and what comes out at the end, but the whole process in the middle seems a bit confusing. So here are a few things to consider as you finance your new purchase:
First keep in mind that this is where you can lose more money than anywhere else in the negotiating process if you aren’t careful. Over the life of a loan the interest that you pay can add up to an incredible sum and sometimes even rival the cost of the entire motorhome itself. So smart shopping is essential here.
It’s usually best to avoid dealer financing if at all possible for a few reasons. One is that they are not in the loan business for free. They expect to make money on the sale of a motorhome loan to you. That means that they have worked out a deal with the finance companies that they use to get paid a portion of every loan they write. So you are dealing with a middleman. It may be convenient, but you pay something for that convenience. It is often better to arrange your own financing instead where you deal directly with the lender and avoid any dealer markup on the loan.
By shopping online you can usually come up with a very good financing arrangement on your own. Most often dealing with a loan company that specializes in RV loans will be a good bet as they are familiar with the industry and the needs of the motorhome buyer. A very popular financing option is to use the loan company featured by The Good Sam Club. When you join their club they offer some great financing options that are usually very attractive to most RVers.
Of course, how good the financing arrangement you get is will be determined often by how good your own credit history has been. But unless you have a horrible credit past you should be able to get a motorhome loan in the vicinity of 10 percent or even less. This is especially true if you are putting 20 percent or so of the purchase into the deal as a down payment. And keep in mind that the more of your own money that you use to pay down the cost of the RV, usually the better the financing arrangements you can get. This is because you are assuming more of the financial risk of the purchase and lending institutions like to see that.
So think ahead before arranging your own motorhome financing and it can save you lots of money.
Unless you have a lot of money saved up, you will most likely need to arrange some form of financing when you buy an RV or motorhome. And of course, financing often seems like a black hole where you know what goes in and what comes out at the end, but the whole process in the middle seems a bit confusing. So here are a few things to consider as you finance your new purchase:
First keep in mind that this is where you can lose more money than anywhere else in the negotiating process if you aren’t careful. Over the life of a loan the interest that you pay can add up to an incredible sum and sometimes even rival the cost of the entire motorhome itself. So smart shopping is essential here.
It’s usually best to avoid dealer financing if at all possible for a few reasons. One is that they are not in the loan business for free. They expect to make money on the sale of a motorhome loan to you. That means that they have worked out a deal with the finance companies that they use to get paid a portion of every loan they write. So you are dealing with a middleman. It may be convenient, but you pay something for that convenience. It is often better to arrange your own financing instead where you deal directly with the lender and avoid any dealer markup on the loan.
By shopping online you can usually come up with a very good financing arrangement on your own. Most often dealing with a loan company that specializes in RV loans will be a good bet as they are familiar with the industry and the needs of the motorhome buyer. A very popular financing option is to use the loan company featured by The Good Sam Club. When you join their club they offer some great financing options that are usually very attractive to most RVers.
Of course, how good the financing arrangement you get is will be determined often by how good your own credit history has been. But unless you have a horrible credit past you should be able to get a motorhome loan in the vicinity of 10 percent or even less. This is especially true if you are putting 20 percent or so of the purchase into the deal as a down payment. And keep in mind that the more of your own money that you use to pay down the cost of the RV, usually the better the financing arrangements you can get. This is because you are assuming more of the financial risk of the purchase and lending institutions like to see that.
So think ahead before arranging your own motorhome financing and it can save you lots of money.
Weird U.S.: Your Travel Guide to America’s Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets
What’s weird around here? That’s a question Mark Moran and Mark Sceurman have asked themselves for years. And it’s exactly their offbeat sense of curiosity that led the duo to create the phenomenal Weird N.J. and the successful series that followed. What’s NOT shockingly odd here: every Weird book has become a bestseller in its region.
Now the weirdness is finally in paperback for the first time! Six titles—including Weird U.S., which covers all 50 states—will reach a fresh audience eager to get these cool collections at a more popular price and smaller size. Plus, there’s an exciting brand-new volume, covering the wonderfully weird state of Louisiana
This book is loaded with weird facts, legends, lore, people, photographs, ghost stories, haunted places, supernatural figures, terrifying ruins and tunnels and forests and abandoned buildings, tall tales, odd museums, and answerless mysteries.
Some parts of the book are actually frightening though–like phantom clowns!–and would be even scarier if read during an actual visit to these places.
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Key Weird
Key Weird – A different look at Florida.
What do you do when you lose your possum ranch, all your money, and the Dalton Gang is on your trail? If you?re Taco Bob, you head for Florida and end up in tropical Key West hanging out with a collection of colorful and crazy locals, fishing for grunts, and avoiding Daltons.
But there?s never a shortage of trouble in paradise. A sexy cult leader hits town looking for a golden idol she is convinced holds psychic powers. She teams up with the aging owner of the local topless bar, who is looking for a fortune in Spanish treasure stolen from him years earlier.
Taco Bob?s idyllic tropical lifestyle comes to an abrupt end and he finds himself lost in the Everglades swamps. But he?s not as alone as he thinks, not with a hot cult leader, a cranky treasure hunter, and a mysterious old hermit in the neighborhood. –This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.
Taco Bob’s first adventure (and I truly hope there are more) had me smiling and snickering from the beginning. Set mainly in the Florida Keys, this story takes on the laid back Key West style with a most humorous tale of good guys, dumb guys and dumb bad guys. Add to the mix treasure with mysterious powers, indigenous wisdom, awesome Key West characters, and some not so bright ones along the trail. A great mix indeed and the good souled Taco Bob sails through all adventures with charm.
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Posted in Adventures, Travel, Weird Books |
Tags: Dalton Gang, Everglades, Florida, Florida Keys, Guides and Directories, Key Weird, Key West, Travel and Tourism, United States |
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