Getting to Croatia

After an eight hour flight from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada to London, England we booked in for the night at the Sheraton  Skyline by Heathrow Airport.  The cost is reasonable but don't expect the hotel to provide transportation.  None of the hotels are allowed to provide this service.  There is a low cost bus service, taxi and if you are more adventuresome the local public bus transportation is also available.  Here is a  link to the Heathrow Airport website.

http://www.heathrowairport.com/transport-and-directions/buses-and-coaches/hotel-buses

We arrived at Terminal 2 and purchased our return bus ticket from the Tourist Information booth. Before leaving the terminal we accessed the free internet on the I pads to make sure that we had our seats booked on the British Airlines flight the next morning.  If you check your next flight you can often get the seats that you want.  To catch the hotel bus make sure you know the bus number for your hotel and the platform that you will need to wait.

After checking into the hotel get outside and go for a walk in the daylight.  This will help you to get  your body accustom to the time change.  This is also a good time to decide on where you will eat that evening.  There is not much around the hotels.  There are townhouses and a few local restaurants if you walk a fairly long way from the hotel.  Check out the restaurants in the hotels and decide what you want to eat.  The Sheraton has an East Indian restaurant that was excellent.  The dishes are easily shared and there is enough rice in one serving for two people.  The Cobra beer was also a great idea to help cool the heat of the curry.

The Sheraton has free wireless service or you can access the terminals in the lobby.  The pool is in the hotels courtyard and covered.  This is a lovely area and there is a lounge located around the pool which is open for drinks at 4 pm daily.

The last thing to do before retiring is determine what time to catch the bus to return to the airport.  Make sure you know which terminal you need to go to for your next flight.  Because we often have a difficult time getting up when we have changed time zones we asked for a wake up call at 5:30 am.  To our shock they did not call the room but someone was knocking on our door to wake us up.  So we truly got knocked up in the morning.  Not sure how long they were knocking on the door before Bill realized that we need to get up.

We were departing from terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport.  Check in is easy but your baggage tag is printed by an agent after you have check in at the automated terminal.  Once through security there are several restaurants on the main floor as well as choices on one level down in the flight hall.  Just be aware that you must watch the flight departure board to determine what gate and when you need to be at the gate.  Once at the gate we had to take a bus to the plane.  Be sure you are at the gate before it closes or you may not catch the bus.  For our flight the gate actually closed 30 minutes before the departure time.

The flight to Zagreb, Croatia on British Airlines was great.  They had enough time to feed us a light breakfast before landing after two hours.  The time change from London is one hour ahead.

The airport at Zagreb is very small.  It reminded me of the airports in Canada during the 70's.  Not very big and limited services.  You can access the airport bus for about 30 Kn  to the bus terminal downtown which is about 30 minutes away depending on traffic..  There is no luggage storage at the airport but there is luggage storage at the bus station.

At the time of writing this blog Croatia is officially part of the European Union as of July 1, 2013.  They currently use their own currency called the Kuna.  As of 2014 they have not decided if they are going to use the Euro.

Kananaskis Country in Alberta Canada

Kananaskis is a provincial park west of Calgary before you reach Canmore or Banff. 

This is a wonderful area that is less congested than the national park and allows for wonderful opportunities for wildlife sightings.  Over the last forty years I have always enjoyed time in this area.  I have stayed at the Youth Hostel, in the hotels, camped in a tent and watched a meteorite shower that happens in early August. 

The hiking trails are numerous in the different areas and provide opportunities to see beautiful vistas and hidden lakes.  There are several trails for disabled individuals as well and accommodation designed for wheel chair accessibility.

I have had the opportunity to fish in the park before it was well established and caught rainbow trout.  This is a great place to watch a variety of birds in their natural habitat. 

We have stayed at the lodge and spent many Christmas or New Years  celebrating with family.  These experiences provide countless memories and the lodge goes all out to make the experience exceptional.

If you like to ski the cross country skiing is awesome with numerous tracked trails.  Downhill skiing at the Nikiski Ski Hill is also a great experience for all abilities.  The drive from Calgary allows Kananaskis to be an easy day trip.
.

The golf course was another wonderful opportunity to enjoy the scenery and put your skills to the test.  Unfortunately with the devastating flooding in 2013 the two course were closed.  Currently I do not know if they will ever be repaired. 

You can see the mud still on the golf course from the club house.  The beautiful white sand is not very white any more.

Even with the devastation from the flood in 2013 there are still wounderful opportunities to enjoy this area with the family.

If you are looking for a new place to visit in Alberta consider Kananaskis and Peter Lougheed Provincial Parks.  I know that I will return to the area often.

