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Belize vs. Mexico

3/16/2018

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Recently we spent two weeks in Belize, look forward to posts about tours, food, drinks and getting around. But first, why Belize? It's further and a bit more expensive than Mexico, especially from Oregon. Well, after our time there, I am honestly not sure we will be too excited to go back to Mexico. It was an easy first foray into Central American and beyond the standard resort. A bit of adventure, but in a relatively easy to navigate and safe country. 
What I liked about Belize
No bartering! I get very uncomfortable negotiating on pricing. It seems a bit morally wrong on both ends and is no longer truly bartering-more like a game. While there were a few stalls/vendors where you could negotiate a lower price or discounts the more you bought, it was not that pressure of Mexico that makes this introvert want to run in the other direction. I felt very comfortable and not pressured when shopping.
Golf Carts- In San Pedro, Caye Caulker and Palencia the main form of transportation is the golf cart. Transport is fun, easy, entertaining, easy to park in crowded areas and saves a lot on gas, which at $6US a gallon is helpful. How much trouble can you really get into with a golf cart?
Safety- You should always be aware when traveling (obviously) and especially in tourist areas. You are overwhelmed, unaware and probably have cash. While we heard of some theft from hotel rooms (even safes), we did not have any problems and always felt safe. This was especially true while traveling through the country. Often in Mexico resorts and in town are safe, but travel is a bit precarious. Not the case in Belize. With the exception of Belize City, I felt just as safe as anywhere in the US.
Recreation- Being from Oregon, I am used to endless recreation options, but Belize blew me away. I am still thinking back to all the other hikes, swimming holes, beaches and activities we could have done with more time.
Food- Belize's history has lead to the food scene being a bit of a melting pot. Especially with expats from around the world pouring in. Street food or high end restaurants from Italian to Salvadorian to Mayan-every meal can be different.
English- They speak english. I do like the challenge of navigating a foreign language, but it can be exhausting and frustrating in addition to making it easy to miss out on things. While there is plenty of Spanish, Mayan and Creole being spoken, english reigns.
​Currency- The Belizean dollar is linked at at 2:1 ratio to the US dollar, so it's a pretty easy one to figure out! Also, US currency was accepted everywhere.
Water - You can drink from the tap! No worrying ice cubes or accidently opening your mouth in the shower. We did stay at a resort that utilized rain water, but had plenty of drinking water available.
No Timeshares Sales - While I am sure there are plenty of opportunities for timeshares, due to the ease of foreigners buying property, there is not much emphasis. We were not harassed in the airport, hotels or commercial areas.
People are so nice - The nicest and happiest country I have ever been too. It felt they were truly happy to get to know you and have you in the country. They were also very helpful. Even turning down the wrong way on a one way street was greeted with a  smile and directions how to get where we needed to go.
​Local Businesses- Most the hotels, restaurants, stores and tour operators were local (or expats), so the money is actually staying in country and not going to a foreign corporation.
Accessibility - While Belize is not going to win any awards from the ADA, it is a pretty accessible country. Between golf carts and short walks, most people can get around without much effort.
Beach Bars: Cheap, fun and everywhere. Bars are located right on the beach and even in palapas on the ocean. Grab a chair, a float toy or hammock for the day and enjoy swimming with your drinks.
Crowds: We lucked out more than once, but never encountered cruise ship traffic. Our tours were small and the sites we visited (more on all soon!) were not crowded. 
What I like more about Mexico:
Beaches: I am good for about a hour a day on the beach, so not having great beaches isn't a deal breaker for me. But Mexico definitely has better beaches. Between the seagrass, sargassum, dense sand and narrow shoreline- the Caye beaches are not for everyone. Secret Beach (more coming soon) being the exception.
Cheaper: The Cayes are not inexpensive, most prices being on par with reasonable US cities for hotels, drinks, food, shopping and entertainment. There not alot of dollar beers and street tacos in Belize. Inland Belize is much cheaper.
Easier to Get To: With more flights and more options, it's pretty easy to get to your nearest Mexican vacation spot.
Resorts: There are not a lot of options for a traditional resort stay, especially for an all-inclusive. As I mentioned above, we prefer smaller and locally owned establishments, but that's not for everyone.
Coffee and Tea: The national coffee of Belize seems to be Maxwell House and tea is Red Rose. The best options we found were at expat establishments. For the most part though, expect to have to hunt down a good cup of coffee or tea.
Beer: We really only like lagers, so with only four brands available in Belize it was not a problem. If you are, however, looking for an IPA or american brands like Budweiser, Belize will disappoint.

Overall, we will probably go back to Mexico again, it's just convenient. We, however, found Belize to be the most easily navigated,  friendliest, adventure filled and fun countries we have been to.

Coming soon: tours, treks, transportation, restaurants/bars, drinks, places to stay and shopping.

