The Great Hostel Give Back - Travel - Do Good Things - Save Money

 The Great Hostel Give Back

                 ...or how to stay on the cheap and do good things while you travel. 

Your air travel questions answered >>>

Are you looking for a way to get out of town? Money in short supply are friends in the same financial condition so you can't even borrow money from them?

Travel Boldly to the rescue.

Here is a bold plan. Round up seven of your friends and participate in the Great Hostel Give Back. You can get a free overnight stay at participating HI USA hostels across the country. The only catch, and it is not really a catch but a benefit, is that you have to volunteer at least 2 hours per day in the community surrounding the hostel you'll be staying in. Not only will volunteering net you a free night's stay it will give you warm fuzzy feeling that will probably last until next year when you do it all over again. And who knows volunteering might even become a habit. This program is for January and February but get your applications in early.

HI USA believes "in the power of travel to open minds and the power of community service to open hearts. Above all, we believe that these experiences should be rewarding – not costly." 

"For the ninth consecutive year, HI USA is offering groups across the country free overnight stays at HI USA hostels in January and February through our Great Hostel Give Back (GHGB) program.

With a little planning, you and your buddies can mount a cross-country volunteering trip and see the USA.

You now have one less reason to put off traveling. Get out there. Meet new people. Explore new places. Do good for the community. See parts of the USA you have always wanted to visit and make the places you visit better.  It is a win-win proposition.

"HI USA’s lounges, kitchens, and dining rooms ensure plenty of opportunities to connect with other travelers. We invite your group to join in with our free events, tours and activities to meet like-minded travelers and explore the hidden gems of the city."

You don't have to want the change the world to take advantage of this great offer but you probably will. You can be a selfish vagabond who just wants to travel on the cheap. But who knows, the hours you contribute to the local community may, in fact, have several unintended consequences and might even make you a better person in the process. And if not, you saved some cash.

