Finding Pura Vida in Costa Rica – Days 1&2

I’m here!  The land of verdant forests, howler-monkey wake up calls and one sweet active volcano in my back yard.  Costa Rica is such a great destination, about the same price as a quick beach vacation in Hawaii, but the diversity of climates, wildlife and crazy adventure activities is so much better.  All you have to do is deal with the eight hour flight time from Vancouver, but it’ s so worth it.

Flew into the Rich Coast with a three hour connection in Dallas on the way.  The Dallas airport is really nice, super modern and clean with some nice artwork (nothing compares to Vancouver international, BTW, but this was pleasant). You can find a hundred different things to eat, but there is pitiful shopping.  Only a small hand full of stores, and they’re mainly convenience stores, so I had to make do with only an armadillo floaty pen and a cow-wearing-a-stetson fridge magnet.  Total shopping fail.

By the time we arrived in San Jose it was late, and we crashed at the Casa Conde Aparthotel and Suites just long enough to wash the flight off, begin adjusting to the crazy humidity and watch some food network subtitled in Spanish.  This property really impressed me, it’s a beautiful Spanish hacienda with attractive stained glass and murals and the condos were fully equipped – I had my own bedroom!  The only downside was that it’s in the middle of nowhere.  You couldn’t just walk down the road, you’d find nothing but small houses, and it wasn’t  particularly the best part of town, either.

For us, it didn’t matter, though, as we were picked up by the ever-prompt and comfortable Interbus for our four-hour transfer to La Fortuna.  This is the only way to travel in Costa Rica, as everything is approximately four hours from the next major center, the roads are hilly, winding, sometimes unpaved, sometimes balanced delicately on the edge of a three-hundred-foot cliff and sometimes completely washed out and consisting of nothing but a couple planks of wood and some caution tape.  I’ve been here twice now and wouldn’t drive here if you paid me.  Interbus is cheap, easy, professional and the person behind the wheel actually knows what they’re doing at all times.  You just have to put up with the sales-targeted souvenir and bathroom break halfway through.  Oh, and the speeds.  Costa Rica does fast.  Carsickness-inducing, swinging from one side to the other fast.  It was awesome.

Later we were deposited at the Volcano Lodge, our haven for the next two nights. Love this property.  Each room is in it’s own little three-room casita, and all have a private veranda with two adorable rocking chairs that looks out to the impressive gardens and the active Arenal volcano.  I can’t get past the irony of my life being total hell at work for the past week with all the canceled flights due to the Iceland volcanic eruption, and here I come on personal vacation to another active volcano.  But it’s worth it, as the clouds have lifted, revealing it’s perfect smoking top, something that happens only like 9 days every year.   We lucked out.  And consequently took ten thousand photos of it to prove it.

The town of La Fortuna is small, cute, and has really good souvenir shopping.  It’s also incredibly hot here.  After the clouds and coats of Vancouver, this 99% humidity and 30-degree sunshine is a real shock to the system.  It really zaps your energy and gives you that wonderful red, damp and glowing complexion all the time.  I’m having to be super careful already, as I’m arctic white and can burn in minutes out here, but really hate the feel of sunscreen on when I’m already sweating my ass off.

So far we’ve essentially been on the road for two days straight, so it’ll be nice to be able to actually rest a bit tomorrow.  That is, after the freaking awesome ziplining!!!!!

Tags: Arenal, BlogSherpa, car sickness, Casa Conde, Costa Rica, Dallas, Interbus, San Jose, shopping, Volcano Lodge

Vancouver – Living amongst the flame

       The opening ceremonies last night were incredible.  Watching them at home I was just as blown away with the spectacle that is the Olympics as I always am, but then I take a moment and realize – that’s here.  Here here. Like “if I lean far enough out my balcony I can see that”here.   Going home on the skytrain yesterday the whole car just burst into the national anthem, a whole bunch of strangers heading to the suburbs and celebrating the true north strong and free.

Now that’s cool.

        Vancouver’s ceremony definitely did not disappoint.  It’s weird, I think we all have this slight Canadian inferiority complex that expects everything we do to be good, but always has the feeling that someone could have done it better.  I know, it’s stupid, but the show last night reminded us all to snap out of it, that we really are awesome and we’re going to prove it to the world.  Repeatedly.  While wearing a toque.  Preferably one shaped like a maple leaf.   My favorite moments were the projected whales breaching across the floor of BC Place stadium (oh, and just let me add while I remember, BC Place looked incredible, I kept having to remind myself it has a roof  – the first in Olympic history – and that the snow was fake.  The parkas worn by all the athletes were definitely not needed as it was probably 25 degrees in there, although Bermuda’s shorts were right on), and the beat poet’s declaration that Canada was here to kick some ass and take names.  It reminded me of the Molson Canadian ads from years ago that ended up printed on t-shirts and can most likely still be at least partially recited by 70% of the population.  Come on, you know it: “…the beaver is truly a proud and noble animal.  A toque is a hat, a chesterfield is a couch, and it is pronounced ‘zed’!”

