Trip of the Day

We've been away for a while busy with work, but we are planning an excellent adventure for today.  We're off to the Allen Premium Outlet Mall!!  Woo Hoo!  New shirts and pants!  I'll be back with amazing photos later today!

Thanksgiving Vacation

After several days of carefully planning our Thanksgiving vacation, we decided to make it a stay-cation.  Although I've been unemployed for a few months now, Nati needed a much deserved break.  So we did absolutely nothing for an entire week other than watch a parade in Fort Worth and three seasons of '24' on Netflix.  I never saw the series when it actually aired, but I have reached the conclusion that all the problems on that show are caused by women.  I declare shenanigans but now I have to watch the whole damn thing.

#TTOT - Travel Talk On Twitter - 11/24/2011

Thanks to all who participated in Travel Talk on Twitter yesterday!  Excellent tips from everyone.  See you next time!

Running with the Bulls!

Well, sorta.  Here is Nati running with the bulls in downtown Dallas.  I found this photo doing cleanup of my hard drive.  I took this during the immigration march in downtown Dallas last year.  

#TTOT - Travel Talk On Twitter - 11/15/2011

Come on over and participate in #TTOT !!  Follow us on Twitter for more info every Tuesday!

Don't Ride the Train!

So a couple of friends from Mexico City came to visit for a few days.  So we did some of the typical tourist things to do in Dallas.  Dealey Plaza, The Dallas Museum of Art and the Nasher Sculpture Center among other things.

However, I am not posting about those places in this post.  I do however have to absolutely warn you about the famous Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) streetcar.  In my almost six years of living in Dallas, I had never ridden the trolley before.  We figured we would give it a try this time around.

First of all, DART employees have no idea where the boarding points are for the M-line that the trolley runs on.   We left the Sixth Floor Museum and began to search for any DART employee along the line, so that they could inform us where to board the train.  Of course, we were given multiple answers, mostly due to the fact that there is construction all over downtown Dallas.

The internet provided us with yet another set of directions, so we decided to get in the car and go find the address provided on DART's website.  No such luck.  We parked, walked for at least half an hour until we found it.  ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE!

So we waited...and waited...and waited.  The streetcar finally showed up.  Off we go.  Here is my friend Arturo and his wife Valerie.  Happy and excited to board the streetcar.

The "operator" was probably tired of his job, as there was no explanation of what the sights were.  Not that there was much to see.  Looking at the map of the route now, I realize it is pretty much a means of transportation for drunk people downtown, as it passes by all of the restaurants and bars down McKinney Ave.  Being that it was a weekday, there was not much action to see.

Anyway, to make a long story short, avoid the streetcar at all costs as a tourist attraction.  It really has nothing to offer unless they eventually change the route to a more scenic one.

Happy to get off of the DART streetcar!!

Time for another blooper!

This is one of our favorites, AND IT HAPPENED TWICE!!!

What is it with heat and swollen fingers!?

Exhibit A - August 7th, 2009.  The day we got married in Dallas, TX.  It took me over 12 minutes to put that ring on her finger.  It did not fit.

Exhibit B - June 19th, 2010.  The day we got married in Cartagena, Colombia.  It took me over 12 minutes to put that ring on her finger.  It did not fit.

More fossils?

No, not more fossils.  In fact, we haven't seen any fossils lately.  But here are a few more of the animals we saw at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center.

Not sure what the deal is with these animals staring us down.  All we were doing was driving through their living room!

Audad - Ammotragus Lervia.  I believe the true name is Rammus Staredownus.  At least that's what the Internet says.

Giraffe - Giraffa Camelopardalis.  This one we will call neckus longeritus.  This guy actually stuck his head in through my window.  Another hungry one.  There were about 6 of these walking around.

We've seen one of these before.  Or two?  I don't recall which one this is, but it is definitely one of the zebras!!

Axis Deer - Axis Axis.  This guy looks so mean that his scientific name is self explanatory.  He'll give you the ax, and then again.

Fossil Rim, Glen Rose Texas

So we took a little road trip about two hours from our house, down to the Fossil Rim Wildlife Preserve in Glen Rose Texas. We had been there before, only last time we took the mountain bikes to ride around certain areas of the park.

This time we decided to get up early to beat the Labor Day crowd, but as it turns out, we had some work to do here at the house & didn't leave for the park until 10pm.

We drove into Glen Rose looking for a place to eat as it would take us about two hours to drive around the park. After driving around for a while, we backtracked to a Mexican restaurant we had seen on our way there and stopped for some tacos. I'll give them a 7.