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Chicago-A City for Nerds-Part I

6/9/2016

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This trip was my first time purchasing a city pass card for attractions. It has always felt like too much of a commitment to me. We had whole week dedicated to going to attractions, so we purchased the Chicago Go Card-the 5 choice Explorer version-from a Travelzoo deal for $100 each.There are at least five different types of cards to choose from and I am sure that every pass works well and in the end they are all similar in price. Most have some sort of deal going at anytime that essentially provides about $10 off.  This particular pass had all the museums I wanted (except the Shedd Aquarium), two trade-in locations and seemed simpler than some of the others. The pass is purchased online and then you retrieve the official card from either Chicago 360 (Hancock Building) or the Field Museum. The first of our five attractions was The Field Museum, it was the first time there for both my husband and me.

The Field Museum
​We visited mid-day on a Thursday. The Museum was very busy with school field trips. Museums are frequently visited toward the end of the school year and are often a bit more full of kiddos on weekdays than normal.

This is a massive Museum and I can usually only handle 3-4 hours in a Museum. So, we went in knowing that it would be impossible to see everything. Of course we saw Sue, the T. Rex while exploring the entrance hall. The architecture of the building alone is worth the visit. We started with the optional China exhibit (a choice upon entrance is given between China or a 3-D movie). The exhibit was well-done with an good amount of history, interaction and artifacts.

Next we went through the Evolving Planet exhibit, while aimed toward children, the various full dinosaur skeletons and fossils were worth trudging through the groups of kids.

As an add-on we purchased the Terracotta Warriors exhibit pass. We tried to see this exhibit a few years ago in San Francisco but went on a free day and the lines were hours long so we missed it. The exhibit was well worth the wait, especially for anyone fascinated with the great mysteries of history and relatively recent archaeological discoveries. 

The Pacific Spirits and Traveling the Pacific Exhibits were very interesting. A section of the world that most people are not exposed to and whose history seems overshadowed by tourism. The Ancient Egypt exhibit was old and beaten up, seemed more like a play ground at this stage of its life.

Finally, we got stuck in what I will call the taxidermy diorama exhibit. There has to be over 1,000 dead animals and very bad exit signs. I appreciate the history behind this sort of natural history museum, but do enjoy them. 

Overall the Field Museum was well-worth it. There are so many different types of exhibits that it can easily appeal to multiple generations and education levels.

https://www.fieldmuseum.org/
​
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One Less Plastic Bottle in the World-Product Recomendation

5/10/2016

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Picture
I am always looking for ways to make travel more convenient and conscious (since something has to make up for the 8 mile per gallon RV). Last Fall I heard about the Hydaway travel bottle at a local economic development event. I drink a lot of water while I travel, but also do not believe in buying bottled water or drinking out of the tiny cups given on planes. I am also not a fan of lugging around a nalgene or other metal/plastic bottle while traveling (small carry-ons preferred!).  So, this collapsible cup has potential.

We used it on a recent trip to Chicago, capturing some great Bend water from the airport before boarding. With the increasing amount of drinking fountains that have water bottle fill stations, it is usable for each leg of the flight. I also had the flight attendant fill it on board (pat on the back for not using a plastic cup!).

Pros: light, collapses to fit in a purse, did not leak, holds enough water for a couple hour flight
​.
Con: when it is full it does not fit in a small bag or in the airline seat pocket or just rolls around on the floor. I am going to augment with a carabiner to attach it to my bag going forward. This should also help once arriving at a destination and using walking around a destination.

Hydaway, 21 oz.: https://hydawaybottle.com
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Landing in Hot Springs Around the World

4/25/2016

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Belknap Hot Springs, Metolius River, Oregon-October 2015

Lower Pool. Photo from www.belknaphotsprings.com
Hot springs entering the river. Photo by Kim Gammond
Belknap Hot Springs is a personal favorite of mine. Conveniently located about halfway between Bend and Eugene, Oregon; I passed it each time I drove home from college at the University of Oregon and never stopped. I finally took the time after a Duck game a few years ago and now it is an annual trip.

The springs flow from the side of rock wall and the Belknap Hot Springs Lodge and Gardens has redirected them to two pools. The lodge has RV and tent camping, cabins and lodge rooms. I am resisting the urge to post photos of the miles of trails that lead to gems like the Secret Garden- best discovered through your own wanderings. High in the Cascades in the raining forests of the Willamette Valley, these hot springs are a great trip year round. Clothing required and day use options are available.

Located just a bit up river is a man-made rock pool in the river on a forest service trail that captures water from another spring. This is free and clothing optional.

Crystal Crane Hot Springs, "Burns", Oregon-August 2015

Photos by Kim Gammond
Crystal Crane is located in an area of Eastern Oregon that is already surreal. Add in a pond, old motel, soaking tubs and campers ranging from hunters to hippies and you get one bizarrely wonderful experience. We were crazy enough to head out there in the middle of summer. Luckily the springs were actually not as hot as normal that weekend and it was more like soaking in a pleasant bath.

