Belize Summer Getaway - Aug 2012

Hidden getaway....

If you ever want sneak off to a place that speaks of serene beauty and tropical relaxation, just south of Mexico is a small country formerly known as the British Honduras. Belize boasts a warm year round climate, white sand beaches and fascinating outdoor adventure for the interests of all ages. A go-to spot for newlywed couples and families for years, Belize has been attracting more diverse groups, like ours, year round. The summer is a typically low-season time-frame but the annual Costa Maya Culture & Music Festival is a definite worthy attraction in August. Our bags are packed - let's go....

Arriving....

Once your international flight arrives on the mainland, you'll need to get over Ambergris Caye (pronounced "key"). For the natives a 2-hour ferry ride is in order, but the quickest route for visiting vacationers is by "puddle-jumper". Have your digital camera ready - there's some great views of Belize Bay to capture during the 15 minute flight. Within minutes of landing your headed with bags in tow to meet your hotel pickup and your Belize adventure begins...

San Pedro is the main community on Ambergris and has all the makings of any southern town found in the US. There's a serene, majestic feel to it with a town square, boutique shops, supermarkets, family restaurants, clubs and live music bars. The energy is laid back. The attitude is relaxed. No need to worry about the world you left behind while your on "La Isla Bonita". Dress accordingly. Just chill.

Just south of San Pedro's main strip was our resort, The Villas at Bayan Bay. The Bayan Bay property has 60 condo-style 1200 square foot suites with capacity for up to 4 adults each, a swimming pool and a private beach. A full service restaurant is steps away, if you don't wish to cook in your room. Even better, you can arrange all of your personal or family water-sport, fishing, and Mayan adventure tours with ease right on site.

Kicking back ....

After getting situated in your room and recharged a bit, grab a seat at the restaurant or pool and ask the Bayan Bay staff to suggest their most popular food dishes at Rico's. Why? Because the first point of interest in Belize is to sample the local signature lunch and dinner favorites. You see, the Belizian chefs are masterful with their choice of spices and seafood and many of the eateries are family run.

While the sun is high, take a dip in the property pool or pull up a deck chair under a palm tree to escape the penetrating rays. The pleasant sea breeze will do just the trick to get you feeling at home. Make certain to keep the pool hostesses busy with tropical drink requests during this first afternoon. Not a bad start to your getaway!

The days can be long and lazy, but dusk sets in on Ambergris and that's a good time venture into town for a while. Take a nice stroll along the beach to get near the nightlife or hail a taxi passing down the main road. My personal recommendation, is to rent a golf cart from the hotel desk. Golf carts are the primary choice of private transportation next to bicycles here. If you have a family or group, cart rentals will add to the whole experience of Belize.

Downtown San Pedro is known for it's choice of restaurants. You are almost assured to not be disappointed with any choice, but Elvi's Kitchen and Caramba are two of my picks. Try any selection of the Mayan fish at Caramba's - you'll see what I mean!

The excitement of the start of the Costa Maya Festival weekend gets everyone here in an upbeat mood. Lots of Belizeans from the mainland venture over to the island to enjoy the festival as well. Most people are walking about, watching the street performers in the square and bar hopping to pass the time. Our group’s first nite ended hearing some great live music at Fido's. Fido's always has a great mix of locals and tourists hanging out there. Some nights feature a live DJ or reggae band, but the bartenders are friendly, engaging and are excellent at introducing newcomers to Fido's Specialty Drink Shot Menu. This is a fun place, especially after a few shots, lol.

Sailing, Snorkeling & Dancing ....

Friday, is the best day before the weekend to get out early for a trip over to the neighboring island of Caye Caulker (pronounced Key Kaulker). The shopping and food are supposed be a bit cheaper there, but first there’s some blue ocean sub marine exploring to do.

If you're a certified diver, that's a plus, but for the novice ocean dweller, barrier reef snorkeling will be a perfect adventure. Get your group to take up a nice positions around every available area of the catamaran, the sail and snorkel swims will last a few hours at minimum. Mingle amongst your party, sun bath or even catch up on some sleep to fill most of your time, as the ship pilot ferry's us out to the drop points. Once you get your basic instruction, the underwater world of this reef comes into full view. Take a nice water camera (digital or disposable), you won't want to miss any of the critters swimming below and near you – it’s truly amazing. Did I mention the second part of the snorkel swim is in shark & sting ray alley? Oh, yes, make a note please. Not everyone will opt to participate in that snorkel dive, but those who do won't forget it!

After 90 minutes around the reef, the catarman speeds (speeding is relative since it is wind powered) over to the next highlight of the day, a visit to Caye Kaulker. Caye Kaulker is not as large or vibrant as Ambergris, but quite charming in it’s own right and has a really small town feel. You can grab your choice of good eats here and find those unique shopping items along the roadside without the tourist pricing. Have extra sunscreen and good walking shoes handy to stroll thru the white sand streets. We found a few quaint bars along the main road and the homemade ice cream shops are excellent! Relax in the shade and enjoy a long conversation with the locals, but keep track of the time – the boat captain is strict about the afternoon departure time. Your day tour ends with a nice sunset sail back to Ambergis Caye! Rest and freshen up when your back at your room...the weekend nightlife begins tonite.

The location of where you have chosen to stay while in Belize makes all the difference for your choice of activities (if you choose to be active, lol). Most beach front resorts or bed & breakfast inns are close to the action in San Pedro town. Walk along the beach and you’ll find a number of small family-run restaurants. Our resort was home to one of the most popular places, Rico's Grill. The annual Costa Maya Festival is in full swing now. Cultural performances, amusements, a beauty pageant and even a midnite reggae concert are enough to keep the native islanders excited. The center center of town will be buzzing. Bring your dancing shoes. The performance by this year's headliner, Kevyn Little, was quite entertaining, and I think we got to sleep sometime after 3am that night.

Jungle Deep ....

