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Around the world (again)
  • Ezyian
  • Florence McGillivray

Around the world (again)

Some highlights from last time, some new places. Same team, mum, dad, Lennox, Lola, Nora, Oscar Read more
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  • Around the world (again)

    More Magnificent South

    February 11 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    After our epic walk to Fitzroy, we took one day of rest to let the muscle pain subside ( at least that's my reasoning). Then we took our injured Flo to Lago del Desierto for a short walk, or more precisely short hop. The lake is beautifully situated between mountains with large glaciers.

    The bus driver told Flo, "No problem," for her to go 400m to the viewpoint. Hmmm? I guess he either never had crutches or he's never been there because the route includes a shaky hanging bridge ( see video), and it's otherwise muddy and goes up and down a lot. That said, our hero was up to the challenge.

    On the last full day, four of us went on another long and magnificent hike to Cerro del Torre. After the mega hikes, this seemed easy at only 28km.

    The kids spent two hours at the top playing at the lake with the icebergs.    Read more

  • Around the world (again)

    A lake with two names

    February 14 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    For the last three nights, we have been in the border region of Argentina and Chile in Central Patagonia near Lake Buenos Aires/ Lake Carrera. It's one lake where the border runs through the middle north to south.

    We stayed in two sleepy but very charming towns on either side of the border, Los Antiguos and Chile Chico. Both have beautiful mountain and lake surroundings.

    The only weird thing was crossing the border, which is only allowed on foot, and just for fun, the two border control posts are 4km apart. Hmm, how to manage that on crutches. When there's is no bus, no taxi allowed?

    The answer is to ride with a local who comes to Argentina to tank up on cheap petrol, but not officially of course. Get out before the border, cross on foot, and jump in again on the other side. The Argentinien border guard looked incredulous when Flo, with her crutches, claimed she was on foot, but then he shrugged and stamped all the passports.    Read more

  • Around the world (again)

    Central Austral Chile

    February 19 in Chile ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    You can't drive South to North in Chile because there are large parts with no road and no ferry. Of course you do have the option of going via Argentina all the way North, and we did that for the least developed part in the far South, but in the central part we navigate the route by bus and ferry, and we are rewarded with literally hundreds of kilometres of beautiful virgin forest and mountains, not forgetting the occasional volcano.

    Given that Flo's injury meant that she couldn't hike, I hoped this area where walks are flatter and shorter would be a minor compensation. Yesterday, she made a heroic 5km hopping. The weather wasn't great, but the walk along Simpson River near Coyhaique was still very nice.

    Today, as we move 429km northwards in a bus, the sun is shining, and we see the mountains and lakes in their full glory.

    We're headed for Chaitén, where in 2008 the neighbouring volcano erputed for the 1st time in 9,500 years, resulting in the town being buried in ash and then flooded by rivers whose course was altered. I think I'll tell the kids about that after we leave. However we should be fine, as the place that I've booked is higher up.    Read more

  • Around the world (again)

    Rain in Spain falls mainly in the plain

    February 22, South Pacific Ocean ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    ...goes the old saying, well in Chile that's not true, it falls mainly on the Southern coast, and not at all on the plain since 350 years.

    I mention that because for 3 days now we have had rain, and it's meant we couldn't enjoy them as much. (4 days ago we did have lots of sun, the views were great).

    The one I was most looking forward to was the boat from Chaiten to Puerto Montt , but alas rain and clouds meant our views lacked colour, height and depth. Despite the disappointment the 9 hour journey passed quickly, and near Puerto Montt we did see most of the volcano, although the light was too poor for decent photos.    Read more

  • Around the world (again)

    Feels like we're back home?...

    February 23 in Argentina ⋅ 🌬 20 °C

    ...well, not really. We have finally arrived in [San Carlos de] Bariloche at the end of our bus and ferry marathon through Chilean and Argentinian Patagonia. 6 bus journeys with a total travel time of 37 hours and 12 hours on ferries. All that in 25 days. Why? Patagonia is just so stunning as my previous posts document.

