Dear Friend and Reader,
You know the Country of Mexico has really beautiful places, especially when you drive from Mexico City to Veracruz. It’s a beautiful sight first coming out of the Valley of Mexico City and on your right side you see the volcanoes Popocateptl and Itzlaciuatl. Then you drive over about three thousand meters and then you come down to the valley of Puebla. The city of Puebla where the Volkswagen Company is located is a nice beautiful city with an old history. The Zocalo (centre) of the city is a nice square place in Puebla where you can sit outside of the restaurants at this time of year and observe the by-passing visitors and dine or just drink your beer or Tequila whatever you like after a busy day of visiting the surroundings of the City of Puebla.
When you drive further you get a beautiful sight of the volcano Pico de Orizaba with his snow-covered top all year long. It’s really a fantastic sight when you drive through this part of Mexico. The autobahn is not always in the best shape especially during the rain season which started this year a little bit earlier than usual but you see that they are working all year around to keep this important vane in a more or less good shape. The traffic on this important road which connects the port of Veracruz with the Capital of Mexico and brings the new cars from Volkswagen to the port for export to the whole world and the imported cars from Volkswagen Brazil to Mexico is sometimes a little bit heavy. But it is a nice drive when you are not in a hurry and with time to absorb the beautiful sight along the road.
When driving with a rented car or an own car you need some cash because the highways or autobahn in the whole country of Mexico are very expensive. In my opinion they are the most expensive toll road in the whole world and I wonder sometimes how the Mexicans can afford those expensive roads. But in some way you see this expensive roads reflect in the prizes we have to pay for our food and so on because everything has to be transported from the ports and country side to the cities. But in some way it seems to me that nobody really cares because the higher the toll the more traffic you see.
When you drive down from the high mountain chain to the sea-level of the city of Cordoba you instantly feel the different climate the moisture and the heat of this part of the country. The whole year round it’s green and you feel the different air when coming from the Capital of Mexico where the air is real thin because of the altitude.
When you drive through this part of the country you feel like driving through a green garden with plants in abundance like nowhere else in the country. Veracruz connects Mexico with the old world of Europe and South America. Veracruz is worth for a visit when staying in Mexico, but not only the city itself is worth a visit also the whole state of Veracruz with his gentle and helpful people. In this part of Mexico, the people still have a different lifestyle and the people are more tranquil than in other parts of the country.
In this part of the country you feel like the time has turned back or is running slower than in other parts. The people still have more time, at least it looks like and you see at late hours of the night the people walking on the beach or sitting in the cafes and dinning outside like and it looks like every one is visiting and not working. But this lifestyle you only find in the tropic parts of the world where people go out at night and not that much during the day.
But anyhow when you plan in the near future a visit to Mexico not only think of beach and laying around doing nothing but also take advantage to travel for education in different cultures and getting to know people and how they live. You come sometimes more relaxed back from vacation when you learn and know different cultures and new people then when laying two weeks on a beach and burning your skin.
You know when learning about different cultures and getting to know new people is a far better way to understand the problems which face other countries and his population. In this globalization era without knowing and understanding the different cultures we cannot live together in a harmonious and peaceful way. Especially where we travel in a shorter time by plane then before and where we hear the news through media and internet from all over the world. We should not only be concerned with our own interest, needs and wishes while ignoring those of others.
Talk to you soon,
Anton Winkler
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Have you ever Thought of Traveling to Singapore?
Dear Friend and Reader,
Have you ever thought about traveling in a really exaggerated way? For example you get an invitation that says “met me in Singapore”.
What do you do?
At the first moment you might think Singapore…that’s too far away, but if you are a crazy guy like me you go immediately to the travel agent office and look for a flight to Singapore. You ask the travel agent…what offers do you have to Singapore, the first one they offer you…you think forget it…I will not pay that much just for a few days.
Than they give you another offer and you accept it, because you’ll not get in that short time something better and you book it, because you are crazy like me and you don’t care about anything but flying to Singapore.
Let me explain to you a little bit the background of that story. In December I attended a seminar in Atlanta with Matt Bacak and Shawn Casey, I don’t know if you know these incredible guys, these guys are the big shot in internet marketing and promoting of products, but anyway it doesn’t really matter if you know these guys.