Destination Wedding

What a great opportunity to travel with our extended family to a warm destination.  If you have ever wondered what this might be like keep reading.  I believe that the best way to approach this type of trip is to remember that the Bride and Groom are the focus and you should be putting their wants first.  Everyone who attends the destination wedding has one thing in common, they know either the bride and/or groom and want to celebrate their wedding.


Our experience started with people flying from different locations and arriving at Dreams Puerto Vallarta.  The first activity planned was a bonfire on the beach the evening before the wedding.  This was a great way to meet everyone after spending the first day at the resort.  Try to have the wedding early during your stay to ensure that everyone is still health and not too sunburned.



The bonfire on the beach was an excellent way to meet people.  We roasted marshmallows.  Don't forget to have someone document the activity with pictures.  Unfortunately the waves came in  too high and washed hot coals on to the sand.  This happened twice during the two hour bonfire and the groom ended up burning the sole of his foot.

The wedding was being held at 5 PM on the beach.  It was still very hot so be prepared to be out in the sun during the ceremony.  The bride provided paper fans, an excellent idea, this helped while we waited in the sunny for the ceremony to start.  Remember to select clothing that will help you to remain cool.  Pictures are difficult to take when you are facing the sun but an ocean backdrop is amazing. 

The best time to take pictures is the hour prior to sunset so plan to have pictures taken during that time.  If you provide appetizers and cocktails during that time for the guests you won't have to worry about your guests. 
The photographer needs to take their time so that your pictures will be amazing and you will be able to remember all aspects of the wedding in the future.

The wedding planner at the resort will help you make the wedding a special day for everyone.  During the wedding they will help to solve any concerns so that the bride and groom can enjoy themselves.

What a fantastic time everyone had at this wedding.  You could have time alone or join in with a group so the week was also a great holiday.  If you can afford a destination wedding it is a wonderful experience.  We were very fortunate to have 60 people attend the wedding.

Congratulations Michelle and Greg!

San Pedro de Atacama

Arriving in northern Chile to a desert with an altitude over 2438m, from sea level on Easter Island  where it rains daily is definitely a shock!  I would recommend that people end a trip to Chile on Easter Island and try to visit cooler areas together.

Rested during the afternoon and drank Coca Tea to stabilize ourselves to the elevation gain.  The day time temperature is considered extreme on the meter outside of the Museum.  I heard it was around 40C during the hottest part of the day.  Our hotel room is an Adobe structure and it is surprising cool.  We don't need air conditioning as the evening temperature drops to around 12C.

One our first evening we attend an Astronomy presentation by the company SPACE in the middle of the desert.  The constellations are unbelievably clear.  This area is one of the best places for astronomy as there are over 340 clear evenings.  Not a shock since they get less than 100mm of rain per year.  We learned about the southern hemisphere stars, what people thought in the past and were able to very a variety of constellations through the telescopes.  Our highlight was seeing Jupiter and the three moons in Jupiter's orbit.   Check out the information on the ALMA project which Canada is involved in supporting.

It is also worth a visit to Museo Gustavo Le Paige.  This museum is a collection of artifacts representing the lives of the inhabitants in this area prior to the Spanish influence.  The displays provide excellent information in English and Spanish.  Below is one of the gold artifacts from the Inca period.  The area around San Pedro de Atacama is the farthest southern point that the Inca ruled along the Andes between 1450 AD to 1810 AD.

Inca Gold Cup

The next tour is to Lunar Valley for sunset.  The valley has an snow white appearance because of the salt and other minerals that have leached through the ground.  This area in Chile was a seabed at one time and is rick in fossils and minerals.   This tour ended with viewing sunset and the changing colours on the Andes Mountains while drinking Carmenere Wine and eating cheese.

The three Marias with a white layer of salt.





Our second tour had us being picked up at 5:00 AM for a 1 1/2 hour ride to the Geysers to see sunrise over the Andes.  This area the elevation is 4,200 M above sea level.  You need to be careful as the elevation can give people mild elevation sickness.   We were recommended not to drink alcohol the night before and eat a lighter meal not red meat.  The road up to this area is quite windy in places and all you see on the drive up is the red tail lights of other vehicles winding their way up the valley.

Once at the geysers the guide reminds us not to touch the water as it is boiling at 89C and to walk slowly so that you do not feel the elevation.  Even with taking these precautions Bill felt the affects of the elevation.  I even had him drinking Coca Tea to try and reduce what he would feel.  This geyser field is known for being the highest elevation in the world.

The geysers have a wonderful display of steam in the morning that is wye the tour is set for sunrise.  Later in the day there is no steam as the valley warms up.  When we arrived it was 0C which was warmer that what were where told.  They had told us to be prepared for -15C.  None of the geysers shoot up like Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park in the US but you can walk around the area freely and they even have a primitive hot pool if you are brave enough to take a dip.

