Where To Go Next? The list…

South Africa?
Egypt?
Thailand?
China
India
Tibet
New Zealand
Australia
Patagonia
Buenos Aires
Sao Paulo
Machu Pichu
Lake Victoria
Timbuktu
Sahara Desert
Gobi Desert
Antartica Research Station
Arctic Circle to see the Aurora Borealis

Getting ready to head out to San Diego Comic Con

Have to find all my comicy superhero shirts. Have to pack light for a week at a least. 

Setting up a sight for comic con

http://sesamecomiccon.blogspot.com

Hedonisia Hawaii Eco-Hostel

13-657 Hinalo Street, Hawaii's Big Island, 96778, Pahoa   808-269-2825

Near Pahoa - Hedonisia Hawaii Eco-Hostel is located in the lush tropical rainforests of the Eastern 'Puna Region' of the Big Island of Hawaii near the town of Pahoa. 

Hedonisia Hawaii is relaxed and quiet; only 10 bedspaces on a property of 3.72 acres. 

The land includes a gigantic 2-acre volcanic crater with a mini-jungle at the bottom, various gardens with spices and salad greens available to guests. 

Guests enjoy a private outdoor shower with hot water and our famous eco-friendly 'Toilet with a View'. 

Local calls and Toll-free calls are free. 

Only 14 miles away from the Kehena Black Sands Clothing optional beaches. 

Other beaches are located in Hilo. 

Champagne Ponds, Kapoho Warm Ponds and Kapoho Tidepools are perfect for snorkellers.

Hawaii!!!!!

Buddy pass to Hawaii for the Christmas and my birthday. What a year…

Now to find a place to stay… Hawaii can be really expensive

Send Postcards of Thanks to Everyone Who Helped us in Ecuador

Airport Tax From Ecuador To United States

$40 per person payable before you checkin to leave

Flight from Loja to Quito

La Toma airport is about 40 minutes west of Loja and has daily flights to Quito with TAME.


Address: 24 de Mayo and E. Ortega.
Tel. 07/2585-224 in Loja


Airport code: LOH
US$50 (one way)

Rumi Wilco - Vilcabamba

Very near the centre of Vilcabamba, the Ecolodge provides a human habitat within the only remaining semi-natural protected setting in the valley. 

It shares the reserve's name and serves as a symbiotic support to its conservation goals. Approximately a third of your payment is destined to the various management programs of Rumi Wilco: natural reforestation, riverbank repair from floods, nature trails, scientific research, community services and general maintenance. 

Argentinean co-owners and founders, Orlando (naturalized Ecuadorian) and Alicia Falco, are botanists and former Galápagos naturalist guides who have been here since 1991. 

They live on the property and were able to obtain protected, reserve status from the government in 2000, piecing together their property with adjacent ones owned by a few other people. 

The lodgings on the reserve are made from sustainable materials, including wood, adobe and tiles. For these reasons, we encourage travellers who visit VILCA-BAMBA (plain of the sacred tree -the Wilco- to ancient Incas) to consider this as a place to stay. 

The Pole House: It is a wooden house on stilts hand-built in 1992, on the narrow strip of flood plain formed at the base of Rumi Wilco steepest lands. It is immersed in natural seclusion, by an andean stream, yet very close to the village centre. 

Electricity. 

Furnished kitchen. 

Drinking water provided directly from the water table below. 

Outdoor fire pit. 

Hot shower. 

Balcony to river. 

Nature trails at doorstep. 

2 persons, $13 each

Hostal Macondo

Hostal Macondo
Tarqui 11-64 y Mariscal Lamar
PO Box 597 Cuenca
+593-7-840-697

Booked on Travellerspoint 8/8/2009
https://www.travellerspoint.com
+593-7-840-697
Booking Rate: $15.00 per person


Hostal Macondo is a hidden paradise situated in the beautiful colonial heart of Cuenca, Ecuador, a UNESCO World Heritage city. 

Macondo offers a peaceful and charming atmosphere in a secure, central location that provides easy access to museums, restaurants and other tourist facilities. Amenities include a cosy garden courtyard, complimentary continental breakfast, guest use of the kitchen and a laundry service. 

All rooms are private (some ensuite) and there is plenty of hot water. Our friendly staff can assist in arranging Spanish classes at the nearby CEDEI language school or daytrips within Ecuador. 

