Travel part 3: Hotels

There was a fairly small one in Montevideo, just enough space to walk around the bed. But otherwise, not bad. 

There was the one in Peru with a jacuzzi right in the room. Like, right in it.

And also the one (maybe the jacuzzi one, I don't remember now) with the steam feature in the shower that everyone raved about, and I did not try.

There was the super lux Marriott in Buenos Aires, with a great view from the balcony. I only got to enjoy it for about 6 hours, because we left at 3 in the morning. 

The shared room in Guatemala which wasn't 4 star for a hotel but definitely would have been a posh summer camp stay.

The cabin in Tikal. It was fitting for a jungle, but if I'd known that the early morning walk-into-Tikal-as-the-sun-rises wake up call was going to wake up everyone, I would have gone ahead on the walk. 

The hostel housing with a shared bathroom that could have used an improved design in the shower area.

The ranch-style stay on my latest trip, where I somehow ended up in a double room: 2 beds, 2 baths, but one door. How's a girl to decide which room to use? 

There was also the hotel that was hidden in a mall. It took a while to find the hotel, and was very hard to know which floor was the main floor on the elevator.

There was the Best Western in Tula, which was stuck right in the middle of the block. Pros: Very close to tacos. Cons: zero parking, and the rooms were crammed in everywhere. No two rooms were alike. I fortunately lucked out and avoided any cucaracha visitors, and had a decent sized room (no worse than Montevideo, and I spent even less time in it). Others had a living room, but at least one person had essentially a broom closet.

In contrast was the architectural wonder we stayed at on our last night. Just check out that interior: 

Hotels: all part of the adventure.

Travel part 2: Shotgun

While in Mexico, I ended up being the navigator (lo, the responsibilities of being shotgun). Which, google maps does work in Mexico, but you have to get used to the roads. For example, you'll have a big multi-lane road and one of those lanes will split off into a side street that runs parallel, but right up until you are supposed to be on that road, it looks like it is all one road. And then before you know it you are on the wrong road because either you were supposed to get off or you were supposed to stay on and thank goodness there is more than one way to get somewhere and back tracking is an option.

I also have this tendency to look away right at the critical moment. Because, I want to see what I'm driving past and so if I'm the solo navigator, my mind just wanders too much. Fortunately, I had some help from the backseat (backseat drivers can be helpful!!) and my backseat driver had my back. 

By the end of the trip, I was getting better at navigating or asking people to have eyes on the map with me, but I still never made it without missing at least one thing (although not all of them ended up derailing us). Which, to be honest, feels like something for that life resume. And we made it okay and no accidents, so I'm counting it a success. 

Travel part 1: Photos

While traveling for work about a week ago, I was taking pictures on the road and couldn't help wonder why we take the pictures we do. I mean, why was I taking pictures? Why was everyone else taking pictures? What were we taking pictures of and for who?

I took pictures of the scenery as we were driving from city to city. I took pictures of sunsets and hotel rooms and views from hotel rooms and hotel lobbies that were architecturally interesting and ancient ruins and things that were geometrically interesting and scenes that were different from home and interesting to me even though not necessarily aesthetic. And I tried to take more pictures of people, which is always awkward because I feel weird and shy about asking people to get in a group for a photo or to pose, but I did better this time at getting people (unposed). 

Who am I taking them for? Mostly me. I mean, sometimes I take pictures that I intend to share with the group (more of this when it is family events) but mostly it's for me. In part to see if I can become a better photograph but most of the time it is just me blundering around trying to get pictures of things I think are appealing. I doubt any of them will really have a lot of value in the long run, which of course I think about as an archivist, but should that stop anyone from taking photos? Whose to say?

Anyway, here are a few photos from my trip: 

Love a good bridge

Obsessed with how tight the housing is

I am also obsessed with the layers mountains create

Never seen a giant soccer ball before

Cool hotel architecture

I mentioned mountains, right?

Some nice geometry at Toltec ruins

Mountains. I wasn't kidding

Familiar to sights in my rural home state

Also familiar.

Cool historic cathedrals are always interesting

Cows on mountain roads. This is so reminiscent.

Climate change

I have a trip coming up soon and it will take me to warmer climes. Which will be lovely, because it's been cold here and even as I type this my fingers are somewhat frozen. (Yes I have heating. NO, it isn't the most energy efficient. Also it is loud.) 

But there is a dilemma. It is icy here, and hot there, and I really don't want to haul a coat (and sweater, and warm socks and shows) around for a week in a warm place. You get it, right? I mean, it's a terrible option. But also, the ride to the airport and back...one has to be prepared. Thank goodness for layers. 

Hope your dilemmas are equally insignificant.