Click here to apply now

If you do put together a group please let me know via the comments below.  Who knows your travels might get featured here on Travel Boldly.

~~~

I was the guest of the HI USA hostel in Washington D.C. as part of the White House Travel Blogger Summit. It was my first stay in a hostel but it won't be my last.

Exploring Vancouver and Whistler British Columbia, Canada with Mike Fisher

Winter or summer Nita Lake Lodge in Whistler, British Columbia is a picturesque place to spend some time. 

Fate Hands West Coast Explorer Heartening Lesson 

By Mike Fisher

Injuries can reveal character on the road. More importantly for travelers, they can show establishments’ true colors.

I explored Vancouver and the mountain ski town of Whistler with my arm in a sling. As my throbbing shoulder worsened, I became a 5-foot, 5-inch Napoleon hurtling toward my West Coast Waterloo.

The Vancouver Sea Wall is one of the city’s most popular 

attractions. At the foot of popular Yaletown, the 6-mile walk

offers changing perspectives of the city’s waterfront.

Clumsily poking with a chopstick at artfully seared sushi in Yaletown, one of Vancouver’s hip neighborhoods near the waterfront, I learned adventures often hand you what is buried deepest inside.

In my case, it was a Napoleonic complex that reached full bloom a few days later when I demanded that the room refrigerator (a welcome touch at luxurious Nita Lake Lodge in Whistler) be unplugged. Most people wouldn’t notice the low-hum noise that switched on and off, but I was crazed. As a pleasant hotel maintenance man visited my room, the pain of the rotator cuff injury that had kept me awake spiked and I bared my teeth like a junkyard dog.

In the end, before admitting defeat by going to the Whistler hospital emergency department, I could only raise my right arm by pushing it up with my left; an angry puppet with a broken string.

Grab some graham crackers, marshmallows

and Lindt chocolate,made available beside the

deck chairs.Then make your own s’mores 

as you overlook lakeside at Nita Lake Lodge.

It’s one thing to travel boldly when well, quite another to flail on the road when injured. If traveling with a bum shoulder brought out the worst in me, here is the beating heart of my tale: it brought out the very best in the hotels, bars, restaurants and their people.

Explore Vancouver, Yaletown and the Seawall

OPUS Hotel Vancouver (named one of the Top 5 Trendiest Hotels in the World by TripAdvisor) is in the heart of Yaletown, a thriving neighborhood chockablock with pubs, eateries, shops and boutique hotels. It’s just a five-minute walk to one of my favorite Vancouver attractions, the 6-mile (8.8 km) seawall overlooking the Pacific Ocean, where you can run into an electric guitarist playing ambient music at ocean’s edge.

This hip property rocks in every possible way, aside from being the only Four Star Forbes boutique hotel in Vancouver.  For eats and drinks, Yaletown is a multifaceted gem, but you don’t even need to go outside OPUS hotel in Vancouver.

Ambient guitarist Peter Jack Rainbird made everyone’s day as 

they walked along Vancouver’s seawall. Stepping out onto 

some stones, he seemed to float at the ocean’s edge.

In the OPUS Bar, revamped in the past few months with Venetian plaster, bass thumped beneath the clank of mixers and shakers, the din of conversation and the clink of glasses. It’s a cool place just to chill. Barry the chief mixologist whipped up a King George cocktail (rye, grapefruit bitters, Campari) and later that night, there was a DJ.

La Pentola features Italian family-style, which means heaping plates that come to the table in waves. For dinner, the restaurant was full, patrons passing plates and bantering in a room accented with white tile, dark wooden tables and copper pots on the wall the chef brought back from Italy.

OPUS Hotel is in the heart of Yaletown, just steps from 
shops, cafes, restaurants, spas and Vancouver’s waterfront.

Can’t Miss Dish: Sablefish, chanterelles, fennel and grilled scallions. The menu is seasonal so choices are going to change accordingly. Wine lovers will love this place, as the restaurant was the Wine List Award Gold Winner at the Vancouver International Wine Festival in 2014.

So, yeah, the eats and drinks and boutique charm and even the complimentary in-room iPad at OPUS are a few reasons I love this property. Major plus, I’ve got dogs, too, and it’s pooch friendly.

The People Make the Place

Rick the Bulldog is one of many pampered

pooches who enjoy OPUS Hotel’s boutique 

offerings for canines.

What really makes OPUS special, though, is the exceptionally attentive staff. Nathan, a former lifeguard, learning that I had shoulder problems, went out of his way to ensure I had bags of ice to cool the inflammation and recommended – this was huge – that I immediately put my arm in a sling. He shared that he had a mountain bike injury in the past, so he’d had experience he could pass onto me.

Then Patrick drove the property’s new Jaguar to a downtown pharmacy to get an arm sling and much-needed Advil. Every time I left my room, the staff would ask how I was doing, knowing that I was hurting. That kind of help goes a long way with me. If you’re on the road and ailing, it likely will with you, too.

As my shoulder burned, so did my temper. I asked for a room change when I couldn’t sleep and was accommodated without difficulties. It was all about me, in the worst possible way for those who had to bear it, but OPUS went out of its way to ensure satisfaction.

Poke Around Yaletown

There are more than 600 sushi joints in Vancouver (hey, it’s right on the Pacific Ocean). If you are going to discover Yaletown and grab a bite, try Minami Restaurant. It has a sake sommelier and specializes in seared sushi. If you want a quick spa break, give Skoah a shot.

The temptation will be to slurp back multiple Paper Planes at 
Hawksworth Restaurant and then try to make a safe landing. 

They’re very tasty. Try one in the swanky Hawksworth Cocktail 

Bar before dinner.

Go a bit further afield for an upscale dinner and try award-winning Hawksworth Restaurant. I’m a new fan of its Paper Plane (1 oz Bourbon, 1 oz Amaro, 1 oz Aperol, 1 oz fresh lemon juice, SHAKE, double strain, serve up in a chilled coupe). It’s also Chef David Hawksworth’s fave cocktail.

Can’t Miss Dish: The roast venison strip loin with crispy spatzle, squash, salsify, and sweet and sour nage, was one of those dishes where every bite was wow. The menu is seasonal, but I hope this one has staying power.

Trade Urban Chic for Mountain Retreat: Nita Lake Lodge

When I blew off urban chic for a mountain retreat, it was by taking the express bus to Whistler, about a two-hour coach ride from Vancouver. Arriving at Nita Lake Lodge, which sits right on the calming waterfront, is like landing on a tree-buffeted oasis. It’s got old-school mountain charm and a wilderness vibe that you can find throughout British Columbia. Hello BC! There is a cozy, stone hearth fireplace where you can curl up almost as soon as entering the lobby. The Cure Lounge, which overlooks the glacier-fed lake, is where I tried to find my own cure, washing down house-marinated olives with beer.

I didn’t have to be a vegan to enjoy one of the tastiest salads 
I’ve ever had. The Wild Rice salad at Aura Restaurant in 

Nita Lake Lodge is superb.

Aura Restaurant for dinner was mind-blowingly good. Can’t Miss Dish: Among many exceptional dishes, Executive Chef Dean Hossack’s Wild Rice Salad is a tasty vegan dish (and I’m no vegan), served with chilled and warm components. On the base of the dish is herbed cashew spread, flavored with nutritional yeast flakes and fresh lime juice. Wild rice, raisins, diced butternut squash and chives comprise the salad and the dressing, whoa.

Again, even more than the food, drinks and wilderness retreat vibe, the employees at Nita Lake Lodge really make the place. When there was a wedding at night and a conference during the day, the lodge ensured I was taken care of. Even when I had to go for urgent care because of the pain, the shuttle driver took me there and picked me up.

Nita Lake Lodge in summer is wonderful 

place to relax or to get out and for a canoe

on the lake or a hike in the mountains.

Here’s a caveat: I was on a press junket that included both OPUS and Nita Lake Lodge. So was I getting special attention because I was media? Sure, maybe. Though I believe any guest would get the same caring treatment. Both properties are managed and staffed by good people.

The lesson I learned is that it’s never too late to rely on the kindness of strangers, especially when travelling (even if, yeah,  you’re likely paying to stay at their place).

