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2015:Cuba, Mexico, Peru, Chile
  • Fiona Butterick
  • Fiona Butterick

2015:Cuba, Mexico, Peru, Chile

A 39-day adventure by Fiona Read more
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  • Trip start
    September 24, 2015
  • Fiona Butterick2015:Cuba, Mexico, Peru, ChileTraveler

    Lima

    September 24, 2015 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    PayPurix Hostel Lima Airport - excellent hostel, really lovely people, so helpful and kind.
    Didn't venture far, three blocks and had my running shoes on...not feel the safest. Got a piece of pizza.

  • Fiona Butterick2015:Cuba, Mexico, Peru, ChileTraveler

    Havana

    September 25, 2015 in Cuba ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    Five hour flight to Havana.
    Arrived in the afternoon.
    Had a good meander around the city...walk and bus. Got totally lost as per.
    Found Cafe Paris....home away from home.
    Used "hop on hop off" bus.
    Met Louise, also Angie (both Brits).    Read more

  • Fiona Butterick2015:Cuba, Mexico, Peru, ChileTraveler
    An engineer who is not allowed to work as one

    Camaguey

    October 3, 2015 in Cuba ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    Travel via -
    # VALLE DE LOS INGENIOS, aka Valley of the Sugar Mills. Went up the tall tower.

    Out socialising, as per.
    Declined to play baseball!
    Louise and I found nice square, good place to spend time in. Then the drinking started about noon. Louise drinking cocktails and me, the local low percent beer. Louise piked first, straight after dinner, I lasted late into the night, felt ok cos I'm sure I sweated it all out.Read more

  • Fiona Butterick2015:Cuba, Mexico, Peru, ChileTraveler
    On our way to Santiago de Cuba
    National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Charity del CobreLife at a leisurely paceFamily cleaning the bones of the deceased. The bones are then crashed and put in a wee box.Antonio Maceo Revolution ParkBack bedroom dealing....cigarsUp a lighthouse

    Santiago de Cuba

    October 5, 2015 in Cuba ⋅ 🌧 29 °C

    Stop off to see the National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Charity.

    Not a friendly place.
    38C at least.
    Off to see -
    # Cemetery - body is buried, then much later, is exhumed, the bones, etc are cleaned, then crushed and put in a wee box. The family do all this.
    # Rum shop (factory shut)
    # Revolution Park
    # Military Barracks - now school and museum
    # A fancy neighbourhood    Read more

  • Fiona Butterick2015:Cuba, Mexico, Peru, ChileTraveler
    On our way to Baracoa
    On our way to BaracoaStopped off at Guantanamo to have a look at the bay from the lookout........ not much to see of Guantanamo BayBaracoaShopping....The Chemist shopShoppingHad a local meal with all sorts of food and a spit pig

    Baracoa

    October 7, 2015 in Cuba ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    A day travelling.
    Travel via -
    # GUANTANAMO LOOKOUT
    # A beach for lunch and swim

    A lovely wee town to stay in for a few days.
    More socialising.
    Decided not to go on an island excursion, not 100%.
    Out for dinner, "pig on a spit".    Read more

  • Fiona Butterick2015:Cuba, Mexico, Peru, ChileTraveler
    Out to eat with the locals...
    ...great food for an carnivore. Best food in town.Lots of skulls, etc aroundGot harassed by a clown...am now coulrophobicMore interesting sightsAh...the mescal bar...The PanAmerican Rally was passing through. Apparently the car the beat is the Studebaker.

    Oaxaca

    October 15, 2015 in Mexico ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Out to a Mescal Bar...shown how to drink mescal with salt and chilli with crushed worms....no problem at all.....very very smooth.
    PanAmerican Rally passing through the city . Lots of old cars.

    Travel to and return from -
    # MONTE ALBAN ruins (small).    Read more

  • Fiona Butterick2015:Cuba, Mexico, Peru, ChileTraveler
    The Tule Tree
    Mezcal Factory....the beginning........the end resultRug Factory....again the beginning........and the resultTwo lovely local ladiesAh...soup and beer

    Tehuantepec

    October 17, 2015 in Mexico ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    Went via -
    # SANTA MARIA DEL TULE; to see the Tule Tree, is the stoutest tree in the world with diameter of 14.05m and circumference of 42m.
    # a MESCAL FACTORY; bought a bottle of the good stuff and the chilli/worms.
    # a RUG FACTORY; bought a long colourful hat, and coin purse.
    # MILTA; very small ruins.