We'd barely enough time to get dressed after the getting in from the concert when it was time to get up. Saturday ecotour activities are big a highlight of any vacation trip. Our guide for the day, Daniel Nunez, was already waiting at the hotel dock for the 7am pickup. Off we go.....speeding across the bay…this time back towards the northern river coast of the mainland. It’s very soothing to ride along the open blue water in the early morning hours. A school of dolphins got a kick out of our ride too, playing and jumping in the wake of our boat. This was pretty cool to experience up close - another reason to have your camera at the ready.

Breakfast was served, while we navigated the twisting jungle river topography. Next were shuffled into a van for a long scenic drive through the countryside. Danny gave us a lot of history on Belize during this time and shared folk stories about the early colonial settlers here. This makes for a great conversation. The final leg along the jungle river is awe-inspiring, you are in the heart of nature's beauty. The arrival at our destination needs no announcement....when you get close, you'll know. It's almost like you can feel ancient spirits that once lived there waiting to greet you. Then, peeking out just behind the tree tops is the Mayan city of Lamanai.

Hidden way back in the jungle canopy the remnants of a fascinating culture exist for adventurists to see. Centuries old history & architecture excavated and unburied in plain view. The size of the building structures are impressive. Surprisingly, 75% of the city is still hidden in the earth and unseen. So many questions come to mind about the Mayan history while you visit here, you almost forget about the heat and humidity. For the fit and daring, take a climb (long rope provided) to the top of the High Temple. Over 100 feet up - the view is stunning, and not to be forgotten. Intriguing. Spiritual. Humbling. Well worth the 5 hour trek to get there and back. Wow, we got loads of great shots this day!

As a bonus to the day in the jungle, our tour guide/captain, invited us to his family’s restaurant for dinner that evening. We accepted and enjoyed a great meal at Hurricanes Ceviche Bar & Grill Restaurant. You see, Daniel is a 7th generation Belizian. He's been fishing/sailing/touring these waters around Belize for years and has several businesses throughout the area. He even owns over 500 lobster traps and even built the speed boat we'd been riding in. Wow, this guy works non-stop, just so we (us visitors) don’t have to when we visit. I like that. Belize has good people and good vibes. Well it's been a full day indeed, time to turn in or in our case, pass out. What will we do tomorrow? If could be another day of laid back activities or maybe we can finally do some jet skiing. No matter what, you get the general idea – the choices in Belize are boundless!

Now that you've heard it here from me and the Funky People Travel Group - add Belize to the top of your vacation list. It's not just for couples anymore. It’s a great destination to come to/come back to. You'll love it and the people. We'll be back here again, real soon....Ciao for now Belize!

Check out the photos & videos from this trip at: Belize Summer Getaway 2012 !

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Cuba, discovering Havana - Apr 2012

What a time it was.....

I can hardly believe that our Funky People Online Discover CUBA 2012 Trip was almost three months ago. One weekend visit to Havana has left us with loads of lifetime memories about a country that has been taboo for two generations of US citizens. Well beyond our expectations, we've fallen in love with CUBA and cannot say enough about it!

Before I get into the trip details, I have to first thank Tesandra Cohen and the entire staff of Insight Cuba, (www.insightcuba.com) who worked diligently with our travel group from start to finish. Getting access to and booking for Cuba is quite an irregular process. Patience and an open mind about the travel itinerary is a must, as our hosts/travel partner did a tremendous job to make the entire journey run smoothly. Special thanks to our host/guide Jose Ramon Rodriguez for his expert knowledge and stellar efforts in accommodating our interests while in Cuba! We are also much appreciative of the many friends of the Funky People network that lent their usual help to circulate our plans on the web. We could not do this without you - Thanks again!

So what about The Republic of Cuba? It was once the hedonistic playground for the wealthy, business elite and criminal underworld after the post US depression days. Off limits for Americans for so many years, we knew this would be a trip back in time culturally, socially, politically, and historically! However, nothing we'd heard or knew about Cuba would prepare us for this adventure.

A flood of impressions from the very beginning......

The quick 30 minute flight from Miami dropped us into a world we were eager to explore. Havana's US Int'l airport was busy this morning as we were on one of 20 flights ferrying in various "tour groups" and Cuban-Americans that day. Our tour guide (or "Cuban host for the weekend"), Jose, yells "Group C this way" and pointed towards a parked tour bus. Still too early to check in to our hotel, Jose was super energetic and wasted no time showering us with details about his homeland. Minds open, ears perked and eyes fixed out the nearest window, we were off and speeding towards the capitol center, cameras clicking the whole time...

The first stop was at a sprawling plaza, surrounded by official government buildings in the distance. The Cuban sun was warm, bright and the plaza had scores of other foreign tourists strolling about. This place was our first full dose of Cuban culture. We were standing in Revolution Square. The very spot where Pope Benedict XVI delivered his historic speech in Havana just a month earlier. Wow! Reality had set in at 11:30am local time. "Yes, we're definitely in Cuba.....quick, group photo!!"

There were so many things that appealed to our curiosity now! What's next? Who will we meet? What fascinating facts will we learn? A look at the group's schedule during lunch would reveal a week's worth of activities were squeezed into our weekend. How would we do it all?

Our first evening began with an impromptu visit to the studio of artist Frank Martinez. For us, his paintings incorporated a combination of various historical events with the pride of the Cuban people. The Cuban art spoke with a political volume the average citizen could not use. His visual concepts were brilliant! I wondered if this free artistic expression would be a recurring theme we'd see in other art displays? Next, the inaugural tour activity was dinner and 2 hour cabaret show at the famed Nacional Hotel of Cuba. Built in the late 1920s, this hotel has quite a bit of history to it. Famous figures like Meyer Lanksy, Buster Keaton, Fred Astaire, Walt Disney, Jack Dempsey, Mickey Mantle, Sir Winston Churchill, Nat King Cole, and Eartha Kitt to name a few, have graced the stage and bedroom suites here. Avid American film buffs will remember the Nacional Hotel was dramatized in the film, GodFather II, depicting the infamous 1946 mob boss summit headed by Lucky Luciano.

The first Friday....

