Trips

East Cape - Mexico

2010-04-28T19:23:00.000-07:00

The area known as the East Cape, which is the stretch of coast just north of San Jose del Cabo, (SJC) is filled with beautiful secluded beaches, dusty arroyos and dramatic rock formations. The road snakes along the coastline above the sea, each new turn reveals another incredible vista of Baja beauty (as well as an assortment of cows and donkeys wandering along the road).

There are plenty of places where one can camp on a deserted beach or better yet on one of the small wooded hills (which offers sanctuary from the heat of the day) adjacent to the beach. There are no facilities to speak of except for a few “Palapas” on the beach but some people apparently spend the entire winter here. The area offers some of the finest fishing, surfing and wilderness camping anywhere.

About one hour into our journey, we came upon the Crossroads Country Club, a unique bar/restaurant. This is not your typical posh eatery like those in SJC; it is rather a small outdoor place consisting of a dozen or so plastic chairs under a simple roof structure overlooking the beach. The special of the day was a “bouillabaisse” which just happens to be one of our all time favorite things to eat which was served with warm butter/herb bread. The food was excellent especially with an ice-cold Corona.

Small communities consisting of mostly foreigners also dot the coast. It is surprising how many people are willing to spend large sums to build their dream home in an area without the most basic facilities such as electricity, city water and phone. However, some of them use solar power. We even saw a few satellite dishes. These people have really opted to disconnect from the day-to-day reality endured by the rest of humanity.

Another 45 minutes up the road brought us to Cabo Pulmo, which is the best known for its coral reef (the only one in the Sea of Cortez). We checked into the Cabo Pulmo Resort, which really is not a resort in the usual sense of the word, rather a collection of bungalows accommodating from two to eight people. Ours had a queen size bed and a single bed plus a kitchen and a nice bathroom. Very comfortable. Also included was a covered deck located above our bedroom with a view of the sea and the mountains. The perfect place for a glass of wine after a hard day of traveling.

We still had plenty of time to wander down to the beach and to snorkel out to the reef itself (although the water was rather choppy and cool). However, we persevered long enough to see a few fish before deciding to enjoy the sunshine and the beach instead. We were told that mornings were usually the best time to snorkel, as the water is often very calm earlier in the day.

After a quick beer on the beach and a shower, we headed off for dinner one of the five small restaurants. Dinner was okay (fresh fish) but nothing compared to the lunch we had at the “Crossroads”.

We were in bed early since there is not much to do after the sun goes down in Cabo Pulmo. No wild nightlife here. Nevertheless, we managed to have a bit of excitement when a strong wind came up during the night and I had to secure the patio furniture on the rooftop patio to keep it from blowing away. Unfortunately, the strong wind ruined any chance we had of going snorkeling the next morning as well. We opted to walk around the town before continuing along East Cape road.

After having lunch on the beach (we had to eat in the Jeep because of the wind), we opted to take the main highway back to SJC and stop en route at the town of Santiago, which we understood, had “thermal baths”. After asking several different people, we were finally given directions, which turned out to be for a different, site altogether. It is called “Cascada del Sol de Mayo” and is located in the mountains about 15 kms from Santiago. It consists of a small waterfall and a natural pool for swimming in one of the rivers originating high up in the mountains. The water in the pool was quite cold but not the waterfall, which was surprisingly warm. The people here gave us directions to the “thermal baths” which turned out to be approx. 10 kms on the other side of Santiago in a place called Santa Rita.

After getting more directions, we finally found the thermal area, which consisted of three small pools containing very hot water bubbling forth from the rocks. The water was so hot that we could not sit in the first pool, the second pool was just right and the third pool was too cool (sounds a bit, like the story of three little bears in knows). As an added bonus, there were many small fish in the second pool, which removed any dead skin from your feet and legs. A very ticklish process.

We then headed for SJC, home some 100 kms away, and drove through the tropic of cancer, which is the half way point between the equator and the north pole. We had just enough time to take a quick shower before heading out for dinner at Dante’s Restaurant, which is a restaurant we wanted to try, but we needed a car to get there. This place is a “Canadian hang out” where the food and service are excellent (especially the pork ribs).

That was our last side trip from SJC as we are returning to Ottawa on March 31. Too bad but we are now looking forward to going to the cottage (never a dull moment).

San Jose del Cabo (SJDC)

2010-02-08T11:08:00.000-08:00

February 8, 2010

San Jose del Cabo/Mexico

We went back to the town square in SJDC and took a few pictures including one of the wrought-iron bandstand and Cathedral. We also took one of the Shooter’s Bar where we’ll go to watch the Olympics on a big screen TV and enjoy a few beers at 10 pesos/$0.85 each.

On a Friday morning, we walked around the ‘art district’ of SJDC and we were pleasantly surprised with the quality and quantity of the artwork. The art district is filled with galleries representing the works of 100s of artists, including paintings in watercolor, acrylics, oils plus bronze sculptures. In this district, there are also beautiful old hotels and restaurants, which have been completely refurbished. Every Thursday evening, the galleries open their doors to visitors and offer free drinks/snacks in order to encourage sales.

Every Saturday morning, there is an Organic Market located in a park on the other side of the art district (1/2 hr walk from condo) where hundreds of venders sell everything from jewellery, paintings and leather goods to fresh organic veggies, chicken and eggs, etc.

There was a comedy show Saturday night on an island in the middle of the Puerto Los Cabos Marina, which we wanted to attend. Since it was too far to walk, we rented a 1991 Dodge Spirit from a Cdn fellow living in an adjacent condo complex. At a rate of $80/2 days, it was a cheap transportation…

It was a beautiful setting and a warm evening surrounded by multi million $ yachts. We brought our dinner/drinks for the evening and luckily, there were two folding chairs in the car, which we used. The comedians were good but not great. We met some nice people and had a few good laughs. All and all we had a good time.

The next day we drove to ‘The Encantado’ neighborhood/beach (20 min. drive) where we saw multi million $ estates/condos. We had brought our cooler and had lunch on the beach. David tried his luck at fishing but unfortunately did not catch anything (again). We went for a swim since it was safe.