       As a city we were all pretty hyped up for the games before, especially getting behind the torch relay, but after the opening last night, we’re now officially Olympic mad.  I work in a mall, and both the Bay and Zellers – the official Olympic apparel suppliers – are packed.  I mean hold-on-to-your-children packed.  It’s crazier than the last minute Christmas rush to get your Canada mittens and tees, and there was actually a fight over the last scarf when I was in Zellers.    It’s like we were all laid back “yeah, I’ll get some of that stuff eventually”, but last night has spurred us and our wallets into action.   Personally, I’m one of the true north strong and cheap, so I’m waiting for them to go on sale after the games.  But as soon as those markdowns come, you can bet I’m going to look fabulous.

          And this is only day one.  Tomorrow we get the super fantastic combination of Chinese New Year, with it’s giant parade and great food, and the Olympics, so the roof is going to be blown off this town, that’s for sure!

Tags: BlogSherpa, Canada, Canadian, excitement, Olympics, opening ceremonies, party, pride, shopping, skytrain, the Bay, torch, vancouver

Need Christmas gift ideas? Go abroad!

My favorite time to go on vacation is the fall (well, technically my favorite time to go on vacation is any time, but you know what I’m getting at). The reason for this is not the lovely crisp air and possibility of a sample sale, but so I can do all my Christmas shopping in destination. It’s great. Combine that with Christmas shopping (my other excuse to go wild – within budget, of course – shopping time of the year) and it’s the best combination since cookies and milk.
What better way to cut down on costs? I always call vacation shopping my “get out of jail free” shopping – I’ve technically already spent the money buying the currency, now it’s just trading it for goods. So as long as I don’t overspend what I’ve brought with me and have to break out my debit card, I’m golden. It’s a second layer of protection to make sure I stay on budget. With exchange rates being what they are, the dollar goes farther in many countries, so you can also get bigger, better, more awesome gifts for your loved ones. And you can plan for this in advance, too. A couple of years ago I knew I was going to bring back Costa Rican coffee for everyone for Christmas (plentiful, not too heavy to carry, and world-renowned while not being budget-busting) but the guidebooks said that the quality was best in the whole roasted beans as opposed to the grounds. So all year I covertly checked with every coffee-drinker I know whether or not they had a coffee grinder. If they didn’t, they got one for their birthday! That year was great, I got built-in ideas for birthday gifts, too
Speaking of more awesome, instead of yet another scarf or gift card from Sears, I can guarantee your Aunt Mil is not going to get two of those hand-carved Guatemalan wine bottle holders from that tiny stall on the side of the tiny winding mountain road. That is going to be memorable. And knowing that you were thinking of them while on your great adventure, they appreciate the gesture more (in my experience, anyway). Plus, even if they don’t like it, they’re not going to return it (the airfare is too expensive) so you don’t need to worry about keeping the receipts.
The coolest thing, though, is that you can essentially get your loved ones anything, and it’s still special, because it’s from wherever. Seriously. Anything. “Yeah, it’s toothpaste, but it’s from Ecuador, so you don’t pronounce it Colgate, you pronounce it ‘Col-gaaat-eh’.” If someone gave you a couple of small pieces of wood tied together at one end with a string from the local Wal-Mart, you’d be thoroughly unimpressed. But if the same thing came back from Spain and were called castinets, now that’s cool.
So, if you’re having trouble coming up with Christmas gift ideas, just go on vacation between now and the holiday season, and everything will all fall into place for you. Simple, really.

Tags: BlogSherpa, budget, Christmas., coffee, gifts, shopping, souvenirs

Chiang Mai night market – Amazing!

            It was probobly the friendliest shopping experience I’ve ever had, and it involved bartering.   I know, I wouldn’t have believed it either, had I not experienced it.  In fact, I found myself wandering around the market night after night and waiting for the in-your-face sales tactics I’d experienced in other night markets around the world,  but never finding any.  By just being nice, the stall-keepers had sold me on the Chiang Mai night market, and I loved it.

