beersandbeans.com » Baja & Mexico

Adrenaline Pumping at Aktun Chen in @RivieraMaya

Bethany — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:33:56 +0000

What is going on here? Travel bloggers turned next medical TV drama?

Nope that’s just Ryan van Duzer filming Carol Cain while Ryan Whaley looks on as she suits up for her zip lining excursion at Aktun Chen. Fun Times!

While we were in Riviera Maya we were lucky enough to stay at the top notch Barcelo resort, eat some of the most mouthwatering Mexican dishes and take in several activities like the ruins at Coba, the ruins at Tulum, a relaxing float down the waters at Si’an Kaan Biosphere but the visit to Aktun Chen quickly made it to the top of my favorite activities.

Aktun Chen is natural park with a wildlife zoo, a cave that is over 5,000,000 years old, an underground cenote for snorkeling and it also has 10 ziplines that can take you over the trees, flora and fauna of this beautiful park.

One of things that really stood out to me is that everyone who worked at the park was really friendly and passionate about their job. We were taught quite a bit about the local wildlife and the cave tour was very informative. Zip lining was intense! Here’s a round up of the things we did at Aktun Chen and what you can expect when you visit.

Caving!

Walking through the cave was my favorite activity at Aktun Chen.

The cave is over 5 million years old and full of stalactites, stalagmites and a cenote (natural underground water well). The cave is almost a half mile long and the lesiurely paced tour is very informative so it takes at least an hour to walk through and learn about it. It was a shame I didn’t have my tripod with me because the lighting inside was pretty dramatic and made for some great shots.

If you head to Aktun Chen definitely make time to see the cave. It’s a really cool activity perfect for all ages and fitness levels. Here are some photos to give you an idea.

The Wildlife Zoo:

Some of the wildlife at the 6 acre park includes a wild pig (very cute and friendly little guy who dug a pear out of my bag and ate it), white tail deer, wild collared peccary, parrots, toucans, oco pheasants, agoutis, sereques, coati mundi, different types of monkeys as well as plenty of the regional snakes!

One of the greatest aspects of the park is their commitment to preserving the natural area and one of their main areas of focus, besides education, is repopulating the local species. In fact, due to the preservation efforts of the water, land & animals you can only wear bio-degradable sunscreen at the park so keep that in mind when you visit.

With the exception of one monkey on a rope, the rest of the monkeys are allowed to roam free within their large enclosures. We were told that it is common practice in the Mayan culture to have one monkey on a rope and that many local families use them as their own security alarms. Personally I don’t agree with keeping any monkey on a rope but I did notice that everyone at the park loved all the animals and cared greatly for them. Sometimes when you travel you are forced to see things that you don’t agree with but is culturally accepted as normal routine. The fact that all the animals were well cared for caused me to think this really was common practice in this region.

Unfortunately we were running really late (we had to skip snorkeling in the cenote because we were so behind) so we didn’t have time to see all the wildlife but here are some photos of the ones we did see.

Zip Lining in the Jungle!

I want to be adventurous so badly. Yet I keep coming face to face with situations that scare the life out of me. Zip lining was the case in point here. I have no idea why I was so afraid. It seems that in the past few years I have become afraid of so many things. I’m blaming on my frontal lobe but really I think I just need to get out more and push myself beyond my comfort zone. Maybe I should do one daring thing a month?? Hmmm…

Roni getting suited up for the zip line extravaganza. He looks happy huh?!

The reality is that Zip lining is really not as scary as I worked it up to be. There are 10 zip line runs at this park and it’s fun, really it is. I was really nervous in the beginning but became more relaxed with each run. Actually on the last two run I really enjoyed zipping through the trees – at least until Roni Weiss decided to close his eyes and not stop in time. We ran the last two runs together and he was in charge of slowing us down before we did a face plant into the tree at the end of the line. The first run was great – the second run was also great but he decided to go all yogi on me and close his eyes which means we barely had time to stop before hitting the tree and if it wasn’t for the great guys at Aktun Chen who literally caught us I think we would’ve ended up with splinters and black eyes. But all in all it was fun ziplining with Roni – who taught me that I prefer to zipline when I’m not the one in charge of stopping – thanks Roni!

If you’re worried about ziplining at all (like I was) Aktun Chen could be a great place for you to make the leap – literally. They are into safety here in a big way. So much that when you wear your helmet you put on a surgical cap underneath it (hence the medical TV drama photo at the beginning) and you wear a pair of rubber gloves under the large gripping gloves so that all your sweat stays where it should – on you, not buried into the fabric. It seemed odd at first but it’s actually a great idea to keep things sanitary and it was that type of attention to detail that makes you realize how meticulous they are about everything they do.

A zip line guide giving us a demonstration.

The zipline guides were very informative, funny and understanding. They’ll help to coax you onto that zip line and they’ll wow you with all the fun tricks they do. They make it look so easy!