Morning sunshine greeted our first full day in Havana. We were zipped out of the hotel promptly after breakfast and dropped off downtown to begin an all day walking tour of Central Havana. The city was already in swing. The school day had begun, business shops were open and traffic was bustling. Listening attentively to our guide Jose explain the long history of the neighborhood location we were standing, we became fixated on the people, the architecture and the everyday life of Cuba that moved around us. To us outsiders (Americans) it looked like business as usual. It was your typical Caribbean lifestyle. Yeah, we'd been misled to believe our tour here would be cloaked in secrecy, that our efforts to observe and soak in the Cuban culture would be censored by authoritarian rule. Nope, not now. A Cuba under martial law was once a part of it's history during times of harsher policies by former President Fidel Castro, but clearly this was a new Cuba we were seeing.

What we saw was general order and a balanced way of life. Our guide explained how the government provides free education and healthcare and other life/family services to every citizen. No one is denied access based on race, gender, sexual preference or economic standing. Major crime here was rare. It was comfortable. We were in awe watching this country as it watched us back. The people were charming. Local school children waved for our cameras, and even posed on cue. No doubt they'd seen a few American movies and music videos. Taxi drivers whisked by us, proudly honking the horns of their restored classic American cars! The building architecture was incredible. New, old, Spanish, Colonial, American, Russian modern, traditional - Cuba has a mix of it all. Several older Cubans took the time to approach us while we wandered through the maze of streets and alleys. "Where are you all from, my friends? You're Americans?", one gentlemen asked. "Yes, from different cities in the US", we responded. "That is wonderful. Welcome, please bring back more African-Americans to see Cuba!", he said excitedly. We posed to take a few photos together and exchanged pleasant farewells. Our few remaining fears were gone. We loved this type of interaction with the people. We were really proud to be here now, doing something special that many Americans citizens and Americans of color had not. The remainder of the walk was post card worthy! Lots of eye-catching views to record. Good thing I packed two batteries for my digital camera, I'd need them.

After stops at the Catedral de San Cristobal de la Habana, El Capitolio, Teatro Colon, and the Taller Artist Gallery, we broke for lunch at the Dominica Restaurant. The service was top-notch, the food was mouth-watering, the jazz band jammed some great numbers while we ate and talked about the great finds at the Art Gallery! A highlight of the day was our tour of one of Cuba's many cigar houses. Here, we saw fresh new Cuban cigars being rolled and prepared for smoking. Unexpectedly, we were given the opportunity to indulge in the new product at La Casa de Habano. For me this was a spontaneous moment, since I'm not a smoker. But how could I have come to Cuba without having my first cigar? Kudos to my travel companions in the group for easing me in to this acquired activity, I nailed it like a pro!! Before the day ended, we visited a few more open plazas and parks, stopped at a trade school for boys & girls, and learned a lot more about the progress of the colonial architecture that was being restored. Cuba's early commerce is definitely linked to other Caribbean destinations we've visited. It so awesome we're seeing it here as well.

The sun began to set as we headed to our hotel. The Quinta Avenida hotel is located in the Miramar neighborhood. A residential area of Havana near several of the international embassies, this location has all the modern amenities you would want. We had great views of a public park, the ocean coastline two blocks over and the Havana nightlife was a short 10 minute ride away. Our Friday evening plans began with dinner and an unsuspecting moment for three trip attendees who were celebrating Birthday's this very travel weekend. Our toast and cake surprise went off without a hitch for Carol, Kimberly and Myrna! Thanks again to Jose, our guide, for helping with the special arrangements. This was a full day that began before 9am, but it was still far from over .....

Next up was a evening activity to see a stage show, Amigas. This was such an exclusive treat to witness a musical performed in Havana by the famed Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba company. We had great seats, center orchestra, ten rows from the stage to see a rare performance by this popular dance troop. You see the Lizt Alfonso Dance company travels abroad so often showcasing Cuba's traditional & modern dance culture, that they only have 4 shows a year in Cuba. Needless to say the auditorium was packed to capacity, with over 3000 strong of all ages. Yet another example of how our people-to-people immersion trip in Cuba was special well beyond our expectations. The show ended around midnight, but we didn't want this first full day to end. The best recommendation was to take in one of Cuba's popular Salsa clubs, Casa de la Musica! And that we did, feeling right at home with the local Cuban people at this massive stage club. Bottles of Cuba's Havana Club rum poured, the music pumped, and the 15-member Salsa band that hit the stage 2am was definitely the real deal! The party energy was so over the top, bodies were moving everywhere. My meager Salsa dance lessons from the past 3 months had definitely paid off too. Content with our day, the taxi ride back to our hotel in a classic 1940s American station wagon was just more "icing on the cake". What a stellar nightcap!

A super Saturday.....

Early rise again and a series of local stops would take us through the various residential neighborhoods surrounding Havana. Cubans were out running weekend errands, shopping for fresh produce, fish and meat for their families. This is a weekly chore for Cubans, since their government food allocations don't last the entire month. (one major shortfall of the Cuban government's social services). It was important for us to view/document this side of life in the Cuban community. Everyone pitching in to help make ends meet for their neighbor was a collective responsibility that was understood. We witnessed one such moment when our tour bus passed by a house where several men were hunched over something laying on the sidewalk. "What is that? Is that a....?" Yep, it was.... a freshly killed pig, being divided up and cleaned right out in the open street side. The collective gasps from our bus and the men's facial expression ("what?"), made me chuckle as I snapped a quick photo. It sure wasn't a sight for the squeamish, but a real glimpse of daily life in Cuba could not have been planned or more genuine for that matter.