The colours come from different bacteria that lives in the geysers.  Current research is trying to link this bacteria to the bacteria that started life on earth.

On the way back to town the drive is spectacular for the wildlife and scenery.

Wild Vicuna which are camelids that are the first version of camels.

Meals in town are excellent.  Even though the town is constructed of adobe bricks and looks a little rustic the food has been exceptional.  Because we are in the desert and the evenings can be cool restaurants often have fire pits like this one in the Adobe restaurant on main street.  Which means you can leave smelling very smoky.



Our last tour is of the Salt Flats and Laguna where the flamingos nest.  The salt flats produce a salt that has clay in it so it is not used for human consumption.  Have you ever wondered were our road salt comes from?

There are three types of flamingos that nest in this area they are the Chilean, James and Peruvian Flamingo.  The James and Peruvian are only found at higher elevations while the Chilean Flamingo is found in Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile.  We also saw the Chilean Flamingo in El Calafate, Argentina.


What a great time in San Pedro de Atacama but it's time to leave and head back to temperatures below -25 C.  What a shock both culturally and temperature wise.

Touring Chile was a wonderful experience.  We certainly needed more time and southern Chile would be a great area to visit.  The southern fiords, Torres del Paine, the Monumento Natural Los Pinguinos in Patagonia and the Lake District are still on our list to see.  Chile has a lot to offer in sights and great wine.  Good bye for now!



 


Easter Island or Rapa-Nui

Arriving on Easter Island can be a shock to the senses.  The warm tropical breeze hits you as you get off the plane and walk to the terminal.  The sweet scent of the island helps to make you aware that you are no longer in Santiago. 

Rapa-Nui is part of Chile, islanders speak Spanish and their local language.  Everyone is very friendly and helpful which is great for the English speaking traveler.  As with an trip things can happen.  Before  arriving on the island make sure that you know the name of the local travel company if you have booked transfers or tours.  If they don't show up at the airport someone else will help you contact them.  Taxis are a common form of transportation and numerous, but don't expect them to speak English.  Take your hotel name with you and find out what the trip should cost from someone else so there is no confusion.  The taxi´s do not have meters.  If you are in town just look for a vehicle with orange symbols or footprints running down the side of the vehicle as they are taxi cabs.

When booking a hotel try to figure out where it is located.  Most people on the island live in the town which is spread out.  You can find hostel to five star spa hotels.  We choose a small Polynesian Hotel out of town.  The room was very basic but had a small kitchen so we could cook.  The shower was hot and the linens were changed daily.   Breakfast was a basket delivered to your room each morning which reminded me of the Cook Islands.  Only difference we did not get fresh coconut or papaya.  Coconut is not common on the island but the pineapple was fabulous.

If you walk to town from the hotel it takes about 45 minutes but a taxi only cost $3000 pesco´s.  The advantage of being out of town was that it was quiet any time of the day.  In the evening the breeze would cool down the room and we were able to leave our windows open.  Accommodation is expensive on the island especially during festival.  One girl told us that she had just found a bed in a dorm room that accommodates 4 people for $60 US per night. The girl at front  desk of our hotel was exceptional.  She spoke very good English and made excellent suggestions she even helped us solve our travel issues. 

Shopping for food can be interesting on the island.  There are a lot of small stores along the main Street.  We would start in the largest store but would find depending on the day and time there would be very little available.  We would see what they had and then make a decision on what would work.  Most of the time fresh produce consisted on onions, lemons and tomatoes.  A better choice is to go to the street market in the morning as you can get just about anything.  For a better variety stop at the gas station store.  In this store there is more variety but the cost is slightly higher.   If one store does not have bread go to the next store as they will probably have a supply.  Bread is fresh daily and is a round bun.  Buying food is a great way to understand how the people live on the island.

If you go to Easter Island the first fifteen day of February expect the island to be very busy.  This is there busiest time because it is Tapati Festival.  The Tapati Festival is a competition between two groups of people each group supports the nomination of one queen.  There are competitions for the selection of the Queen and points are warded at each competition.  The competitions feature Rapa-Nui cultural traditions.  During our stay we saw body painting/tattoo, wood carving, tapa cloth making, traditional dress being modeled, singing contests and Tango Rapa-Nui style.  The Triathlon was very interesting this involved canoeing across the lake in a reed boat,  then carrying two bunches of bananas around a crater, running half way around the crater on a higher elevation and last using only your hands across the lake on the reed boat.

Running the crater with two bunches of Bananas.

 

 

Paddling across the lake in the quarry crater on reed canoes part of the triathlon.

 

Good by to Rapi-Nui with found memories.