Once we got to the park we were surprised to see how many people had planned on doing the same thing. It was a holiday after all. The sign said the tour would take between 2 and 4 hours TO THE HALF-WAY MARK!

Over the hill we could see the line of cars slowly driving through the park. We figured WTH, we're already here, might as well do it.

Off we go...

Who would have thought, 2 different species of zebras. Eqqus burchelli and Eqqus canadensis tabida. Can you spot the differences? The first is black with white stripes, the second is white with black stripes.

And yeah, they are right there.  They are so used to people driving around the park feeding them that they pretty much just come in through the windows looking for food.

Peppermint Zebra

So we took a little trip today to Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Glen Rose, TX.  There's a lot more to the story, but it's late & I need some sleep.  Here is a little preview of things to come.

Photo Bloopers #2

A failed Titanic moment.

I never expected the photo blooper post to have so much success!  I guess it is time to get back at my lovely wife with this failed attempt at acrobatics aboard the ferry from Buenos Aires to Colonia.  Apparently "somebody" doesn't know how to jump straight up in the air and leaped to the right!

Photo Bloopers #1

Natalia came up with the great idea of posting some of our photo bloopers. I have a tendency to make faces when I know she is taking photos of me, and I try to compose myself right before she hits the shutter. Many times she's been faster than me...

It is in my best interest to post one of myself, before I start posting photos of her!  Here I am in Cartagena a couple of days before our wedding.  Natalia says I'm an "allegatere".

We interrupt your regular broadcast...

I just had to do a quick commercial break to show my lovely wife cooking for me!

Doing prep.

Acting, Tango, and Cinema

Music and dance are always a fun way to explore a culture. Therefore, a Tango show was one of my priorities during my time in Buenos Aires.  José Luis, Flavio E. and I looked for the best places and/or deals on town, but after a good number of phone calls and emails, we decided not to attend one.   They were too expensive, way out of our budget.  We were disappointed, and I thought I had to let it go.
The night before José Luis left Buenos Aires to go on his motorcycle adventure, we went to Avenida Corrientes.   The plan was to buy some reading materials and have Chocolate and churros at Café La Giralda.  With books on hand, and a belly full of deliciousness, we had some time left.  Since Corrientes is full of theaters, we decided to check out one of the performances.  The chosen one was Tita, Una vida en tiempo de tango in Teatro Metropolitan. 

Not your Average Office Building

I get lost pretty easily. I have to focus on the route to get from point A to point B.  During my first days in Buenos Aires, I walked on Avenida de Mayo many times, but if I looked up, it was usually looking for the street numeration.  Weeks later, looking for something else, I encountered Palacio Barolo’s website.  I called and reserved two spots for one of the tours that same afternoon.

 
<><><> 

Ms. Madeere Pehrsone Alspace Dies in Buenos Aires **

Our friend Camilo, Madeere Pehrsone Alspace and I waiting to buy empanadas.

Buenos Aires, July 25. -- Madeere Pehrsone Alspace, my dear long life friend, died yesterday afternoon in Buenos  Aires, at the age of 30-something years.  Her tragic death came unexpectedly, although she had been ill for a few weeks.

The cause was complications resulting from breathing difficulties during the July 20^th celebrations, witnesses said. 

Ms. Madeere Pehrsone Alspace grew up in South America. She enjoyed having people around her, and made of sharing a way of life. 

After moving to the US however, Madeere Pehrsone Alspace started a new phase of her life.  My friend started growing larger.  She did not like to sit close to others as she used to, which made her family uncomfortable at times.  However, Madeere continued having a very fulfilling life, close to those that were dearest to her.    

Although her energy levels were not as high these last few weeks, Madeere Pehrsone Alspace never lost her enthusiasm for traveling.  In fact, we will always remember her stories about traveling trough Mexico and Colombia. She was happy during her time in Buenos Aires.  She even went on a strict diet to be able to fit among Subte passengers, stand in long lines, and reach for medialunas even when the panadería was full and space tight. 

It seems these extreme dietary measures affected her health.  I noticed Madeere Pehrsone Alspace looked tired and complained of breathing difficulties constantly.  Madeere attributed this to the cold air (sereno*) and seasonal allergies.  

The final moment arrived when Madeere was standing in line waiting to buy Colombian empanadas, in the middle of festivities taking place in The Avenida de Mayo.  Although there is nothing that can ease my pain right now, I have the peace of mind Madeere Pehrsone Alspace left surrounded by the people and culture she loved the most.

