hostels - Blogs - Tripatini2024-03-29T09:10:53Zhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/hostelsSocial Media Drives East Europe Indie Travelhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/social-media-drives-east-europe-indie-travel2013-05-07T13:50:58.000Z2013-05-07T13:50:58.000ZKaleel Sakakeenyhttps://tripatini.com/members/KaleelSakakeeny<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008767498,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="460" class="align-right" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008767498,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008767498?profile=original" /></a><em>by <a href="http://backpackers-flashpackers.net/" target="_blank">Hardie Karges</a> and <a href="http://www.newmediatravel.com" target="_blank">Kaleel Sakakeeny</a></em></p><p>(please watch the 1-min Video PostCard below) <br /> <br /> Twenty years after the fall of communism, tourism is finally on the rise in Eastern Europe, and for those in the know, it’s the number one tourist destination in the world—cheap, beautiful, and friendly. <strong>So why is it so hard to find a budget hotel in a region where incomes are still only half that of the West? </strong> <br /> <br /> <strong>Mostly, people are looking in the wrong places. </strong><br /> <br /> The government-related agencies are now deeply into social media to make the quest easier. For example, the <a href="http://www.slovenia.info" target="_blank">Slovenian Tourist Board</a> uses no fewer than eight sites to promote tourism there, a little gem of a country in ex-Yugoslavia.<br /><br /> <a href="http://www.czechtourism.com" target="_blank">The Czech Republic</a>, an easy weekend trip from the West, has at least four social media accounts, <strong>posts 5-6 times per day on its FaceBook page in multiple languages, and has 85,000 likes; even little brother Slovakia (<a href="http://www.slovakia.travel">www.slovakia.travel</a>) has 4000 likes and posts every day.</strong><br /> <br /> Leave it to Latin-linked rural-based Romania to uphold traditions. “Romania is natural, cultural and authentic and we are trying hard to also be authentic in the use of the social media,” according to Simion Alb, a spokesperson at the Romanian Tourism Office in the US. Feel free to direct tweets on that subject too. It’s like a parallel reality of social media. They didn’t have Twitter and FaceBook to help them win the wars. But they can certainly use it to win the peace.<br /> <br /> But one axiom remains : <strong>If travelers want to meet local people then they should go to hostels</strong>, usually mom-and-pop operations frequently located in and around the city center. There you’ll meet people from all over the world, too. And rooms are cheap, $10-20 for a dorm bed, maybe twice that for a private room.<br /> <br /> Sometime the problem is finding them. Not online; the places themselves, physically. Maybe there's only a sticker by the doorbell indicating the business within. <span style="font-size:13px;">They’re very easy to find online, though: on hostel-booking sites like </span><a href="http://www.hostelbookers.com/" target="_blank" style="font-size:13px;">Hostelbookers</a> <span style="font-size:13px;">Then of course there is always </span><span style="font-size:13px;">TripAdvisor, FaceBook, Air BnB - and various Socialsmedia platforms.</span><br /> <br /> Regardless of how travelers get their information on East Europe...Social media or traditional media... be sure you go!</p><p><br /> image courtesy travelingted.com<br /></p><p><br /> Video link <a href="http://youtu.be/SZ83vuJD2sg">http://youtu.be/SZ83vuJD2sg</a><br /><br /></p><p>Watch the 1-Minute Video Postcard</p><p></p><p><object width="560" height="315" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data="http://www.youtube.com/v/SZ83vuJD2sg?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="false" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SZ83vuJD2sg?version=3&hl=en_US" ></param><param name="" value="" ></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param><embed wmode="opaque" width="560" height="315" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SZ83vuJD2sg?version=3&hl=en_US" allowscriptaccess="never" allownetworking="internal"></embed> </object></p><p></p><p></p></div>Semana Santa in a Remote Mexican Fishing Villagehttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/semana-santa-in-a-remote-mexican-fishing-village2013-04-10T20:12:15.000Z2013-04-10T20:12:15.000ZEarl Hardie Kargeshttps://tripatini.com/members/EarlHardieKarges<div><p>(part 2 of 2, for more pictures see <a href="http://backpackers-flashpackers.net/2013/04/08/semana-santa-in-a-remote-mexican-fishing-village/" target="_blank">here</a>)</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008765691,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-left" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008765691,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="448" alt="9008765691?profile=original" /></a>First you have to realize that Puerto Lobos is not your typical Mexican coastal beach town, with <i>palapas</i> and <i>cabanas, mar y sol, margaritas, mojitos</i> and <i>chicas</i> in bikinis. Oh sure, there’s a beach… miles of it, in fact. And there are plenty of structures there, too. Some people actually live there; others visit on holidays from the big city. And there are even a few <i>chicas</i> playing there, also, most of them under six years old. After that age they have to go to school, all in the same tiny schoolhouse, with one infinitely adjustable teacher. </p><p> </p><p>You see, this is old Mexico, the one that time almost forgot. No, they don’t wear <i>huipiles</i> and <i>quexquemitls</i>, the <i>indumentaria</i> <i>autoctona</i> of the native Amerindians. No, this is just dirt-poor Mexico of the near-past, an almost vanishing species, now that the country is rapidly developing and joining the ranks of modern nations, 50<sup>th</sup> wealthiest last time I checked (yes, I really checked). Seri Indians live not far down the road, true, but they’re something else again, and some bad-ass <i>hijos de putas</i> by rep. They’d have to be to survive as die-hard full-bloods in this day and age of cheap temptations and expensive tastes. </p><p> </p><p>But they don’t come here; that’s another world. No, these are mostly poor fishermen and oyster shuckers with a few drug runners thrown in to spice up the mix. And there are even a few Americans here, mostly Arizonans, with vacation cribs and holiday hangouts, ambitions mostly checked safely at the door. This is pretty much a dead-end road… but at least it’s paved now. That only happened two years ago. Electricity is coming in little by little. That’s too bad in a way; before that the government gave out free solar panels. There’s even a cell-phone tower now. Civilization is creeping in.