Friday, April 24, 2009

Pea Sized Lump Near Throat

Peru

first objective to Ecuador we headed to Mancora in Peru, a small town in which there are many parties, so it is mainly young people. We heard a lot about it already but when we were there liked us but then not quite like Montanita. The beach was not too outstanding, the sea has significantly colder than in Ecuador and the feeling was that the package tourism was more advanced stage. So we decided to move on soon and that a very small beach called Los Organos. There, we liked it better again! It was very quiet, but after Mancora just the thing to relax. Subsequently, there were no other beach resorts, which were recommended to us, partly because the sea was further south still colder. So we walked through various towns in the direction of Lima, about which there is not much to say special. From Chiclayo and Trujillo ago we were still the last time to the Sea to Pimentel and Huanchaco but manifests surfers with wetsuits, no one really dared the cold waters. Mäsi Pimentel, jumped in quite short in the waves in, but after a few seconds shu ettelnd frost back to the beach to warm up. As I said it went with a few stops in the direction of Lima. En route we saw nothing more than sand. In between, it had a few hills but mostly we were driving through barren deserts. The bus rides were also very boring compared to the previous countries. There was no music, the buses were painted not more colorful, and paused only at official bus station. There was even a road map to which the Peruvians were strict! When we then arrived in Lima but again it was interesting. While it was a huge city like most big cities before, the seaside location and the large parks have it but then made even more comfortable. What we can recommend to anyone is to go with all the luggage in the rush hour traffic in the crowded local buses to find a hotel ... In Lima we visited then Michael, a friend of Mischa, who lived there with his wife Anita and their newborn daughter, Mia. When we were visiting, they just ate raclette .. .. In Peru almost 30 degrees! We received valuable information from them for our other destinations, as they traveled through South America before Mia also the light of day. Thank you again for the hospitality!
Then we went to Pisco, a city which was about a year ago by an earthquake destroyed much. It looked like many tracks, but the recovery was in full swing. There we could still make a last time for a longer time for a walk by the sea, because then it went inland toward Machu Picchu, should take advantage of the Peruvians as they can. In general, the Inca culture is marketed in Peru, that it is no longer beautiful, but of course Machu Picchu, even more extreme because it is one of the seven wonders of the world. We went to Ica and Nazca from where you also to countless Tours Inca ruins could be considered such as the Nazca Lines do. This made us all but especially not on and we were soon having a night bus from the desert to the mountains to Cusco, so to speak, which is the starting point to visit Machu Picchu. This trip was then about the worst on our recent trip because right after the start of the toilet in the bus ran over, which left afterwards for about nine hours a pungent odor. Cusco was assessed while extremely touristy but still a pretty nice city, although during 3500 on the night was very cool. It reminded us a little bit bigger to a Walliserdoerfchen, just a few dimensions. We stayed there a few days to look at the height of air get used to it now and souvenirs before we made the trip to Machu Picchu on us. This was then .. a special experience Since 2000 tourists daily pilgrimage there, prices are correspondingly high. You have to get the choice between an overpriced train or the Inca trail to Aguas Calientes, where you climb to Machu Picchu or (with an expensive bus) rauffaehrt. The Inca Trail, a hiking trail about 30km, we may also make only a guide, which is also very expensive. We were lucky to Michael and Anita the info that there is a third, even if not entirely legal, gives possibility to get there. Meaning, by marching over the railway tracks. And we have then gemacht. Am Anfang mussten wir schauen, dass uns kein Polizist sieht aber nach ein paar Kilometern waren wir weg von der Zivilisation und konnten in Ruhe weitergehen. Ca. alle 15 Minuten kam zwar noch ein Zug vorbei, es hatte aber immer genuegend Platz auf der Seite um in Sicherheit zu gelangen. (Aussert bei Tunnels, durch welche wir jeweils recht zuegig durchmarschierten..) Unterwegs traffen wir ein paar wenige Einheimische, welche denselben Weg waehlten. Die Wanderung ging dann durch spektakulaere Landschaften entlang eines Flusses in Richtung Aguas Calientes, wo wir nach sieben Stunden und 30km zurueckgelegter Strecke bei Einbruch der Dunkelheit ankamen. Unsere Fuesse und Beine schmerzten zwar auf Grund des doch eher unangenehmen Weges ueber die Bahngleise, aber es hatte paid off. In the evening we bought or the admission tickets for Machu Picchu, which cuts down our almost ... $ 40 per person! Any attempts to go through as students failed to get a discount. After a night in this small village the next morning because it was still the last part of the way back down stairs and this meant 1.5 hours ... A real torture! However, when we were on target and this hidden ancient city finally had in mind, we forgot the aching legs for a moment, enjoyed the view and admired the mystical Inca ruins. When it began to slowly overfilling the storage area with tourists, we decided to go. Since However, we could hardly move our legs, we met the first decision with the overpriced bus down to Aguas Calientes and from there by more expensive train to Cusco return. There we were then able to sleep very well anyway and give our muscles a little rest at last. At the end of our Peru trip we went to Puno, which lies on Lake Titicaca and from where you can go on to Bolivia, which was our next destination. The lake was beautiful but not on the Peruvian side really, as it was full of algae. The city was still special, especially from flooded Souvenirverkaeufern ... We were looking forward very much to Bolivia, so we climbed in two days in Puno the bus, which are along the shores of Lake Titicaca brought to the border.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

