Well Barcelona has been a blast!
We have not stayed out as late as we would have liked on most nights and now as we get to the end of our trip we are finally getting into the swing of this Spanish way of life!
Lots of walking in old neighborhoods and my feet are feeling the effects. But it has been all worth it. I have only once walked into a moving car *the steets are narrow and people,dogs,mopeds and cars all share the same 4 foot wide space. The guy driving his beamer gave me a dirty look since my elbow hit his side mirror and I gave just as dirty a look back!*
The artwork has been plentiful along with gaudi's influence of architecture on the rest of the city. We have seen lots of his standing work from la sagrida familia to the parc guell and a few current residences in use.
The metro has béen mastered and we are old pros by now. Only once did we get separated trying to board and I knew where I was going so I just took the next train. We got separated because this is the first city I have seen where people actually wait to let others get off and there is not enough time to get on.
We have been to el quim *a tapas bar* twice in the boquateria and the food has been out of this world. Also had a great seafood dinner last night near the port and we were lucky to get in without reservations. Can Rose has been around for 5 generations and it shows. The fiedos was so yuMmy!
Picasso was on our list today as well as parc guell and we had the same idea as the rest of Barcelona as most things are not open on Sundays.
Before that we went to the main Cathedral and did some people watching and got to see some local music played. It seems like a tradition for the locals to come out and dance in the main square after noon mass and it was fun to watch.
Cafes and people watching have become apie early evening routine as we write postcards.
Off to get some dinner and tomorrow go to Montsarret in the morning.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Madrid to Barcelona
After getting up early again and getting ready, we realize our mistake in ordering a taxi too early as our flight leaves a lot later than we think.
So off for another walk around the aRea where Madrid is just starting to wake up and shops are not yet open at 9. The crisp air starts to make me hungry and a small breakfast of tea, juice and sweetbread for €2.50 fills us up. We talk to this older man* a little old NYC man traveling alone who doesn't speak any Spanish and I'd say was close to 70* who has just come from barcelona. We offer him some Madrid places to go and do while he tells us about some places there. We say our goodbyes as it is time to get back to the hotel and check out.
A harrowing ride to the airport 25 minutes later and we are both left a little quesy.
Ryanair is our carriEr and we both check luggage with no charges.
The rest of the trip is pretty uneventful as my stomach is a little nauseous and her head is bothering her. A bus ride follows that will take is into Barcelona as we flew in from a town about an hour outside of it called gerona. From the bus station, we call the woman who is to meet is at our flat and a little coMedy ensues as my phone tells me I need to be patched through to an operator for help but the call does go through to her and I mistakenly think she is the operator and try to tell her I want to make a call to Spain and she says you are calling Spain and Did I rent a flat?
We get instructions on how to get there which requires a metro ride, lots of stairs which make me wish I had packed less and I did this time too.!
We land in the middle of chaos in the catalunyan plaza. There is some BIG football match between Barcelona and the Rangers. And the steets are packed with drunken loud tailgaters who are heading toward us as we try to navigate to the flat. A long wait for the woman to show leads to lots of people watching and we finally get in.
Both of us by now are ready for a nap and i decide to go get is some sandwiches and drinks that will tide is over until a later dinner. But naps get the best of us and it is 11:30 when we wake up. Plans for tomOrrow require early waking to get to the market so we call it a night. But the revelers are still going and I am wide awake as I type this as it is close to 1 am now.
So off for another walk around the aRea where Madrid is just starting to wake up and shops are not yet open at 9. The crisp air starts to make me hungry and a small breakfast of tea, juice and sweetbread for €2.50 fills us up. We talk to this older man* a little old NYC man traveling alone who doesn't speak any Spanish and I'd say was close to 70* who has just come from barcelona. We offer him some Madrid places to go and do while he tells us about some places there. We say our goodbyes as it is time to get back to the hotel and check out.
A harrowing ride to the airport 25 minutes later and we are both left a little quesy.
Ryanair is our carriEr and we both check luggage with no charges.