 

 

Valparaiso and Vina del Mar

If you want to get away from Santiago a day trip to Valparaiso is a great idea.  This area is not far from Santiago and the highway allows you to make the trip quickly.  Valparaiso is a major port for copper, fruit and vegetables that are exported from Chile. 

Along the way you pass through two major agriculture regions the valley produces corn, pumpkin, fruit, avocado, walnuts and almonds to name a few crops.  There is no visible water as the river is all underground so the area that does not access the water is dry and arid.  The second valley is a major producer of wine.  This allow us to spot at a winery along the way.  The Emiliana Winery is an organic winery.  They use plants and bird to help control pests.  Along the rows their are rose bush planted.  The roses are the first plants affected if there is an bug infestations so that the staff can deal with the pests before the destroy the grapes. 

Had a chance to try Coyan wine which is one of the higher end wine which I sell.  Coyan means Oak to the indigenous people of Patagonia.   This wine is a full bodied red blend that will age 14 years.  Recently the 2010 vintage was rated 91 points by wine spectator.  If you plan to age this wine you need to wait a minimum of 8 years.

After indulging myself we were off to visit Valparaiso which has been recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site.  This is a great town and I highly recommend a visit.  The building are fantastic and the murals give the town wonderful character.

Vina del Mar is a beach town.  This would be an excellent place to stay and enjoy the beach and Pacific Ocean for a few days.  Just remember that the water is not warm like the Caribbean.

 

Chile - Santiago

We arrived safely in Santiago Chile and had no problems with the 6:00 am flight but what a terrible time to fly.  I felt sorry for our guide who had to get up and take us to the airport at 4:00 am.  Canadians have to pay for an entry VISA.  When we arrived the immigration area was very confusing.  There is a lot of paper work to complete and it must be in duplicate.  The immigration paper and the agricultural control document.  All bags are scanned when entering Chile to control pests.  Make sure that you do not bring any fresh products or dries fruits.  If you do not report these items there is a huge fine.

Now what do you do for the whole day in Santiago when your hotel is at the airport and you can not check in until after 12:00?

Bill is always wanting to go so we found out how to get into the city.  The cheapest way was to take the blue airport bus to the subway then hop the subway to the city central.  With a little help from a man in the subway we figured out how to pay and which line to take.  It was not packed with people so the trip in was easy. 

The central market or Mercado was filled with fish and seafood there are numerous small restaurants located in this area. We headed down the pedestrian walkway and found St. Francis Church.  This church was built in the 1500's and is one of the few building still around from that time period. 

The Pre-Columbian Museum was excellent and we highly recommend a visit if you are interested in Inca and Aztec cultures.  There are also items from indigenous people prior to these civilizations.  There is an excellent display about the Chilean indigenous people in the basement.

Mummy

This last picture is a mummy.  The Pre-Columbian people would remove the organs, replacing them with stick and branches then pulling the skin over the body.  I found this fascinating as we had not heard this in other South American countries.

Now off to the funicular and up Cerro San Cristobal this hill provides a great view of Santiago.  While up top you have a great opportunity to relax and reflect on our day.   On the way we walked through the Bellvista Barrow.  The buildings in the area have been painted with a variety of murals.  Very interesting community.  The views from San Cristobal were fantastic.  The ride on the funicular is always fun.

It is 7:00 PM time to retrace out steps, heading back to the Holiday Inn at the airport.  The subway was certainly packed as people were heading home.  The subways transports 3 million people each day.

Most people are very friendly and helpful.  Just watch out for the pickpockets on the subway.  We had another person following us so we changed our route.  It must be the grey hair and our skin colour.  Blond hair also makes us stand out as tourists.

The Holiday Inn is a great choice and right across the street from the airport.  There are two sections to the hotel the new section at the back and the old tower. I was very please that the hotel monitors who can access the facilities and is very quiet.  We did not hear the planes with the fan on in the room.  The also have a pool, whirlpool and sauna to enjoy.  The food was also good.  We eat in the lounge and had the breakfast buffet.

Our next guided tour is the hills of Valaparaiso.  Then off to Easter Island for a few days during their Festival before returning to San Pedro de Atacama.

After all our tours in Chile we returned to Santiago to rest before depart on our 28 hour travel time to return home.

Hyatt Hotel in Santiago was a great choice.  The hotel is located in a business and financial area of the city about a half an hour from the airport.  Taxi cost $20,000 pesos or at the time about $40 US.  You can get there by bus and subway but it will take you a lot longer.  Check out this oasis - pool was great they have a spa area at your disposal.  The restaurants were also exceptional.  Need to spend a few pesos there is a large indoor mall a 5 minute walk from the hotel.

Santiago Hyatt Hotel Pool