A Pinoy in the Americas

[ЅUX2BÜ]

Ometepe, Nicaragua


Time

It was a strange but necessary day for yeses or noes, nods and shaking of heads because there was a stillness between the absence of sounds and the presence of thoughts. Nobody, no, nothing, had talked much since the ferry took us away from Rivas to Isla de Ometepe in Nicaragua.

Even before the boat trip, and the alternating jabs of silence and careful words on the Rivas bus that we took for Ometepe, certain thoughts had already been swirling in my mind: getting back to Costa Rica in the morning of Easter Sunday, writing a poem while the sun toasts at some Nicaraguan shores, gallo pinto, books to read, observing other travelers, boring places, strange places, determining routes, my impulses and complacencies, silence and strangers.

But anything, or anybody, whose careless prying interferes with civility or indifference, as the case may be, will always understand that this accidental marriage of absence and presence is necessary, and unavoidable, because there are compromises to be made and persistent thoughts to be subdued.

But if everything is silence that always pulls towards us the shapes of things needed to be understood --- like the strangeness of circumstances or thoughts that are difficult to be expressed --- where will we go while we observe things as they silently move closer to us without comprehensible reasons?

--An excerpt from "Some Bearable Strangeness", my Holy Week journey to Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua in 2005.

Where is Ometepe?

[ЅUX2BÜ]

BTW, two volcanoes form the Ometepe (two mounts) island, which is the largest lacustrine (along the lake) island in the world. The bigger volcano is the active Volcán Concepción while the smaller volcano is the dormant Volcán Maderas. The island ensconces in Nicaragua's Lake Cocibolca. It has the only fresh water sharks or the land-locked bull sharks in the world. You will actually see some of them moving furtively in the waters from the boat going to the island.

[nikkilove]

Hi, nikkilove! Welcome to the thread!

Hindi naman mahirap ang transpo at tulad ng lahat ng bansa ay may mga parte talagang medyo dapat mag-alangan ang isang turista. Pero sa kabuuan naman ay walang dapat ikabahala.

Pinaka-delikadong napuntahan ko ay 'yung sa palibot at border ng Panamá at Colombia (Darién Gap na tinatawag). Marami na ang sasaway sa 'yo kung magtatangka kang tawirin 'yun.

Sa Guatemala at Honduras din ay may mga parteng medyo delikado at dapat iwasan.

Sa ibang parte naman ng South America (Perú, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, Argentina, atbp.) ay hindi naman delikado at madali lang umikot.

At medyo mahirap lang talaga kung hindi ka nagsasalita ng Espanyol lalo kung sa mga lugar na madalang ang mga nagsasalita ng Inggles. Pero sa mga lugar na sangkaterba ang mga turista ay madalas may nakakaintindi at nagsasalita naman ng Inggles.

Thanks Sux for answering.

It made me a little more at ease, especially were planning soon to tour. We plan naman muna sa cities talaga, like Mexico City and Rio in Brazil.

Although we also want to visit din yung ancient ruins. How's the trip from those capitals to the nearest ancient ruins? (Mexico and Brazil).

[ЅUX2BÜ]

No problem, nikki!



Ancient Ruins, Mexico

There are Aztec carvings and ancient temples in Templo Mayor, which is point-blank smack in the midde of Mexico City (Zócalo). There are also Aztecs ruins in the surrounding areas of Mexico City like those in Teotihuacan. I think about 50 kilometers (more or less an hour drive or bus ride). You will see majestic pyramids there. You should also visit Tlatelolco for its Plaza de las Tres Culturas, a plaza where Mexican and Spanish cultures are intertwined (beautiful temples, churches and structures are found there).

A little farther from the city (about 6 hours by bus or an hour by plane--I suggest taking the plane because the cost is somewhat the same anyway), Oaxaca has pre-Columbian archeological sites (Monte Albán, for example) and ancient cities. The other major ruins (Palenque, Merida, Campeche, Chichen Itza, et cetera) are way too far from Zócalo, though.

As for Brazil, the Amazon Stonehenge in the Amapá State comes to mind, but it is about 3000 kilometers from Rio!

