Happy travels to you.

The year is coming to a close and at such a busy time, I will simply share this with you:

“Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” – Miriam Beard

Granada, Nicaragua

May the new year bring you wonderful new adventures, wherever you go.
Thanks for reading! 

Just go!

When you travel in Latin America, especially if you are not a luxury traveler, you gotta leave the little girl pants at home. No, I am not going to talk about travel clothes again (did that here). I am talking about realizing that you are going to come across things that are very different, perhaps seemingly avoid-worthy as you traverse the region, so you just have to deal with these things. This has been discussed in previous blog posts (see here, and here, and also here), but I am going to address it again, on a smaller scale.

I briefly mentioned the rain in Xela, Guatemala in a previous post (check it out here), and that although it was the dry season while I was there, when it rained, it rained a lot. Buckets. Cats and dogs. Insert other incomprehensible English colloquialism here.

On one such a day, I had to get back to work after lunch. It was raining relatively hard, but I had my rain jacket and an umbrella. I took my usual route and when I got to the strange street (mentioned in this post here; I am posting the photo again below), there wasn’t just a wet road and some puddles. There was a waterfall. A dirty, fast moving waterfall. I was getting wet despite my wet weather gear, but this was going to soak my shoes. And socks. And perhaps all 52 bones in my two feet. More importantly, I was going to fall on my ass.

I stood there, underneath my umbrella, for at least ten minutes, pondering what to do. I didn’t know another route. All routes I took led to the waterfall street. I could go back to the house, call my boss, and tell him I couldn’t get back to the office. I didn’t really want to do that. But I didn’t want to get washed away either. 

As I was thinking, observing, brainstorming to find a way to get down this crazy hill, two old ladies walked by and just stepped down the waterfall. Zippity-doo, down they went. Just like that. Like they had done it a thousand times, knew where to step without losing a shoe, and it was no big deal. That is all it took to snap me out of my caution-addled thoughts and get down the waterfall. If two little old ladies could do it, so could I!  I tried to step where they did, and guess what! I didn’t fall or get washed away. I got incredibly wet, but I already was incredibly wet. 

What is the point of this story?

If you don’t know where to turn, follow your elders, as they are wise to the ways of the river.

Or:

Standing around thinking too much will get you nothing but wet.

Or:

Don’t be such a chicken – put on your big girl pants and just go!

Follow your bliss.

Here in the U.S., it is major league baseball playoffs time. My beloved Boston Red Sox are in a nail biting series with the Detroit Tigers right now for the American League pennant. I haven’t really had easy access to television all summer, so I haven’t been watching like I usually do. But last night I ventured out to a bar in El Lago, Texas to watch a game, in a place devoid of Red Sox fans (except for the bartender who was actually from Boston). And it was a fairly crappy game, from my standpoint at least. We lost. No one cared but me. I felt so alone.

I am a baseball fan. I am not obsessively so, but I enjoy it a lot and have since I was a kid. Although I have seen many games at all levels here in the U.S., I have not yet seen a professional baseball game in Central America, despite its popularity there. But it is something I would really like to do. 

Although not professional, this is a baseball (or maybe
softball) game I watched in Nicaragua. 

Not too many women watching this game, but that's okay.
I tried to keep my swearing down to a minimum.

I went to a semi-professional soccer game once in Costa Rica and I was glad to be with a group of people, including some guys, because it was a bit rowdy. A huge majority of the crowd were male. And a huge majority of those males were stinkin’ drunk. They were yelling profanities at regular intervals, never anything too creative, but as a student in a beginning Spanish class at the time, I quickly learned the term “hijo de puta.” That was their favorite by far.

I imagine a baseball game may be similar. (I found this guy’s blog and he has a baseball post that is super interesting, so check it out here. It is very guy-centric, but from what he wrote, so was his experience. The bathroom scene is a bit disturbing.) Nevertheless, I think it would be an interesting cultural experience that would tie my own interests to a popular past time in a country I am visiting. You can do this with anything really.