The rest of the trip is pretty uneventful as my stomach is a little nauseous and her head is bothering her. A bus ride follows that will take is into Barcelona as we flew in from a town about an hour outside of it called gerona. From the bus station, we call the woman who is to meet is at our flat and a little coMedy ensues as my phone tells me I need to be patched through to an operator for help but the call does go through to her and I mistakenly think she is the operator and try to tell her I want to make a call to Spain and she says you are calling Spain and Did I rent a flat?
We get instructions on how to get there which requires a metro ride, lots of stairs which make me wish I had packed less and I did this time too.!
We land in the middle of chaos in the catalunyan plaza. There is some BIG football match between Barcelona and the Rangers. And the steets are packed with drunken loud tailgaters who are heading toward us as we try to navigate to the flat. A long wait for the woman to show leads to lots of people watching and we finally get in.
Both of us by now are ready for a nap and i decide to go get is some sandwiches and drinks that will tide is over until a later dinner. But naps get the best of us and it is 11:30 when we wake up. Plans for tomOrrow require early waking to get to the market so we call it a night. But the revelers are still going and I am wide awake as I type this as it is close to 1 am now.
it is all about the food and walking
Woke up at a respectable 9 am Tuesday after a few US phone calls rang through about 6 am.
Had great cheap breakfast at Madrid Madrid where we say in the bar area and watched workers come in for their cafe con leches, morning beers and bocadillas. Evetthing is served with some cut of jamon and I am surprisingly doing well. But our choice was a Spanish omelet or tortilla, sort of like a quiche but way better, filled with cheese and potatoes.
Back on the metro to the Sol area where the seat of Madrid starts and all steets are counted from.
We decided to do a walk through royal Madrid from a map in one of annals guidebooks. A few hits and misses at turning on to the right steets but we did make it through, seeing some of the oldest churches in the area, oldest restaurant and where the Muslims (or Moors) would have lived back then which is not a quaint area of trompe l'oeill painted apartments.
The tour ended at this convent where a group of clostered nuns run a cookie making operation. The whole fun part is trying to get in and buy the cookies where you ring the buzzer, figure out how to open the heavy wooden door and put your money in this lazy Susan and all of your contact is by voice and you never see the nuns. We missed the morning hours by 10 minutes but would later go back after lunch and it was well worth it. The orange flavored cookies are a cross between a delicate lady finger and shortbread and Anna and I have already eaten many of them throuGhout the day.
On to lunch., where we are the only ones at first in the dining rOom because at 1:30 it is still considered too early for lunch in Madrid. Anna found the best place for paella through a cooking show and they were right. We go with the paella mixto, some ham croquettes and the aqua con gas. All of which was more than enough and left us ready for a siesta. And yes the dining room by now is buzzing with activity at 3.
But we decide to walk it off and head over to one of the best art museums in the world - the Prado.
Many Goyas, some Miros and lots of 19th century historical paintings along with sculpture take up a few hours so that we are exhausted and head back to get those cookies, shop at a local artisans store and get me more clairitin which was a comedy into itself as I decided to go to into the farmacia by myself and with my limited Spanish get some more mostly by showing her the package.
A short siesta turns into a way too long one and our plan to go do tapas befor our flamenco show is scraped as we hurredly get ready and book over to the bar.
The show is amazing with dancers, singers and gUitarists and 2 glasses of sangria, some raccionnes *which I know know are larger plates of tapas and we ordered too many* and we both are content but still have one more stop: the chocaltier.
Open late and considered one of the best - the hot chocolate is so thick a spoon rests on it and the churros are greasy and light for dunking. The place stays open late and it is a mixture of locals and tourists at this late hour. By now I am glad we walked around so much of the city and mastered the
Metro as I have eaten my weight and had 3 meals in one day for the first time in who knows when.
Sleep comes quick after as we're leaving for Barcelona the next day.
Had great cheap breakfast at Madrid Madrid where we say in the bar area and watched workers come in for their cafe con leches, morning beers and bocadillas. Evetthing is served with some cut of jamon and I am surprisingly doing well. But our choice was a Spanish omelet or tortilla, sort of like a quiche but way better, filled with cheese and potatoes.