</p><p> </p><p>But all considerations of the beach village as a thing in and of itself are pretty much put on hold when <i>semana santa</i> (Holy Week, i.e. Good Friday, Easter, etc.) rolls around. That’s when the hordes roll in—mostly city people, or should I say, citi<i>fied</i> people, mostly from Caborca—and they pretty much take over the town. The favorite activity seems to be the systematic desecration and destruction of the landscape, particularly of the local estuary, supposedly protected by the government, but… what government? City cops from Caborca and state cops from Hermosillo come in just for the week, and they’ve been known to nap. </p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile ATV’s and jeeps and pickups specially outfitted for the occasion wait patiently for the tide waters to recede, then one by one try their luck with the muck, spinning and sliding and slinging dirt by the backhoe-full, the more the better by local custom, the better to sling upon the audience, some of the more adventurous standing purposefully too close to the action. It’s a recipe for disaster. Somebody could get hurt. </p><p> </p><p>The native birds are amazing, though. As long as there is any water still standing, they’ll try to stand their ground, on spindly reverse-jointed legs, that speak of some remote lineage that includes flamingos. When the water finally recedes totally, they can no longer compete with gumbo mud tires and double Holley 4-barrel carburetors. And I thought carburetors were extinct. Not in Mexico. Volkswagen Beetles were produced in Mexico until 2004. They cruised the capital as taxis until… three months ago. Welcome to Mexico. </p><p> </p><p>We locals—yes, now I’m a local—don’t think much of the holiday proceedings. Otherwise it’s a pretty chill spot on a pretty turbed-out globe. The holidays just bring in the worst of the outside world and stick it right in the locals’ face. Even the drug dealers don’t mess with the locals. You don’t poop in your parking spot. In addition to the twenty or so species of birds, there are also a healthy family of local dolphins, and the occasional whale that’s taken a wrong turn at the cape and entered the Sea of Cortez instead of heading up the coast. Sometimes they don’t make it, and wash up on the beach. Apparently this is the second-most extreme rise-and-fall of tide levels in the world, also. It’s like a living breathing organism. </p><p> </p><p>About the time I caught myself disgustedly thinking of the festivities, “I’d shut it down,” that’s exactly what the cops did, momentarily at least, routing traffic back down the beach—the actual beach, mind you—and away from the estuary. I don’t think for a moment that they’re concerned about the birds, of course. They’re probably more concerned about someone getting killed, like one of the eight-year-olds cutting up on brand-new ATV’s or one of the drunks blocking the driveway to where I’m staying. It’s not getting any better. </p><p> </p><p>Still, for a local, I guess it’s nice to have some street food for a change, like county-fair food in Mexico—<i>elotes</i>, <i>tacos,</i> and <i>churros</i> straight from the deep-fry pan. Don’t forget the <i>huaraches</i>. They look just like the ones I’m wearing, and I could use some new ones. It’s not so good for a vegetarian, though, real meat smells, pungent and wafting, hard to resist. At times it seems like a Grateful Dead show gone horribly wrong. Other times it seems like some giant anthropological experiment. Still other times it seems like the Mexican equivalent of the Neshoba County Fair back home where I was born in rural Mississippi (as if there were an urban Mississippi), in some parallel universe that I’ve been privileged to witness.</p><p> </p><p>All good things must come to an end, of course, so when I get an offer straight through to Arizona, I go for it. I might miss a day or so of proceedings, but that’s okay. Destruction of environment and precious wetlands is not high on my list of priorities. It’s unique, true, but some things, if not most, are best without being belabored. Plus, I tend to get assigned the role of hard-ass when it comes time to read the riot act to the trespassers, since my Spanish tends to be the best of our group. It’ll get old soon, negotiating with drunks.</p><p> </p><p>And the ride back goes like a dream, through the Sonora Desert, through the numerous checkpoints, through the border, through Organ Pipe National Monument, through the strange semi-comatose little town of Ajo, down I-10 into Phoenix. The 3pm bus to LA doesn’t leave for a couple hours. They say it’s full, so I buy a late-night bus ticket. I don’t want to get in to LA after midnight. It’s scary enough during the day. I get on the 3pm bus anyway, old trick of the bus trade. We get in at 10pm. The city bus comes at 10:05. I’m home before 11. So much for Mexico. I’ll be back.</p><p></p><p>Hardie Karges is the author of two books called: “Backpackers & Flashpackers In Western Europe: 500 Hostels in 100 Cities in 25 Countries” and “Backpackers & Flashpackers In Eastern Europe: 500 Hostels in 100 Cities in 25 Countries,” currently available online at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hardie-Karges/e/B00730K1XG" target="_blank">Amazon</a>.</p></div>Friends hostel on Bankovksy in St.Petersburghttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/friends-hostel-on-bankovksy-in-st-petersburg2013-02-19T08:03:21.000Z2013-02-19T08:03:21.000ZSergei Frhttps://tripatini.com/members/SergeiFr<div><h1><a href="http://en.friendsplace.ru/" target="_blank">Friends on Bankovsky</a></h1><p>St Petersburg, Bankovsky pereulok, 3</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008757461,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008757461,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="528" alt="9008757461?profile=original" /></a></p><p>The Friends group’s first Petersburg hostel. On each floor there are shower cabins with a constant supply of hot water as well as shared toilets and sinks, all of which are kept clean by our attentive staff of cleaners. For the safety of our guests the building enjoys 24-hour video surveillance. The rooms sleep up from 2 to 6 people.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008757659,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008757659,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="528" alt="9008757659?profile=original" /></a></p><p>Each room has a wardrobe, a fold-down table, folding chairs, a mirror, a TV set, a rug, bunk beds (or single beds). In some private rooms there’s also a comfortable sofa. In dorms there are also lockable lockers for the personal belongings.