http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/cocopuff/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from cocopuff en-us Wed, 30 Dec 2009 02:16:28 +0000 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 02:16:28 +0000 This morning we caught the ADO bus first class back to Mexico City. Initially they couldnt get the DVD machine working so they announced that we had a choice to wait another half hour for another bus. Everyone shouted No and then clapped when the bus backed up and started down the highway. The trip is 6 hours and goes through the greatest variety of cactus in all of Mexico. At times it http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Estado-de-Mexico/Distrito-Federal/blog-366479.html On Monday David and I with two other people from our hotel went to cooking school again. Our teacher greeted us at the door of her home she was beautifully dressed in a red and white Mexican dress and had striking Mexican designed jewellery on. Not once did she put an apron on nor did she get food on her clothing. We have always wanted to learn how to make flan and that was the first thing w http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Oaxaca/Oaxaca/blog-366192.html Yesterday we stood by the main highway scanning all the names of villages on the buses as they raced by. Finally the one we wanted came by we were on our way to the largest Indian Sunday market in the state of Oaxaca. We had to step over open boxes in the isle to get a seat an ice cream man in a purple uniform with his cart got on. Even though the trip should be about 30 minutes it took mu http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Oaxaca/Oaxaca/blog-365254.html Five years ago David and I flew into Oaxaca from Puerto Escondito in a small plane that had all instrument panels broken. The pilot flew over the mountains skimming over the tree tops until he dipped into the valley where Oaxaca is located. I am not sure which is worse coming in by bus through continuous windy mountainous roads for 6 hours or flying in by plane. When we arrived those many y http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Oaxaca/Oaxaca/blog-364515.html It has been a busy week since I wrote last. On Monday a group of us from the hotel hired a van to take us up to an ecological reserve where a number of villages have come together to offer one day or four day hikes from village to village. The drive was about an hour and a half up into the mountains. When we arrived we hired a guide to take us on a vigorous hike he also identified planets as w http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Oaxaca/Oaxaca/blog-363853.html We have moved into our room at Las Mariposas. Our room is simply appointed Mexican style with a bed which has a soft matress which is quite a contrast to the hard beds we have been sleeping on. Our room is upstairs. To get up there I have to pass by flowering purple bushes and potted geraniums. We share a large sun filled patio area with two other suites The sun in the morning pours throug http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Oaxaca/Oaxaca/blog-362538.html Thank you for the responses. Yes Joan I got your e mail which I have read numerous times I would love to hear more. Congradulations. Of course Mike can use our place our bed or the guest room.Oaxaca cityWe are so happy to be here. We left Puebla two days ago we decided to take a chance with no reservations. We found a lovely little hotel within 30 minutes of arriving. We weren't booked http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Oaxaca/Oaxaca/blog-361914.html Hi Joan and Mike We noticed we didnt include Shirley on our blog could you forward them to her. Thanks carol http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Puebla/Puebla-City/blog-360882.html We got to Puebla yesterday and I have been struggling to like the city. It is the first time that I have experienced this in Mexico where I want to leave as soon as possible. So tomorrow without reservations we are leaving for Oaxaca City. A four hour bus ride through the mountains.We are staying in a hotel which intially was convent in 1750. They have not changed the structure. The walls a http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Puebla/Puebla-City/blog-360881.html Hello Everyone I have 15 minutes to write my blog. I will start with Romon. The other night on the way home from supper we paused to watch tacos being made at a little hole in the all restaurant. There was a crowd of people sitting on those little plastic stools that I mentioned in my other blog. The cook whose name was Romon was the center of attention. He moved like a dipping bird bobbin http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Distrito-Federal/Mexico-City/Plaza-de-la-Constituci%F3n/blog-360160.html Hi AllThis evening we had a delightful dinner with Joan and Mike from the coop at a BROWN RICE diner up on 4th Ave..just marvy food and left around 900 to head home and finish packing. Pouring rain now and to think that only a day ago we were in 28 weather in Edmonton.....where Carol's Mom lives. david took CoCo over to her Auntie Diane's place where she will be staying until we return...my si http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/Vancouver/Kerrisdale/blog-358700.html Hi EveryoneCarol and I haven't BLOGGED as it were for two years now...I think it was our trip to Asia that was the last blog. I regret not sending messages and photos from my trip to China however I was so busy that I just didn't. But...since we haven't sent notes North in the past when we've been in Mexico we thought this would be a good time to begin afresh. The past trips to Mexico have http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Jalisco/Guadalajara/blog-354830.html Thursday our second last dayThis morning I went out looking for the street lady who makes the sticky rice and I found her in a different location. There was a line up of office workers by her cart waiting for their turn to order the sticky rice. I loved watching her put a large spoonful of coconut rice into the middle of a large green leaf next some evaporated milk would be poured onto the r http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Central-Thailand/Bangkok/blog-122497.html January 21 2007 Sunday eveningIn the evening after our temple explorations I decided to have a facial and a body scrub at the hotel spa something I had never had done before. What I didn't realize was that tumeric was one of the ingredients that was rubbed into every part of my body except my face. I was not aware when they were finished scrubbing my body for one hour that I had turned a http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/blog-122190.html January 20 2007 SaturdayWe rose early to catch our train to Soukothai. It was scheduled to leave at 830 a.m. but it was an hour ahalf late before we left. The time went quickly I actually found a place to get a boxed lunch and a latte little did I realize our ticket included breakfast and lunch. At 900 a.m. and at 600 p.m. the national anthem plays over speakers everyone stops includin http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/blog-121827.html January 18We had read about a large horticulture show in honor of the king's 80th birthday he is also the longest reigning monarch in the world 60 years. We were told we would need a day to see it we left the hotel at 10 a.m. and got home at 800 p.m. Numerous countries from Asia were represented there the only European one was Holland. The sections of plantings that they called exotic were http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/blog-121264.html We had some moments of panic at the airport when we thought we didn't have enough Kip to pay for our exit out of Laos. They don't take travellers cheques or credit cards at the airport. It would have meant a paniced trip back into town. Of all the Asian countries we have visited I would say Laos is the most untouched by Westerners and the most lush and beautiful. The city of Luang Prabang http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/blog-120002.html Hi Just to let everyone know we are having drinks on the patio overlooking the river after the Mai Thai boxing tonite . All welcomeWe are at the Galare Guest House 7 Chareonprathet Road Lane 2Chaingmai. Phone 053818887 Room 214David Carol http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/blog-119703.html Hi AllWe flew into Chaing Mai today around 3p.m. this afternoon in warm 34 sunshine and a slight cooling breeze. We were quite glad to leave Laos. I loved the city for the great old French buildings and all the temples...but the food was ..well...awful. We ended up on the last nite there eating at an Indian cafe which was atrocious..the cook was a teenage girlLao and all the spices were L http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/blog-119702.html On Sunday morning the 10 of us arrived at the orphanage in two loaded tuk tuks. We added a box of soap 120 bars to the other gifts we were bringing out. The food was distributed in an orderly fashion the children were put into long lines and they were intstructed by their teacher to extend a traditional Lao greeting to us as they received their food. I felt quite tearful as I watched the lit http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/blog-119331.html