Rio… I have been looking forward to this flight and layover for a while now. And it is made even more special because I am once more able to take my husband along.

Wednesday morning, 5 a.m. local time, and we finally land in Rio. By the time we get to the hotel, the sun is just rising, and after an admiring view of Copacabana Beach from our window, we close the curtains and get some sleep.

Copacabana

At 11 a.m., we head to a small café around the corner and fortify ourselves with a coffee and passion fruit juice. Afterwards, we walk close to the waterline along the entire beach. It is 4 km. Beach vendors offer caipirinhas and bikinis for sale, and umbrellas and loungers for rent. We enjoy the view of the islands, the skyscrapers, Sugarloaf Mountain… We are so happy to be here. At the other end of the beach, we have lunch at a beach bar.

Sunset is here at 5:30 p.m. From the rooftop terrace of our hotel, you cannot see the sunset; it is in the other direction. But the view of the sea and the beach is incredibly beautiful. Plus, the full moon and a caipirinha…

A Sight-Seeing Tour, That Has It All

On Thursday, we meet up with three other colleagues and our guide in the lobby at 7:40 a.m. Today we plan to spend the whole day sightseeing.

Our first stop is the train ride up Corcovado to the Christ the Redeemer statue. It is still a bit chilly up here, and the clouds are low, but the visibility is still good. The city, the beaches, Sugarloaf Mountain, the ocean… It looks beautiful. Even though we are up here very early, there is already a lot going on. It is expected to get even busier later: 10,000 visitors a day. The Cristo is impressive in itself. The small soapstone plaques can only be seen up close; from a little further away, it looks as if it were carved from stone.

We buy a coffee in the small bar below the Cristo. Luckily, we do not buy anything to eat, because a gang of coatis is stalking anyone with food in their hands. They climb onto the tables and try everything to get their hands on something edible.

We continue into the centre. Here we walk past the theatre and several government and former colonial buildings. The streets are lined with trees or even palm trees. Everything seems incredibly green.

The Catedral Metropolitana de São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro is a modern, pyramid-shaped church that opened in 1979. Four colorful stained-glass windows facing each other bring light into the dark concrete building, which can accommodate up to 20,000 worshippers.

Our guide tells us many details, both historical and current. The tour is very entertaining. We keep walking and then meet up with our driver again.

The Lapa aqueduct is no longer used for water transport; instead, an old tram runs over it to the higher-lying Santa Tereza district. We walk up the famous Selarón mosaic staircase. The designer of the staircase is the Chilean artist José Selarón. His signature, a pregnant Black woman, is a common sight. He chose this symbol because he always said there was nothing harder than being a Black, pregnant woman. The staircase is decorated with numerous tiles from all over the world. We find Paris, Granada, German cities… It is busy here; we take some photos and slowly walk up the stairs.

Santa Tereza is an old neighborhood with beautiful houses and villas. There are cafés, restaurants, and many nice shops. We like that there are fewer made-in-China plastic goods and more local souvenirs. The old trams rattle along the streets. Between the houses, you can occasionally catch glimpses of the sea or favelas that climb the hillside.

Finally, we drive to Sugarloaf Mountain. The cable car valley station is in Urca. The sun is now fully out, and it is quite warm. In summer, when it gets up to 40 degrees Celsius, I would not want to be here at all. We find the 20-24 degrees Celsius very pleasant.

The first cable car takes us to the “back.” We walk a bit through the forest and see small, very cute monkeys. Then we take the second gondola up to the top. The view is fantastic. Copacabana Beach is right at our feet. On the other side, Botafogo Beach stretches all the way to the city centre and the domestic airport. What a view…

Surfing at Ipanema

On Friday, our alarm clock wakes us up early because we want to go surfing at Ipanema Beach. The sky still has a slight pink hue, but there are already a few surfers frolicking in the waves.

It takes a while for us to get back into the swing of things. After that, though, it is already going better than in Portugal. However, it is exhausting. We enjoy waiting outside in the group for the next wave, then feeling the push and getting up. Sometimes it works well; sometimes we quickly fall back into the water.

