http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/crazydiver/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from crazydiver en-us Tue, 22 Dec 2009 09:45:58 +0000 Tue, 22 Dec 2009 09:45:58 +0000 The post cards show Hohenzollern Castle as this beautiful gothicstyle castle high on a hill httpwww.preussen.dedeheuteburghohenzollern.html We didn't have that view going up as snow was predicted. So for me it was a castle in the clouds. But it was one of the coolest castles I have been to. The first room we got to go in had the whole family tree on the walls Prussian Kings Kaisers http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Germany/Baden-W-rttemberg/blog-451813.html There ought to be an iphone app that tells airlines what your preferences are. For example somehow Delta knew that I prefer aisle seats except when Alex is with me and then I definitely need an aisle. But Delta clearly didn't know that I DON'T prefer a window in the row before the exit row. I like to put my chair back but it was impossible. Shouldn't there be some sort of consciousness tha http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Germany/Baden-W-rttemberg/Stuttgart/blog-451738.html As I leave Guatemala I have to take a moment to reflect on this experience of traveling in a Spanish speaking country with a group of 15...of whom only 2 speak spanish.I am travelling as part of a group led by GAP Adventures. GAP as in Great Adventure People not the clothing store. I chose this provider for a number of reasons first because it is an organization dedicated to sustainable touri http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Flores-Tikal/blog-191734.html Tikal is officially one of the new wonders of the world....it may not have made the official list...but I imagine that is only because so much of it is still underground... in fact I wonder if there has to be a certain number of visitors per year to become a wonder of the world Chichen Itza an actual new wonder of the world was my previous favorite because of all the icons from the Temple http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Flores-Tikal/blog-191725.html Just a quick update to let everyone know that there is still a volcano on my leg. Note to self lava rock is sharp and if you fall it will hurt. Oh and don't climb down volcanos in the dark. Also note to others North Face pants rip easily on lava rock. http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Flores-Tikal/blog-191716.html Hotel Tijax was our home away from home in Rio Dulce. Or rather across the river from Rio Dulce. It consisted of minicabanas ha that is not an accurate image...um...cabins on wooden pathways through the jungle. We had to open the doors with padlocks and each cabin had 2 beds swathed in mosquito nets. Kind of oddly romantic like a canopy bed. Oh and a fan. No bathrooms. But some had http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Rio-Dulce/blog-191709.html Santiago Zamora is clearly a poorer rural area than the tourist meccas that we have been frequenting. It's history however is quite unique from other small towns. We hopped in our organized transportation...the back of a pickup truck. Note to self can't take students this route. Within minutes we were bumping along the road to Santiago Zamora from Antigua. We were accompanied by a bee...o http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Antigua/Antigua/blog-191701.html The trip to Chichi from Pana takes a long windy road. Fortunately we avoided the chicken buses and got a private van. An hour and 10 minutes later the driver predicted to the minute we arrived in Chichi to do some serious shopping. Unfortunately rainy season showed up and drenched us and many of the stands. Despite the weather we went on a mission to find some textiles and handicrafts. Note to http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Chichicastenango/blog-182493.html 4 Hours We started the day with 4 hours of chicken buses. The first one went from Antigua to Chimaltenango. Apparently you dont try to get to your final direction but get to points along the way. We all got seats on the multicolored school bus more on this later. We were on for about 45 minutes and waited impatiently for the moment when we would have to share with more than 1 person. John t http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Panajachel/Lake-Atitlan/blog-182490.html El volcan Pacaya is 2500 m high and erupted for 1 year and 3 months ending about 10 months ago. Fresh lava still flows today. It is one of 3 active volcanos in Guatemala and can be seen from Guatemala city. We climbed it today in about 3.5 hours. It should be noted that guidebooks and hotels say it takes 5 hours. About 34 of the way up we hit a windy ridge of lava rock. We hiked about another 3 http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Antigua/Antigua/blog-182478.html After all the energy and effort of preparing to come it was a relief to finally be on the plane to Guatemala City GUA...even if it was a middle seat. To my great fortune as I would later realize I ended up next to a girl from Illinois who lives in a small town close to Antigua with her husband and adopted Guatemalan daughter. She is here in the mission filed working to set up an orphanage. As http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Antigua/Antigua/blog-181543.html SpainKirsten Sheppard 8 days but only 1.5 days to explore. These are the challenges of travelling on business. You get to go cool places but have to work harder than you play. As a result I can say that I visited Madrid Alcala de Henares Toledo and Pamplona...but I barely saw Toledo... of course I got to speak espanol and dine as I imagine Queen Sofia does. Madrid It would be easier to do th http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Spain/District-of-Madrid/Madrid/blog-173535.html Two years and 1 month into our time in Knoxville TN and I experienced a culture shock like no other. After all how could we ever say we lived in Knoxville and had never been to a Vols game It was pretty amazingA little bit of background The Vols are the University of Tennessee Volunteers. In this case the NCAA Division I football team. And in case you can't tell from the photos the http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Tennessee/Knoxville/blog-88207.html So hockey in Atlanta was not at all what going to an NHL game in Canada is like. The music was weird and the energy was different. I'm not sure how to explain it since the Phillips Arena was pretty full. Not that I'm complaining it was a big step up from the energy at the Knoxville Ice Bears game Go Ice Bears I'm serious...they are pretty good...and lotsa Canucks. Baseball in Atlanta http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Georgia/Atlanta/blog-69610.html Back in Tennessee yet still somehow immersed in Costa Rica...Here I was reading the Knoxville News Sentinal not expecting any international news except maybe about terrorism Iran or North Korea and I was not disappointed there only 3 international stories today yet as I turned the pages of the local news I came across and article under family moments. The title caught my eye Fear conqu http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/blog-68301.html I am not sure I can actually express how amazing Costa Rica is. Despite being a believer that shortterm periods of being abroad can have incredible impacts on people I am still thrown by how much I got out of only 10 days. I'll give you the personal rather than professional version of this site visit to the land of plantains coffee and cacao....San JoseI only got a glimpse at what San Jose h http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/blog-67439.html One of the most stressful yet exciting things to do in one's life is to buy a house. After 5 years of moving and turmoil and adventures Daren and I have decided to settle down for awhile and took possession of our first house on FridayThis is probably going to be the nicest house we will ever have because I'm not sure we could afford this much space in any other city we hope to live inYes http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Tennessee/Knoxville/blog-52175.html This is just a quick post to share my excitement of the past few days The BIG news is that I just bought my first carwell besides Happy the VW rabbit I shared with Juan Oh Happy where are you It is a 2000 VW Beetle yes that is a picture of her. She does not yet have a name but she is divine She is a 5speed bubble. That is how it feels inside. Tall people don't be afraid to com http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Tennessee/blog-15310.html Sorry to those of you who either have heard and don't want to again or to those of you I have not had the chance to tell in person yet...but it is true. Daren and I eloped to Las Vegas Yes it is kind of sudden and crazy but over the past few months we were thinking that we should do it now so that immigration will not be a nailbiting tense situation next year when her student visa runs ou http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Nevada/Las-Vegas/blog-15306.html Seattle.... a little delayed in posting...It is strange that one can be in a new place a new city for just a short time andknow that it could be home. Seattle is like that It has a marketplace international flavours coffee shops where people actually sita nd drink coffee ok...maybe a few too many coffee shops. It has a downtown filled with tall buildings...both business and residential http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Seattle/blog-12341.html