If you are a crafty kinda gal, then find a way to watch local artisans create their wares. Sometimes you can even take classes, e.g. weaving classes in Guatemala are popular. If you love to bake things, learn how to bake something popular from where you are visiting while you are there, from a local. If you take pleasure in drinking a couple beers now and then (while you watch baseball perhaps), go to a local brewery – or at the very least, try all the local beers. I like the beer in Central America, but even if you don’t, at least try it so you can find out. I can also be convinced to try new cocktails (as I mentioned here). If you delight in gardening, find out about local vegetation, get a guide or visit with a local garden club during your travels. There are countless possibilities.

Maybe all this is obvious, but a lot of times we are too busy on trips to make a personal connection with what goes on in a new country. Either our schedules are too full of visiting the usual touristy things, or we are so overwhelmed by it all that we just can't make a personal connection with life in this different place. It doesn't have to be a profound connection. But you can enjoy your past time or your hobby or your bliss in a completely different way. Heck, you may enjoy it more in another country. You just never know where following your bliss might lead you. 

Take a walk.

In my second post for this blog, I extolled the virtues of comfortable but sturdy shoes (see that post here). In another post, I encouraged you to wander around new places, get lost and just enjoy what you see along the way (see that one here). Today I am going to suggest that if you are planning a trip to Latin America (or elsewhere), get your butt moving now. Literally. Be ready to walk. There are mass transit systems in many Latin American cities, there are taxis that are very inexpensive compared to the U.S., and there are the legendary and amazingly cheap buses (discussed a bit here). But you are still going to be walking a lot. It’s just the way it is.

I think it is probably pretty universal knowledge that in the U.S., people like their cars. Sure, there are several cities where you don’t need to own a car to get around, like New York, Washington D.C., and Boston. But by and large, people are driving. Even if they are taking a train into work, most people have a car.

If you so desire, when you are traveling you can also drive by renting a car. But I have never done that when in another country. I always rely on others to drive me where I need to go, i.e. bus drivers, taxi drivers, or friends with cars. I just don’t want the hassle when I’m trying to see as much as possible in the time I have to experience a place. I like taking cheap taxis and practicing my Spanish with the taxi driver. I like taking buses (sometimes!) and people watching and looking out the window at the scenery. I like checking out different subway systems so crowded they remind me of the “T” at Kenmore after a Red Sox game. But mostly I like to walk.

As you have read in my blog before, “It’s part of the experience.” When you are walking, you are rubbing elbows with the locals. You are walking on their streets, passing their front doors, catching glimpses into their homes, smelling dinner as the aroma wafts from an open kitchen window. You get that while on your feet, not behind the wheel of some rental car.

Walking is not always easy at first, especially when the altitude is higher than home. I have mentioned high altitudes before (here). In Quito, Ecuador, I had about a 25-minute walk to the Spanish school I was attending. But I could not walk at the speed I usually did. I got out of breath really quickly because of the altitude (9350 feet/ 2800 m), which was quite a change from the 607 feet (185 m) in Connecticut, where I was living at the time.

It was also challenging in Xela, Guatemala, where the elevation at its lowest point is about 7655 feet (2330 m). With all the walking I did, up and down hills, to and from the center of town, sometimes twice a day, I was really getting in shape. Of course, you can only really prepare for a higher altitude by being in a higher altitude. So my friends, about all you can do is be aware of this so you don’t overdo it, or get altitude sickness.

This is just one of the hills I walked up (and down) to go to work
in Xela, Guatemala. Then I had to climb that volcano you see
in the distance (okay, that last part isn't true).  

Here is another hill I walked up and down on a daily
basis in Xela. This is a street. I never saw any cars on it,
but I did see a motorcycle go up it once.

I mentioned in that earlier post (again: here) that I walked about two hours every day when I lived in Xela. You may not walk that much yourself on a trip, but you might be surprised at how quickly the steps add up. Start a walking regimen before your trip to make it easier on yourself. If you can, walk up hills. If there are no hills, try stairs. Just do not go into it cold, with nothing but sad, mushy muscles and lungs that cannot face a challenge. You don’t need to train like an athlete. You don’t need rock hard abs. And you don’t need to be able to run a four-minute mile. Just get used to walking more than you usually do so you don’t feel the need to banish yourself to your hotel room from exhaustion. If you get exhausted, let it be because you actually did walk for two hours!

Just buy it.