    Back to my headline. Bariloche is in someways the Switzerland of South America. Lakes, mountains, ski resorts, and holiday homes of the rich. Add to that that there was a Swiss colony here, and endless references to Switzerland in the names of streets and hotels, alongside a smattering of Swiss foods and chocolate.

    But despite all that there's no hiding the differences. The brash luxury of some parts sits alongside decaying, graffiti covered buildings, and the roads wouldn't be misplaced in poorer parts of Africa. Talking of which I notched up my 4th, burst tyre. This time, by hitting a road marking in the middle of the road. Why the hell was this raised? I did at least burst it in spectacular fashion with three large holes. A blowout, where, somewhat luckily, I did not lose control in pretty heavy traffic. I called the rental company for help, but they just said. YOU have to change the tyre yourself. I duly started, and somewhat amazingly, a local guy stopped and helped with jacking up and replacement . He wouldn't accept me giving him something for a beer. Really nice guy.

    In nature, it too is different. The forrests are largely entirely natural. There are lots more deciduous trees, and the mountains whilst broadly similar have different details, such as towers.    Read more

  • Around the world (again)

    The highest mountain outside of Asia

    February 26 in Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    For the 1st time in a month we got on a plane yesterday and flew from Bariloche to Mendoza, capital of the biggest and best wine region in South America, but that is not all that is the biggest and the best.

    Aconcagua is the highest mountain in the world outside of the Himalayas at 6961m (22841 ft). So of course we went to climb (a bit of) it. The base is a 3 hour drive through stunning valleys. Its a reasonably good road, since its the main transit road between Argentina and Chile. However, that also means that there are a lot of trucks, and they "caused" us an hours delay. You see I was just overtaking two of them, when the police stopped me. "Do you speak Spanish?". We reply a little bit. So he says something about double lines and we pretend not to really understand. He asks for the usual documents and then disappears for 50 minutes. Now you don't need to be a cynic to think this is an attempt to have us go in the office and offer to "pay" in cash. Whatever the case we don't give in. In the end I get a ticket, for crossing a double line. What will it cost? No idea...we will find out later.

    So on we went to a 2 hour walk up to the viewpoint of Aconcaqua. The walk a little shorter than it might have been, given that Flo is still on crutches. But I don't think we missed much by not going further, as the initial 2.5 hours is pretty flat, so the view doesn't change much. The weather was perfect and so was the view. In real life the peak feels much closer than in the photos. The giant glacier is more impressive too.

    After we came down, we went to a strange, natural, solid rock bridge over the river, called Inca Bridge. It has nothing at all to do with the Incas, instead it was made by sediment on top of glacial ice that later melted.

    Sightseeing done we headed back towards Mendoza and had dinner (oh no steaks again :) ), in a pretty little town called Potrerillos that sits next to a stunning late.

    That traffic ticket cost? A cool $300, or not so cool really. This felt like a total rip off, orchestrated by the police. Strangely the local government gives you a Whatsapp chat number you can contact, so I did. the guy told me I can appeal via what's app, but I have to pay $2 for the cost of the appeal. So that sounded like good odds. lets see what happens    Read more

  • Around the world (again)

    Dedicated to educating Bernard

    February 27 in Argentina ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Bernard is my father in law. I've known him for over 20 years now, and he is really the perfect guy in all ways but one, namely his taste in wine. He is also getting on and will be 90 this year, and so my chances of changing his opinion are slim. I don't get why he likes old French vino, and he doesn't get why I much prefer fairly young Italian and Argentinean wines. But since that is our only major difference, I consider myself very lucky.

    Now Bernard met up with us in Japan, and the subject of wine didn't really come up since beer fits much better with Japanese food. I fully understand that he didn't come all the way to the Andes just for a wine tasting. Indeed, it would have been him on his own, as I had to drive and couldn't indulge. (Flo is not indulging as her balance on crutches is already fragile).

