Itinerary for 2005-2006 Around-the-World Travels
I am leaving San Antonio on Aug. 18 to complete the last half of my current around-the-world ticket. I will arrive in London on Jan. 5 to finish it and will immediately pick up a new ticket at the airport and begin my next around-the-world ticket that same day. I will be back in Texas sometime in the middle of March.
Aug. 18, 2005
San Antonio (SAT) to Denver (DEN) 795 miles
UA 6759 Lv. 12:25 Arr. 13:35 1h10min
Denver (DEN) to San Francisco (SFO) 965 miles
UA 353 Lv. 14:30 Arr. 15:38 2h28min
Time Zone: San Francisco time is 2 hours earlier than Texas time; 9 hours behind Denmark time.
Hotel: I will be staying with Albert (Cort) Cortez, a long-time friend from Corpus Christi.
Aug. 21, 2005 (Arrival on Aug. 22)
San Francisco (SFO) to Seoul (ICN) 5652 Miles
SQ 15 Lv. 14:10 Arr. 18:45 (Aug. 22) 12h36min
Time Zone: Seoul time is 14 hours ahead of Texas time; 7 hours ahead of Denmark time.
Hotel: Jongnowon http://jongnowon.com
Aug. 27, 2005
Seoul (ICN) to Bangkok (BKK) 2274 Miles
OZ 341 Lv. 17:20 Arr. 21:10 5h50min
Time Zone: Bangkok is 12 hours ahead of Texas time; 5 hours ahead of Denmark time.
Hotel: Mandarin http://www.mandarin-bkk.com/home2.html
Sept. 2, 2005
Bangkok (BKK) to Yangon (RGN) 362 Miles
TG 305 Lv. 18:00 Arr. 18:45 1h15min
Time Zone: Yangon time is 11 1/2 hours ahead of Texas time; 4 1/2 hours ahead of Denmark time.
Hotel: Queen's Park Hotel http://www.myanmars.net/queenspark/
Sept. 25, 2005
Yangon (RGN) to Bangkok (BKK) 362 Miles
TG 304 Lv. 10:05 Arr. 11:45 1h10min
Bangkok (BKK) to Mumbai (BOM) 1871 Miles
TG 317 Lv. 18:00 Arr. 20:55 4h25min
Time Zone: Mumbai time is 10 1/2 hours ahead of Texas time ( 11 1/2 hours ahead after leaving savings time); 3 1/2 hours ahead of Denmark time (4 1/2 hours after leaving savings time).
Hotel: Bentley's Hotel (through Sept. 29) http://www.bentleyshotel.com/
School Where I Will Be a Volunteer: http://www.sjia.org.in/
Dec. 23, 2005 (Night of Dec. 22!)
Mumbai (BOM) to Frankfurt (FRA) 4085 Miles
LH 757 Lv. 3:25 Arr. 7:40 8h45min
Frankfurt (FRA) to Copenhagen (CPH) 422 Miles
SK 950 Lv. 9:50 Arr. 11:15 1h25min
Time Zone: Copenhagen is 7 hours ahead of Texas time.
Jan. 5, 2006
Copenhagen (CPH) to London (LHR) 609 Miles (Last Flight on ATW 2005 ticket)
SK 501 Lv. 7:15 Arr. 8:20 2h5min
London (LHR) to Oporto (OPO) 808 miles (First Flight on ATW 2006 ticket)
TP 385 Lv. 13:40 Arr. 15:45 2h5min
Oporto (OPO) to Lisbon (LIS) 171 miles
TP 840 Lv. 17:00 Arr. 17.45 0h45min
Time Zone: Lisbon is 6 hours ahead of Texas time; 1 hour behind Danish time.
Hotel:
Jan. 7, 2006
Lisbon (LIS) to Rio de Janeiro (GIG) 1218 miles
TP 177 Lv. 9:50 Arr. 17:55 10h05min
Time Zone: Rio de Janeiro is 4 hours ahead of Texas time; 3 hours behind Danish time.
Notes: 1)My friend Merryl Leatherman from San Antonio will be flying into Rio de Janeiro on this same date and will be with me in Rio and in Iguazu Falls through Jan. 14. She will be my "space shuttle"--bringing me books to read that I have left with her and picking up my trash (novels I have read and want to keep, guide books from Asia that I have used and will not need again until after I am back in Texas, etc.) and returning it to San Antonio so that I do not have to carry it through Argentina and Chile. 2) A young Brazilian English teacher, Wesler, whom I met last year in Brazil, will be in Rio during the days we are there and will spend time with us seeing the sights.
Jan. 11, 2006
Rio de Janeiro (GIG) to Iguazu Falls (IGU) 337 miles
RG 2162 Lv. 11:30 Arr. 13:40 2h10min
Note: From Iguazu, I will travel overland to Cordoba, Argentina, where I visited last year. From there, I will spend the next 2 months traveling through central Argentina (below where I was last year) and central Chile before making my way back to Iguazu to continue my flights.
Time Zone: Argentina and Chile are 3 hours ahead to Texas time; 4 hours behind Danish time.
Mar. 7, 2006
Iguazu Falls (IGU) to Sao Paulo (GRU)[via Curitiba(CWB)] 560 miles
RG 2171 Lv. 610 Arr. 8:45
Sao Paulo (GRU) to Mexico City (MEX) 4623 miles
RG 8670 Lv. 10:30 Arr. 16:40 9h10min
Time Zone: Mexico City has the same time as Texas and is 7 hours behind Danish time.
Overland from Mexico City to San Antonio 698 miles arriving approximately Mar. 12.
Monday, July 25, 2005
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
Back in Texas
Sunday, Mar. 13 (Part II)
I went back out about 3:30. I stopped at a cyber cafe and was glad to see that yesterday's effort had posted to the blog. I posted another update before leaving.
As soon as I walked out, I was approached by a beggar. He was only the first of about five of them today. It is not as easy to pass as a native here as it was in South America. But I believe that there are more beggars here and that the number of incidents is greater because of that, too.
I walked to Alameda Park, but it, too, was overrun with people. I returned to a small plaza near my hotel. I sat and read.
I went to another small place by my hotel for an early evening snack. I ordered five tacos al carbon. They were mini-tacos. The meat had first been cooked on an upright rotating spit like those used for shawarmas. It was sliced off and cooked again on a griddle with tomatoes and onions. I was given a red salsa and lime slices to flavor the tacos. The marinade on the meat gave them a slightly sweet taste, so I salted them, too. They were a perfect light dinner.
