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Buenos Aires: More than Steak and Alcohol

I am always surprised when something I didn’t expect blows me away when I travel. I shouldn’t be, it happens every damn time. While traveling Buenos Aires, one of those moments came to me. “Wow, Architecture!”

Everyone knows if you want to party, drink fine wine and eat a steak grilled to perfection, Buenos Aires is the place to be. But you might be as surprised as I was by the pure beauty in the city they call “Good Air”.

I went to Buenos Aires for the first time not too long ago. Getting off the plane and into a taxi I wasn’t too impressed right off the bat. Like many South American cities the slums are hard to avoid and a harsh reality for many. I tried to quiet my friends that were virgins to South America. One pointed to the slums proclaiming “FLAVELA, FLAVELA” innocently trying to make conversation with the taxi driver. A word he must have heard me use referring to Brazil’s slums. Me in the front seat of the taxi and translator, I saw out of t he corner of my eye the taxi driver look over at me and give me a look like “tell your friend to shut up.” I kept looking forward and soon tried to change the subject to soccer.

It’s true, right out of the airport you do see slums on the right side. But don’t make judgments quite yet.

During the day I walked around, went the Pink House and then walked the stretch to the Palace of Congress (link). The beauty of the buildings took me back. When I thought of Buenos Aires I didn’t think architecture, nonetheless European architecture.

Buenos Aires was settled by a Spanish conquistador Pedro de Mendoza(link) in the early 1500s. So much of the architecture comes from the Spanish, which gives walking down modern day Buenos Aires a European flavor.

I ran into a group of architecture students from Cornell University which showed me around a bit. They showed me everything from the structure of the Congress building to the modern art structures in the city. Make sure to stop by the Plaza de Mayo it is surrounded by beautiful architecture. The Teatro Colón was one of my favorite. But beware of the street vendors in the area. They are quick to ask you for a buck, and offten.

The modern art in Buenos Aires is a must see. The Floralis Generica was the most beautiful piece of art I saw during my trip.

All in all, don’t let the pure beauty of the city pass you by. It will suck you in. And the graffiti was just as great!

Travel Picture of The Day

Travel picture of the day by Mokshi via Flickr.
Mountain view - View Point At Munnar, Kerala. Munnar is a town known for its tea estates - started during the British Era. This is where most of our (Tata) tea comes from.

A Walk on The Moon

I'm not much of a poet, but here is one I wrote about travel for one of my advanced poetry classes. :) enjoy.. Tell me what you think. Comment below. I can't believe I'm putting this up here. lol

A Walk on The Moon
By: David Iba

Walking takes more than feet. You need legs attached to those feet.
Well, mine do.
Seeing takes more than eyes. You need glasses to see
Well, I do

People, They need more than food to survive
I bet you I could live off of Top Ramen for months
And I have

They also need adventure
Well, I do
I could walk the path to everywhere all day

If I could meet the people of the moon
I would
But it takes more than money

A mother of two in a train station once asked me where
I was going and where I had been

Memories of the sun dripping
onto the beach in Australia were vivid
a slip n side glacier in Argentina still made me shiver
and a stalactite the shape of a castle in Ireland came to mind

“The Moon” I said

I proved it by showing her my pack

She put it on and felt the weight of Tibet
stained her shirt with Brazilian dirt
and sand from a French beach sprinkled her shoes.

“The Moon must be nice this time of year”
She said with the pack still on

“It takes more than money” I said
“It takes legs on your feet
and glasses to see”
Well, for me it does

The Swizzle: The Only Restaurant in Bermuda That Matters

Your first priority on your Bermuda vacation probably will be to kick back at the beach. From the Horseshoe Bay to Elbow beach, there are some amazing beaches and the pink sand is gorgeous.

After a long day at the beach I found myself looking for some good food. And because I only allowed myself to eat out once a day I had to find the best place in town that fit my budget. (Bermuda is very expensive) I found a place that was absolutely amazing. The Swizzle! It happens to be Bermuda's oldest restaurant and pub. The second you walk in to the restaurant you’ll notice that its decorations come from many years of visitors. The décor ranges from business cards stapled to the walls, graffiti, and names carved into the wood of the tables which gives The Swizzle a rare feel all it’s own, one you won’t find many other places in the world.

At the The Swizzle you can get anything from Burgers to a nice Portuguese bean soup, I had just about everything on the menu but the Swizzle burger was my favorite. When we got there the first time, my buddy was a little hung over and the waitress even brewed up some drink for him that totally killed his hangover!

If you like rum, you are in luck. The Swizzle has an in-house drink called the “The Rum Swizzle.” This drink is a beautiful blend of two types of Rum, Triple sec, Falernum (sweater), pineapple juice, orange juice, lemon juice, and finally, a bit of angostura bitters. This blend is not only unique to Bermuda but exclusive to The Swizzle Inn.

The original Swizzle Inn is located not too far from the airport and any taxi driver will know exactly where to drop you off. Just ask to go to The Swizzle. Recently there has been a second Swizzle to open up. Its on the other side of the island really close to the beach on the south shore.