    Anyway, let's just say we went yesterday to the Uca Valley. It was not as pretty as it sometimes is, since the mountains were in the clouds, on what was an otherwise sunny day, but it was still a pleasant drive through the vineyards that never seemed to end. We were headed for the Salentein vineyard , which is the oldest of the new vineyards. Most people go for a tour, tasting and dinner. We stuck with just the 1st part, since amongst other things the menu price was way out of our budget and as I already said, I was driving. (Argentine beef is just as good in a modestly priced restaurant).

    The wine production and storage is all super modern and have a certain aesthetic, with all the gleaming stainless steel and wood casks. The architects who designed the place in the late 90s went on to design nearly all the other places that followed, and I can see why. They hold concerts in the building, and one of the guys in our tour group played "Let it be" on the grand piano. Some people even get married here. But Flo and I agreed that was a bit weird, since although it's great for what it is, it's not necessarily a romantic wedding location. The kids had lots of questions, but at least one stumped the guide. How much of the production goes bad? He had no idea :).    Read more

  • Around the world (again)

    Buenos...well some parts were

    March 2 in Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Buenos means good. So we were in Good Aires, but not all was good,especially at the start and end of our stay. The problem at the start was an act of God, ( two days of heavy rain), the problem at the end was man made, namely a flight ready to go except for the plane having no crew. As a result, we spent the entire night at the airport. Since the rows of seats had fixed arm rests, the kids slept on the floor. I stayed up unwillingly.

    That said, we had our full of the best beef in the world and plenty of tango. In addition, we had read up a lot about Evita, with her extremely hard work for the poor, that sat oddly with her extreme hero worship of her husband. (She was certainly no feminist). As a result, we decided to visit the Eva Peron museum , which was super interesting for reasons the museum patrons probably hadn't intended. It's an over the top worship of Evita that skips Peronisms failings and presents her as a living saint. So those with even a threadbare knowledge of Peronism can see through the so.plistic idolitory.    Read more

  • Around the world (again)

    Paraguay's pleasant surprises

    March 6 in Paraguay ⋅ ☀️ 37 °C

    When I worked in Latam between 1996 and 2013, nobody ever gave a thought about investing in Paraguay. A poor land locked country with a poor outlook. Those assessments were right at the time, but in the last 10-15 years, the country, especially the capital Asunción, has enjoyed rapid growth and modernisation.

    That's pretty much the reason we came here, because without that, our acquaintances from Geneva wouldn't have moved here, and hence they wouldn't have invited us.

    I chose the word aquaintences advisedly, since we only know Ivan from a handful of 5 minute chats, and we had never met his wife Julia. What's missing in this framing is that their daughter Ayana and our Lola were and are best friends. They were part of a group of girl besties at the scouts.l

    Quite something to be invited for 5 days on the basis of a thirteen years old's friendship. What could possibly go wrong? Well, at least from our perspective, nothing at all went wrong. It all went swimmingly. (Minor exception, I spent day 2 in bed, with stomach cramps, after going totally OTT on chilli 🌶).

    Ivan and Julia were perfect hosts.

    Mostly, we enjoyed just chilling out and the children playing, but we did get out and see the city a little bit. The centre is very modern, and the leisure park is gigantic. The housing looks pretty good by South American standards, and the whole place, even at the end of a hot summer, is quite green, and there are lots of trees.

    That, alongside the astonishingly low living costs, is probably why Latpats and Europeans are moving here in significant numbers.

    (Latpats are highly educated expats, from other Latin American countries)

    To give just one idea of costs, we invited all 11 on the last night. Steaks, salads, hamburgers, Caipirinhas, and plenty of beers for $70. In Europe, that probably would have cost $500 or more.    Read more

  • Around the world (again)

    I can't show some of the best bits...