So if you’re looking for a real adrenaline rush on your trip to the Riviera Maya definitely check out the zip line park at Aktun Chen!

I wish I had more photos but I wussed out. We were given the choice of bringing our cameras on the zip lines with us (a perk of being a blogger!) but I decided to put mine in the locker instead. I was already nervous enough and when I jumped out on the line I knew I made the right choice. Next time I’ll remember to bring a point and shoot!

If you want to contact Aktun Chen their website has all their contact info and information. You can do one activity or all of them (including snorkeling in a cenote). There is also a small restaurant on the site with some great food.

However I warn against eating the habenero pepper whole. You can watch a short video of Roni eating a habenero at the restaurant. Yours truly is heard in the background saying things such as “Don’t look at me & There was drool, there was drool”. Traveling with Roni as part of our blogger group was really a good time. He is a fun guy and the trip would not have been the same without him.

While writing this post I did a lot of reflecting on just how great this trip was. We had such a blast in the Riviera Maya and my traveling companions were all really awesome and a lot of fun. If you’re looking for new travel bloggers to read be sure to check out: NY City Mama (Carol Cain), Nomadic Matt, Ryan van Duzer and Roni Weiss. If you need a great PR rep be sure to contact Ryan Whaley who did a great job putting this trip & our group together.

*This trip to Aktun Chen & the Riviera Maya was sponsored by the Riviera Maya tourism board but all of the views and opinions in this article are entirely our own.

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*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website, Nariko’ s Nest Weddings & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

Fancy yourself as Mr. Jones? Check out the Coba ruins @RivieraMaya

Bethany — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:33:26 +0000

A few weeks back I published an article and photo essay of the ruins in Tulum, Mexico. Overlooking the blue Caribbean Sea and surrounded by palm trees, they were perhaps the most beautifully situated ruins I have ever seen. However if you’ve been enamored by Indiana Jones flicks and you’re in the mood for something a bit more adventurous the ruins at Coba might be more up your alley.

The History Of Coba

The Coba ruins are only about an hour from Tulum but they feel a world away.

Settled between 100 BC and 100 AD, Coba became the largest Mayan civilization in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. Coba is located in the heart of the jungle and surrounded by two lagoons complete with plenty of alligators. The dense jungle location made Coba extremely hard to find, let alone reach and/or attack it. The population flourished and it grew in social and political standing. It is estimated that at the height of civilization over 50,000 Mayans called Coba home. The burgeoning population and the hidden-in-the-jungle location helped Coba grow to super power Mayan status.

(The thick jungle foliage keeps many of the ruins hidden even today.)

The people of Coba knew many of the surrounding Mayan dialects and this further helped their growth as they were able to trade (and coordinate trades) with other Mayan communities. Coba became not only one of the largest traders in the Yucatan but also even further South into what is now known as Central America. They also controlled farmland and several ports.

Coba flourished as a powerhouse for centuries but started losing ground as nearby Chichén Itzá gained in popularity & political status around 1000 AD. In time, trading routes along the coast gained in popularity and although Coba was still culturally important it was abandoned at some point in the early 1500′s.

Due to the difficult location, Coba remained hidden from most of the world until the 1920′s when it was briefly visited by an explorer, Thomas Gann who was brought by some local Mayans. A few archeological visits were made after his visit but the tucked away location meant the ruins would remain just a little known mystery until the 1970′s when a road was finally built. The road allowed more archeologists to discover and sort through the ruins. It wasn’t until the 1980′s that tourists starting visiting the site.

One of the most exciting aspects of Coba is that it is still vastly undiscovered.

Only a very small portion of the region has been excavated and most areas are still hidden in the dense, deep jungle waiting to be brought to light by the next real life Indiana Jones. Could that be you?

What can you do at Coba?

Hike, Climb & Bike!

The other thing that makes Coba stand out as a tourist destination is the fact that you can not only walk among the ruins but you can also climb one of the large temple pyramids. Climbing to the top will get you a view of the surrounding jungle that stretches on for miles. Because Coba is so vast it can be quite a hike to see all the ruins so they offer another unique feature here which is the ability to rent a bike. As part of the Riviera Maya press trip we were all able to ride bikes throughout the ruins. I definitely recommend renting one because it will speed up your visit and allow you to feel the Mayan wind blowing in your hair and really that’s pretty cool.

Check out the ancient ball court and a live Mayan ballgame.

(The ball court – the ball would need to be put through the small hole on the top to score.)

The other thing I really loved at Coba was the Mesoamerican ballgame court. When I saw it I really felt like I was in an Indiana Jones movie. I’m sure you’ve probably seen photos of a similar court at some point on a TV documentary or in a history book. I had always learned it was a high stakes game where the loser (or possibly the winner) became the next sacrifice. Everyone wanted to know if this was indeed the real deal but the guide told us there is absolutely no proof of any ballgame sacrifices at Coba. But then again – no one really knows! Given that the ballgame was such an important aspect of Mayan life it would be hard to believe there weren’t any sacrifices associated with it. Playing this game was a HUGE deal to the Mayans and the ball players were highly regarded and were bathed before games. The game mirrored the heavens and symbolized the struggle between day and night. Wagers were placed and even political problems were solved (and created) by the game. The game was a large part of Mayan life.

