Birthplace of the Gods

Let's take a little quiz:

1.  What is the 2nd most visited country in the Americas?

2.  What is the 12th most visited country in the world?

3.  What is the 11th most populous country and the 14th largest country in the world?

4.  What country boasts 32 UNESCO World Heritage Sites?

5. The U.S. of A is not the only United States in North America.  What is the another United States?

The answer to all these questions is los Estados Unidos de México!  The stupendously scenic and intriguing country of Mexico!

TO SEE A GREAT VIDEO OF MEXICO SET TO A TOE-TAPPING SONG CLICK HERE or on the video below.

Please put aside your qualms about kidnapping and drug cartels.  Let me personally assure you that Mexico is a fantastic country to visit and, if you use common sense, it is very unlikely that you will run into trouble.  

I traveled in Mexico for 3 months from late August to mid November of 2008 and I had a marvelous time!

Initially, I planned to spend those 3 months traveling through Mexico and Central America. But when I began to discover all the wondrous sights of Mexico, I stayed there the whole 3 months, traveling to over 50 destinations from the Chihuahuan desert to the Yucatan peninsula.

This month I will focus on 4 great and perhaps little known destinations in Mexico.  The first one is the "Birthplace of the Gods."  Here's a peak at this awe-inspiring attraction:

This expansive and ancient (from 100 B.C) temple complex is known as Teotihuacan.  It is a mystery who made these magnificent temples. The name Teōtīhuacān meaning "Birthplace of the Gods" was given by the Nahuatl speaking Aztecs who "re-discovered" the ruins centuries after the creating civilization had disappeared!

Teotihuacan, at its zenith around 450 A.D., contained perhaps up to 125,000 people and was the largest city in MesoAmerica!

The most imposing structures are the Pyramid of the Moon:

The Pyramid of Quetzalcoatl--the Feathered Serpent God:

The Pyramid of Quetzalcoatl has some unique stone heads adorning it:

A Jaguar

I have no clue. :)

Quetzalcoatl is on the right.

And finally, the 7th largest pyramid in the world with a volume of 1.2 million cubic meters, the Pyramid of the Sun:

That's me!  :)

Yes, those are ant-sized people at the top.

Here is a map of Teotihuacan to give you an idea of how these pyramids were situated in relation to each other:

The site is aligned perfectly at 15.5 degrees east of North, supposedly because the sun rose at that angle predictably on the same summer day each year.

In case you were wondering...yes, human sacrifices did occur here; animal and human remains were found during excavations of these pyramids.  Oh, you know....the usual...heads chopped off, hearts ripped out, people buried alive...all to ensure the prosperity of the city.

Here is a final view from the top of the Pyramid of the Sun:

Wikipedia photo

Mexico is full of amazing ruins: Bonampak, Yaxchilan, Palenque, Monte Alban, Chichen Itza and my favorite-- Calakmul. 

I really can't end this post without saying that my visit to Calakmul was a dream come true.  I always wanted to climb the steps of a remote, little-visited, crumbling, jungle-enshrouded Mayan pyramid and only Calakmul met all of these criteria!

It was an unforgettable experience to be the only one in this ancient civilization for an afternoon. To be alone with the spider monkeys and to watch a pair of toucans fly by at eye level while I stood at the top of Calakmul's pyramid brought a tear of joy to my eye.  

Here are a couple of shots of Calakmul:

If Mayan ruins aren't your thing, don't worry!  

Mexico has so many other great sights, sounds, tastes and experiences to offer!

Mexico has gorgeous beaches (Cozumel and Tulum), diving and snorkeling (cenotes of the Yucatan, Isla Espiritu Santo), Copper Canyon which is larger and deeper than the Grand Canyon of the U.S.A, and most importantly--great food and friendly people!

So what are you waiting for?  Visit Mexico!

HELPFUL LINKS:

1.  Viva Mexico! A fun video about Mexico with good music.

2.  Mexico's Official Tourism Site

3.  UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Mexico

4.  Teotihuacan Article

5.  Calakmul Article

My Books: 

If you would like to read more about my amazing travel (mis)adventures, then please check out my books on my Amazon author's page. Just Click Here

See you next week at Kolin's Travels!  

Andorra : Amazing Hiking Paradise in the Pyrenees

TO SEE AN HD VIDEO OF ANDORRA'S GORGEOUS NATURE CLICK HERE (Please use Google Chrome for best playback.)

"Andorra?" you may ask.  "Where's that?"  

If you aren't familiar with Europe, then perhaps these are the questions  running through your mind.

Andorra is the sixth smallest European country at 468 square kilometers, was founded in 988 A.D,  and it is sandwiched between the borders of Spain and France, as seen here:

Its capital, Andorra la Vella, is the highest capital in Europe at 1,023 meters.  Another claim to fame is the long life expectancy of Andorrans, ranked close to the highest in the world at an average age of 82 years. Only Japan, Switzerland and San Marino can claim a longer overall life expectancy.

"Why do they live so long?" you may wonder.  "Is it the good food, fresh air, what ?"

