WD Daily Chat - Talk about anything You Like

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Thu Jan 16, 2014 17:03

Amazingly there are no flies in any of the pictures. I wonder about the rate of food borne illness in the population.

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Thu Jan 16, 2014 17:21

Ol' pal, right now the Panamanian government is dealing with meningitis and salmonella in increasing numbers. The handling of animals raises the statistics each year.

Oh, and yes, yes... there is a fly down there called the Panamanian Canalus Corralus. If they get around a corral or a canal, they get extra mean and start to grow beaks and waddle. If you have offended one, it will mosey on up to your door and peck a hole through it!

It's related to our northern ratchetjaw species that haunts places in Minnesota!

grasshopper · Post by **grasshopper** » Thu Jan 16, 2014 20:18

Love to see them make it up here. Below zero again,then warm up for the weekend then back to below zero again. We are killing the emerald ash borer, which is very good thing.

crustyo44 · Post by **crustyo44** » Thu Jan 16, 2014 21:11

The majority of 3rd world markets I have seen in my travels you could always find easily, just follow your nose and the blowfly buzz.
And then you see tourists eating samples in these same places. Most of that meat/meat cuts in Red's photo's moves about 2 inch per hour. Guaranteed!!!!!!!!
Bon Apetit.
Cheers,
Jan.

sawhorseray · Post by **sawhorseray** » Thu Jan 16, 2014 23:04

Reminds me of a time we took a cab from the Acapulco airport to the resort we were staying at. We passed a open-air market where people were clamoring to get their hands on fly-covered chickens, couldn't believe it. I'll be in Ixtapa in three weeks at a place they've got three pools and a half dozen restaurants, the only time I leave the grounds is to walk 400 hundred yards down the beach every morning for my one hour massage. I haven't gotten sick down there in many years, you can't be too careful. RAY

el Ducko · Post by **el Ducko** » Fri Jan 24, 2014 19:27

Modern Day Cattle Drive
...how long since you`ve been on a cattle drive? Well, maybe not the traditional type, but the modern one at the airport- - stand in the chute while you get x-rayed and patted down for weapons and condiments, stand in another chute before boarding a cattle car full of other passengers, traveling across the country to a stockyard...

...such as Midway Airport in Chicago. The Chicago Stockyards aren`t what they used to be, back in the days when the nation and Chuckwagon were young, but these days it`s just as crowded. ...especially after it snows.

But take heart, Weary Sausage-Seeker. The food court at Midway is an oasis. (Hey! Wait! ...surely not a segue from cattle jokes to camel jokes?) This highly-regarded (well, okay, often mandatory) stop offers several delicacies for the sausage-sentient. In the middle is a Greek place called Pegasus which, like its winged horse namesake, offers travelers something a little different. I got the Greek sausage (loukanikos) on a pita, which comes with grilled red and green mild peppers and red onion and a little container of passable tzatziki (yoghurt- based sauce , with dill and garlic). For a fast food version, it wasn`t bad at all.

Still hungry? Right (well, okay, left) next door is a "Chicago Dog" place called Gold Coast, where you can get a Chicago-style jumbo char dog with the works (mustard, relish, grilled mild peppers, maybe a pickled pepper or two) and, of course, fries. ...but DON`T put ketchup on your `dog. As the prominently-posted sign says, "NOTICE: It is considered bad manners and harmful to your taste buds to put ketchup on your hot dog within the city limits of Chicago." (Secret: tell `em it`s for the fries. Then squirt it on and run like hell.)

Stop for breath mints before boarding your next flight or meeting your fate. ...uh, make that, the party you plan to visit. Otherwise, like our four-hoofed stockyard visitor friends, you may meet an untimely (but socially-sanctioned) fate.

"Happy Traaaails... to youuuuu..."

Post by **Bob K** » Fri Jan 24, 2014 20:18

Be careful Duck. You were on camera. They will send messengers down the Central Flyway, dropping no smoking signs on Texas Barbeques. And Hey those long flights without any stops can produce mustard gas.

