Jordan, a Hidden Gem ?

I had the pleasure to discover Jordan and do some geocaching there. As a bonus, I discovered a 'virgin' geocache, or in Geocaching Speak, a FTF (First to Find).  There are several things to do and places to visit, and here is what I would call 'not to be missed' :  


First there is Petra, the wonderful city carved in the mountainside and featuring some incredible buildings like the Treasury, which is emblematic of the site. You arrive at the site after walking half an hour through a narrow gorge called the Siq. Then you see this :

When you arrive at the site you are stunned by the sheer size of this building, carved in the rock of the mountain by the Nabateans in 100 BC. The exact purpose of the building has still not been discovered so far. But I was surprised to see that there are so many other buildings in the area. This was actually not an isolated temple, but a city with an open-air theater, houses, temples, tombs and even a church (although this was a more recent addition). Just to give an idea of the sheer size of the site, here is a view of the southern part of the area. It's one of the most astonishing man-made sites I have seen, and it certainly deserves to be on the list of the New Seven Wonders of the World

Another interesting place to visit is the Dead Sea. You read all sorts of stories about how you can float without having to swim. And yes, you do float effortlessly, but the 31% salt content of the water has several side effects. First it gives a very 'oily' feeling and you have the impression to float in some kind of goo, which not everyone will like. Second, the smell is not exactly what you would expect, and I have to admit that I smelled like a garbage can for a few hours after floating in the Dead Sea. Some say it is due to all the minerals in the water and the mud, but I don't really care - I smelled like I was farting non-stop...
Finally, if you have any cut or skin problem, you will clearly feel the burning effect of the salty water. I discovered a few cuts I did not know I had...

But honestly, it is something you have to try once in your lifetime

Another visit you should not miss - and actually you should spend more than a day to visit this place - is the desert of Wadi Rum. Lawrence of Arabia made the place famous, and the legend (or the true story) tells us that he lived there with his Bedouin friend(s) for many years. The shapes of the granite mountains, the colors of the sands and the vegetation (yes, there are flowers in the desert) are awesome.

It had been raining a few days before our arrival and there were lots of little purple flowers. So the story of the flowering desert is actually true :

There are no roads and all the tracks left by cars or camels are quickly erased by the wind and the ensuing movements of the sand dunes. So you either need a GPS or you need to know all the mountainshapes to find your way around...

Vegetation is not something you expect to find in a desert, but mammals and birds are not something you expect to find either. However, if you are quiet and if you look around, you will see lots of them. The most impressive thing is obviously the camouflage of the little birds. The one below is simply incredible : it really carries the colors of the rocks and the sand in its surroundings

After a day or two in the desert, the Red Sea is a welcome break. Aqaba features more than 10 dive sites which feature a rich sea life, with plenty of corals, hard and soft, and the usual Red Sea neigbours : bannerfish, butterflyfish and the ever-present anemone fish, Captain nemo. The waters are incredibly clear and the visibility is absolutely perfect. Have a look :

All in all, Jordan is clearly a hidden Gem, and there is everything you need for a good holiday : sand (lots of it in the desert), a generous sun, lots of cultural visits and the Red Sea with its warm waters.

A view from Aqaba and the Red Sea to conclude this post


Goodbye Jordan, I'll probably be back

Tenerife, not just for beach lovers

Who said that the Canary Islands are only for beach and sun lovers ? I just came back from a fabulous week in Tenerife and I discovered that this island is much more than a 'sea, sex and sun' destination like most people think. Of course, the weather is almost perfect all year, with lots of sunshine and gentle temperatures from January till December (it was 24°C when I was there during the last week of February). And the beaches of Playa de Las Americas in the southern part of Tenerife have the perfect white sand (imported from the Sahara, in fact) that all beach lovers expect.

But if you leave the coast and head inland, you find incredible landscapes and a truly surprising diversity in the flora. Here are some of the highlights of the trip and some recommendations for those who want to discover the island. By the way, this is only Tenerife. I am told that all other islands in this archipelago are just as beautiful and nature is just as surprising.

For those who like geocaching, there are plenty of geocaches, particularly the earth caches. The canary islands used to be active volcanoes, and the Teide, the highest peak at 3.750 meters, is still blowing fumes at times. In any case, the Teide was snow-capped last week and here is the stunning view it offers from almost anywhere on the island.