~~~

Mike Fisher is an award-winning, Calgary-based writer. When he's not travelling throughout North America, Mexico, the Caribbean and elsewhere, he's trying not to injure himself. You can find him on Twitter @Fishbyter

Midnight in the Garden of Good & Wobbly. The bar of the Matadors. A boat ride back to El CID. Lost in Mazatlán again.‏

A beautiful young woman peeks from behind her mask during Carnival celebrations in Mazatlan, Mexico. I am on three year mission to visit the three largest Carnival celebrations in the world. Last year I was in Mazatlan, this year I am in New Orleans and next I am going to blame it on Rio. Photos Jerome Shaw

Midnight in the Garden of Good & Wobbly.
 

The bar of the Matadors. A boat ride back to El CID. Lost in Mazatlán again.‏

by Jerome Shaw

Last year during Carnival I was in the midst of week long siege in Mazatlán. This year I am in New Orleans for Mardi Gras.  I am in year two of a three year binge, working my way up from the third largest Carnival celebration to the number two this year and next year I take on the granddaddy of them all. No not the Rose Bowl, Carnival in Rio de Janeiro.

More on New Orleans later but right now I am in a reflective mood. I am thinking back to last year and a couple of all nighters in Mazatlán. In the intervening year the days have melted together into one elongated Carnival parade featuring a unique cast of characters, hours of walking and dozens of beers and margaritas. 

Sax Player Machado Square Carnival 

Mazatlan, Mexico.

Many late night events have no photos of them. On a couple of the nights after the officially sanctioned events end and our guides and minders leave us to our own devices to find our way back to our hotels. I decided that discretion was the better part of valor and I sent my camera equipment back to the hotel with our driver. While Mazatlán may be safe during Carnival, putting several thousand dollars of equipment in the hands of a drunk didn't seem prudent. 

So now liberated from the constraints of keeping track of cameras and phones I could get my party on. 

And that we did. Mike Fisher, a travel writer and humorist from Calgary, and Craig Zabransky, a blogger from New York and I set out to truly experience Carnival. Not sanctioned events from VIP enclaves but from the man on the street vantage of the allnight block parties and open all night bars. 

