I am writing the current post from El Cuartel, a small hostel/restaurant/bar in Lobitos, Peru. The funny thing about this place is that Ted and I are the only paying guests. The rest of the 15 or so people are all volunteers staying here. Ironically, we are also the only ones sleeping in a tent.

Lobitos is a unique place. Ted described it as a post-apocalyptic surfer’s paradise. I would describe it as Mad Max meets Endless Summer. Lobitos is an active military base, though you would hardly know it. Most of the “town” is abandoned cement buildings which are covered with artsy graffiti and nature-inspired slogans. As one Peruvian put it, it is sort of a triumph of nature over war. Many have turned the more usable structures into hostels, like our own. Add brightly colored paint, a few beds, some volunteers to work for free, and you have a surf hostel. The location couldn’t be better; a stone’s throw from a long white sandy beach in what feels like the middle of nowhere. If only there were some decent waves, it would be hard to leave!

However… though there are some waves, the locals told us there isn’t enough sand covering the rocks yet, so the wave doesn’t hold a good shape, and closes out or becomes mushy and soft. So despite the adventurous feel of this place lost in time, we may just head back to the hustle bustle of Mancora, the beach town an hour north where we just came from. We have been making our way up the coast since Punta Hermosa (and after quick trip to Cusco and Machu Picchu).

Punta Hermosa was a longboarder’s paradise. It is a popular destination for locals escaping the city of Lima for the weekend and also, as we later found out, the place to retire for rich drug lords. I would never have guessed that by the chill beach vibe; but I guess they must have mellowed out a bit. One hopes, anyway. The water there was cold and it was a long paddle out to the waves, but the waves back in were just as long. We stayed with a lovely Argentinian couple and their kids and enjoyed a few days of decent surf.

Our next coastal destination was Huanchaco, near the town of Trujillo. Huanchaco was a little bigger (the town and the surf) and seemed to have a more lively feel to it. Peruvians say that they have been surfing as long as the Hawaiians, and they traditionally used reed canoes called tonopes. We met lots of foreigners who were also there to surf, including a girl from Ireland and a guy from Denmark. While Ted and I were shivering and lamenting the loss of feeling in our limbs, they were cheerfully remarking how warm it was! All a matter of perspective, I guess.

After Huanchaco, we took the night bus to Mancora, which we thought was a pretty sleepy little beach town. We only spent the one night there before heading to Lobitos. Once in Lobitos, however, we heard that Mancora was where people went to party, especially the hotel Loki. We read some of the reviews of this hostel/hotel and they were pretty hilarious…all of them mentioned partying and little to no sleep, one said she got drunk and “accidentally” slept with an english guy, and another complained that security flushed their drugs down the toilet. So we decided to book the place for a week. Just kidding!!! We decided to stick with our tranquil hill bungalow with views of the surf.

So for now we will remain in Lobitos and hope for waves; if it doesn’t happen, we’ll head back to Mancora where we know there’s good waves for sure. And that will be our last stop in Peru… Monday we will head off to Ecuador and continue our search for killer waves and the perfect ceviche.

We flew into busy Lima, Peru, early in the morning and quickly learned most of the city was under lock down for the ongoing APEC Leaders’ Summit. The planet’s diplomatic big wigs were in Lima for the week, including President Obama. As a result, many of the streets around our hotel were closed for diplomatic traffic, and many businesses decided to close as well.  We still made the most of it and strolled past Lima’s many old churches, The Palaiso de Justice, and enjoyed the distinct flavors of this culinary capital: fresh ceviche, fresh cacao, and fresh coca leaves.

Since much of Lima’s City Centre was closed for business, we caught a flight to the city of Cusco, and began making our way to Machu Picchu. The former capital of the Incan Empire, Cusco is high in the Andes Mountains (just over 11,000 feet), and we could definitely feel the elevation change when ascending the many steps around the city.  We hiked to some religious monuments and a fourteenth century walled fortress, Saksaywaman, overlooking Cusco.

Two days later we to took a bus to the last stronghold of the Incan Empire, the small town of Ollayantaytambo (or Ollayanta for short). We hiked around an Incan granary nestled into the cliffside above the city, cruised the narrow cobblestone streets for Alpaca burgers, and early the following morning took the Peru Rail train to Aguas Caliente, the town closest to Machu Picchu.