If you want to see the hidden beauties of this island, you need to rent a car. Although public transportation is available on the island, the buses are mostly linking the main populated places and do not cover the isolated mountain spots. That's where you want to go, and you get rewarded with stunning views like this one, at the foot of he Pico Viejo, a volcano next to the Teide, which erupted in 1798. The vegetation is starting to come back and offers some unusual views, like this lone tree trying to conquer the barrens landscape around the Pico Viejo...

Renting a car will also allow you to stop wherever you want, like at the Minas the San José, a strange place where the volcanic sand is green (well, yellowish green, but it is not really the kind of sand you want on the beach). It gives a truly eerie feeling

But the greatest reward comes when you put on your walking shoes (preferably strong mountain shoes) and start walking on the perfectly waymarked Senderos or mountain paths that crisscross the interior It is not easy terrain. Paths rise rapidly, and you should expect most walks to get you 1.000 meters up or down on the most interesting stretches. But the rewards are worth the effort. Here is the view from the walk linking Santiago del Teide to Masca, in the Nortwestern part of the island : stunning landscapes with two distinct types of vegetation : the southern slopes are dry, arid, and covered with desert-like vegetation: cactus can be found everywhere

The northern slopes are covered with a lush green vegetation. There is a regular cloud cover all year, and the beautiful Valley of the Orotava seen from the mountains is surprising indeed.

Get a good guidebook for walking, such as the Rother Walking Guide and you will enjoy some of the most rewarding walks nature can offer. Here is the view from the Organ Pipes (Los Organos) which are very aptly named indeed.

Of course, the sea is never far away. And it is a good idea to spend a day on a boat tere There are lots of bottlenose dolphins and pilot whales which stay all year round in the deep waters between Tenerife and La Gomera. They were happy to swim along the boat and give us a display of their jumping skills. See them in action here.

And for those of you who like romantic sunsets, here is a preview of what you can see there on most evenings. It is a true picture (no photoshop here)

So if you want an enchanting holiday, go ahead and book at least a week on Tenerife. Yes, you can spend a day at the beach, but by all means, enjoy the rest. This island has so much more to offer.

Enjoy !

Paradise on Earth ? Mauritius, Definitely

After a long period of silence, due to private and professional reasons, I am now back online and ready to share my latest travels and geocaching discoveries. I found two geocaches in a country I had never seen before : my 43rd country was a total beauty and a welcome surprise after so many gloomy months in my life. I decided to go for an island destination where I could do some scuba diving or water activities, some mountain or nature walks and take some rest in an ecotouristic environment. My choice fell on the island of Mauritius. It was a wise choice, and I really fell in love with this place.

Funnily enough, they call themselves Paradise, and when you arrive at the airport you are greeted with this sign :


But to be honest, they really deserve to call themselves that way since the island offers everything a discerning tourist would like. Although the island has a reputation for being expensive (the flights are indeed not cheap) you can find all types of accommodations and eateries, from the local beach food stall to the posh star-studded restaurants.

Mauritius is well known for its beautiful landscapes, and nature welcomed me with a beautiful rainbow when I arrived at the hotel :



So off I went to do all the things I like : swimming and diving (no pictures, unfortunately, as I have not bought the underwater camera case yet) but most importantly visiting the beautiful areas the island has to offer. Since the island has a volcanic origin, the mountains are stunning and the views impressive :


There is a lot of indigenous vegetation but also (unfortunately) a lot of imported plants and animals. The islanders are actually trying to clean up this mess by tearing down the non-native trees and trying to get back to the original vegetation. The Vallée de Ferney (see http://www.cieletnature.com/vallee-ferney/index.php ) is a great example, and if you like to see what they are doing you can book a two or three hour guided walking tour in the valley which was saved from destruction just a few weeks before the trees were cut to give way for a highway construction. Actually the valley contains five unique mahogany trees, found nowhere else on earth. And the view from the top end of the valley is gorgeous



But surely Mauritius would not have its reputation if it did not have the sea and the beaches it has. There is a lagoon with some strong corals protecting the island, and therefore all the beaches are safe and the water is not too deep. The colors of the sea, and the different shades of blue are probably the most stunning I have seen in my life. Here is an example : the harbor of Blue Bay



And the beach at Cap Malheureux - probably th most scenic spot in Mauritius, to be found on every postcard. It has to be seen in the late afternoon when the colors are softer and the temperatures perfect



A few things not to miss :

• the 'Route du Thé', where you can see the tea plantations of Mauritius,
• the Casela nature park (where you can interact with lions - obviously they are not native to Mauritius, but it is quite an experience to pet a lion, see below)
• the 'Pamplemousses' botanical garden, small but very interesting, with lots of local plants

Here are a few pictures of those three highlights of the island :


It's nice to be close to a lioness - but I was not really feeling comfortable... By the way, my cat's hair is much more silky...