    Took travel pill for the up and coming windy roads.    Read more

  • Fiona Butterick2015:Cuba, Mexico, Peru, ChileTraveler
    Travelling up the Sumidero Canyon
    A niche in the cliffs of the canyonArriving in San Christobal de las CasesA liquid dinner...we all endulged.Market time at San Juan Chamula VillageA very strange village, you had be careful what you said and how you said it.This church was one very "interesting" building with a mixture all sorts of "religious" artefacts.Had an authentic meal here...tasted wonderful. I do prefer "street" food to restaurant food.The women wore brightly coloured clothesTime to leave for the next destination.

    San Cristobal de las Casas

    October 18, 2015 in Mexico ⋅ 🌫 22 °C

    Travel via -
    # SUMIDERO CANYON - a wet and chilly day. Realised hadn't enough clothes to cover this kind of weather.
    Travel to and return from -
    # SAN JUAN CHAMULA VILLAGE; the church is a blend of Mayan customs, Spanish Catholic traditions and subsequent innovations. Photography strictly prohibited.
    Bought - gloves, two spinning tops, yoyo.
    # ZINACANTAN VILLAGE; had a real proper taco, etc - very very nice.
    Bought - small doll and large doll

    Wander the city, bought some dingle dangles.    Read more

  • Fiona Butterick2015:Cuba, Mexico, Peru, ChileTraveler
    Pay Purix Backpackers Hostel, with a wonderful staff and near the airport.
    The street I "lived" on for the couple of nights I was there.Plaza MajorLocals

    Lima

    October 27, 2015 in Peru ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Flight arrive early; immigration and customs very quiet, I was on my own for most of the walk through.
    Accommodation same as before; Dennis picked me up.
    Silly me, didn't book a room for the night of the 26th as planned to go straight into town...at 5.30am....didn't think that one through! So they let me sleep on the couch till my room was ready...about 2hrs later.
    Staff just wonderful here, so helpful.
    # to Miraflores by taxi...fast and furious!
    # to Central Historic Lima by taxi. What a great area, loved it. Lots of interesting architecture.
    Dennis from hostel picked me up. All up it was a two hour journey for him.    Read more

  • Fiona Butterick2015:Cuba, Mexico, Peru, ChileTraveler
    Slept a bit, forgot I was flying during the day, looked out, and there were LOTS of mountains.
    Hotel Rio AmazonasHotel Rio AmazonasHotel Rio Amazonas

    Lima to Santiago

    October 28, 2015 in Chile ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Another flight with 3 seats to myself...am getting use to this.
    Slept a bit on and off.
    Forgot I was flying during the day and some of it over land...looked out, and there were LOTS of mountains, with snow.
    Arrived early...must of been the bigger plane.
    Went through immigration, no problem - turned the corner to customs, and wow!!! Huge huge huge long line trying to move.
    There were only 2 x-ray machines working for about 4 or 5 planes landing at the same time!! Was going to take HOURS to go through (I had been warned about this, but forgot). So....
    Got in behind three little old ladies; at some stage I realised that they, and me, were jumping the queue...by a hellva lot!!
    At customs, passed the custom sheet in, said from NZ, with wood from Mexico - next thing, I'm through.
    Outside within an hour instead of 5 hrs, thanks to three little old ladies, God bless their cotton socks.

    Hotel Rio Amazonas accommodation.
    In the old city, near everything, within walking distance and next to the underground. A lovely spot.
    Settled in and made plans.
    Out and about till near midnight, and so were a lot of other people, so felt safe.    Read more

  • Fiona Butterick2015:Cuba, Mexico, Peru, ChileTraveler
    San Christobal HillView of Santiago from San Christobal HillLots of crosses on San Christobal HillUp San Christobal Hill by funicular railwayPisco Sour....up there with margaritasA good diet.... soup and beer........chips and beer......pasta and beer.

    Santiago

    October 29, 2015 in Chile ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Set off for the day exploring, with maps, information and camera.
    Went all over the place.
    I like Santiago -
    # very busy, lots of people dressed in dark coloured clothes
    # lots of traffic, buses, taxis, trucks, cars, push bikes, motorbikes
    # streets have well signed names, so easy to get around
    # lots of cafes catering to my diet; soup and beer, chips and beer, or pasta and beer.
    # up San Christobal Hill by funicular railway
    Out and about for about 11 hours.
    Home, relaxed, plan for tomorrow and then discovered Pisco Sour...my goodness, it was good....bed by 2am.    Read more

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