With David...
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
A walk around Montevideo,
Montevideo, Uruguay country (#107) was an interesting city of old world architecture, mixed with modern wealthy apartment buildings along the water and crumbling parts of the neighborhoods. It is an easy and fun walking city. No building shows off it’s uniqueness than this building The Castle Pittamiglio
The residence of the architect and alchemist, Humberto Pittamiglio from 1911 to 1966 , who remained in permanent construction since he bought the land in 1910 until the day of his death. In the castle there are alchemical , Christian , Templar , Rosicrucian and Masonic symbolisms, among others. Inside the building there are numerous narrow corridors, doors that lead to nothing, blind windows and strangely shaped rooms.
Montevideo....Arrive...
What a crap day as it’s raining in buckets. Do think I was able to protect my hat. Montevideo has a the best taxi system I have ever used. You go to the mail booth when you come out of baggage claim, give the guy yo address, he tells you the cost and you pay him. He gives you a voucher which you had to the driver upon exciting the terminal and get driven to your hotel. WONDERFUL!
Monday, August 19, 2019
Italians and Kitties in Paraguay
I found out that there was at one time a large Italian immigrant population here and they built a park to spend time together.
Of course, I found some lazy kitties ...
Of course, I found some lazy kitties ...
Paraguay Day 2..
A nice long walk to the center of town to a vibrant amethyst, food seeking day wit music and lots of people having fun. The walking infrastructure was not good as the payments were either broken up or had a weird step down that kept putting strain on my back
Asuncion Paraguay, is a two day jumping off point. Next time, I will visit the Jesuit Missionary ruins.
A nice corner cafe
Weird way my door lock
Asuncion Paraguay, is a two day jumping off point. Next time, I will visit the Jesuit Missionary ruins.
Paraguay
Go off the plane into a warm sunny day. I got rip for for a few dollars by taxi driver who added to the price. I should have mentioned it to the hotel guy who came out to help but was too tired to bother. I noticed a boil or fever blister under my nose which means a cold coming on. I hope not.
I got dropped off a The Normada Hostel a few clicks from central part of the city. While the people were nice, WiFi great, the breakfast and hot water sucked. I should do better research instead of relying on Hotels.com for my stays. The truth is I have a $500 credit which is why I have been using them.
I got dropped off a The Normada Hostel a few clicks from central part of the city. While the people were nice, WiFi great, the breakfast and hot water sucked. I should do better research instead of relying on Hotels.com for my stays. The truth is I have a $500 credit which is why I have been using them.
Sunday, August 18, 2019
The Importance of making new friends...
I find one of the best things of traveling alone is it forces you to come out of yourself and talk with other people. Otherwise, you end up truly alone. I talk to everybody.
At the Opera House tour, I met this amazing Mormon family. The father Ron had spent two years in Italy doing missionary work in Milan, and the son did his in Buenos Aires. Ron was one of those rare people you meet and develop and instant connection. He was a big Yankee fan so that even made it better. He gave me an awesome recommendation to see at Tango show for like $20 where as the hotel quoted all these insane prices from $160-285 a person. The show was in the back of the Cafe Tortoni. It was great and had I not began a conversation would never had known about this awesome deal.
As we were on the tour, we could not talk as much as we wanted but I gave him my FB information and truly hoped he would follow through.
I was very happy when I saw a friend’s request from him.
At the Opera House tour, I met this amazing Mormon family. The father Ron had spent two years in Italy doing missionary work in Milan, and the son did his in Buenos Aires. Ron was one of those rare people you meet and develop and instant connection. He was a big Yankee fan so that even made it better. He gave me an awesome recommendation to see at Tango show for like $20 where as the hotel quoted all these insane prices from $160-285 a person. The show was in the back of the Cafe Tortoni. It was great and had I not began a conversation would never had known about this awesome deal.
As we were on the tour, we could not talk as much as we wanted but I gave him my FB information and truly hoped he would follow through.
I was very happy when I saw a friend’s request from him.
Cafe Tortoni
I looked up this historical cafe, 1858 and knew I had the visit. There was of course a line but as the place is large it moved fast. I loved all the old woodwork, photos, and even the cash register. I had some empanadas, a coffee and some fresh squeeze or juice. I was happy to be here and came back but more about that later.
Cafe Tortoni History
The Café Tortoni is a coffeehouse located at 825 Avenida de Mayo in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Inaugurated in 1858 by a French immigrant whose surname was Touan, it was named Tortoni after the Parisian café of the same name located on Boulevard des Italiens (where the elite of the Parissiense culture gathered in the 19th century). The café itself was Inspired by Fin de siècle coffee houses. Café Tortoni was selected by UCityGuides as one of the ten most beautiful cafes in the world.
Fin de siècle (French pronunciation: [fɛ̃ də sjɛkl]) is a French term meaning end of century, a term which typically encompasses both the meaning of the similar English idiom turn of the century and also makes reference to the closing of one era and onset of another. The term is typically used to refer to the end of the 19th century. This period was widely thought to be a period of degeneration, but at the same time a period of hope for a new beginning.[1] The "spirit" of fin de siècle often refers to the cultural hallmarks that were recognized as prominent in the 1880s and 1890s, including ennui, cynicism, pessimism, and "...a widespread belief that civilization leads to decadence."
Fin de siècle (French pronunciation: [fɛ̃ də sjɛkl]) is a French term meaning end of century, a term which typically encompasses both the meaning of the similar English idiom turn of the century and also makes reference to the closing of one era and onset of another. The term is typically used to refer to the end of the 19th century. This period was widely thought to be a period of degeneration, but at the same time a period of hope for a new beginning.[1] The "spirit" of fin de siècle often refers to the cultural hallmarks that were recognized as prominent in the 1880s and 1890s, including ennui, cynicism, pessimism, and "...a widespread belief that civilization leads to decadence."