Post by **redzed** » Fri Jan 31, 2014 04:42

Last week in Colombia. Currently in a small town on the Carribean called Tolu. Wonder where my research went wrong. Stinking hot, today was 37° and does not cool off at night. Grimy place with little to do except drink beer and eat fried fish. If you ever want to run away to a place where no one will find you, this is it. We have been on the road now for over 3 weeks and have covered a large chunk of the country. But it's a big place and there is lot's to see.

Visiting every butcher shop in town. (My wife is now totally convinced that I'm crazy)

Fantastic coffee out this antique in the western highlands, Columbia's coffe growing region.

Young driver

Hiking in the Corcora valley

Willys Jeeps. Favourite way of public transport in Montenegro.

Colourfully painted buildings in Salento. Probably our favourite stop of the trip.

Accident on road from Bogota to Armenia turned a 7hr trip to 11hrs. We we were on the bus in front of the pic. If anyone has yet to experience fear, come and ride one of these as it barrels down the twistiest road in the world, passing semis blindly on turns, barely inches from the edge with drop offs twice the depth of the Grand Canyon.

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Fri Jan 31, 2014 05:29

Great photos Redzed. Storey28's wife (Carolina) is from one of those small town villages in Colombia. Hey Chris... did you know that the bottom part of yer' britches is missing?

Keep us informed.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

DelNorte · Post by **DelNorte** » Fri Jan 31, 2014 13:04

redzed - thanks for sharing the photos. Some beautiful hill scenery! I have to say though, that my favorite pic is el niñito on the cart... we see some people here in Uruguay using horses and carts. Hard working people. Rough life.

ajwillsnet · Post by **ajwillsnet** » Fri Jan 31, 2014 18:13

Hi Chris: Looks like a great trip. Are you on on a guided tour or are you doing your own thing?

Bert

Post by **redzed** » Fri Jan 31, 2014 18:34

Hi Bert. Totally on our own. Travelling with backpacks, using public transportation and deciding where to go next at the last moment. This is our 5th trip to South America but first to Colombia. Other than Cartagena, very few tourists from outside of the Continent. But in Salento we ran across people from Victoria, Campbell River an Kelowna. So far so good, except my camera died a week ago and I lost a wallet with approximately $300 and a couple of credit cards. (getting old and stupid). Wish my Spanish was better. I could order food, ask directions etc., but can't have a conversation. Which is really too bad as the Colombians are very nice and friendly people.

DelNorte · Post by **DelNorte** » Fri Jan 31, 2014 19:55

redzed - I HIGHLY recommend something called Synergy Spanish online. It's quite affordable and makes sense to those of us who are not linguists or good at the textbook methods. The guy who designed the course is a genius. He also has another Spanish course that is lower level. The Synergy one is for those who want a crash course in being able to communicate on trips. You download the course and study in your own time. They are audio and video courses. Well the video is seeing the sentence written, but it sure helps... de hecho (in fact), I was studying in this very course when I got a notice for this thread being updated.

Send me a message if you are interested in looking into learning more Spanish easily.

ajwillsnet · Post by **ajwillsnet** » Sat Feb 01, 2014 01:44

Hi Chris: Sounds great! You have me thinking!. I visited Columbia about40 years ago. Visited Cartagena, Bogota and Leticia. Leticia sits right on the Amazon river and is quite an adventure. Probably has changes alot in 40 years but I am sure it is still primitive. I wish I spoke spanish as well. That Spanish program that Delnorte mentioned sounds interesting.
Enjoy your holiday and keep in touch.

Best Regards,

Bert

Post by **redzed** » Sat Feb 01, 2014 04:41

Bert, I certainly recommend the place, and if you stay out of some areas it's quite safe. If fact, there are more thieves and pickpockets preying on travellers in Madrid, Rome and Prague than in Colombia. And as I said in my previous post, the people are polite, helpful and smile at you. I also wanted to go to the Amazon here but my wife nixed it. Several years ago we spent five nights living in a shack on a tributary of the Amazon about 3 hours out of Iquitos, Peru. The mosquitoes, tarantulas and super sized cockroaches that we slept with each night kind of put my partner off to visiting the Amazon again!

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