Facilities: Breakfast Included, Luggage Storage, Telephone/Fax Facilities, 24 hour reception, Travel Desk/Travel Info, Internet Access, Towels, Wheelchair Friendly, Linen Included, Guest Kitchen 

Directions: Hostal Macondo is a short taxi ride from Cuenca's bus terminal and airport. We are located in downtown Cuenca on Calle Tarqui between Mariscal Lamar and Gaspar Sangurima Streets.

La Casa Verde - Baños

La Casa Verde
El camino real, 

Baños De Agua Santa, 

Ecuador

staygreen@lacasaverde.com.ec
086 594 189 within ecuador
+593 86 594 189 outside of ecuador

Booked on HostelBookers
http://www.hostelbookers.com
Booking Rate: 15.00

La Casa Verde, an eco-hostel, where the mind, body and soul will find peace, harmony and relaxation to renew, revive, rejuvenate. 

It is owned and run by a kiwi/aussie couple and is set on a small farming property in a scenic and tranquil setting, in one of the best areas in Baños. 

A beautiful, comfortable and ecological place to relax and enjoy everything Baños has to offer. some of our facilities include: 

- full organic continental buffet breakfast 

- free micro filtered, reverse osmosis and ozone purified (phew) water refills 

- unlimited tea, herbal tea, coffee and chocolate 

- fully equipped communal kitchen – complete with basic cooking ingredients - organic produce available to pick from the garden (incl. carrots, cabbage, corn, tomatoes, mandarin, avocado etc...) 

- home-made snacks (including bagels, choc brownies and cookies) and meals (for those times you are too chilled out to cook or visit a restaurant) 

- beer and wine 

- camping area 

- 24 hr hot, high pressured showers and hot water in sinks 

- laundry service 

- WiFi internet 

- extensive DVD library (over 170 new and classic movies); board games and cards 

- yoga/meditation/chill out room 

- hammocks 

- local information and close to town centre (1.5km) and all activities –
300m from international quality day spa, massage facilities and municipal thermal springs 

- birds, flowers, native trees, river, hills, valleys…tranquility


The 8 bedrooms are: 

2 double (one king and one queen bed) 

1 single (double bed) 

1 twin (one double and one single) 

2 triple (3 single beds) 

2 dorm/quad rooms (2 bunk beds) 

Information:

We believe comfort can co-exist with eco-friendly. Our bedrooms have: - beds with brand new orthopedic mattresses with 100% pure Ecuadorian woven cotton sheets (which fit properly) and 100% pure alpaca wool blankets - good sized private bathrooms where you can put your toilet paper in (yes it’s unbelievable) – although we don’t encourage using rolls and rolls of it as it will fill our septic tank quicker than we’d like - neutral décor with plenty of natural light and views of the valley, hills and river; local crafts made from Ecuadorian woven cotton and native, locally grown plants - plenty of storage (draws and shelves) in each room for guests Location 

La casa verde is your eco-friendly haven in beautiful and tranquil Baños, “the star of Ecuador’”. set in a peaceful and scenic valley on the Rio Pastaza, la casa verde is surrounded by a magnitude of flora and fauna, including hummingbirds and fire flies, complete with spectacular views of the Llanganates and Sangay National parks. activities in and around Baños include: hot thermal springs, mountain biking, rafting, canyoning, hiking, volcano tours, spa treatments, waterfalls, jungle tours and many more adventure or relaxing activities. at la casa verde, we can help you organise any of these activities.

Happy Gringo Travel

Happy Gringo Travel 

Foch E6 - 12 y Reina Victoria 

La Mariscal

Quito

Tel: 593-2-2220031 

Email: angel@happygringo.com 

Skype: angel_happygringo www.happygringo.com 

Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm • Saturday & Sunday 10am to 4pm 

Pick up: from a 24 hours Coffee Shop called ( Coffee Toffee) a few blocks away from our office. 

Address: Jose Calama between Diego de Almagro & 6 De Diciembre. 

Picked up at 8:00 am for the tours that leave the city ( Mindo & Otavalo), for the 1st tour which takes place in the city (Quito Full Day), you will be picked up at 9:00 am. In the case you can make it to the office the day before the 12th I would provided you with some coupons for a free coffee which you can take meanwhile you wait to be picked up. 

Costs: 

1) The Quito Reality + Equator Tour = $45 Lunch Not Included 

2) The Mindo Day Tour = $50 Nature Tour / Includes Lunch 

3) The Otavalo Day Tour = $45 Includes Lunch

Cotopaxi Tours - Quito By Night

Quito tour by night 

Price: USD $35 per passenger 

Details: The tour will start at 7:30pm with pick up from Hotel. 