There are a few photographers on the beach who will later sell their photos. We find a few pictures of ourselves and buy them, partly because we do not have any photos from our first surfing trip in Portugal.

By nine o’clock we are exhausted and walk into Ipanema for breakfast. We have earned it. We are sore in our bones, but at the same time we feel full of energy.

Saturday is our departure day. However, we have time until noon, and since we usually wake up quite early in South America, we want to take advantage of it. So we walk a bit and stay in Copacabanda for breakfast. On the way back, we walk through the surf one last time. A few weeks ago, we swam on the other side of the Atlantic. That is so incredible to think about.

What a wonderful time we have had here. We both really enjoyed Rio de Janeiro and already talk about a future Brazilian holiday.

Der Beitrag First Time in Rio de Janeiro erschien zuerst auf Where in the world is... Susanne?.

This long Bogotá rotation is another perfect opportunity to take my husband along on one of my flights. It is a long day flight with 11 hours 30 min, but time always passes quickly when I am working.

Cartagena

After a good night’s sleep we feel refreshed and ready for another short flight to Cartagena. It is still early and our Uber driver whizzes through the beginning of the usual traffic craziness. Security, boarding, flying… it all goes so quickly and by 10am we are in Cartagena. We are looking forward to spending two nights in this beautiful and colourful city on the Caribbean coast.

Old Town

We immediately dive into the tropical heat, the colourful chaos. Everyone is crowding on the side of the street, which is in the shade. The walkway in the sun is practically empty. Quite a few of the colourful houses are often overgrown with bougainvillaea or other climbing plants and the taller buildings have ornate balconies. We find a small café and enjoy our lunch and the fresh maracuja juice. Cold drinks and a bit of air conditioning are so nice when it is 32 degrees Celsius outside.

After a siesta we stroll through the old town. The temperature is more comfortable in the afternoon. Cars and horse drawn carriages are weaving their way through the narrow one way streets. Shops, restaurants and hotels are lining up next to each other. Most of the boutiques are selling either bathing suits or linen clothing. On the plazas, street vendors are selling hats, cigars, bracelets and more. Women in colourful dresses and with fruit bowls on their heads offer to be photographed in exchange for money. The houses and the colours are so pretty. We just follow our inspiration and when it gets too hot, we sit down and drink a cold beer in a book café.

The lights are slowly turning on as we walk to our dinner restaurant. The city is bathed in the orange glow of the street lanterns. It is so beautiful… This evening we are eating ceviche, fish marinated in lime juice. I loved eating this while I was living at the coast in Ecuador and it gives me all the happy memories.

Getsemaní

The next day we exit the old town and walk over to the Getsemaní area. I had my accommodation in one of the quiet side streets when I first visited Cartagena in 2018. Colombians are on their way to work and there are not yet many tourists around. The heat of the day is still a few hours off and we enjoy the early morning walk.

We stroll through the small streets, admire the street art and wait till our breakfast café opens at 8am. We share an avocado toast and some pancakes and we have, of course, good Colombian coffee and maracuja juice.

Some of the murales I recognise from five years ago. They lost a bit of colour, but none of their vibrancy. But there are also a lot of new ones adorning the house walls. Artists offer their paintings in small shops, adding a lot to the colourful street life. One street is decorated with rainbow umbrellas and another one with streamers and lights. Carts sell lime juice and cut fruits and by now, the streets are full of people.

Old Town

In the afternoon, we sit for a while on one of the bigger plazas back in the Old Town. When we are sitting, the sweat does not run as much. The colonial buildings shine brightly in their yellow and red colours and we are having the best time looking at the street scene in front of us. We enjoy our time here so much. A Piña Colada and a Maracuja Daiquiri refresh us, the sky slowly changes colour and the small black vultures circle above the houses.

On Wednesday, we return to Bogotá, but only in the afternoon. Until then, we enjoy another lovely breakfast and stroll around some more through the old town. At first, the sky is a bit overcast and we are almost glad about the missing sun. When she comes out a little later, the temperature quickly climbs to 33 degrees Celsius. A slight breeze is blowing through the alleys and that feels very refreshing. We mostly stay in the maize of the old town and only briefly face the brutal intensity of the sun on the city wall. The sea stretches out in front of us and to the left the tall apartment buildings of the newer Cartagena rise up.