I tell you I attended the seminar and I thought by myself when some day Matt tells me, hey Anton I will have a seminar in Singapore will you join me…I won’t think twice, I fly anywhere I can…to see Matt.
And to my surprise suddenly I received an invitation and I only followed my instinct and went there.
But there is more, I traveled about thirty or thirty-one years back to Singapore for the first time and I tell you this City is one of the most beautiful Cities on this Planet. You won’t find another City like Singapore anywhere else. The cleanliness and the beauty of that City is something you must see with your own eyes in order to believe it.
I was impressed of that city many years back and the second time I went there I was even more impressed.
The green parks, the trees everywhere, the streets and Highways exits are covered with green plants you almost can’t imagine that underneath that green plants are concrete for the bridges and exits. It’s incredible to look at something good organized like that. I only can have a great admiration for the City-planers of Singapore. They really did a great job.
The City tours and everything very good organized, Chinatown with its own beauty of colorful streets and imagine that in this City-island are living four different cultures in peace and harmony together? It’s really unbelievable, when you imagine that in some cities or country’s not even two cultures can live in harmony together?
If you like lunch or dinner or breakfast the Singapore cuisine is something special and very tasty and you enjoy the food every hour of the day. The buffet with there variety of different cooking and even cold food like smoked salmon, marinated octopus, marinated top shell, century eggs, mango pudding…I don’t like to tell you more because I’m already getting hungry when I think back.
It’s really a worthwhile trip even if you are crazy like me and spent only three days there.
The flight is a little bit heavy because you are sitting almost one day in planes from Center America to Singapore but I didn’t even think of that because the reward is something you never will get anywhere else.
Talk to you soon.
Anton
When Travel to the Far East.
Dear Friend and Reader,
Travel to other countries is always an exceptional experience, e.g. if you travel to Europe you leave in the afternoon and arrive in Europe the next day in the afternoon.
When you travel to Asia you leave in the morning and you are arriving at the other day almost at midnight depending on your destination. You lost on your flight almost a day.
This phenomenon happens because of the International Dateline. You ask hey Anton what is the International Dateline and why do you loose almost one day? I’ll try to explain in my own words. International Date Line
The International Date Line is around 180 ° longitudes.
The International Date Line (IDL),as also known as just the Date Line, is an imaginary line on the surface of the Earth opposite the Prime Meridian which offsets the date as one travels east or west across it. Along the 180 degree Prime Meridian which corresponds to the time zone boundary separating +12 and -12 hours from GMT.
When traveling across the IDL east results in a 24 hours day loss because the time will be subtracted and traveling across the IDL west results in a day being added.
According Wikipedia the first date-line problem occurred in connection with the navigation around the globe by Magellan’s expedition around 1519 to 1522. The crewmembers who survived turned to a Spanish colonized stopover and they were sure of the day of the week because of their various and carefully maintained sailing logs. But the habitants of the island insisted the day was different as they were been told from the surviving screw. This phenomenon caused so much excitement that they send afterwards a delegation to the Pope in Rome that he’ll explained why that happening was.
Talk to you soon,
Anton
.
Travel to other countries is always an exceptional experience, e.g. if you travel to Europe you leave in the afternoon and arrive in Europe the next day in the afternoon.
When you travel to Asia you leave in the morning and you are arriving at the other day almost at midnight depending on your destination. You lost on your flight almost a day.
This phenomenon happens because of the International Dateline. You ask hey Anton what is the International Dateline and why do you loose almost one day? I’ll try to explain in my own words. International Date Line
The International Date Line is around 180 ° longitudes.
The International Date Line (IDL),as also known as just the Date Line, is an imaginary line on the surface of the Earth opposite the Prime Meridian which offsets the date as one travels east or west across it. Along the 180 degree Prime Meridian which corresponds to the time zone boundary separating +12 and -12 hours from GMT.
When traveling across the IDL east results in a 24 hours day loss because the time will be subtracted and traveling across the IDL west results in a day being added.