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008757688,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008757688,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="528" alt="9008757688?profile=original" /></a></p><p>The Kazan Cathedral – 400m, The Haymarket – 400m, Gostiny Dvor Shopping Centre – 400m, Nevsky Prospekt – 400m, The Church on the Spilled Blood – 1000m, Palace Square – 1000m, The Hermitage – 1000m, St Isaac’s Cathedral – 1100m, The Russian Museum – 1200m, The Mariinsky Theatre – 1700m. <br /> Nearest Metro Stations: Sennaya, Sadovaya, Spasskaya - 500m, Gostiny Dvor - 700m</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008757499,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008757499,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="528" alt="9008757499?profile=original" /></a></p><h2>Private room (2+1+sofa) - 10 rooms</h2><h2>Private room (1+1+sofa) - 7 rooms</h2><h2>Private room (2+1) - 3 rooms</h2><h2>Private room (1+1) - 3 rooms</h2><h2>Dorm room (4) - 2 rooms</h2><h2>Dorm room (6) - 2 rooms</h2><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008758479,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008758479,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="528" alt="9008758479?profile=original" /></a></p><p><b>Rates start from 400 rubles for dorms, from 1000 rubles for private rooms.</b></p><p><strong>Bookings:</strong></p><p>tel.: +7 812 331 7799 (daily, 09:00-21:00)<br /> e-mail: <a href="mailto:mail@friendsplace.ru">booking@friendsplace.ru</a><br /> skype: <a>friends-booking</a></p><p><strong>Contacts of the hostel:</strong></p><p><b>191023, St Petersburg, Bankovsky pereulok, 3<br /> tel.: +7 812 310 4950,<br /> fax: +7 812 310 4955<br /> e-mail: <a href="mailto:mail@friendsplace.ru">mail@friendsplace.ru<br /></a> skype: <a>friends_spb</a></b></p></div>Friends hostel on Griboedova in St.Petersburghttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/friends-hostel-on-griboedova-in-st-petersburg2013-02-19T07:56:57.000Z2013-02-19T07:56:57.000ZSergei Frhttps://tripatini.com/members/SergeiFr<div><p><b>Friends on Griboedova</b> <a href="http://en.friendsplace.ru/" target="_blank">Hostel in St.Petersburg</a></p><p>Opened in April 2011, the Friends on Griboyedov Hostel offers 39 rooms for 200 guests. The hotel is in a peaceful courtyard on the embankment of the Griboyedov Canal, a minute walk to Nevsky Prospekt with its crowds, cafes and shops. Some rooms boat superb canal & Kazan Cathedral views.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008756883,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008756883,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="528" alt="9008756883?profile=original" /></a></p><p>Range of comfortable private and dorm rooms, clean bed linens, free wireless as well as computers for guest use, free national and international phone calls, washing machines, an iron, three fully equipped kitchens, free tea, coffee and a never-ending supply of biscuits, free postcards, envelopes and stamps, board games, library.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008756900,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008756900,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="528" alt="9008756900?profile=original" /></a></p><p>Each room has a wardrobe, a fold-down table, folding chairs, a mirror, a TV set & a rug. The beds are bunk beds. There’s also a comfortable sofa bed that sleeps two. Bathroom facilities are shared and can be found in the corridor. </p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008757282,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008757282,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="264" alt="9008757282?profile=original" /></a></p><p>Almost all the major sights of St Petersburg are located within easy walking distance of the hotel: Kazan Cathedral - 50m,Nevsky Prospekt - 70m,Dom Knigi Bookshop - 100m,Gostiny Dvor Shopping Centre - 200m,Church on the Spilled Blood - 500m,Russian Museum - 500m,The Hermitage - 900m,St Isaac’s Cathedral - 1000m,Mariinsky Theatre - 1900m. Nearest Metro Stations:Gostiny Dvor (Griboyedov Canal exit) - 100m, Nevsky Prospect - 200m</p><h2><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008757091,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008757091,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="528" alt="9008757091?profile=original" /></a>Private room (2+1+sofa) -14 rooms</h2><h2>Private room (2+sofa) - 16 rooms</h2><h2>Private room (2+1) - 1 room</h2><h2>Dorm room (4) - 2 rooms</h2><h2>Dorm room (6) - 4 rooms</h2><h2>Dorm room (8) - 2 rooms</h2><p> </p><p>191023, St Petersburg, Griboedov channel, 20<br /> tel: +7 812 571 0151,<br /> fax: +7 812 571 0158 <br /> e-mail: <a href="mailto:griboedov@friendsplace.ru">griboedov@friendsplace.ru</a><br /> skype: <a>Friends_Griboedova</a></p></div>Friends hostel in St.Petersburg - friendly place for real friendshttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/friends-hostel-in-st-petersburg-friendly-place-for-real-friends2013-02-18T13:35:18.000Z2013-02-18T13:35:18.000ZSergei Frhttps://tripatini.com/members/SergeiFr<div><p>Named after the famous TV show, the hostel chain “Friends” offers budget & cool accommodation in the center of St.Petersburg. All four locations are great: Friends on Griboedova, Friends on Bankovsky, Friends on Nevsky, Friends on Vosstania.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008752290,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008752290,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008752290?profile=original" /></a></p><p>Almost all the major sights of St Petersburg are located within easy walking distance of the hostels. Range of comfortable private and dorm rooms, clean bed linens...<a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008752861,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008752861,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="528" alt="9008752861?profile=original" /></a></p><p>Free wireless as well as computers for guest use, free national and international phone calls, washing machines, an iron, fully equipped kitchens, free tea, coffee and a never-ending supply of biscuits, free postcards, envelopes and stamps, board games, library.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008753070,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008753070,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="528" alt="9008753070?profile=original" /></a></p><p>Bathroom facilities are shared and can be found in the corridor. </p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9296573501,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9296573501,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="528" alt="9296573501?profile=original" /></a></p><p>Rates start from 400 rubles for dorms, from 1000 rubles for private rooms. There are all male, all female and mixed versions of dorms.