Pamplemousse botanical garden. Huuuge lotus and water lilies




And finally, the most romantic moment of the day: sunset on the beach...






Truly paradise

Mauritius, I'll be back !

Three new countries added to the geocaching list

I have not done a lot of geocaching recently. Too much work, traveling and domestic activities... Still, at the end of 2008 I took a few days off and visited the 'Alpes Maritimes' in France, stopping on the way to visit the splendid cities of Avignon, Arles and also the Camargue, a wonderfully preserved natural park near the Mediterranean. The trip ended in Nice and Monaco, where I found a geocache near the launch pad of the Monaco Paragliders.

I had never seen paragliders, and it is quite an impressive sport, particularly when you see them start off, running off the cliff and hoping you will stay in the air... like this :

And of course, from the top, you have a stunning view of the Principality of Monaco. The weather was cold, and there was a lot of wind, but the sky was adding a nice touch to the grandiose view :

And in early January I took a business trip to Mexico and Argentina. As usual, very little time to do any sightseeing, but I took an couple of hours to do some geocaching and discover some of the interesting places of the capitals of those two countries. First in Mexico, I went to the casa de azulejos (translated as 'the house of Tiles'), an old 18th-century palace transformed into a restaurant, where the facade is covered with the blue and white ceramic tiles that are commonly seen in Portugal, and which are thought to have originated in China. A must-see when you are in Mexico. It is located in the historical center, and is very close to the Palacio de Bellas Artes, another great baroque building in Mexico

And finally, the wonderful city of Buenos Aires. My colleagues took some time to show me the city and invited me to a great Tango show (Thanks guys !) which was very different from anything I have seen in documentaries. Seeing tango live is quite an experience, and since we were seated in the first row, it became quickly obvious that these dancers are athletes as well... You definititely need stamina for this 'sport' . Maybe that's why the Argentinians are eating so much - especially meat (huge steaks that would humiliate a Texan), but I'm not complaining. I am not a great fan of meat, but I have to admit I had the best steaks, or 'asados' as they call them, in my life

So I took them geocaching in the city and as usual, they were amazed that these little treasures are hidden everywhere in their city. We had great fun, especially since one of the geocaches was near a huge monument in a part of the city that they had never seen. If it wasn't for geocaching, they would never have seen it...

But I did not want to leave Buenos Aires without having seen a symbolic place : the Plaza de Mayo.

Since Oct. 22, 1977, dozens of women whose sons and daughters were kidnapped and presumed murdered during the bloody military dictatorship that ran Argentina from 1976 to 1983 have been trying to find two younger generations. Their children and grandchildren are among the 30,000 who were "disappeared" during the nation's so-called dirty war. They are called the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo. The group's name reflects its origin in the 1970s when mothers and grandmothers gathered at that square in central Buenos Aires every Thursday afternoon for a half-hour walk to protest their children's and grandchildren's disappearance.

So far, the grandmothers have helped to trace back hundreds of victims but more importantly, recover the identity of 88 young people, sons and daughters of those who 'disappeared'. It is a very moving story and a highlight of the modern history of Argentina. The grandmothers have a website, so check it on http://www.abuelas.org.ar/

So I went to visit the square, had a silent moment to reflect on the fate of those thousands of 'desparecidos (disappeared) and prayed that it would never happen again anywhere in the world. Here is the square, with the presidential palace at the southern end of the square :



Next countries ? probably Egypt or the Arab Emirates... Stay tuned

A wonderful holiday in Peru and Chile, with geocaches found in both

I spent three weeks vacationing in Chile and Peru. It was my first vacation in South America, and I was truly stunned by the beauty of the scenery in both countries, and the friendliness of the people, particularly in Peru.

In Chile, I only visited the north, particularly the salt desert of Atacama, with its rich wildlife consisting mostly of birds like Andean flamingoes. As you can see below, thay are very pink, including their legs and toes. This is due to the microscopic shrimp larvae they are eating.