    March 14 in Brazil ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    of Bonito, because they are under water. This area of South Western Brazil is a mix of wetlands and savanah . Unlike most rivers in Brazil, some here are crystal clear, and that means that in sunshine, they are beautifully blue. They are also full of colourful fish, which means that it's a rare opportunity to snorkel in a river and be able to observe them.

    We baulked a bit , at spending $300 for a river swim, but afterwards, we all thought it was worth it, as the experience was so unique and it lasted over 3.5 hours. On top the price included lunch and dinner.

    It's one of those very unique experiences.

    We didn't just have one unique experience here. We had two! The Buraco do Araras was again a perspective that we humans seldom have, namely a birds eye view of birds.

    The Buraco is South Americas deepest sinkhole (100m). The walls are home to 60 pairs of Red Green McCaw*. They fly back and forth in pairs or larger groups. The beauty of it has to be seen to be believed. As always, our phone cameras don't really capture the feeling.

    * The red-green is largely actually blue and red, but if you look closely, there is a green line in the wings. That stripe distinguishes it from another species.    Read more

  • Around the world (again)

    We are illegal immigrants

    March 16 in Brazil ⋅ 🌩️ 32 °C

    After Asunción we travelled northwards through Paraguay to the border town of Bella Vista, and then it's neighbour Bela Vista in Brazil.

    The logistics of the journey were tricky since buses only go as far as 100km from the border, so I searched and searched until I found a taxi driver who would take us. I did find a number at the last stop of the bus, and through WhatsApp, I texted him and set things up. Turns out he actually lives 100km to the East. So he charged us $6 more 🤔. Total price $100.

    At the border, we sail through because it's completely unmanned at 530pm. That's a problem because in Brazil you need to show you left Paraguay before you get the stamp to enter. So we went back to Paraguay at 8 am and got those stamps in our passports. Next, Brazilian immigration, except there isn't any. So the Paraguay border tells us just go to Bonito International Airport, where we are headed anyway.

    After a bus ride of 3 hours we arrive, and ask about the airport. "There isn't one," comes the reply. So reception calls immigration and they say go to Campo Grande International Airport., where we plan to be in 5 days' time.

    I checked out the airport online, and there are no international flights, so does it have immigration? Seems unlikely, and my hunch is correct. So, 6 days after entering Brazil, we still haven't found any immigration post, and this is risky because airlines are supposed to check visas/ visa free entry stamps. So, at the airport, we ask the federal police what to do. "I'll fine you, and you have to leave the country, give me all passports and wait over there." He closes his office door and dissappear for a long time, but eventually returns smiling. "Sign here and here." Basically, we have to sign that we entered clandestinely , and we agree to pay a $20 fine, and that we will self deport in 60 days. Oh, and no fine for the children.

    So, in a very roundabout way, we can stay in Brazil for 60 days quite legally even though we entered illegally.

    Note: When we left Brazil, the police did check that we had paid our fines.    Read more

  • Around the world (again)

    "Ian doesn't like beaches"...

    March 19 in Brazil ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    ... is something my better half often tells other people. Only problem is, that the statement is not true, or at a minimum,  it needs to have a significant qualifying statement. She should say, "Ian doesn't like some beaches, and he tends to hide from the sun on the other ones."

    That is important background for our 14 days in Northeast Brazil, where we have stops at 4 seaside places, Prea, Jericoacoara, Barreieinhas, and Atins. All are relatively small places, and they have none of the horrible things you find in big resorts like Fortaleza. (Ugly high rises, crime, grinding poverty, and slums). 

    What they do have is enormous sandy beaches, huge sand dunes, and sometimes pretty freshwater lakes just behind the shore front.

    So far, we have been to Prea and Jericoacoara. The two towns are about 14km apart, and you reach Jeri only with a 4x4 drive straight along the endless beach. Prea is a chilled place, which has become a windsurfer paradise. Jeri is fashionable, with lots of little but pricy shops. A bit of a Brazilian Capri.