[Septembermom]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e2/Flag_of_the_United_States_%28Pantone%29.svg/125px-Flag_of_the_United_States_%28Pantone%29.svg.png

Chicago, Illinois, USA

They say Chicago is "the home of the blues and the truth of jazz", but it's definitely more than that as it can rival NYC's art vibe, architecture and iconic structures, beautiful waterfront, culinary scene and multicultural personality.

It was winter of 2010 when I first visited Chicago (not the best time I know), but it was a now-or-never scenario for me. I joined my younger brother, who was also vacationing there that time. With the reliable CTA buses ($20+ for a week), we were able to get around downtown.

We thoroughly enjoyed taking a promenade along the lakefront overlooking the Windy City's skyline and skyscrapers. The astronomy show at the Adler Planetarium made me remember that "projected universe" at the planetarium in Luneta during a school field trip. It was like coming full circle and, once again, my brother and I were marveling at galaxies, constellations, comets and other cosmic objects we loved to discuss when we were still kids.

To be continued...

I totally agree with you my husband and kids always enjoy our vacations in Chicago.

[Mike Chester]

Nice thread, thanks TS!

Rio De Janeiro is still in my bucket list

[wanderer9020]

"Muma-Maria Adams" talaga eh, 'no?

Hindi sila dumedepende sa US visa eh. Hehe. Pero pabagu-bago ang visa requirements. Tulad sa Nicaragua, halimbawa. Dati ay kailangan ng visa bago ka pumunta run, pero ngayon puwede na lang sa PoE.

No visa required:
Costa Rica

Visa or tourist card on arrival (US$30-50)
El Salvador
Guatemala
Nicaragua
Honduras

Visa required
Belize
Panamá

for updated visa regulations around the world, theres no better way than to check with airlines website itself which has the firsthand decision if they will let you board their aircraft to your destination as far as visa requirements is concerned.

www.staralliance.com, under services, then visa.

As of today, a valid US visa is needed for Philippine passport holders to enter visa free for Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and even Panama.

[ЅUX2BÜ]

Visa requirements in Central America change frequently.

However, Philippine passport holders entering Panama are required to have an authorized stamped visa, whether they have a US visa or not.

[ЅUX2BÜ]

Chicago, Illinois, USA

They say Chicago is "the home of the blues and the truth of jazz", but it's definitely more than that as it can rival NYC's art vibe, architecture and iconic structures, beautiful waterfront, culinary scene and multicultural personality.

It was winter of 2010 when I first visited Chicago (not the best time I know), but it was a now-or-never scenario for me. I joined my younger brother, who was also vacationing there that time. With the reliable CTA buses ($20+ for a week), we were able to get around downtown.

We thoroughly enjoyed taking a promenade along the lakefront overlooking the Windy City's skyline and skyscrapers. The astronomy show at the Adler Planetarium made me remember that "projected universe" at the planetarium in Luneta during a school field trip. It was like coming full circle and, once again, my brother and I were marveling at galaxies, constellations, comets and other cosmic objects we loved to discuss when we were still kids.

To be continued...

I totally agree with you my husband and kids always enjoy our vacations in Chicago.

Hi, Septembermom!

We'd definitely appreciate it if you could share stories about your vacations in Chicago. TIA.

[ЅUX2BÜ]

Nice thread, thanks TS!

Rio De Janeiro is still in my bucket list

Thanks, Mike Chester!

Please feel free to share your stories.

[ЅUX2BÜ]

Zócalo, México

My trip to Zócalo and city proper in 2007-2008 had made me re-establish a concept of what cities should be like. As you take a closer look at these impressive structures, the architectural details become more intricate and stunning. The first photo shows a government institution located east of Zócalo while the second one shows a church on one of the busy streets in Distrito Federal:





Typical streets around Zócalo:

[superparadise_X]

some unforgettable trips....

Sailing in Aruba, sunset catamaran...

[superparadise_X]

Grenada in the Caribbean...

(suddenly remember all those Barbara Cartland's novels esp Secret Harbor that my grandma used to read-which I read too while growing up....)

[ЅUX2BÜ]

Bon dia, superparadise_X!

Did you also go to Bonaire and Curaçao? I had some business trips there before and was trying to speak Papiamento. Iba pa rin talaga Papiamento sa Aruba kesa sa BC islands.

[ЅUX2BÜ]

Grenada in the Caribbean...