The final step was a 30 minute bus ride up to Machu Picchu from Aguas Caliente. As amazing as the ruins were, the views from this very remote location were just as impressive. It felt like we were on the top of the world, with towering mountain peaks on all sides of us. Machu Picchu was a massive complex, and almost all of it constructed on an incline. We spent 3 hours walking through it, and probably visited about half of the complex. The other half was either being restored, or was off limits due to erosion. Many structures were only partially completed, and so it seemed to us like the Incans were still building and expanding when they were invaded by the Spanish in the 16th century. It’s incredible to think Westerners have only visited Machu Picchu for the last 100 years (it was “discovered” by Hiram Bingham of England in 1911). Most of the landscaping here was done by hungry llamas, and despite all of the other visiting travelers, it was still incredibly peaceful and serene.

Hoping to find more surf and reconnect with Ted’s close longtime friend, Francisco, we flew south to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Cisco and his son, Eric, live just outside of Puerto Vallarta in the suburb of Bucerias, minutes from great beaches, incredible local restaurants, and the ever present Oxxo (Mexico’s version of 7 Eleven). Cisco is like a jovial life sized Teddy bear with surfboards and a real estate license, and enjoys hanging out with his son, laughing, tearing around Vallarta in his suped up Honda racer, and laughing some more.

We also surfed with David (originally from Mexico City) who owns a two story open air restaurant near Bucerias, and is the epitome of friendliness. Cisco calls David the Latino Jack Sparrow.

November 2nd is El Dia De Muertos in Mexico (The Day of the Dead) and is dedicated to remembering loved ones who have passed on. Cemeteries are colorfully decorated with flowers and photographs, and shrines are erected all along Vallarta’s malecon boardwalk.

Although November is not usually known for producing surf in Mexico, we were fortunate enough to enjoy some waves during our visit, including a large north swell right before we left. The places we surfed had postcard perfect backdrops and were mostly accessible only by boat, including the left point break at Chacalas, the multi peaks at Bahia, and the hollow remoteness of Qimixto. It’s a good things we had surf to counteract the caloric intake from eating mounds of delicious tacos, enchiladas, tortas, and mole dishes.  Asta luego Puerto Vallarta ohana!  A hui hou.

When someone says Cancun, and images of drunken tourists and wild college kids on spring break come to mind…so I was pleasantly surprised at how mellow it was. Granted, we were there during slow season and we didn’t stay out late seeking the party crowd; still, our first evening as we were strolling barefoot in the powdery white sand at sunset, I found myself wondering where everyone was. Since we only had two full days there, we spent most of our time taking the bus around the hotel zone and playing in the beautiful surf. We also visited a ruins near our condo, where we shared an enjoyable afternoon with tons of iguanas. If and when we go back, I would love to spend at least a week and explore the many ruins and beaches around the area. For anyone out there interested in Cancun, here’s a few things we learned while we were there:

1. Go during the low season of you don’t like crowds. Cancun is packed between December and April, but when we were there in October the beaches were nearly empty.
2. Pay for things in pesos. Even though most places will take dollars, they will also charge about 30% more.
3. Rent a condo. For about $60 a night for we enjoyed a fully furnished two bedroom condo about 100 meters from beach. Surrounded by hotels for $200+ a night and half the size, we felt like we scored.
4. Take the bus. Cancun has one of the best bus systems I’ve seen. It only costs about 50 cents each time you get on (if you pay in pesos) and the longest we had to wait for a bus was about 45 seconds. Bring exact change as they don’t usually give any.
5. Get out of the hotel zone for a cheaper meal. Most of the restaurants are either in large hotels or right next to them, and lean towards fine dining. Of course, the fine dining is only about $15 a plate, so still won’t break the bank.

So if you have the chance to visit Cancun, go for it! Just decide beforehand the kind of experience you want to have. If you’re there for the party scene, go during spring break. If you want an affordable and relaxing stay in a gorgeous place with friendly people and a rich history, consider the off season.