We enjoyed our two nights in Cartagena so very much. What a lovely little holiday. The colours, the tropical heat, the fruits….

Bogotá

Thursday is departure day. However, our pickup is only in the evening and so we have enough time to meet a big part of our crew and go to the centre of the city for a Graffiti Walking Tour. La Candelaría is a nice area and has a lot of street art to offer. Beside the beautiful art we get to see, we also learn a lot about Colombian history and culture and the artists.

What a wonderful layover. It was a really special rotation and such an amazing experience.

Der Beitrag Bogotá & Cartagena erschien zuerst auf Where in the world is... Susanne?.

Winter is dragging on and I have some free time in March. The idea of escaping the frosty temperatures has been forming in my mind for a while now. So when a friend of mine invites me to Buenos Aires I jump at the opportunity. I book a 13 hour flight, I look up how to get to the city, transfer money to pick it up once I am there and download an offline map. It does not need lots of preparations to start this journey.

I love discovering the different neighbourhoods of the city. Belgrano, Palermo, San Telmo, La Boca, Recoleta and so many more, whose names I cannot remember. A lot of places feel quite European and it is easy to see these influences in the architecture. I love the mix of South American and European. Everywhere I turn there is so much to see and discover. And when it gets too hot there is always a restaurant or café nearby for a refreshing stop. I love speaking Spanish and

After a few days I have gotten to know the area around the apartment in Belgrano and I feel quite at home. A quick metro or bus ride brings me to anywhere in the city and from there I can explore further.

Recoleta

A walking tour through Recoleta gives me a first impression of the city. The beautiful buildings remind me of Paris. I love learning about the history of the city, about the influence immigration has had on the society, architecture and cuisine and today‘s trials. One thing I notice directly is the green. The streets are often lined with trees and little parks or plazas are to be found throughout the city. 

After the walking tour I stop in a small café and I observe the world passing by. It is lovely to sit in the sunshine and enjoy the warm temperatures.

San Telmo

The Sunday market in San Telmo is a big event. Small stalls line the Calle Defensa on both sides. Different handicrafts are being sold and it is fascinating to see what the stalls have on offer. We meet a few friends and dive into the crowds. The iron market hall of San Telmo Mercado hosts a whole variety of food stalls and small restaurants. It is hot and crowded and I love the atmosphere. We manage to get a table and settle down for a refreshing drink.

The Bookshop

One thing I really want to see is the El Ateneo Splendid bookshop. It is housed in a former theatre and still displays all the Art Décor charms of its former glory. Browsing in a bookshop is pure pleasure for me anyways, and the theatrical atmosphere adds to it. The café on the former stage area is just as spectacular as the book shelves along the ranks. The view from up here is wonderful. I love it here.

Palermo

For dinner we usually go out. There are so many restaurants to choose from. The popular steak places are just as good as some of the smaller places. Palermo has so many bars, cafés and restaurants to offer that my 10 days do not suffice to experience everything.

Palermo seems to me to be the busiest of the neighbourhoods that I have visited. Older buildings are interspersed with more modern buildings. And the cobblestone streets add to the historic charm. Many graffiti adorn buildings and make walking down the streets a very colourful experience. The next ice cream place is never far away and so a delicious dessert is always just a short walk away. Before dinner we often stop for a drink somewhere. And an empanada always makes for a delicious snack during the day.

The view

One night we go to a bar with a rooftop terrace close to the Río de la Plata. The sun is slowly vanishing behind the cityscape turning everything golden. And in the other direction the moon is shining over the river. It us almost full moon and the water shines silver. As it gets darker the lights on the other side of the river in Uruguay become visible. Buenos Aires seems vast from up here. The whole city stretches in front of us. The lights in the surrounding buildings shine and the Obelisque down the street changes its colours frequently. We are having a wonderful time up here.