Rest in peace, Madeere Pehrsone Alspace!

...

* In Colombia, the word sereno may refer to a cold breeze that can make you sick.

**  This is a fictional piece.  Any similarities with reality are pure coincidence.

Guanajuato Mummies in Dallas

This weekend we were able to see the famous "Momias de Guanajuato" in our very own hometown of Dallas Texas.  We heard about this through a Facebook post that was promoting the event.  It turns out that a company  from Detroit has them on loan (more on this later) and they are touring the US.

The exhibit is called The Accidental Mummies of Guanajuato and is located at the West End Marketplace and consists of five rooms.

Our Very Own 7 Links!! Woohooo!!

Since our blog is still a very new project, I was thrilled when Stephanie, from The Travel Chica, nominated this site for The 7 Links Project. Thank you Stephanie!   I now present you with...


Our Seven Links!!

Most Beautiful Post:    Cartagena’s Historic District

This is one of our early posts. The pictures were taken a couple of days before our wedding in Cartagena. This post shows a beautiful city and a beautiful time in our lives.
Note: Pictures by Dukes Fotografía
 

Most Popular Post:   Small Challenges
Everyone likes to see how I solved my dirty floor problem! J


Most Controversial Post:    Simultaneous Vacation
"Why on the motorcycle?", " What about work?", "Instead of spending your free time together, you are traveling to two different places?". The list of questions we got goes on and on. To tell you the truth, even I had my reservations regarding the Texas - Alaska journey. Despite all controversy, Jose Luis rode his motorcycle up north! Glad he is done with it!


Most Helpful Post: Los Cafes de Buenos Aires (1 and 2)
I have to include two posts in this category. Los Cafes de Buenos Aires, and Los Cafes de Buenos Aires 2. The first one is about the meaning of the cafes, and the second includes a list of some of the cafes we liked. Hopefully readers will grasp the importance of these spaces in the Argentinean Barrios, and have an idea of which ones to visit.

The Success of This Post Surprised Us!   Que pan tan bello!
I found a panadería Colombiana in Carrollton, TX. Finding a little piece of your country while abroad is AMAZING. Obviously, El Portal has many fans. This has been one of our most visited posts!


This Post Didn’t Get the Attention it Deserved:    Small House for a Big Star
Here I share my experience in Gardel’s museum. Although I do not tell a whole lot about the things I learned/ observed, I double checked many of the facts online. I also read about Tango in Colombia since I didn’t want to write based solely on memories from my childhood. Being Gardel such a memorable music figure, I thought this post was going to draw more attention.


Post We are Most Proud Of:      In The Mood for Marshmallow Soup?
After the “Preparation Post” by José Luis, this is our first real post. Our blog was going to be a scrap book of our travels, places we liked, and some other random stuff. I don’t even remember when we decided it was going to be a blog, but I am glad we decided so! This post is a review of one of our favorite restaurants in Dallas. It was the first step, the post that started it all.

Nominations

I am proud to nominate Comidilla (in Spanish). Diana is a Colombian entrepreneur, and an expert in food related topics. Read her blog to learn about what you should eat/ or not, and the latest tendencies regarding Colombian cuisine!

My second nomination is my brother’s blog, Visitante o Residente (in Spanish). Flavio is currently writing from Buenos Aires. He has been traveling non-stop for years in South America - especially Colombia - and Europe. He is still my number one traveling advisor!

I was lucky to meet Bobbi and Ric through Tweeter. It is great to have another traveling couple to share our experiences with. Visit Heels and Wheels to follow their adventures through Australia and South Asia!

Some of you already know I have soft spot for fashion. That is why I am proud to introduce you to Tiffany. She is an entrepreneur with a great sense of style! Read I am Style-ish to find outfit ideas, enjoy some good photography, and even learn blogging tips!

Finally, my dear José Luis has branched out. He is slowly building up his blog about motorcycle riding and traveling. Read his posts at Another Irregular Road Trip.

Natalia and the Police.

Just as the title says, Nati just loves messing with police vehicles, I just hope I never find her inside one.  As you all may remember from THIS post, we were leaving a restaurant and sure enough there was a police car outside.  Well here she is again in Recoleta trying to open the "popo's" ride.

Simultaneous Vacation.

After a couple of weeks in Buenos Aires, Natalia and I parted ways as I was headed back to Dallas for my last week of work.  Luckily I didn't have the same issues we had with the flight on the way in.  I arrived in Dallas on Sunday and was ready for work the next day.