I walked to Wal-Mart thinking I might buy something sweet there. It was more crowded than the parks! I just returned to the room for the night.
Walking: 18,447 steps (15,529 aerobic steps), 647 calories, 12.17 km (7.3 miles)
Monday, Mar. 14
I awoke early and decided to rush so I could get to San Miguel before lunch. I was glad to see it was dry. Clouds had been forming when I returned to the hotel last night.
I left the hotel at 6:35, arrived at the bus terminal at 7:10, and was able to catch a bus leaving for San Miguel at 7:20! I had expected the subway to be an easy ride that early, but it was crowded with people who must have had to be at work at 7:00. I was also surprised that they inspected my carry-on luggage for the bus and gave me a pat down body search. That hadn't been done anywhere else I took buses, although I seem to recall that my bags were scanned somewhere.
The bus was not nearly the quality of the buses in South America. It was an old bus without a toilet. The upholstery smelled of smoke. And of course, there was no TV, no blankets, no pillows, no food service, and no on-board coffee and purified water--all things that are fairly standard in South America where I have been traveling.
We got to San Miguel at 11:30. I got off the bus at a traffic circle I recognized as being not too far from Pegasos B&B that Vivian runs. That allowed me to walk there. If I had stayed on the bus until we got to the terminal, it would have taken me further and further away and I would have had to take a taxi.
A block from Pegasos, I stopped at a small restaurant where Wes and I ate in August. I had pork with green salsa. It came with rice, beans, zucchini, and tortillas. It was delicious.
Vivian greeted me and put me in a room. She repeated that I was welcome to stay until Thursday and return with her tour group. I told her I was tired and ready to go home. I bought a ticket for the bus tonight and told her we could just leave my luggage behind the counter. She insisted that I take the room so I could nap, watch TV, etc.
First, I went to town. I found a barber shop and got my hair cut. Then I sat on the square and read. I finished Devil in the White City (3 stars out of 4) on the bus this morning, so I started reading Three Junes by Julia Glass.
There were clouds and thunder around 4:30, so Ireturned to the room and watched TV. At 5:30, after a brief heavy rainfall had occurred, I ate a ham torta at a nearby shop. It is now 6:45 and the bus will arrive at any moment for our 7:00 p.m. departure for Texas.
Walking: 14,887 steps (7976 aerobic steps), 546 calories, 9.79 km (6 miles)
Tuesday, Mar. 15
It was a long, tiring bus trip. We stopped in Dolores Hidalgo and also in San Luis Potosi to pick up more passengers. The only vacant seat on the bus was the one beside me, and I bet that Vivian told them not to sell that seat so that I would be more comfortable. If so, it was very kind and generous of her.
Each of those stops to pick up passengers ate up time. Then we went through Monterrey so we could drop of people at the U.S. consulate there (presumably for getting paperwork done before they could travel further northward. Anyway, going through, rather than around, Monterrey ate up more time. We also went through Nuevo Laredo to a drop-off point rather than going directly to the bridge. Crossing an international bridge took a lot of time, too. Most Mexicans had visas or green cards, but a few had to stand in line to get visitor's permits. Furthermore, all the luggage plus the bus had to be x-rayed before we could reload and depart. They have a new van with and up-and-over arm that moves down the line of buses x-raying them to see if there is anything (drugs, explosives, illegal plants, etc.) hidden. Then we had another stop in Cotulla to buy gasoline, and it takes quite a while to fill a bus tank that will run for 14 hours before needing a refill! We finally arrived in San Antonio at 12:15 p.m.--17 hours after departing San Miguel.
San Antonio is not a normal stop for the bus. They just pull off the expressway, let passengers off, and then pull back onto the expressway when someone is coming here. They do this at one particular ramp that is easy for them to use. It is in the south side of town where most Mexicans coming to San Antonio on this bus would be staying or living. Vivian had arranged for a friend of the bus driver to be there to pick me up and drive me downtown where it would be easy for me to catch a bus heading further northward to where I live. I was surprised to find it rather cold here. I was traveling with summer clothing. I had only a thin windbreaker over my shortslieve shirt I was wearing. It was better than nothing, though. I managed to arrive at the condo at 1:15 and immediately turned on the heat.
It has been a nice 3 months of traveling, but I was ready to be home. Of course, there are the memories of the loss of Arne this past year associated with being home, but there are also the comforts of having a wider variety of clothes to wear, being able to do laundry easily, having as much time as I want on the computer, etc. And there are the things that NEED to be done--preparing my paperwork for income tax reporting, continuing to organize and improve the condo, etc.
I will be hear about 5 months. In mid-August, I set out on the next part of my trip this year. I will go to San Francisco for 3 days, to Korea for about 5 days, to Bangkok for about 6 days, to Myanmar (Burma) for a month, and then head to Kerala in India to volunteer for the rest of the year at St. Joseph's Academy. I won't be making blog entries again (except maybe a combined spending update for this past part of the trip) until August when I leave again. Those of you who like to follow my travels should put a note on your calendars to start checking the blog again in late August. By then, there should be an entry or two.
Sunday, Mar. 13 (Part II)
I went back out about 3:30. I stopped at a cyber cafe and was glad to see that yesterday's effort had posted to the blog. I posted another update before leaving.
As soon as I walked out, I was approached by a beggar. He was only the first of about five of them today. It is not as easy to pass as a native here as it was in South America. But I believe that there are more beggars here and that the number of incidents is greater because of that, too.
I walked to Alameda Park, but it, too, was overrun with people. I returned to a small plaza near my hotel. I sat and read.
I went to another small place by my hotel for an early evening snack. I ordered five tacos al carbon. They were mini-tacos. The meat had first been cooked on an upright rotating spit like those used for shawarmas. It was sliced off and cooked again on a griddle with tomatoes and onions. I was given a red salsa and lime slices to flavor the tacos. The marinade on the meat gave them a slightly sweet taste, so I salted them, too. They were a perfect light dinner.
I walked to Wal-Mart thinking I might buy something sweet there. It was more crowded than the parks! I just returned to the room for the night.
Walking: 18,447 steps (15,529 aerobic steps), 647 calories, 12.17 km (7.3 miles)
Monday, Mar. 14
I awoke early and decided to rush so I could get to San Miguel before lunch. I was glad to see it was dry. Clouds had been forming when I returned to the hotel last night.