Back on the metro to the Sol area where the seat of Madrid starts and all steets are counted from.
We decided to do a walk through royal Madrid from a map in one of annals guidebooks. A few hits and misses at turning on to the right steets but we did make it through, seeing some of the oldest churches in the area, oldest restaurant and where the Muslims (or Moors) would have lived back then which is not a quaint area of trompe l'oeill painted apartments.
The tour ended at this convent where a group of clostered nuns run a cookie making operation. The whole fun part is trying to get in and buy the cookies where you ring the buzzer, figure out how to open the heavy wooden door and put your money in this lazy Susan and all of your contact is by voice and you never see the nuns. We missed the morning hours by 10 minutes but would later go back after lunch and it was well worth it. The orange flavored cookies are a cross between a delicate lady finger and shortbread and Anna and I have already eaten many of them throuGhout the day.
On to lunch., where we are the only ones at first in the dining rOom because at 1:30 it is still considered too early for lunch in Madrid. Anna found the best place for paella through a cooking show and they were right. We go with the paella mixto, some ham croquettes and the aqua con gas. All of which was more than enough and left us ready for a siesta. And yes the dining room by now is buzzing with activity at 3.
But we decide to walk it off and head over to one of the best art museums in the world - the Prado.
Many Goyas, some Miros and lots of 19th century historical paintings along with sculpture take up a few hours so that we are exhausted and head back to get those cookies, shop at a local artisans store and get me more clairitin which was a comedy into itself as I decided to go to into the farmacia by myself and with my limited Spanish get some more mostly by showing her the package.
A short siesta turns into a way too long one and our plan to go do tapas befor our flamenco show is scraped as we hurredly get ready and book over to the bar.
The show is amazing with dancers, singers and gUitarists and 2 glasses of sangria, some raccionnes *which I know know are larger plates of tapas and we ordered too many* and we both are content but still have one more stop: the chocaltier.
Open late and considered one of the best - the hot chocolate is so thick a spoon rests on it and the churros are greasy and light for dunking. The place stays open late and it is a mixture of locals and tourists at this late hour. By now I am glad we walked around so much of the city and mastered the
Metro as I have eaten my weight and had 3 meals in one day for the first time in who knows when.
Sleep comes quick after as we're leaving for Barcelona the next day.
Monday, November 5, 2007
the good but chaotic life
Since I last left off, I was somewhere in Nepal...well in those past few months lots has changed.
I left Dallas, moved to Tacoma,WA and have started working for the News tribune as their lead sports designer.
I am in the extremely long process of buying a townhouse (more on that later... That is a very long post)
Things have been pretty crazed the past few months with the job search *more on that later also because there is so much drama leading up to why I decided to move and what ultimately brougt me to the SeaTac area* but again later as I write this on my blackbert from halfway around the world.
Oh yes. I have gone and left the country again. This time it is Spain, in particular, Madrid and Barcelona. I met my friend Anna here as we had started to plan this trip before I left Dallas.
Some of these entries may be a little cryptic becuse of the typing and time restraints but I want to keep people posted and updated since I have tons of emails to catch up on from the past 30 days.
Left Seattle at 6 am Sunday morning after working long tiring sports shift where it was the first Saturday that I was in charge.
Delayed arrival from Miami, long taxi line, problem getting money out of ATM since I forgot to call bank and let them know I was going to Spain.
But made it to hotel - cute and cheap. Anna was delayed also so she thought she would wait for me at airport, then missed me. Both of us were hungry so we set off out our door after I took a quick shower to wash off all the stink of 24 hours of travel.
Walked around Plaza mayor. Beautiful day. Lunch of jamon, queso and calamari and bread. Long leisurly lunch to catch up with Anna on all that has happened in last month. Great people watching.
Walked down calle Atocha to museum reina to see Picasso's guernica and other modern art pieces (some Miros, Dal other Picasso).
Most shops are closed as it is siesta time. Go back to hotel for short nap that turns into long one. Both of us are not hungry and after an hour of planning our day we call it a night and plan to get up early tomorrow.
I left Dallas, moved to Tacoma,WA and have started working for the News tribune as their lead sports designer.
