not in ks anymo Toto

"Why do you want to go to the Himalayas?" someone asked me. To answer that question, I would first have to know why anyone would NOT want to go to the Himalayas.... We arrive at Kalimpong after a long flight: Kansas City to Abu Dhabi, to Delhi for 10 hour Layover, to Bagdogra Airport near Siliguri in West Bengal. We hire a ride from the Airport to Kalimpong & get let off at the very busy & crowded motor stand. Another taxi offers us a ride to our hotel, but we have been riding so long we decide to try & walk. We head out in what luckily turns out to be the right direction & after a while ask a friendly man directions to the Deki Lodge. "JP Lodge, I am going that way" "No ... read more

As time aproaches for our return to the states, we return to Guadalajara for a few more days. We stay at the Hostel de Maria in the beautiful, central, old neighborhood of "Barrio de Mexicaltingo". This Neighborhood has beautiful old buildings and fountains that could just as easily be set in Buenos Aires or Havana. It is a magnet for filmmakers, it seems. We watch a documentary being made one evening. It is about the sculptor, Alejandro Colunga. We saw some of his work, the surrealistic chairs in the plaza in front of the Cultural Institute Cabanas. The next evening they are filming a scene for a scary movie, right up the street. The following morning they are filming right in front of our hostel. There is a fountain there, & the secne involves a street ... read more

When we decided to visit the beach we wanted to visit a Sea Turtle refuge and to go snorkeling. We got a ride with Rosa from Comala to Tecoman on the day we were going to visit el Tortugario. In Tecuman we hopped on a bus to Armallia where we get a local bus to Cuyutlan. In Cuyutlan we find a taxi to take up the last 3 KMS to el tortugario. Here they collect tortise eggs after they are layed by the sea turtles. They incubate them & on Sundays, they release the babys into the Pacific. We view the turtles that live there and take a short walk on the boardwalk thru the mangrove. Lots of mosquitos there, so we don't stay long. We walk back to Cuyutlan on the black sand beach & ... read more

Staying in the Historic Center of Guadalajara has really been a treat. There is always something going on. The Fiestas Octubre has events going on all over town & I was able to catch some wonderful music acts for free on the Plaza de la Liberation or at the stage set up behind the Teatro Degollado. Also wonderful street musicians. We visited the Instituto Cultural Cabanas, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is famous for Orozco's Murals in the main chapel. They were stunning and worth the trip there, but we also got to see the Russian Imperial Crown Jewels (Fabrage Eggs & such) which were on display as part of their traveling exibit. Guadalajara has a sentimental soul & a hard side. Watching Mariachi musicians hustle for work from passing cars in front ... read more

My first day in Guadalajara I found out about the Sunday recre-active event. The main street in town, which most of the time is FULL of traffic, is shut down to all motor vehicles, & open to bicycles, skaters, skateboarders, wheelchairs and walkers. There are volunteers monitoring the traffic at all the intersections and it is a big, citywide cycling party! Loads of fun with other groups sponsering events along the way.... read more