With my primary purpose being to learn more Spanish, I visited Antigua, Guatemala, June 14-July 11, 2009. I have been visiting countries in Latin America for many years and have been a student at schools in those countries. I also have a small tourism company in Colombia, The Colombia Experience, LLC (e-mail thecolombiaexperience@earthlink.net), for which it always helps to increase my understanding of the language.
My family (two adults and a child) traveled to Panama, June 18-July 1, 2009, having utilized EcoCircuitos (Hotel Country Inn & Suites, Ground Floor, Ste. 3, Amador, Pelican Ave., Amador Causeway, Panama; phone +011 507 314 0068, vwww.ecocircuitos.com) to arrange a custom trip for us.
The cost was roughly $7,000 for three people and included domestic airfares, ground transfers, many of the meals, guides (except in Bocas del Toro) and entry fees. We went to Panama City, Boquete, Bocas del Toro and San Blas.
I took the “Walking Women — Alpine Aspirations” tour, June 18-28, 2008, with Elderhostel (Boston, MA; 800/454-5768, www.elderhostel.org). The ground operator in Switzerland was European Walking Tours.
In our base, Engelberg, we stayed in the family-run Hotel Schweizerhof, which was a lovely place — clean and orderly. After learning to use our Nordic walking poles, we began our outings.
In Buenos Aires, Argentina, a new restaurant in Barrio Norte called Cilantro (Anchorena 1122; phone 11 4966 2941, e-mail cilantro1122 @gmail.com) is a welcome place to get interesting food beyond the much-touted beef and ubiquitous pizza places.
Created by an Israeli immigrant, it offers fresh seafood and a menu with Mediterranean and Asiatic overtones. In December ’08, entrées ran about $12-$18 per person, with excellent wine for only $5-$8 per glass.
SANDY LUDEMAN
Eugene, OR
In Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, Restaurant Bali Yoga — located on the left side of Jalan Kajeng a 3- to 5-minute walk up from Jalan Raya — seems like a curious name for this little jewel of a place. The husband and wife who own it told me they named it after their first child, a son, Yoga.
While in southern India in March ’09, my companion, Frank, and I traveled to the town of Alappuzha, formerly known as Alleppey. We had read about an exquisite estuary of interconnected canals, rivers, lakes and inlets where fresh water meets seawater from the Arabian Sea. Backwater tours originate from Alappuzha, three hours from Trivandrum, accessible by air and train.
From VERNAZZA, Italy, May 19, 2009…
“In April we start making thousands of kiping,” explained Milada Valde of Lucban, Quezon, Philippines, as she poured the bright yellow batter over a large shiny leaf.
Dana McMahan, Louisville, KY
by Marvin Herman & Judy Licata, Delavan, WI