I know people who love to buy things, no matter where they are. They stock up on shoes, clothes, furniture, accessories, whenever they can. Others, like me, are not really into shopping. Sure, there was a time when I loved to shop as a past time. Loved those sales. And I still do if I have to shop for something specific. But shopping just for the sake of shopping is usually not my thing. (I also mentioned that in this post). 

When traveling, I am a bit different. I love to browse through local markets (also mentioned here and here) and check out local wares. But I know people who don’t buy things when they travel. They have enough stuff, they say. "Who has the room?" they exclaim. Yes, I understand this. We all could do with a little less “stuff.” But for me, the things I buy when traveling are more than things. They are compact memory portals, taking me back to a great trip, even for just a moment.

I know that may sound a bit trite. But when you are working too many hours, relaxing too few, worried about bills, spending so much time in the usual everyday madness that is your existence, sometimes grabbing that bag you bought in Guatemala, or wearing the t-shirt you purchased in Ecuador, or putting that Mexico-made ring on your finger can be a little pick-me-up, a little reminder of a wonderful time you had in another place. Yes, just a reminder. But I value those little reminders

I recently had friends visit here in Texas from Norway. One was born in Texas and had not been back since she was a baby. She really caught the Texas fever, grabbing hold of the state of her birth like a cowboy lassoing a calf, and didn’t let go until she went back to Norway. I’m not sure she even let go then.

She made many Texas-centric purchases ... a lot of items with the lone star on them. And she didn’t just buy them and take them back to the hotel. She wore them while in Texas. Some people looked at her twice after seeing her dressed a bit like a cowgirl, and then hearing her speak, not with a southern drawl, but with a Scandinavian accent. She understood these double-takes and would explain, “I am from Texas!”

Here is Pernille, the lovely Texas-born Norwegian
and her cool Texas boots. I think she looks terrific,
like a real Texan (yes, many people in Texas
wear cowboy boots all the time. It's true!). 

I don’t know if she continued to wear her bedazzled lone star items back home. I think she probably did. She had had a wonderful time in her birth state and I am sure she wanted to extend that to her home country. Those things will always make her smile, maybe even laugh, whenever she sees them. 

So if you are one of those folks who think, “Why do I need to buy anything on this trip? I have enough stuff,” shop around anyway. You might find something – and it doesn’t have to be big – that will bring you back to that lovely store down the street from the little cafe where you liked to buy café con leche and pan dulce every afternoon. Those kinds of flashbacks are worth every penny.

Appreciate what you see.

Tonight I am not going to write about some past travel adventure or give any advice on traveling. Things have been very hectic lately and I honestly do not have the energy tonight to write a full post. Instead, I will tell you something that you undoubtedly already know, but perhaps have forgotten: you do not have to travel to foreign lands to see beautiful things. Sometimes the beautiful thing is simple, small, or something you have seen a thousand times, but did not really look at. Here are a few of those things I have photographed.

Old barn near Royal, Iowa, USA

Lake near Fergus Falls, Minnesota, USA

This is what a wheat field looks like. Southeast North Dakota, USA

Bridge on the outskirts of Spencer, Iowa, USA

Shop smart.

‘Tis the season for traveling. I mentioned in my last post that I had been back to Iowa to visit family (see here). But my travels for the next couple of months will only involve day trips in Central Texas. However, as friends and coworkers set out on their seasonal adventures near and far, I remember past travels and lessons learned. Some were learned with a little discomfort, mostly to the ego. Below is part of an email I sent out to people when I was in Guatemala that illustrates such discomfort.

Hello everyone. Just an update from Guatemala. I finally went away for the weekend after a full month in Xela already. I went to Panajachél for a night, which is a town on the shores of Lake Atitlán, supposedly one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. It was lovely. There are hardly any boats and I only saw one jet ski. The only boats I saw transport people to the villages surrounding the lake. I didn’t do that on this trip because I didn't really have time.

I stayed in a little hotel on a tiny street set back a little from the lake. It is owned by a local family and has only ten rooms. It was nice and the family was great. There is also a terrace for all guests and the view was fabulous. 

 

View from the terrace of the little hotel
I stayed in in Panajachél.