Since we had the car, we took the opportunity to visit some of the other neighborhoods around SJDC and were quite impressed with some of the places we saw, as well as the prices. There are some very WEALTHY people in Los Cabos… For example, a beachfront two bed/2bath condo sells for $750,000 US, and that is nothing compared to the $10 million villas, which are quite common around here.

Thats all for now.

Los Cabos, Mexico 2010

2010-01-27T11:17:00.000-08:00

San Jose del Cabo

We are now staying in a beautiful 2 bedroom/2bathroom condo in San Jose, overlooking the Mayan Golf Course and a magnificient view of the ocean. The condo is very well decorated and very quiet. Since we are located in a protected bay, we can see whales leaping out of the sparkling ocean or just spouting (clearing their blowholes) while they are migrating to mate and give birth to their calves. Once we had a breathtaking spectacle of whales breaching, when a whale propelles itself out of the water and through the air to land on its back with a splash. Very impressive!!

Each day is more beautiful than the last, with bright sunny warm days with hardly a cloud in the sky. (+- 28C daytime and +- 15C at night). While the rays of the sun are very hot, it can actually feel cool in the shade since there is very low humidity. At night the cool temperatures make for great sleeping. No need for AC, which is wonderful.

We are very happy with the location of the condo since it is a 15 min. walk to downtown San Jose as well as a 15 min. walk, in the other direction, to a large shopping/grocery store (Wal-Mart style). You would not believe the view of the ocean that we have when coming out of the shopping centre. No where else have we ever seen such a splendid site from a grocery store.

Almost daily we buy all our fresh fruit, veggies, fish and meat at the ‘Mega ‘ store. While we had a rental car for a week, we took the opportunity to drive to San Lucas (22 miles from San Jose) to stock up at COSTCO where we were even able to find blueberries, raspberries and blackberries just like at home. In fact, a lot of the products (like the Kirklands brand) are available there as well as beer, wine, etc. So what’s not to like about the place...

We bought an old fashion charcoal BBQ which David has now mastered. We asked the property manager of the condo to buy a patio table which he delivered a few days ago. We already have had people over for a beautiful lunch on the balcony.
There is a big pool with 2 covered areas (palapas), and a beautiful seating area with wet bar/stools for get togethers. We have not used the pool too often as the water is quite cold. The only things lacking in the condo are the satellite TV and internet access. However, we are renting TV series that we never watched at home from a local BlockBuster. As for the internet, we found several places where we can go.

Los Cabos is a big tourist destination with nearly 2 million visitors each year. Most of the locals speak some English, which makes our life easier but makes it hard to learn Spanish. It is a beautiful place to stay but it cannot be considered an authentic Mexican town.

The area contains some of Mexico’s most lavish resorts, five major championship golf courses and master planned communities with multi-million $ homes.

David brought his fishing rod and has gone fishing twice, on the beach, sort of in front of the condo, and has caught 1 fish so far. He plans on taking a panga (23’ boat used by local fisherman) to improve his success rate but is waiting for the water to warm up and the fishing improves.

The beach in front of the condo (10 min.walk) is not safe for swimming because there are big waves crashing onto the beach creating dangerous undertows. However we went to a local beach (with some American neighbours with a van) which is safe for swimming where this is a rock formation, soft sand and lots of fish to see when snorkling.

We have explored a good portion of the old San Jose, with its beautiful main square adorned with a wrought iron band stand and shaded benches, a cathedral which was build on the site of an early mission. There are plenty of good restaurants which we are just starting to sample as well as lots of art galleries, shops, cafes, etc. This coming Saturday we are planning on going to the organic market with our friend from the Consulate. The market, located just behind the old San Jose can accommodate up to 150 vendors where we can find just about anything under the sun. It should be fun. We will write about it on our next ‘blog’.

La Paz

Last Sunday, we rented a car for a week and went travelling north of Los Cabos. We left early Monday morning, made a lunch, and drove through the mountains for about 1 hour until we reached Los Barrilles. We walked on the beach looking at the beautiful Mexican houses and less beautiful campsite. Pretty little town with more gringos , (baby boomers/hippies driving ATVs on the main road) than locals. Not really our style; too quiet, too remote, nothing to do but beach and fishing.

After lunch we kept driving to La Paz where we stayed in a hotel near the ‘Malecon’ for 2 nights. We had an excellent dinner at the La Pazta restaurant (Italian/Swiss); the trendiest restaurant in town! The following morning we took an all day tour to Isala Esperitu Santo and Los Islotes to swim with the sea lions. It is the largest sea lion colony in the Baja. There were stunning rock formations (whale and mask) and we stopped for lunch on a remote beach.

These sea lions are wild animals and blowing bubbles in your face is their sign of warning, not of play, which we took very seriously.
It was a wonderful day, with lots of sunshine,very little wind/waves. On the way to the island we saw a whale shark (just beside our boat) as well as a school of dolphins swimming under and around the boat.

That evening we had dinner in a local restaurant with a local singer (not the typical Mexican music for tourists, but very local and very very nice).

San Carlos

The next morning we drove 3 hrs through beautiful desert mountains with plenty of cactus and occasional awsome vistas of the sea on the way to San Carols/Bay of Magdalena for the whale watching. We stayed at ‘The Alcatraz Hotel’ in the middle of a very small and dusty Mexican fishing village. The Bay of Magdalena is a reserve where around 350 grey whales come between January and March to mate and give birth to their calves. At 8 :30 a.m. on a very cloudy day we left for our excursion with a young Mexican university couple who spoke little English. The water was quite rough and once in a while there was a drizzle (very unsual for this time of year, we were told), and of course very windy.

After being on the boat for 45 minutes, we reached the mouth of the bay and saw several whales swimming close to the boat. Of course, every time we wanted to take a picture, the wales dissapeared below the waves/water. We saw plenty of whales, took dozens of pictures, but only 3 showing their backs. By far, the highlight of this excursion was when a very young calf came within a yard of the boat to look us over. The calf kept swimming around and under the boat until its mother called him home... Unfortunately, all that happened so quickly and we were so excited that non of the pictures that we took captured the calf and mother. Apparently February is the best month to watch the mothers and calves swimming, so unfortunately we were a bit early to see the big show.
After 3 hrs of whale watching we had lunch in the only fishing village on Magdalena Island with of 110 adults and 30 children. Our lunch consisted of very big shrimp provided for free by our tour guide. After lunch we headed back to San Carlos where we offered the young Mexican couple a lift back to La Paz before continuing on to Todos Santos.