The parks

There are so many parks in Buenos Aires. I love botanical gardens for the tranquillity they provide. Almost all benches are occupied but I find one and settle down with my book. The iron and glass hothouse peeks through the green trees and ads so much charm to the place. The green shade provides a comfort from the piercing sunshine and I rest for quite a while.

The floralis genérica is in a small park. The huge steel flower opens in the morning and closes its petals in the evening. I enjoy the shade sitting on one of the wooden sunbeds for quite a while. My stay in Buenos Aires is very relaxed and unrushed. I observe the birds and butterflies around me; I read my book and observe the goings on around me.

There are so many more parks with ponds and they get especially busy in the afternoons and on the weekends. The reserva ecológica costanera sur is another one of these green gems. I sit by the river a bit and follow the precise navigation of a huge cargo ship into the harbour. The name of the citizens of Buenos Aires is „porteños“ and shows exactly how important the port is for the city. On my walk along the shore I spot a lizard along the path. That reminds me so much of the botanical garden in Singapore.

La Boca

La Boca is a neighbourhood to the south of the city and maybe best known for the football club Boca Juniors. I am interested not so much in the football but in the colourful houses, the history and artists of the area.

The moment I exit the bus at the waterfront I get engulfed in the noise and the heat and the colours. The walking tour starts right by El Caminito. You can take your photo with either Maradona impersonators, with the National Football Trophy or Tango dancers. There are handicrafts on offer and restaurants’ terraces line the streets. Tango performances happen right here in the middle of the street.

La Boca was the first port of arrival for many immigrants. Lots of houses were built from old parts of ships and then sprayed in bright red, yellow, green or blue.

I get quickly swept up in the atmosphere and love the tour.

Tigre

Tigre makes for a lovely trip from the capital. The delta is green and lush, and the brown rivers and canals form a contrast to the blue sky and green nature.

On a river cruise I learn that the houses on the islands are served by supermarket, ambulance and trash picking up boats. It is great fun to explore the canals and see the houses along the shore.

My main pleasure is sitting by the water and reading or simply looking out over the water. The only downside is the mosquitos. After a long winter I have forgotten all about mosquitos and their bites quickly remind me of how annoying they are.

The evening I spend on the rooftop terrace of my rental apartment. The sky slowly grows dark, birds are chirping and the periphery is fringed by palm trees. Stars are twinkling above and I enjoy the peace and quiet. It was a wonderful idea to get away from the city noise for a night.

It was a spontaneous decision to fly half way across the world to discover a new city, visit a friend and enjoy some lovely summer days. Buenos Aires offered me so much and I am so grateful for the experience.

Der Beitrag A Winter Escape to Buenos Aires erschien zuerst auf Where in the world is... Susanne?.

Dear Kara,

I’m sitting at the gate waiting to board my flight to San José, Costa Rica…

I’m really excited and can’t wait to get started. It’s a mix of excitement and a bit of anxiousness. I haven’t been to Central America yet. It’s going to be an adventure holiday. I don’t have a fixed tour, just some ideas of what I want to see and I will plan as I go along. My guide book, the internet and recommendations by other travellers will be my best companions on this trip. Off I go…

Costa Rica is a treasure. You would love it too. Yes, it’s quite popular with its fair share of tourists. But now at the beginning of the rainy season there are fewer people. It’s easy to travel around the country by bus and the people are so friendly. The nature and animals are simply stunning. And the week here passed really quickly. Volcanos, lush green forests, monkeys, sloths, quetzals… Lots of hiking and animal spotting… What a way to start my four week holiday. After spending just a night in San José I took a bus to Manuel Antonio and 24 hours after I’ve set out from home I’m sitting at a beach in Costa Rica listening to the waves, having the rain forest as a backdrop and the howler monkeys as an orchestra.

I love animal encounters and the cheeky lizard in the National Park joined me on my early morning breakfast. I found a secluded cove and sat down on a tree trunk eating my banana. I thoughtlessly put the peel next to me when suddenly a male lizard comes charging towards me and snatches the banana peel. I later find out that the lizards, as well as the monkeys, love to steal food or even go through the visitors’ backpacks.