I left the hotel at 6:35, arrived at the bus terminal at 7:10, and was able to catch a bus leaving for San Miguel at 7:20! I had expected the subway to be an easy ride that early, but it was crowded with people who must have had to be at work at 7:00. I was also surprised that they inspected my carry-on luggage for the bus and gave me a pat down body search. That hadn't been done anywhere else I took buses, although I seem to recall that my bags were scanned somewhere.
The bus was not nearly the quality of the buses in South America. It was an old bus without a toilet. The upholstery smelled of smoke. And of course, there was no TV, no blankets, no pillows, no food service, and no on-board coffee and purified water--all things that are fairly standard in South America where I have been traveling.
We got to San Miguel at 11:30. I got off the bus at a traffic circle I recognized as being not too far from Pegasos B&B that Vivian runs. That allowed me to walk there. If I had stayed on the bus until we got to the terminal, it would have taken me further and further away and I would have had to take a taxi.
A block from Pegasos, I stopped at a small restaurant where Wes and I ate in August. I had pork with green salsa. It came with rice, beans, zucchini, and tortillas. It was delicious.
Vivian greeted me and put me in a room. She repeated that I was welcome to stay until Thursday and return with her tour group. I told her I was tired and ready to go home. I bought a ticket for the bus tonight and told her we could just leave my luggage behind the counter. She insisted that I take the room so I could nap, watch TV, etc.
First, I went to town. I found a barber shop and got my hair cut. Then I sat on the square and read. I finished Devil in the White City (3 stars out of 4) on the bus this morning, so I started reading Three Junes by Julia Glass.
There were clouds and thunder around 4:30, so Ireturned to the room and watched TV. At 5:30, after a brief heavy rainfall had occurred, I ate a ham torta at a nearby shop. It is now 6:45 and the bus will arrive at any moment for our 7:00 p.m. departure for Texas.
Walking: 14,887 steps (7976 aerobic steps), 546 calories, 9.79 km (6 miles)
Tuesday, Mar. 15
It was a long, tiring bus trip. We stopped in Dolores Hidalgo and also in San Luis Potosi to pick up more passengers. The only vacant seat on the bus was the one beside me, and I bet that Vivian told them not to sell that seat so that I would be more comfortable. If so, it was very kind and generous of her.
Each of those stops to pick up passengers ate up time. Then we went through Monterrey so we could drop of people at the U.S. consulate there (presumably for getting paperwork done before they could travel further northward. Anyway, going through, rather than around, Monterrey ate up more time. We also went through Nuevo Laredo to a drop-off point rather than going directly to the bridge. Crossing an international bridge took a lot of time, too. Most Mexicans had visas or green cards, but a few had to stand in line to get visitor's permits. Furthermore, all the luggage plus the bus had to be x-rayed before we could reload and depart. They have a new van with and up-and-over arm that moves down the line of buses x-raying them to see if there is anything (drugs, explosives, illegal plants, etc.) hidden. Then we had another stop in Cotulla to buy gasoline, and it takes quite a while to fill a bus tank that will run for 14 hours before needing a refill! We finally arrived in San Antonio at 12:15 p.m.--17 hours after departing San Miguel.
San Antonio is not a normal stop for the bus. They just pull off the expressway, let passengers off, and then pull back onto the expressway when someone is coming here. They do this at one particular ramp that is easy for them to use. It is in the south side of town where most Mexicans coming to San Antonio on this bus would be staying or living. Vivian had arranged for a friend of the bus driver to be there to pick me up and drive me downtown where it would be easy for me to catch a bus heading further northward to where I live. I was surprised to find it rather cold here. I was traveling with summer clothing. I had only a thin windbreaker over my shortslieve shirt I was wearing. It was better than nothing, though. I managed to arrive at the condo at 1:15 and immediately turned on the heat.
It has been a nice 3 months of traveling, but I was ready to be home. Of course, there are the memories of the loss of Arne this past year associated with being home, but there are also the comforts of having a wider variety of clothes to wear, being able to do laundry easily, having as much time as I want on the computer, etc. And there are the things that NEED to be done--preparing my paperwork for income tax reporting, continuing to organize and improve the condo, etc.
I will be hear about 5 months. In mid-August, I set out on the next part of my trip this year. I will go to San Francisco for 3 days, to Korea for about 5 days, to Bangkok for about 6 days, to Myanmar (Burma) for a month, and then head to Kerala in India to volunteer for the rest of the year at St. Joseph's Academy. I won't be making blog entries again (except maybe a combined spending update for this past part of the trip) until August when I leave again. Those of you who like to follow my travels should put a note on your calendars to start checking the blog again in late August. By then, there should be an entry or two.
Back in Texas
Sunday, Mar. 13 (Part II)
I went back out about 3:30. I stopped at a cyber cafe and was glad to see that yesterday's effort had posted to the blog. I posted another update before leaving.
As soon as I walked out, I was approached by a beggar. He was only the first of about five of them today. It is not as easy to pass as a native here as it was in South America. But I believe that there are more beggars here and that the number of incidents is greater because of that, too.
I walked to Alameda Park, but it, too, was overrun with people. I returned to a small plaza near my hotel. I sat and read.
I went to another small place by my hotel for an early evening snack. I ordered five tacos al carbon. They were mini-tacos. The meat had first been cooked on an upright rotating spit like those used for shawarmas. It was sliced off and cooked again on a griddle with tomatoes and onions. I was given a red salsa and lime slices to flavor the tacos. The marinade on the meat gave them a slightly sweet taste, so I salted them, too. They were a perfect light dinner.
I walked to Wal-Mart thinking I might buy something sweet there. It was more crowded than the parks! I just returned to the room for the night.
Walking: 18,447 steps (15,529 aerobic steps), 647 calories, 12.17 km (7.3 miles)
Monday, Mar. 14
I awoke early and decided to rush so I could get to San Miguel before lunch. I was glad to see it was dry. Clouds had been forming when I returned to the hotel last night.
I left the hotel at 6:35, arrived at the bus terminal at 7:10, and was able to catch a bus leaving for San Miguel at 7:20! I had expected the subway to be an easy ride that early, but it was crowded with people who must have had to be at work at 7:00. I was also surprised that they inspected my carry-on luggage for the bus and gave me a pat down body search. That hadn't been done anywhere else I took buses, although I seem to recall that my bags were scanned somewhere.
The bus was not nearly the quality of the buses in South America. It was an old bus without a toilet. The upholstery smelled of smoke. And of course, there was no TV, no blankets, no pillows, no food service, and no on-board coffee and purified water--all things that are fairly standard in South America where I have been traveling.