In any case, it was pretty exciting to see one of these ball courts in real life. I imagined the players, the audience, the fear of losing, the fear of winning. The high stakes and a hard 9 pound ball that is meant to be kept in play at all times – but only with your hips – makes this a game that must’ve been quite stressful to play.

(Part of the Mayan tale before the game started.)

It is still played today (sans sacrifice) and we were lucky enough to see a live game later that night. The game was played on a court deep in the jungle and the players were dressed up as the Mayans would’ve been. The players acted out a folk tale between two brothers and the jungle god. In the end the ballgame was used to settle the argument between all of the parties. Then they played the game and even lit the court on fire at one point. I actually thought this whole production was pretty cool and I really enjoyed watching it. The game looked really tough to play and it was hard for the players to get the ball through the hole.

Visit Ancient Roots – a local pottery school.

Another great experience we had in Coba was visiting the Ancient Roots pottery school. Originally from Argentina, ceramist Agustin Villalba founded the school as a way to teach local children how to make the pottery of their ancestors. Mayan pottery is an ancient art form and until Agustin founded the school the techniques were in danger of being lost to modernization and poverty in the region. With his help the school is free for all the children that live in Coba so they can continue the ceramic traditions. We were lucky enough to spend time at this school hanging out with the children and making pottery.

The tour described in this post was the Coba Sunset Tour. This trip to Coba & the Riviera Maya was sponsored by the Riviera Maya tourism board but all of the views and opinions in this article are entirely our own.

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Barcelo Resort in @RivieraMaya – An all inclusive photo essay & review

Bethany — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:33:06 +0000

Ok, I’ll admit it.

I’ve never been much of a resort person. Generally I prefer a more off-the-beaten path type of lodging. But I had also never stayed at an all inclusive resort before. On my recent trip to Riviera Maya, Mexico I stayed at Barceló Resort and I have to say – it was pretty awesome. In fact, they may have ruined me.

Unlike the more rustic accommodation I am used to (read: bunk rooms, no hot water and even composting toilets) Barceló does it up and does it right. From the minute you step onto the grounds you get the distinct feeling that you are officially on vacation. You know that song – It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere? Well Barceló is 5 O’Clock Somewhere ALL the time! Turns out that being at a place where you don’t have to think about anything can actually be relaxing and fun.

Traveling to new countries can be stressful but at Barceló there’s nothing to stress or get nervous about. Nope – all you need to do is enjoy the countless luxury pools, numerous water activities or simply spend your day swinging in a hammock with a good book. Looking for great views? No problem here – the water is cerulean blue and stretches as far as the eyes can see. Palm trees growing straight out of the white sand complete the utopian vacation vista. I should also mention that the crystal clear water is the *perfect* temperature. You literally walk right in – no need to adjust the internal thermometer. One day the sky was brilliant blue with puffy white clouds and the water was a beautiful jewel tones blue/green. It was so beautiful it was almost surreal. This is the type of ocean you see on travel brochures and dream about. Ocean swimming doesn’t get any better than this.

This is the kind of place you want to go when you want to just unwind, relax and not worry about anything. I swear this is where all those Corona commercials are made. I guess you could say resort vacationing has it’s definite and undeniable perks.

As for the actual lodgings the rooms are LUSH. The beds are really comfortable and thanks to Barceló I have to work about 100% harder because I have discovered what life is like with a nice bathroom. Sure a large bathtub is nice but what’s really luxurious is having a large bathtub AND a doorless, tiled shower with a large circular rain style shower head. No shower curtain to fiddle with, no shower doors to clean – instead just make a large portion of your bathroom a walk in shower – brilliant!

If you need more than margaritas and a good book to entertain you on vacation don’t worry – there’s plenty more. Families, couples & friends vacationing together will all find tons of activities – water sports, mini golf, a spa, life size games and dedicated kids pool to name just a few – to keep busy with. Plenty of food and bars to keep you occupied and a dance club called Jaguars (complete with ambient fog) if you want to take it to the next level.

If you feel like taking the stress out of travel on your trip to Riviera Maya, Barceló is a great place to do it. A few days under the palm trees with a drink in hand and swimming in the balmy waters will take the work stress off instantly.

This place is very laid back and might not be the spot for spring breakers looking to get wild because much to my surprise it remains very quiet at night. I definitely recommend it for families, seniors, couples or groups of friends that want to chill out and have fun.