To all the friends and family who have taken us in and showed us such a great time! Life is definitely better when shared with the people you love. We’ve seen the change in seasons here in the mainland, and enjoyed the peak of the blackberry season and all the cobblers and pies that go along with it. Recently I was going through pictures and found some good ones that reminded me how lucky we are to have had this opportunity to see so many of our friends and family. It’s been nice to experience the everyday lives of people who may be close to our hearts but geographically distant. Whether it’s been stuffing our faces with as much fresh crab as we could eat in Point Roberts, attending my parents’ bluegrass gigs, taking a tour of my sister’s ice factory, or trying to keep up with Ted’s sister hiking, we have been lucky to be able to spend so much time with everyone on this trip. So a big virtual hug and thank you to everyone!

And a minor rope swing tutorial…

Fail…

Fail…

We flew from Paris to Chicago, just in time for my sister’s birthday. We were only there a few days, but it was great to be at my sister’s for her birthday and partake in the obligatory debauchery. We also got to see her ice factory and meet a lot of her friends and coworkers. It was nice to meet such great people and even made me a bit wistful for a working environment. There is definitely something to be said about feeling accomplished at the end of a day.

My job at the moment, however, is to travel. So we left Chicago for the exotic land of… Utah? It was a spur of the moment decision- I had no expectations other than a quick visit to see my friend who lives in Salt Lake City. Little did I know of the spectacular wonders of nature that awaited us… The day after my friend Jana picked us up from the airport, she took us to a hike called Secret Lake. It really wasn’t that secret, considering all the hikers we saw… and not surprising, since it was a short but scenic hike to a small alpine lake nestled in the mountains.

After helping Jana with a few home remodeling projects, we packed up her Subaru (it seems everyone in Utah owns one) and headed south to Moab and Arches National Park for the weekend. I’m sure I had seen pictures of the area before, probably in calendars or posters with inspirational quotes. But really- wow. If you love nature and spectacular rock formations, put this one on your bucket list because it really was amazing. The whole area was at one time under water and over time, the water has eroded pathways in the stone, wearing away huge chunks until nothing is left but canyons, spires, and arches galore. I’ll let the pictures do the rest of the talking.

The next morning, we packed up our campsite and took a short drive across the valley to Fisher Towers, which is popular with climbers. We took a short walk just to gape in awe at the towers, and then went into the town of Moab for breakfast.

Our next destination was the Delicate Arch (on the Utah license plate). A rain shower happened to be passing over us at the time, which made for an exciting time with huge claps of thunder chasing us up the side of the cliff. I was a little nervous hiking on slippery mud cliffs in the rain, but apparently it takes more than that to shake Jana off the trail.

After Delicate Arch, we took a drive over to Dead Horse Point and Canyonlands to the overlooks, which were quite spectacular…

…and then back to Salt Lake, where we collapsed in our beds for a well deserved rest. Thank you Jana and thank you Utah!

Since we are flying standby and Paris had the most open seats in business class, we felt it would be prudent to visit Paris for a few days at the end of our Europe trip. Most hotels (or even hostels) are wicked pricey, so expect to shell out some bucks for staying in the city proper. We stayed at the Hotel Europe which was on the edge of the Latin Quarter, a very lively neighborhood. It was about $100 a night and had just enough room for a bed, our luggage and us, which was fine since we spent most of the day just walking around anyway. We were in walking distance (5-10 min) of Notre Dame and the Louvre, which are spectacular buildings to sightsee. The line to get into Notre Dame was about a block long so we decided to skip that.

In Paris, it is difficult NOT to eat extremely well. Every restaurant seemed to have specials including escargot and fois gras. So for two days this is mainly what we did… wander around, take pictures, eat and drink. Not a bad way to spend a few days.

Ireland, I miss you already! Somehow in the short time we were there, Ireland has found itself a permanent place in my heart. Ireland has such a colorful history it would be difficult to sum it up in one short blog post. To give an idea of just how old the culture is, there is evidence that Druids inhabited the island since around 3000 B.C. The Druids worshipped the sun, and one can still find circles of stone, similar to Stonehenge but on a smaller scale. There is also a place called Newgrange where on the winter solstice, a shaft of sunlight illuminates a small tunnel built by these druids. Around 500 B.C., the Celts came to Ireland, and conquered the island quite easily, since the population of the Druids was comparatively small, and the Celts also had iron to their advantage. The Celts originated in central Europe and spread outward, especially into the northwestern regions of Ireland and Scotland. The Celts were a culture, not an empire and so when the Romans began their conquest of Europe, many areas that were dominated by Celtic peoples such as Gaul (France) and Iberia (Spain and Portugal) became part of the Roman Empire. The rest of the Celtic population fled westward, toward Scotland, Britain, and Ireland. The Roman empire eventually reached as far as Britain, but they decided not to attack Ireland because it wasn’t worth the effort. This is why the Irish and Scottish languages remained Celtic and did not evolve into a Romance language like Spanish, French, German or Portuguese.

