Chronicles of On The Road Travel

New Discoveries in Peru

It still amazes me that it took until 1911 for Machu Picchu to finally be discovered. Granted, this was the same year that the first airplane crossed the US (and it had to stop 70 times), so I guess it isn't that surprising that no one found this remote Inca fortress. But in 2006 it is really shocking to hear that the third-largest waterfall in the world is just now being discovered.

In February of this year, a German engineer / explorer discovered the Gocta waterfall, with a height of 771 m (2530 feet). Its remote location in the Northern jungle near Chachapoyas has kept it hidden from popular tourism all these years.

Legend has it that the waterfall is haunted by a mystical siren that has kept the native population at bay for hundreds of years. Apparently the waterfall has been known by locals for decades, but local people feared the curse of a beautiful blond mermaid who lived in its waters if they revealed its whereabouts. An ancient myth says that the mermaid keeps a golden bowl which in turn is guarded by a giant serpent.

According to the National Geographic Society, there are only two falls higher than Gocta: Salto del Angel, in Venezuela (972 meters) (3189 feet), and Tugela Falls in South Africa (948 meters) (3110 feet).

The falls will apparently be open to tourists, via road, in 2007... stay tuned!

A Fiesta in Antigua, Guatemala

This article is from Sarah Schwaller, our On The Road Travel editor in Guatemala. For more editorials about Guatemala click here.

While many struggle to remember the names of towns in Guatemala – like Huehuetenango, or Santa Catarina Bobadilla – there is no accounting for the name of the city that just might break a world record for it's length: Muy Noble y Muy Leal Ciudad de Santiago de Los Caballeros de Guatemala -- better known as La Antigua, Guatemala. While Antigueños may not go by their lengthy historical name, they most definitely remember and honor the heritage of it through the July 25th celebration of their patron saint, Santiago, or St. James.

The tradition of commemorating a town's patron saint is one that is followed in many Latin American countries. So, every town named after St. James – from Santiago Atitlan, to Santiago, Sacatepequez – puts on a big annual fiesta the week preceding his day, July 25th. The events are varied and encompass every aspect of life in the town from soccer competitions to cultural activities such as marimba concerts and traditional dances. And every activity is punctuated with the ever-popular fireworks displays.

In Antigua the festivities kick off with a sporting event – 2006 began with a half marathon "Las Rosas" -- followed by processions, ceremonies, conferences, all carried out with much pomp and circumstance. Concerts are held every night in central park with popular local bands as well as the more traditional groups performing. You can easily slip into party mode with street performers twirling batons of fire, tissue paper hot air balloons being set off into space by locals, street vendors hawking their wares, and impromptu reggae bands attracting large crowds. People of all ages attend with the old and young alike staying out well into the night.

Even though Dia de Santiago is a catholic holiday, the more indigenous traditions play a big part in the festivities. The Baile de Los Moros – a traditional dance involving elaborate costumes and masks, dialog and singing – can be considered a theatrical performance. Originally a method used by priests to try to convert the natives to Christianity, it developed over the years to depict various stories of the European Conquest and the oppression of the natives. For example, one can tell which character is the Spaniard by the mirrors woven into their costume. They represent the trickery of the Spaniards, since they traded mirrors – something Indians had never seen before - for their gold and precious jewels.

La Placita is another age-old tradition practiced during the festival, and as they say, "the one feared most by the mothers". Generous local groups prepare a feast of "mini" snack foods, such as dobladas, tacos, pupusas, and desserts for children. The children are expected to arrive with pieces of broken china – hence their mother's fears of returning home to a pile of broken cups – and trade those pieces for a small plate of food.

Also of interest is the palo encebado, or waxy pole. A wooden post the size of a telephone pole is erected in Central Park and coated with a slippery waxy substance. On Sunday, Guatemalans compete to see who can make it to the top to get to the 500Q prize. In recent years the contestants have gotten smart, collaborating to reach the top, as opposed to competing as individuals. The tradition used to be accompanied by the slippery piglet contest, which believe or not, took place in the central park. Officials would let a baby pig, coated in the same waxy substance, loose in central park and sand-covered locals would run around trying to catch it to win the monetary reward. PETA would have a field day here.

While the Santiago celebration is no Semana Santa, Antigua gets quite lively and it is a fabulous excuse to soak up the local culture. Over the course of the celebration you can see the rich traditions of the folkloric dances, try out local fare, watch old couples dance to marimba music and then dive for cover as the fireworks are set off just a little too close for comfort … a sampling of the many unique things that symbolize Guatemala.

OTR - Uncensored

According to the AP, the executor of Jack Kerouac's estate just signed a contract with Penguin to publish  the unedited original scroll version of On The Road. This will include incidents that had originally been removed because of censorship rules that existed when the book was first published way back in 1957.