According Wikipedia the first date-line problem occurred in connection with the navigation around the globe by Magellan’s expedition around 1519 to 1522. The crewmembers who survived turned to a Spanish colonized stopover and they were sure of the day of the week because of their various and carefully maintained sailing logs. But the habitants of the island insisted the day was different as they were been told from the surviving screw. This phenomenon caused so much excitement that they send afterwards a delegation to the Pope in Rome that he’ll explained why that happening was.
Talk to you soon,
Anton
.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Breakfast at the Gran Hotel in Mexico City
Dear Friend and Reader,
Today we visited The Gran Hotel in downtown Mexico City.
This hotel is jewelry located at the gran plaza (zocalo) in Mexico City.
If you get ever the chance to have a delicious breakfast in downtown Mexico City you should go to the Gran Hotel in 16 de Septiembre in Mexico’s great plaza called the Zocalo.
It is a real must go when you stay in the Capital of Mexico City. The prices are not too expensive for a buffet at the Terrace of that great Hotel. The view you have to the Zocalo is really gorgeous. It is a real beautiful view from the terrace to the Zocalo and the surrounding buildings.
You see the palacio nacional (National Palace), the cathedral, and if you visit the place on a Sunday morning you see the spectacle of the Indian dancers and the sound of drums all over the place.
After a good breakfast you go for a digestive walk at the Zocalo and see the spectacle from near.
If you come back after a long time to see the Zocalo it is a real attraction and you enjoy the walk and the time when you stay there. On Sunday many people walk through the streets nearby because they are closed to the cars and you can view the exhibition-windows of the great shops. Even on Sunday the shops are open and you really enjoy walking through and take a look to the merchandize without any hurry.
The time flies by and without notice it’s already time for lunch, but if you are in Mexico the lunch hour is later than anywhere else. The Mexican people like to lunch after 14:00hours.
Always remember that you breakfast light even if you enjoy of a buffet. In the afternoon you dine in the downtown area or even at the same hotel. If you like to change the taste than you also can go to another restaurant nearby.
Talk to you soon
Anton Winkler
Today we visited The Gran Hotel in downtown Mexico City.
This hotel is jewelry located at the gran plaza (zocalo) in Mexico City.
If you get ever the chance to have a delicious breakfast in downtown Mexico City you should go to the Gran Hotel in 16 de Septiembre in Mexico’s great plaza called the Zocalo.
It is a real must go when you stay in the Capital of Mexico City. The prices are not too expensive for a buffet at the Terrace of that great Hotel. The view you have to the Zocalo is really gorgeous. It is a real beautiful view from the terrace to the Zocalo and the surrounding buildings.
You see the palacio nacional (National Palace), the cathedral, and if you visit the place on a Sunday morning you see the spectacle of the Indian dancers and the sound of drums all over the place.
After a good breakfast you go for a digestive walk at the Zocalo and see the spectacle from near.
If you come back after a long time to see the Zocalo it is a real attraction and you enjoy the walk and the time when you stay there. On Sunday many people walk through the streets nearby because they are closed to the cars and you can view the exhibition-windows of the great shops. Even on Sunday the shops are open and you really enjoy walking through and take a look to the merchandize without any hurry.
The time flies by and without notice it’s already time for lunch, but if you are in Mexico the lunch hour is later than anywhere else. The Mexican people like to lunch after 14:00hours.
Always remember that you breakfast light even if you enjoy of a buffet. In the afternoon you dine in the downtown area or even at the same hotel. If you like to change the taste than you also can go to another restaurant nearby.
Talk to you soon
Anton Winkler
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Escape to the pearl of the Mexican Caribbean Sea
Dear Reader and Friend,
On 21 of April we visited the pearl of the Mexican Caribbean called Cancun.
We went there on a nice Sunday afternoon by Click Mexicana. The flight was besides some turbulence shortly after take off a quiet one without major problems.
Click Mexicana is quiet a good opportunity for a low fare flight within the republic of Mexico.
We landed at almost 20:00 hours at Cancun. The duration of the flight was about one hour and three quarter. When we left the plane you felt immediately the moisture and the high temperature of the Caribbean Sea.
It has been quiet a while since my last visit in Cancun and I can tell you that after the last Hurricane a lot changed in this town and hotel area. You can’t even tell that there was that big hurricane a few years ago. The hotels rising of the ground and it seems it will never stop. When driving the street along the hotels it seems that it never ends.