From the minute I arrived I thoroughly enjoyed my stay. If I was going on a trip to Riviera Maya with my family I would definitely stay here because there is something for everyone. In fact, when I got back to the States I gave my friend Lauren the complimentary bottle of Tequila (yes you read that right – an entire free bottle of Tequila) that I received in my room. She actually said “Barceló! That’s where I stayed with my family last year. We loved it!”

True story.

I took plenty of photos that give a great overview of what it’s like to stay at Barceló. If, like many people, you’re headed south for your February break be sure to check out this great resort for your stay in Riviera Maya.

Welcome to Barcelo!

My room:

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The view from my balcony:

A cool panoramic that you need to click on to enlarge:

Curious about what else you can expect on your trip to Riviera Maya? Be sure to check out our other posts:

The Unbelievable Food of Riviera Maya

Visiting The Ruins of Tulum – A Must on Your Trip to Riviera Maya

Si’an Kaan Biosphere – A Relaxing Adventure on the Shores of Riviera Maya

*This trip to Riviera Maya was sponsored by the Riviera Maya tourism board but all of the views and opinions in this article are entirely ours.

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Visiting The ruins of Tulum – A MUST on your trip to @RivieraMaya

Bethany — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 17:01:50 +0000

If you do one activity on your trip to Riviera Maya make it a visit to Tulum.

Tulum is not only a charming, artsy town with a bohemian vibe but it is mostly known for the large ruins located there.

When we walked onto the grounds I was blown away. I have seen plenty of ruins before but never anything like this- palm trees, green grass, blue skies and amazing views. Don’t forget the 500+yr old ruins/buildings you get to walk around!

The Mayans had it good in Tulum. They built their city on seaside cliffs overlooking the bluest ocean I have ever seen. In fact, don’t forget your swimsuit – while touring the ruins you can actually take a break and hit up the beach for a swim in the beautiful warm water! Have you ever seen ruins that you could also swim at? Before my visit to Tulum I hadn’t.

The good folks at the Riviera Maya tourism board hired a guide when we arrived to the ruins. This was the first visit (of any ruin anywhere) where I had the privilege of having things explained to me. Normally Randy and I just wander around, try to eavesdrop on other tours and make up our own stories. Having a guide for the Tulum ruins changed how I travel. I realized that if you really want to learn about a place you really are better off paying a little extra to hire a guide.

On top of learning about the ruins we also learned how the Mayan lived their lives at Tulum – how they dressed, the gods they believed in and what they believed happened to the soul after death. Ruins look fairly similar around the world – it’s only when you have a passionate guide, as ours was, who can fill you in on the secrets and history of an area does the place really come to life. Our guide (pictured below in all white) was Mayan and loved telling us about the history of his people – the good and bad. A story I remember in particular was about the fateful day that life at Tulum came to an end.

The Mayans were trusting and peaceful people and they flourished at Tulum for hundreds of years until the Spanish decided to take over. During the conquest almost all of the inhabitants of Tulum were slaughtered. The Spanish then went on to kill the chief in a way that I thought was quite cruel. They befriended him by giving him a mirror to look in. The chief had never seen a mirror and had no idea what he even looked like. You can imagine how awe inspiring it must have been to look at his own image for the first time. As the chief studied himself in the mirror for the first (and last) time the Spanish stabbed and killed him. Imagine seeing yourself for the first time and then watching your own face as you are stabbed to death! Ouch.

I took a lot of photos at Tulum and I hope you enjoy them. Of all the activities we did as part of the Riviera Maya press trip this one was by far my favorite. If you’re headed to the Mayan Riviera be sure to schedule in a trip to Tulum – it’s a sight you should not miss.

Right outside the entrance to Tulum these Mayan performers were practicing a harvest ritual that involved tying ropes (not bungee cords) to their ankles and around their waists while spinning above the trees. Scary!

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Si’an Kaan Biosphere- A relaxing adventure on the shores of @RivieraMaya

Bethany — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 10:33:50 +0000

If you’re headed to the Riviera Maya in Mexico for a relaxing vacation, floating down the quiet, peaceful waters in the Si’an Kaan Biosphere is a perfect excursion to add to your itinerary.

Si’an Kaan literally means Born In Heaven and as you roll up the serene coast you’ll see why. Everything is peaceful, quiet & relaxing. It’s kind of like a really great yoga class minus the sweat and awkward positions. Instead of trying to get the perfect spot in class to lie down your yoga mat, you and your friends or family can take off on a boat ride through a Mayan ecological biosphere. You can feel the wind in your hair and the droplets of water as they splash around you.

After a few minutes boating through the open water in the reserve the guide will navigate the boat through a small opening in the tall reeds. Try to transport yourself back in time several hundred years – you’ve just arrived to the waterways of the Mayans.

As the boat winds through the small, connected lagoon system you’ll learn about the history of Si’an Kaan and why it was so important to the Mayans.

The waterways of Si’an Kaan were created by the Mayans for use in transporting goods. As a result there are several old Mayan buildings within the reserve. You’ll be able to walk around and in what used to be the Mayan Customs House. I didn’t walk in too far because there are a lot of bats residing there now but in any case it was incredible to see an actual Mayan building that once played an important role in the history of Si’an Kaan reserve.