The first stop is the Guapulo Mirador were you are going to see the beautiful valley of Cumbaya and Tumbaco. We will continue through the Colonial part of the city where you are going to walk with the guide watching all the old churches illuminated with colours. The Panecillo will be the last stop with a panoramic night time view of Quito. 

Duration: 3 hours 

Includes: Transfer in-out

Guide: Miguel Aguirre Z., Manager 

Outside Ecuador: +593 98363050 

Inside Ecuador: 098363050

The Secret Garden Hostel

The Secret Garden
Calle Antepara E4-60 y Los Rios, San Blas
(593) 02 2956 704 or (593) 02 3160 949

The Secret Garden Quito is a small Australian/Ecuadorian run hostal located in an historic colonial district overlooking the famous Quito Old Town. 

The building is UNESCO World Heritage listed, located on a cobblestone street. The neighbours are Ecuadorian families - not souvenir shops and travel agencies (although these are only a 20 minute walk or 5 minute bus journey away). 

There is a roof terrace with a great view and herbs grown by the volunteer staff. Moreover there is a jaw dropping and wonderful view of the older section of Quito. 

The Secret Garden is so clean, safe, secure, friendly, conveniently located, good value, has great hot showers, super comfy mattresses etc etc - these things make a hostal good, but not great. So what's the difference? 

The decision to not have a TV room in the hostal? our guests would rather relax watching the hummingbirds feed from the flowers on our terrace garden. It`s the music, mosaics and murals (many created by previous guests from all around the world). It`s the hundreds of plants, including many herbs, fruits, veges and edible flowers which are used in the kitchen. 

It`s the environmental initiatives such as urban organic gardening, composting, recycling, energy conservation etc etc.

It`s the good food and good times - everyone shares breakfast and dinner together at one big table. 

It`s the Aussie BBQ nights, Live Indigenous Music, Salsa Club nights (anyone for pool & karaoke?). And finally the most breathtaking view of any hostal terrace in South America!! 

There are fires nightly and the staff cooks three course meals every night, the hostel also offers breakfast for $2. Prices do not include the 12% government tax, but you do get.... Minimum 6 hooks per person in every room - you can never have too many!! Aussie (French?) style doonahs (duvets) on every bed!! New super comfy mattresses on every bed, Bedside lamps - with dimmers - even in the dorms!! Lockers in the dorms, plus free safe storage for all, An open fire on the terrace, under the stars, every evening!! 24 hour high pressure hot water; airport transfers and a whole lot more!! 

Private room prices are per room, not per person. Dorm beds in 4 or 6 bed mixed dorm: $8.00 per person. Twin room with shared bathroom - 2 big single beds: $20 per room, Double room with shared bathroom - one double bed: $20 per room 

A great in-house travel agency Carpedm Adventures (http://www.carpedm.ca ) to help sort out Galapagos, Amazon and more.

iPhone Settings while Travelling

Turn off all unnecessary services: 
Data Roaming “OFF”
3G "Off"
Fetch New Data: "Off"

Utilize Wi-Fi instead of 3G/GPRS/EDGE: 

Wi-Fi is available in many international airports, hotels and restaurants to browse the Web or check email.

Turn Data Roaming "OFF": By default, this setting for international data roaming will be in the "OFF" position. 

To turn data roaming "ON/OFF", tap on Settings>General>Network>Data Roaming – Turning "OFF" data roaming blocks email, browsing, and downloads, but it will not block text or picture/video messages.

When abroad, international roaming rates apply when you send text or picture/video messages.

Turn Fetch New Data “OFF”: Check email and sync contacts and calendars manually instead of having the data pushed to your iPhone automatically. This way you can control the flow of data coming to your iPhone. 

To turn off the Auto-Check functionality: tap on Settings>Mail, Contacts, Calendars>Fetch New Data, Change Push to “OFF” and Select to Fetch Manually

Reset the usage tracker to zero: When you arrive overseas access the usage tracker in the general settings menu and select reset statistics. This will enable you to track your estimated data usage. To reset Usage Tracker to Zero tap on Settings>General>Usage>Reset Statistics

Turn on call forwarding on my iPhone so that all calls go to voicemail: Settings-> Phone-> Call Forwarding-> On-> 321-> Click the "call Forwarding" button, and your done

To check your voicemail, simply call your phone, then interrupt the greeting by pressing * — the default password is your 7 digit mobile number (i.e. your number without area code), and you should set up a unique passcode for it as soon as possible. Call AT&T to have the password reset: 1-800-331-0500.

