Back to the Hot countries

The last few months have been hard. Exotic fruit juices and acai, Brazilian beaches, cebiche in Peru and some spice and Marachi´s in Mexico. Followed by Spain, Germany and Praga. Now I am in the Middle East.

Aside from a lot of hard work and catching up with freinds, I have been a going out a lot (especially when I was in Rio and Cuzco- two great cites). It's funny being in the Peruvian Andes drinking coca tea (tea with unproccessed cocaine leaves) and getting paid for it.



It was really good being back in South America. This time I experienced it staying in upscale hotels and eating in expensive restaurants. It has been great to see it from the other side but is just as fun to travel on a budget.

I didn´t post too many photos or go into detail as there are loads of pics and writings in Mundodimarco from the last trip to South America.


In Fortaleza, I saw a huge wave of Italians... seems they come for sexual tourism. So the next time you see Italians raving about Fortaleza....

Recife and Fortaleza are both big cities full of high rise buildings on the beach ....but the nice beaches are at least 2-300 km away.

Peru and Mexico (aside from Cuzco), I was in the capitols where I spent a few quick days catching up with mates . Spain was a party! I had loads of freinds to see in every city aside from Tenerife (Canary islands).



Tenerife is usually the type of place I avoid but a few days while working is not too bad. A big volcanic rock, with black sandy beaches, filled with loads of old German package tourists and your occasional Finnish.



The locals have an almost cuban sounding accent. That aside got some sun, ate many grilled sardines and not too much else to tell.

In Germany and Praga, I also caught up with some mates, drank much too much beer and had a good laugh in a Czech Karoke bar.



Berlin is strange but a very unique city and Praga is still one of the most beautiful cites in Europe, too bad its infested with hordes of tourists .

Egypt

Like in most Muslim countries - you see men in bars drinking tea, coffee and smoking shisha... and wonder where the women hide? I did however meet a local who dances Salsa of all things, who took us out to dancing boat on the Nile. It was good to see that there is some nightlife in Cairo for a select few.

My clients were very hospitable and freindly, yet the taxi drivers took full advantage of me! I tried to get around going on a tour to see the pyrmids by having a taxi driver take me there and back.



He ended up dropping me off right to a guide, so after refusing essence, paintings and all the extras I did the tourist thing (which I hate to do) and jumped on my camel, took a few fotos, touched the pryrmids and that was that.

I imagined the Pyrmids a bit larger and further out from Cairo, but it was still cool to touch a part of history - one of the 7 ancient wonders of the world.



Cairo I found dirty and dusty, filled with decaying buildings and so much noise (from traffic). But there are some amazing ancient churches and mosques and it does have a lot of charm and energy (or rather chaos). For fans of history there are many fascinating things to see and experience in Cairo.

Travel can be tough however, just surviving the tube is a mission- (too many impatient people) everyone pushes you in like sardines. It can be a bit agressive ! Driving is another expereince ppffff, the police are only there to prevent riots and major problems (the locals where telling me) ... so on the road almost anything goes.



Alexandria had fewer tourists, greek architexture, seemed older (the buildings at least) and is along the beach. In fact, before the the revolution (the 50s )there were more Greeks than Egyptians living in the city.

Jordan was much slower paced and very calm compared to Egypt. The people seem more reserved but also more tolerant and open to different cultures and religions than in other Arab countries. Amman is modern, cleaner and relaxed, but not too much to see there . Unless you can venture off to the Dead see or Petra (and other ruins). It also seems as there is a larger middle class. I stayed in the Merdien as it was bombed last year as I thought the chances of it happening again (at the same Hotel) were unlikely.



Kuwait is extremely boring. Little to do and little to see. Did see a American battle ship outside my hotel who is along the sea and on the Iraqi/Kuwait border they abducted some people yesterday. To begin Alcohol and nightlife do not exist at all! Kuwait and other Gulf countries like Saudi, Oman and UAE all have more foreigners (expats) than locals living there . Many are from India, philpines and some other Arab countires. These second class citizens do all the work, many are exploited. Infact, you have a sponsor and can remain in the country only whilst working. If you lose your job you have a few weeks before you are shipped out if the country. So many of these foriegn workers take horrible treatment by the locals (who take full advantage)in order to remain. Not very humanitarian at all.There is one positive if you have a good job and are an Expat- no taxes.



The locals are very lazy, usually born into managment positions and believe they are exceptionally superior. They are all given homes, financial loans, money for each child, paid education and so on..... They are wealthy and don't bother to much about the rest. The local traditional dress is still sheets (silk in the gulf) and sandels, although turbans are red giving it a bit more colour than in Oman.

As I could not get into Saudi this time.....I layed over for few days in Bahrain, which is a tiny. Taxi drivers took the piss, but alcohol can be purchased which is nice. It seems as there are 15 big hotels and the central market (Souk) and all shops, restaurants and carpet stores are here only to service the people staying in those hotels. Nothing else of interest that I could see.

The locals in Bahrain told me how lucky I was not to have made it to Saudi... The Saudis crossover on weekends in a Mad Rush of drinking and sexual tourism. These rich crazy people are agressive and tend to have many accidents and loads of problems in Bahrain. The Saudi Bar.

Next on the list Dubai and then Trinidad and Honduras in December.