When thinking back and remembering the last stay in Cancun it is tremendous the change this Caribbean pearl has going through to attract every year more tourists. We accommodated us in the beautiful hotel Melia with it splendor green areas and pool areas.
I tell you my grandsons were fascinated of the swimming pool and all the surroundings of this huge hotel.
When staying in those hotels you sometimes forget that you’re in Mexico.
After two days we left Cancun and drove by bus to Playa del Carmen. This small tourist town exploded and the size of the town has almost doubled. You know what I liked best of that town, the streets and a part of the tourist area is closed to the normal traffic and you can walk easy through the streets and enjoy all the shops and beauty of that town. The night life is something you’ll never forget. It is a charming city and the city life contrary to Cancun looks more European style because of the walk-ways which lets you enjoy more the beauty of the town. The restaurants with their Mexican and international cuisine invite you for dinner.
We stopped at a Thai restaurant and the food was exquisite with portions just right for the night. Afterwards we took a nice walk through the main street and looked at the shops the variety of articles.
Every time when you travel with women to the beach they stop at the bikini shop because there is always an excuse with the bikini they wear and they need every time a new one.
But every beauty travel comes to an end so did this stay at Playa del Carmen. It is a pity that everything you enjoy comes to an end so fast. My grandchildren enjoyed that trip and they liked to stay more time.
Talk to you soon
Anton
On 21 of April we visited the pearl of the Mexican Caribbean called Cancun.
We went there on a nice Sunday afternoon by Click Mexicana. The flight was besides some turbulence shortly after take off a quiet one without major problems.
Click Mexicana is quiet a good opportunity for a low fare flight within the republic of Mexico.
We landed at almost 20:00 hours at Cancun. The duration of the flight was about one hour and three quarter. When we left the plane you felt immediately the moisture and the high temperature of the Caribbean Sea.
It has been quiet a while since my last visit in Cancun and I can tell you that after the last Hurricane a lot changed in this town and hotel area. You can’t even tell that there was that big hurricane a few years ago. The hotels rising of the ground and it seems it will never stop. When driving the street along the hotels it seems that it never ends.
When thinking back and remembering the last stay in Cancun it is tremendous the change this Caribbean pearl has going through to attract every year more tourists. We accommodated us in the beautiful hotel Melia with it splendor green areas and pool areas.
I tell you my grandsons were fascinated of the swimming pool and all the surroundings of this huge hotel.
When staying in those hotels you sometimes forget that you’re in Mexico.
After two days we left Cancun and drove by bus to Playa del Carmen. This small tourist town exploded and the size of the town has almost doubled. You know what I liked best of that town, the streets and a part of the tourist area is closed to the normal traffic and you can walk easy through the streets and enjoy all the shops and beauty of that town. The night life is something you’ll never forget. It is a charming city and the city life contrary to Cancun looks more European style because of the walk-ways which lets you enjoy more the beauty of the town. The restaurants with their Mexican and international cuisine invite you for dinner.
We stopped at a Thai restaurant and the food was exquisite with portions just right for the night. Afterwards we took a nice walk through the main street and looked at the shops the variety of articles.
Every time when you travel with women to the beach they stop at the bikini shop because there is always an excuse with the bikini they wear and they need every time a new one.
But every beauty travel comes to an end so did this stay at Playa del Carmen. It is a pity that everything you enjoy comes to an end so fast. My grandchildren enjoyed that trip and they liked to stay more time.
Talk to you soon
Anton
Sunday, February 25, 2007
On the Route of the Tequila...
On the Route Of the Tequila....
Hey my friends,
This weekend I made an enjoyable excursion through part of the
Tequila Region to the beautiful city of Guadalajara the capital
of the state of Jalisco in Mexico.
To do a trip like this by car you have to take your time and not
as myself just drive through. I have to tell you that my main
purpose was to get to Guadalajara.
As I don't like to drive that much on Autobahn(Expressway)
because of the monotony I really hate. I tell you it is much
more interesting to drive through the old colorful small
colonial towns.
It's quite a while since I have chosen this route and I can
tell you that this route is a very nice and unforgettable
journey.
In this trip I drove through small cities like 'La Piedad',
'Degollado', 'Ayotlan' and 'Atotonilco'.