LAN Announces Direct Flight: Miami - Buenos Aires

LAN airlines (OneWorld Alliance) recently announced its new non-stop flight (9 hours) from Miami to Buenos Aires. This overnight flight departs Miami on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 9:00pm. This promotion is being celebrated with special discounts. Flights start at US$659 + taxes and between August 16th and December 8th you can buy an economy seat for US$299 + 5000 kms (if you are a LANPass member).

Summer in San Francisco

Mark Twain would be eating his supposed words if he were in the Bay Area this week. With temperatures in the high 80's IN THE CITY and a reported 109 degrees in the south bay this weekend, we are all suffering for lack of air conditioning.

We beat the heat this weekend by heading up to Marin for what has now become my new favorite hike. Beyond the hidden little town of Bolinas (the hippie residents have apparently protested any markings of the town for fear that it will be over-run with tourists) at the end of a long dusty road lies the Bass Lake Trail. The hike itself is not too demanding -- I call it the skirt hike because, despite the fact that it is a 4 mile trek, the women always seem to be dressed up -- and winds through beautiful scenery passing beside Bass Lake along the way. About a mile past the lake there is a path for Alamere Falls. Although a little overgrown, it is well worth the trek. At the end of the path is one of the most breathtaking scenes I have come across in California. This hidden waterfall cascades down the hillside and opens up to a platform with pools that are perfect for picnicking while you dip your feet in to cool off. From there you can follow the trail down to the beach where you can dunk your head in the waterfall or take a dip in the ocean. Perfect for a hot summer day.

Today was a lazy day in the city. The San Francisco Symphony was putting on a free show at Dolores Park. We cruised down with our picnic and blanket and joined the hords lazed out for the afternoon in the sunshine. Here's a photo of some of the entertainment that surrounded the show. Enjoy!

               
 

I love a good conspiracy theory, especially when it involves George Bush. Although it was entertaining to watch him shoot his mouth off this week, forgetting that he had a live microphone in front of him, what I saw tonight was pretty scary. I read about Loose Change in this month's Vanity Fair. This documentary, directed by a 22 year old from Oneonta, New York, was originally posted on the web in April 2005 -- created with $2000 on a personal laptop. Since then the movie has been viewed by hundreds of thousands of people. The documentary questions the official story of the events of September 11th. From the early report by a Cincinnati ABC news affiliate that Flight 93 had landed safely that morning at a Cleveland airport (thus explaining why no bodies or fuselage was ever found at the site of its crash), to the impossibly small hole that was left in the Pentagon by flight 77 ( all videos that had recorded the impact of the flight were immediately confiscated and never released) to the collapse of the towers, which experts have said would have been nearly impossible without a controlled demolition setup. Loose Change seems to have all the answers. The movie is about 80 minutes long, so you may not want to watch it on your laptop, as I did, but its definitely worth watching if its a topic you've wondered about. Not only am I convinced, but I think I am now addicted to watching Google Videos for evening entertainment -- who needs HBO? By the way... that's the video up top for those of you who are technologicaly challenged...

Chariots of the Gods

This past week I took advantage of the cross-continental flight to knock another book off my list. This one was a bit quirky, but had caught my attention while researching Peru, which will be the next country we cover on the site.   Erich von Daniken's theory that the earth was once visited / inhabited by aliens might seem a bit off-the-wall, but it goes a long way towards explaining some of the wonders of the world. I was intrigued by his theory that the Nazca lines, located Southeast of Lima along the coast, were in fact a landing strip for spaceships. Tours are available today allowing you to fly over the area and see these gigantic lines laid out in geometric patterns. The author questions 'What is wrong with the idea that the lines were laid out to say to the 'gods': "Land here! Everything has been prepared as you ordered"?

He goes on to question the traditional views of several other wonders, including the Gate of the Sun at Tihuanaco, which is a 10 x 16.5 foot sculpture carved out of a single block, that is estimated to weigh over 10 tons. The legend  of Tiahuanaco tells of a woman named Oryana who came to them in a spaceship from the stars.

To be honest the book lost me at some points. Although I enjoyed hearing the conspiracy theories about some of the world's mysterious sculptures and formations, it does tend to go a bit off the deep end at times. Nonetheless, its is a quick, interesting read if you've ever wondered how the pyramids possibly could have been built.

Homecoming

I am writing this entry from a half-empty Air Canada flight from Toronto to San Francisco. I just read in the Travel Section of the Globe that 1% of all bags checked for flights (or 30 million bags) are expected to be lost by airlines worldwide in 2006, so I’m glad I was able to squeeze all my stuff on the plane. The last time I flew Air Canada from Toronto to San Francisco I had to check my luggage. When I arrived home I discovered that my pyjamas had been removed from the front pouch of my luggage and replaced with some poor guy’s asthma inhaler. I suppose he got the raw end of the deal.