           The market itself, no necessarily the items for sale, was the attraction.  It’s beautiful, a crazy maze of colours, textures, lights, people and sounds, everything brighter, louder, more sparkly than it’s predecessor.  It’s quite spread out as far as night markets go, although in places you’re still inevitably squished up against the other shoppers/walkers/stall walls (but then again, that just adds to the street market experience), and it’s large square footage means if you can’t find it here, you don’t need it.  Sure, most of the wares on offer are souvenir kitsch – carved elephants, Thai pillows, T-shirts with the Chiang Beer logo on them –  but it’s fun as hell to buy it.  One of my favorite things I’ve bought anywhere is my intricately detailed tuk tuk sculpted from a Coke Light can, some wire and a couple of buttons.   Carved soap was also a huge hit (we bought 5), where the artisan takes your standard drugstore bar of Dove and carves and paints it into a stunning orchid or mum or random pretty flower, then safely puts it in a small laquered box.  They look great on display, and it’s also good to know that in case of a dire soap shortage, I have a backup.

           Bartering scares me.  I know a lot of people who love it, who attack bartering as a game and will do almost anything to come out the victor, but I always get overwhelmed by guilt and knowing that the item advertised for CAD$3 would be at least CAD$15 at home, I’m willing to pay the full price.   Don’t get me wrong, I always barter, but I’m a soft sell.  I think that’s why the Chiang Mai market and I clicked.  The salespeople, being salespeople, would call out for your attention, but all you had to do was shake your head a polite “no” and they left you alone.  I’ve been followed by annoying bootleg DVD pushers in Kuala Lumpur, so this was a welcome surprise.  Not once did we have to pretend to be deaf (man, our sign language is so bad we’d probobly accidentally insult the royal family and someone’s dog) and could wander around for hours taking in the smells, sights and ambiance.  The only people that were kind of in your face were the hilltribe women selling the wooden frogs that if you ran a stick up and down their backs, they croak.  The women themselves were equally as friendly as the other salespeople, but that damn frog sound will follow you around for days!

       If you ever visit Chiang Mai and you don’t visit the night market, you’re doing yourself an injustice.  Even if you don’t like to shop, it’s a place that can’t be missed.  I’m already trying to figure out when I can go back!

Tags: bartering, beautiful, BlogSherpa, carved soap, Chiang Mai, coke light, elephants, friendly, frogs, fun, hilltribes, night market, shopping, souvenirs, Thailand

Packing List – or, as I like to call it, Yoda

          You listen to Yoda.  He is all-knowing, wise, and look what he did to make Luke Skywalker’s journey a success.  For me, the one thing I can’t argue with and it always helps my trips go smoother is my packing list.  Call it 81/2 x 11 piece of mind, but once you have the packing list checked off, you know you’re not going to be stuck in Rio de Janiero while your bathing suit is happily in it’s drawer back in Calgary, and the options to buy in the local stores are nothing but dental floss and a small triangle of fabric that wouldn’t even cover one nipple.

           I find that the best approach to the packing list is to start with the little things, like toiletries and batteries.  For the most part, you’re not going to forget to pack a pair of pants, and even if they’re the only ones you’ve got, you can still survive that two-week vacation without it causing you too much panic.  But if you forget that charger cable for your digital camera, guaranteed you’re going to be spending all your free time hauling your kids to yet another electronics store because “Daddy hasn’t found the right adaptor yet, honey”, and then you know you’re going to pay a fortune for it, and get it home only to discover it only works on European current. 

              My Achilles’ heel are razors.  For some reason, I managed to continuously forget a razor on every vacation for something like five years, forcing me to buy a pack of disposables at the closest drugstore so I didn’t have to worry about hamster-grade armpit  fur every time I wore a tank top.  The catch with these things is that you can’t just buy one.  Nooo, you have to buy them in the packs of six or eight.  I am going to still be using my stunning collection of English, French, American and Costa Rican disposables for the remainder of my 20’s.  On the upside, the french ones are really nice and sharp   Now on my packing list they’re the number one item, double-sized, bolded, underlined and in itallics.  So far so good, two trips to Asia and not a single addition to my razor collection.

