"Milestones" GentleSpirit's Profile

I was fortunate enough to have grown up in several different places- Central and South America, Asia and the U.S. Along the way I gained exposure for many cultures, ways of life, religions and philosophies.

I was born in Washington DC but my father's career took our family overseas. First was Latin America....3 tours in Honduras (including one during the Soccer War with El Salvador). Guatemala, Costa Rica, Bolivia Chile (we were there for the 1965 earthquake) Later we were moved to Asia, to Thailand and the Philippines. Along the way we got to stop to see other countries, a zillion museums (or so it seemed at the time), amazing landscapes and a few of the world's wonders.

I have never gotten tired of traveling. It is always enjoyable to see the grand and breathtaking places and things you find in the guidebooks and photographs. Just as enjoyable to me are the smaller, out of the way places with their unique traditions, folk art, and especially the warmth of its people. Just as memorable are the small acts of kindness others have offered to me in my travels....the daily acts of courage i have witnessed.

It is always a pleasure to hear about other people's experiences. Having lived in a lot of places I never got to experience them as a tourist. I love seeing the major sites but I have a special attraction to places with lots of history and opportunities to go out and enjoy nature.

Because of work and pet care, I usually only have about 2-3 weeks to travel at a time. Though I like to do and see plenty during my vacations, this does NOT mean that I try to cram too much into a limited time. I've seen people running themselves ragged while on vacation trying to see 5 or 6 major European cities in a week and a half, ultimately seeing little and feeling unsatisfied. This sort of thing does not work for me.

As much as possible, I like to stay pretty close to the center when choosing accommodation. Also important are how long I'm staying in a place, setting, access to transportation. Usually, the longer I'm staying in a place the more important comfort is. For a one night stay, for example, most anyplace will do fine. If the place I'm visiting is a particularly spectacular setting I will be more willing to splurge on nicer accommodation.
Access to public transport is as essential to me as location is. A very nice hotel in a difficult to reach location requires additional time and expense that is very often not worth it to me.
Is price important? Well sure, to an extent. I am not tied to staying in a 4 star hotel nor a hostel. I look for somewhere that is clean, comfortable and easy to reach. I stay in the nicest hotel (or whatever) that i can for the price, but bear in mind that nicest doesn't necessarily mean luxurious. Especially in places where there is lots to do, I assume that I will be spending the largest part of the day doing stuff, thus not spending much time at the hotel anyway.

Likewise with restaurants. I'm not a food critic or some high society dude that needs to only eat at the most fashionable places in town. I want a culinary experience that will expose me to the local food. I have had great meals from street vendors and from highly rated restaurants

This year's trip was a sequel to last year's tour of the grand capitals of Central Europe..Budapest, Prague and Berlin. Berlin was especially memorable since it was the first time I had been back since unification.

This year I started in Krakow before hiking in the Tatras and seeing some of what Slovakia has to offer. From there I crossed the border into the Czech Republic to spend a few days in Olomouc before ending the trip in Prague.

Besides the great religious art, history there were more opportunities to get away into nature. It was also a chance to go farther away from the usual tourist stops. I feel particularly blessed that I got a wonderful chance to meet more locals this year- I was impressed by their warmth and generosity in showing me a glimpse of their lives and their countries.

2010- Budapest, Prague, Berlin Garmisch
There was something magical about Budapest, I loved the too brief time I spent there and can't wait to go back. Prague- everything i expected and quite a bit more. Where you stay and when you go makes a big difference.
Berlin-some of the greatest museums in the world, got to spend some time with my aunt.

2007-The Canadian Rockies
For many years I had gazed in wonder at the lovely pictures of the Canadian rockies and hoped to one day put aside the time to see it for myself. On Sept. 19 this year I finally landed in Canada and it was every bit as magnificent as i had imagined. There were two days in Vancouver at the start of the journey..then across British Columbia to Alberta and the exploration of Banff and Jasper National Parks. The scenery was just breathtaking and I can't wait to go back for a longer trip.

Argentina- 2 1/2 weeks exploring Northern Argentina. Landing in Buenos Aires I went on to Cordoba. Just outside of Cordoba was the PN Quebrada del Condorcito where one can view the magnificent Andean condor. After seeing the Jesuit missions of Cordoba I took the bus to Salta. Took two tours of the area, one exploring the southern reaches, the other going all the way up to San Antonio de los Cobres and the puna. I stayed in Purmamarca and explored Tilcara and the Humahuaca gorge before going back to Buenos Aires for a few days at the end of the trip.

Bariloche, Argentina
Yosemite National Park, California
New Zealand
Paris
The Canadian Rockies

1. Macchu Picchu- to hike the Inca trail and photograph this awesome place.
2. Petra, Jordan
3. The pyramids of Egypt- a fascinating culture
4. Tikal, Guatemala
5. The Great Wall of China
6. The fjords of Norway
7. Angkor Wat