Todos Santos:

Todos Santos is not only a cultural oasis in the Baja, it is an oasis in the true sense of the word, and it enjoys an almost continuous water supply from the peaks of the surrounding mountains. The town consists of colonial style structures filled with shops and galleries and cafes.

We decided to stay at The Hotel California which is the source of inspiration for the Eagle’s song of the same name. A few years back it was a dilapidated guesthouse, but after an extensive renovation, it is now the hottest place to stay in the area. We had the second biggest room of the hotel, i.e. a suite, with 2 balconies; a small balcony with a view of the Church and a larger balcony overlooking an outdoor terrace and seating area around the pool. The décor of the hotel is a fusion of jewel-tone colors with eclectic Mexican and Moroccan accents.

It is now owned by a couple from Vancouver and we spoke to Ms Schreyer, the co-owner, whose father’s cousin is Ed Schreyer, ex-GG in Ottawa and ex High Commissioner in Australia when we were posted there… talk about a small world…

We had dinner at an excellent Italian restaurant; ‘Restaurante Tre Galline’ (stands for ‘the 3 chickens). We spoke to Angelo/the owner from northern Italy and he made sure that we had a fine Italian meal, which we did. The next day we visited many of the shops/galleries and Lucille bought some organic beauty products from Heartsease, a spa boutique owned by a Cdn woman from Winnipeg…who lives there 6 months of the year. After lunch we headed for home, which was 1 ½ hr drive along a single lane mountainous road following a bunch of double trailer trucks…, Passing was almost out of the question, very dangerous and slow, so we took our sweet time getting home.

We were very happy to get back to the peace and quiet of our condominium. The next day David took his clubs to the golf course, arranged to store them for the duration of our stay, and played his first round of golf, which he enjoyed very much. He did not want to rent an electric cart, so he walked the entire 18 holes. Congratulations David.

That is all for now folks, we will keep you posted.

David and Lucille

Carnival in Merida

2009-02-25T13:37:00.000-08:00

We decided to go to Merida on Saturday February 21st and stay overnight to watch the parade. We booked a room in a hotel with a view on the street where the parade was taking place. Unfortunately there was Plexiglas outside of our patio doors so we could not see the parade very well, however, we were very happy to have that Plexiglas once the parade was over because it reduced the noise tremendously.

We took the local bus at 11:00 from Progreso and arrived downtown at 12:00 to meet some friends for lunch at an old hacienda a couple of blocks away. After lunch we went to our hotel, and had a good swim in the pool (water was very cold), spent some time around the pool and went back to our room for an afternoon siesta. The hotel had a wonderful indoor garden and lots of antiques (see photo).

We went out for dinner before the parade, at a lovely restaurant and had typical Mayan food, which was excellent. We looked around a bit and then decided to come back to our hotel where we bought our tickets to reserve our chairs to watch the parade. The tickets were $2.50/each, and sat on the last row (there were 3 rows of chairs). See photo.

Merida´s Carnival is one of the five most important in the entire Mexican republic. The theme of this year´s Carnival was Carnival of Cinema. It ran from February 18, when bad humor and moods were symbolically burned, and ended on Tuesday February 24 with humor, happiness and joy in the hearts of all those who took part. There were 110 groups, which included dancers, parade floats, marching bands, lots of very loud music, pretty girls, etc. (see photos). We had a really great time (it was our first Carnival) and enjoyed our break away from the constant wind in Chicxulub.

Uxmal and the Puuc Route

2009-02-06T12:07:00.000-08:00

Friday, February 6, 2009

We took a trip along the Convent Route which is off the beaten path and into the heart of the Yucatan. We visited Mayan villages and ruins, colonial churches, cathedrals and convents, courtyards and cenotes (large freshwater sinkholes) dating back centuries. Going through one of the villages we came across a market with a remarkable mural (see picture).

We also stopped in Ticul which is know for its pottery, went into lots of stores but have not found what we are looking for. We then went to Uxmal, which is the most memorable Maya ruins in the Yucatán, it contains some of the best –preserved architecture (between A.D. 850 and 900).

We were planning on seeing the sound and light show but it was cancelled because of repairs. We stayed at the Misión Hotel in Uxmal with our room facing the ruins. Quite a sight. The next morning we spent 2 hrs visiting the ruins, which were beautiful with the lattice work, the numerous masks, serpents and massive buildings (see pictures). We then followed the Puuc Route and saw numerous other ruins. As usual, the weather has been more than beautiful every day, sunny and very warm (+ - 28C).

Campeche City

2009-02-02T13:04:00.000-08:00

February 2, 2009

Campeche city is the capital of the Campeche state which is approx. 2.5 hrs from where we are staying. Campeche earned its UN World Heritage designation primarily for its network of city walls, bastions and forts.

Most have been meticulously restored and contain small but excellent museums. We walked on the city walls as well as visited replicas of daily life within the forts. (see picture of Serge defending the fort, and David taking care of the daily water ration!!!).

We also saw some very impressive Mayan artifacts.

We went wandering around the central plaza and city center where we found a number of historical churches and buildings worth peeking into and looked at the colorful facades and cobblestoned streets along the way. This city must get a lot of rain based on the height of the sidewalks. (See pictures)

Every weekend, the city streets around the central plaza are closed for pedestrians only, restaurants place their tables outdoors, food and trinket vendors set up stalls, and bingo games get going in front of the Cathedral. Both evenings, the city hosts cultural events; typically a concert and people fill the park benches to enjoy the show. The weather was absolutely perfect for an outdoor event, warm and windy. It was a perfect opportunity for us to stroll around the plaza and to get a sense of how Campechanos enjoy their city.