           And for God’s sake, put TICKETS, PASSPORTS and MONEY on the list.    I know how ridiculously elementary this seems, but do it anyhow.  They are the make-or-break parts of your vacation, and because of that it’s too easy to assume that “I’d never forget those“.  It can’t hurt to double (or triple or quadruple) check, and it sure as hell beats waiting in line for an hour at the airport, only to discover your ticket is back at home and there’s no way you can drive back and get it in time to make your flight.  I know, in this digital age, that airline e-tickets are more of a formality than a necessity, as all your info is in the airline’s computer system anyway, but if there’s some kind of technical problem and they “loose” your booking (this has happened to me and I’m the freakin’ travel agent), you need that ticket number to prove you’re supposed to be on the flight. 

        All that being said, here’s my Yoda, the guiding force that has saved my ass more times then I care to admit.  There’s no clothing on this list, as your wardrobe can vary drastically depending on the climate/time of year/if you’re feeling fat/etc., but the rest of the items are pretty general-vacation-ish.  It’s always better to have too many things on the list and take out what you won’t need than to forget something important, like razors.  Also, it’s geared for a woman (we pack more crap anyway), but guys, just take out the makeup, use a little common sense and it applies to you, too.  I hope this gives you a few ideas for your own list, and remember when packing to always use the force of Yoda and you’ll have the best trip possible.

Packing List:

RAZOR

Hand Lotion/Moisturizer

Deodorant

Toothbrush/paste

Brush/comb/hair accessories

Shampoo/conditioner

Makeup

Nail polish/remover/non-metal file and cotton balls

Calomine Lotion

Prescription medications

Asprin/Advil

Q-Tips

Travel Curling Iron

Soap/washcloth

Antibiotic Cream/Polysporin

Imodium Pills

Feminine Hygene products

Bug spray

Sunscreen/ sun glasses/ sun hat

Glasses

Cameras/cases/batteries/charger/film/extra memory card

Books/magazines

Playing cards

Trip journal

Moneybelt

Snacks

Maps

Drinking cups/cereal bowls/plastic utensils

Tickets/vouchers

Money

Passports

Backpack

Folding reuseable shopping bag

Voltage converters

Gloves

Umbrella

Exercise bands

Wet wipes

Tags: BlogSherpa, budget, easy, money, Moneybelt, packing, shopping, snacks, tickets, Yoda

London – Shopper’s paradise. New wardrobe anyone?

              I buy almost all my clothes while on vacation.  Mainly this is due to the fact that when I’m home I’m saving up to pay for that vacation, but there is something really cool about going through my closet and being like, ”not that Bangkok shirt, the pink one” (and before you ask, no, all my clothes do not have the tacky ”I went to LA and bought this shirt” slogans on them, though I do love my tacky souvenirs).  I have this theory about ”vacation money” : anything you spend in the local currency while on a trip is free money, more like trade really, as you’ve already spent the Canadian money by buying the foreign currency.  I’ve allocated that much money for spending, and if I burn through every penny, it’s fine.   As long as I don’t go over budget and dip into the credit cards (unless it’s really, really, really incredible and worth it), it’s game on.  And when I go to London, I know I have to make sure I budget enough, because, while I can shop anywhere, London fashion and I just click.  We’re talking pack-an-empty-suitcase good shopping here!

               The biggest thing I love about London shopping is that their “high street” (mass market) stores have great styles at great prices.  It’s as if the English approach to shopping in general is to make sure it’s accessible to the masses.  Affordable and easy to find.  Now you’re talking my language.    You’ll also notice here I’m not going to talk about Harrod’s or Selfridge’s, London’s uber-famous and uber-expensive department stores.  This is because, honestly, regular people do not go there to buy.  They go for the spectacle of it.  I always go and look at the GBP$10 000.00 dresses, entire rooms full of nothing but purses and Egyptian-themed escalators, but the only thing’s I’ve ever bought there are magazines, because they have the prices printed right on them, so they’re the same price there as they are at the corner newsagents.  But I still got the cool Harrod’s bag to wave around.

              Naturally, the place to start is Oxford street, otherwise known as the big awesome and freaking crowded street of all things good and wonderful.  You can’t throw a stick without hitting a clothing store.  But all of these stores are pretty much everywhere around the country, so if you don’t want to battle the crowds, it’s not hard to still find great fashion.  The suburban shopping malls offer huge selection without having to face the weather running from store to store.  Smack in the middle of Oxford St. is the English institution that is Marks and Spencer’s, where you can get pretty much anything, the focus being wardrobe basics and career wear.  They’re a touch on the pricey (for this focus-on-cheap blog, not compared to DKNY) and middle-aged side, but everyone can usually find something there.   Oh, and you can’t miss their awesome food hall, where you can pick up a great selection of groceries or ready meals for good prices.   Love their wine gums.