    Needless to say, we all preferred Prea, but the girls do get a little excited about the shopping. However, except for Nora, the shopping is a flop. (The budget is happy).

    The thing that undoubtedly gave Prea a large advantage was the B&B ("Pousada") where we stayed. Lotus is owned and run by Markus (Swiss) and his Brazilian partner Solange. It was for a budget place really sensational,  and the couple were great hosts. The place has little cottages with terraces, around a luscious green courtyard, and unlike most budget places, everything works and is clean and fresh.

    So how did Ian ( doesn't like beaches) get on? The answer is pretty good, I liked both.  Yes, I did mostly hide from the sun, but I did go to the beach each day, maybe because they met my two critical criteria.  1. Shade 2. Drinks. On top, the prices are low, very low. Large beer $1.5, Caipirinhas $2.    Read more

  • Around the world (again)

    Star wars set..(not really)

    March 28 in Brazil ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    We spent 6 days split into two 3s staying in Barreieinhas and Atins, the two towns that sit on the edge of the Lencois Maranhenses national park.

    The park has rivers and rainforests as you might expect, but the standout feature is a vast area of perfectly white high sand dunes and between them clean, clear, fresh water lakes.

    I don't know if this is unique, but it might be.

    I enjoy a lot more swimming in fresh water that has a perfect temperature of about 28C.

    The kids adore climbing up and rolling down the 10-15m dunes, as well as the endless opportunities to build sandcastles and swim.

    But I think most of all we enjoyed the beauty and the serenity of the place. Where else can you have a huge beach and a large lake all to yourself for free?    Read more

  • Around the world (again)

    My friend might be jealous

    April 6 in Brazil ⋅ 🌧 29 °C

    For a friend of mine from Hamburg, it was his dream to visit Manaus, the capital of the jungle state of Amazonas. So, of course, last time we were here, I emailed him for no particular reason ;). I told him that the city is not that interesting Yes its on the Amazon, but it's so wide here, 4km!, that it's doesn't have nuch of a river feel. However, if you venture by boat for about 45 minutes outside the city and stay on one of the many tributaries, then you get the Amazon feeling that my friend was looking for.

    Last time, Nora Skye, with her research, discovered a charming place called Refugio Samauma. Basic huts, organic toilets, local food, and an owner with a kid and dog that our kids loved.

    That's why, this time, we again stayed at the Refugia Samun. I just chilled, but on one day, there was big excitement for the kids who went swimming with wild pink river dolphins.

    So all nice place, but to really have the trip of my friends imagination you need to go where the river gets narrower, which is about 1000km to the west.    Read more

  • Around the world (again)

    Wheythefucawe

    April 7 in Brazil ⋅ 🌩️ 29 °C

    Wheythefucawe is the old joke name given by missionaries to pygmies they found in tall grasses. (Apparently the missionaries thought the tribe was calling out its name).

    It could be our name at the three-country border region where we are now. Are we in Brazil? Are we in Colombia? Are we in Peru? Who tf knows, and to be honest,  does it really matter?

    On paper, there are 3 towns, Tabatinga (Brazil), Letecia ( Colombia), and Santa Rosa (Peru), but there is no marked border, and everybody moves freely between them. Prices are a clue, but not definitive, since yesterday in Brazil we were asked for Colombian pesos. 

    We really only stopped here because we must, to clear Brazilian and then Peruvian immigration . Neither is at the border, just offices in town, and since the burocracy can be quick or take forever and our boat only leaves 3x per week, we needed a buffer. In the end, all goes smoothly,  but probably only because we went the day before everyone on tomorrow's boat goes.

    So, we left Brazil and entered Peru on paper, but in reality, we have a hotel in Brazil. We will probably change money in Colombia,  as everyone says that's the best place, but not officially enter the country.