We also walked around the fruit and vegetable markets and the fish and meat one (stinky…) as well as the Malecon (very wide seaside boardwalk) under a very warm and humid sun. (not complaining though)

We stayed overnight in a very nice renovated small hotel, 2 blocks from the central plaza so that we could take full advantage of the evening activities. We also had a very nice meal at one of the local restaurants followed by a drink on the central plaza. On the way back we stopped at Calcehtok caves which Lucille did not visit because she does not like caves…

Merida and Celestún

2009-01-30T12:34:00.000-08:00

January 30, 2009

As soon as we moved into our new home (see pictures) we asked the owner if we could have a BBQ. A couple of days later he delivered a nice little charcoal BBQ which we use almost every night to cook fish/steaks/chicken. It has been wonderful to cook on this BBQ.

Dave and Serge have been doing a lot of fishing from the beach. So far, their efforts have resulted in very few fish but they did manage to catch 2 pelicans. The pelicans were delicious…just kidding, in fact they were released uninjured (and undoubtedly much wiser).

Serge was able to arrange for a local fisherman to take both of us out fishing in his small boat. We left at 06.00 a.m. and came back at 11.30 a.m. We caught a few very nice grouper plus some smaller fish. At first, we both tried using hand lines but the only one who was catching fish was the fisherman. Not as easy as it looks!

Fortunately David had brought his own fishing rod and he was soon using it instead. He was able to hook a rather nice grouper (Mero) which gave him a good fight. We paid the fisherman $40 Cdn and kept just enough fish for dinner. All–in-all a nice morning on the water.

On Jan. 28 we drove to Celestún (2 hrs drive) to see the flamingos which are the biggest and pinkest in the world. They need to eat 12 hrs/day . If we scare them and make them fly, they loose important energy and can also brake their necks and wings. There were literally thousand of them enjoying the shrimp (from which their colour derives) rich waters of the lagoon. The boat tour included a trip through the mangroves (see pictures), very pretty and unusual.

There is not much else to see in Celestún, although there is a nice beach where we had a couple of beers (temperature was very humid and 30C)not complaining, though. The temperature is a little hotter on this side of the Gulf of Mexido since there is less wind.

We also stopped in UMAN, at the central market which was filled with locals doing their shopping. UMAN has to be the town with the most tricycles (see picture) (not the kiddy type but adult size) both motorized and pedal power. It was really something to see all of the people being driven about in these contraptions. Actually, they are a smart rig for people with limited means.

We went to Merida (1/2 hr drive) visited the murals at the Governor´s Palace which displayed the history of the Yucatan. We also walked around the historical centre and the colonial street, as well as visited various huge local arts and crafts markets… There were A LOT of traditional dresses and clothes that are still worn by the locals today.

On another day we went to Merida shopping at SEARS, of all places, beautiful shopping centre (smaller version of St-Laurent shopping centre) since we needed another piece of luggage. We even had lunch in the food court (we felt at home) .
This week-end we are planning on going to Campeche and staying overnight. More on that trip in our next post.

Mexico: Progresso/Chixculub 2009

2009-01-13T10:18:00.000-08:00

January 13, 2009
Two days before our departure we received an e-mail from Air Canada informing us that our time of departure had changed. We were leaving one hour earlier with United Airlines. So we got up at 4.00 am instead of 5.00 and went to Ottawa airport for our 7.00 am departure flight. We got in the plane and had to wait one hour for de-icing the plane. So much for our earlier departure…

We also received an e-mail from Natasha, our contact in Mexico, informing us that the house that we had rented from Jan. 5 to Feb. 14 was double booked until Jan. 15… so we would have to stay in the house adjacent to the one we originally reserved. This house has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen… and belongs to the landlord´s father, and we would not be charged for it. Well we know why… it is very old, we mean very very old, still has the original mattresses, i.e. probably 40 years old, the water pressure is very poor, there are about 10 different colours-style of ceremic tiles in the house, and in every room, the paint is peeling off the walls. We should be moving to the other house this Thursday. Looking forward to it.

We arrived in Cancun on Monday, and took a local bus to have a look at all the hotels around Cancun. What a zoo, one hotel after another, and that went on for 26 kms. They are all HUGE, however they looked empty. We walked alot around town, and ate very well. In Cancun itself there is not much to see.

We stayed 2 nights in a hotel downtown (right across from the Bus station). Very convenient. Wednesday afternoon we took the UNO Bus to Merida, (4 ½ hrs) first class bus, excellent service. It was better than a First Class seat via Air, with A LOT OF LEG ROOM, reclining seats (almost horizontal), free soft drinks/water and movie (unfortunately Spanish). A driver was waiting for us at the bus station and drove us to our house in Chixculub.

Chixculub is a very poor and dirty little town, however the people are wonderful. It is very safe to take the local bus and walk around. We did our grocery at the Wall-Mart in Progresso, very convenient. (smaller version of the Canadian Wall-Mart).
Progresso is a very well organized town, with lots of shops, restaurants, cafes, etc. It takes 10 minutes to go to Progresso by local bus at a cost of Cdn $0.50/trip. The buses are very very old, and very very dirty but they go by every 5 minutes or so, and there is no strike…

Our friends will join us on Jan. 18 and they will be driving a rental car which means that we will be able to visit the surrounding area.

David and Lucille

Batemans Bay and surrounds

2008-02-26T17:26:00.000-08:00

One week after we arrived in Batemans Bay (BB) we bought a second hand 18 speed bicycle (the front tire is completely bald but it’s good enough for one month)for $40.00 from a teenager who had just bought himself a car, we also bought a helmet at Kmart for $10. for Lucille. David burrows the bike/helmet from the manager from the holiday apartment. So now, it takes us 15 minutes to go downtown instead of 50 walking. We use the bikes just about everyday.

We have some sort of a routine now, i.e. breakfast, read, 1 hr walk on the beach, bike around town, David goes fishing/Lucille reads at the beach covered in sun cream/umbrella, do our daily grocery shopping; we have a real good mini mall just ½ block from the apart , i.e. IGA, butcher, fresh fish/seafood, newspaper agency, fresh fruit/ veggies, video store, pharmacy and the last but not the least, the ‘bottle store’ which is a drive-in to buy beer and wine (at an excellent price, we might add). We also have a second-hand book store where we sell and buy our books.