After exploring the Customs House you’ll be able to enjoy the most relaxing part of the tour which is the float down stream. You get to jump into what has to be some of the prettiest blue water in the world and while using your life jacket as a diaper (yes, literally putting your legs through the arms) you’ll bob through the reserve. Relaxed yet?

While bobbing away you can take the time to look for one of the 300 hundred species of birds in the reserve, chit chat with your friends, lie back and look at the sky or you can reflect on the fact that you are floating down an actual Mayan waterway. You can daydream about the canoes and people that floated down this lagoon hundreds of years before you.

Don’t worry – you don’t need to swim. The slow, peaceful pace of the current guides you along the biosphere and gives you plenty of time to notice the unique beauty in this area – enough to grant it a spot on the Unesco World Heritage list.

After your relaxing float you’ll get to head down a wooden walkway checking out the biosphere from land and on your return to shore you’ll be able to partake in another really unique activity – a walk through the jungle! This easy going walk will bring you to a tower perched over the trees which you are welcome to climb to get an overall view of this special place from above.

All in all, everyone had a great time on this tour, including me. I know I’ve said it before, but it was really relaxing. We took our tour with Si’an Kaan Tours and the tour was provided to us by the tourism board of Riviera Maya. The guides were friendly and knowledgeable and increased our understanding of why this area is so important culturally and ecologically to the Mayan people today. I highly recommend this tour if you are in the Riviera Maya and want an educational yet easy going activity.

In the photo’s below there are an array of characters – all of the hysterical bloggers I got to take this trip with: Roni Weiss, Nomadic Matt, Ryan Van Duzer, Ryan Whaley our lovely PR host, Itzel Mejia from the Riviera Maya tourism board and our Mayan tour guides. Carol Cain from New York City Mama was also on this journey but her and I were sitting next to each other and so I don’t have a picture of her! But I have many photos of her from other Riviera Maya adventures that will be coming out soon.

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The Unbelievable Food of Riviera Maya, Mexico @RivieraMaya

Bethany — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 10:33:33 +0000

As some of you might know last week I was flown to Riviera Maya for a few days of fun in the sun with some other fellow travel bloggers – Carol Cain, Matt Kepnes, Ryan van Duzer & Roni Weiss.

We had an AMAZING time. Riviera Maya was far more beautiful than I imagined and there are a ton of activities to do in the area from zip-lining to visiting Mayan ruins. In the next few weeks I’ll be putting out a ton of blog posts that show the beauty of the area and why Riviera Maya is must see destination for your travel bucket list.

One thing that really blew me away was the quality of food we ate. I’ve spent plenty of time in other regions of Mexico and I’ve never had food as good as what we ate in Riviera Maya. In fact, I don’t often eat food this good anywhere in the world! Not only were all of the dishes visually appealing but the flavors were creative and tasted truly fantastic. All of the food was very high quality and prepared perfectly. Normally vegetarian dishes aren’t that tasty in places that cater more towards meat eaters but I didn’t have any problem getting vegetarian food and to top it off – it was extremely good. I was completely surprised at how good everything was so if you’re a veggie and you’re headed to this part of Mexico – don’t worry – you’ll find plenty to eat!

Wondering what it is your looking at and where you can get it? Here’s a description of eat plate including the name of the restaurant:

1. Tuna Tacos at El Bistro in Tulum, Mexico.

2. Veggie Mexican Roll ups at El Bistro in Tulum, Mexico.

3 & 4. Blogger Lunch – Not a bad view! & Restaurant sign – both taken at El Bistro in Tulum, Mexico.

5. Tequila shots for lunch! – El Bistro in Tulum, Mexico

6 & 7. Pork & Seafood Mexican Roll Ups & Pineapple Creme Brulee at El Bistro in Tulum, Mexico.

8. The amazing Chef of El Bistro in Tulum, Mexico.

9 & 10. The Chef laughs at the bloggers & Itzel (our host from Riviera Maya) radiates in the sun as she sips her tequila.

11. Tomato, Zucchini & Blue Cheese Salad at El Bistro in Tulum, Mexico. Yum!

12 & 13. Tuna Tacos & Chicken Satay at Bites in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico.

14 & 15. Veggie Lasagna & Strawberry/Balsamic Martini at Bites in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico.

16. Making Tacos at Taqueria El Arbolito Taco Shop in Playa Del Carmen.

17. Tacos at Taqueria El Arbolito Taco Shop in Playa Del Carmen.

18. Salsa at Taqueria El Arbolito Taco Shop in Playa Del Carmen.

19. Taqueria El Arbolito Taco Shop in Playa Del Carmen.

20 & 21. Fruit Plate & Chocolate Sculpture with Strawberries + Champagne at Barcelo Resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico.