Also as a last resort: go into Settings -> Phone -> SIM PIN and turn it on. Restart your phone (power completely off and back on), and no data will go through the cell connection without you entering your SIM PIN

Getting Ready to leave for Ecuador

One Week Before:
Schedule Taxi to Airport
Repack Suitcase: Take out all non necessary things
Call Credit Card Companies : Tell them what cities card will be used
Pay Bills Due While Away
Make A List Of Electrical Plugs To Unplug


Two Days Before:
Confirm with Taxi Company - Date and Time
Alert Landlord about Trip
Change Money
Check Flight Details


One Day Before:

Pack a Snack for the Flight no liquids 

Suggestions:  granola bar, sandwich, fruit (grapes), nuts,  

Cream Cheese & Veggie Sandwich: Cream Cheese, Arugula, Red Onion Roasted Tomato, Red Pepper, Cucumber

Vegetarian's Cubano: Cucumber, Parmesan, Red Pepper, Pickles, Swiss Arugula, Red Onion, Mayo, Veggie Bacon and Cheddar 

Sabra Hummus + chips

Altitude Sickness

Signs and symptoms 

Headaches are a primary symptom used to diagnose altitude sickness, although a headache is also a symptom of dehydration. 

A headache occurring at an altitude above 2,400 meters (8000 feet = 76 kPa), combined with any one or more of the following symptoms, can indicate altitude sickness: 

Lack of appetite, nausea, or vomiting 

Fatigue or weakness 

Dizziness or light-headedness 

Insomnia 

Pins and needles 

Shortness of breath upon exertion 

Persistent rapid pulse 

Drowsiness 

General malaise 

Peripheral edema (swelling of hands, feet, and face). 

Symptoms that may indicate life-threatening altitude sickness include: 

pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs): persistent dry cough fever shortness of breath even when resting cerebral edema (swelling of the brain): headache that does not respond to analgesics unsteady gait increased vomiting gradual loss of consciousness. 

Prevention As alcohol tends to dehydrate, avoidance in the first 24 hours at a higher altitude is optimal. Altitude acclimatization Altitude acclimatization is the process of adjusting to decreasing oxygen levels at higher elevations, in order to avoid altitude sickness. Other methods Drinking plenty of water will also help in acclimatisation to replace the fluids lost through heavier breathing in the thin, dry air found at altitude, although consuming excessive quantities ("over-hydration") has no benefits and may lead to hyponatremia. 

Treatment The only reliable treatment and in many cases the only option available is to descend. Attempts to treat or stabilise the patient in situ at altitude is dangerous unless highly controlled and with good medical facilities. 

How to prevent high altitude sickness? 

1. Avoid catching a cold, for it is difficult to recover from a cold on high altitude. 

2. In addition to the normal medications for traveling, like the Aspirin and Ibuprofen etc, it is advisable to bring high altitude medication. Some visitors take Diamox pills once a day. 

3. Upon your arrival, just take a good rest, drink more water, and don't take a shower on the 1st day, usually you will be fine. for it is easy to catch cold and make you feel exhausted. It is better to spend the first two or three days at ease to get accustomed to the high altitude. Headaches, vomiting and heart palpitation are common ailments that appear in the first two or three days. 

4. And whenever you feel shortage of breath, just drink more water, the dry air and evaporation of sweat may cause dehydration. Avoid alcohol as it may increase the risk of dehydration, and don't smoke to prevent upper respiratory infection. 

5. Remember to take things a little slowly when climbing stairs etc.

Embassy of United States in Quito

Av. Patria y Av. 12 de Octubre . Quito - Ecuador (593) (2) 256 2890

Packing For Ecuador

waterproof raincoats

waterproof boots

insect repellant

swimsuit

natural material socks

wicking shirts and under shirts

silk pajamas

sweater

hat

gloves

the weekend is coming up…

When you need to get away for the weekend ( and still look like a creative ). As a designer you like elements to go together, to look complimentary and your personal travel elements should get as much attention as your client's project. There are a few simple ways to make the ordinary a little special. A little more you. That you with the Queen of the Jungle Panty Set.