I have to say it was not a preplanned, forgone conclusion that I would forsake the safe and easy van ride back to El Cid with the tour guide Adolpho and the PR representative Ashley. It was a spur of the moment decision egged on by Mike and Craig and further fueled by a generous amount of alcohol. I have no doubt that they'd say the exact opposite. That it was all my idea and if I hadn't have been so gung-ho for the adventure of experiencing Carnival they'd never thought to do it. Such it the nature of male peer pressure. No one wants to wimp out. 

So it was after much food and wine at the wonderfully situated VIP party and having watched a grand fireworks display over the bay looking out from the Pedro Infante memorial overlook, that the three caballeros set out for ... we knew not where. 

Fireworks over Olas Altas recreating 

the naval battle with the French during 

Carnival in Mazatlan, Mexico.

I can't speak for the others but I'd already had a considerable amount of alcohol. On a normal night I'm sure I'd have been content to slip snugly into bed and slide quickly into a deep sleep. 

Tonight was not an ordinary night.

Once we made our way out of the security of the VIP party we are swept up in wave of people flowing down the street. About all I knew was we were headed back in the direction of the Shrimp Bucket where we had had dinner earlier in the evening. This much I knew but just exactly where we are or where we are going I have no idea. 

We are looking for a party but also trying not to lose each other. More alcohol seemed the first order of business. We spied a beer tent with girls clad in blue and silver spandex advertising Pacifico beer. We were stopping for beer whether we needed it or not. I tried to make small talk with the tall brunette beer goddess. I don't think she even noticed. Now beers in hand we looked for a stage to stand near. We were enthused by the vitality of the crowd. It was difficult to find a place to stand still, there were two currents of people flowing by us as we watched the band and occasionally broke into dance. Craig decided to go for more beer or the bathroom or both. Mike and I agreed to stay put until Craig returned. Mike and I shout-talked at each other above the music and everyone else’s shout-talking. I don't know why we felt so invigorated but we did. 

The currents of the crowds on Olas Altas sweep down the street  

during Carnival in Mazatlan, Mexico.

Further proof that this was not a well planned assault on Mazatlán Carnival was that none of had that much cash. I had a credit card but only few Pesos and maybe $30US. Mike not much more with Craig being the high roller of the group. So there we were partying like Rock Stars, albeit broke rock stars. 

I can't recall if the music ended or changed at the stage we were near but we moved on down Olas Altas beach again in the direction of The Shrimp Bucket, my Northstar for the night. 

Much of the reason for the decisions that were made this night remain a mystery to me and most probably they were a mystery to me that night as well. 

The burning of bad humor in front of the 

Shrimp Bucket on Olas Altas. Carnival  

Mazatlan, Mexico.

I remember we listened to a lot of music - stopped by many bars - sat on two or three patios - drank more beer.

At some point we decided to seek the refuge of another of our home bases Pedro Y Lola’s in Machado Square. It was not a direct beeline we made for Pedro Y Lola’s but ambling wander. We were dead reckoning our way to Machado Plaza with Mike, Craig and I all providing varying coordinates for the trip. We were furthered hindered in our journey by encountering more block parties, more beer and more dancing. I might be exaggerating about the dancing, I can't remember but there was most definitely more beer.  Mike and my debt to Craig was increasing block party by block party.

Eventually we staggered into Machado Square at the far end from Pedro Y Lola. We made our way through the people-filled plaza and onto the patio of Pedro Y Lola. We were definitely hoping we see El Flaco AKA Alfredo, the owner of Pedro Y Lola.  We were not disappointed Alfredo greeted us as long lost friends.  He was right about the lost part.  

The hour was getting late and it is safe to say we were all beginning to think about how we were going to navigate the nearly 5 miles from Historico Centro Mazatlán to our hotel in Zona Dorada. We asked El Flaco hoping he had a secret stash of taxis at the back of Pedro y Lola but no such luck.  He did recommend that we walk away from the Machado Square and towards the Malecon. He assured us we'd have a better chance of finding a taxi if we got 8-10 blocks from the Machado Square.  

He wasn't exactly right.

The soft shadows of the palm fronds on

the balcony above Pedro y Lola in 

Machado Square. Carnival Mazatlan, 

Mexico.