</p><p></p><p>24 hour reception with english speaking staff</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008753681,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008753681,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="528" alt="9008753681?profile=original" /></a></p><p>Bookings:</p><p>tel.: +7 812 331 7799 (daily, 09:00-21:00)</p><p>e-mail: booking@friendsplace.ru</p><p>skype: friends-booking</p><p></p><p><a href="http://en.friendsplace.ru" target="_blank">http://en.friendsplace.ru/</a></p><p></p></div>Friends hostel on Vosstania in St.Petersburghttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/friends-hostel-on-vosstania-in-st-petersburg2013-02-19T08:10:06.000Z2013-02-19T08:10:06.000ZSergei Frhttps://tripatini.com/members/SergeiFr<div><h1><a href="http://en.friendsplace.ru/" target="_blank">Friends on Vosstaniya</a></h1><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008750674,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008750674,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="528" alt="9008750674?profile=original" /></a></p><p>St Petersburg, Vosstaniya street, 11</p><p><strong>Bookings:</strong></p><p>tel.: +7 812 331 7799 (daily, 09:00-21:00)<br /> e-mail: <a href="mailto:mail@friendsplace.ru">booking@friendsplace.ru</a><br /> skype: <a>friends-booking</a></p><p><strong>Contacts of the hostel:</strong></p><p>191014, St Petersburg, Vosstaniya street, 11<br /> tel.: +7 812 401 6155<br /> fax: +7 812 401 6154<br /> e-mail: <a href="mailto:mail@friendsplace.ru">v11@friendsplace.ru<br /></a> skype: <a>friends_v11</a></p><p>Our newest and biggest property, Friends on Vosstaniya opened in late 2012, and like all our hotels, it’s located right in the middle of St Petersburg and just moments from Nevsky Prospekt: Ploshchad Vosstaniya - 200m, Anichkov Bridge - 800m, Moscow Station -350m, Alexander Nevsky Monastery - 1.5km, The Hermitage - 3km, Nevsky Prospekt - 200m. Nearest Metro: Ploshchad Vosstaniya – 150m.</p><p> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008751058,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008751058,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="263" alt="9008751058?profile=original" /></a></p><p>Friends on Vosstaniya takes up the entire building of house 11 on Vosstaniya street. New arrivals can enter the hotel by using the entry phone system, while those who have already checked in can use their key card to open the main door. Reception is on the second floor as well as a cosy and spacious common room complete with a large plasma screen TV and table football.</p><p> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008751253,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008751253,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="528" alt="9008751253?profile=original" /></a></p><p>There are 37 separate double rooms in the hotel, and in three of these it’s possible to sleep a third person. The rooms are all distinguished by their bright design, their practical layouts and their comfortable choice of furnishings. Each room has a hanger, a fold-down table, folding chairs or stools, a mirror, a TV set, a rug and one double queen size bed. Bathroom facilities are shared and can be found in the corridor. The eight 12-bed dorms are quite spacious, with bed sheets and towels included in the price, along with views onto the street below. There are all male, all female and mixed versions of dorms. There are bunk beds, a table, folding chairs or stools, a mirror, a rug and a clothing rail. There are also lockable lockers for your personal belongings.</p><p> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008751270,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008751270,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="528" alt="9008751270?profile=original" /></a></p><p>Each floor of the hotel has shared bathing and toilet facilities: washbasins, clean and contemporary shower cabins and toilets. There’s also a fully equipped kitchen where you can prepare your own food and enjoy free tea, coffee and biscuits. There are several computers hooked up to the internet for guests to use at no charge. There’s also free wireless throughout the hotel and complimentary national and international phone calls available.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008751893,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-full" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008751893,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="528" alt="9008751893?profile=original" /></a></p><h2>Private room (2) - 34 rooms</h2><h2>Private room (2+1) - 3 rooms</h2><h2>Dorm room (12) - 8 rooms</h2></div>Psst! Hombre! Wat Jou Looking For: Mujeres, Marijuana, Colonoscopia?https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/psst-hombre-wat-jou-looking-for-mujeres-marijuana-colonoscopia2013-04-03T14:22:43.000Z2013-04-03T14:22:43.000ZEarl Hardie Kargeshttps://tripatini.com/members/EarlHardieKarges<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008763671,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-right" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008763671,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="336" alt="9008763671?profile=original" /></a> I stop. “Wha’dya’ got? Is it good?”</p><p> “Is it good? Hell, yes, it’s good. D’you think I’m gonna’ get you some Mexican <i>carnicero</i> to snake the drain that’s gotta’ process all those <i>hamburguesas,</i> man? It’s the real thing, <i>hombre…</i></p><p><i> “Cuanto cuesta?”</i></p><p><i> </i> “Are you a gringo?</p><p> “<i>Claro que no, soy chilango, nada mas vivo al otro lado para ganarme plata.”</i></p><p><i> “Entonces,</i> I can get you a special price, only <i>seiscientos dolares, mas o menos. </i> You got any complications?<i>”</i></p><p><i> </i> “Not that I know of. Full service?”</p><p> “<i>Claro que si</i>. It even includes a video so you and the little <i>mujerecita</i> can relive the highlights in the privacy of your home with your little <i>chamacos.</i>”</p><p> “Sold. When do we start?”</p><p> </p><p>It sounds like a Cheech and Chong routine, doesn’t it? But in reality it’s not far from the truth. And if ‘Obamacare’ actually accomplishes what it is intended to accomplish, then such episodes may become a thing of the past, like having to leave the country to get good and reasonably priced health care. If so then an entire industry of ‘medical tourism’ will not survive, though it remains to be seen if US hospitals will cooperate. So far they haven’t, doubling and tripling their prices overnight apparently in order to lock them in before the Communist takeover. They won’t cop to that, of course, insisting that “no one pays those prices,” as if that explains everything and absolves them of any wrongdoing. It explains a lot, for sure, but absolves them of nothing IMHO.