Going away for the weekend ( three days ) is different from going away for five or seven. The needs are different, stricter and more urgent.

travel•buddy is just letting you know what has worked for me, a list of things to make the journey and the stay practical and enjoyable with a great design sense. There are hundreds of magazines, websites, blogs and books out there telling you what to buy and where to go.
You just have to Google them.

It's getting warmer ( we hope ) and thoughts of travel are upon us.
Where to go?
How far to go for a weekend trip?
When to go?
Who to take along? Should I go by myself?
( the choice of a travel buddy is just as important as the choice of a good pair of walking shoes )


The Weekend Away

a weekend travel bag with
• toiletries
( place each bottle or tube in a small ziplok bag. You will thank me later )
All those samples you've gotten in the mail and from friends, now is the time to use them.
• an outfit for going and coming back
This could be the same outfit with a different t-shirt. Add one other shirt
• a jacket, if it could double as a raincoat or anorak, great!
• one pair of comfortable shoes matching
• a simple dress or skirt for dining out
• a pair of underwear for each day of your stay and two more
• a pouch for travel documents and maps
• a water bottle. If you take your own bottle, you will drink more water than if you remember to be thirsty and then buy a bottle
• a sketch book or a journal. Use this getaway as a catharsis
You will be carefree when you get back to work on Monday
• camera and its needs ( film, chips, cords etc. )
• a good book or music player
• maps, research and some very flexible plans for when you get there

that's it.

The choice of a weekend bag is a personal thing. It depends on your preference, of travel style. And come on, be creative.
Choose a non-traditional bag, good for travel and then accessorize with a few well designed pieces. Same goes for the toiletries bag and the document pouch.

I can give you a list of websites to look. Places to search for your personal travel style, but it all depends on what you like.
Make the individual pieces look like part of a collection. Your collection.
Pick a colour, pick an aesthetic and look for the pieces you need,

For example, you can go vintage travel.
Search for one of those 1970's travel document pouches given free by travel agents.
Then a Pan Am ( or some other defunct airline ) carry-on travel bag
Get yourself one of those boxy leather cosmetics cases.
Very nice start. Pick a complimentary luggage tag and you are set to go.

Here is a list of a few suggested places to look for very cool and not highly decorated stuff.
These are the ones I check first —

• www.flight001.com — check out their black F1 overnighter, the Maxx New York Overnight bag,
the brown basic dopp kit, or the makeup case, the brown passport and document set. Take a look, there are choices for every price range.

• www.ebags.com — they have a wide variety. Look here for bargins.

• www.cb2.com — has some accessories which could glamourize a plain travel bag.
I like their travel first aid and sewing kits, the mini maxi black shopper and the hotel luggage tags ( which as a designer you could probably create yourself, ha ha ha ha )

• www.target.com — target has a "red hot shop" where there are a few things which may be to your taste and may match your set, try it and see. Their 360° Tender Bag is a good starting point. With a few red accessories from Flight001 ( keep the hue and tones consistent ), you are good to go. Use Target to shop for that great travel outfit. Choose linen, silk or cotton. These are easy to roll up, easy to wash out and comfortable.

When you are all packed up and you lift that bag, it shouldn't be heavy.
If it is, you are taking way too much with you, literally and metaphorically.
Believe me. When I say you won't need that extra pair of jeans and socks and pajamas ( sleep nude or in a tank top and underwear ), you're on a little weekend vacation! Go!

Securing Your Luggage for your trip

You can have a worry-free trip knowing that the contents of your luggage and the luggage are safe.

Here are a few tips, tricks and downright safety precautions you should take; and with practice, it will become second nature each time you go away from home.


Buy good Ziplock bags. Various sizes and pack anything loose in them.

You will thank me later.

Yes I'm sure.


Make a list of everything in your bags and keep a copy at home and/or with an friend, and one with you.

Do the same with your itinerary: your destination, business address and all emergency contact and financial information.

Lock your luggage with (and this is the glorious part) a TSA approved lock.

www.tsa.gov

This may seem a foolish tip, but with the national security regulations about luggage searches, they want to know what you are carrying. They will open your luggage randomly. They will open ANY and ALL locked luggage. TSA screeners have tools for opening and re-locking baggage with approved locks, thus avoiding damage to the lock or bag if a physical inspection is required.

Remove ALL old luggage and airline tags to avoid any confusion and destination errors. That old sticker from last year's New Zealand trip?, take it off and save it in your travel journal instead, or else…

Place a tag on the inside and the outside of your luggage.
Tags on the inside should include the following information: name, business address and telephone number.
Tags on the outside should have only contact information, a telephone number and/or email address.