The rest of the morning took us to another gallery featuring paper machete art by the artist Antonia Elriz, and the mansion of US author, Ernst Hemingway, before having lunch at the Terazza Restaurant. The lobster seafood fare was mouth-watering and even more interesting were the framed wall photos of Hemingway marlin fishing with Fidel Castro. Again the house band was impressive! Their jazzy, Spanish guitar rendition of Hotel California by the Eagles, had our attention and a well-deserved applause. Outside this comfy seaside location of Cojimar, a scene for a novella was being filmed while onlookers stood in the distance. We moved on, back to the city for a bit to visit a very important site during our weekend, the Museum of the Revolution. Here our guide, Jose gave us an in-depth history lesson about the early settlers of Cuba, the principles involved in both Cuban revolutions and the Battle of the Bay of Pigs. The sights, the exhibits, and more importantly the conversation that took place was one of the best moments of the weekend. It was refreshing to hear and see the history of Cuba, told by Cubans. We learned about Che' Guevera and traced the effects of the Cuban Revolution while hearing how relations between the US and Cuban governments wasn't always a frosty one. "Hmmm...there was another side to Cuba's story. Colonial history does repeat itself", we thought. Our questions were direct about Cuba's "communist" label, and the Castro led-government. Jose answered our queries just as directly, without hesitation. The 2 hour tour/discussion was frank, revealing, and transformative. It was a view of Cuba's existence most Americans had ever known or would hear. "How could one not think differently about Cuba and the citizens there from this point on?".

Here's a little of what we learned about Cuba. Did you know that.....

#1: Nickel and Cobalt represent large exports for Cuba. Cuba has the second largest nickel reserves in the world only to Russia.

#2:Cuba has two currencies. The locals use the CUP (Cuban Peso), however this money is not traded internationally due to the American embargo. Therefore a second currency was created for to allow visitors, tourists and immersion tour groups to use. This currency is called the CUC (or Cuban Convertible Peso).

#3: Baseball and dominos are national obsessions in Cuba!

#4: American author Ernest Hemingway wrote “The Old Man and the Sea” and “For whom the Bell Tolls” whilst living in Cuba.

#5: Cuba is home to nine (9) UNESCO Cultural and Natural World Heritages sites.

#6: Cuba is the real birth place of the Bacardi Rum brands. Bacardi distilling operations moved to Puerto Rico after Fidel Castro’s takeover.

#7: Cuba is the most populated country in the whole of the Caribbean. The population of Cuba totals more than eleven million.

#8: The official flower of Cuba is the Butterfly Jasmine, while the national bird is the Tocororo or the Cuban Trogon. The official tree of the Republic of Cuba is the Royal Palm.

#9: Under a socialist system, the Cuban government provides all health care and educational services to every citizen. Cubans enjoy the highest life expectancy rate of any country in Latin America or North America.

#10: Cuba boasts one of the best healthcare systems in the world. It has the highest doctor to patient ratio in the world. In fact, there are so many doctors in Cuba, that the country lends doctors to other countries that face a shortage of medical professionals.

The final stop of our last day was to an unassuming corner residence in a quiet outer Havana neighborhood. We thought we'd be able to spend the remainder of our afternoon seeing a performance and meeting the local music curators. Boy, were we in for a surprise. This was not your regular Jazz joint in the traditional American sense. The 270 Club was a place of communal dance where the youngest patron was a mere 65 years old. We walked inside this home that had been coverted into a dance club to see our elders, some as "young as 85 and 95" dancing up a storm. To call these golden folks, old, seemed inappropriate. The sight was an awesome experience - what a vibrant group! Just heartwarming to see these men and women loving life and bee-bopping to jazz music in such a manner. We almost could not relate to this...because the peers of our/my generation do not dance to jazz like this or at all. (We merely nod our heads while listening, unfortunately.) Our time here was magical and very moving. We got a chance to share laughs and even learned some of the swing dance moves we'd seen. The photographs of famous figures on the wall of fame and the songs that played that day will be embedded in our memories for a good while. The hugs and smiles will never be forgotten. We felt like we'd spent time at our grandparents house with their friends for an afternoon. "This was our new found home. Who could have imagined having such a unique experience like this?" In Cuba, no doubt. There wasn't a dry eye on the bus when we left. Hands down, this was the best moment of the entire trip and so fitting that it was our last site visit. The vote was final....we love, love, love, CUBA and its' people!

The weekend finale could not have been better. It was one last chance to take a breathe and reminisce over live music and another three-course seafood meal at the Tocororo Restaurant. We were sad to be leaving the next day, but were richly satisfied that we'd made this decision see Cuba this way. We toasted to our gracious hosts and then retired for one last night on the town. It was back to the USA the next day, loaded with photos and authentic souvenirs of our journey. Personally, I was eager to show off my authentic Cuban baseball jersey to my sports buddies. Our group zipped through customs at Miami International Airport after landing with no hassles, just as Insight Cuba had arranged - we did it!!! Our group members beamed with overwhelming pride as we thought about the intoxicating journey. Our friends, family and colleagues have got to hear all about our good time in Cuba. And we would need to figure out how to get more people to follow in our footsteps.

My personal recommendation is to consider making plans now for Cuba. The window for US government sanctioned, organized "legal travel" is not promised forever, but then again how often are great windows of opportunity in life. This was a momentous tour for the Funky People and one of our top two trips to date, in my opinion. So close, but yet so far away, there's just so much that is undiscovered about Cuba and her culture - it deserves a encore visit for more exploration. Humbled and forever thankful to have seen a small bit this time around, we hope you join us on a future planned excursion. Until then.....sign up for all FP travel & event updates here.

Get a glimpse of the Cuba we discovered on our public site gallery. View the short videos and all three photo album links titled: Havana Cuba ~ Apr 2012.

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All rights are reserved.

A Carnival in Cartagena - Nov 2011

Up, up and away.....

After a few life/professional changes, the FP travel group re-started it's latest set of travel ventures in November 2011. Always in search of not so trite and commercialized travel destinations, our friends in Panama whispered fondly a few years back about an "off-the-radar" locale our travel group might enjoy! Really? Colombia? Yes, you see this is one country that has not exactly been on the travel radar for Americans due to it's reputation and dangerous drug past of the 70s & 80s. But almost 2 decades later, Colombia and many of it's largest cities, Bogota, Cali, Medellin, and Baranquilla, have shed that negative label and pushed international business commerce and travel tourism to huge levels. Known as an affordable destination throughout Latin America already, Cartagena is considered to be the "Monte Carlo of the Caribbean". Exactly due south of Jamaica and Cuba on the northern coast of South America, Cartagena is an easy trek from Miami or NYC with all the elements of a good-valued Caribbean vacation year round. After some research and promotion, it was off to visit the Colombian lands during one of their grandest events - Carnival in Cartagena de Indias!!