</p><p> </p><p>So I start off on my trip to Mexico with two simultaneous goals: one, to go celebrate Holy Week in the little beach town of Puerto Lobos, Sonora, one of my safe havens and second homes; and two, to get a colonoscopy done, after some complications from my previous one in Chiang Mai, Thailand two years ago. Colonoscopies in Mexico cost $500-1000, same in Thailand <i>mas o menos</i>; in the US they cost $3-6000, but insist on a referral from a ‘primary-care physician’ so no guarantee I’d beat the Mexican price even if my ‘pre-existing condition’ insurance actually ponies up 85% like they’re supposed to. </p><p> </p><p>Well the fastest bus route to Sonora goes through Tijuana anyway, so I stop over and make some inquiries. It seems like it may not be the in-and-out (pun) job that I’d hoped for so I have to make a decision: do I go party on the beach with a bunch of Mexicans or lie on my side while an apparatus clambers through my own private nether lands while I’m unconscious? C U on the beach. Should be simple from this point on, right? Just get the buses’ timing right so I arrive before the festivities, right? But it’s not always easy getting to remote places on public transportation, and this one is no different. This village is so remote that it only got on the electric grid last year, a year after getting a paved road. </p><p> </p><p>The chronology is torturous: check out of the hotel; negotiate with the taxistas; blow off the taxistas; get public transport to the Central de Autobuses; buy a ticket for the 20:45 bus, should get me in to Caborca by daybreak, plenty of time for the 14:00 bus; wait; take a piss; wait; take a nap; wait; go to the platform to catch the 20:45 bus; there is no 20:45 bus; exchange tickets to get on the 20:30 bus; we take off into the darkness; video is blaring, score one for technology; I try to block it out, pretending it’s white noise, refusing to listen; I sleep; the sound finally stops; I wake up; we blast through the landscape like a rocket through time. Right outside the window is the Gran Desierto del Pinacate, bleak and desolate, volcanic and forbidding. </p><p> </p><p>Soon we will be in the familiar Sonoran Desert, and the relative lushness of <i>saguaros, cholla, ocotillo; palo verde, palo fierro, mesquite</i>; <i>alamos, nogales,</i> and organ pipe cactus, some of the most beautiful desert that exists in the world, a veritable botanical zoo. Then all of a sudden the silence is broken by <i>ker-chunk ker-chunk ker-chunk</i> and all bets are off. The bus pulls over to the side of the road, and the driver does a quick survey. We take off again, slower than before. Soon we’re back up to almost full speed when once again <i>ker-chunk</i> <i>ker-chunk ker-chunk. </i> Now the bus limps along, 20mph/32kph, all the way into Sonoita, on the Arizona border, gateway to their oceanfront property at Rocky Point/Puerto Penasco, stopping in at every tire store and junk yard along the way. Finally we make it to the bus terminal, such as it is. </p><p> </p><p>They’ll have to change the tire. It’ll take a while. They let me get on another bus. We take off toward the desert again. We reach the edge of town. The bus stops. It turns around. We go back. The air compressor is not working. That means no brakes. We wait. I chat with other passengers. We wait. Some of the passengers on the second bus get on a third bus. Others get on the first bus, when it finally comes back, tire changed. So do I, back in my original seat. We stop and file through for inspection at Checkpoint Carlos. The driver says he won’t make an official stop at Caborca, just a quick drop-off. So I’ll have to stand, all the way through a Kevin James movie, he talking with animals and acting like an ass. We finally get to Caborca. The bus stops on the side of the road. I walk into the center. The shuttle to Caborca will leave in a couple hours. I made it in plenty of time. </p><p> </p><p>There are stands set up around the Caborca square for Holy Week. There are black people in town. They speak Spanish. It’s warm. I buy an ice cream. We wait. And wait. And wait. The bus finally leaves. We go to Desemboque first. It’s funky. The driver stops for a snack. He weighs about 300 pounds. We finally set off again, next stop Puerto Lobos. He’ll only stop on the side of the road, though. It’s several miles into town. Several pickup trucks race out to meet us. I hop into the back with two other Mexicans. One loses his hat to the wind. The truck behind us stops to pick it up. They get off, paying nothing in the process. I ride in farther. The truck finally stops, and I get off, paying nothing. The town is getting ready for the big fiesta. Now I walk, a kilometer or so, right up into my friend’s back yard. There he is, same as the last time I saw him. Welcome to Mexico. </p><p><i>To be continued…</i></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.hypertravel.biz/" target="_blank">Hardie Karges</a> is the author of “Hypertravel: 100 Countries in 2 Years,” “Backpackers & Flashpackers in Western Europe,” and “Backpackers & Flashpackers in Eastern Europe.” For more pictures see his personal <a href="http://backpackers-flashpackers.net/" target="_blank">blog.</a> His next book is the third in the series of hostel guides, and will be titled, “500 Hostels in the USA (& Canada & Mexico), available from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hardie-Karges/e/B00730K1XG/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_4?qid=1364837426&sr=1-4" target="_blank">Amazon</a></p><p></p></div>Hostel Boom Follows Social Media Modelhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/hostel-boom-follows-social-media-model2013-04-02T11:30:00.000Z2013-04-02T11:30:00.000ZKaleel Sakakeenyhttps://tripatini.com/members/KaleelSakakeeny<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008762691,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-right" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008762691,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="160" alt="9008762691?profile=original" /></a></p><p>by <a href="http://hypertravel.biz/" target="_blank">Hardie Karges</a> <span style="font-size:13px;">and Kaleel Sakakeeny</span></p><p><br /> Travelers probably already know that <a href="http://www.hihostels.com/" target="_blank">hostels</a> can save a bunch of bucks in super-expensive Europe. But they can save a lot of money in Asia, too. Or Mexico, And some now rival boutique hotels for style and atmosphere. They aren’t just for youth anymore, either. <strong>They are not your parents' hostels!</strong><br /> Though still in their infancy in the US, hostels in fact are the hottest thing happening in budget travel and lodging.<br /> <br /> These hostels are not the same as the traditional ‘youth hostels’, though, the often barrack-like lodgings known for their curfews and their membership requirements. No, the ‘new era’ of hostels is geared toward ‘<a href="http://visitjourneys.com/" target="_blank">flash-packers</a>’, "backpackers’ more upscale urban cousins, still conscious of budgets, <strong>but also awash in gadgets—smart-phones, pads, tablets and laptops—and always ready for a good party… and a good WiFi signal.</strong><br /> <br /> <strong>The social nature of the new era hostels (‘backpackers’ for short) seems inspired directly from the social media paradigm</strong>: get enough like-minded people together in one place at one time, and a party just might break out. So hostels can be something like a flash-mob… on the other side of the world. They’re more than that, though. If you’re at a hostel in Yerevan, Armenia, about to cross the border into Iran, you just might glean some valuable information from travelers in transit.