Again we were dead reckoning. In retrospect perhaps it was a mistake to abandon my phone but finding a cell signal or wifi would have probably been just as unlikely as finding a taxi. Appropriately we wandered down Avenida Carnaval in what to my way of thinking was toward the Malecon and Avenida del Mar. Mike and Craig were not nearly as certain. Unfortunately we were wandering and taxi hunting with a few dozen other tired Carnival revelers.

To the astonishment of Craig and Mike I led us to the Malecon.  I have to admit I was slightly surprised myself. No empty taxis insight. Things were looking desperate. And, as we all know desperation breeds creativity. It was now only an hour or less in front of sunrise. We had joined the water near the Monumento al Pescador.  The translation, for gringo's like me, is Fishermen's Monument. Fishing boats are scattered along the beach. Mike or Craig - I am not sure which decided our best plan of attack at this point was to wait for sunrise and see if we could hire a fishing boat to take us to El Cid Marina Hotel, which for Mike and I was home. Craig was staying even further north but at least he’d be closer to home at El Cid. While Mike and Craig scoured the shore for fisherman and a boat to hire I sat down to rest and took off my shoes to soothe my aching feet under a fiberglass statue of Marilyn Monroe. I wasn't very confident in the fishing boat plan but didn’t have a better idea myself. Then suddenly I saw a pulmonia and there was no one in it. It was going the wrong direction but even so I shrieked at the driver and started running barefoot, shoes in hand, waving and flailing at the now stopped and startled driver. Mike and Craig must have heard my shouts and abandoned their fishing boat search. Craig, with his superior Spanish took over negotiations and we soon piled in and were feeling the fresh air of a open ride back to Zona Dorada. It seemed to take a long, long time to reach El Cid but about all I could think was how glad I was that I wasn't walking. Mike and I swapped stories on the ride back while Craig upfront chatted with driver. There were we heading home from a long night of partying as the colors of sunrise seeped into the sky, relieved to live to party another day.

We took a couple of days of the all night party scene but the aching feet and memories of too much alcohol faded and there we were again stepping off the PR bandwagon and searching for a taste of the real Carnival again.

My last night of Carnival at  Pedro y Lola in Machado Square. 

Carnival Mazatlan, Mexico.

I remember far less about our last night during Carnival except that it also lead to Pedro y Lola, included even more participation from El Flaco and featured a mariachi band and a electrical jolt machine (read more about that in Mike's article "Life is a Carnaval in Mazatlan - Pushing the limits with food, drink and fun" in WestJet’s UP Magazine.) 

At some point during the night the three musketeers found our way to the bar of the Matadors, where we met one of the forcados, from the bullfight we had attended earlier in the day. You'll have to rely on Wikipedia for an explanation of what forcados do but suffice to say these guys are absolutely crazy. All that stuck with me from this alcohol addled conversation with the diminutive madman was that the bull ears, that had been shorn off and given to him by the matador (for being such a courageous and helpful forcado) were in back of the bar immersed in salt. That image remains with me to this day as one of those non-digital images forever impressed upon the capture device in my brain. I can't seem to find the delete button for that image.

Things went even hazier from there.  I do recall we eventually wound at El Flaco’s home a few blocks from Pedro y Lola. There we learned a lot of history about old Mazatlán and Alfredo’s family and of course we had a few more beers and drinks. 

Somewhere about that time my memory shut off completely and I was lost in Mazatlán again and hoping to locate a fishing boat to take me home.

~~~

My trip to Mazatlán was sponsored in part by GoMazatlanNow.com and VisitMexico.com

Fireworks over Mazatlan, Mexico during the Carnival Celebrations

Fireworks over Mazatlán Mexico recreate a 19th century naval battle with the French.

Fireworks over Mazatlan, Mexico during the Carnival Celebrations

by Jerome Shaw

Carnival in Mazatlán is host to many exciting events. One if the most spectacular and visually inspiring is the firework display over the Bay of Olas Altas recreating a famous naval battle with the French Navy by the citizens of Mazatlán in defense of their city.

The best vantage for the fireworks display is from Olas Altas Beach or along Paseo Vista Hermosa on the headlands of Cerro de la Neveria, You can also watch from the Balcones de Loma Linda along Paseo Clausen. The display is an impressively long and impassioned battle with volleys originating both from shore and from a floating barge in the bay impersonating the French Battleship. The re-creation of the harbor’s successful defense against French invasion by Mexican forces come to life as pyrotechnic sounds simulate cannon fire exchanged over sea and land during the battle between the people of Mazatlán and the French man-of-war, “Le Cordeliere.

You definitely sense what the battle must have seemed like to the people of Mazatlán as they watched the defense of heir city. The French were intent on taking control of Mazatlán but the mostly Spanish citizenry were more insistent that they remain under their own control. A battle was waged over several days with the outmanned but determined Mazatlánotecs coming out on top.

This photo was taken from the Pedro Infante memorial monument & shows the firework over Olas Altas Beach.