    The triple town is interesting. It has a strangely huge number of competing evangelical and standard Christians. Some "roads" are beautiful canals with luscious vegetation. Not forgetting the colourful and chaotic markets near the Amazon's riverbank.    Read more

  • Around the world (again)

    The Oasis at Rio Momon

    April 10 in Peru ⋅ 🌧 30 °C

    Is a remarkable place owned by a remarkable family whose struggles are not yet over.

    We all just love this floating lodge that is situated on a tributary of the Amazon, near Iquitos. It's a charming place in a beautiful setting with lots of interesting things to do: an insectarium, a serpentarium, visits to indigenous tribes and so on. Even the weather is quite good, not too hot, and cool enough at night without aircon.

    The place is owned and run by a family of 16 brothers. With no formal training, they do a great job at construction, hotel management, and tour guides. This is all the more amazing because they grew up in an isolated leper colony. Their dad, who is now 90, is one of the last 5 lepers who live in the colony. He had a tiny slither of luck in that he was treated before he had any significant wasting, but the life in the colony was clearly stark. Until treatment was available, babies were taken away at birth, and parents could only see them at a distance of 30m.

    The changes in the families' fortunes in one generation is quite remarkable, but there are new struggles, this time with planning permission, which they didn't know they needed. Of course, if they were to "pay", then these issues might magically disappear, but the family that lived for so long only supported by the church is deeply religious and won't play that game. So the struggle goes on.    Read more

  • Around the world (again)

    Feels like I imagine prison would be

    April 13 in Peru ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    We haven't made many big mistakes, but the last three days have been one of them.

    We came to Hotel Tucuxi because the boat we had planned to take from Iquitos to Pucallpa was not confirmed, and in any case the company had not been straight with me about how long the journey would take. (That would have meant we would miss a flight) Two months before, the company was very sure. The boat leaves every Monday and arrives every Thursday. But when I asked at the end of March that they confirm this, total silence. Then I searched and found some customer feedback. "The boat leaves on Monday, or not. It basically leaves when it has enough cargo, and the time of day is entirely unpredictable, so you need to camp out at the quayside. " Then, after we changed our plans, I learned from locals that the travel time is almost certainly not 4 days, but more likely 5 or 6, and it could even be 8.

    So it was probably a good idea to change our plans and route .

    But...

    The changes we made turned out to be sub-optimal to put it mildly, and that's not because we didn't do our research. The place we chose for 3 days was rated 9.6 on Booking.com and 5* on Google Maps. Both are very high scores. The location looked interesting next to Monkey Island, and there were plenty of photos of Monkeys around the hotel.

    In short, we signed up for a prison like experience. We were trapped in the hotel by a combination of weather and economics. All the pictures we had seen were in the dry season. Now, in the wet season, the only way in our out is by boat . Now, normally, in most places, you can go paddle in a canoe, or at least there is a large terrace outside, but not here. Even swimming is not possible, because although the whole area is flooded. The water is only 45cm deep, and below it's sticky and muddy.

    So it felt like a prison . For good measure, the food from the "restaurant" would not have been out of place in a prison. Fried eggs and banana, that was it for $40 for 6. A very high price by local standards. There was nothing else, no menu, no drinks.

    I almost forgot the economics. As background, we paid for 4 activities at the previous place, a total of $115. This place wanted $90 per person per day. That would have been over $1,000 for the two days. So, of course, we said no.

    I think you can guess my rating.    Read more

  • Around the world (again)

    At Easter we visit the wrong Lord's home

    April 20 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    I was in Medellín before (2008?), for just a couple of hours in transit from Bogota to New York, and it struck me as very beautiful, and so I marked it as a place I wanted to visit for longer, however last time we were in Colombia in 2023 we didn't come. Why, we'll because Flo was scared to visit the world capital of illegal drugs with the children. Explaining that the drug lord Escobar and his gang were long since dead and that the FARC and the government had really ended the civil war more than 15 years ago, didn't convince her, and in any case visiting the Caribbean coast and another place I longed to see (Cartagena) was a good 2nd choice.