<br /> <br /> Still, while all the comments on hostel-booking sites banter back-and-forth about what not only makes a good hostel, but a ‘real’ hostel, one thing is clear. <strong>It’s a social thing, mate. </strong> And it’s not just the ‘world party’ of Europe or the ‘new normal’ of Australia, but an American thing, too, numbers climbing steadily and coming soon to a cool hip tech-savvy city near you. They’ve always got good WiFi. C U there.<br /> <br /> Hardie Karges is the author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Backpackers-Flashpackers-Western-Europe-Countries/dp/0988490501/ref=la_B00730K1XG_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363722298&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Backpackers and Flashpackers in Western Europe</a> <span style="font-size:13px;">and </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Backpackers-Flashpackers-Eastern-Europe-Countries/dp/0988490528/ref=la_B00730K1XG_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1363721499&sr=1-2" target="_blank" style="font-size:13px;">Backpackers and Flashpackers</a> <span style="font-size:13px;">in Eastern Europe</span><br /></p><p></p></div>Send us a postcard or leave us a tip as a comment!https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/send-us-a-postcard-or-leave-us2010-06-27T18:30:00.000Z2010-06-27T18:30:00.000ZJon Jaredhttps://tripatini.com/members/JonJared<div><a href="http://content.screencast.com/users/jonniej/folders/Jing/media/67d7d890-1f37-41ee-85f5-ab4fa32ba30d/00000002.png"><img border="0" width="898" src="http://content.screencast.com/users/jonniej/folders/Jing/media/67d7d890-1f37-41ee-85f5-ab4fa32ba30d/00000002.png" height="321" alt="00000002.png" /></a><br /><p style="text-align:center;"></p>We here in Quito and trying to keep in touch with all those people that we have met at The Secret Garden Hostel, Finn McCool's and Uncle Ho's in the Mariscal, and Lead-Adventures, Hostel Tiana, and The Surf Shak.. Working with those travelling around South America is great but it gets to be a drag when you don't here from people after they leave. So we are trying this as a test to see if people respond to it and if we get enough of a response from all the adventurous travellers in South America at the moment we are going to start an official postcard campaign for all of the places above.. Our walls are looking a little too clean and we think it would be cool to fill them with postcards of other people travelling with tips for others headed your way next. So if you have been to Ecuador, are coming here, or are just on the road travelling around, go to the link below and leave a tip about a great place you've been, cool place to stay, or something that you think others would appreciate checking out! If you want to hear more about the postcard campaign in the future keep checking back as I am going to be working on the details based on the responses we get!<br /><p style="text-align:center;"></p><p style="text-align:center;"></p><p style="text-align:center;"></p><p style="text-align:center;"></p><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://content.screencast.com/users/jonniej/folders/Jing/media/e96209f8-3b00-4472-a399-42d26d855281/00000001.png"><img border="0" width="480" src="http://content.screencast.com/users/jonniej/folders/Jing/media/e96209f8-3b00-4472-a399-42d26d855281/00000001.png" height="152" alt="00000001.png" /></a></p></div>A Tropical Paradise Where Beer Costs One Dollarhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/a-tropical-paradise-where-beer2013-03-16T14:01:36.000Z2013-03-16T14:01:36.000ZForrest Walkerhttps://tripatini.com/members/ForrestWalker<div><p>I am referring to Bocas Del Toro, Panama. While barely within the single digit latitudes,(9.80 degrees north) made famous by Jimmy Buffet, Bocas is also an easy destination to reach. Bocas is on the Caribbean side of Panama, as far west as you can go without getting to Costa Rica. That is right, west. Panama runs east-west, not north-south.<br /> <br /> Transportation to Bocas is by air, or water. It is after all an archipelago of Islands. The town referred to as Bocas is on Isla Colon, but many people move onto another island once they are there. Water taxis abound to make this maneuvering easy.<br /> <br /> If you are the trekker, flash packer type you will find many like souls in Bocas, likewise if you come here to surf. You guys will normally arrive by water taxi from a town called Almirante, on the mainland. Water Taxis run to Bocas from dawn to dusk, every half hour. There are two competing services, and prices are the same for both, about $6 each way. There is no need to quote prices in the local currency, they use the dollar. Oh, they might call it a Balboa, but it is monochromatic money with dead American Presidents on the front. It is the dollar.<br /> <br /> If you travel a bit higher on the hog, you can fly to Bocas from Panama City on either Air Panama or Aeroperlas. Both leave from an airport in PC called Albrook. They only fly a few times a day, best to make your reservations in advance. You can also arrive by Nature Air from San Jose Costa Rica.<br /> <br /> Where should you stay? I suppose that depends of course on your budget and your intentions. If you are travelling on the cheap, and want to party all night, I can strongly suggest a hostel called The Aqua Lounge.<br /> <br /> The Aqua Lounge is run by a guy named Christian. He denies, but everyone knows, he was French Foreign Legion in a former life. For now, he runs the hippest and most comfortable hostel in the islands. It is a 24 hour party with $1 beers and every Wednesday is ladies night, they drink for free. Inhibitions dissolve, enough said.<br /> <br /> If you are travelling with some coin of the realm, or enjoy comfort, privacy and a little peace and quiet, I suggest the Careening Cay Resort. It is “around the corner” from the Aqua Lounge, same island, different world.<br /> <br /> The owners have a tasty restaurant. Super food and more exotic tropical drinks than you can shake a swagger stick at. They will make you feel at home and help you arrange any little thing you need.<br /> <br /> If you want real privacy, clothing optional pool and all, I highly suggest The Garden of Eden Resort.<br /> <br /> Yes, you can go nekkid but you do not have to. They have a bar and a little guests only restaurant.<br /> This fabulously hedonistic resort is on Isla Solarte. It is quite a ways from Bocas Town, but when you make your reservations in advance (a requirement, probably the only one) they will meet you on Colon and take you there in their own boat. Great hosts and they won’t get nekkid if you are uncomfortable with it. I don’t think they allow children, which is another good reason to go.<br /> <br /> Those are just a few places at three price ranges I know you will like. There are many many more. You know how to google, find them.