I am in the extremely long process of buying a townhouse (more on that later... That is a very long post)
Things have been pretty crazed the past few months with the job search *more on that later also because there is so much drama leading up to why I decided to move and what ultimately brougt me to the SeaTac area* but again later as I write this on my blackbert from halfway around the world.
Oh yes. I have gone and left the country again. This time it is Spain, in particular, Madrid and Barcelona. I met my friend Anna here as we had started to plan this trip before I left Dallas.
Some of these entries may be a little cryptic becuse of the typing and time restraints but I want to keep people posted and updated since I have tons of emails to catch up on from the past 30 days.
Left Seattle at 6 am Sunday morning after working long tiring sports shift where it was the first Saturday that I was in charge.
Delayed arrival from Miami, long taxi line, problem getting money out of ATM since I forgot to call bank and let them know I was going to Spain.
But made it to hotel - cute and cheap. Anna was delayed also so she thought she would wait for me at airport, then missed me. Both of us were hungry so we set off out our door after I took a quick shower to wash off all the stink of 24 hours of travel.
Walked around Plaza mayor. Beautiful day. Lunch of jamon, queso and calamari and bread. Long leisurly lunch to catch up with Anna on all that has happened in last month. Great people watching.
Walked down calle Atocha to museum reina to see Picasso's guernica and other modern art pieces (some Miros, Dal other Picasso).
Most shops are closed as it is siesta time. Go back to hotel for short nap that turns into long one. Both of us are not hungry and after an hour of planning our day we call it a night and plan to get up early tomorrow.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
I am soooo done with Nepal....
I thought that last night's canoe ride was interesting to say the least. Little did I know this morning that we would be using that same mode of transportation to get back to the roadside and so would our luggage. As ALL of our luggage is sent over ahead of us, including mine and Cait's computer, all we can think is please don't let it end up at the bottom of lake. Imagine watching your entire clothing, souvenirs and tolietries sent over on barely floating piece of wood with two porters, and a paddler. And then helplessly watch it being deposited on the other side of the dock while you stand on the opposite side of the lake -- hoping that no one steals it.
The guy meeting us to take us to the bus to Chitwan is there and it takes his car and a taxi to fit all of our luggage and us. The bus station is a large open field in town where young men are selling trays of homemade danishes and pastries and the busses have seen better days with some calling themselves 'Greyhound - Nepal." Our luggage is loaded on top of the bus and tied with a tarp just as I realize that my Dramamine is up there out of my reach. I explain that i need something up there for the ride or it will be a baaaaaad ride and they tell me to climb on top of the bus and he will undo the tarp. I find it -- thank god my toiletries where right on the top of my bag -- and take that special yellow pill.
There are only 9 of us on the bus and the tour guide bids us farewell, saying we should be able to stretch out for the trip -- which we have been told is about a five hour trip with one stop for breakfast and bathroom break. As I see all of these other buses pull out of the 'station', all are full and jammed with people. We finally leave after there is some debate with a guy at the entrance and I notice that one of the local Nepali guys on our bus is strangely riding at the doorway as if he is getting ready to call for more passengers. The only reason I notice this is that this was the way they ran the buses in Peru and I was extremely suspicious of how we were going to go to Chitwan on an almost empty bus. That is NOT the Nepali way -- every bus I have passed in the last few days is packed to the point that people ride on the top of these buses or hang from the backs of them.
So I am already on high alert and welll.... I'll have to continue the rest of the post later.
More to come on:
A four-hour delay on the road, stuck in a small roadside town, about an hour from our destination because some local people decided to protest the government....
Our heroes -- Rau Jan and his manager -- from the Jungle Safari Lodge in Chitwan....
A walking tour of Sauraha....and its small shacks and the Thura...
A sunburnt and cranky Liz calls it an early evening....