My next stop is the Arenal volcano. The next few days are going to be rainy, but I find a group of travellers and we make the most of the volcano area and the cloud forest in Monteverde. My shoes are soaked by the end of my stay in Costa Rica and I am looking forward to the warmth of Nicaragua.

Today I’m on the bus heading on to Nicaragua. By the end of my trip I will have become a pro at crossing borders in Central America. Emigration, immigration, exit and entrance fees… Granada looks a bit like a run-down sister of Cartagena in Colombia. It’s not big but I loved strolling through the streets, eating good food. Right next to our hostel is a church and the football playing boys take a dollar for the climb up the church tower. The view is wonderful and especially early in the morning or at sunset you have good views.

There are a few day tours you can do. My favourite tour was the one to Masaya volcano. You can actually see the red lava boiling at the bottom of the crater. The sound is indescribable, a bit like the ocean, but way more feral. We went there for the sunset and as it gets darker the red glow intensifies. It’s magical. I haven’t seen anything like it.

And so after a week in Nicaragua I travel on to Guatemala. This time I opt for the easy solution and hop on a flight. My first day in the country spent in Antigua could not have been better. The city is beautiful. The highlands here remind me a bit of the South-American Andes. The people look more like that and the traditional clothes are also similar. I could just stroll through the streets forever and the rooftop terrace on my hostel is the perfect spot for taking in the mountain panorama.

The Acatenango hike was one of the toughest hikes I’ve done so far. It’s all uphill and then the altitude. But seeing the neighbouring Fuego volcano erupting and the lava flying was just unbelievable. It gets really magical once it starts getting dark. The orange lava flies into the dark night sky and crashes on the side of the mountain every few minutes. It’s an experience for the senses: sitting around the camp fire with a hot cup of tea, seeing the lava spew, hearing the explosions… On clear days you can also see the volcano erupting from Antigua.

Another chicken bus ride later and I’m at Lago Atitlán. It is unbelievably relaxing. The little villages around the lake are all a bit different and unique. Walking between them, at certain angles, it reminds me of Switzerland or the Northern Italian lakes. The sunrise here is magical. The lake lies breathtakingly still in front of us as the sun rises over the volcanoes.

From there on I go on to the Mayan ruins of Tikal. This is something that I’ve wanted to see for a very long time. The ruins are in the middle of the jungle and from the highest temples you have spectacular views. I spent a whole day strolling through the jungle surrounding the ruins and loved every minute of it. The birds, the monkeys, the jungle taking back what’s theirs.

And then I go on to Belize. For the end of my trip I’ve been dreaming of a Caribbean island… white sands and palm trees… Belize has the second largest reef after the Australian Great Barrier Reef. It makes for fantastic snorkelling. I enjoy myself and pass the days swimming, reading, relaxing, eating lobster in the evening… What can I say; my stay on Caye Caulker was magical and soooo relaxing.

I’ve had such a wonderful time. This holiday ranks among the top ones. The things I’ve done and seen… I’ve met so many wonderful people, locals as well as travellers. Traveling around Central America has been such a joy. People have been super helpful and friendly.

I’ve been writing this email while traveling. Now I’m sitting at the gate again waiting to board my flight back home. I can’t stress enough what a wonderful time I’ve had. Once again I feel reminded of how wonderful life can be.

Sending you hugs and kisses,

Susanne

Der Beitrag A trip through Central America erschien zuerst auf Where in the world is... Susanne?.

I finish this email as I sit on a plane taking me back to Bogotá. I had a six day rotation to Bogotá and decided to fly to the Caribbean coast for three nights. I’ve never flown somewhere else during a layover. That was a first and a really wonderful one at that.
What can I say, Cartagena de Indias is mesmerising. The colours, the old city, the South American lifestyle mixed with Caribbean flair… the beautiful beach close by, the food. It’s moments like these when I love my work and my life even more than I usually do.