<br /> <br /> Now, what do you do once you get there? You can surf. As with every surfing haven there are times with no waves, and times with excellent waves. If indeed you are a surfer, you should know the websites to explore for information about surf conditions. I’ll leave that to you. Once you are in town, you will find friends fast. The surfers that have been there for a few days will know which local water taxi guys take you to the best breaks. They all charge about the same amount of money. The best breaks, Paunch, Dumpers, and the most awesome of all, Silverback, are a long ways off and more expensive to get to. There are closer and less challenging breaks like Caranero, but ask around and have a good time.<br /> <br /> If you do not surf…well, beer is only a dollar a bottle.<br /> <br /> But seriously. You can take many tours. Most are water based. You can take a tour that goes to Dolphin Bay, and see if not swim with Dolphins. Then this tour takes you to an idyllic restaurant out over the water for a great lunch. Then it will take you to a snorkeling spot. The corals are really nice. Finding a tour operator is “no problema”. They will find you. Just walk along the waterfront and you will be offered tours to everywhere this side Pluto.<br /> <br /> Or, you can dive. I suggest Bocas Water Sports. It is on the main drag in Bocas town. They will get you Padi Certified and then take you to see some magnificent underwater sights.<br /> <br /> Or, you can visit a magnificent Tropical Garden called Finca Los Monos.<br /> The owners, Dave and Lin Gillingham have lived there ten years and have busted their Kiwi butts off to make a truly special experience available to you. Flowers, trees, birds and monkeys abound. Once you are in Bocas, you can find ads for them in The Bocas Breeze, the local English language newspaper. Make a reservation, and enjoy!<br /> <br /> Night time choices are limited. If you are old like me, bring a book. If you are young, you can drink all night, remember, beer is a buck a bottle, at any of the multiple discos.<br /> <br /> Things to beware of:<br /> Petty theft. It happens. Don’t leave your PDA out in view anywhere you are not. It will be gone faster than the morning mists.<br /> <br /> Bugs. An unfortunate reality. Bring 100% Deet. The stuff your mother used on you will not deter these bugs at all. There are people in town who sell local brewed anti-bug stuff, but be prepared before you find them or you might look like you have the measles.<br /> <br /> The tap water. Do not even brush your teeth with it. Is that clear enough? You can buy bottled water everywhere.<br /> <br /> How do I know all this stuff? I lived there for four years. I even wrote a book about it, which will soon be available on Amazon, called Bocas Time. An excerpt from it appears here on Tripatini. Find it and enjoy it.<br /> <br /> Have a good time in Bocas, tell everyone Forrest sent you. They will look at you and say “oh, that bozo”.</p></div>A Fantastic California Road Trip: San Francisco to Carmelhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/san-francisco-to-carmel-california-road-trip2019-05-07T10:39:43.000Z2019-05-07T10:39:43.000ZTeresa Brashearhttps://tripatini.com/members/TeresaBrashear<div><p><br /> <a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/Lone_cypress_tree_Monterey_CA_photo_D_Ramey_Logan.jpg/800px-Lone_cypress_tree_Monterey_CA_photo_D_Ramey_Logan.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/Lone_cypress_tree_Monterey_CA_photo_D_Ramey_Logan.jpg/800px-Lone_cypress_tree_Monterey_CA_photo_D_Ramey_Logan.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="800px-Lone_cypress_tree_Monterey_CA_photo_D_Ramey_Logan.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="800" /></a><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lone_cypress_tree_Monterey_CA_photo_D_Ramey_Logan.jpg" target="_blank">Don Ramey Logan</a></em></span><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <strong>Northern California</strong> offers some of the USA's loveliest road tripping, with scenic views, great beaches, beach towns and state parks as well as attractions such as the <strong>Monterey Aquarium</strong> and the <strong>Carmel Mission</strong>. One particularly appealing stretch is the 122 miles (196 kilometers) between <strong>San Francisco</strong> and the town of <strong>Carmel</strong> along coastal <strong>Highway 1</strong>. You can drive it in a little over two hours, but there's so much to see and do along here that you could easily spend a week stopping to enjoy its many fantastic places (especially state parks like <strong>San Mateo Coast Beaches</strong>, <strong>Pigeon Point Light Station</strong>, <strong>Año Nuevo</strong>, <strong>Wilder Ranch</strong>, <strong>Natural Bridges</strong>, <strong>Santa Cruz Beaches</strong>, <strong>Seacliff</strong>, <strong>Sunset</strong>, <strong>Zmudowski</strong>, <strong>Moss Landing</strong>, <strong>Salinas River</strong>, <strong>Marina</strong>, <strong>Monterey</strong>, <strong>Asilomar</strong>, and <strong>Carmel River</strong>.</p>
<p><br /> Keep in mind, by the way, that the weather in the area changes quite a bit, strong winds are common (water- and wind-proof clothing is recommended), and temperatures can be cool. And with that said, here are some of my favorite highlights along the way:</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bb/Pigeon_Point_Lighthouse_%282016%29.jpg/800px-Pigeon_Point_Lighthouse_%282016%29.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bb/Pigeon_Point_Lighthouse_%282016%29.jpg/800px-Pigeon_Point_Lighthouse_%282016%29.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="800px-Pigeon_Point_Lighthouse_%282016%29.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="800" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pigeon_Point_Lighthouse_(2016).jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>Frank Schulnberg</em></span></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong><br /> Half Moon Bay</strong><br /> <br /> <br /> Located close to both San Francisco and <strong>Silicon Valley</strong>, Half Moon Bay provides scenic roads, ocean views, golfing, fishing, horse back riding and much more. In the area there are several beaches, including <strong>Moss</strong> and <strong>Pigeon Point Beach</strong>, as well as great trails such as <strong>Gray Whale Cove Trail</strong> and <strong>Coastside Trail</strong>. One of the famous sights in the area is the <strong>Pigeon Point Lighthouse</strong>, one of the tallest in the US, now home to a <a href="https://www.hiusa.org/find-hostels/california/pescadero-210-pigeonpoint-road" target="_blank">hostel</a>.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/49/Santa_Cruz%2C_California_-_Boardwalk.jpg/800px-Santa_Cruz%2C_California_-_Boardwalk.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/49/Santa_Cruz%2C_California_-_Boardwalk.jpg/800px-Santa_Cruz%2C_California_-_Boardwalk.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" width="750" alt="800px-Santa_Cruz%2C_California_-_Boardwalk.jpg?profile=RESIZE_930x" /></a></p>