We got to San Miguel at 11:30. I got off the bus at a traffic circle I recognized as being not too far from Pegasos B&B that Vivian runs. That allowed me to walk there. If I had stayed on the bus until we got to the terminal, it would have taken me further and further away and I would have had to take a taxi.
A block from Pegasos, I stopped at a small restaurant where Wes and I ate in August. I had pork with green salsa. It came with rice, beans, zucchini, and tortillas. It was delicious.
Vivian greeted me and put me in a room. She repeated that I was welcome to stay until Thursday and return with her tour group. I told her I was tired and ready to go home. I bought a ticket for the bus tonight and told her we could just leave my luggage behind the counter. She insisted that I take the room so I could nap, watch TV, etc.
First, I went to town. I found a barber shop and got my hair cut. Then I sat on the square and read. I finished Devil in the White City (3 stars out of 4) on the bus this morning, so I started reading Three Junes by Julia Glass.
There were clouds and thunder around 4:30, so Ireturned to the room and watched TV. At 5:30, after a brief heavy rainfall had occurred, I ate a ham torta at a nearby shop. It is now 6:45 and the bus will arrive at any moment for our 7:00 p.m. departure for Texas.
Walking: 14,887 steps (7976 aerobic steps), 546 calories, 9.79 km (6 miles)
Tuesday, Mar. 15
It was a long, tiring bus trip. We stopped in Dolores Hidalgo and also in San Luis Potosi to pick up more passengers. The only vacant seat on the bus was the one beside me, and I bet that Vivian told them not to sell that seat so that I would be more comfortable. If so, it was very kind and generous of her.
Each of those stops to pick up passengers ate up time. Then we went through Monterrey so we could drop of people at the U.S. consulate there (presumably for getting paperwork done before they could travel further northward. Anyway, going through, rather than around, Monterrey ate up more time. We also went through Nuevo Laredo to a drop-off point rather than going directly to the bridge. Crossing an international bridge took a lot of time, too. Most Mexicans had visas or green cards, but a few had to stand in line to get visitor's permits. Furthermore, all the luggage plus the bus had to be x-rayed before we could reload and depart. They have a new van with and up-and-over arm that moves down the line of buses x-raying them to see if there is anything (drugs, explosives, illegal plants, etc.) hidden. Then we had another stop in Cotulla to buy gasoline, and it takes quite a while to fill a bus tank that will run for 14 hours before needing a refill! We finally arrived in San Antonio at 12:15 p.m.--17 hours after departing San Miguel.
San Antonio is not a normal stop for the bus. They just pull off the expressway, let passengers off, and then pull back onto the expressway when someone is coming here. They do this at one particular ramp that is easy for them to use. It is in the south side of town where most Mexicans coming to San Antonio on this bus would be staying or living. Vivian had arranged for a friend of the bus driver to be there to pick me up and drive me downtown where it would be easy for me to catch a bus heading further northward to where I live. I was surprised to find it rather cold here. I was traveling with summer clothing. I had only a thin windbreaker over my shortslieve shirt I was wearing. It was better than nothing, though. I managed to arrive at the condo at 1:15 and immediately turned on the heat.
It has been a nice 3 months of traveling, but I was ready to be home. Of course, there are the memories of the loss of Arne this past year associated with being home, but there are also the comforts of having a wider variety of clothes to wear, being able to do laundry easily, having as much time as I want on the computer, etc. And there are the things that NEED to be done--preparing my paperwork for income tax reporting, continuing to organize and improve the condo, etc.
I will be hear about 5 months. In mid-August, I set out on the next part of my trip this year. I will go to San Francisco for 3 days, to Korea for about 5 days, to Bangkok for about 6 days, to Myanmar (Burma) for a month, and then head to Kerala in India to volunteer for the rest of the year at St. Joseph's Academy. I won't be making blog entries again (except maybe a combined spending update for this past part of the trip) until August when I leave again. Those of you who like to follow my travels should put a note on your calendars to start checking the blog again in late August. By then, there should be an entry or two.
Sunday, Mar. 13 (Part II)
I went back out about 3:30. I stopped at a cyber cafe and was glad to see that yesterday's effort had posted to the blog. I posted another update before leaving.
As soon as I walked out, I was approached by a beggar. He was only the first of about five of them today. It is not as easy to pass as a native here as it was in South America. But I believe that there are more beggars here and that the number of incidents is greater because of that, too.
I walked to Alameda Park, but it, too, was overrun with people. I returned to a small plaza near my hotel. I sat and read.
I went to another small place by my hotel for an early evening snack. I ordered five tacos al carbon. They were mini-tacos. The meat had first been cooked on an upright rotating spit like those used for shawarmas. It was sliced off and cooked again on a griddle with tomatoes and onions. I was given a red salsa and lime slices to flavor the tacos. The marinade on the meat gave them a slightly sweet taste, so I salted them, too. They were a perfect light dinner.
I walked to Wal-Mart thinking I might buy something sweet there. It was more crowded than the parks! I just returned to the room for the night.
Walking: 18,447 steps (15,529 aerobic steps), 647 calories, 12.17 km (7.3 miles)
Monday, Mar. 14
I awoke early and decided to rush so I could get to San Miguel before lunch. I was glad to see it was dry. Clouds had been forming when I returned to the hotel last night.
I left the hotel at 6:35, arrived at the bus terminal at 7:10, and was able to catch a bus leaving for San Miguel at 7:20! I had expected the subway to be an easy ride that early, but it was crowded with people who must have had to be at work at 7:00. I was also surprised that they inspected my carry-on luggage for the bus and gave me a pat down body search. That hadn't been done anywhere else I took buses, although I seem to recall that my bags were scanned somewhere.
The bus was not nearly the quality of the buses in South America. It was an old bus without a toilet. The upholstery smelled of smoke. And of course, there was no TV, no blankets, no pillows, no food service, and no on-board coffee and purified water--all things that are fairly standard in South America where I have been traveling.
We got to San Miguel at 11:30. I got off the bus at a traffic circle I recognized as being not too far from Pegasos B&B that Vivian runs. That allowed me to walk there. If I had stayed on the bus until we got to the terminal, it would have taken me further and further away and I would have had to take a taxi.
A block from Pegasos, I stopped at a small restaurant where Wes and I ate in August. I had pork with green salsa. It came with rice, beans, zucchini, and tortillas. It was delicious.
