Yucatan
Uxmal
Cenote Samula
Cenote X’kechen
Burning of the Bull Fiesta - Santa Elena
Burning of the Bull Fiesta - Santa Elena
Ek Balam Mayan tomb
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Our original German trip has now officially been cancelled.
Insight offered to put us on the tour leaving a week earlier, but that leaves us ten days between tours rather than 3. They offered to put us up in Mainz for a week at reduced rates, but that’s no good to us, so we’re doing the shorter tour of Germany with Globus. Skips Nuremberg so we’ll have to visit there en route to Prague. Maybe then stop in Pilsen on the way. Should leave us time to get @Koala’s Russian dolls in Prague.
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You seem to be a big fan of the tours AN, any reason in particular?
- They’re much more economical
- You see a lot more, with less waiting.
- You get a much nicer class of hotel
- I don’t have the language.
- I haven’t been to these places before (except Munich and Vienna)
I have toured in the US and UK. I wouldn’t mind doing Spain again, because this way I’d avoid the ■■■■■■■ churches and my Spanish is good enough to get by, ditto France. I know what I want to see more of now, like more of Andalusia.
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I’ve done some good tours in the US (Florida, Louisiana, SW parks, NW parks, New England Fall Foliage, Hawaii, the old South) but my last three trips have only had city tours like San Fran.
I can almost make myself understood in the US too.
First trip to the UK did a tour but that was 1978.
Was looking at Sri Lanka or Laos for 3 weeks in January, but now headed to NZ (again) to spend time with the oldies while we still can. Flying into Wellywood, where I have family in the movie business, and out of Auckland where the oldies live. In between we will head South to Queenstown area for around 10 days & do Milford or Routeburn Tracks. Trying to decide which would be better - anyone done these?
Planning next big holiday. Dunno if I should do Japan again or do the Rocky Mountaineer. Anyone here been on the Rocky Mountaineer?
No, it’s on the bucket list. Probably another couple of years away still. Have heard nothing but good reviews of it though even though it is quite pricey
Simply looks like a stunning place to visit.
Any blitzers in Fiji at the moment?
Seen a bombers fan at the rest, proudly donning the dash.
Second time to Fiji, and it really is a struggle for me to enjoy the all you can eat etc, when seeing the living conditions some of these poor folk live in. Some people say ‘if you don’t stay at the resort, they don’t have a job…’ but it makes you pretty sad seeing how happy they are, and go out of their way to make the trip a memorable occasion, and they have next to nothing nothing…
Had an absolute ball in Beijing, absolutely loved it and the only downside was having to leave this morning. Arrived in Shanghai this arvo and loving it also. Just had tea at M on the Bund and it was a great meal to go with the stunning views
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I am in Beijing now.
Have not been here since 1973, it has changed a bit. Still has worse coffee than Texas but is much cleaner.
Where is a good place for a cold beer?
Goose and Duck Pub, Beijing
Address: Yaojiayuan Rd, Chaoyang Qu, Beijing Shi, China
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Anyone been to Argentina - if so, any comments/advice?
Don’t cry for me!
Do you like tango?
Do you like beef?
There’s an extremely wide avenue…one of the widest in the world.
They speak Spanish, but 50% of Argentinians have Italian blood, like the Pope and Lionel Messi.
Everyone famous is buried in a single cemetery, whose name I don’t recollect…hang on…Recoleta
If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, go somewhere else !
And no, I haven’t been, but hope to do South America in the next 2 or 3 years.
Reputed to be the most European city in the Americas, like Melbourne is said to be the most European city in Australia.
Brush up on your German if you go to places like Bariloche in the Patagonian Andes.
Eat lots of empanadas…like Cornish pasties, but tastier.
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Isn’t it Spanish on the west coast of Sth America, Portuguese on the east coast?
Nah. Portuguese in Brazil only.
Been to Ecuador, Peru & Chile, but not Argentina.
Whenever I’ve considered Argentina I’m always struck by the distances you would need to travel to cover the highlights & the different climatic zones / travel seasons. A bit like Australia.
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Not sure what they speak in Suriname…Dutch?
Guyana is English
French Guiana obviously French
Brazil Portuguese
The rest are Spanish all the way up to Mexico
With the probable exception of Belize which is probably English
Indigenous languages like Quechua, Mayan in various countries as well…whether they’re official or not
English in Belize for sure (it used to be called British Honduras). We heard a lot of Zapotec & Mixtec around Oaxaca earlier in the year. Apparently there are roughly half a million native speakers of each.
We spent about 3 weeks there in January this year through BA, Iguazu Falls & Mendoza. Wanted to do a bunch more (Bariloche & Patagonian region), but ran out of time.
It’s a great place. The people are really friendly everywhere (even in BA, despite their reputation as being unfriendly) particularly if you attempt some Spanish, the food is great almost everywhere, and there’s lots to do. It’s an expansive country with a lot of diversity and generally long distances between key points of interest so you’ll have to pick your spots.
General comments:
- BA is a world-class city, we loved it and spent 10 days there (in an AirBnB in Palermo) - museums, restaurants, parks etc.
- Iguazu Falls is pretty spectacular, it’s worth the trip up there. Better on the Arg rather than Brazilian side.
- Mendoza is the winery region, definitely worth a trip for a lazy few days in and around wineries.
- Your steak will likely arrive medium-well or well done if you don’t specify “jugoso/a” (‘juicy’), so be sure to mention that to the waiter. Don’t get angry if the bill doesn’t arrive at the table shortly after you ask - Argentinians like to loiter at tables post eating so it’s customary.
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