<p><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Santa_Cruz,_California_-_Boardwalk.jpg" target="_blank">Matt314</a></em></span><br /> <br /> <br /> <strong>Santa Cruz</strong><br /> <br /> <br /> With a laid-back surfer vibe and famous for its boardwalk and a wide range of watersports such as wind surfing, Santa Cruz (pop. 63,000) also has a great downtown for restaurants, shopping, and entertainment. Fantastic for an overnight or longer!<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/db/Capitola_CA_-_beach_with_wharf.jpg/800px-Capitola_CA_-_beach_with_wharf.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/db/Capitola_CA_-_beach_with_wharf.jpg/800px-Capitola_CA_-_beach_with_wharf.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="800px-Capitola_CA_-_beach_with_wharf.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="800" /></a><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Capitola_CA_-_beach_with_wharf.jpg" target="_blank">Monica Liu</a></em></span></p>
<p><strong><br /> <br /> Capitola</strong><br /> <br /> <br /> A small village just south of Santa Cruz along a wide beach, it offers great views, craft and art galleries, boutiques, and charming beachfront restaurants. <strong>New Brighton State Beach</strong>, an almost 100-acre park with picnic areas, fishing, a beach and camping ground, is one of the most visited in California.</p>
<p><br /> <br /> <br /> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009311097,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009311097,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9009311097?profile=original" /></a><a href="https://pixabay.com/photos/fisherman-s-wharf-monterey-1597744/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>David Mark/Pixabay</em></span></a><br /> <br /> <br /> <strong>Monterey</strong><br /> <br /> <br /> This city of 28,000 is especially notable for its historic downtown, <strong>Old Monterey</strong>, which is a state historic park with some 55 sites dating back to the days in the 18th and 19th centuries when it was the capital of Spanish and then Mexican Alta California. Another major attraction is the <strong>Monterey Aquarium</strong>, part of the reknowned <strong>Cannery Row</strong> area made famous by the novels of <strong>John Steinbeck</strong>. On the way here, by the way, you'll pass by Seacliff, Sunset, Zmudowski, Moss Landing, Salinas River, and Marina state beaches; all are great for picnicking and fishing, but only Seacliff and Moss Landing lend themselves to actually getting into the water.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009310891,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009310891,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9009310891?profile=original" /></a><span style="font-size:8pt;"><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/california-victorian-gm158419247-20710445" target="_blank">Skyhobo</a></span></em><br /> <br /> <br /> <strong>Pacific Grove</strong><br /> <br /> <br /> A hop and a skip north of Monterey, this charming town of some 16,000 is known for its Victorian houses (many of which are now bed and breakfasts), boardwalk, and bucolic area such as Asilomar State Park.</p>
<p><br /> <br /> <em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009311487,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009311487,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9009311487?profile=original" /></a><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/pebble-beach-golf-course-monterey-california-usa-gm518878239-49328758" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">isogood</span></a></em><br /> <br /> <br /> <strong>Pebble Beach</strong><br /> <br /> <br /> One of the most famous destinations along this route is an unincorporated community that's long been a resort destination for the well heeled, especially famous for its seven golf courses, such as <strong>Cypress Point Club</strong>, <strong>Monterey Peninsula Country Club</strong>, and <strong>Pebble Beach Golf Links</strong>, as well as the scenic <strong>17th-Mile-Drive</strong>, meandering along the beaches and forests between Monterey and <strong>Carmel</strong>. There's a $10 fee to enter the area.</p>
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<p><br /> <a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/63/Carmel_%2C_CA_USA_-_Mission_San_Carlos_Borromeo_-_panoramio_%2822%29.jpg/800px-Carmel_%2C_CA_USA_-_Mission_San_Carlos_Borromeo_-_panoramio_%2822%29.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/63/Carmel_%2C_CA_USA_-_Mission_San_Carlos_Borromeo_-_panoramio_%2822%29.jpg/800px-Carmel_%2C_CA_USA_-_Mission_San_Carlos_Borromeo_-_panoramio_%2822%29.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="800px-Carmel_%2C_CA_USA_-_Mission_San_Carlos_Borromeo_-_panoramio_%2822%29.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="800" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carmel_,_CA_USA_-_Mission_San_Carlos_Borromeo_-_panoramio_(22).jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>MAREBLU</em></span></a><br /> <br /> <br /> <strong>Carmel-by-the-Sea</strong><br /> <br /> <br /> With a population of less than 4,000 and famous for its great beach, amazing homes, artsy vibe, and nice downtown area anchored by <strong>Ocean Avenue</strong>, Carmel is for many the perfect beach town to spend a day or two. It has a rich history, colonized by the Spaniards in the late 18th century, and in fact is home to one of California's most famous and beautiful Spanish missions, <strong>San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo</strong>, which is still an active place of worship as well as site of many cultural events and activities. The 97-acre (120 hectare) <strong>Carmel River State Beach</strong> just south of town has a mile-long strand and is popular with hikers, kayakers, and birders attracted to its fecund lagoon.<br /> <br /> <br /> <a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/eb/Point_Lobos_17.jpg/800px-Point_Lobos_17.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/eb/Point_Lobos_17.jpg/800px-Point_Lobos_17.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" alt="800px-Point_Lobos_17.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="800" /></a><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Point_Lobos_17.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;"><em>Brocken Inaglory</em></span></a></p>
<p><br /> <br /> <strong>Point Lobos</strong> <br /> <br /> <br /> Two miles south of Carmel, this reserve is widely considered the "crown jewel" of California's state parks. Highlights include <strong>Pinnacle Point</strong>, which you can reach through the <strong>Cypress Grove Trail</strong>; <strong>Headland Cove</strong>; <strong>Sea Lion Point Trail</strong> to <strong>Sea Lion Rocks</strong>, where you can see barking sea lions; and <strong>Whalers Cove</strong>, great for scuba diving as well as home to a history museum covering the commercial whaling the 19th century; you can still spot gray, humpback, and blue whales at certain times of year during their offshore migrations.</p>
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