I have started to select and upload my photos. Here you can find them (grouped by days).
In the same time I enhance the posts with the 'More photos' links to the related albums.
Update on 13/12/2105:
The link above is no more accessible thanks to some change Google introduced in Photos.
I also experienced that the 'More photos' links gives you the photos in enjoyable resolution only of you are logged into some Google account (though no matter which one).
I apologise.
Though here you can find a selection of photos here.
Thursday, 26 February 2015
Saturday, 14 February 2015
Chicago and the surprises
Arrived to Chicago after 10 pm so looked around the terminal, unsuccessfully called the hotel service that was suggested by the airline and was promised to get the lowest rate available. Than found a quiet corner to sleep. A man in the uniform of the airport passed by and asked whether I plan to spend overnight there. I answered positively and asked if it a problem is. His replay was: 'Nice shoes, nice bag... Take care.' So I put my nice shoes into my nice backpack to reduce the risk info half.:) And was starting to set myself into a confortable position when the man returned carrying a camping bed. For me! Surprise #1.
(I have to admit that I am strangely affected by sleeping in unusual places: in an abandoned stone mine; in a cave 100ms below the surface; under the sky without tent; in a tent in snow; in a bivaque hut planned to use only in case of emergency; alone in a dormitory of 20; with 19 other person in a dorm of 20; in the meeting room of the office; in the Chicago airport on a camping bed.)
Without visa I did not expect to be let out of the transit area and enter the US. But I was allowed. Surprise #2.
So I get up early, that was supported by the man requesting back his camping bed shortly after 5 am, and set off for the city center.
It was freezing cold. Or I was just not used to this temperature in this season.:) The display showed 11 degree and most probably in Fahrenheit.
Without directly seeking for it or even was very sure that it is in this city I was able to find the Cloud Gate. Surprise #3.
Given that my set of clothes was not optimized for this temperature after a bit more than an hour spending in the city I returned to the airport.
Ps: The US definitely has the feature that everybody speaks English so even the simplest people could understand your question.
More photos
(I have to admit that I am strangely affected by sleeping in unusual places: in an abandoned stone mine; in a cave 100ms below the surface; under the sky without tent; in a tent in snow; in a bivaque hut planned to use only in case of emergency; alone in a dormitory of 20; with 19 other person in a dorm of 20; in the meeting room of the office; in the Chicago airport on a camping bed.)
Without visa I did not expect to be let out of the transit area and enter the US. But I was allowed. Surprise #2.
So I get up early, that was supported by the man requesting back his camping bed shortly after 5 am, and set off for the city center.
It was freezing cold. Or I was just not used to this temperature in this season.:) The display showed 11 degree and most probably in Fahrenheit.
Without directly seeking for it or even was very sure that it is in this city I was able to find the Cloud Gate. Surprise #3.
Given that my set of clothes was not optimized for this temperature after a bit more than an hour spending in the city I returned to the airport.
Ps: The US definitely has the feature that everybody speaks English so even the simplest people could understand your question.
More photos
Bosque de Chapiltepec and the metro
On the day of my departure I planned to visit the Bosque de Chapultepec, that is a big park (or forest as its name states) with two lakes, a little hill with a castle housing the Museo Nacional de Antropología. And cheeky squirrels.
Travelling on the metro in Mexico City is quite entertaining. There are some 'program' all the time.
Almost in each stop gets on somebody selling more or less useful things like: snacks, headsets, creams, led lamps, hair gums. Or selling music cd with a hangfal demonstrate them or begging with singing songs. I guess the later ones got money just to stop.
...But maybe after a week these events are rather annoying to entertaining.
Also a good feature that in the rush hours there are some carriage (and also a section on the peron) where only women and children are allowed to enter. Despite of if there was such a crowd at some morning that the metros was not able to take in all of the people for at least 15 minutes so at the end I chose to walk.
More photos
Travelling on the metro in Mexico City is quite entertaining. There are some 'program' all the time.
Almost in each stop gets on somebody selling more or less useful things like: snacks, headsets, creams, led lamps, hair gums. Or selling music cd with a hangfal demonstrate them or begging with singing songs. I guess the later ones got money just to stop.
...But maybe after a week these events are rather annoying to entertaining.
Also a good feature that in the rush hours there are some carriage (and also a section on the peron) where only women and children are allowed to enter. Despite of if there was such a crowd at some morning that the metros was not able to take in all of the people for at least 15 minutes so at the end I chose to walk.