The guy meeting us to take us to the bus to Chitwan is there and it takes his car and a taxi to fit all of our luggage and us. The bus station is a large open field in town where young men are selling trays of homemade danishes and pastries and the busses have seen better days with some calling themselves 'Greyhound - Nepal." Our luggage is loaded on top of the bus and tied with a tarp just as I realize that my Dramamine is up there out of my reach. I explain that i need something up there for the ride or it will be a baaaaaad ride and they tell me to climb on top of the bus and he will undo the tarp. I find it -- thank god my toiletries where right on the top of my bag -- and take that special yellow pill.
There are only 9 of us on the bus and the tour guide bids us farewell, saying we should be able to stretch out for the trip -- which we have been told is about a five hour trip with one stop for breakfast and bathroom break. As I see all of these other buses pull out of the 'station', all are full and jammed with people. We finally leave after there is some debate with a guy at the entrance and I notice that one of the local Nepali guys on our bus is strangely riding at the doorway as if he is getting ready to call for more passengers. The only reason I notice this is that this was the way they ran the buses in Peru and I was extremely suspicious of how we were going to go to Chitwan on an almost empty bus. That is NOT the Nepali way -- every bus I have passed in the last few days is packed to the point that people ride on the top of these buses or hang from the backs of them.
So I am already on high alert and welll.... I'll have to continue the rest of the post later.
More to come on:
A four-hour delay on the road, stuck in a small roadside town, about an hour from our destination because some local people decided to protest the government....
Our heroes -- Rau Jan and his manager -- from the Jungle Safari Lodge in Chitwan....
A walking tour of Sauraha....and its small shacks and the Thura...
A sunburnt and cranky Liz calls it an early evening....
Himalayan flight (round 2!) and a tropical oasis...
So round 2: We try for another shot at the Himalayan sightseeing tour. This time we are given an even earlier wake-up call since we were late yesterday. When we get to the airport, they won't let our travel agent in and he has Dave's ticket so after much shouting by our travel agent and us, we are finally handed the ticket. But then there is lots of confusion on the fact that Dave has to pay the airport tax but the Yeti Air guy doesn't explain this right to me and as I head to the counter to pay the tax, he and I get into it as i try to explain I need to pay one more and he keeps insisting that he can't refund me for yesterday's fees. After talking in circles and not getting anywhere, I send Dave back over to the counter to pay his tax and after a slight delay, the guy finally takes his money.
Poor Dave -- we had already gone through their 'security' system yesterday so all of us girls knew how to pretty much walk through all their checkpoints and blow off the people. Dave was stopped and thoroughly searched by every one at all the 'men's' checkpoints, as they searched every pocket of himself and his bag.
And wouldn't you know it... the flight did not leave on time. We sat around as they called all these other flights, starting to worry that maybe we would not get to do the trip. But they finally called us -- and I recognized half the passengers as people who had been on our canceled flight the day before.
Well we take off and yes... the skies were clear! Talk about this amazing awestruck flight -- we kept playing musical chairs as the views changed from each person's seat. The young attendant would point out the different ranges and what we were seeing and the pilots (the lead pilot was a woman!) called each of us up to point out Everest as we came up on it. Everest was cool -- don;t get me wrong - - but there were some other impressive and distinctive looking ranges (whose names escape me now) that made it pretty amazing to be flying so close to.
We ended up chatting with two of our flightmates -- who were both English and a riot! Both guys were in their early 20s and volunteering for the last few weeks, teaching English to some Nepali monks and working at a day care taking care of Nepali children. They both had been disappointed as we were when the flight was canceled yesterday -- and one only had his second shot today since he was leaving to go back home to Suffolk. And he told us that he had been standing out in his boxers in the yard that day, waiting to see if the weather would be just right for the trip. They were completely British cheeky -- but made the rest of the flight home pass quickly as we traded trip stories.
So back to the hotel, to grab a quick bite to eat and finish packing as we had to be back to that same domestic airport in less than two hours! To bad we had to rush too -- since the breakfast at the Hyatt was amazing and we ended up having our same little chip-toothed server who was really a doll at coming around with the coffee and milk tea. Speaking of the milk tea -- talk about amazing! Sweet and spicy but just enough black tea jolt to wake you up -- I think I drank 20 cups over the last two days.