             If you’re angling for something on-trend while not being too “oh my God, is she wearing a duck on her head?” over the top, some of my favorites are:

 Dorothy Perkins - Aside from the adorable designs, their 2-for tank top deals will be my wardrobe staples forever.  Their “tall” line, aimed at those of us over 5 foot 7, keeps the fashion world open to everyone.  Their shoes and accessories are hot for a steal, and they have a new organic/free trade/eco-chic line geared for the environmentally conscious amongst us.

New Look – Bright colours and wild patterns mark this store as probably the most funky on the list, but don’t let that scare you, they have everything from sexy/sweet dresses to career wear to teeny-bopper tween styles.  I got one of my most professional looking dresses (that I just so happen to be wearing today) there for under GBP$30.00.

Next – More classic and stylish while not being old or boring, this is a great mix of business casual and weekend chic.  Not too over the top, but far from boring.  Also with an excellent denim section – lots of cuts in tons of lengths.  One of my favorite pairs of jeans is their bootcut.

Topshop – More pricey than the other three, this is where you go for trends.  On occasion, they do have the “oh my God, is that a duck on her head?” over the top styles, and they wear them with pride.  Partnerships with top designers and exclusive lines from the likes of Kate Moss makes sure they are always on the cutting edge.

             And then there’s Primark.  You want cheap, shop here.  Period.  End of story.  For what you’re paying (GBP$6 for a hoodie? Sweet.) the materials are not top of the line, but they look way more expensive than they are, and the quality is better than average. The aforementioned hoodie I’ve lived in for three years, and it still looks perfect.  Be prepared to carry a big bag, because with their prices, you’re not getting out of there with just one item.

            When traveling to London, make sure you have some room in your suitcase, are under your luggage allowance and have time to shop, because you’re gonna need it!  Last time I had to leave some things behind in order to squeeze all my new purchases in!  And it’s soooo worth it.

Tags: BlogSherpa, budget, Dorothy Perkins, exchange rate, London, Marks and Spencer's, money, New Look, Next, Primark, shopping, Topshop

Hawaii – Lush Lahaina, leis and luaus

          For a first-time cruiser a 16-day Hawaiian cruise is like reading a whole book on cruising but getting only the Cole’s Notes version of the islands themselves.

          Cruising being only for the “newlywed and nearly dead” is a misconception for the most part but, with my sailing being during the school year, the first few days were spent assuring the other passenger that, at 21, I was not part of the entertainment staff.  And I was not going to break into song and dance to prove it, either.  On the upside, I stood out enough that the crew knew me by name and everywhere I went I was greeted with a smile.

           The sailing was an adventure itself, as the late November seas were hell bent on making the crossing from San Diego and back memorable.  You learn pretty quickly that the arms are on the treadmills for a reason and the cabin stewards are used to having to steam clean wallpaper in the middle of the night.  On the way back we were actually stopped in the middle of the Pacific for an emergency medical supply drop by the coast guard, as a sea sick man had ruptured something important and was loosing too much blood, but we were too far out for a helicopter to come and pick him up.

                 Filling the time was a never ending stream of games with a regular group of colourful characters, ranging from a woman who constantly squeaked with excitement to a couple who’s comments reaffirmed the notion that it’s the ones who look innocent who have the dirtiest minds. 

              And then there was trivia, the place to see and be seen on the Statendam, where “playing for fun” was the cover story for die-hard competition.  People would practically tackle one another for a Dam Mug or the coveted Dam Dark penlight (on Holland America, everything becomes Dam something, as the ships all end in -dam).

             Hawaii was as fantastic as the postcards, humid and friendly, with a constant rainbow overhead.  They can also claim Spam McGriddles and endless Magnum PI shirts.

                We hit Hilo on American Thanksgiving, so the entire island was shut down, but the next day in Honolulu was the American equivalent of Boxing Day and I got all my Christmas shopping done cheap at Ala Moana centre. Kauai, the wild chicken capitol of Hawaii, was our shortest stop to allow for a scenic cruise of the Napili coast, and Lahaina on Maui looked so much like Pirates of the Caribbeanthat you expected Johnny Depp to round the corner at any second.  Finally there was Kona, home of the hourly volcano-eruption reports.

              Hawaii’s old-world-meets-tourist-kitsch charm was fabulous and we sent just enough time there to wet my appetite.  My lei, once thrown into the ship’s pool, floated to the edge, so the Director said that meant I would return to the islands some day.  Maybe by then I will be part of the entertainment.