(suddenly remember all those Barbara Cartland's novels esp Secret Harbor that my grandma used to read-which I read too while growing up....)

Aha! That's along the Melville Street terminal in St. George's if I am not mistaken.

[Mike Chester]

Thanks, Mike Chester!

Please feel free to share your stories.

My only travel to America, in NY and Chicago, was not really worth kasi we were there during the peak of the winter (xmas 2009).

Although I really want to go back in summer there para naman ma appreciate ko siya

Anyway, I hope within the next two years, I can visit Rio na. Also my wife is really keen on going to Machu Piccu, hopefully we'll do both of this come 2013

[ЅUX2BÜ]

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Continuation...

Chicago appropriates 1 point something percent of the cost of city construction and renovation called Percent for Art Ordinance to promulgate art and cultural awareness on the streets. I took a picture of this notable 25-foot sculpture installed on Michigan avenue, about a few steps from the Chicago River. This sculpture of the farmer with his daughter is based on Grant Wood’s American Gothic painting:



Several "Moose on the Loose" sculptures by respected Chicago sculptor John Kearney are scattered around the plaza north of the Chicago River. Below is a picture of the welded steel sculpture of a moose with the Tribune Tower as backdrop:



To be continued...

[ЅUX2BÜ]

BTW, this is Grant Wood’s American Gothic painting, which depicts labor and domesticity:

[superparadise_X]

Bon dia, superparadise_X!

Did you also go to Bonaire and Curaçao? I had some business trips there before and was trying to speak Papiamento. Iba pa rin talaga Papiamento sa Aruba kesa sa BC islands.

Bon dia SUX2BU...sorry am having hard time adding the "umlaut" on top of the U, as we call it in german..hehehhehe..

to answer your question, Yes, I have been to Bonaire and Curacao. I thought at first that Papiamento was Spanish until I heard some portuguese and french in it...then I realized it was a different language after all.

I got accustomed to Aruba so fast as there are quite a number of Filipinos in the area-which are very hospitable. Of course, ilang beses kaming nag-karaoke and non-stop adobo or sinigang!

I like Curacao for its nightlife. Bonaire, they say was good for snorkeling but I was disappointed. The corals were dead! Even certified divers were saying the same thing...

Anyway, I met the most kindhearted optometrist in the area as I accidentally dropped my glasses during a high speed catamaran ride to a coral reef! Sadly, he had to get the correct lenses from his other clinic in Curacao-what a mess! And I had to wait for 3 days...I suggested meeting him in Curacao but I can't remember now why we didn't do that!

Well, am not blind really but I hate not to recognize familiar faces waving at me in the distance....

I love Aruba for so many reasons- highly developed tourism, enjoyed my first helmet dive on the De Palm Island, had my jeep safari, learned the importance of aloe vera by visiting its prime aloe factories... and yes, tax-free shopping!

[ЅUX2BÜ]

Bon dia SUX2BU...sorry am having hard time adding the "umlaut" on top of the U, as we call it in german..hehehhehe..

to answer your question, Yes, I have been to Bonaire and Curacao. I thought at first that Papiamento was Spanish until I heard some portuguese and french in it...then I realized it was a different language after all.

I got accustomed to Aruba so fast as there are quite a number of Filipinos in the area-which are very hospitable. Of course, ilang beses kaming nag-karaoke and non-stop adobo or sinigang!

I like Curacao for its nightlife. Bonaire, they say was good for snorkeling but I was disappointed. The corals were dead! Even certified divers were saying the same thing...

Anyway, I met the most kindhearted optometrist in the area as I accidentally dropped my glasses during a high speed catamaran ride to a coral reef! Sadly, he had to get the correct lenses from his other clinic in Curacao-what a mess! And I had to wait for 3 days...I suggested meeting him in Curacao but I can't remember now why we didn't do that!

Well, am not blind really but I hate not to recognize familiar faces waving at me in the distance....

I love Aruba for so many reasons- highly developed tourism, enjoyed my first helmet dive on the De Palm Island, had my jeep safari, learned the importance of aloe vera by visiting its prime aloe factories... and yes, tax-free shopping!

Aruba

What I don't like about Aruba is that it's very expensive there! Magkano na ba ang isang dolyar sa florin ngayon?

I still have the following florin bills:





Aren't they nice?