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Big Travel News & The Giveaway Winner

Bethany — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 10:33:41 +0000

I have some big news! But before I get to it I want to announce the winner of our giveaway of the Vemayca Travel Bag!

Congratulations to Jessica Mason! You’ve won the bag – we hope you get a lot of use from it! Please be sure to contact us so we can send it off to you.

As for the big news – the traveling is beginning!

I can’t believe it! I’m nervous, I won’t lie. Even though we started our big trip last year, we’ve been back in the States since October. Initially, we had to come back to shoot some previously booked weddings, and we planned on moving to Southeast Asia in March after they were finished up. Life had other plans, though, and last spring my dad got extremely sick and fought a health battle that almost took his life. After 6 months he’s doing much better, walking bit by bit and slowly things are returning to normal.

But before Randy and I could even make our own travel plans, they got made for us. In a way, it’s weird and I know life is bitter sweet. This year has been one of the worst in my life, but it seems like now all of the bitter is leaving and all the sweet is taking it’s place. It feels good!

On Wednesday, I leave on a press trip to Mexico! I’m very excited and very nervous at the same time. Unfortunately only one of us could go on this trip and Randy was kind enough to let me do the honors. I’ll be headed to the Mexican Riviera with a group of really outstanding bloggers. So for a few days I’ll be hanging out with Roni Weiss, Nomadic Matt, Carol Cain, Ryan Van Duzer & Vera Sweeney drinking margaritas and partaking in some crazy adventures.

Photo taken in Oaxaca, Mexico.

We are going to hike the largest Mayan Pyramid in Mexico, make Mayan pottery with kids, eat dinner under a pavilion by the Pyramid while the sun sets, then we’ll take in a crazy Mayan play built into a cenote.

That’s just day one.

The next couple of days we’ll spend swimming in cenotes, learning about the Mayan culture, riding through the jungle while zip-lining and sky-cycling through the rainforest. Yes, I said sky-cycling – riding a bike (of sorts) attached to a wire (of sorts) through the treetops. Crazy! We’ll also be checking out Playa del Carmen for an evening out on the town. It’s going to be a jam packed few days and although I’m nervous – I can’t wait! I love Mexico and I’ve never been to this Riviera before!

After that I’m flying to California to spend a few days with family & friends and catch up on some things I need to take care of. Randy will be flying out to CA while I’m in Mexico to spend time with his family & his grandparents, who are flying to CA that same week! After what will be a crazy week of day trips with the Kalp family & singing drunken karaoke with friends, we’ll be flying back to the Boston area for a few days to catch the Salvon family reunion then jetting off to New York City to write a couple reviews. A day or two after that we’ll be flying out to Europe to start our WWOOFing in Serbia gig and another really exciting European project that we are going to announce shortly. Phew!

Exciting! I figure by the time we reach Europe we ought to be completely exhausted. We’re still working on the possibility of Okoberfest. In fact, we might fly into Amsterdam and then hop over to Munich for a few days – if it works out that will make for an interesting five day break before we start busting our humps in Serbia! Amsterdam to Oktoberfest – I’m sure many interesting photos will follow.

I have no idea what else is going to happen in this crazy adventure, but I can’t tell you how happy I am that life is turning around and at a rapidly crazy pace at that! I’m at that anxious, overwhelmed, yet excited place where you aren’t sure what the next day will bring. Although I am surprised that we are actually headed back to Europe – it feels like the right thing. I feel that we’re supposed to be going there and that something really amazing is going to come from it. I don’t know exactly what it is but I’m looking forward to finding it.

We’ll have some really great stuff coming up soon. It’s going to be a really exciting time for us and we can’t wait to take you all on the ride with us. Until we chat next – Viva Mexico!

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San Diego’s One-Tank Wonders

Randy — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 15:41:45 +0000

For San Diego travelers and families planning their Labor Day vacations, the rising gas prices could not have come at a worst time. Luckily, the city’s unique proximity to the mountains, international border and desert make San Diego a great hub for one-tank wonders.

Whether you want to take day trip or a weekend getaway, these three backyard locations–Salton Sea; Tecate, Mexico; and Palomar Mountain–are all only one tank of gas (round trip) from San Diego.

Salton Sea

Part ghost town, part snowbird retreat, the Salton Sea is a decaying paradise just west of Anza-Borrego Desert in Imperial County. Developed as a resort community in the late 1950s, the Salton Sea drew its fair share of celebrities, including The Rat Pack and The Beach Boys, before its untimely demise in the 1970s due to a rising sea and salinity levels. The once budding shoreline communities were abandoned or never completed and recreational activities diminished.

Despite being California’s largest lake and having a salinity level higher than the Pacific Ocean, the Salton Sea is rarely used for water activities or boating, mainly over confusion surrounding pollution levels in the sea. Now a days, it’s more popular with bird watchers–more than 400 species have been documented in the area–and photographers drawn to the post-apocalyptic feel of the once flourishing resort communities–Salton Sea City, Bombay Beach, North Shore–situated along the sea’s salt encrusted shoreline.