Originally published in the Vancouver Province Newspaper

Tags: BlogSherpa, cruise, Hawaii, published, shopping

Kuala Lumpur – Totally cool

        As I stood barefoot on the warm bricks, in the middle of a lightning storm, staring up at the crystaline masterpieces that are the Petronas Towers, I couldn’t help thinking that this was the most incredible thing I’d ever experienced.   At that second, I knew I was in love with Kuala Lumpur.

       This is a city that welcomes you with open arms, beginning right at the airport when our pre-arranged transfer didn’t arrive and not one but three complete strangers went out of their ways to help us out, making calls, translating, and one man even squeezed us in with the group of tourists he was transporting to deliver us right to our hotel.  Whoever you are, thank you, you’re awesome.  And our hotel, the Trader’s, was equally amazing.  I’d booked it because the location was good, the rooms were great and the price was right, but after seeing the location in person, I’d go back, regardless of the price.   Connected to the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (home of the great new Aquaria aquarium) and linked to the Suria KLCC 6-story megamall (woo hoo!) by a tunnel, everything you could want is at your fingertips.  Oh, and did I mention it’s directly facing the Petronas Towers (which are atop the mall), separated only by a gorgeous landsacped park, complete with Las-Vegas  style dancing fountains?   The views from the rooftop bar and the business centre are unbelievable.  I kept taking more pictures.  When I got home I think I had nearly thirty pics of the towers alone, taking from every possible angle in every possible lighting condition.   It was like an addiction, really.  I need Petronas Towers rehab (and if it involves going back to KL, I’m okay with that)!

                 For a quick meal we spent a lot of time at the Suria KLCC food halls, where they had a huge selection of cuisines, from Malay, Thai and Indian to Itallian, Lebanese and McDonald’s.  The food was excellent, the portions huge, and you could get nearly any meal you wanted for RMB$10 (approx. CAD$3).  Plus, there was a perfect viewing window out to the dancing fountains.  Prices were consistantly good throughout the city, too.  One night we went to a movie (sadly, the animated Sunshine Barry and the Disco Worms – I love that! – was not out yet, but I would have totally paid to see it!), and got dinner, the movie, caramel corn (they didn’t offer any un-caramel corn anywhere) and drinks for about CAD$10 per person!  Plus, they let you preassign seats at the movie theatre, just like on airplanes, so there’s no worry about rushing in to get the perfect seat, it’s already printed on your ticket.  Are you listening, Cineplex?  This rocked.

              Taxis are plentiful, and unless you get an official metered one, remember to agree on the fare beforehand to prevent being taken for a financial ride.  But I much preferred the monorail or underground systems, as they were dirt cheap, well marked and super-efficient.  On hot days, escaping into a nice airconditioned station was the best way to travel.  Regardless of how far it looked on a map, we discovered that nothing in central KL is that far away.  It didn’t take us more than twenty minutes to get anywhere by taxi, and quite often, though it looked to be a huge distance away on paper, attractions were only a (maximum) ten minute walk away.   A few stops on the train and  a short walk got us to the KL Tower (think CN Tower, but slightly lower), with it’s great 360-degree views of the city.  It only cost RMB$7 to enter, and we chose it over the Petronas Towers’ free viewing deck as it’s higher  and you don’t have to line up at 8am to get one of the limited tickets they hand out each day.  Well worth the expense.  A few more stops from there took us right into the heart of the shopping district, with mall after mall, from low end market-style to shiny exclusive high-end Guccis and Pradas, all ready to part you from your Ringitt.  Sweet.