James and Karen (friends from Canberra) came to BB one Sunday, and drove us along the coast to Narooma, Central Tilba and Tilba & Tilba (T&T). T&T is a historic village built during the gold rush and still retains much of its pioneer character along with many of the original 19th century buildings. Both are very pretty and picturesque villages. We had lunch in 1 of the 2 cafes in T&T.

Two days ago we went to the cinema to watch the movie “The bucket list” which is a very good by the way. We wanted to have a beer in one of the bars but they were all closed by the time we came out of the theater around 4:00. So we went home and had one in the apart.

We also took a cruise along the Clyde River on a beautiful hot and humid (28C) day, with fish & chips for lunch. The cruise lasted 3 hrs and we stopped at a small village where we had a good ice cream! The Clyde River is where the famous Sydney Rock Oysters come from. We had some the other night and they were delicious, of course, accompanied by a very good Aussie wine. The boat goes under a bridge which lifts vertically (apparently you call a telephone number when you want them to raise it).

Yesterday we went to the bird sanctuary where we saw lots of beautiful parrots and kangaroos/wallabies/snakes, etc. David held a baby wombat (9kgs) which was very furry and sleepy. At that stage they love to be cuddled, however once they reach adulthood (60 kgs) they become quite aggressive and bite, needless to say that they are not cuddly anymore… The parrots are especially beautiful and so colorful.

Batemans Bay and Canberra

2008-02-12T18:19:00.000-08:00

It took us almost one hour to drive out of Sydney. If we had realized that the airport was at the south side of the city we would have picked up our rental car at the airport and headed off for the south coast immediately. We drove along the coast of New South Wales (NSW) to Kiama where we had a delicious lunch of fish and salad on a pier overlooking the ocean.

As we crossed the bridge into Batemans Bay (BB) and drove along the waterfront where the fishing boats are moored, we couldn't help but recall some of the sites and smells from our last visit some 18 years ago. It felt good to be back! We went to the Information Office and the officer was very helpful and gave us the names and addresses of at least 1/2 dozen holiday parks and private homes for rent. Fortunately, the second place we visited is managed by a very nice fellow (Alex) who offered us a 3 bedroom place overlooking the pool for a very reasonable price. As soon as we saw it, we jumped on it. The place is a block from the beach and shops. In fact there is everything we need including an IGA, a great pastry shop, butcher, fish & seafood store, newspaper stand, etc.

We spent the next couple of days getting settled and exploring the area. We even went to Mossy Point where we used to rent a place when Justin was little. This brought back some really good memories of the time we spent playing on the beach with Justin. It is hard to believe that almost 20 years have elapsed since we were here and that Justin has grown into a man now.

On Wednesday we headed off to Canberra to see some of our old friends, especially Fred and Olga. We spent 2 wonderful days getting reacquainted. It was great to see some of our closest friends after all these years. It was like we had never left and we were soon laughing about all the good times we spent together. These 2 days alone made our entire trip worthwhile!

Justin will be pleased to know that we drove by our old house in Torrens and Lucille went to visit one of her friends (Valeria, who used to be Justin's teacher) at the French/Australian pre-school.

We left the rental car in Canberra since it was the nearest drop-off point to BB. We then took a bus back to BB which dropped us at the shops mentioned previously. Everything went very smoothly.

We have really settled in now and have purchased a used bike for Lucille and David is borrowing Alex's bike for the duration of our stay. As a result, we will give Alex, Lucille's bike when we leave. David also bought a fishing rod and the rest of the stuff needed for fishing from the beach/stone jetty; it should be a good way to pass the time. We also intend to play a little tennis on the 1/2 size court at our apartment. The tennis court is just the right size since we can't run as fast as we used to! We are also hoping that some of our friends will come to visit us since we have lots of spare rooms. David may also go deep sea fishing once or twice during our stay here.

We will try to post any noteworthy information which may happen during the course of our stay.

Lake Tekapo, Christchurch and Sydney

2008-02-04T20:32:00.000-08:00

We spent one night on a farm approx. 1 hr from Lake Tekapo, I'm not sure why our travel agent booked us here but the people were very nice. It was interesting to see how the average farmer lives (if one can judge after 1 night only)but they seem much like Canadian farmers in as much as they are not rich by any means and have to face significant challenges to make a "go of it".

The next day we drove to Lake Tekapo where we ended up staying for 2 nights (we were originally booked for 1 night only but realized that our booking in Christchurch was not for 2 days). Fortunately, our travel agent came into the office on her day off to send an amendment to the motel for an extra night after receiving our email. We were very impressed with her professionalism and how helpful the lady at the motel was as well. It was great to have 2 days in Lake Tekapo since we had a wonderful view of the lake and it was good to relax. Lake Tekapo is a popular distination for thousands of visitors each year. Unfortunately, the lake is too cold to swim in (8-10C) but is a lovely turquoise. The glaciers in the headwaters of Tekapo grind rock into a fine dust on their journey down towards the lake. This "rock flour" is suspended in the water and when combined with sunlight creates the unique water colour. We have never seen anything quite like it. We also visited the small church which was built in the 1930s and is used by 3 different christian denominations. Very cozy and a beautiful setting with the lake as a backdrop.

We dropped off our car at the rental company and they offered to drive us to our hotel. Really first class treatment and so friendly. We spent another 2 days in Christchurch where we took long walks in Hyde Park/botanical gardens which was filled with beautiful flowers and plants. It also had different varieties of wonderful old tress which seem to grow a lot faster here since there is no harsh winter like in Canada. We even went to a movie "Death at a Funeral" which is a British comedy (very funny). We also had a number of great meals!

Our flight to Auckland and our connection to Sydney went off without a hitch. We soon found ourselves at the Cremorne Manor B&B which is just a short ferry ride from Circular Quay. The manor has a large verandah on the second floor where we were able to have a drink while taking in the view of the harbour. We spent a most enjoyable day touring the harbour on the local ferries (we bought a day tripper pass for the princely sum of $16 each). The rest of our time was used planning our trip down south and making the necessary arragements. We were not really too disappointed since we had visited Sydney before and we were not interested in doing the tourist thing again.

