about Pucllana Hola Veronica, garcias por tu mensaje, y lo siento no escribo mucho en español. Sorry that I have to write the rest of this in English. Thanks for the comment. I'm amazed that anyone still looks at this travel blog as it is a bit out of date. The pyramid at Huaca Pucllana was really interesting, and I am fortunate that I had a good guide to show me around. I know I shouldn't get too down on Dunkin Donuts and other chains etc. as the do provide jobs, but I wonder how street vendors can compete ... I get the feeling that the world would be a much less interesting place if all the shops were just franchises of some Western mega corporation.
about Pucllana Hi, I`m from Lima and I work in Huaca Pucllana as an archaeologist, my english is not too good so i hope you can understan my message.
I`m glad because of your comment about the archeological site in Miraflores... when i`m working in the top of the pyramid i feel really good and i try to imagine the same place without buildings, cars and planes... it`s really nice to be here, near the pacific ocean. I hope you can tell your frienda about Lima and also other places in Peru, of course Lima is not a safe place in the night but I think all cities in the world are not totally safe... here in Lima the police think that if our visitors could feel secure if they can see lots of guard. In my opinio they only make us more insecure hehe.
Really nice to see your opinion about Lima... but don`t get depress... we dont like dunkin donuts too much.
Veronica Chirinos
Not that comprehensive I think to say what I wrote about Madrid is comprehensive is quite flattering, I could have written heaps of other stuff, but you can´t spend your time travelling blogging away endlessly.
Hey Paolo! I can´t believe how comprehensive your review of Madrid is.. your Spanish is awesome and I´m in Granada right now. Granada, is beautiful, at least in this hostel that I´m at, I´m really excited to see the Alhambra tomorrow morning. too bad I don´t really know how to get there yet. Anyhow, I hope you´re having a good time in Cordoba! Make sure to write lots about it. - Christine
Round south america in 80 days ha... Hey Paolo howz it going?
Glad to hear your ok and still enjoying yourself. Wow the Plaza Mayor looks huge, was trying the locate the beer truck in the photo..hehe
New Zealand weather is pretty crap at the moment, it seems the bubble of population surrounding Auckland cannot withstand or protect us from the mass amounts of rain and hail we've been having. I guess you've heard by now about the freak floods in the Bay of Plenty?
Well dude better go and do some work as i'am due to start work.....look forward to hearing from you again and take care.
Peace Out - Priya
Museums I really like to go to museums ... why? Probably this explains it ... when I was in the Universal/World Art museum in Havana, got to talking to one of the attendants. I asking her if she gets many tourist there (I think that I have mentioned that alot of the time there seemed to be more staff than tourists). She said yes, but said not so many from Europe, as they mainly go to the Cuban Art Museum. She said the reason why is that they can see great World/European Art in their own countries but can´t see much Cuban Art. Well for someone from NZ, we can´t see much famous World Art ... well I mean you can´t just walk in to Auckland Art Gallery and see stuff by Da Vinci, Raphael, Picasso, Van Gogh etc, which is eactly what you can do when you visit Art museums overseas ... eg. National Gallery in London. So that is why I take the opportunity to visit galleries and museums ...
I wish i was there so how many musuems have you been to so far.....
glad to see that your enjoying yourself, and ofcourse getting tired and dirty at the same time..hehe i've been doing a bit of readin from my spanish book so when i get more confident might email ya a few sentences.
so where are you off to next?
keep us posted i love reading your journel and more pictures please....hehe i'am a visual learner
Adios - Priya
Price Conversion/Casas/Che Hmmm, well 1 CUC is supposed to be pegged to the USD, however when you change USD to CUC, the Cubans charge a 10% admin fee, so you are probably better off using Euros.
For info on Casas just do a Google search on Casa Particular. Heaps of stuff on Che for sale. Sorry didn´t get you anything though :-(
Price conversion I'm so impressed and jealous! Loving Cuba. Few questions. 1 CUC = what in NZ dollars? Also the Casa Particular sounds great and you said that it is 1/3 the price of a hotel. How much is that approximately in NZ dollars. Why didn't you like the Mojita? Is there a lot of touristy Che items for sale? And have you seen the big man himself or heard any inside information in regards to his health condition? Where to next? - Desert Rose
I am so jealous Hey sunshine we got the post cards....I AM SOOOO JEALOUS, it looks beautiful and i look forward to more photo's...you by the way look great...you have a tan!!!!!! Keep it up Paolo, and please take care. Alu'a tama' - Mepa
Go CUBA!!! Awesome stuff I am so jealous and keen as to see the real side of Cuba as I've read guides and journals before and don't know what to expect. Please smoke a Cuban Cigar and suck on a Mojita for me and take HEAPS of pics pleaseeeeeeeeeee! Take care. - Desert Rose
Wow what an adventure Como estas Muchacho!
well by the sounds of things, you've been busy (alot of walking, wow i love reading your journals as i have no life myself it kinda makes me more motivated to save even harder and travel. I'am glad your enjoying yourself overall hey if any one deserves a good vacation its you.
Good luck with cuba i heard it is a beautiful country, my cousin used to live there but when things got a bit rough he decided to move back to canada, unfortunetly the cuban embassy woudlnt let him leave cuba for 3mths......anyways enough of the horror stories, enjoy your time over there, we here at state miss you heaps and make sure you stay hydrated.
take care - Priya
One Day I will stand there! Paolo this is so great! Love reading about all the interesting things you are doing and seeing. LOVED Machu Pichu shots.....so amazing. I truely hope to go there one day. Thanks for the pisco explanation. Such a different world over there. Immerse yourself and enjoy becuase we all know too well what life is like back here everyday. Looking forward to your next travels xo - Desert Rose
What is Pisco? Woops, forgot to say that Pisco is a spirit, distilled from grapes. From what I remember from the winery, there are two types of grapes which originally came from Spain. Okay, so you havest the grapes, and squash the juice out of them, collect the juice in (ceramic) jars and let it ferment naturally by leaving the jars in the sun. Then you distill the resulting liquid. The output from the distillation process is divided into 3 parts, the head (produced first), the body (produced second) and the tail (which comes out of the still third). The head is toxic and so is the tail, the body is what you can drink as Pisco. Now Pisco neat is very strong, with a very high alcohol content. So the way you drink Pisco is in a cocktail called a Pisco Sour. Pisco, Beaten Egg White, Cinnamon, and Lemon Juice (I think). I tried Pisco neat at the winery, and it is very strong. I have also tried the Pisco Sours, after the first 2 or 3 I have no desire for any more ...
What is Pisco? It sounds so pretty where you are. Loved the shanty on the hills description, that'd do me for a holiday at the moment! What is Pisco and why are they using the toxic waste as disinfectant?? - Desert Rose
Get Outta The City! Wow that sounds like a mad little city you are in! Bet you're looking forward to climbing mountains and seeing beautiful ruins. Enjoy and keep the journals and pics coming to entertain me whilst stuck at my desk!! - Desert Rose
Dreamer
Paolo
about Pucllana
Hola Veronica, garcias por tu mensaje, y lo siento no escribo mucho en español. Sorry that I have to write the rest of this in English. Thanks for the comment. I'm amazed that anyone still looks at this travel blog as it is a bit out of date. The pyramid at Huaca Pucllana was really interesting, and I am fortunate that I had a good guide to show me around. I know I shouldn't get too down on Dunkin Donuts and other chains etc. as the do provide jobs, but I wonder how street vendors can compete ... I get the feeling that the world would be a much less interesting place if all the shops were just franchises of some Western mega corporation.