CARTAGENA CARNIVAL is more than just your typical, uninhibited street parade. This one long weekend was Colombia's annual event for celebrating their heritage, culture and historic independence. Like most afro-latin countries, national pride is on display where the citizens add their own flare and touch on this celebration. This normally sleepy place, takes on a whole new personality. South American travelers and socialites from all over the world descend on this coastal town for some high level revelry and fun under the sun! Additionally, all eyes are focused to see which of this country's beautiful young women will win the most prestigious event of the year, the national beauty pageant crown of Miss Colombia. Imagine a political convention - mixed in with the anticipation of the Oscar's or Grammy's during Super Bowl weekend. "Yeah, just how does all this happen in one weekend?" We were about to find out.....

Arrival - I get in late from my connecting flight to check in at the Cartagena Plaza Hotel in Cartagena's trendiest beachfront neighborhood, Boca Grande. I had only a few minutes to change - I'm lagging behind in joining our group at the first night meet and greet location. I'd gotten word that a few other folks had flight delays, so let's hope all is going smoothly at this point. It's already after 11pm and the plaza behind the Torre del Reloj is crowded. The clock tower is a landmark fixture in Cartagena's Walled City section and is a center point of interest for incoming visitors. The Tu Candela bar is a staple here and a great meeting place for locals and first time visitors. The mood was kinda of laid back, I wave to some familiar faces and see a few new attendees at a table in the corner. I see one our trip leads and get briefed on the arrival updates and plans for the weekend. There's usually activity plan changes once we arrive at a destination and this time, the weather and carnival organizers were the culprits. I discover that the Pageant Street Parade was actually earlier that day, but there's plenty more on tap for the travel group. Ok, no worries. I'll let our local travel vendor deal with juggling all of the weekend particulars. After a few rounds, we leave to drop by one of the most popular cafes here, Arepas Pues. If you like Jamaican patty's, I recommend checking out this spot for a late night bite to eat - the prices are cheap and the service is always entertaining. Arepas, a big part of the cuisine in Venezuela and Colombia, are made of ground corn dough or cooked flour with tomatoes, salad, and cheese added in with the meat. Pretty tasty! Be sure to order the the special of the house an "Arepa filled with any choice of churizo, carne or pollo." or the very familiar "Hamburguesa de carne".

DAY 2 - Free day. This means, we've got lots of daylight to explore the festival surroundings. The weather is great, the views from my hotel room and rooftop pool are incredible. The travel group is not all in one place, but I think the Cartagena Plaza has a few great benefits this weekend. I realized during breakfast that a great many of the stage performers and television production crew are staying here, cause the lobby looked like the backstage of a NY Broadway show. There were stylists, make-up artists, and photographers everywhere. Who are all these people? I had no clue, but I got a few pics of some the dancers and delegates whenever I could, lol! The whole neighborhood was mobbed. You could randomly walk down the main street in Boca Grande and see a mass of people shouting and chanting or carrying posters of their queen. I now realized how serious Colombians take their beauty pageant business. This was something to see. All 26 states in the country have sent their own high-spirited delegation to Cartagena for only one expressed purpose - to make sure "their beauty queen" is crowned on Monday night. I cannot tell you how this makes for a wild atmosphere almost every where you went around town.

The beach across the street was crowded today. The peddlers were making rounds and you were guaranteed to be asked to buy a drink or something to eat or a t-shirt to wear or a nice massage or..... well, you get the idea. (Just ignore them and keep walkin'). We managed a few dips in the ocean water while soaking in some rays though. I still think, however, Playa Blanca Beach is a much nicer urban beach than Boca Grande. Strolling down any of the streets in Boca Grande and you'll see numerous boutiques. Shopping is also a good way to spend some time here. Lots of jewelry, clothing and local art design bargains can be found. A favorable US dollar exchange rate surely helps. On Friday afternoons, there's no better place to kick the weekend into high-hear than at Cafe del Mar. This outdoor restaurant/bar is located atop the colonial wall of the Old City and is packed with a mix of people from all over. Drop in around 4 or 5pm, there's a live DJ, good food to sample on the Mediterranean menu, and you can sit at the bar, a table or on one of the party benches. Most importantly, you have the best view in town of the setting sun. Sample any of of the house cocktails or just try an Aguila or Club Colombia (the national beer favorites) and people watch.

Tonite's meet up was at venue nearby the city center. The main entrance line was long, but our VIP status got us past the crowd with ease and right to our table at Mister Babilla's. Filled with mostly South Americans in town for the weekend, the international DJs and the servers keep this place going. There's no real dance floor area, so after the conga line makes a few laps, dancing on the tables and chairs becomes the norm. Literally!! I know we were definitely having a blast when our group size at the corner table doubled in size. It never fails, the social energy of Funky People usually draws curiosity of the male and female locals, when we're on vacation. No doubt who the out of town Americanos were. I can remember lots of dancing, singing and shots of rum, then.........

DAY 3 - Holy moly, was it Saturday morning already? This is crazy, now I'd have to avoid sleeping for fear of missing today group activity. It's a 9am pickup at the hotel. Colombian coffee is a must at breakfast!! After a bit of confusion the entire travel group arrives at the correct marina to board our vessel for the day. The Saturday event was the Boat Parade for the National Pageant. It's the last time for each beauty queen to make a statement and sway the judges and voters before the actual competition began on Sunday nite. Really different, but pageants are a big deal here. People were scrambling to get on boats all over the two adjacent marinas. I thought half the city must be renting any boat they could, to witness this. The regatta consisted of multi-million dollar yachts, smaller speed boats, tour boats and even a passenger cruise ship off in the distance. The party antics on the spectator boats were as close to the Bourbon Street Mardi Gras, as you can get. The Colombian Marines escorted the queens in row boats past our floating procession. People toasted and cheered as the women posed during their drive-bys. (Talk about swaying public opinion.) It was an fun day on the water in Cartagena Bay. I'm pleased to report no one got seasick and the whole group was accounted for upon our return to the dock. Kudos to our hosts, captain and crew!!