Vivian greeted me and put me in a room. She repeated that I was welcome to stay until Thursday and return with her tour group. I told her I was tired and ready to go home. I bought a ticket for the bus tonight and told her we could just leave my luggage behind the counter. She insisted that I take the room so I could nap, watch TV, etc.
First, I went to town. I found a barber shop and got my hair cut. Then I sat on the square and read. I finished Devil in the White City (3 stars out of 4) on the bus this morning, so I started reading Three Junes by Julia Glass.
There were clouds and thunder around 4:30, so Ireturned to the room and watched TV. At 5:30, after a brief heavy rainfall had occurred, I ate a ham torta at a nearby shop. It is now 6:45 and the bus will arrive at any moment for our 7:00 p.m. departure for Texas.
Walking: 14,887 steps (7976 aerobic steps), 546 calories, 9.79 km (6 miles)
Tuesday, Mar. 15
It was a long, tiring bus trip. We stopped in Dolores Hidalgo and also in San Luis Potosi to pick up more passengers. The only vacant seat on the bus was the one beside me, and I bet that Vivian told them not to sell that seat so that I would be more comfortable. If so, it was very kind and generous of her.
Each of those stops to pick up passengers ate up time. Then we went through Monterrey so we could drop of people at the U.S. consulate there (presumably for getting paperwork done before they could travel further northward. Anyway, going through, rather than around, Monterrey ate up more time. We also went through Nuevo Laredo to a drop-off point rather than going directly to the bridge. Crossing an international bridge took a lot of time, too. Most Mexicans had visas or green cards, but a few had to stand in line to get visitor's permits. Furthermore, all the luggage plus the bus had to be x-rayed before we could reload and depart. They have a new van with and up-and-over arm that moves down the line of buses x-raying them to see if there is anything (drugs, explosives, illegal plants, etc.) hidden. Then we had another stop in Cotulla to buy gasoline, and it takes quite a while to fill a bus tank that will run for 14 hours before needing a refill! We finally arrived in San Antonio at 12:15 p.m.--17 hours after departing San Miguel.
San Antonio is not a normal stop for the bus. They just pull off the expressway, let passengers off, and then pull back onto the expressway when someone is coming here. They do this at one particular ramp that is easy for them to use. It is in the south side of town where most Mexicans coming to San Antonio on this bus would be staying or living. Vivian had arranged for a friend of the bus driver to be there to pick me up and drive me downtown where it would be easy for me to catch a bus heading further northward to where I live. I was surprised to find it rather cold here. I was traveling with summer clothing. I had only a thin windbreaker over my shortslieve shirt I was wearing. It was better than nothing, though. I managed to arrive at the condo at 1:15 and immediately turned on the heat.
It has been a nice 3 months of traveling, but I was ready to be home. Of course, there are the memories of the loss of Arne this past year associated with being home, but there are also the comforts of having a wider variety of clothes to wear, being able to do laundry easily, having as much time as I want on the computer, etc. And there are the things that NEED to be done--preparing my paperwork for income tax reporting, continuing to organize and improve the condo, etc.
I will be hear about 5 months. In mid-August, I set out on the next part of my trip this year. I will go to San Francisco for 3 days, to Korea for about 5 days, to Bangkok for about 6 days, to Myanmar (Burma) for a month, and then head to Kerala in India to volunteer for the rest of the year at St. Joseph's Academy. I won't be making blog entries again (except maybe a combined spending update for this past part of the trip) until August when I leave again. Those of you who like to follow my travels should put a note on your calendars to start checking the blog again in late August. By then, there should be an entry or two.
Sunday, March 13, 2005
Leaving for San Miguel de Allende on Monday
Saturday, Mar. 12 (Part II)
I took the metro to the bus station and found what I expected. It is cheaper and easier for me to go to San Miguel de Allende and return to San Antonio from there than it is to try to go from here. From here, I must take a 15-hour bus trip to Nuevo Laredo which costs $75. I must wait about 2 hours for the next bus to San Antonio from there, and it will take 4 hours and cost another $18. I can take a 4-hour bus from here to San Miguel for about $15. Then I can take a 12-hour bus from there to San Antonio (same bus all the way) for $70. It{s 21 hours of continuous travel for $93 versus 4 hours and 12 hours broken with a stay in one of Mexico´s prettiest cities and a cost of only $85. I returned to my hotel and paid for two more nights. I will go to San Miguel on Monday and will either take the bus from there that night or return Thursday night with the tour group from the company that Wes and I used to go there in August. Vivian, the owner of both the tour company and the bus serivce, has said I can be her guest there and return with the tour group if I want.
_______
After napping, I went out exploring the neighborhood. It is much nicer than I had thought. PRI, one of the major political parties here, has its headquarters across the street. There are some very nice restaurants in the next block, there are quite a few other hotels, and there is a major local shopping street. There are two art museums within 4 blocks with one being in a former train station, and there is a Wal-Mart Supercenter about 8 blocks away.
I decided to also walk to the Zona Rosa, a fancy inner-city neighborhood that is popular with tourists. It is well landscaped and has stylish shops and restaurants and many expensive hotels. I found a restaurant (La Fonda del Refugio) where I have eaten many times that is considered one of the best in the city, but it was too early to eat. It was interesting to note that Londres is now the nicest street in the quarter; I seem to remember that Hamburgo was the main street 20 years ago.
I went to two cyber cafes on my way to the Zona Rosa. The first had filthy keyboards; you could both feel and see the accumulated grit on it. I had trouble opening and using programs there. I finally got into my e-mail and dealt with it, but I couldn´t get Blogger to work. It kept terminating when I tried to compose. The second shop was better, but you had to pay in advance for a designated time. I bought 30 minutes and had trouble posting to Blogger. It was in the process of posting when my 30 minutes was up and the computer shut off. I hope it posted; otherwise, I will have to retype everything. (A check a day later showed that it posted!!)
I returned to Las Delicias del Oaxaca, a very nice restaurant in my neighborhood for dinner. Before I ordered they served me a small drink and appetizer. The latter was an empanada filled with a spicy mixture and topped with black refried beans and grated white cheese. The drink was tequila-based, but I do not know what it was. It was different from a margarita. The rim of the glass had both pepper and salt for a very hot effect that left my throat stinging at one time. It was tasty and was pretty with an ice cube that seemed to have a drop of grenadine or something in it to give it a red color.
