We plan to travel in Panama for 6 weeks. We have no defined itinerary other than spending some amount of time in Panama City. We have rented 3 different Airbnb apartments mostly confined to neighborhoods close to Casco Viejo (Old Quarter). So far, our stay here has been very challenging. This time of year, temperatures are in the upper 80’s to low 90’s. The humidity hovers around 60-70 percent. In short, the weather is very similar to Florida weather in…
After our 14-day walk on the Camino, we spent a couple of extra days in Santiago. But we were anxious to move on. We were tired of the cool, wet, cloudy days and wanted to go to another part of Spain. Initially we had planned to stay in northwest Spain (Galicia) and explore some of the other cities. But we changed our mind because while walking the Camino, we saw plenty of ancient, gothic towns. And we ate phenomenal Galician…
We have been intrigued about the Camino de Santiago de Compostela for several years, even before we retired and began traveling. We know one person who walked the Camino and when she described her experience, we thought that we might like to walk it someday. But the distance seemed daunting. We didn’t have a spiritual reason for walking the Camino but approached it as a physical challenge and a chance to visit Spain and Portugal. So, 6 months ago we…
As Kathy and I prepare for our next adventure (hiking the Camino de Santiago from Portugal to Spain), we wanted to share an adventure with you that is not about us. This adventure is about our friends, Lindsey and Jessie, and their recent obstacle course race. They have raced in more than 200 obstacle course races over the past 12 years from 3-mile races up to 50-mile 24-hour races. As we learned at the Savage Race near Tampa, FL, this…
Argentinians really know how to eat. The food is delicious with influences from Spanish and Italian immigrants who arrived during the 19th and 20th centuries. Common dishes include Asado (Argentinian barbeque), Empanadas, Milanese (thin slices of beef, chicken, or veal, breaded and fried until golden), and Provoleta (a delicious, gooey baked-provolone cheese), Chimichurri sauce (made with parsley, oregano, garlic, olive oil, and vinegar), Pizza and Dulce de Leche (similar to caramel), But Argentina is best known for its high-quality beef….
What did we learn about Argentina during our three-week trip? We learned so much, including that Argentinians love Messi and Maradona (soccer players); everyone walks around drinking Yerba Mate (a traditional herbal tea drink) in special mate gourds. Argentinians love their local steaks (better than U.S. beef), their world-famous Malbec wine, beautiful Buenos Aires European-style architecture, weekend street fairs, and Tango street performers …the list is long. Argentina is at the end of the world; it’s a 10-hour flight from…
Iguazú Falls, located on the border of Argentina and Brazil, is a breathtaking natural wonder formed by the Iguazú River. It consists of 275 individual waterfalls spanning nearly 2 miles, with the tallest waterfall at a height of 269 feet. Together they make up the largest waterfall system in the world. Iguazú Falls are wider than the better-known Victoria Falls in Africa and taller than Niagara Falls in North America. Over 1.8 million gallons of water flow over the falls…
Three years ago, at the start of the Pandemic, we were quarantined in Mendoza, a city located in western Argentina. We were not allowed to explore the city, the vineyards, or the nearby Andes mountains. After two months, the U.S. Embassy arranged transportation from Mendoza to Buenos Aires (16 hours across the country) and a 9-hour flight from Buenos Aires to Miami. The trip back home temporarily ended our traveling adventures in South America. But we vowed that someday we…
After spending a week filled with walking, sightseeing, and hiking in Antigua, we hired a driver and drove to one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. Lake Atitlán is a short seventy miles from Antigua. But the time to cover that distance was more than two hours because the road winds around hills and mountains and through several villages. Lake Atitlán is a vacation destination for Guatemalans to escape the big city, but it is also a favorite…
Marshmallows A “must-do” activity in Antigua, Guatemala is to hike up a volcano. There are four volcanoes near Antigua. Volcan Fuego is the most active and it still spews ash plumes high into the air. As we drove into Antigua, we could see the smoke and ash. Volcan de Fuego Tour operators offer hiking trips to observe the eruption of Fuego, however, tourists cannot hike the Fuego volcano itself because it is active, but they can hike Acatenango, which is…