When in Bermuda, The Swizzle is a must visit location. http://www.swizzleinn.com/

There's More Than One Form of Dirt-Cheap Lodging

When considering lodgings, hostels often are the first thing that come to the minds of traveler looking to save a bit of money. While hostels can be cheap and inexpensive, don’t be afraid to roll your sleeping bag out on a beach, it may save you 15 bucks a day. In some countries that extra cash can prolong your travels by weeks.

By all means, stay in as many hostels as you want. They are full of kids your same age with the same agenda in mind: see the world. For the most part they are very cheap and a good way to save money. I’ve stayed many hostels and have loved every minute of it. But don’t only set your sights at hostels when trying to save some extra cash. Many people take the route of couch surfing. If you’ve never heard of it, it’s worth checking out. Basically in a nut shell you sign up on a website, you figure out where you are going and you can meet people online that are willing to let you sleep on their couch… FOR FREE! Apparently in Europe this is very common. You can meet up with the person first and decide if you (trust them) want to sleep on their couch. I have friends that have done this and they have all told me that it’s totally safe and have loved every minute. When you go to the website (www.couchsurfing.org) its set up similar to any networking website such as Facebook or myspace. You can see the person and read reviews from past couch tenants on any host. This is a great way to travel cheap, save money and see the world, 234 countries to be exact.

Ok, this next website I found is new to me but might appeal some. This website called www.wwoof.org (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms). Summed up, WWOOF.org publishes lists of organic farms, smallholdings and gardeners that welcome volunteer help at certain times. The diversity of hosts available offers a large variety of tasks and experiences. You could be digging a ditch for a farmer in China, picking apples for a farmer in Germany or herding sheep for a Sheppard in Mongolia. The good part about this is the host family provides you with all your food and shelter during your stay. The arrangements of how long you stay is worked out with the host family and the volunteer. This is a great way to travel, get free food and lodging and helping people along the way. Although you will have to work for it.

So, check out:

Hostels at: www.hostelworld.com

Couch Surfing at: www.Couchsurfing.org

Wwoofing at: www.wwoof.org

Teresopolis in Rio de Janeiro Brazil. Get Out of The Big City

In my three years living in Brazil I've seen a lot and been to a lot. Rio de Janeiro is the at the helm of amazing Brazilian entertainment and fantastic food. Although there is a place that isn't too far from the downtown streets of Rio that get very little attention. Its called Teresopolis. This off the beaten path city is one of the most beautiful cities I've ever been to. It was explained to me as a "locals secret". Many Brazilian celebrities make it their home away from home as well as it is the headquarters for the Brazilian national soccer team's practice field. Teresopolis offers great hiking, amazing architecture, stunning mountains, beautiful waterfalls, and a culture all it's own. Did I mention it gives a view of the city that can't be matched? Its situated up in the mountains above Rio and gives a beautiful shot of the city if you can get up high enough. The famous "Dedo de Deus" (Finger of God) is right up close to the city. This is a must see location and it gets you out of the city for a few days. The ride up the mountain is worth the journey alone.

Thing I wish I knew about traveling to Matchu Pitcchu before I left

I flew to Peru on a whim. It was a great idea and I didn't even spend that much money. There are a few thing that I wish I would have known before I went. First off, I bought the "Lonely Planet" book on the way to the airport. I just wish I would have read it before I landed.

When we landed the first thing we saw was an Money exchange booth that said "No Commission", I wasn't sure if that was true or not but I exchanged my money. Then I heard a guy yell out "OFFICIAL TAXI!" I guess I assumed that all taxi rides were going to be the same price. I was wrong. I paid about 40 USD to get to my hostel that was about a 15 minute ride. I later found out that on the way back to the airport a ride in a "regular taxi" was about 2 USD. I got suckered.

I did read that it was worth it to take the flight to Cusco from Lima but you could save some money by taking a bus. So, naturally I took the bus. TWENTY hours later we got to Cusco. Bad idea to take the bus. You can't go #2 on the bus, only #1. They didn't stop the whole time.

Once we got to Cusco we were able to get around fine and stayed at a great hostel. When you buy a ticket to go to Matchu Pitcchu and if you are a student make sure you bring your student ID and it must have an expiration date. So, make sure yours does.

You can either hike from a small city outside of Cusco for 4 days to get the Matchu Pitcchu or take a 2 hr train ride. We hiked and it was amazing. Hike for sure if you are up for it. You can get packages for around 130 bucks. Not bad and that includes a guide, lodging, and food while you are up there. Great deal.

When you get to the city of Matchu Pitcchu that sits below the bottom of the ruins you can take a bus to the top to check them out or hike. Many people in my group hiked. I took the bus. Four days of hiking killed me.

Matchu Pitcchu is worth every minute of the 4 day hike. Take your time along the way. The Andies are amazing.

Things I wish I did different

1. If you have to leave the airport don't take the "Offical Taxi
   
2. Take a flight to Cusco. Not the 2o hour bus.
3. Make sure you have your student ID with a expiration date on it.
4. Don't book your Matchu Pitcchu tour online, book it when you get there.

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DavesTravels

Time to start blogging about my trip. I'm going to Asia, all of it. And Australia. Follow me my travel Twitter @davestravels