Yes!  I would say it has something to do with both of those which I enjoyed during my one week visit.  

Andorrans enjoy their good food while living in such quaint villages such as Llorts...

The village of Llorts

...and they enjoy their fresh air while surrounded by stunning mountain scenery such as this:

Angonella Lake Trail

View above Angonella Lakes

Angonella Lake Trail

Reflection in one of the Angonella Lakes

Hut above Arinsal

I wouldn't mind settling down to enjoy the view from the above hut for the rest of my life.  :)

Though Andorra is considered a microstate, it is a small country with BIG VIEWS and should not be overlooked! 

For me, Andorra's most attractive quality is that it is nestled smack dab in the middle of the rugged Pyrenees mountains making it a hiker's paradise!  

There are several hiking routes that criss-cross and circumnavigate Andorra...

...in addition to well-marked day hikes ranging in colored stages of difficulty from green (easy) to black (difficult).  Buy the boxed set of 50 excellent maps from a tourist office in any city once you get to Andorra. 

This box of maps is a great deal at only 6 Euros!  and it looks like this:

My favorite hike was the Vall del Madriu ("The Mother Valley") whose name alone implies the significance the Andorrans of yore attributed to this gorgeous place.  In fact, it is so unique that it has been given World Heritage status by UNESCO as a cultural landscape exhibiting the "persistence of pastoralism and a strong mountain culture" (see UNESCO link at bottom).

In my mind, the beauty of Vall del Madriu alone would be reason enough to qualify it as a world treasure. Take a look!

If you need any more convincing that Andorra is a hiking paradise in the Pyrenees, let me leave you with these photos of another great hike called El Pessons:

If you do plan to go to Andorra and need to fly there, the closest main airport is Barcelona El Prat, from where I rented a car and drove the 200 scenic kilometers into Andorra.  

Here are other helpful links about this hiker's paradise:

1. HD VIDEO: "Amazing Andorra: Hiking Paradise in the Pyrenees"
    (Please use Google Chrome for best playback.)

2. Andorra's Official Tourism site

3. Andorra Travel Guide

4. Car Rental

5. UNESCO Vall del Madriu

Please visit Andorra!  You won't regret it!

My Books: 

If you would like to read more about my amazing travel (mis)adventures, then please check out my books on my Amazon author's page. Just Click Here

Thanks for visiting Kolin's Travels.  Next week we will delve into the wonders of Mexico!  

I'm a Fish!

When I first thought of this title, it reminded me of the Chinese pop song titled "I'm a Fish" which I sang (in Chinese, of course!) at a party for my students at Changchun Normal University.  

In this song, the singer says that he is like a "fish out of water" without the one he loves.

To watch the music video by the original artist Ren xian qi, click here.

Unlike Ren xian qi, I was elated to feel like a fish in the waters of Bonito in Brazil!  

Bonito is a town in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, blessed with totally transparent rivers clearer than a swimming pool!  

Take a look! (Photos not mine.)

The unbelievable clarity of these rivers makes Bonito a mecca for snorkelers who want to commune with the fishes!  

Here's a great view of some snorkelers:

Ha!  Who's observing who in the above photo?  It looks like the fish are following the snorkelers, and the snorkelers might be wondering, "Where are all the fish?"  :)

How did the water get so clear?  Well, the abundant limestone in the area serves as an amazing filter for all the rainwater that feeds these rivers.  All the sediment falls to the bottom leaving practically ZERO particles in the water.

My most memorable moment of snorkeling in Bonito was floating through a small waterfall on Rio da Prata ("River of Silver").  After emerging from a maelstrom of bubbles, I came face to face with one of these:

...a rather menacing dourado.  Our eyeballs were six inches away from each other!  Before the fish could react, I lunged with my left hand and stroked the dourado's side.  Fantastic!  

Want to see a video I edited of my snorkeling experience on Rio Sucuri?  Then click here.

In addition to snorkeling, you can take some fabulous jungle walks such as Boca da Onça ("Mouth of the Jaguar") where you can marvel at 11 waterfalls including the states highest--the Boca da Onça waterfall-- at 156 meters tall!

Check out my video of Bonito's above-ground wonders including Boca da Onça Ecotour here.

If you want an unforgettable, fish-filled snorkeling adventure in amazing rivers set in a lush jungle settting, then Bonito is the place for you!

Helpful Links:

Lonely Planet's Info Page

WikiTravel's Tips

BBC Travel Article

My Books: 

If you would like to read more about my amazing travel (mis)adventures, then please check out my books on my Amazon author's page. Just Click Here

Come back next week as we explore Amazing Andorra!  

Thanks for visiting Kolin's Travels!  

The Greatest Waterfall on Earth: Iguaçu vs. Victoria

Here are the two waterfalls vying for the title of "Greatest Waterfall on Earth"

Victoria Falls in Zambia/ Zimbabwe:

And Iguaçu Falls in Brasil/ Argentina:

First, lets get a few things straight.

I'm not talking about the tallest waterfall. That indisputable title goes to Angel Falls in Venezuela at an astonishing 979 meters high.