My brain is frazzled from the Toronto heat & humidity so I’m guessing I won’t get much work done and the movie feature is Ice Age 2, which isn’t at the top of my list. So, I thought I’d take a few minutes to explain my absence from the blog and give you a quick update.

The week started off with two wonderful days on the Big Rideau. I was happy to see that I was still able to drop a ski and pull off a short but sweet slalom loop around the lake. I was more impressed to see my dad pull off a similar loop. The Hamilcock family surprised me with a belated birthday party – cake and all, and Anna acted as our host preparing the gourmet lunch you see here.

The theme for this past week in Toronto (aside from website and travel) was definitely BABY. They are popping out everywhere! The extra time in Toronto provided a great excuse to get caught up with all the new babies in the group and to finally hear the news first-hand about more to come – congrats again to Pete and Sam! I also had my first test as auntie Jen and am very pleased to say that I successfully fed, burped and put to sleep a 7 month old. Success might be a bit of a stretch -- I had Ashley all tucked in to her sleep sac before realizing that it was completely upside down. She spent a good 20 minutes laughing at me from her crib before falling into a deep sleep. I’m not sure I’m fond of the Glengary B&B’s new 4:30am wake up policy, but it’s all made up for when you are greeted by Ashley’s ear-to-ear smile at the breakfast table. 

Veronica and I managed to cover a lot of territory in a week. Thanks to Krys, Sandra, Robyn, Michelle and Maria for their time and input on the usability sessions. We may have had a biased sample, but it has definitely made us think about the future of On The Road Mommy! We are now well on our way to bringing you Phase 2 of On The Road Travel and hope to make the sight much more user-friendly and fun, very soon. We are still trying to solve the riddle of a replacement name for ‘My Pages’, so if you have any suggestions please feel free to send them our way!

Vagabonding

The 4th of July - our first real weekend away – no Internet access, no cell phone service, just the sound of the landline ringing 3 times a day when Seth’s work came calling…

I took advantage of the break to read the first book I’ve been able to sit down with in months. I was introduced to Vagabonding by Justin Mounts, our first Brazilian Editor for OTR. Justin and Rolf Potts (our generation’s Vagabonder – check out his blog www.vagablogging.net) were both part of an expedition team for Drive Around the World (www.drivearoundtheworld.com), a 15-month excursion that took 9 volunteers across the globe in order to raise funds to help cure Parkinson’s Disease.

Vagabonding is a quick read (anything that takes me less than a weekend is definitely a quick read) but an informative one. Whether you are a seasoned traveler who has crossed the globe several times over or a novice who is planning your first excursion into the wonders of a new culture, this book provides tips and advice on how to approach the experience.

Potts describes Vagabonding as taking an extended time from your normal life – could be six weeks or two years – to travel the world on your own terms. He points out that Vagabonding does not require a ton of cash, but rather the mere will to walk through the world in a more deliberate way. He stresses that you shouldn’t worry about these extended travels creating a ‘gap’ in your resume, but rather you should unapologetically include them along with the many skills you will have picked up along the way: independence, flexibility, negotiation, improvisation… I like the way this guy thinks!

His stories will inspire you to get out there and experience the world, for the first time, or the hundredth time. His reminder that the goal of Vagabonding is to improve your life not in relation to your neighbors but in relation to yourself really hit home. Although it has often been criticized as ‘running away’ I have always come back with a renewed perspective on my surroundings. He goes on to point out how liberating the experience of being ‘out of your element’ can be. When you are no longer bound to your past you can break old habits and test out repressed facets of your personality. You’ll find it easier to be open-minded and mentally you will crave new challenges and learning.

His tips are great reminders for even the most traveled Vagabonder and apply not only to your travel experiences but to life in general: ‘A big prerequisite for keeping your sense of humor is to first cultivate a sense of humility. After all, it can be hard to laugh at yourself if you swagger through the world like you own it.’

Potts closes the book by suggesting that you ‘learn to treasure your worst experiences as gripping new chapters in the epic novel that is your life’. I’m not sure that I needed to write the chapter about the parasite that crippled me in Malaysia, nearly causing me to miss my first days in the real working world and leaving me with an unidentified ‘stomach ailment’ that has persisted to this day. I guess that if all things happen for a reason then I can justify it by saying I really didn’t need to include potatoes and pasta (today’s aggravators) in my diet anyways! And I now know to be a little more cautious when eating street meat in foreign countries.

You’d think that with such a long review there wouldn’t be much left to read in the book, but it is filled with tons of great reminders and advice and I recommend it for all travelers – regardless of how full your Travel CV is.

Happy Canada Day!

I'm not feeling very Canadian  out here in the sunny vineyards of Sonoma.... but we are heading back to our cabin in the woods to drink non-American beer and BBQ some steaks - does that count?

I was hoping to play a very Canadian video for you, but since I can't find it on my hard drive anywhere, here is a link for you all to enjoy.

Have a very happy Canada Day...