    I don't know what changed Flo's mind, but here we are, and it's Easter to boot.

    As far as Easter goes, it's both low-key and intense here. None of the commercialistion, but still traditional Easter processions.

    In terms of the city and its beautiful surroundings, it doesn't disappoint . Its luscious green, rolling mountains and hills are quite exceptional, and the way the city of Medellín climbs up the slopes with endless settlements of the poor is unique. It's also quite safe for tourists, although there are a lot of street beggars asking for food, though at least those we met were not aggressive.

    Several of the photos are of the 13th community district, which climbs up the mountainside, with very narrow streets, escalators, and loads of street art.    Read more

  • Around the world (again)

    Stairway to Heaven

    April 21 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Well, not quite, but it has to be one of the longer outdoor stairways at 750 steps.

    The rock has a variety of names: The Stone of El Peñol, or simply La Piedra or La Piedra de El Peñol. In English, it's referred to as the Rock of Guatape. It's unclear why the English and Spanish versions differ so much.

    It doesn't fit in at all with the surrounding mountains and hills, and it's classified appropriately as an Inselberg. (Literally an island mountain). Maybe such oddities should be called touristenbergs because they are invariably tourist attractions.

    Once there, the vertigo sufferers (3) and the lame(3) bravely suppressed their fears and ailments to climb the massive staircase. The effort was not just cognitive or physical therapy but also delivered stunning views of the lake below.    Read more

  • Around the world (again)

    Bogota with prison guards not bodyguards

    April 23 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    I first came to Bogotá in 1999 when the Civil War was at its peak, and there were 3,000 kidnappings per year. Bogota was surrounded by the FARC rebels, and the entire countryside was unsafe. Looking back, it seems a bit mad that I went, but I guess I had larger cohones at that time. My security was extensive. Coded arrival boards, switching hotels at the last minute, bulletproof car, and a 2nd protection car. When I moved my personal guard, an ex colonel moved with me. He only left my side after I was in the VIP lounge at the airport. Asked about why the bodyguards had no visible guns, they showed they had hand grenades. "Much more effective in a car jacking incident." Thinking more about why I went, it might also be that my 5 years at Siemens in Bavaria had toughened me, since there my bosses boss was executed in a car bombing, and he had a bulletproof car, bomb proof office and more. I remember meeting his new boss at a beer garden. His 4 body guards sat at the next table, all relaxed with their guns on the table. No stress.

    The civil war ended in 2016, but it was already pretty safe here during peace negotiations when I needed no security in 2013.

    This time in Bogota couldn't be more different, since this is a family stopover for two days, where we are visiting locals we met 2 years ago on the beach near Cartagena. Our friends just happen to be prison guards. A tough but well-paid job.

    We visited the mountains that surround the city, the historic centre, and excitingly for the kids, an indoor fun park.    Read more

  • Around the world (again)

    Are we the cause of climate change?

    April 24 in Colombia ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    Well, it does feel like it sometimes. This is our fourth 🏜 desert, where it has rained whilst we visit, and it's the 3rd time the rain was so heavy that our progress was temporally halted.

    This time, we were travelling to the Tatacoa desert. The last part of the journey is normally a two kilometre walk with a short, small ferry ride at the end. You can see it on the BBC Race Around the World, Series 2, Episode 3 near the end. Couldn't be easier, right?

    Wrong! At least when it rains so hard that the river bursts its banks and the last km to the river is totally flooded. The water is above my knees, and for Oscar, it's so high he puts on swim trunks.

    Luckily, a local guy helped carry the two heavier suitcases. He did it in style with them on his head. I doubt we would have made it without him. Also because the flood made the route totally unclear at times.

    A couple of days later, we were in the actual desert . The red areas and the grey areas are quite spectacular and have lots of big cacti. In truth, this is probably more correctly called semi desert, since there is a lot of ground water just a few meters down. That water allows a lot of thorn bushes to thrive and survive through the long, hot, and dry summer.