But on to more present times… we arrived in Dublin, and after renting a car we headed west. This was a bit of a challenge, since it was a manual drive and everything was on the left side. Add to that tiny roads with no shoulder and roundabouts everywhere and you get a very nervous Renata. Somehow with only one minor curb incident we made it to Tullamore, a small town about halfway across Ireland, where we spent the night. In the surrounding area lies Kinnity Castle, which was originally built in the 1200’s. We took a very green and damp hike to Kinnity Castle, where we stopped by for a Guinness and a cup of tea. It was quite an experience! The castle had been refurbished and made into a hotel, keeping all antique furniture, and even a red carpet inside the entrance to really make you feel royal. There were very posh seating and dining rooms, as well as a small bar in the old library. Ted (of course) requested a Guinness and I had a lovely cup of tea, and we enjoyed feeling fancy, surrounded by very tall windows and very old books.

The next day we headed to Galway, where we met up with Father Deacy, who has been a friend of Ted’s family for many years. His home is the St. Augustine Cathedral which is a surprising haven of peace and quiet in the center of the bustling downtown of Galway. Father Deacy took us on a walking tour of Galway, telling us stories of Ireland’s past as he pointed out buildings that used to be castles and various other historical objects. Galway was known as the “city of tribes” because there were so many different tribes in the area. Which is why there were so many castles, since they were always attacking each other. Nowadays, the castles have been repurposed as banks, coffee shops, or other businesses. For example, the Lynch Castle is downtown (now it’s a bank), and so he told us the story of Lynch and why we use the term “lynch mob” and what it means to “lynch” someone. Many years ago, a young man with the last name of Lynch raped a young girl who was visiting from Spain. Details are unclear and the story varies depending on who’s telling it, but he may have killed her or another guy as well. It just so happened that his father was the town judge. Everyone was afraid what Judge Lynch might do and no one wanted to have a trial, and in the end the judge just took his son and hung him himself. So from then on to hang someone without a trial was to “lynch” them.

Father Deacy was an endless source of local history, and we are grateful to have been able to spend two days with him in Galway. Galway itself is a University town with a lot of personality. The streets are filled with “buskers” (street performers) and music from the pubs spills out into the street along with swarms of people, both tourists and locals. As one person we met said, “There’s always something going on in Galway.”

After Galway, we headed south towards the Cliffs of Moher, which was an absolute spectacular work of art from Mother Nature. The Cliffs are the tallest on the European continent. Words don’t do it much justice so I’ll just show the pictures here-

From there we continued on to Lisdoonvarna, where they were hosting the annual Matchmaking celebration. In the past, farmers in the area would spend most of their time in the fields and not have much time for dating, which is why they decided to have a festival. Years later it is just as popular, and that night we saw many an inebriated individual singing loudly along with the local band. We spent the night in Ennis, the closest larger town (since it’s impossible to get a room anywhere Lisdoonvarna during the festival). So we booked an Airbnb bedroom and met a very nice couple who recommended a hike in The Burren, which we did the following day.

The Burren is a stark, treeless landscape made up of limestone which has been sculpted into clints and grykes. Yes, those are real words. Limestone is compacted sediment that actually dissolves under slightly acidic conditions, so when rain pools on the rock, it wears it down into lines and holes (grykes) and the remaining chunks (clints) stick up all over the landscape. We enjoyed our walk in the mystical Burren before heading back towards Dublin for our final day in Ireland (sigh). Ted said it looked like the moon, except with grass.

Our final day in Dublin was mostly spent walking around (and yes, buying a few souvenirs) and also visiting the University to see the Book of Kells. This is still one of the oldest books that exists today, compiled around 800-900 A.D. The artwork in it is amazing and must have been very time consuming. It loosely parallels the bible. Though we were not allowed to take photos, I did download some for your viewing pleasure.

Ireland was a blast and we had the opportunity to meet and stay with some wonderful people. Go raibh maith agat (thank you) to Ireland and her people!