If you are not going to one of the other villages, there isn’t a whole lot to do in Pana but eat and shop. I did find some great restaurants, one of which was vegetarian! There are stalls all over, lining the streets and alleys with textiles in all forms: bags, table cloths, scarves, shawls, skirts, etc. I am talking about beautiful weaving in beautiful colors and patterns. I have seen a demonstration of weaving and it is an incredible thing, very complicated and intricate. The women usually use "back strap looms" which are strapped around their hips and the top is tied to the ceiling or some other high point. It is pretty amazing. So I know the work that goes into these items.

But there are so many things and so many people trying to sell them, mostly women and girls. It’s overwhelming. And because the competition is so fierce, the sales tactics are very "in your face." You see something you like in a stall and stop to look at it, and pretty soon the woman is finding a ton of others similar to it to try to sell you. And forget about buying one, why not buy two? Completed the sale? No matter, didn’t you see these other lovely things over here? There are also women and girls selling textiles on the street, just walking around and coming up to you, sometimes even when you are eating a meal. I found that if you engage them at all, then they never leave. I feel bad, and don’t want to be rude, but a simple "no thank you" and then turning away is often necessary.

The most interesting story of the shopping experience was my last purchase. I had decided to stop buying things. "No more!" I told myself. So I went to eat lunch at the vegetarian place on Sunday afternoon. I was sitting on the patio and this cute Maya girl (all those selling textiles are Mayans and speak various Mayan languages) walks up to me with her weavings. But she didn’t start selling right away. She just started talking to me at first. In English. She was only 13 and made all the weavings she had. We talked about her family, how her father doesn’t help the family at all, how she goes to school and weaves and does homework at night, etc. She was definitely charming. She showed me some table runners that were very pretty.

The problem with having conversations with people on a personal level is you then feel obligated to buy something from them. I can often say "no" without a problem, but I really liked this girl, so I was trying to figure something out. The table runner was, according to her, 200 Quetzales, which is about $26. I told her I bought a much bigger piece in Xela for 100 Q, so I knew her prices were too high. But she kept talking to me, and said that she only sells on the street because then she doesn’t have any overhead and she can charge less. Makes sense. Strange to hear business talk from a 13-year-old girl! Anyway, I don’t know what happened, but in short, I bought the freakin' table runner for 150 Q. That is like $20 and is probably more than twice what I should’ve paid. I didn’t feel bad about it until I overheard these guys at another table bargaining with another woman and the guy got two pieces (one quite large) for around 100 Q. Then I knew I had been nothin’ but a big sucker!

It actually bothered me because I knew what a good price was. But I just wasn’t thinking. Now I am telling myself that she needs the money more than I do, which is very true. It’s hard, even with a young girl like that, to get over the fact that she was just making a sale. She knew how to sell, that is for sure. Whether or not she used the truth or not I will never know. Often when these women and girls are bargaining and you are getting ready to leave, they will ask you how much you can pay because they need to get food for their family. Try ignoring that one! This girl did not use any such methods. She didn’t plead or anything. She just talked, like a very wise 13-year-old girl who was interested in using her English and speaking with foreigners. She was interesting. She was smart. And she was obviously smarter than I was. I was told later that I probably could have bought it for 60 Q, which is like $8. So I am thinking of it as a contribution to that girl’s education. She has street smarts, that is for sure. Now she can hopefully get nearer to obtaining book smarts, too.

Suckered by a 13-year-old girl. Wow. But I would rather be the one losing out to a girl who has little but her charm and powers of persuasion. If I had not paid enough, then I would have felt even worse about that. I prefer that she came out ahead. I just felt a bit stupid in the end.

I told my host “mother” about it and she said that it has happened to them too, even though they are locals. She said it is always better to know the going prices for something in the market before you buy it. Then you know what is a fair price. It’s part of the culture of shopping here ... you don’t want to be unfair, and sometimes the first price they give you is still way less than you’d pay in the U.S., but you also don’t want to spend more than is normal. I mean, why would you? It’s always more fun to get a bargain. But it’s not always easy in Guatemala.

So as you travel this summer, wherever you may go, be smart about your purchases. Don’t let the excitement of being in a new place keep you from watching your budget. Sometimes being a little off your bargaining game ends up being better for someone else, and that is okay, too. Everyone has to make a living. And there are times when a bargain is worth a lot less than helping out a kid who has much less than you do.