Packed and off to the airport again, we get there and find out that we are overweight -- surprise, surprise! and Yeti Air wants their money. These in-country planes are just slightly bigger than puddle jumpers -- and every plane I have been on for the last few weeks requires that you board from the runway (which makes me think that if you have any type of physical impairment that these kinds of road trips would truly be hard.) So large luggage is checked and we all have carry-ons (Cait has two large ones) and I have what is deemed in the U.S. as an acceptable size but since I am last to board they insist on checking it -- which pisses me off a little as I watch others who have the same size bags go by -- and my computer is in that bag (Would you trust a company named after a mythical creature to handle a $1700 piece of equipment? I think not!) . But I hand it over and pray for the best.
Pokhara is our next stop on the Nepal tour. It is a lake town that is known for its trekker trips and relaxing in a peaceful setting away from all of the chaos of Kathmandu. The resort we are staying at -- Fishtail Lodge -- is very rustic and quaint -- a total departure from the Hyatt. But we most are looking to relax and their pool is just what we need. The sun is HOT and frankly, I think all we are thinking is a good swim and a relax day in the shade, napping and reading. And that's what we do -- as well as keep applying the sunscreen as I am getting a little toasty.
The tour guide had set up sightseeing -- which we decide to blow off in favor of relaxing -- and we opt for lunch at the hotel. Ahhhh.... service in Nepal: I have found that it would be better if I would take my own order, get my own drink, make my own food and my companions' food, serve it and I would still come out four times faster than when we could even get our drinks. We make the mistake of not ordering our food with our drinks and we also opt for western-style fare so after starting out with some other tables in the dining room with us -- we end up being the last ones by more than 45 minutes. Maybe we would have been better off ordering the Nepali food......
Later, instead of the hotel dining hall, we opt to go into town on the recommendation of our host, Kiran. He has previously told us that there are several restaurants on the lakefront and all we have to do is walk about 10-15 minutes. Another Nepali lesson: Time estimates and distance are waaaayyyy off. We have to cross the river on the hotel's person-powered raft, walk down the road to the main road and then start walking into town, Along the way, we stop and window shop -- picking up some purchases along the way. The town is dead and about a quarter of the shops are firmly closed up. But we ask around for this restaurant -- Boomerangs -- that was recommended to us and we find it an half-hour later. And wouldn'tcha know it.... it is dead. No one is in there... and after some debate and growling stomachs, we decide to head back across the street to a restaurant that looks like it is busy (or busy compared to other dead restaurants). But we are misled as the large crowd we see is more of a group having cocktails and the restaurant inside is deader than a doornail.
Dave and I take a chance and order more 'American' cocktails and they are probably some of the worst I have ever had -- I should know by now to just stick with the Nepali beer -- as my drink is completely inedible. Try all booze -- it was supposed to be a 'blended' daiquiri and I am not one for stiff drinks of really bad liquor.
But the meal proves to be somewhat better -- but it was probably one of the lesser quality ones we had in all of our travels. And the bonus is getting dessert across the street at this gelato stand that proves to be worth it. There is some confusion when it comes time to pay as I still have not mastered the money and which bill is which -- so when I hand the money to the clerk I think he owes me more money back and is trying to cheat me. But he goes over what I gave him and returns some change -- even though I still think he has stiffed me. The gelato is good and the owner makes up for the confusion by helping us get a taxi.
The taxi looks like a beat-up rabbit -- and we all pile in with Dave up front. Driving at night in Nepal is even more harrowing then daytime because headlights on are OPTIONAL! So that car coming, or people on the road, or that bicyclist in your path -- you may not see him until the last minute. It is almost better not to watch the road and close your eyes. We make it back to the lodge dock in one piece but find out that the hand ferry is done for the night. Our ride back to the hotel is by canoe across the lake -- which makes me glad that I only had one glass of beer at the restaurant and nothing more. The guy piloting the canoe is quick and adept but all I can think of my companions is please don't tip over the canoe. And the four of us plus driver seems to bring us close to max weight. We make it over to the lodge -- all still dry.