When To Go To The Er For A Swollen Spleen

Pauli and Niels

Niels Frevert last Sunday in St. Pauli Theater in Hamburg. Grand entrance, full stall, perfect setlist. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Not as happy music seen and heard.

What? You do not know Niels Frevert? Then just look here - a funny movie on youtube have found. And you should you buy the CDs. All. Immediately.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Prom Dress Stores In The Galleria

Ecuador - The sun is shining and the living is easy

reached after ten-hour bus ride overnight on the border of Colombia and Ecuador, to which we can march through easily than Europeans. Then we boarded the next bus which brought us to our first destination Otavalo, where we arrived after four additional hours. This place is famous for its market, on which are jewelry, clothing, tools, and sells more of locals in traditional style. The people themselves live while not in Otavalo, abe come from dozens of villages in the area there to offer their stuff, because it has many tourists. worked despite the huge hype the whole, very authentic, and so we stayed a few days to get hold of for souvenirs at the meat market right to dine next to the battle table unusual dishes but also to make order in the near short trips, such as a walk through storybook-like forests to a waterfall. The food was particularly special as are grilled pork in one piece and uses all parts of it. Mäsi had a soup with Schweinefuessen, parts of the head and other nondescript pieces of meat in it. Mischa was held here for the first time, the ceviche, a dish with seafood in a lemon sauce with onions, which it has done to her at first and then more often in front of her on a plate landed. There were also exotic things, such as cuy (hamster) or giant caterpillars, which we tried but not because they had not exactly appetizing.
went to this idyllic and traditionally influenced place it on to Quito, the capital of Ecuador. First we had before, not all there to stay too long because we particularly wanted to return back to the beach but also because we were already in some large cities and these are usually fairly similar. It was then but very pleasant, so we stayed there a few days to wander through the beautiful old city, to admire the city panorama from a mountain or simply just to fill up some sun on a meadow. To get from Quito to the sea we bought bus tickets a day in advance. But when we went to the bus station in the morning, we announced an Ecuadorian with a casual wave of his hand, that the bus had an accident, plus he was still laughing as if it more often opposed them. Luckily, a bus from another company was almost the same time, so that getting up early had paid off but still. That accidents are a daily occurrence, we saw another bus on a board, where in the advertising business so that they had very few crashes this month. As a kind of ranking ...
We made it but then no incidents to the sea, where we went to the Ruta de Spondylus, a distance from beach to beach. Dies wurde zu unserem bisher schoensten Erlebnis auf unserer Reise! Wir waren fast einen Monat an einigen Orten unterwegs und eigentlich koennten wir ueber fast jeden einen eigenen Eintrag schreiben. Da gab es zum Beispiel Mompiche, ein kleines vertraeumtes Fischerdoerfchen mit einem endlos langen Strand. Es hatte nur etwa sieben Hostels, drei Restaurants und einen kleinen Supermarkt. Die perfekte einsame Bucht, wie im Bilderbuch! Weiter suedlich kamen wir nach Canoa, ein etwas groesseres Staedtchen mit Restaurants, welche Seafood anboten, dass einem das Wasser im Munde zusammenlief. Weiter auf der Route ging es nach Puerto Lopez, wo wir zum Karneval eintrafen. Salsa an jeder Ecke, betrunkene Einheimische en Masse und das Meer war so ueberfuellt von Badenden, dass es us even a little frightened to go to the beach. Almost came to the conclusion then our highlight, Montanita. This city is also known as the Amsterdam of South America. It was just fantastic, plus we had the perfect hostel in the third with a terrace Stick against the sea. We enjoyed doing nothing during the day at the beach and in the evening the Fiesta or the comfortable atmosphere on our terrace.
heavy heart, we decided to walk away from the sea to travel further. To this end we made a stop in Guayaquil, the largest city of Ecuador, as you get from there best to Peru. This one can not say much special, it was just simply a great city. Although we
during the Rainy season in Ecuador, we had almost always nice weather in hot temperatures. Only two or three times during the night there was rain shower size. The locals were also to travel further still very funny and established people who gave us any time you tips and tricks how and where to best.
We would almost have stayed longer, but there was to explore other countries. Although we are not even on the Galapagos Islands were (too expensive) and saw the rain forest, while crossing from the bus window, Ecuador had been our most beautiful travel destination and we determined at future trips back to visit us.