For the Saturday nite finale we visited two of the best places to dance in Cartagena. Club Havana for live Salsa music and Babar, a exclusive discotech in the old city. Both places got pretty packed! Good thing we had our salsa moves ready for Club Havana regulars. We also got a pic with some Latin athletes mingling at Babar. Finally, I get in early. Must sleep now.

DAY 4 - Cartagena's Carnival has been great but there's still two days left!!! A few tours head out with the attendees to the Totumo Mud Volcano, and to the La Pompa monastery. The best beach in the region is on the Rosario Islands. This was a peaceful way to relax in a beautiful ocean setting away for the carnival madness. Back from the tours, we explore the adjacent residential neighborhood of Laquito. Our driver directs us to a unique beach side restaurant hidden behind the Dunn Hotel called the Sunset Beach Club. The bartender and servers here offer warm greetings and suggest a few specialty appetizers on the light menu. The owner/DJ, Juan Diego, mixes up a good blend of soulful deep house music. This is my kinda of international vibe. You can lay out out on the beds or just sit at the bar the whole time as the sun descends on the nearby horizon. Enjoy the atmosphere and share some eats while you reflect on the day. Shout out to our new found friends from Canada, Europe, and Australia. The hospitality here was great!

One of my best recommendations for dinner is La Olla Cartagenera. This is a cozy indoor/outdoor restaurant to sample some Colombian dishes with Caribbean options. The service is excellent and you should try a seafood favorite, the Langostos con Arroz de Cocoa. You won't be disappointed! Now over to the Hilton Hotel Resort. Security is tight and for good reason. This was the big event of the pageant, the 3-hour Miss Colombia Swimsuit competition! It's now fully clear just how big and prestigious the business of beauty pageantry is in this country. There's more than the actual title at stake. Sponsored social service community activities, educational scholarships and public social program funding for the state are in the coffers for the woman that wins. A great deal of the income generated by this event are used to fund the winnings. What a novel idea! No wonder the hotel property had a stadium-like atmosphere. Our seats were amongst a "who's-who" of A-list guests, political leaders and relatives of the contestants. We just stood, watched and took it all in as each state contingent cheered for "their girl". The show was more like a nationally televised fashion show with a half-time performance, but who's complaining? Honestly, after two costume (*clears throat*), I mean bikini changes, I deem this contest a tie. All the beauty queens were winners in my book. I'm told only Venezuela does such a production on a bigger scale. I can believe it. The Miss USA/America pageants are very different.

Day 5 - Monday held a variety of day tour options for the group members. There's lots of historic places see in Cartagena, the Gold Museum, the San Felipe de Barajas Fortress, or the Old Walled city are all favorites of mine. Cartagena's afro-latin colonial history are on the UNESCO World Heritage site list, in fact. The people of Colombia are warmest you'll meet! They don't get to interact with many Americans, so they tend to be just as curious about you as you are about them. Hmmm.....is that why we're having such a good time? I did notice that many of the locals here didn't even realize I was American, I guess my limited Spanish skills didn't give me away. We get lots of great photos and compare our souvenir finds before the day ends.

Our last nite brought us to an Argentinian restaurant called, Quebracho. Between our conservations, the restaurant staff would turn up the large screen monitor volume for the status of the pageant. Tonite's final two events, Evening gown, and Question & Answer, would determine the winner. The food is delicious and the wine complimented our churrascos flawlessly, but attention kept coming back to the television. The winner of last nights swimsuit category is one of the four finalists. The results are tallied. There's a pause, and the 2011 winner is announced..........Daniella Margarita Alvarez Vásquez!

Just like that, it was over. It seemed like only a few hours ago, we'd just landed here. The new queen was crowned, the casual bets were settled and the restaurant begins to close. We consider a few last after-parties to attend, but the massive crowds have left and the city is a lot calmer. No thanks, we've seen the best of this event has to offer already. The travel mates in our group begin to exchange contacts and pose for a few last pictures. It's a plus when the personalities in the group get along so well. It was great to be a part of another fun group of people I had not known before this weekend. "See you all again, soon! Thanks for the great times! Maybe I'll see you in Cuba next year...?". Yup, the travel bug is back, people are still funky - what a weekend!!!

The country of Colombia as a whole will appeal to most tourist interests. If you are looking for a nice getaway, do add Cartagena to your list. Not every weekend in Cartagena has the energy or the crowds of Carnival week, but the colonial history, architecture, afro-latin culture, food, dining, shopping and even eco-tourism activities are all a part of the basic appeal. Other recommendations include Santa Marta, or the isle of San Andres, if you wish to avoid the big interior cities. Special thanks to our usual lists of members, friends and colleagues for assisting with all the groups stateside US promotion! Our on-the-ground activities were handled by the Tours Gone Wild Travel group and boy did they show us an absolutely fantastic time!!! Thanks Arturo and Santiago - we shall connect again for new adventures. Our Funky People Online Network is now on Facebook and Twitter - follow us around the globe using your smartphone or computer. Stay tuned - upcoming trips through 2014 are already in the pipeline....hope to see you with us!

Check out the photos & videos from this trip at this link: Cartagena Carnival 2011 !

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Brazil Vacation - Oct 2009

This entry was originally published on funkypeopleonline.com in November 2009. It has been edited to fit this format.

Season Greetings,

A new season is upon us here, and we wanted to drop a few lines about our recent return tour to Brazil. Once again it was an incredible time shared by those that attended. Special thanks to our travel vendors and tour guide Armondo of Trendsetters Travel for their attentive care with our group in Rio de Janiero; we can never get enough of this place. The accommodations at the Mar Palace Copacabana Hotel were excellent.