               The one attraction that’s definately taxi-distance away (though at max it should only cost RMB$30 – CAD$10 - each way) is the Batu caves, a massive Hindu shrine in a (you guessed it) cave.  You’re greeted by a giant 140 foot tall golden statue of Lord Murugan, and behind him are the 272 stairs that you must climb to enter.  They’re conveniently numbered to let you know how much farther you have to go.  The view from the top looking back at KL is spectacular.  This place is really, really cool.  But not literally.  I recommend going early, as we were there at 9am and it was already “Oh-my-God-you-want-me-to-exercise-now?” hot.  No wonder at the top there’s a souvenir stand stocking little more than cold drinks.  And I was dressed for the exercise in shorts, a tank and trainers.  All around me the faithful were climbing barefoot or in ornate, layered saris.  I don’t know how they did it.  But the stars of the caves are the wild monkeys.  They’re everywhere, totally unafraid of humans and so freaking adorable.  You can get within a foot of them, and all they do is yawn and look bored.  We had been warned by our taxi driver that the monkeys won’t bother you unless you were carrying a plastic grocery bag, as they know that offerings of food for the Gods were carried in those bags, and they’re always looking for a free snack, and they weren’t concerned with us at all.  There are some great souvenir shops at the bottom, too.
       The central market was another favorite haunt, also just a few train stops away from our hotel and a short walk from the huge Chinatown night market.  It housed some of the best handicrafts, some good clothing and nice bathrooms (though they were squat toilets, it cost you RMB$0.50 to enter and you have to bring your own toilet paper).  I did some serious shopping there.  It also housed the Cute Fish Spa.  The first time I saw “fish spa” on a sign I thought it was where you take your fish if they need to de-stress, but upon closer inspection I discovered they’re actually these pools filled with six-inch long, toothless black fish, and when you put your feet in they “kissed” you, sucking off all the dead skin.  Seriously.  I kind of liked my first option better.  Why would anyone do this?  But then the lady said it was RMB$5 for 20 minutes, so for that price, what the hell.   Oh my God it tickles.  You never quite get used to that feeling.  By the time it was over my sides hurt from laughing so hard, but wow, my feet were softer than ever and stayed that way for the next two weeks.  If you ever come across a fish spa (especially one that says it’s Cute), do it, it’s worth it.  Just google “fish spa” you get some good videos.

            Between the attractions, the incredibly friendly people (oh, and did I mention almost everybody speaks English?  They learn it in school.  Most of the signs and billboard ads are in English, too) and the ease of exploration, Kuala Lumpur is awesome.  Honestly, if you go to see the towers alone (and take the prerequisite thousand pictures of them) it’s worth it, but when you add in all the rest that the city has to offer, it’s spectacular.  So go.  Now.  You’ll love it.  And if you can, grab a bootleg copy of Sunshine Barry and the Disco Worms for me.

Tags: Batu Caves, BlogSherpa, fish spa, friendly people, Kuala Lumpur, lightning, movies, night market, Petronas Towers, public transportation, shopping

Spain reloaded 5:the finale – Hasta Manana

            A full day of doing nothing but being a tourist!  Happy dance, happy dance.  Yawn, stretch, this is the life.  Of course, on this trip the full day of boing a tourist involved a 6-hour guided tour of the nearby cities of Reus and Terragona, but without a hotel inspection, it was fantastic.  I am such a city person.  Give me a town with a really cool attraction (monument/temple/hundred foot gold ball of yarn/whatever) that also has a supermarket, at least one McDonald’s, mass transit, a Topshop, public washrooms and a stock of wine gums, and I’m in my element.  Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot to be said for getting away from it all, but with my attention span (see Spain Reloaded 3), it doesn’t take me long before I want to get back to it all again.  Both stops today fit my criteria nicely.

           Reus was up first, only ten minutes’ drive from Salou.  This is the birthplace of Gaudi, and, more importantly, it’s just an adorable city.  Our guide took us along part of the Ruta del Modernisme, a walking tour marked out on most tourist maps that outlines all the funky architecture and history in one convenient package.   We saw the Placa de Prim (home to the “statue of the guy on the horse” and the “statue of the guy just standing there because he wasn’t special enough to get a horse”), Gaudi’s birth house (home to the statue of a young Gaudi playing with his balls.  No, seriously, the boy is sculpted playing some sort of game with six balls on a wooden bench), the main cathedral and the central Placa Mercadal.  Here we broke for a two-hour shopping break.  I ended up in the town hall (free public washrooms), and when a couple of us paused to get our pictures taken in front of this pretty marble staircase, the guard gestured that we could go upstairs, regardless of the velvet rope pointedly marking it off.  Next thing I knew we were alone amongst all the paintings of the past great Reus leaders, and even in the city council chambers.  Stepping out onto the balcony off the council chambers, I found myself staring down at the square, where my peons were all hustling about doing their daily errands.  It took everything I had not to break into ”Don’t cry for me Argentina”!

