JoergandYuki

We drove to the North of Florida to have glances on the famous space center in cap Canaveral and to fulfill the wish of Yuki of a day in Disney world in Orlando. We started after some relaxed packing and coffee sipping from the Everglades camp ground and followed the main highway straight North. Florida identifies itself as the Sunshine State on the license plates. It is well known as retirement place and many Americans have a holiday apartment here. We read in the newspaper that Florida was one of the most hardest affected states for real estate prices which came significantly came down. Florida did not impress us very much from the landscape. It is plain flat with bushes and not much of space to hike around or do anything other activity than water sports. ... read more

The border crossing between Panama and Costa Rica was surprisingly easy. We almost managed to miss both border controls. We understood this only when there were some confused questions at the Costa Rica side if we enter or leave the country. The whole place was a mess of arriving buses and trucks and stalls and merchandise everywhere. The area was a tax free zone which attracted a lot of people for all sorts of business. The Pan American highway was running through it with no obstacles and plenty of stalls and shops lined along it. We walked back over the border and found after some search the well hidden Panama departure counters. Two small windows were placed inside facing a concrete building. It was easy to miss. The lax control is very surprising since Costa Rica ... read more

I had remembered an old middle school friend who lived in Costa Rica since 15 years. We had e-mailed and were invited to his home. We had not seen each other since my last visit more than ten years ago. He and his wife surprised us with a delicious cheese and ham plate from the German butcher. It was very pleasant to sit on the terrace in the mild evening air, to enjoy the good food and to sip on a beer while exchanging the latest news about our life and recent events. We stayed two nights at his house and left San Jose in the morning for the Caribbean Coast of Talamanca. This part is may be not the “real” Costa Rica since the Talamanca Coast has strong influences from Jamaicans and other Caribbean tribes ... read more

We had known about the low taxes on US gasoline before our arrival. The prices seem on the first glance not so low for someone used to Euros and liters, but when you do the conversion exercise the result is shocking - a shocking low price. It is average 2.10 US$ for a gallon. A gallon is 3.8 liters. This is 55 US cent for the liter or a shocking low 40 Euro cent! Controversial thoughts crossed every time my mind when I filled up the car for a mere 30 US$. Not imaginable in Europe where you are used to a range of 50 Euro. I traveled many countries and this are the lowest prices experienced. Even countries like China or Central American countries have higher prices. Why does have such a rich nation as ... read more

The national parks become really quiet after Monument Valley and far less developed. The trails are mostly marked by stone cairns and occasional trail sign show the way. It does not matter very much anyhow what is national park or not. Every dozen miles dirt roads lead into side valleys and canyons and local climbers bolder rocks. The landscape has an amazing variety of snow capped mountains, Juniper doted plains and rocks from dark brown, over red to white colors forming canyons, needles or bridges. We drove from Monument Valley north to Bridges National Monument, took base in the small town of Monticello and explored the needle features of Canyonlands National Park. Heart of the landscape is the upstream part of the same Colorado river forming later Grand Canyon. Unfortunately it was still cold with temperatures ... read more