The Caitlins and Dunedin

2008-01-27T14:36:00.000-08:00

We took the southern scenic route from Te Anua to The Caitlins. The country side was filled with sheep and deer farms all along the way. Very picturesque. The final stretch of road was along the southern coast which is really wild and only sparsely populated. The south westerly winds are so strong that the trees along the coast are all bent flat and are very dry. No doubt the salt spray from the sea has a negative effect as well.

We stayed in a very nice B&B which is on a farm. I believe the owners said that they have 2700 sheep and 500 deer. We had a very nice dinner in the cafe down the road which was in an old school house. We were the only 2 customers and they closed the kitchen shortly after we got our meals. Close to the cafe was their Niagara Falls;it is so small that we missed it the first time altogether.

The next day we headed for Dunedin stopping several times along the way for walks and to visit some more waterfalls (much bigger). The weather was cool (only 11 C) with showers. Nevertheless, the walks were very pleasant as we were properly dressed and the walks took us through some really pretty rain forests. We are always surprised by how lush the forests are here.

When we arrived in Dunedin we made our way to Larnach Castle where we were booked for one night. We were surprised at first to learn that guests do not actually stay in the castle which is really a museum; rather in a lodge on the castle grounds. However, once we saw our room all our misgivings disappeared. We were assigned the Queen Victoria room which has a canopy bed and spectacular views of the coast. Since our room had a large soaking tub we decided to have a nice bath together along with a glass of wine. Both King and Queen were extremely happy and relaxed by the time it was time to go to dinner. We decided to have dinner in the castle dinning room which seats about 20 people around an antique table.

Before dinner we had drinks and got to meet out fellow diners whom turned out to be very charming indeed. At dinner one of the guests (physiologist wouldn't you know) suggested that each of us to say a few words about who we were, where we came from and what we considered to be an important lesson about life. Lucille talked about the fact that even though all the people present had come from different parts of the world and how well we all got along and how much we had in common. I mentioned how important it was to live for the moment since we never know what the future holds in store for us.

We really enjoyed the evening as we had a lot of laughs, and the food and wine were excellent. The castle is owned by the Barker family who have spent many years restoring it to something of its former graciousness. The castle was built by William Larnach in the late 1880's and clearly didn't worry about the cost since took about 10 years to complete. It is filled with fine furniture, marble and imported woods. Beautiful!

The next day we drove to the tip of the peninsula to see the Albatross Colony. These birds have the longest wingspan of any bird (3.3 meters) and this is the only place in the world where they nest so close to humans. We were fortunate enough to see one flying (impressive) and a mother grooming her chick. We also saw plenty of other birds, 2 dolphins ridding the bow wave of a passing ship and a few seals or sea lions (we can't tell the difference).

We then visited the old Scottish train station which is made of stone and has some beautiful stained glass windows and colorful tiles. Since it was lunch time we ended up having lunch in the station which specializes in traditional Scottish food and I had a real Scottish beer called Belhaven, I think. Anyway it was very good!

Next stop Lake Tekapo.

Te Anau and Doubtful Sound

2008-01-25T13:34:00.000-08:00

Our stay in Te Anau got off to an exciting start because we experienced our first earthquake since arriving in NZ. It was 5.3 on the richtor scale and happened while we were having breakfast. Lucille noticed it first and then we both felt the building moving. Apparently they get lots of these small ones.

We watched a good video at the Information office which gave us a better appreciation of the history, fora and fauna of the southern Alps. This is a truly remarkable area of NZ and it is easy to understand why it has been designated as a World Heritage Area. We then went to the local cinema to see another film which provided us some beautiful views taken from helicopters covering all four seasons. Cheapest way to see what the mountains and fiords look like from the air. The cinema was very small but the seats were very comfortable and large. It was also the first time that I was able to have a beer in a cinema. Very civilized!

The next morning we drove to Lake Manapouri which is the deepest lake in NZ (443 M) and is actually 265 meters below sea level at the bottom. We boarded a boat for the trip across the lake then a bus took us down to the coast where we took another boat out into Doubtful Sound. Incidentally, Captain Cook named it because he wasn't sure whether he would be able to navigate his way out of the fiord hence decided not to take a chance. Having seen the width and how strong the wind is coming into the fiord I think he made the right decision. Doubtful Sound is the second largest of Fiordland National Park's 14 fiords. The sea surface area is 10 times larger than the Milford Sound but Milford Sound has steeper cliffs. We were blessed with another really beautiful day; not a cloud in the sky (very unusual). The views were stunning with huge mountains on all sides and clear blue water beneath us. We travelled to the mouth of the fiord where we saw fur seals and the open ocean. Nothing left between us and Tasmania.

Closer we got to the mouth the more the wind picked up and until it was so strong you could lean into it and not fall over. On the return trip we entered a smaller side-arm where the Captain shut-off the motors and we were seemed to be suspended between the ocean and the sky. All we could hear were birds signing and feel was a gentle breeze.

After re boarding the bus we took a detour by entering the service tunnel for the hydro electric dam. The tunnel went 2 kms through the mountain (it was cut in order to bring in all the equipment including the turbines) and we were able to descend 180 meters below the level of the lake. We were then able to view the actual generators from a large observation deck.

The most pleasant day we have spent in NZ! Although everyday has been pretty good so far!

We are off to the The Caitlins (most southern part of NZ).

Haast to Wanaka

2008-01-18T16:26:00.000-08:00

It was raining very hard when we left Haast via the Haast pass which is the lowest pass between the east and west coasts of the South Island. As usual the road was full of curves but the views were tremendous especially as there were waterfalls all along the route due to the rain. There were a lot more waterfalls than normal, and they were much bigger due to the torrential rain. Once we got through the mountains the weather started improving immediately. On our approach to Wanaka the road meanders between two lakes (Hawea and Wanaka). Lake Wanaka is some 45 kms long and 6 kms at it's widest point. Beautiful scenery and the sun started to break through. Truly worth the drive. In fact, the more we see the more we love NZ!