Poor Dave -- we had already gone through their 'security' system yesterday so all of us girls knew how to pretty much walk through all their checkpoints and blow off the people. Dave was stopped and thoroughly searched by every one at all the 'men's' checkpoints, as they searched every pocket of himself and his bag.
And wouldn't you know it... the flight did not leave on time. We sat around as they called all these other flights, starting to worry that maybe we would not get to do the trip. But they finally called us -- and I recognized half the passengers as people who had been on our canceled flight the day before.
Well we take off and yes... the skies were clear! Talk about this amazing awestruck flight -- we kept playing musical chairs as the views changed from each person's seat. The young attendant would point out the different ranges and what we were seeing and the pilots (the lead pilot was a woman!) called each of us up to point out Everest as we came up on it. Everest was cool -- don;t get me wrong - - but there were some other impressive and distinctive looking ranges (whose names escape me now) that made it pretty amazing to be flying so close to.
We ended up chatting with two of our flightmates -- who were both English and a riot! Both guys were in their early 20s and volunteering for the last few weeks, teaching English to some Nepali monks and working at a day care taking care of Nepali children. They both had been disappointed as we were when the flight was canceled yesterday -- and one only had his second shot today since he was leaving to go back home to Suffolk. And he told us that he had been standing out in his boxers in the yard that day, waiting to see if the weather would be just right for the trip. They were completely British cheeky -- but made the rest of the flight home pass quickly as we traded trip stories.
So back to the hotel, to grab a quick bite to eat and finish packing as we had to be back to that same domestic airport in less than two hours! To bad we had to rush too -- since the breakfast at the Hyatt was amazing and we ended up having our same little chip-toothed server who was really a doll at coming around with the coffee and milk tea. Speaking of the milk tea -- talk about amazing! Sweet and spicy but just enough black tea jolt to wake you up -- I think I drank 20 cups over the last two days.
Packed and off to the airport again, we get there and find out that we are overweight -- surprise, surprise! and Yeti Air wants their money. These in-country planes are just slightly bigger than puddle jumpers -- and every plane I have been on for the last few weeks requires that you board from the runway (which makes me think that if you have any type of physical impairment that these kinds of road trips would truly be hard.) So large luggage is checked and we all have carry-ons (Cait has two large ones) and I have what is deemed in the U.S. as an acceptable size but since I am last to board they insist on checking it -- which pisses me off a little as I watch others who have the same size bags go by -- and my computer is in that bag (Would you trust a company named after a mythical creature to handle a $1700 piece of equipment? I think not!) . But I hand it over and pray for the best.
Pokhara is our next stop on the Nepal tour. It is a lake town that is known for its trekker trips and relaxing in a peaceful setting away from all of the chaos of Kathmandu. The resort we are staying at -- Fishtail Lodge -- is very rustic and quaint -- a total departure from the Hyatt. But we most are looking to relax and their pool is just what we need. The sun is HOT and frankly, I think all we are thinking is a good swim and a relax day in the shade, napping and reading. And that's what we do -- as well as keep applying the sunscreen as I am getting a little toasty.
The tour guide had set up sightseeing -- which we decide to blow off in favor of relaxing -- and we opt for lunch at the hotel. Ahhhh.... service in Nepal: I have found that it would be better if I would take my own order, get my own drink, make my own food and my companions' food, serve it and I would still come out four times faster than when we could even get our drinks. We make the mistake of not ordering our food with our drinks and we also opt for western-style fare so after starting out with some other tables in the dining room with us -- we end up being the last ones by more than 45 minutes. Maybe we would have been better off ordering the Nepali food......
Later, instead of the hotel dining hall, we opt to go into town on the recommendation of our host, Kiran. He has previously told us that there are several restaurants on the lakefront and all we have to do is walk about 10-15 minutes. Another Nepali lesson: Time estimates and distance are waaaayyyy off. We have to cross the river on the hotel's person-powered raft, walk down the road to the main road and then start walking into town, Along the way, we stop and window shop -- picking up some purchases along the way. The town is dead and about a quarter of the shops are firmly closed up. But we ask around for this restaurant -- Boomerangs -- that was recommended to us and we find it an half-hour later. And wouldn'tcha know it.... it is dead. No one is in there... and after some debate and growling stomachs, we decide to head back across the street to a restaurant that looks like it is busy (or busy compared to other dead restaurants). But we are misled as the large crowd we see is more of a group having cocktails and the restaurant inside is deader than a doornail.