The latter town has famous tequila branches like 'Don Julio',
'Siete Leguas', 'El Viejito' and so on. Only in this town
there are a lots of branches with famous Tequila names.
Before passing through Atotonilco you drive through a beautiful
picturesque town called 'Degollado'. This town is famous for the
sculpted statues of animals, palm trees and fountains made of
'Cantera' (Quarry) a red colored stone. There you can look for a
statue for your house or garden. Since I haven't seen this
little town for a long time I was pleasantly surprised about the
change this town has seen. The buildings look colorful with the
recent painted exteriors. The restored colonial buildings near
the center of the town gives you a feeling of going back to the
colonial time.
I assure you that it was worth going of the expressway and drive
through this region.
After a few hours drive I arrived finally at my destination.
When staying a few days in Guadalajara you can enjoy with some
tours the City and the surroundings of this beautiful city and
its friendly habitants.
There is a 'Tequila Tour which brings you to tequila
distilleries, tequila tasting(with lunch and drinks included.
This visit will bring you to the beautiful hacienda where you
can see the typical 'blue agaves' which is used for producing the
famous tequila.
There are other tours where you step into the 17th century at
the magnificent 'Hacienda El Carmen’ which shows you in a private
tour this huge estate.
The City by night and the tours in and nearby the city will give
you a lot of nice impressions of the people and their way of
life.
Talk to you soon
Anton
P.S. When planning a journey to Mexico, inform you as much as
possible of all the amazing things you can see and do.
Or just go to www.healthcarethroughadventuretravel.com and send
your questions per mail.
Hey my friends,
This weekend I made an enjoyable excursion through part of the
Tequila Region to the beautiful city of Guadalajara the capital
of the state of Jalisco in Mexico.
To do a trip like this by car you have to take your time and not
as myself just drive through. I have to tell you that my main
purpose was to get to Guadalajara.
As I don't like to drive that much on Autobahn(Expressway)
because of the monotony I really hate. I tell you it is much
more interesting to drive through the old colorful small
colonial towns.
It's quite a while since I have chosen this route and I can
tell you that this route is a very nice and unforgettable
journey.
In this trip I drove through small cities like 'La Piedad',
'Degollado', 'Ayotlan' and 'Atotonilco'.
The latter town has famous tequila branches like 'Don Julio',
'Siete Leguas', 'El Viejito' and so on. Only in this town
there are a lots of branches with famous Tequila names.
Before passing through Atotonilco you drive through a beautiful
picturesque town called 'Degollado'. This town is famous for the
sculpted statues of animals, palm trees and fountains made of
'Cantera' (Quarry) a red colored stone. There you can look for a
statue for your house or garden. Since I haven't seen this
little town for a long time I was pleasantly surprised about the
change this town has seen. The buildings look colorful with the
recent painted exteriors. The restored colonial buildings near
the center of the town gives you a feeling of going back to the
colonial time.
I assure you that it was worth going of the expressway and drive
through this region.
After a few hours drive I arrived finally at my destination.
When staying a few days in Guadalajara you can enjoy with some
tours the City and the surroundings of this beautiful city and
its friendly habitants.
There is a 'Tequila Tour which brings you to tequila
distilleries, tequila tasting(with lunch and drinks included.
This visit will bring you to the beautiful hacienda where you
can see the typical 'blue agaves' which is used for producing the
famous tequila.
There are other tours where you step into the 17th century at
the magnificent 'Hacienda El Carmen’ which shows you in a private
tour this huge estate.
The City by night and the tours in and nearby the city will give
you a lot of nice impressions of the people and their way of
life.
Talk to you soon
Anton
P.S. When planning a journey to Mexico, inform you as much as
possible of all the amazing things you can see and do.
Or just go to www.healthcarethroughadventuretravel.com and send
your questions per mail.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Impressions Of A Traveler
Hey my friends,
Today is the moment I have looked forward to, because I'm going back to the south.
Honestly I'm really happy to be at the airport in Wausau within a few hours
and boarding the plane because the cold air and weather makes me sick.
The skin of my hands are rough of the cold and it's hurting, actually I feel my whole body skin like that; even with body lotion I can't avoid it. Have you ever felt like
that? I don't know the people living in the northern hemisphere how they protect their skin.