I'm talking about the greatest--the grandest, most spectacular, most magnificent, most awe-inspiring-- falls in the world.  

In other words, which waterfall is the overall winner in ALL of these characteristics: big, wide, tall, powerful and beautiful?

Niagara, I'm sorry, you're not even in the running.  Though you do have the highest average annual flow rate of 2407 cubic meters per second (Victoria: 1088 and Iguaçu: 1746), you don't even come close to being the length or height of Victoria or Iguaçu.

And one more thing...no, I'm not biased because I'm Brasilian.  I have been to Niagara, Iguaçu and Victoria and all of them are beautiful in their own right.  I'm a very honest person, and I will try to give you my most objective view from taking several different criteria into consideration.

The criteria for my judgment are:

1) The statistics:  which is the tallest, longest, etc.

2) The views.

3) The environment/ landscape surrounding the falls.

4) The nature encountered near each fall.

First, the statistics:

HEIGHT: Victoria Falls has the highest single waterfall drop of 108 meters.  But Iguaçu has two layers of falls on the Argentinian side, and each of these drops can be from 64-82 meters high.  

LENGTH: Victoria Falls is the longest single curtain of falling water at 1,708 meters long.  Thats really long. BUT, Iguaçu has a total length of 2,700 meters!  That's close to a kilometer longer than Victoria.

WATER FLOW: I've already mentioned the mean annual flow, so let me tell about the largest recorded water flow:  Vic Falls: 12,800 cubic meters/ second  Iguaçu: 12,600.

So... In conclusion, Iguaçu is shorter than Victoria if you consider each individual drop, but if you count both of Iguaçu's drops together, it could be considered at least 20 meters higher than Victoria. Iguaçu is much longer than Victoria and has a comparable record of highest water flow.

Second, lets look at the views:

Iguaçu covers both walls of a wide, U-shaped canyon so views are expansive, but Victoria tumbles off one side of a canyon into a deep ravine so the best views are only from the air. At Victoria, if you don't want to fork over $150 for a 15 minute microlight flight or pay even more for a helicopter ride, then you will be limited to the sparse views on foot.

I'll let the photos speak for themselves.  First, my photo (singular) of Victoria:

If you want to go visit any waterfall, you want to go in the wet season when that fall is at its fullest.  I visited both Iguaçu and Victoria during the rainy season.  But at Victoria, the volume of water causes a problem:  the amount of spray is so great that you practically have no view at all in the wet season.  The photo above is the ONLY decent photo I got of Victoria from the ground.

And in the dry season, Victoria looks like this:

Rather pitiful, since only one third of the canyon has water falling over it.

On the other hand, these are the various "on-foot" views of Iguaçu during the high water season. First, from Brasil's side:

And then, EVERYTHING gets even better on the Argentinian side!  The views, the lower prices, the intimacy with the falls--everything.   See! I told you I was an honest person.  :)  Here are the views from Argentina:

Do you see that boat at the bottom of the falls?  That is a Brasilian boat.  The Brasilian boats also get close to the Garganta do Diabo (The Devil's Throat) as seen in the top photo of above three photos. The Garganta do Diabo is the most powerful section of Iguaçu Falls.  BUT the Brasilian boats cannot get close in the high water season because the power of the falls and the swirling current of the river are too great.  

On the other hand, the Argentinian boats can always do this:

The closest you can come to drowning without seriously getting hurt is riding this motor boat under the spray of this waterfall!  It is one of the most exhilarating and terrifying experiences I've ever enjoyed.  To feel the pounding of the spray (not even the actual falls) and to hear the thunder of the water so close is indescribable!

Third, the environment:

Victoria Falls is in a dry savannah-like area with sparse trees except along the Zambezi River. The only verdant scenery near the falls is a little valley closest to the ever-present mists:

And a gorgeous valley it is!  But it is such a small part of the environment near Victoria Falls. All one needs to do is look up to the left and see the parched, leaf-less trees on the other side of the canyon--the trees that weren't close enough to benefit from the mists of Victoria:

On the other hand, Iguaçu is always verdant.

Finally, the nature is our last criteria:

Here are the animals I saw at Victoria:

Vervet Monkey

Chacma Baboon

And at Iguaçu:

Iguana

Coati

Plush-crested Jay

I'll let you judge which animals you like best.

In my mind, when comparing all the above criteria, Iguaçu is the clearly "The Greatest Waterfall on Earth"!  

...OH!  and did I mention that Iguaçu Falls is one of the New 7 Natural Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage site?   

1. Click HERE to see some UNESCO videos about Iguaçu.

2. Click New 7 Wonders of Nature

2. BBC documentary about Iguaçu:  Click HERE

3. A wonderful BBC documentary about a fisherman's life at Victoria Falls: Click HERE

My Books: 

If you would like to read more about my amazing travel (mis)adventures, then please check out my books on my Amazon author's page. Just Click Here

Thanks for visiting Kolin's Travels! 

Next week we'll be swimming in crystalline waters with the fishes of Bonito, Brasil!