I ordered the 3-course menu of the day. The first course was a shimp caldo (soup). It was very spicy and tasty. The shrimp were small and dark. The next course was rice--simple, but nice. They brought two salsas, one red and one green, to the table, so I put those on corn tortillas to eat with the rice. The last course was a chicken thigh in a green sauce. It was tasy, but not hot. I added some of the green salsa to perk it up. A bowl of black beans was served on the side. It was an excellent meal, and I was stuffed.
A strange thing happened as I was paying. A man in street clothes smelling of alcohol came to my table. He spoke limited English, but he invited me to join him and his brother for the evening. I was surprised that the restaurant would allow someone like that to approach a customer. It turned out, however, that his brother is the owner of the restaurant. I lied and said I had just arrived after a 9-hour flight from Sao Paulo and was too tired to stay up any longer. Actually, I was really tired and returned to my hotel a block away.
Walking: 33,363 steps (24,293 aerobic steps), 1174 calories, 22 km (13 miles)
Sunday, Mar. 13 (Part I)
This was a city of noise this morning. There were large political rallies. Car horns were honking, speeches were given over loud speakers, crowds chanted, etc. One of the main rally points was the Monument to the Revolution which is only 3-4 blocks from my hotel. From what I could tell, opposing groups were there. They were separated by riot police, but each was trying to drown the other out with a louder sound.
I walked to Chapultepec Park thinking an afternoon in the park would be relaxing. it was such a crowded mess of people, however, that I took the metro back to my neighborhood.
I ate lunch in a restaurant where I had seen them making homemade corn tortillas yesterday. I had a soup that was broth with chunks of potato, a plate of rice, and green enchiladas. The soup was rather simple, but I perked it up with some lime juice and by putting some of the rice in it. The enchiladas were great. It was 3 of their homemade tortillas filled with chicken, topped by sour cream and shredded white cheese, and served on a bed of spicy green sauce. With a Sprite and jello as dessert, the meal cost less than $3!
Saturday, Mar. 12 (Part II)
I took the metro to the bus station and found what I expected. It is cheaper and easier for me to go to San Miguel de Allende and return to San Antonio from there than it is to try to go from here. From here, I must take a 15-hour bus trip to Nuevo Laredo which costs $75. I must wait about 2 hours for the next bus to San Antonio from there, and it will take 4 hours and cost another $18. I can take a 4-hour bus from here to San Miguel for about $15. Then I can take a 12-hour bus from there to San Antonio (same bus all the way) for $70. It{s 21 hours of continuous travel for $93 versus 4 hours and 12 hours broken with a stay in one of Mexico´s prettiest cities and a cost of only $85. I returned to my hotel and paid for two more nights. I will go to San Miguel on Monday and will either take the bus from there that night or return Thursday night with the tour group from the company that Wes and I used to go there in August. Vivian, the owner of both the tour company and the bus serivce, has said I can be her guest there and return with the tour group if I want.
_______
After napping, I went out exploring the neighborhood. It is much nicer than I had thought. PRI, one of the major political parties here, has its headquarters across the street. There are some very nice restaurants in the next block, there are quite a few other hotels, and there is a major local shopping street. There are two art museums within 4 blocks with one being in a former train station, and there is a Wal-Mart Supercenter about 8 blocks away.
I decided to also walk to the Zona Rosa, a fancy inner-city neighborhood that is popular with tourists. It is well landscaped and has stylish shops and restaurants and many expensive hotels. I found a restaurant (La Fonda del Refugio) where I have eaten many times that is considered one of the best in the city, but it was too early to eat. It was interesting to note that Londres is now the nicest street in the quarter; I seem to remember that Hamburgo was the main street 20 years ago.
I went to two cyber cafes on my way to the Zona Rosa. The first had filthy keyboards; you could both feel and see the accumulated grit on it. I had trouble opening and using programs there. I finally got into my e-mail and dealt with it, but I couldn´t get Blogger to work. It kept terminating when I tried to compose. The second shop was better, but you had to pay in advance for a designated time. I bought 30 minutes and had trouble posting to Blogger. It was in the process of posting when my 30 minutes was up and the computer shut off. I hope it posted; otherwise, I will have to retype everything. (A check a day later showed that it posted!!)
I returned to Las Delicias del Oaxaca, a very nice restaurant in my neighborhood for dinner. Before I ordered they served me a small drink and appetizer. The latter was an empanada filled with a spicy mixture and topped with black refried beans and grated white cheese. The drink was tequila-based, but I do not know what it was. It was different from a margarita. The rim of the glass had both pepper and salt for a very hot effect that left my throat stinging at one time. It was tasty and was pretty with an ice cube that seemed to have a drop of grenadine or something in it to give it a red color.
I ordered the 3-course menu of the day. The first course was a shimp caldo (soup). It was very spicy and tasty. The shrimp were small and dark. The next course was rice--simple, but nice. They brought two salsas, one red and one green, to the table, so I put those on corn tortillas to eat with the rice. The last course was a chicken thigh in a green sauce. It was tasy, but not hot. I added some of the green salsa to perk it up. A bowl of black beans was served on the side. It was an excellent meal, and I was stuffed.
A strange thing happened as I was paying. A man in street clothes smelling of alcohol came to my table. He spoke limited English, but he invited me to join him and his brother for the evening. I was surprised that the restaurant would allow someone like that to approach a customer. It turned out, however, that his brother is the owner of the restaurant. I lied and said I had just arrived after a 9-hour flight from Sao Paulo and was too tired to stay up any longer. Actually, I was really tired and returned to my hotel a block away.
Walking: 33,363 steps (24,293 aerobic steps), 1174 calories, 22 km (13 miles)
Sunday, Mar. 13 (Part I)
This was a city of noise this morning. There were large political rallies. Car horns were honking, speeches were given over loud speakers, crowds chanted, etc. One of the main rally points was the Monument to the Revolution which is only 3-4 blocks from my hotel. From what I could tell, opposing groups were there. They were separated by riot police, but each was trying to drown the other out with a louder sound.
I walked to Chapultepec Park thinking an afternoon in the park would be relaxing. it was such a crowded mess of people, however, that I took the metro back to my neighborhood.
I ate lunch in a restaurant where I had seen them making homemade corn tortillas yesterday. I had a soup that was broth with chunks of potato, a plate of rice, and green enchiladas. The soup was rather simple, but I perked it up with some lime juice and by putting some of the rice in it. The enchiladas were great. It was 3 of their homemade tortillas filled with chicken, topped by sour cream and shredded white cheese, and served on a bed of spicy green sauce. With a Sprite and jello as dessert, the meal cost less than $3!