Since our previous 2007 visit we can see lots of change coming to Brazil. It is undergoing an economic boom of sorts. After years of an average to below average lifestyle for many citizens, there's a new air of social improvement here now. Crude oil and natural gas deposits have been discovered off the Brazilian coasts and mining of those resources are bringing the country into the upper tier of the world's economies. Technology companies are now investing here and the alternative fuel, Ethonal, is becoming a huge export. Lots of new construction for schools, residential housing and hotel buildings can be observed in several of the tourist centers and popular Rio neighborhoods. There's even plans for a huge expansion of the mass transit system and public internet here. Progress and development are exciting, but still it's the people, the culture, the food, natural beauty and atmosphere that provide the unique chemistry to this great locale. Each visit begs you to find new and exciting activities or in our case appreciate the older classic ones. There's just so much to do and see here you cannot go wrong with your time.

Special congratulations go out to Ramona and Melecio of New Jersey on their engagement at Corcovado mountain! This was a great moment and we wish them all the best for a happy future together. Yup, Rio de Janiero is definitely one of the most romantic places in the world. The group managed to get a few good moments atop Sugar Loaf Mountain and at the Christ Statue, even though the weather was not always cooperative during this stay. One cannot say enough about the gems you come across at the weekly Hippie Fair at General Osório Park in Ipanema. This is one Sunday market place where good negotiation skills for your most desired items come in handy. It is heaven for visiting tourists and shoppers with an eye for leather goods, jewelry and art or paintings. Spend only a few hours at this outdoor bizarre and your bags and arms will be stocked for the return trip home. We may have had a shortage of great weather photos this go round, but me thinks we've got plenty of souviners for our family and friends. Well done travelers, it's time to go!!!

I didn't see the need to post more photos from this destination, as we had featured soooo many great shots after our last visit. I'm sure by now, you can grasp our overall fondness and viewpoint about Brazil, just refer back to those '07 pics or our first trip summary at anytime. I did, however, add three videos of the Las Vegas sytle, Plataforma Carnavale Dinner show the group saw this week! Thanks to Danny M. for the great footage!

Do expect us to bring more Funky People travel groups back to Brazil in the future, especially if Brazil is successful in their bids to host the 2014 FIFA World Cup Soccer Championships and the 2016 Summer Olympic games. Those announcements should be coming soon! Until then, we're planning to visit a few other Funky places on our radar!

You can view the Brazil 2009 trip cabaret show vids at Brazil Vacation Tour ~ Oct 2009.

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Panama Tour - May 2009

This entry was originally published on funkypeopleonline.com on June 6, 2009. It has been edited to fit this format.

Welcome back,

Another Memorial Day Weekend has gone by and the Funky People Panama Tour is history! Each year our getaway destinations bring a different mix of personalities and this year was no exception. (I'm sure this was a warm-up for a bigger time on our upcoming return trip to Brazil)

Now before I get into the trip details, I have to first thank Val Slayton of Tra-Val Services, who worked closely with us on many details of this trip. Special thanks to Nyasha Warren for making my introduction to Panama much smoother. We also had the usual help from many friends of the Funky People family who promoted this trip via their own internet circles. Once again, I appreciate your continued support!

What was so hot about Panama? In a nutshell, I can say that the activities and antics were just as varied as the travelers that joined us in Central America. Not to be directly compared with our previous excursions, Panama has its own flair of culture, history and entertainment. The weekend moved at such a pace that we're still a bit exhausted at this point. If you yearn for the energy of Las Vegas mixed with South Beach Miami, then you will enjoy Panama! Pack a comfortable set of casual shoes or sneakers, it seems we were rarely sitting down...

The Decapolis and Veneto hotels were superb locations to introduce our travelers to the energy and mystique of Panama City. Why stay in the hotel? This area of the city was sort of like being in Times Square and the Wall Street sections of NYC. Everything was at your disposal, local shops, malls, boutiques, casinos, discotheques Panamanian eateries, restaurants, and outdoor cafes - just get out and walk around. Most places offered comfortable atmosphere for tourists and very good pricing. Our first few days took us to see the famous locks of the Panama Canal, an amazingly complex engineering marvel, the historical center of Panama, Casco Viejo, and the Calzada de Amador (or Amador Causeway), which is the very scenic entrance way to the city that connects South America and North America. Panama has the largest duty free shopping zone outside of China, which means you can find almost anything (and I mean anything) to buy for cheap in it's numerous shopping centers and malls. Serious shoppers, beware!

Walking around Panama City gives you a real sense of the vibrant skyline - it is a blend of old and new architecture. Known mostly for the Panama Canal, which drives nearly 1/3 of the entire economy, Panama is also home to many exotic birds, insects and plant life. For eco-tour nature lovers, it's a dream location. The Soberania National Park, just minutes from our city hotel, is the only rainforest to exist in a metropolitan city. Here are a few more things Panama, you probably didn't know.....

#1: The oldest operating railroad in the world exists in Panama. It travels only from Colon (on the Atlantic coast) south to Panama City and was originally built to transport settlers moving west during the California Gold Rush of the late 1800's.

#2: In 1903, the United States, assisted in Panama's declaration of independence from Colombia with Naval protection. The U.S was then awarded rights to what later became the Panama Canal Zone. The U.S. was responsible for completing construction and managing Panama Canal operations until December 1999.

#3: Panama in the original Indian language means "abundance of fish". Other versions refer to the name as meaning "many butterflies".

#4: Panama is the only place in the world where you can swim in two oceans on the same day. The Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean are only 80km apart. You will also see that the Sun also rises over the Pacific Ocean and sets over the Atlantic Ocean.

#5: Almost half of the 3 million residents of Panama live in Panama City. The cultural and racial landscape is made up of many Latin ethnicities, Amerindian tribes, and African, Caribbean and European descendents.

#6: Panama's major export products are bananas, rice, corn, sugar cane, coffee and shrimps bought mostly by Costa Rica, Germany and other European countries!

#7: Panama City is home to over 180 international banks. It is a haven for international investment, but the huge banking industry is due in large part to the commerce driven by the cargo ships that transit the Panama Canal. Each ship must wire transfer a toll fee payment of $100,000 to 250,000, at least 24 hours before entering the Canal waterway. (Sorry Visa is not accepted.) The Canal toll is really considered a discount, when the alternative is to travel around the southern tip of South America at a cost of $1 million dollars and an extra 3 weeks at sea, thus higher prices for consumers at the store.