Maybe they don't have that problem I would like to hear something how they protect their
skin from that dry cold.
The other day I went out of my hotel just for a few minutes, the cold wind I felt in my face
was like someone put a hot chilly souce on my face and I felt like my skin was burning.I really have nothing to compare with because even when living in Europe as a younger boy I
never had lived in such a low temperature as we have here in this area.When we had cold I can't say that I was enjoying the temperature in that time but I never
had felt like that.
I'm also aware of that the body is changing with the age and you feel always better or let's
say your body is faster accustomed to warmer temperatures that he is to cold temperatures at
least that is my feeling. Some people out there might say that this is not true maybe
becasue they always have lived in the northern part of the globe and when they come to the
south they face problems with adapting themselves to the warm temperatures maybe the same
way I feel in the north but in the opposite way.
It is kind of difficult to say because every body depending where you live the most time
will react in a different way, so I only can talk to you about my feelings and how I feel.
Some people might say that I'm over reacting about that matter, but every one has the right
to express himself about his feelings and how he is thinking.
Within an hour I have to leave my hotel and I have to head to the airport. At least in every
room there is a heating system, but I don't know if this kind of heat is good all that good
because it is artificial heat and not the heat I'm used to, like to sun which is the natural
heat, I know someone will say but the sun rays are not good for your skin too. I know but
with the proper care and as long as you do not lay direct in the sun rays it is not that
bad. As you know in that time of year the sun is in the northern hemispere burning and not
that good at all.
There are so many opinions about the pros and cons of the sun-rays, but there are a lot of
scientific discoveries that absorbing the sun certain time a day and every day is healthy
for your body and skin, as long as you do not exaggerate the time being in the sun. With the
sun-rays your body will have the important vitamin D we all need. The natural way is getting it from the sun-light instead of taking pills.
So my friends this is all for the moment, and I talk to you soon.
Today is the moment I have looked forward to, because I'm going back to the south.
Honestly I'm really happy to be at the airport in Wausau within a few hours
and boarding the plane because the cold air and weather makes me sick.
The skin of my hands are rough of the cold and it's hurting, actually I feel my whole body skin like that; even with body lotion I can't avoid it. Have you ever felt like
that? I don't know the people living in the northern hemisphere how they protect their skin.
Maybe they don't have that problem I would like to hear something how they protect their
skin from that dry cold.
The other day I went out of my hotel just for a few minutes, the cold wind I felt in my face
was like someone put a hot chilly souce on my face and I felt like my skin was burning.I really have nothing to compare with because even when living in Europe as a younger boy I
never had lived in such a low temperature as we have here in this area.When we had cold I can't say that I was enjoying the temperature in that time but I never
had felt like that.
I'm also aware of that the body is changing with the age and you feel always better or let's
say your body is faster accustomed to warmer temperatures that he is to cold temperatures at
least that is my feeling. Some people out there might say that this is not true maybe
becasue they always have lived in the northern part of the globe and when they come to the
south they face problems with adapting themselves to the warm temperatures maybe the same
way I feel in the north but in the opposite way.
It is kind of difficult to say because every body depending where you live the most time
will react in a different way, so I only can talk to you about my feelings and how I feel.
Some people might say that I'm over reacting about that matter, but every one has the right
to express himself about his feelings and how he is thinking.
Within an hour I have to leave my hotel and I have to head to the airport. At least in every
room there is a heating system, but I don't know if this kind of heat is good all that good
because it is artificial heat and not the heat I'm used to, like to sun which is the natural
heat, I know someone will say but the sun rays are not good for your skin too. I know but
with the proper care and as long as you do not lay direct in the sun rays it is not that
bad. As you know in that time of year the sun is in the northern hemispere burning and not
that good at all.
There are so many opinions about the pros and cons of the sun-rays, but there are a lot of
scientific discoveries that absorbing the sun certain time a day and every day is healthy
for your body and skin, as long as you do not exaggerate the time being in the sun. With the
sun-rays your body will have the important vitamin D we all need. The natural way is getting it from the sun-light instead of taking pills.
So my friends this is all for the moment, and I talk to you soon.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