Saturday, March 12, 2005
Mexico City
Thursday, Mar. 10 (Part II)
I returned to the hotel after stopping at a cyber cafe. I finished reading History of the Kelly Gang (3 stars out of 4). Then I watched Pride and Prejudice on TV.
I went out briefly to get a snack for dinner (one meat and one chicken empanada). Then I set the alarm and packed for tomorrow morning`s departure.
Friday, Mar. 11
It´s 8:20 and I am checked in and at the gate. My flight isn´t juntil 1ยบ0:30, so everything has gone smoothly. I awoke at 5:15, fifteen minutes before my alarm was set to go off. Walking to the airport bus stop took only 21 minutes since the sidewalks and the streets were so empty at 6:00 a.m. The bus arrived early and departed right on time. The only surprise of the day was an increased cost for the ubs. It had been 21 Rais when I arrived in January, and I had that sav ed in bills to give the driver. Now it is 24 Raid, and I had to give him a big bill instead of the exact change.
_______
It was a 9-hour flight to Mexico City. The plane was configured to provide minimal space for passengers. It was a 777 with a 3-3-3 seat arrangement. Usually, airlines use a 2-3-2 or a 2-4-2 arrangement for this type of plane. The passenger´s seat in front of me gave only a little space between the back of it and my body when he reclined it. I made it here fine, though.
I slept part of the way because of getting up early. I watched one of the movies--Bridget Jones 2. But mostly I read. I began The Deveil in the White City by Erik Larson and read half of it. it is about the Chicago world´s fair in the late 1800s and also about a serial killer in the city at that time.
Immigration and customs took another hour. Then I found an ATM and the tourist booth where the people were very helpful. When I asked for a city map and they didn´t have one, a woman from the booth went inside the building and got one from another place.
I caught the metro to a hotel that was recommended on the Internet by Roughguide. I had to change trains twice to get there. Then when I found the hotel, it was closed and the doors chained. I had the names of two other nearby hotels, but when I turned the corner, I passed one that looked okay. I got a room for about $12. It has TV, but the only channel in English is one with hordcore porn!
I didn't go out. I had eaten twice on the plane and wasn´t hungry. I needed some bottled water, but I was too tired to go searching for it. I just flossed my teeth and skipped brushing them.
Spending Update:
I spent another 14 days (through this morning) in Brazil and spent $470.67 for a daily average of $33.62 and a monthly rate ofr $1008.60. That is higher than other parts of this trip for two reasons: 1) I stayed in more expensive places than normal in Curitiba and Sao Paulo (6 nights total), and 2) I had more bus trips that were also more expensive for the distances involved than I had during most of the trip. Going to Rio and back added quite a bit in bus expenses.
Saturday, Mar. 12 (Part I)
Yesterday, I was in two of the biggest cities of the world. Sao Paulo and Mexico City both have between 20 and 30 million people. It is almost an unbelievable number. Of course, like any city, a person exists only in 1-2 parts of it where he lives, works, and shops. So neither place feels any larger than a city 1/10 its size.
I awoke this morning at 4:45. I should have taken a melatonin last night to help me sleep better and adjust to the time zone changes. I went to bed about 9:30, so I slept about 8 hours, however. Furthermore, I had trouble trying to sleep longer because my nose is stuffy--an allergic reaction to something in the air.
Something else I wanted to mention about yesterday is that the volcanoes were visible as we flew into town and even after we were on the ground. It is unusual for Mexico City to have such clear air. It was still somehat hazy, but rarely have I been here and been able to see the volcanoes from the city.
I am a little concerned about safety here. In South America, I found myself feeling safe everywhere I went. But I have had bad experiences in Mexico bgefore. Arne and I had our pockets picked 20 years ago. I had things taken from my room here once. And there are many reports of tourists being taken to allies by taxi drivers where they are robbed and left stranded (or worse, killed). Once a day has passed, I may feel differently. I will walk or take the metro to travel about town. I am alone, so no one will hear me speaking to know I am a foreigner. I will lock my luggage and chain it together and to a built-in wall unit in the room. I will feel much better if all goes well today.
_______
I have been thinking about Mexican food for at least a week. My experiences in South America have convinced me that the experts are right who say that Mexican food is a distinctive cuisine. I now appreciate even more its flavors and its use of spices. Since I got up early, I decided that a good Mexican breakfast would be my first meal. I left the hotel at 7:00 looking for a local place.
What I learned, among other things, is that Mexicans here in the Federal District are not morning people on Saturdays. Restaurants didn´t open until 9:00! I found a few street stands selling tacos and fruits, but I walked and walked without finding a restaurant. All the walking did remind me of a couple of things, however: 1) Mexico City is a more impressive city than I recalled. It has nice old buildings and varied neighborhoods. 2) The architecture of massive buildings here is far more inspired by that of the Indians rather than by European styles than I remembered. I also noticed the great difference in the looks of Mexicans versus Brazilians and Argentines. Mexicans are smaller and seem to have far more Indian characteristics. In general, I think the Argentines and Brazilians are more attractive.
I finally got my breakfast at 9:30. I had scrambled eggs ala Mexicana (with a red chile sauce over them, black refried beans sprinkled with white Mexican cheese, toasted, sliced bolillo bread, a fruit plate, and tea. It was tasty, but it wasn´t enough. I was just too hungry, so I headed over a couple of blocks to the Ideal Bakery.
The Ideal is an institution in Mexico City. When I passed it around 7:30, business owners were pulling up to collect stacks of big boxes of pastries and cakes. When I returned, I was one of many buying sweet breads for breakfast. Like most Mexican bakeries, the customer picks up a large tray and a set of tongs. Instead of having a counter or two of pastries, however, the Ideal has rooms of pastries. It is like a pastry department store. I wandered around the tab les in one room making selections. Then I went down some steps to another room and selected more. I found a third room, but I had to resist the desire for more. I then took my tray to the packaging room where a lady wrote the total on a slip of paper. I took the slip to a cashier and paid. When I returned with my receipt, the woman had wrapped each individual pastry in plastic, and had placed them all in a plastic bag, nd had tied the top of the bag with a string.
As soon as I left the store the string was removed and I was eating my goodies. I had a sweet bread seasoned with spices and filled with candied pineapple, a doughnut topped with white glaze and sprinkled with lots of coconut and a few chocolate chips, and a layered dough pastry with a sugar and ndut filling and a sugar glaze with chopped nuts. They all were good, but it was far too much--especially for someone who hasn´t been eating sweets for more than two months.