I walked into the office and as we had a meeting that morning, I informed the boss that my contract ended that coming Friday and it would be my last day.  I will spare you all his reaction.  I worked for one more week and prepared to head out to Alaska.

Cell phone photo but here is what the bike was looking like when I was loading it up.









As I have already posted most of the trip on my other blog, Another Irregular Trip, I will only summarize here and add some photos from the highlights.

One of my first stops was the Crazy Horse Memorial in South Dakota.  I doubt we'll ever see it finished, but at least I got to see the face.

The next stop was Mount Rushmore.  Not as impressive as Crazy Horse, but still worth checking off of the list.  Quite a bit more touristy as well, especially being the 4th of July weekend it was packed with tourists.



While still in South Dakota, I figured I would stop in Sturgis, home of the famous motorcycle rally.  I have never been to the rally, but have seen pictures and video.  Interesting to see the streets empty this time around.

Skipping ahead a bit, this was taken right as I crossed the border into Canada.

"The beginning" of the journey.  After riding through a pretty heavy storm for two days, I made it to the beginning of the Alaska Highway.

Entering the Yukon Territory.  Some of the worst road I've been on (for this bike anyway).

And finally made it to the Arctic Circle!

The map of the route.  I only made it back to Portland, OR as I started having trouble with the motorcycle and decided to play it safe.  I flew back to Dallas and had the bike shipped (It should be here any day now).

An Anniversary to Remember (Trip to Uruguay 4)

A few hours later, we were in Montevideo.  The first thing that caught our attention was the beautiful waterfront, where locals were walking and enjoying a peaceful afternoon.  Again, we have nowhere to stay, as this was not the original plan. Some walking was in order to find a place.  We were lucky to find a brand new hotel with fabulous introductory prices!  With the discount, we paid exactly the same amount than in Colonia.  Luxurious is the word that comes to mind after our previous hotel.  It was wonderful.



Sorry this is blurry....  I was taking pictures from the car while
driving/ walking around looking for a hotel.



The night was cold, and a there was a light rain over the city.  We decided to relax/celebrate over sandwiches and beer.  There was a nice bar a few blocks away.  A perfect way to end the day. However, about 10 minutes later, it was pouring. The rain was not stopping. We talked and laughed until we ran out of topics.  We were full. A couple has been waiting for our table.  I was tired.  It was time to go.  

We ran back to the hotel, stopping from time to time under a balcony to catch our breath.  This technique didn’t work.  We looked like we had been thrown in the shower with clothes and all.  A water trail was left in the hotel’s lobby when we made our way to the elevator.



This is Jose Luis and I anniversary celebration, remember? The rain didn’t spoil the fun.  I was with my family, we were traveling, and there was hot water, with good pressure!  What else can I ask for?





PS:  For those of you wondering what else went wrong with this trip, let me tell you:  We got lost on our way back to Colonia, but I will save that story for another occasion.  J

***

Things we liked about Uruguay:

1.      Palacio Salvo in the plaza was impressive.  Built in 1928, it was at the time the tallest building in South America.

2.      La Rambla de Montevideo

3.      Teatro Solís

4.      Walking and taking pictures in ciudad vieja.

5.      We saw so many women, that we wondered about the gender radio in Uruguay.  We have not been able to find anything current on this topic.

A Three Stars Hotel (Trip to Uruguay 3)

After the excitement faded of, it was time to rest.  Remember our hostel situation? Our last minute booked hotel, offered the following:

1.      Internet connection only in certain corners of the room.

2.      “Vintage” accommodations, with a strong 70’s vibe. Complete with flowery, bright pink covers, and “retro” furniture.

3.      Missing buttons remote control, which I solved pushing inside the holes with a pen or bobby pin. Other buttons didn’t work.  To change the channel you could only go down.

4.      The bathrooms have had some fixing done, and it showed….  Just not in a positive way.

5.      Water had no pressure. What came out of the shower was a coooold drizzle. Taking a shower was a torture. 

This was supposed to be a 3 stars hotel?  Hostels seemed better, and were half price!  We were annoyed.  Our pockets were sore…..*sigh*



Our room.  No internet on this corner.



To be fair, I have seen worse. There were some positives:

1. Hotel was conveniently located, close to shops, restaurants, and historic quarter.
2. Our room had a great view.
3. The heater was working! The remote had to be held directly in front of the unit, but we slept in a warm room.
4. Breakfast was included.

Nope, it just does not balance things out.  It was too expensive for what they offered.