            Then onto lunch (there’s that food fixation again, but this time it’s totally deserved).  We had asked our guide if she could recommend a good local place to eat, and she suggested “Grandma’s Place”.  All I knew was that it was in a church, but you cannot imagine my surprise when we drive out to the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nothing but hazlenut groves, and pull up to the most picturesque stone church, complete with a brightly-coloured wildflower garden and geese wandering around.  That postcard in your head?  Think even cuter and you’d get this place.  A giant table was set up for all of us in some sort of cellar, and we were then served the most incredible three-course lunch (OMG… so much food… but so insanely good… try the stuffed peppers), all for only EUR$11!  All I kept thinking is that this would be the perfect place to send someone for a destination wedding (assuming I could ever find it again), as you could get married in the adjacent chapel, then have a reception here in the cellar with the best food ever.  And after lunch we toured the chapel (from it’s quaint exterior you’d never expect the modernist, crayola coloured 60’s murals inside), where our guide showed us the perfect accoustics by singing Ave Maria.  Goosebumps.

              Stuffed beyond all function, it was onward to Terragona, home of “the most Roman ruins within it’s municipality outside of Rome”.  And that’s not just a tag line.  At first it seems like a very modern city, until you turn the corner and find yourself staring at the giant stone anfiteatro balanced on a cliff over the Med.  All we needed were gladiators on chariots, and it would have been perfect.   There were a lot of ancient stone walls scattered haphazardly throughout the city center, and every time you turned a corner you had to be careful not to trip over another archaeological treasure.  City hall doesn’t have public washrooms, though, according to the guard who escorted me out.  There’s also a spectacular cathedral, this one reminding me a lot of Notre Dame in Paris, with it’s tiered entryway, each tier supported by a sculpted saint.   Very cool.

          That night I used what was left of my energy to repack, as the next morning we flew home.  The trip had gone so fast, but, as I wasn’t with my loved ones and had visions of minibars and in-room safes floating through my head from all the hotel inspections, I was kind of ready to go home.  I loved Spain, though, and emailed home on that last day in Barcelona that “we totally have to come back here!  It’s awesome, you’ll love it!”  

                  So my souvenirs, tan and I are now back in Vancouver.  Well, not all of the souvenirs, as the smoked meat I bought for the Boyfriend was confiscated by security.  He’ll deal, but it will take time and therapy    This Spanish Flygirl is already making plans, now that I’ve caught the Spain bug, there is so much more that I want to see.   

         Oh, and I did learn a ton of handy stuff for work, too.

Tags: BlogSherpa, church, gaudi, Reus, ruins, shopping, statue, Terragona, tourist

Spain trip reloaded: Barcelona hotels

        Got back from Spain a day ago and am still overcoming the jet lag.  I swear it hits me harder from Europe with just it’s nine-hour time change than it does with 16 hours in Asia.  I’m falling asleep standing up at this point.  Need caffiene – stat!

          So now it’s time for a trip recap, picking up where I left off:

         It’s the giant “tour every possible hotel and then, when you think it’s done, tour another one” walking tour day.  Starting off at 8am, we hit the Sunotel Central, Century Park, Aston, Junior, Evenia Rosello and the Barcelona Centre.  I would book clients into any of these, the rooms were nice, clean, and the properties were more modern than I had expected for a European city centre.  The Barcelona Center was particularly impressive, all beautiful black and white marble mixed with super-luxurious furnishings (and this is not swayed at all by the free glass of champagne they gave us, because, as a non-drinker, it turned my cheeks embarassing flaming red and everyone asked me if I was okay).  It would be the perfect place for a wedding reception, it would photograph so well.

           By now our feet were starting to feel the mileage, so we stopped for a classic Spanish tapas lunch at the Cervesceria Catalana.  The ambiance was cool, with wine and olive oil bottles lining the walls library-style, but tapas is not my thing.  I don’t eat seafood and am not a huge meat fan in general, so I took one look at the menu and knew I was relegated to eating the smallest sandwich known to man while my coworkers passed around these giant bowls of octopus parts and deep fried heads-on shrimp.  Can you say bill, please?

             Then we were back pounding the pavement, seeing the incredible Casa Fuster (OMG, this hotel is spectacular.  Seriously.  Google it, it’s worth it), right on the Passage de Gracia.  The Gods then intervened and brought a bus to take us to the beachfront to see the Front Maratim and H10 Marina, then finally Catalonia Princessa and Citidines Las Ramblas.  Dinner was an interesting appitizer spread (seafood on sticks, deep fried veggie chips and gummy bears were amongst the options) at the H10 – this was designed as a snack, but I was ready to gnaw off a limb at this point, so I took advantage of the free food and went for it.  I love gummy bears

              The work ended at 830, and I took one look at Las Ramblas and found a second wind.  It was the lure of shopping.  Finally crashed at midnight, exhausted, but with some great souvenirs!

Tags: Barcelona, BlogSherpa, hotels, Jet lag, seafood, shopping, tapas