Dave and I take a chance and order more 'American' cocktails and they are probably some of the worst I have ever had -- I should know by now to just stick with the Nepali beer -- as my drink is completely inedible. Try all booze -- it was supposed to be a 'blended' daiquiri and I am not one for stiff drinks of really bad liquor.
But the meal proves to be somewhat better -- but it was probably one of the lesser quality ones we had in all of our travels. And the bonus is getting dessert across the street at this gelato stand that proves to be worth it. There is some confusion when it comes time to pay as I still have not mastered the money and which bill is which -- so when I hand the money to the clerk I think he owes me more money back and is trying to cheat me. But he goes over what I gave him and returns some change -- even though I still think he has stiffed me. The gelato is good and the owner makes up for the confusion by helping us get a taxi.
The taxi looks like a beat-up rabbit -- and we all pile in with Dave up front. Driving at night in Nepal is even more harrowing then daytime because headlights on are OPTIONAL! So that car coming, or people on the road, or that bicyclist in your path -- you may not see him until the last minute. It is almost better not to watch the road and close your eyes. We make it back to the lodge dock in one piece but find out that the hand ferry is done for the night. Our ride back to the hotel is by canoe across the lake -- which makes me glad that I only had one glass of beer at the restaurant and nothing more. The guy piloting the canoe is quick and adept but all I can think of my companions is please don't tip over the canoe. And the four of us plus driver seems to bring us close to max weight. We make it over to the lodge -- all still dry.
Kathmandu, part 2
We get picked up at 6:15 for our ride to the domestic airport. Come to find out as we are whisked quickly through that they have delayed the flight for us by 15 minutes because we were late. But then we have to switch planes because ours is not working so they load us up on the bus and proceed to drive about 25 feet to the plane that was next to our original -- only in Nepal...
The Himalayan flight ends up being a bust after being the air for maybe 20 minutes as visibility is nothing so we head back to the plane. After all of us wait around, we are told that we can rebook for tomorrow or get a refund. There is some confusion with our rebooking as we never had the actual tickets and were only given the boarding passes. A Yeti Airline representative waits to talk to our driver (after much talking in circles with us) and we get it somewhat squared away for tomorrow.
More on:
Sightseeing at the Hindu temple....
Sightseeig at the Buddhist temple/best overlook peak of Kathmadu valley...
Our tour guides -- Prudip and Jack....
A shortcut to the ancient city and the ancient city itself....
And a wacky ride to a wonderful Nepali meal with Kiran and his family....
(Behind on these posts as I have been without Internet for the last few days. Hope to be back in Kathmandu by tomorrow evening where we will have cell phone service and real fast Internet service -- right now I am in an Internet cafe about 50 km from the India/Nepal border nad as Dave put it 'their Internet here is the equivalent of two cans and a string tied together.)
The Himalayan flight ends up being a bust after being the air for maybe 20 minutes as visibility is nothing so we head back to the plane. After all of us wait around, we are told that we can rebook for tomorrow or get a refund. There is some confusion with our rebooking as we never had the actual tickets and were only given the boarding passes. A Yeti Airline representative waits to talk to our driver (after much talking in circles with us) and we get it somewhat squared away for tomorrow.
More on:
Sightseeing at the Hindu temple....
Sightseeig at the Buddhist temple/best overlook peak of Kathmadu valley...
Our tour guides -- Prudip and Jack....
A shortcut to the ancient city and the ancient city itself....
And a wacky ride to a wonderful Nepali meal with Kiran and his family....
(Behind on these posts as I have been without Internet for the last few days. Hope to be back in Kathmandu by tomorrow evening where we will have cell phone service and real fast Internet service -- right now I am in an Internet cafe about 50 km from the India/Nepal border nad as Dave put it 'their Internet here is the equivalent of two cans and a string tied together.)
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