The themes of fin de siècle political culture were very controversial and have been cited as a major influence on fascism[7][8] and as a generator of the science of geopolitics, including the theory of lebensraum.[9] Professor of Historical Geography at the University of Nottingham, Michael Heffernan, and Mackubin Thomas Owens wrote about the origins of geopolitics: "The idea that this project required a new name in 1899 reflected a widespread belief that the changes taking place in the global economic and political system were seismically important." The "new world of the Twentieth century would need to be understood in its entirety, as an integrated global whole." Technology and global communication made the world "smaller" and turned into a single system; the time was characterized by pan-ideas and a utopian "one-worldism", proceeding further than pan-ideas.
The major political theme of the era was that of revolt against materialism, rationalism, positivism, bourgeois society, and liberal democracy.[7] The fin-de-siècle generation supported emotionalism, irrationalism, subjectivism, and vitalism,[8]while the mindset of the age saw civilization as being in a crisis that required a massive and total solution.
“What we now think of geopolitics had its origins in fin de siècle Europe in response to technological change ... and the creation of a "closed political system" as European imperialist competition extinguished the world's "frontiers.”
Friday, August 16, 2019
The Opera House....
It was so much colder here but with my scarf, gloves, other hat and rain jacket it was no problem. I took about 50 minutes to reach the Opera House where I had a coffee at the cafe and waited 25 minutes for the English tour to start..
I met this Mormon family and Ron the father was a great guy and Yankee fan. I hope he friends me on Facebook.
Some History:
The Teatro Colón (Spanish: Columbus Theatre) is the main opera house in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is considered one of the ten best opera houses in the world by National Geographic,[1] and is acoustically considered to be amongst the five best concert venues in the world.
The present Colón replaced an original theatre which opened in 1857. Towards the end of the century it became clear that a new theatre was needed and, after a 20-year process, the present theatre opened on 25 May 1908, with Giuseppe Verdi's Aïda.
The cornerstone of the present Teatro Colón was laid in 1889 under the direction of architect Francesco Tamburini and his pupil, Vittorio Meano, who designed a theatre in the Italian style on a scale and with amenities which matched those in Europe. However, delays followed due to financial difficulties, arguments regarding the location, the death of Tamburini in 1891, the murder of Meano in 1904 and the death of Angelo Ferrari, an Italian businessman who was financing the new theatre. The building was finally completed in 1908 under the direction of the Belgian architect Julio Dormal who made some changes in the structure and left his mark in the French style of the decoration. The bas-reliefs and busts on the facade are the work of sculptor Luigi Trinchero.
I met this Mormon family and Ron the father was a great guy and Yankee fan. I hope he friends me on Facebook.
Some History:
The Teatro Colón (Spanish: Columbus Theatre) is the main opera house in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is considered one of the ten best opera houses in the world by National Geographic,[1] and is acoustically considered to be amongst the five best concert venues in the world.
The present Colón replaced an original theatre which opened in 1857. Towards the end of the century it became clear that a new theatre was needed and, after a 20-year process, the present theatre opened on 25 May 1908, with Giuseppe Verdi's Aïda.
The cornerstone of the present Teatro Colón was laid in 1889 under the direction of architect Francesco Tamburini and his pupil, Vittorio Meano, who designed a theatre in the Italian style on a scale and with amenities which matched those in Europe. However, delays followed due to financial difficulties, arguments regarding the location, the death of Tamburini in 1891, the murder of Meano in 1904 and the death of Angelo Ferrari, an Italian businessman who was financing the new theatre. The building was finally completed in 1908 under the direction of the Belgian architect Julio Dormal who made some changes in the structure and left his mark in the French style of the decoration. The bas-reliefs and busts on the facade are the work of sculptor Luigi Trinchero.
Long Flight to EZE
Yes, this flight started with an early departure 10 seated from Sansa airways returning me to San Jose.
I got in about 10:15 am and waited until my plane left at 3:45 arriving at 8:30 pm in Lima and leaving in Lima, at 10:15 pm arriving in Buenos Aires at 4:30 in the morning. I was angry as I had to wait 40 minutes for my driver. Next time, I intend to have a different attitude with hotels that pick me up.
I finally check in the hotel about 5:30 am to a standard room as it was the only one left or so they said.
The hotel was on a quiet square with a Starbucks on the corner. The room was comfortable so after unpacking, I went down for breakfast. Breakfast was excellent. I went back to the room to rest and for a few hours before I started my day.
I was in BA for 3 days but next time, I arrive so early in the morning, I need to add an extra day as it caused me to get confused with my sightseeing.
I got in about 10:15 am and waited until my plane left at 3:45 arriving at 8:30 pm in Lima and leaving in Lima, at 10:15 pm arriving in Buenos Aires at 4:30 in the morning. I was angry as I had to wait 40 minutes for my driver. Next time, I intend to have a different attitude with hotels that pick me up.
I finally check in the hotel about 5:30 am to a standard room as it was the only one left or so they said.
The hotel was on a quiet square with a Starbucks on the corner. The room was comfortable so after unpacking, I went down for breakfast. Breakfast was excellent. I went back to the room to rest and for a few hours before I started my day.
I was in BA for 3 days but next time, I arrive so early in the morning, I need to add an extra day as it caused me to get confused with my sightseeing.
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
Rain Forest Tour I
After breakfast and after working on the blog, I took at taxi for $8 to the Park for a tour. The tour was $36 actually $4 less than what the hostel price. I actually saw more animals when I took the walk out of the part along the lovely beach. The guide showed us through a hi intense binocular, bats, crabs, butterflies, snakes, sloth, monkeys, grasshoppers and hummingbirds.
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