While the city energy lured many in our group daily, our couples who opted for a more serene environment at the Decameron Beach & Golf Resort in Playa Blanca, got just that. Just over 90 mins outside of Panama City, there were lazy days, moonlit nights and ocean breezes. The Decameron has one of the best beach front locations on the Pacific coast of Panama. There is a local town of Farrallon nearby where you can shop for hand-crafted Indian art and pottery, enjoy dining and bar nightlife. Or you can just kick back, mill about the expansive property, soak up the sun rays, and enjoy the stage show lineups, all while sipping a Balboa or Atlas (Panamanian beers) or a mixture of fruit daiquiris with local rum liquors. For those that dare to swing with the locals, try any one of their high-octane "whiskey on the rocks" concoctions (usually a dark bourbon or scotch). I call this the Panama party-starter, but it ended the night early for others, lol.

Now, with all the daytime touring, cultural exploring, and late night socializing at hot spots like The Loft, La Bogedita, Guru and Club Seis, we did take time to eat the much talked about Panamanian food. No need to spend more than $5 on a good meal, just follow the locals. Shout-out to the friendly staff at El Trapiche restaurant! There are now many of us that are hooked on several Panama dishes like, Platano Maduro, Ceviche, Yucca (a tropical version of the potato), Sancocho (a hearty chicken soup spiced with culandro), and Corvina (filet grilled or fried sea bass) with Arroz con guandu (rice cooked with an African bean). All this after you've had your typical egg breakfast, and a few, Hojaldras (Panamanian doughnuts) with some potent Panama coffee!

Panama is very affordable, safe and picturesque for families, friends and couples. Pass this page to someone who is interested in a Central American vacation treasure. Check out the shots of our weekend travels!! The web link below will direct you to the vacation photo albums. Hello again, to our new found travel mates from New York, Boston, Miami and North Carolina! For those of you who missed joining us - new destinations await our visit!

Remember, being "Funky" is simply a mindset. What's yours? Encourage others to get connected to our member sites, activities, and soul music sounds. On Facebook use our group page or listen to our "workplace friendly" internet radio station anytime at www.FunkyPeopleradio.net. Hasta luego mis amigos!

Click Here to view the Panama Vacation Tour 2009 photo albums !

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Poconos Ski Weekend - Feb 2009

This entry was originally published on funkypeopleonline.com in March 2009. It has been re-edited to fit this format.

Hello Family,

The whole troop is back and just about fully recovered from an energetic weekend in the Pennsylvania Pocono Mountains! After all was said and done, it was a good time with lots of folk we did not know before last Friday, lol. I had forgotten just how endless the days and nights would be when you confine 500 folks to a hotel complex during the winter. Thanks to all our attendees from New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia and Delaware! A hearty shout-out the other 8 bus loads of outgoing, music lovin' and open-bar huggin' party-goers, that made the 3rd Annual Club Classic Ski Party Getaway a fun time. The combined groups came from as far away as Connecticut, North Carolina, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Congrats our trip partners, Curt Gilmore, Tony Motley, Austen Henry and Scott Dennis, and special thanks to Kenny Bobien for performing for us at the hotel. There were certainly a bunch of laughs, crazy photo moments, and interesting conversations taking place all weekend. Mint Condition and Johnny Gill in concert, the opening night Masquerade Pajama party, the poolside Club Classics party were all definite highlights, and yes, we did go skiing as well! Press the link at the bottom of this post for the trip photos.

If you haven't had a chance to join us on one of our trips, you'll have a few choices in the near future. We're working with a few more partners to offer more event weekends throughout the year. In the meantime, if you have a group of outgoing friends, relatives or co-workers that actually likes to get away from home, drop us a line and let's brainstorm! Our group trips are open to all and offer group leaders commission incentives with discounted or FREE travel accommodations. Tune in anytime, 24/7 to hear the best of soul and independent music artists on www.FunkyPeopleRadio.net !

Until the next adventure......view our ski weekend photos and the rest of our adventure photos from previous trips at Ski Party Weekend Getaway ~ Feb 2009.

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Las Vegas Getaway - Oct 2008

This entry was originally published on funkypeopleonline.com in October 2008. It has been re-edited to fit this format.

Fall Greetings Funky People,

We're back from our first stateside travel group weekend! And all in one piece, I might add. It was a quick trip but what's not to enjoy about Las Vegas - the weather is fantastic at this time of the year. Vegas is a massive Western playground where families, couples and singles can all enjoy a long list of venues, hotels, sites and attractions. Among my suggestions to get the best experience in Las Vegas is to bring a set of good walking shoes or sneakers, a camera and some pocket change! This place is massive with plenty of energy and "eye-candy" for all sorts of interests. If you have the time, a must see are the nearby landmarks like the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam. These sites are so much more impressive in person.

There were any number of hotels we could have chosen to base the FP group, but I'd like to thank the staff and group coordinators at the Treasure Island Hotel for their hospitality and attention during our stay. Treasure Island is one of the better "group friendly" Vegas hotel locations and is located in the heart of the main strip.

What to do? What's not to do? I was always taken at how each hotel seemed to go out of their way to keep you on/in that property. This ploy seems to make time disappear very quickly, so one must be disciplined in moving about. There's delicious food at every turn in Las Vegas, from the very simple, cheap and quick to the pretty expensive and exclusive. No taste will go unquenched, and get this - it is actually legal to walk down the street with alcohol or beer. No wonder the party never ends......

I cannot claim one nightlife favorite of the weekend, there were actually a few. But do know the group managed to sleep a few hours each night, albeit difficult. No need to repeat more of what you've already heard or know about this exciting US destination. The old saying really does apply...."what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas".

Check out some of the pictures of our travel mates during our weekend travels. Use the photo album link : Las Vegas Weekend Getaway 2008. We can't wait to see you on the Poconos slopes for our winter getaway in Februrary 2009!!

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