Wanaka is a very nice little town nestled in the mountains. Much like Jasper. Skiing, hiking, fishing and boating are the main activities. We walked along the shore of the lake and had another nice meal; this time we decided to buy a roast chicken and some salad which we ate on the beach. Of course, no meal in NZ is complete without a bottle of local wine. Incidentally, the wine here is really very good. So far we have tried the Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. All are exceptional. Not cheap (average cost about $15 in the super market and double that in the restaurants). Unfortunately, we didn't have enough time to take one of the local tracks which would have provided us with some badly needed exercise (I'm putting on weight but Lucille seems to be holding her own; she says it is because of all the extra wine I drink).

The next morning we took the road to Queenstown which is the highest highway in NZ (1076 m). Along the way we had to stop at one of the original hotels which was built in the late 1800s to service the gold miners. Nice old place but it was too early for a beer. We then stopped in Arrowtown which was the local gold mining town. It is a very pretty town with lots of old colonial buildings and a small Chinese settlement. However, we ended up spending most of our time shopping for clothes (first time since we got to NZ so it wasn't so bad).

Queenstown was named by Mr. Rees who was the first white person to visit the area and was so taken with the view that he said it was a place fit for a Queen. Another beautiful day!! Sunny and warm (30C). We caught our steam boat at 2:00 pm which took us across the lake Wakatipu (83kms long and 405 meters deep) to one of the original homesteads. We were given a tour of the boat and briefing about it's history. Incredible, when you learn that they used to carry everything needed by the farmers on this boat including 1200 sheep at a time. The original engine keeps working and consumes appro. 12 tons of coal per day. The farm raises deer (800) and sheep (20,000). They raise the deer for their horns (sold in Asia for medicinal purposes and as an aphrodisiac)and meat. You should see the horns on these babies, a hunter's dream come true! We also saw another sheep shearing demo (when you seen one you seen them all). The fellow who gave us the tour was a real character, very typical, a really dry sense humour which we have come to appreciate more as we travel around the great country.

Saturday January 19, we took a Jet boat trip along the Shotover canon. We are still not sure which was most frightening; the road (if you can call it that) or the actual boat trip. Most of the trip was along a narrow track which you would have trouble driving a 4x4 over let alone a mini-bus. The worse part was that all along the track there were shear precipices hundreds of meters deep. Lucille said she wasn't worried but I was more than a little concerned at times. We were only a few inches from going to meet our maker! They say that a brave man only dies once so I guess I'm not as brave as I thought I was. We will never complain about our road to the cottage again!! Those of you who have been to our cottage will know what we mean.

The boat ride was almost as frightening since we came so close to the rocks that I was sure that we were going to hit (actually I did notice a lot of blue paint of some of the rock outcroppings). The spins were fun and the whole trip was awesome. I did hear Lucille squeal a few times so perhaps she is not as brave as I thought she was.

Next stop Te Anua.

Franz Glacier

2008-01-15T20:56:00.000-08:00

Took a walk to the face of the Fox Glacier which is takes approx. 2 hours return trip. NZ and Argentina are the only places where glaciers decend into temperate rain forests. The Fox glacier is the longest glacier on the west coast although there are larger ones inland. The glacier was impressive but it would have been better if we had taken the helicopter flight which would have been more interesting. The next day was simply unbelievable with not a cloud in the sky which meant that we had a clear view of both Mount Cook (highest peak in NZ) and Mount Tasman. We were incredibly lucky as they are often shrouded in clouds!

We walked around (1 HR) Lake Matheson which is surrounded by a temperate rain forest. Very pretty with another great vie of both mountains mentioned previously. Had another Capucino (this is becoming our latest routine around 11 o'clock) while gazing at the surrounding mountains. Lovely, quiet and serene.

We then drove along the coast until we reached Knight's Point which affords a majestic view of the Tasman sea. If you were to travel west you would land in Tasmania and south would bring you to Antarctica. The coast is very primitive with very little human habitation. There is lots of bird life due to the cold currents which attract a lots of fish, fur seals and even some elephant seals (the largest of the seal family).

Arrived in Hast which consists of just a few motels and restaurants really. Spent the afternoon on the beach with approx. 3 or 4 other people (beach is several KMS long, if you get the picture.

Greymouth to Franz Glacier

2008-01-15T20:43:00.000-08:00

Another nice day, we had to negotiate another range of mountains. Some the curves were so bad that we had to slow down to 15 kms/hr. Lots of trees and huge ferns. Forest looks almost tropical even though we are closer to Antartica than the rest of the world. Drove through the smallest town in NZ with a total population of 2 but we had to stop when we saw there were 2 cafe's. The first has a large stuffed sandfly. They really grow them big down here and you only get bit once in your life. The second place specializes in possum meat pies which we didn't have a chance to sample unfortunately. I have included a couple of pictures for those of you who may doubt the veracity of what I'm saying (I don't know why since I always tell the truth as everyone knows).

Nelson and Westland

2008-01-14T18:29:00.000-08:00

Nelson is a paradise for bush walkers, kayaking, boating and simply lying on the beach. We arranged to take a catamaran to Golden bay and the surrounding marine park but the trip was cancelled at the last minute due to a problem with the boat's motor. Back we went to the information office and quickly decided to drive to a town in the same area and take a boat from there instead. The first place we checked had a speedboat leaving within a matter of minutes so we hopped on board for a place called Bark Beach. It took 45 minutes to get there only. We then had a picnic lunch (consisting of bread, smoked salmon, cheeses, salad, fruit and a good bottle of local Pinot Noire) on the beach and spent the rest of our time simply enjoying the view and having a quick dip (the water was too cold to stay in any longer). Weather was hot (30C) and sunny. The boat ride back took 1.5 hours as we were on a much larger boat which was good since we had a better chance to see things. See photo below.