Palomar Mountain State Park

Boasting a Sierra Nevada-like atmosphere, Palomar Mountain State Park is an ideal getaway for travelers of all ages. Located in northeastern San Diego County, the state park covers nearly 2,000 acres. It’s highest peak is High Point, which sits at an elevation of 6,140 feet. In addition to hiking, camping and trout fishing at Doane Pond, Palomar Mountain is also home to the Palomar Observatory and the Hale Telescope. Visitors can tour the observatory daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at no charge. Because the tours are self-guided, I recommend downloading this free podcast from the observatory’s website (http://www.astro.caltech.edu/palomar/visiting.html), which will help guide you through the observatory.

Tecate, Mexico

In between Tijuana and Mexicali is Tecate, the Cinderella of Baja California border towns. The quite nature of the city, known mainly for its production of Tecate beer, is more akin to the atmosphere and culture found in small towns throughout Mexico. Situated in the hills 40 miles east of San Diego, small bakeries, restaurants and markets line the streets and Zócalo (main square) of Tecate. However, for many visitors, the main draw is the city’s famous brewery. Set in the middle of the city (walking distance from the border), the Tecate Brewery offers free tours (in English and Spanish) of its storied factory.

For day trips to Tecate or its brewery, I recommend paying a few dollars to park in one of the lots on the American side of the border, and then walking across. Keep in mind that unlike traveling to Baja through the San Ysidro border crossing, the Tecate border crossing is not open 24 hours; it operates between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. daily. Tecate Brewery tours are by reservation only. From the U.S. 011+52 (665) 654-9490 or (665) 654-9478 or visitas.tecate@ccm.com.mx.

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Oaxaca, Mexico – Why You Need To Go & Why I Need To Go Back!

Bethany — Tue, 31 May 2011 10:33:50 +0000

I have a problem.

I have discovered I am a slow traveler but I am more than just slow. I am snail slow.

The problem is I never get to travel as slow as I really want to. There is always something else to see, somewhere else to go, other mountains to climb and other sunlight to frolic in. I was thinking about some of our past travels and I realized that even though we had about 5 weeks in Italy alone it didn’t even come close to being enough time. I was trying to think of how long it would really take for me to get enough of it and I ended up with the idea that it would take me at least a year. That would give me enough time to see all the museums, eat all the food, meet all the people and take enough photos to make me feel that I had really seen Italy. I think.

As I was thinking about this my mind started drifting off to another one of my favorite countries – Mexico.

Mexico gets a bad rap and it’s too bad because Mexico is freaking amazing. I have long considered it my second home and Randy and I spent the early times of our dating days in the shadiest of Mexico border towns. Our second date was in Mexcio. I even worked in Mexico for quite some time and spent my weekends going back and forth. When I was in Italy I felt like I was back traveling in Mexico. It’s silly even how similar they are.

Besides my plentiful days in Baja, one place on the mainland that really captured my heart was Oaxaca.

It was almost 2 years ago now that we made the trip to Oaxaca for Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). It was a transformative trip for me, Mexico at it’s best – minus the beaches and margaritas. If you ever have the chance to go to Oaxaca I highly RECOMMEND it, especially if you can go for the Dia de los Muertos festivals. The entire city comes alive and the atmosphere with dancing in the streets is contagious. The graveyard festivities will entertain you and make you think about death on an entirely different level.

We should all be lucky enough to be buried in a Oaxacan cemetery.

I have to go back because I was only there for 5 days and I had an old camera. Like Italy, Oaxaca is a place I need to travel slowly in. I really need to go back and spend at least a few months exploring all the nooks and taking part in some of the activities in Oaxaca that I never got to experience when I was there the first time.

If you’re headed to Oaxaca soon here are a couple of activities that you shouldn’t miss.

1. Graveyards in & around Oaxaca – if you’re going around Dia de los Muertos you HAVE to go to as many graveyards as possible. This is a MUST.

2. The Food- Can you say chocolate? Can you say Michelada? Can you say Mole? Oaxaca has some of the best Mexican food I have come across in all my travels. They even make their own chocolate and as you walk around the city your nose will guide you to the chocolate district. Yum!

3. The Markets – Mexico is by far one of my places to shop but the shopping in Oaxaca is out of this world. Not only do they have crazy, out of this world stands with everything from dried crickets to their world famous hot chocolate but you can also get anything and everything else you might – spices, wallets, flowers, batteries, etc. The 20th de Noviembre Market was my favorite by far.

4. The Zocolo – The Zocolo is the town square in Oaxaca. This is pretty much the IT place. Grab a cafe chair, some peanuts and a Michelada – this IS the place to unwind, take it all in, people watch, take photos and check emails. Balloon sellers and children roam the streets while young lovers make the most of their alone time under the trees.

