Hello Everyone, I didn't think I would post another entry, but this past week in Paris has been rather eventful , so I'd just like to share it with you. However, before I go into the "exciting" parts, just a quick description of the first few days: Arriving back in town was a bit hard. It was (and is) cold and grey , and, as usual when taking the RER from Charles De Gaulle airport (Roissy) into Paris, I noticed that everyone in the train was not only wearing dark, woolen colors but also a scowl on their face! Guatemala and [View Full Entry]

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I left Boston yesterday morning at 8 am. Finally took the bus, as the rideshare to Montreal would have made me arrive after midnight in Quebec City. I was looking forward to a pretty ride up through New Hampshire and Vermont, since last time I did it, it was nighttime and snowing. It wasn't nighttime yesterday, but it DID snow the whole way to the Canadian border, and you couldn't see much of the countryside. Nevertheless, there were some pretty scenes in Vermont (see photos). Again, at the border, I couldn't help thinking how ridiculous it all was. Since the Americans [View Full Entry]

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Well, I arrived in Boston last night (or rather, early this morning) at 12:30 AM, only to find that American Airlines again left my luggage at Miami Airport, which, I've decided, is a terrible transfer place! They've found it, though, and it should be delivered sometime this evening. Took a taxi to Jane and Don's, where poor, sleepy, Jane let me in. (By this time it was way after 1 am). I'm so lucky to have such nice friends who put up with my strange travel schedule! Once again, I'm back at the Main Boston Public Library using their computers. It's [View Full Entry]

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I've just returned to Guatemala City from Tikal, which are the Mayan ruins about 350 kms. north of Antigua, in the region bordered by the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico and the country of Belize. Had a wonderful Easter Sunday and Monday up there. Flew up there early Sat. morning on a prop plane and back tonight at 5 PM on the same one. As some of you may know, I don´t really like to fly, even in big planes, so I´m proud of myself that I did this, even though the flight back was bumpy and you couldn´t see anything because [View Full Entry]

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It's Saturday noon and things are a bit quieter after yesterday, Good Friday. I've spent the morning seeing things I'd missed, such as the fountain behind the Merced church and the courtyard and view from the roof of the Hotel Posada Don Rodriguo. In adition, I went shopping! Found two second-hand, embroidered "hupilas" at an equitable trade "tienda" near the Merced. They were each less than $7 each. This afternoon, I'm invited for coffee at the home of a French photographer (Daniel) and his Quatemalan partner (Maria-Elena). I met them through the SERVAS Association and had lunch with them [View Full Entry]

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Hello, After spending my last night in Costa Rica at Susan and Harry's place outside San Jose, I took a taxi to the airport yesterday morning and flew back to Guatemala without a hitch. Then shared a shuttle bus from the airport to Antigua. Am staying with the first family I stayed with several weeks ago for four nights. And then I'm off to Tikal (Mayan ruins in northern Guatemala) by plane for two days and a night on sunday morning at 4 am! Will be spending my last night in this country at an airport hotel and heading out [View Full Entry]

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Yes, I´ve found another paradise, this time on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica--on the Nicoya Peninsula, to be exact. It´s a beach and small town called Playa Carillo. It´s 8 kilometers south of Samara, which isn´t bad, either, but it´s more touristy and the beach at Carillo is much nicer (see photos). Unlike Samara, most of the beachcombers at Carillo are "Tico" families. Only problem is, this paradise may disappear in the coming years. I had lunch yesterday at a local hotel with a lovely view of the bay and beach. Seated at the bar was an American --the same [View Full Entry]

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Hello, The hanging bridges were lovely, as was the walk in the Monteverde Reserve this morning. Apparently, the latter was started by a group of Quakers! I was a bit disappointed because I didn't see much wildlife, and then I saw a lovely quetzel, which is the national bird of Guatemala.You'll see some photos below of the parks, as well as the hostel where I'm staying. It's pretty modest and not very clean, but there are people from all over the world and of all ages. And in the Reserve this morning I met a couple from California who'd like to [View Full Entry]

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Yes, Costa Rica's best kept secret is a lovely, lovely, swimming beach 7kms from Puerto Viejo called Punta Uva. White sand, turquoise-colored water, small cabins, nice people. I absolutely loved it and could consider staying there for a month or two. Indeed, a French couple from Perpignan whom I met there discovered it three years ago and is now building a house just across the road from the "cabinas" where they keep staying. Believe it or not, I ran into Liz and Tony on the beach and had dinner with them. They are the British-born couple who lived in Bermuda for [View Full Entry]

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Enjoy the photos! [View Full Entry]

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