Burns recently reached national notoriety through the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Like the refuge, Crystal Crane is actually pretty far from Burns. Unlike the occupiers, residents and ranchers in this area are great people. While we were there the rooms and camp spots were mostly occupied by antelope hunters, families, weary travelers and a few hippies. Out of all the hot springs in this post, this is the only one not in a traditional pool setting.

In addition to the pond, they have private soaking tubs available for rental. I recommend forking over the additional funds and during busy times you will need a reservation. Since the spot is surrounded by private ranches, there is not great hiking around the property, but there are plenty of great side trips around the Malheur with historical and natural wonders. Day use options are also available and you can tell a variety of local families venture to Crystal Crane for the day.

Caracalla Spa, Baden-Baden, Germany-April 2015

Photo from www.baden-baden.de
Photo from the Baden-Baden Altschloss by Kim Gammond
The Caracalla Spa in Baden-Baden is part of a long tradition of baths in Germany, most famously from the Roman and Victorian eras. Luckily, the town is now accessible to even the middle class. Caracalla is the clothing-required, more tourist friendly spa. Friedrichsbad hosts the more traditional no clothing bathing sequence. Originally, this was our destination for our stay over in Baden-Baden, but after the clothing optional hotel spa in Fuessen (see below), I was up for some modesty.

Baden-Baden is a bit more upscale than many of the Black Forest towns with fancier restaurants, shops and its famous casino. There are some great low-key activities. We hiked up to the Altschloss, which is now part of a nature reserve. The hike was great, the castle is appropriately both crumbling and preserved for a truer version of a German castle than those in Bavaria. A bonus of this hike is a great restaurant featuring my favorite mid-hike fair - ice cream and beer. After hiking down we ventured our sore bodies into Caracalla.

Like many places that cater to tourists and locals in Europe, this spa was very busy. Hundreds of lockers give you a preview of the crowds. Once spread out in all the various pools though the crowd is a bit better. The spa is a series of pools from hot pools to cold plunge pools to a floating river. It includes a sauna, steam room and a no-clothing sauna hut for those seeking a dip into nudity.

Narrowing down my favorite pool would be impossible. After two weeks of plane travel, train travel, car travel, hiking and hotel beds standing under the high pressure water fountains as they pound on your shoulders was nearly as good as a massage.

The spas are not resorts, but there are many great hotel options. We opted for Hotel Magnetberg, just up the hill from the spa. It was a great hotel and had parking options.

Luitpoldpark Hotel, Fuessen, Germany-April 2015

Luitpoldpark Hotel spa and pools photo from booked.es.
View from our hotel room. Photo by Kim Gammond
​When we were looking for hotels for our one-night in Fuessen, the Luitpoldpark Hotel jumped out because of the spa portion of the hotel. After a day of hiking around Linderhof and before hiking up to Neuschwanstein, a little relaxation sounded perfect. While the King Ludwig castles in Bavaria are the definition of a tourist trap, they are well worth the experience.

There was not much information available about how to utilize the spa, so we soon found ourselves in an awkward experience. Apparently the spa here is attached to a the local gym, so most the users were actually locals. Keys and towels were only available at the front desk (which inexplicably took two trips back up to the desk to learn). While the hot tubs were pleasant and the cold showers nice, it was a bit too chilly to enjoy the sun room. We did not brave the steam or sauna rooms. Perhaps if there had been another women in there and not just a group of older German men performing what seemed like their post gym rituals, I would have felt more comfortable. I am not a modest person and have enjoyed a clothing free pool in Germany before, but something about the close quarters made me stay in a bathing suit. 

We learned a lot about the German spa experience on this one. Perhaps with a bit more clarification on what to expect I could enjoy something similar in the future. Fuessen is a charming Bavarian village that we enjoyed off-season and virtually free of tourists. As our "splurge" hotel on this trip, it was a lovely stay.

Kahneeta Resort and Spa, Warm Springs, Oregon-February 2015

Kahneeta Pool. Photo by Kim Gammond
Deschutes River above the springs.
Kahneeta counts as my first ever hot springs experience. As child I ventured there with friends' families, grandparents and on school field trips. As a teenager I even spent my first spa weekend there with my mother where I actually managed to get her on a horseback ride, we had massages and ate in the nice restaurant where I discovered I really nice restaurants, but I digress.

The Kahneeta Resort and Spa is many things to many people. There is mini golf, water slides, horse back riding, a spa, a casino, hotel, RV park and teepees. With the exception of the casino, it has evolved into a very kid oriented vacation location, which is great for those with kids. We do not have kids, nor do I particularly enjoy listening to their screams of joy going down a water slide. Luckily, in the dead of winter the location is snow and mostly kid free. We were one of only a couple of RVs in at the resort and enjoyed a relatively quiet pool. Unfortunately, the off-season also meant there was not shuttle from the pools/RV park to the main hotel or to the casino. So, we managed a short hike into the hills and along the Deschutes River before a relaxing float. 

We are planning staff retreat to Kahneeta this Fall. It checks all the boxes for those of us in RV's, those that need hotel rooms, those of us with furbabies and those of us with kiddos. 
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