My colleague Catarina and I stay in the colourful Getsemaní, close to the old town. Mustard yellow, grapefruit rosé, purple, swimming pool turquoise, mint green… every house shines in a different hue. Bougainvilleas adorn the houses and their wooden balconies. Wonderful artistic graffiti decorate the walls. Without a map, we simply let ourselves drift among the small alleys. Caribbean meets South America. Older men sit in the squares in the shade. Children play football in front of the church. Fruit vendors sell mangos, coconuts and watermelons. Beautifully carved wooden doors serve as entryways to hidden courtyards. It seems magical.

Later we walk through the city wall into the old town. Small shops and street vendors try to sell their wares to tourists. The houses are equally colourful here. The yellow of the churches and official buildings dating back to colonial time shines bright in the sunlight. Meandering through the streets is wonderful. We have only been here a few hours, but we feel 100% like we are on holiday. The laid-back lifestyle of the cartagenos is contagious.

I love exploring cities in the morning, before the city awakes and everyone goes about their business. It is a new day in Cartagena. I am awake early and walk around our area. A man is selling empanadas from his living room window and I join the queue. Lots of locals on their way to work buy the hot, freshly fried goodies. A little further I add a bit of mango, watermelon and passion fruit to my breakfast menu.

On our second day we join one of the free walking tours through the centro histórico. We learn a lot about Spanish conquistadores, English and French pirates, indigenous people and African slaves. From the city wall the view of the ocean on the one side and of the city on the other is spectacular. We quickly develop a routine and have a coffee break, followed by lunch; a frozen yoghurt… freshly squeezed limejuice is perfect in this heat. We simply enjoy life. It is not as humid as yesterday and so there is no thunderstorm in the afternoon. How many kilometres have we walked today?

Getting lost in the old town is our favourite thing to do. Of course there are a number of typical souvenir shops. However, there are also a number of small boutiques and shops and we love browsing through them. Taking part in a food tour takes up much of the afternoon. We enjoy strolling through the local market and trying lots of different foods. There is so much to see and taste, to observe and to discover. And so quickly does another day end in Cartagena. Over ceviche and beer we reminisce about all that we have seen and experienced today.

A day spent swimming in the ocean is a day well spent. We get to enjoy the tropical heat for another day and decide to go to la playa for the day. We pass the day swimming in the ocean, reading in the shade, eating fish, drinking agua de coco… It is wonderfully relaxing.

After one last stroll through beautiful Cartagena we have to take a taxi back to the airport, back to Bogotá. We change into long trousers and pullovers in the lavatories, because the mountain climate is going to be cold. The chaotic traffic of Bogotá quickly brings us back to reality. Cartagena seems like a colourful dream. What a wonderful trip. Incredible…

Der Beitrag Cartagena erschien zuerst auf Where in the world is... Susanne?.

One of the wonderful things about our hotel in Bogotá is the delicious breakfast buffet that most of the crew enjoy. Over several hours almost everyone passes by at some point. A small group of us decides to go horseback riding this time in Colombia. We have the information of a ranch in a nearby valley from another crew member and decide to head out there today. Bogotá is such a fascinating city. The houses climb up the hills and it takes us a while to leave the city behind us. The drive feels like a sight-seeing tour. There is so much to see and observe.

I love the highlands, the landscape is beautiful. The sun is shining today and the blue sky sparkles. The ranch lies in a lush green valley. Horses greet us already as we arrive. Two guides join us on our ride. We take the small roads and paths that steadily rise up the hill. We chat a lot and enjoy getting to know each other a bit better as we exchange stories. Birds are flying overhead and it feels nice to be out.

As we arrive up on the hill we have a fantastic view over Bogotá. The city is sprawling in the valley underneath us. In the distance we can make out the airport. We get off the horses and have a little rest. I have walked up the stairs to Monserrate before, but we are higher up now and have an even better view. And riding is not as tiring at 3000 metres high as walking.

On the way down we ride along fields and through little forests. It is really beautiful and I enjoy the different perspective from a horse’s back. As we get back we all agree that we would have loved to continue, maybe for an overnight ride. That would have been fun. Maybe that is an idea for another layover. Bogotá has always so much to offer, inside the city and outside.

Der Beitrag Horseback Riding in Bogotá erschien zuerst auf Where in the world is... Susanne?.