http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/historianherb/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from historianherb en-us Fri, 25 Dec 2009 16:11:25 +0000 Fri, 25 Dec 2009 16:11:25 +0000 Vietnam A word for an American that summons images of soldiers in the jungle fighting and bleeding for a cause and reason only known to them. The idea of a communist government that spread fear among our parents and grandparents. The very word Vietnam makes a war pop into your head and not a country. Welcome to the new Vietnam. A place trying to develop into a modern country and trying to forget http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/blog-417607.html Bargaining in China for Souvenirs is an art form. First you must pick a table on the street or in a market because if you go to a fancy store they have too much over head cost and will not bargain with you. Second you must approach the item you want with care. You must not show interest in the item as that is a weekness the seller will exploit. You must pick the item up in a way as not to show i http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/blog-416316.html We arrived in Xi'an after a sixteen hour overnight train. Arriving in the train station we were greeted by the massive Stone Wall that surrounds the city. The city has grown past the ancient wall but the wall still plays a big part in the city life. The reason that Xi'an is famous is because a farmer discovered the Terracota Warriors nearby in 1974 and the town has become a mecca for those seeking http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/blog-411499.html I left Beijing via night train to Shanghai. The thirteen hour trip was to be done on a hard sleeper train. The train car consisted of a long open hallway with rooms with no doors. Each room consisted of six bunkbeds with three on each side of the room. For foreigners this is a cheap and comfortable way to travel but for Chinese this is an expensive way to travel by sleeper car. Slipping into bed w http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Shanghai/blog-411477.html Heading out of Beijing my group went to a less touristy section of the Great Wall to explore the ancient Chinese creation. Arriving at this section of the Great Wall to find that it is situated on the ridge of a mountain pass. There was two options to get to the wall was either a hour long hike to the wall up a mountain or take a nice cable car right to the wall for about five U.S. dollars. After http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Beijing/blog-409320.html I arrived to Beijing China on June 11th after a long and tiring flight. Before the passengers could leave the plane every person on board the plane had to have their temperature taken in case they had the swine flu. If any passenger had a fever they and three rows in front and three rows behind would be put in Quarantine for seven days. Luckily nobody on the plane had a fever which caused the pas http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Beijing/blog-408099.html I am writing this Blog from good ol' San Antonio. After Iguacu Falls our group headed by bus for 24 hours to the city of Paraty while passing through Sao Paulo. Paraty was a nice little beach town in Brazil where you can go to Trinidad beach or head to the natural water rock slides. I decided to go to the rock water slides and headed over by local bus to the area. It was free to enter the area and http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Rio-de-Janeiro/blog-308283.html Heading to the border which at Iguau Falls there is three such as Brasil Argentina and Paraguay. We left Brasil and got a day stamp in our passports to the Argentina side of Iguau Falls. The Argentina side of the Park is bigger and has more walking paths along the falls. The stop after a quick little train ride is the path that will lead you to the top of the Devils Throat. The power of the w http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Argentina/Misiones/Iguazu-National-Park/blog-304365.html I left Bonito Brasil by twelve hour bus to arrive at the city of Foz de Iguau. We head out to see the Iguau Falls on the Brazillian side. The falls have two side one is on the Brazillian side and the other is on the Argentina side. I decided to take the helicopter ride to get a birds eye view of the falls. The pilot took off and we soared through the air for fifthteen minutes while watching the http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Paran-/Foz-do-Igua-u/Igua-u-National-Park/blog-303783.html I arrivied in Bonito Brasil and decided to go snorkling in the Rio de Prata. Here are some pictures from snorkling in the Rio de Prata. The crazy thing is after a truck ride you have to hike in your wetsuit for 45 minutes through the jungle to get to the entry point of the Rio de Prata. We spent about two hours snorkling down the river which was like snorkling in an aquarium. It was unbelievable http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Mato-Grosso-do-Sul/Bonito/blog-303587.html We left Santa Cruz Bolivia on July 17th by train to head to the border of Brasil. We boarded the train which took fourteen hours to reach the town of Puerto Suarez Bolivia where we would cross into Brasil. I then headed to the border check point of Bolivia to get my exit stamp which should have been free but the man with the stamp told us it would cost ten bolivianos to get a stamp. We paid our http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Pantanal/blog-303163.html I got to Potosi midday after a horrible bus ride and settled into highest city of its size in the world. The main attraction of Potosi is its silver mine and to be able to tour it. On sunday morning we met with our guide and traveled to a site to get out fitted in our miner outfits. We got pants jackets rubber boots helmets and head lamps. Dressed in our mine outfits we headed to the miner ma http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Potosi/blog-299740.html We left La Paz in the morning by a three hour public bus to the town of Ororu. In the town of Ororu we caught the eight hour train that would take the group to small town of Uyuni that would be our jumping off point for the Salt Flats of Bolivia or Salar de Uyuni. I boarded the train and found my seat which was was comfortable. The left the town of Ororu and headed thru the desert of Bolivia to th http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Salar-de-Uyuni/blog-298903.html On Sunday July 6 I headed out by bus from Puno Peru to La Paz Bolivia. We traveled for five hours on a bus until we reached the border of Peru and Bolivia. It was a simple border and I crossed over after going through immigration and stopped in the small town of Copacabbana Bolivia on the shores of Lake Titicaca. I changed buses and started the second bus journey to La Paz. First you have to cro http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/La-Paz-Department/La-Paz/blog-296780.html I left Cusco on Thursday July 3 via an eight hour bus ride to Puno Peru. The next morning we took Tuk Tuks to the port at Lake Titicaca. Our group boarded the boat and cruised across Lake Titicaca for three hours when we finally arrived at the Island of Tequille. To get to the main area of the island you have to climb up steep stairs and paths for about fortyfive minutes to get to the top. The i http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Puno/Lake-Titicaca-/blog-295750.html Cusco Inti Raymi Festival June 24On June 24 we arrived by plane to the city of Cusco. The original capital and center of the Inca Empire. The city of Cusco is wonderful with sunny weather during the day and cold nights. The city contains original walls of stone from the Inca empire. At night the city center of Plaza de Armas is alive with restaurants pubs bars and dance clubs. During the da http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Inca-Trail/blog-293699.html AREQUIPAI arrived in the city of Arequipa Peru 2nd largest city in Peru on Saturday June 21 2008. The City of Arequipa is located at 2800 meters of elevation so walking around the first few hours gave me some slight light headedness but I quickly got use to the altitude. This is my first place in South America in which to be in the Andes Mountains. I explored the city on foot walking around th http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Arequipa/Colca-Canyon/blog-290963.html On the outskirts of town we headed via dirt road to the Nasca desert. Archeologists have uncover numerous preserved mummies from the 2500 year old Nasca society. Walking among the paths you arrive at several covered areas that contain the mummies. The mummies have had their skin bone hair and clothes preserved. It is weird to think that this is not a hollywood movie set but actual mummies sitt http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Ica/Nazca/blog-289718.html After heading out from Lima I headed south along the coast of Peru to Pisco my next stopping off point. The town of Pisco is still recovering from the massive earthquake that it had about 2 years ago. Walking along the streets there are shops open among the rubble of the earthquake. Moving around the different streets are difficult as you have to make sure that you dont fall into the massive sin http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Ica/Pisco/blog-289455.html I arrived late last night in the City of Lima Peru were I am starting my South American Journey. I am staying at a Hotel located in the Miraflores District of Lima. Miraflores is semiupscale area of Lima. It feels very safe in this area. There are police around every corner to protect the area. During the day Miraflores explodes into action when all the shops and restaurants open up their stores http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Lima/blog-288276.html