Thursday, Mar. 10 (Part II)
I returned to the hotel after stopping at a cyber cafe. I finished reading History of the Kelly Gang (3 stars out of 4). Then I watched Pride and Prejudice on TV.
I went out briefly to get a snack for dinner (one meat and one chicken empanada). Then I set the alarm and packed for tomorrow morning`s departure.
Friday, Mar. 11
It´s 8:20 and I am checked in and at the gate. My flight isn´t juntil 1ยบ0:30, so everything has gone smoothly. I awoke at 5:15, fifteen minutes before my alarm was set to go off. Walking to the airport bus stop took only 21 minutes since the sidewalks and the streets were so empty at 6:00 a.m. The bus arrived early and departed right on time. The only surprise of the day was an increased cost for the ubs. It had been 21 Rais when I arrived in January, and I had that sav ed in bills to give the driver. Now it is 24 Raid, and I had to give him a big bill instead of the exact change.
_______
It was a 9-hour flight to Mexico City. The plane was configured to provide minimal space for passengers. It was a 777 with a 3-3-3 seat arrangement. Usually, airlines use a 2-3-2 or a 2-4-2 arrangement for this type of plane. The passenger´s seat in front of me gave only a little space between the back of it and my body when he reclined it. I made it here fine, though.
I slept part of the way because of getting up early. I watched one of the movies--Bridget Jones 2. But mostly I read. I began The Deveil in the White City by Erik Larson and read half of it. it is about the Chicago world´s fair in the late 1800s and also about a serial killer in the city at that time.
Immigration and customs took another hour. Then I found an ATM and the tourist booth where the people were very helpful. When I asked for a city map and they didn´t have one, a woman from the booth went inside the building and got one from another place.
I caught the metro to a hotel that was recommended on the Internet by Roughguide. I had to change trains twice to get there. Then when I found the hotel, it was closed and the doors chained. I had the names of two other nearby hotels, but when I turned the corner, I passed one that looked okay. I got a room for about $12. It has TV, but the only channel in English is one with hordcore porn!
I didn't go out. I had eaten twice on the plane and wasn´t hungry. I needed some bottled water, but I was too tired to go searching for it. I just flossed my teeth and skipped brushing them.
Spending Update:
I spent another 14 days (through this morning) in Brazil and spent $470.67 for a daily average of $33.62 and a monthly rate ofr $1008.60. That is higher than other parts of this trip for two reasons: 1) I stayed in more expensive places than normal in Curitiba and Sao Paulo (6 nights total), and 2) I had more bus trips that were also more expensive for the distances involved than I had during most of the trip. Going to Rio and back added quite a bit in bus expenses.
Saturday, Mar. 12 (Part I)
Yesterday, I was in two of the biggest cities of the world. Sao Paulo and Mexico City both have between 20 and 30 million people. It is almost an unbelievable number. Of course, like any city, a person exists only in 1-2 parts of it where he lives, works, and shops. So neither place feels any larger than a city 1/10 its size.
I awoke this morning at 4:45. I should have taken a melatonin last night to help me sleep better and adjust to the time zone changes. I went to bed about 9:30, so I slept about 8 hours, however. Furthermore, I had trouble trying to sleep longer because my nose is stuffy--an allergic reaction to something in the air.
Something else I wanted to mention about yesterday is that the volcanoes were visible as we flew into town and even after we were on the ground. It is unusual for Mexico City to have such clear air. It was still somehat hazy, but rarely have I been here and been able to see the volcanoes from the city.
I am a little concerned about safety here. In South America, I found myself feeling safe everywhere I went. But I have had bad experiences in Mexico bgefore. Arne and I had our pockets picked 20 years ago. I had things taken from my room here once. And there are many reports of tourists being taken to allies by taxi drivers where they are robbed and left stranded (or worse, killed). Once a day has passed, I may feel differently. I will walk or take the metro to travel about town. I am alone, so no one will hear me speaking to know I am a foreigner. I will lock my luggage and chain it together and to a built-in wall unit in the room. I will feel much better if all goes well today.
_______
I have been thinking about Mexican food for at least a week. My experiences in South America have convinced me that the experts are right who say that Mexican food is a distinctive cuisine. I now appreciate even more its flavors and its use of spices. Since I got up early, I decided that a good Mexican breakfast would be my first meal. I left the hotel at 7:00 looking for a local place.
What I learned, among other things, is that Mexicans here in the Federal District are not morning people on Saturdays. Restaurants didn´t open until 9:00! I found a few street stands selling tacos and fruits, but I walked and walked without finding a restaurant. All the walking did remind me of a couple of things, however: 1) Mexico City is a more impressive city than I recalled. It has nice old buildings and varied neighborhoods. 2) The architecture of massive buildings here is far more inspired by that of the Indians rather than by European styles than I remembered. I also noticed the great difference in the looks of Mexicans versus Brazilians and Argentines. Mexicans are smaller and seem to have far more Indian characteristics. In general, I think the Argentines and Brazilians are more attractive.
I finally got my breakfast at 9:30. I had scrambled eggs ala Mexicana (with a red chile sauce over them, black refried beans sprinkled with white Mexican cheese, toasted, sliced bolillo bread, a fruit plate, and tea. It was tasty, but it wasn´t enough. I was just too hungry, so I headed over a couple of blocks to the Ideal Bakery.
The Ideal is an institution in Mexico City. When I passed it around 7:30, business owners were pulling up to collect stacks of big boxes of pastries and cakes. When I returned, I was one of many buying sweet breads for breakfast. Like most Mexican bakeries, the customer picks up a large tray and a set of tongs. Instead of having a counter or two of pastries, however, the Ideal has rooms of pastries. It is like a pastry department store. I wandered around the tab les in one room making selections. Then I went down some steps to another room and selected more. I found a third room, but I had to resist the desire for more. I then took my tray to the packaging room where a lady wrote the total on a slip of paper. I took the slip to a cashier and paid. When I returned with my receipt, the woman had wrapped each individual pastry in plastic, and had placed them all in a plastic bag, nd had tied the top of the bag with a string.
As soon as I left the store the string was removed and I was eating my goodies. I had a sweet bread seasoned with spices and filled with candied pineapple, a doughnut topped with white glaze and sprinkled with lots of coconut and a few chocolate chips, and a layered dough pastry with a sugar and ndut filling and a sugar glaze with chopped nuts. They all were good, but it was far too much--especially for someone who hasn´t been eating sweets for more than two months.
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