More photos
Xochimilco and the canals
My last full day in Mexico.
Xochimilco had been a separate town that was swallowed by the capital but kept the both peaceful and vivid atmosphere.
It's main attractions are the channels where you can travel with cheerfully coloured boats (for a good price, of course) and can see the floating gardens.
It is also worth just stroll on the streets where you bump into little bridges crossing the branches of the canals time after time and you can observe birds hunting for fishes making vivid the shallow water.
Toward the center and around the market the streets are full of the vivid noises of everyday life, that was dominated by the cheerful ones of the children on them way to home.
More photos
Xochimilco had been a separate town that was swallowed by the capital but kept the both peaceful and vivid atmosphere.
It's main attractions are the channels where you can travel with cheerfully coloured boats (for a good price, of course) and can see the floating gardens.
It is also worth just stroll on the streets where you bump into little bridges crossing the branches of the canals time after time and you can observe birds hunting for fishes making vivid the shallow water.
Toward the center and around the market the streets are full of the vivid noises of everyday life, that was dominated by the cheerful ones of the children on them way to home.
More photos
Friday, 13 February 2015
Complication around my return -- it is ok now
If you change flight in the US you need a permission called ESTA. I faced this fact only when I was not allowed to check in on the airport.
You can apply for ESTA online filling in a form with all of your details except for your dog's name. First I starts to fill in an other form by mistake and I was surprised why it insists on my address to stay in the US. After a while it was said that I do not meet a 'transit visa' only an ESTA. Than I started to collect all of the required info: my id number, the address of my last employs, etc.
When I finished even with paying the administration fee of $14 it was 3:30 pm. Officially my flight for Chicago should had set off at 3:00 pm. Fortunately and unfortunately it has a delay of at least 2 hours. So I was able to check in with the kind help of the friendly stuff that I appreciate but in return I will miss my flight to Europe so I have to spend almost a whole day in Chicago.
But I am on my way with full of beautiful experiences and colorful pictures.
You can apply for ESTA online filling in a form with all of your details except for your dog's name. First I starts to fill in an other form by mistake and I was surprised why it insists on my address to stay in the US. After a while it was said that I do not meet a 'transit visa' only an ESTA. Than I started to collect all of the required info: my id number, the address of my last employs, etc.
When I finished even with paying the administration fee of $14 it was 3:30 pm. Officially my flight for Chicago should had set off at 3:00 pm. Fortunately and unfortunately it has a delay of at least 2 hours. So I was able to check in with the kind help of the friendly stuff that I appreciate but in return I will miss my flight to Europe so I have to spend almost a whole day in Chicago.
But I am on my way with full of beautiful experiences and colorful pictures.
Wednesday, 11 February 2015
Taxco
Sweet little VW Beetles (VW bogár). A lot.
Taxco is a pretty village climbing up on the mountain side. So its vertical size is comparable the horizontal one. Mountains are all around.
Lots of VW cars are used, mainly for taxies, as they can climb up in steep slopes because the back wheels are driven (hátsó kerék meghajtású).
The silver mine nearby and jewelry are the causes the prosperity of the town.
More photos
Taxco is a pretty village climbing up on the mountain side. So its vertical size is comparable the horizontal one. Mountains are all around.
Lots of VW cars are used, mainly for taxies, as they can climb up in steep slopes because the back wheels are driven (hátsó kerék meghajtású).
The silver mine nearby and jewelry are the causes the prosperity of the town.
More photos
Basic English
I have learned a new word in English that seems to be one of the basic ones. As a proof here is the conversation between a Mexican guide and me at the entrance of the Placio Nacional:
Guide: Do you want to see the murals?
Aniko: Pardon?
Guide: Do you want to see the murals?
Aniko: What does 'murals' mean?
G: Do you speak English?
A: Yes, but I don't know this word.
G: Do you speak English and don't know what does 'mural' mean??? [With the intonation like: 'How on Earth could you state that you speak English if you do not know such a basic word like 'mural'???')
Guide: Do you want to see the murals?
Aniko: Pardon?
Guide: Do you want to see the murals?
Aniko: What does 'murals' mean?
G: Do you speak English?
A: Yes, but I don't know this word.
G: Do you speak English and don't know what does 'mural' mean??? [With the intonation like: 'How on Earth could you state that you speak English if you do not know such a basic word like 'mural'???')
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