http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Cin-and-Galib/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Cin and Galib en-us Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:56:47 +0000 Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:56:47 +0000 The Vines of Mendoza was a unique tasting room we discovered within the first day of arrival to this magnificent city. More than a typical wine bar the Vines of Mendoza offers various services from private reserve tastings from boutique vineyards to wine cheese pairing evenings. Our first encounter was a special private reserve tasting of the Las Reservas de Argentina set in an intimate mod http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Argentina/Mendoza/blog-253780.html Going to Uruguay via Buquebus well the experience was not exactly what we had envisioned. We called to confirm our tickets which they did however upon arrival we were informed that when we called earlier the ticket agent booked us a duplicate sets of tickets therefore she cancelled both. Ahhhh This is where taking some Spanish lessons prior to travelling would have been a smart thing to d http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Uruguay/District-of-Montevideo/Montevideo/blog-253781.html Ampora Wine Tours was a small office we stumbled across while walking in Mendoza. The manager Kai speaks English as well as Spanish and German so it is easy to communicate your wants and needs. On the top of our list of wineries to visit was La Linda because Naz gifted us a bottle from his visit to Buenos Aires in '07. However we soon learned that La Linda was a wine rather than a v http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Argentina/Mendoza/Mendoza/blog-253840.html When Galib said that we should go to Buenos Aires for our honeymoon I jumped at the idea. Good food good wine warm weather and a place where neither of us had travelled before.Little did I know how good the food wine was and how beautiful the weather would be. Temperatures averaged 3035 degrees. Sure it was hot humid but the air conditioning and park lined trees balance that out.Arg http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Argentina/Buenos-Aires/blog-253778.html Ask any of the locals in Buenos Aires which is area one must be wary of and they all seem to name La Boca. Really Well everyone knows how I rise to that challenge...tell me that a place is a little sketchy and I definitely want to check it out La Boca is the home of the famous football team known as soccer in Canada Boca Juniors. The stadium affectionaly known as La Bombonera the http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Argentina/Buenos-Aires/Buenos-Aires/blog-253786.html O.Fournier Vineyard is located in the Uco Valley Mendoza. Upon approaching the grounds one wonders if a UFO has just landed...the building is shaped like a flying saucer. The vineyard is located just 15km from the Andes mountain range. The O.Fournier logo is an ostrich pronounced choiko. Our wine tour agency Ampora arranged a private lunch for Galib I and we were lucky enough to have http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Argentina/Mendoza/Mendoza/blog-253848.html Galib has been transferred to a village in the Blue Nile State called Ed Damazin just 600 kms to the Sout East of Khartoum effective last weekend. The village borders Ethiopia. Rainy season starts next week until October so he will be mosquitoing up to prevent any malaria. That entails taking pills to prevent malaria 99 percent DEET and lots of netting. There was a rain storm last evening which http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Sudan/blog-165636.html Galib spent a week in Italy in April. He feasted on great pasta local vino. Galib completed a whirlwind tour of Roma in a few hours. Highlights Vatican City is a sovereign citystate whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome. At approximately 108.7 acres it is the smallest independent nation in the world. The current Pope is His Holiness Benedict XVI. The Coliseum a http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Rome/blog-163981.html Galib certainly leads the life of adventure. He chooses the path less travelled. It has officially been 5 weeks since he left the fresh rain of Vancouver behind. I have kept myself occupied with wedding plans...though Galib I planned mostly everything before he left. As a bridetobe I could have not have hoped for a more involved fianc and the utmost supportive friends and family. I will be p http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Sudan/North/Khartoum/blog-163593.html Galib sent this photo of the gym in Khartoum. Imagine working out in 45 degree heat on a rooftop no cover from the blazing sun rays but look again at the photo it's not very busy there is it The Inukshuk is the offical emblem of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver CANADA. It is a stone landmark used as a milestone or directional marker by the Inuit of the Canadian Arctic. Inukshuk is a be http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Sudan/North/Khartoum/blog-163975.html Galib along with an Australian Guide kayaked the Nile River. Various websites report the following information on the Nile The Nile river is the longest river in the world. It is 4132 miles in length and 1107000 squaremile basin. The Nile river is made up of two rivers the White Nile and the Blue Nile. The two rivers meet near the Sudanese capital Khartoum. The White Nile goes into the cou http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Sudan/North/Khartoum/blog-165629.html History Lesson This is what I have learned from Galib through my own research on the internet. There is the SPLA the SPLM. Collectively known as the SPLAM SPLA Sudanese People Liberation Army. Previously referred to as Rebels sometimes still are but now they are the armed section of the SPLM. SPLA formed as a result of lack of infrastructure and resources and they fought for the b http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Sudan/blog-166816.html Excerpt from Galib's emails I get up use the outdoor shower if there is water shave at the BARNEY sink while fighting mosquitoes therefore cutting myself as I fight the bugs and keep the blade going. I have a twix bar yep a twix and it is made locally in Africa so not that great and a glass of water a multivitamin to keep up and then drive the 6 kms to work on a mud road and put my vehicle http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Sudan/blog-167059.html War doesn't determine who is right war determines who is left. Bertrand Russell 18721970 English philosopher author 1950 Nobel Prizewinner in Literature Galib has had some time to reflect on the people of Sudan. Here are his thoughts Well it has been over month on the ground and I want to tell you a little about the Sudanese people. The ones I came here to meet and to possibly help. T http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Sudan/blog-168190.html A three hour tour...a three hour tour... Peter Leslie I took an evening tour of Washington DC that lasted what felt like 6 hours. I was so relieved when we finally we headed back when the driver announced that we were crossing state lines and approaching Virginia For what To look at a hundred more monuments. That's what Washington is all about...monuuuuuments. Lots of them. One of the neat t http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/District-of-Columbia/Washington/blog-179793.html Cinnamon takes Manhattan North America United States New York New York Manhattan By Cin and GalibJune 23rd 2007 Cinnamon and GalibThe Big AppleI met my friend Sabrina in New York for a weekend get away. This was my third visit so I am getting to know the city very well although there is always something new to discover. In only a few days Sabrina I covered shopping at Filene's Baseme http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/New-York/New-York/Manhattan/blog-179782.html Galib flew in a helicopter to check out a local village Kurmuk. He has now been there a few times to report on the local conditions and current situation which changes from day to day. To put things in perspective Damazin is located at 1146824208243N 3421824208243E. Vancouver is located at 4915' N 1236' W. Galib comments further on his experience The Sudanese are very social http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Sudan/blog-168189.html Can you find him This is one of the main means of transportation in some villages. Can you count how many people I'm guessing you can't go very fast with that many people on the muddy roads... http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Sudan/blog-184733.html Galib enjoyed a bit of time off in Mombasa Kenya. He read some books dranks lots of coffee and relaxed in the sauna and steam room. The hotel also featured a nice blue pool.He fell in love with a restaurant called Tamarind feasting on a dish named lobster swahili. The room was quite nice Galib was startled when a monkey was staring at him through the glass. You can see in the photo that http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Coast-Province/Mombasa/blog-179770.html Sand on the dunes slithers like smooth silk...until it gets in your eyeballs Earlier we studiously applied suncreen SPF 30 from head to toe only to discover later on that we would become human sheets of sandpaper. The previous days desert safaris had been cancelled due to sandstorms. The sand blows so strongly that trucks have difficulty navigating the roads...and nevermind the dunes. The http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/United-Arab-Emirates/Dubai/blog-49882.html