I also visited the volcanic area of the Tatio geysers in Northern Chile at 4200m. It was great fun, but the altitude was a bit difficult to cope with, particularly during the first two days. In other words, it was breathtaking, quite literally. Look at the scenery and judge for yourself :


But the highlight of the trip was Peru, with a visit to Cusco and the Machu Picchu Inca Sanctuary, which was quite impressive in spite of the rain. The sheer size of the site and the grandiose scenery are truly worth the visit. Some say the entrance fees are a rip-off, but I think it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I do recommend to go. Some like to walk up via the Inca trail, and that's what I wanted, but it was raining and the path was extremely slippery, therefore not recommended. Here is a view from the top of the site, and even with the rain, it looks great :




Another highlight of the trip was Lake Titicaca. We stayed for 3 days on a remote island of lake Titicaca. It is amazing to see that people there still live without roads, electricity or running water. The island of Taquile has a very interesting coimmunity of Indians who make clothes and bags with unique patterns which are protected by Unesco. And, most interestingly, there is a geocache on their island, and I wa shappy to introduce our Indian host to the GPS technology, and to geocaching. He was absolutly thrilled that he found a geocache on his island. He would not let go of the GPS as you can see on the picture :



All in all, a memorable trip and lots of memories. A must-do for all travel fans, geocachers or not

Two new countries visited recently

Yes, I know, August was a quiet month on this blog, and work has taken its toll, but here I go...


Although they are not officially recognized as 'countries' - and I definitely want to remain politically correct - the Geocaching.com website lists Hong Kong and Taiwan as two geocaching 'countries'. I was on a business trip to both countries recently and I was amazed by both.

First, I was in Hong Kong when typhoon Nuri hit the island, and it was a direct hit. I was impressed by the way everybody reacts in a quiet and orderly fashion. Although three people died (they went swimming when the eye of the typhoon was over the area - how silly can you be ? ) there was not a lot of material damage, and the next morning I went geocaching along the harbourfront because my flight was delayed. The airport had been closed and the chaos at Chek Lap Kok (the unpronounceable name of the airport) was understandable

And then, Taiwan was a real pleasant surprise. People are genuinely friendly, even with their less-than-adequate understanding of English, the food is absolutely exquisite, the landscape is mountainous, a bit like a tropical Switzerland, and Taipei has a very striking resemblance with Japan, with little alleys and narrow streets where you can find restaurants with heavenly food. I am told that the Japanese stayed for a long time in Taiwan, and it still shows.

Of course, the most impressive landmark is the Taipei 101 tower, with its elegant shape and incredible design tha can withstand the strongest winds and earthquakes.

Geocaching in Taiwan was a bit of a challenge because street names are not necessarily translated or indicated, so the GPS was really helpful, and I had the great pleasure of finding a cache while twenty elderly ladies were doing their morning Tai Chi exercises a few meters away. I have to go back to Taiwan, and its gentle and very Asian atmosphere.

Watch this space - you will know when I am there again. Here is a picture of the skyline of Taipei at night

A new geolocation application : Wherigo

I bought a new GPS from Garmin a few days ago. It's called the Colorado, and for those who know hand-held GPS devices from Garmin, it is an improvement on the famous 60CSX with lots of built-in functions. But the most interesting improvement is the Whereigo game player.

To put it simply, Whereigo is a new application that enables adventures based on geo-location. For example, when you do geocaching or treasure-hunting, you no longer follow the latitude and longitude address printed on a sheet of paper your printed, but the GPS will detect when you arrive at a specific spot, and will trigger messages or uncover clues, or tell you where to go automatically when you are at a specific spot. Here is the new Colorado with the rocker wheel (no more keypad)

In other words, based on the place where you are, the Colorado will tell you where to go, what to do or what to look for. This opens up a lot of possibilities and I am already thinking about several new applications, like an application for tourists : you are somewhere in a city you want to visit, and your GPS will lead you through the most interesting sites in town. Or if you are on long-distance walkways, the WhereIgo could make sure you don't miss the most interesting places to see along the way.

The best thing is that WhereIgo can also run on PDA's or other hand-held computers that contain a GPS. Such as the the new Mac I-phone 3G, maybe ? Let's see how this technology develops.

There are already a few Whereigo adventures, and I did one in Steenokkerzeel near Brussels last weekend. It's fascinating to see that you arrive at a specific place and the GPS flashes the next instructions. Clearly. there is a future in this. Here is a screen layout of the first Whereigo I played in Belgium. By the way, the mapping software of the Colorado is brilliant - just look at the picture below


Watch this space. I'd like to design a Whereigo application (the design of the applications does not look very complicated), so here is a hobby that could turn into a passion, and then a business...

Check the website www.whereigo.com for more details