5. The Churches – Oaxaca has it’s roots deep in the depths of Catholicism and it does it’s part by having numerous churches throughout the city. The churches are huge, detailed, beautiful and most of them are still in use today. Walking around the churches is a great way to see another side of the city and it’s important to visit at least a couple of them to get a rounded idea of Oaxaca.

6. Activities – There are touts selling every type of tour in Oaxaca and with good reason – there is a lot to do! From touring Mt. Alban to hiking waterfalls, playing golf, taking tours of villages and cooking classes and horseback riding there is not shortage of activities in Oaxaca to keep you busy. If you have a little extra time you could also consider heading to the coast for a few days of seaside entertainment.

These are just the six quick things that came to mind when I was writing this post. There is so much to do in Oaxaca you definitely won’t be sorry if you head there on vacation or plan to stay for several weeks. There is also a great bar/nightlight scene and a great homemade arts scene in Oaxaca. It’s truly a great Mexican city.

(If you are reading this and happen to be in southern California keep in mind you can fly from Tijuana into Oaxaca and skip the international air taxes!)

*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of BeersandBeans.com, NarikosNest.com & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

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The Flames of Florence – Florence, Italy – Somewhere In Time Weekly Travel Photo & 6 Month Retrospective

Bethany — Thu, 05 May 2011 10:33:25 +0000

Somewhere in Time is a weekly photo from around the world. Enjoy!

On a day off from the farm a few of us went to Florence for the day. If you’re going to Italy you should definitely plan on visiting Florence. It’s a beautiful city – full of amazing art, history and warmth. In my eyes it’s the perfect Italian city. If I were moving to Italy, Florence would definitely be on the list of places where I would want to live. It’s big enough to keep you entertained but it doesn’t feel overwhelming. The artists of the past seem to influence every little bit of the city. Everything seems to have it’s place in Florence and their places are just right.

We were walking back to the train station when we passed this street. The couple was standing in the light just perfectly. It was drizzling but just barely – just enough to create a bit of steam on the streets to accentuate the perfect atmosphere of love sprouting. This couple couldn’t have been more ideally placed. For me, it was as if the photographic gods came to earth and handed me this moment. It was sublime. His enchantment and nervous tension was unmistakable even from down the street. You could tell they were probably at the very beginning of what would no doubt blossom into a huge & steamy love affair. The kind you only get a couple times in life, maybe only once. And you know if you are lucky enough to have it there is nothing like it in the world. Especially in the beginning when nothing can stop it. Those flawless moments when everything in the world feels new again. Wars were fought over this type of love.

This is one of my favorite photos from Italy. The streets of Florence are so old and full of life I can’t help but wonder how many people throughout the ages walked these streets and perhaps stood in this exact spot with this very same twinkle in their eye. Nothing in the world can compare to the blushing skin and golden glow of a love affair about to burst into wild flames.

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On another note I’m pretty excited because today marks 6 months exactly that I have been posting a Somewhere In Time travel photo of the week. I had posted them prior but only intermittently. I’m pretty happy with myself because Somewhere In Time is actually a lot of work for me and to be honest I am really proud of these images. They mean A LOT to me. Not just any old photo will work for this portfolio.

It’s a travel portfolio that attempts to showcase not just photos from different locations around the globe but also photos that highlight some of the emotions we experience as we travel. Some of the images are a little bit more landscape-like than others but overall the photo has to have a certain something to be included in the series. My ultimate goal is that each photograph embraces a very specific and unique one-of-a-kind moment. The kind of moment that makes you feel something and maybe even remember a certain feeling – - even if it’s something vague that you can’t quite put your finger on. I want everyone who looks at the images to linger on them, enjoy them, feel them & hopefully relate to them in one way or another.

I thought I would do a retrospective of the last 6 months because we have a lot of new readers who might be unfamiliar with what the series is and how much it means to me. Plus it’s kind of cool to have a place to view them all in one spot. I purposely saved the above photo of Florence for this post because it is one of my favorites and symbolizes, at least to me, what the Somewhere In Time Series is all about. So if you want to look at six months of Somewhere In Time just keep scrolling. Also, if you want the read the story behind any of the photos just click on the title of the photograph.

If you want to view them full width you can view them at the Somewhere In Time Travel Photo Gallery.

I hope you like them.

Flames of Florence – Florence, Italy

On The Way To Vegas – California/Nevada, USA

Angel’s Landing – Zion National Park, Utah, USA

Sunset at the Campanile – Venice, Italy

The Thinking Swans – On the Road from Hofn to Reykjavik, Iceland

The Homecoming – Lacedonia, Italy

Iceland at Dawn – On the Road from Hofn to Reykjavik, Iceland

Ave Maria – Oaxaca, Mexico

Double Helix|Changing Woman – Navajo Trail, Bryce Canyon, N.P., Utah – USA

We Belong Together – Inside the Louvre in Paris, France (Part 1 of 2)