Ferry Crossing North Island to South Island

2008-01-11T15:43:00.000-08:00

12-01-08
Yesterday was our last day in Wellington; we visited the National Museum; unfortunately we did not have enough time to see it all because we had to catch the ferry to Nelson. Another excellent venue with lots of videos and interactive displays. Lots of info on how NZ was formed as well as animals/fish/plants/costumes/furniture, etc.
What a beautiful day it was to be on a ferry; the trip took 3.5 hrs, the sea was smooth, saw lots of sailboats, fishing boats and beautiful houses built on very rugged coastlines.
Picked up our new rental car (bigger and better than the other one) and drove to Nelson where we are staying for 3 nights. Lots of outdoor activities to do around here. Tomorrow we shall take a catamaran boat cruise to Golden Bay, where we might see dolphins, seals and various sea birds.

That's all for now.

Photos of NZ

2008-01-10T11:51:00.000-08:00

LARGEST KAURI TREE IN NZ.

MAORI WHAKA IN PAIHIA
LUCILLE WITH MAORI WARRIOR
CATHEDRAL COVE
AUCKLAND
HOLE IN THE ROCK

Week 2 in NZ

2008-01-09T23:34:00.000-08:00

Whitianga
We went to the 'hot beach' where hot (really hot, boiling hot) water comes out of the sand during low tide due to the local volcanic environment. People dig holes and sit in the sand.
We also took a 35 minute walk to the 'Cathedral Cove' where there is a beach and a huge hole through the rock. It was a very hot day, nice.
During our travels we came across many 'one way bridge'; there is an arrow indicating who has the right of way. It's a very slow process...

Rotorua
We visited a Maori village after having been greeted at the entrance by some rather intimidating warriors!!!We got to see how they practice for battle, cook their food, and are given tattoos.
We also saw a really good show followed by a hangi which is a traditional Maori meal.
We took a gondola ride to the top of the mountain with a terrific view of Lake Rotorua (which is an ancient volcano).
The whole area consists of numerous steam and mud openings as well as some geysers (which gives of a rather fowl smell)
Outside of our room we had a private spa... all the hot water comes from the thermal system.
On our second day, we went to the Polynesian Spa overlooking a thermal crater. There were many small pools at different temperatures i.e. between 36C and 43C; very relaxing, especially since we both had colds.

Taupo
This is the largest lake in NZ and is renowned for its trout fishing.
Once again we had a private spa outside our room.
We went through way too many mountains, up and down and around...

Napier
Region between Taupo and Napier is a huge reforestation area, consisting of many different types of pine trees.
This is the 'Art Deco' capital of the world, with lots of pastel colored buildings/houses. So far is the prettiest town we've seen. We had a very nice dinner of grilled tuna and veggies and of course of good bottle of local Sauvignon Blanc.

Today we drove 325 kms which took us all day to Wellington. (We went through so many little towns with a maximum speed limit of 50 kms along the way). We also discovered, when we went through Carterton town, that the former mayor was the first transgender person in the world to become a mayor and then a Member of Parliament...
We also stopped along the way and sampled some of the local wines which were very good.

Tomorrow we take the ferry to the South Island. We still have approx. 3 weeks left in NZ. Should be fun.

Auckland and Northern NZ

2008-01-04T18:35:00.000-08:00

So far we have seen the 2 largest Kauri trees and the oldest house in New Zealand. We spent 3 days in Auckland including New Year's Eve.

Auckland is a very beautiful city with lots of hills and much of the city centre is filled with new buildings. We will post some pictures next week. We had seafood on the wharf and a good bottle of NZ wine for New Year's Eve. We did not stay until midnight since we had to get up early the next day to pick up our car. The people are very friendly, the owner of the lodge where we stayed lent us his son's car one night in order that we could go out to the restaurant. He told us not to tell his wife otherwise she would have a monkey fit (whatever that is).

The day we went to pick up the car, Dave called for a taxi, 1 hour before we were to meet our shuttle bus downtown. However, the taxi driver decided to pick up another fair on his way to our place; as a result, David called several more times to see what had happened to the taxi. In short, we almost missed our shuttle, but, fortunately, the driver was kind enough to wait for us for 20 minutes. They said not to worry in 'paradise'...

So far the weather has been around 23 C sunny and windy; perfect for traveling. We spent around 3.5 hrs in the Auckland Museum, 3 stories, absolutely outstanding; we were exhausted by the time we went home. We use the buses around the city, and even though it is during the holiday season, they run pretty often, and it is about the same price as it would be at home; $3.50/person. We asked questions to the drivers, and they were very nice; one of them even let us on his bus (free) and showed us where to take the bus that we had asked for. We also took a ferry across the harbor, trip was about 12 minutes.

We spent 3 nights in Paihia, in the Bay of Islands (northern NZ). We took a cruise (4.5 hrs) during which we visited several islands and went to the "Hole in the Rock" David used to say "Hole in the Wall" and people looked at him like he was crazy... It was a beautiful warm day; very pleasant and relaxing.

The following day we visited Kiri-kiri which is where we saw the oldest house in NZ as well as the stone store which is a combination museum/actual store selling reproductions of old tools, etc, etc.

We then drove several hours along the coast and saw some beautiful beaches and mountains. We finished up on 90 mile beach which is actually only 75 miles long. All along the route there are numerous places where the Maori fought battles with the British army. Most of the fighting took place between 1840-1860 and was caused by the fact that the Maori did not wish to sell their land and were angry over the interference by the Brits in their internal affairs.

Yesterday morning, we visited the town of Russell, which was the capital of NZ for a very short time in the 1840s. They have a very well preserved museum which houses a working printing press from the same period, as well as a tannery. We learned how books were made as well as the leather bindings.

In the afternoon we drove down the west coast through the Kauri forest which contains the biggest Kauri trees in NZ. These trees are up to 30 m.high and 7 m.wide, huge trees. The forest itself makes one think of prehistoric jungles.

We are now in Whitianga, nice coastal town. We had lunch in a little town called Cromandel, also on the coast, where most of the people looked like hillbillies... It reminded us of some of the little towns that we drove through in Australia... Lucille has been doing most of the driving, especially in the mountains. It is EXTREMELY curvy, up and down, and if she did not drive, she would get car sick. The road in and around the mountains is very narrow with sheer drops into the valleys/ocean.