Tie a distinctive coloured belt, tag, string around the handles of your luggage or decorate it in a way that provides quick identification. There are even colourful luggage handles you can purchase to decorate and identify that bag that it seems everyone else bought as well.

Remove any dangling straps from your luggage. Most are removable for this purpose. They will catch and tear from all the bags you plan to check. Cinch straps of a backpack tightly so they don't get torn during transport.

Remember to get for a claim stub for every checked bag.

If you are checking a soft piece of luggage, make sure the airline puts it into a large plastic bag for protection.

And people, avoid expensive luggage and ones that look expensive. This is temptation for thieves. They have all day to plan to steal your stuff, make it a little tougher. Save the extra $$ for that cute carry-on.

Also don't buy cheap or frail luggage. It is an excuse for airlines not to reimburse you for damaged luggage. And you WILL regret not spending the extra $30-$40 more.

Pack valuables, such as jewelry, medication, cellular phones and travel documents, in your carry-on luggage. Or don't bring them at all. Anything you will cry and rage about losing, leave home. You'll probably never use it anyway.

REMEMBER THOSE ZIPLOCK BAGS? Pull them out now, it's a real power move.
Place the following items IN your carry-on baggage or in a plastic bag prior to entering the security checkpoint:

mobile phone
keys
loose change
money clips and wallets
PDA's, ipods, mp3 players, cd players
jewelry (in fact leave it at home)
metal hair accessories
large belt buckles
laptops and video cameras with cassettes take them OUT of their cases and place them in the bin provided at the checkpoint

Some great luggage accessory sites and my personal favourites:

www.flight001.com:
Great site, store and excellent customer service.

www.ebags.com:
Luggage at a decent price. Research the stuff you want first and go there to buy. Good discounts and service.

www.campmor.com:
Campmor specializes in camping and adventure gear but a lot of the storage stuff is great for traveling

www.roadwired.com:
The KeyCard Travelock® Security Kit rivals any locking system I have ever seen. I use it to lock my carry on luggage especially my photo bag. I wear the key around my neck under my clothes on a long chain. It is accessible during the trip and my stuff stays locked. It is not TSA approved so do not use on checked luggage.

www.cb2.com:
Pretty stuff that makes you just want to travel so you can buy something new for the trip. Lovely first aid and sewing kits "to die for".

www.troyland.com/traveljournal:
The Wanderlust Travel Journal. I haven't made a mark in mine because it is so pretty. I prefer to write and draw in my moleskine notebook

www.moleskine.com: Barnes and Noble seems to carry a steady selection of them.

And remember. If you can't carry it or can't bear to be parted from it, leave it home.

a walk in the park

a walk in the park
Originally uploaded by carol-anne.

Sometimes it's fine to take a walk in your home town. To check out what's been happening while you've been distracted by other romantic thoughts of travelling.

I love the parks in New York City. Well designed to eject the city and take you to that tranquil place you know exists, even for a few moments.

Prospect and Fort Tryon Parks are the best and most easliy accessible. Central Park is nice but doesn't do so well in making you forget the city life.

To get to Ft. Tryon Park jump on the A train uptown to 190th Street.

Ride the elevator up to the street level and look for the exit on Ft. Washington Avenue, swing right and head towards the Ft. Tryon sign.

Ft. Tryon is high up on Manhattan and high enough up that you get wonderful views of the Hudson Valley.

A great trip to renew your faith in the greatness of the universe and remin you why you live in New York in the first place.

Welcome to Tijuana

Welcome to Tijuana
Originally uploaded by carol-anne.

Tijuana Mexico, tends to be the side trip everyone takes on their way out of San Diego California. The trolly ride and the walk across was one of the most interesting and revealing trips I have ever taken. Tijuana is an experience. The Mexican people are poor and very savvy to the ways of Americans. Yet Americans do not seem to understand the people of Tijuana. This welcome sign, and architectural structure set at the entrance to Revolution Avenue, is to me, the one truly explicitly modern Mexican design. Everything else servs the touris industry and an American view of what is Tijuana. Sadly, the place is beautiful on it's own and does not need the commercialization. The people on the other hand do, as they get nothing more from visitors than a tourist's glance.
Take a few days and visit Tijuana. Eat the most delicious tacos you will ever taste. Ride a bus with the town people going home for lunch, and please see the beach and the real Mexico, beyond the tourist stretch.