    We are not the sole cause of climate change, but what we do observe is that the change means that "change" can mean lots more rain in some places , since the heat evapoates water that has to come down somewhere.    Read more

  • Around the world (again)

    No bad surprises

    April 29 in Panama ⋅ 🌧 27 °C

    I have to admit I was just a little bit worried about visiting Panama given that the US has said it wants it and by force if necessary. It wouldn't be the 1st time in recent history that they invaded. However, at least on April 29th, 2025, all was quiet.

    We used our 10-hour stopover to visit the canal and the canal museum, which the kids absolutely adored. (Flo has a long description on Polar Steps).

    One big surprise was to spot an alligator in the canal.    Read more

  • Around the world (again)

    The original banana republic

    April 30 in Honduras ⋅ 🌬 28 °C

    In 1904 0. Henry published a series of short stories called Cabbages and Kings. One of the stories is the origin of the phrase "Banana Republic," and he based it on his experience of an 8 month stay in Honduras. It's a story of the dominance of large corporations and public corruption.

    That dominance has lasted to this day in Honduras, and it's still mostly about bananas. Chiquta and Dole own a huge part of the land, and most of the population remain poor or very poor, with no easy way out .

    Even where we are on the beautiful island of Roatan with its vibrant tourist sector, poverty is omnipresent. Beach hotels next to shacks, favela settlements attached to villages and towns.

    Wealth is clearly not shared, and yet there is no sign that anything will change soon because, as far as I can tell, there is no political movement for change. It might be the realisation that easy answers like the ones tried in neighbouring Nicaragua can make things even worse .

    And there are storm clouds on the horizon since the big attraction here is the coral Reef, which sadly is rapidly dying.    Read more

  • Around the world (again)

    Mayan City

    May 6 in Honduras ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Today, we delved back into local history by visiting the Mayan city of Copan. Our expectations were low because everyone recommended we go to a different site at Tikal, but it was too logistically complicated and too expensive for us. It is in that context that the Copan site wildly exceeded our expectations and left me doubting why Tikal gets so much more visibility. Could it be that it's more Instagramable? Copan is a super site, no ifs, no buts.

    The site is large with several different areas for living, dancing, sports, and, of course religion and religious sacrifice. The kids were particularly interested in the hierarchy of sacrifice. If the gods just needed a little ( to improve the harvest, etc), then animals would be enough. If more was needed, then the losing sports team would get the chop. Still not enough, then the winners would be done for, and ultimately, the king would let his own blood with facial incisions, though he would at least be spared.

    There were 17 kings who reigned here before a revolution toppled the last one. After that, the high period of the Mayans ended here, and with rebellions and famine elsewhere. Of course, from 1500 onwards, the Spanish smashed much of what remained with disease and genocidal acts.    Read more

  • Around the world (again)

    Lakes, volcanoes, and shocking poverty

    May 8 in Guatemala ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    We have been based in Antigua, Guatemala, for 4 days. The city is a remarkably well-preserved colonial town. It's clean, it feels mostly safe, and it's surrounded by beautiful volcanoes and lakes.

    So, of course, we explored all the nice parts. I could relax a bit more because Lola did all the planning.

    What wasn't clear to either her or me was that getting around, even with a hire car, is incredibly slow due to a mix of poor roads, traffic, and steep climbs behind heavy lorries.

    The driving also took us through smaller towns and villages, where the visible poverty was often shocking. Poor housing, garbage everywhere, dirt, grime and lots of car and lorry pollution.

    Miserable places, but surprisingly, the 4 or 5 times we rolled down the window to ask for directions , people were super helpful and smiley. The human spirit surprises sometimes. It also makes me wonder why we find it so difficult to get the kids to understand just how privileged they are. I think that in the moment they do appreciate it, but its quickly parked. I do hope, however, that when they grow up, these memories will give them a good grounding.    Read more

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