We were the only ones in the dinning area next morning.  I was wondering what we were going to do that day and the next one. After all, we had seen most of the town main attractions.  While silently eating our barely average breakfast, Jose Luis proposed to… leave. We cancelled our reservation for the second night, and turned in the remote control, the keys, and an electrical converter to the person at the front desk. No questions asked.  That small, white rental car we got immediately after was an instant mood fixer.  No more silence, just laughter and excitement. See you later Colonia!

Mood Fixer

Railway Awesomeness

Going through the photos from our recent trip to Buenos Aires, I came across this one.  We were about 15 feet away from witnessing a taxi cab being struck by a train!

The Town (Trip to Uruguay 2)

Window

Immediately after dropping off our luggage at the hotel, we walked around town.

By the river. 

We walked by the river.

It was a typical winter day, cold and cloudy.  The water was gray as the sky, but it was still a nice view.  This is a must do during summer months.

There are small stores, coffee shops and restaurants in the historic quarter.

We wandered the streets.  

Although smaller than what we had expected, the historic quarter has cobblestone streets and short, pretty houses. There are remains of the wall that once surrounded the city, which tells of its military past.  An old lighthouse is located where the wall ends.  I later learned the lighthouse was built on top of San Francisco’s Convent ruins, which are the oldest ones in Uruguay.  

La Calle de los Suspiros

We found La Calle de los Suspiros (The Sighs Street)

It is one of the most picturesque places in the small town of Colonia.  Legend says the street was full of brothels.  When sailors walked on it, they sighed at the view of the beautiful women…

Parrillada includes several cuts of meat. 

We ate a very tasty parrillada uruguaya!

(To be continued...)

Where Are We Staying? (Trip to Uruguay 1)

Our first weekend in Argentina, we crossed the border in order to visit Colonia, Uruguay.  Our expectations were high.  Founded in 1860 by Portuguese conquistadors, Colonia del Sacramento is a place rich in history. 




Photo:  Flavio Vargas GC

 

Jose Luis, Flavio -my brother, and I took the ferry from Puerto Madero in Buenos Aires, and planned to spend the weekend in Colonia.  It was also my wedding anniversary.  What a better place to celebrate, than a small colonial town overlooking Río de la Plata?



Leaving Buenos Aires



We enjoyed the view. It was cloudy, but the sun made the water look silver sometimes.  I am pretty sure that is how the river got its name. Once in town, we walked a few streets to get to our hostel.  Short houses and narrow cobblestone streets make up part of this charming town!



Colonia del Sacramento



A feeling of discomfort invaded us when the person at the hostel's front desk informed us that they were completely booked. Our reservation was not showing on their availability book! To make the story short, there was a misunderstanding and our reservation was never completed.  Our discomfort turned to anxiety when we realized it was a holiday in Argentina, and many people will be coming over to Colonia during the long weekend.  We knew finding a place to stay was going to be a difficult task.



Colonia del Sacramento



Well, I stayed in the hostel watching the luggage, while Jose Luis and my brother rushed through the streets trying to find a place to spend the night.  After a good number of tries, they found a hotel. The two next nights were booked…. For more than double we had planned to spend.  (To be continued...)

¡Feliz día Colombia!

Today is July 20^th, and we celebrate 201 years of independence.  I am wearing our colors to commemorate.  ¡Feliz día Colombia!

 

Castillo de San Felipe.  Cartagena

 

How do you celebrate holidays when not in your country?

A Colorful Street

The same afternoon I went to visit Gardel’s house, I walked this beautiful street up and down several times. Turns out that the museum organized a contest, in 2003-2004, to help rescue Fileteado, which is a type of art representative of the city.

The chosen artists would paint the façade of a few houses located in the Abasto neighborhood. The home owners agreed to leave the art untouched for at least one year. Voilá!   
After Caminito, I would say this is the most colorful block I have seen in the city.

Things did not stop there. In order to appreciate a work of art, I have to know a little about the artist and the creative process behind the piece. Therefore, I assigned myself the task of learning more about fileteado.

I discovered there is not one person who created it. However, many sources agree the art was first produced by Italian immigrants. Initially, it was used to decorate cars, but with time it extended to buses. Sadly, in 1975, the government significantly restricted the practice. In an effort not to let it disappear, fileteadores extended the use of this technique to objects, advertisement, and even body painting.

Today, fileteado has a strong presence in Buenos Aires. The law restricting its use in buses has been annulled, and the art continues to contribute to the unique identity of the city.

Click on the link for a more detailed history of Fileteado Porteño.

Click here to read about Genovese’s work and its struggle to avoid plagiarism.