~~~

My trip to Mazatlán was sponsored in part by GoMazatlanNow.com and VisitMexico.com

This images is copyrighted and may not be used, reposted, or reproduced without direct written permission. Please feel free to share the image on Pinterest and Facebook.

Jerome is the founder and editor of Travel Boldly. Jerome's first trip outside the USA was to Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta for a photo assignment for Frontier Airlines 30 years ago.  You can find him on Twitter and Google+

One Day in St. Croix is Never Enough

Colorful Carnival characters are only one of the many reasons to visit the Caribbean island of St. Croix, the largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Whether you'd like to snorkel in the clear warm waters off Buck Island or tramp through the historical ruins of St George Village Botanical Gardens or loll on a sugar sand beach, St. Croix gives you plenty of options. Photos by Joe Tolley for TravelBoldly.com

One Day in St. Croix is Never Enough 

Guest Post by Kristy Tolley

“Oh, my gosh! Did you see that nurse shark?” My daughter squealed in delight. “That was so cool!”

I never would have expected my kids (at the time, ages eight and five) to be so thrilled about learning about marine life. However, that was just one of several pleasant surprises we experienced during our family’s visit to St. Croix.

A stretch of empty beach beckons on Buck Island St. Croix

As a port of call for our seven-day cruise, St. Croix’s bucolic landscape beckoned us to come explore. Being the unconventional cruisers we are, we opted to plan our own excursions for the day. Our goal: pack as much in as we possibly could before the ship left the port!

Our first diversion was snorkeling on Buck Island. Located off St. Croix’s northeast shore, it was declared a National Monument in 1961. A number of local companies specialize in half or full day tours, yet the trail is protected by the park system so it’s never over crowded. We snorkeled with Big Beard’s Adventure Tours, and had a remarkable experience.

Ready for snorkeling off Buck Island, St. Croix

Although my kids were great swimmers, I was a little apprehensive how they would fare in open (and somewhat choppy) waters with little prior practice. My fears were quickly abated thanks to knowledgeable and enthusiastic guides. We spotted coral fish, angelfish, and a nurse shark while floating above stunning brain and elk horn coral. I believe my oldest daughter’s passion to pursue a career in marine science was fueled by this early encounter.

Our next stop was the St. George Village Botanical Garden in Frederiksted. What an unexpected gem! The garden is on the National Register of Historic Places, and is situated on the remains of a 19th century Danish sugar cane plantation. The gardens are alive with more than 1,500 native and exotic species of flora. A tour here reveals ornamental ferns, bromeliads, heritage gardens, a naturalized forest, and other treasures.

Cactus in St. George Village Botanical Gardens St. Croix

As cool as the ghostly remains of buildings looked, I honestly thought the girls would lose interest quickly. Once again, I was proven wrong. David Hamada, the garden’s Horticultural Director, was well versed and engaging – pointing out countless natural wonders. The Stapelia plant especially intrigued them. This low growing succulent resembles a cactus and hails from Africa. Its scent, that resembling rotting flesh, attracts different kinds of pollinators (and apparently my kids).

Historical treasures in the garden include artifacts ranging from pre-Columbus through the plantation era. A few of the restored buildings to see are the Blacksmith Shop, the Overseer’s House and the Great Hall, among others.

View of  Christiansted from the water,  St. Croix. 

Had our visit landed on a second Saturday, we could have enjoyed the special kids’ programs from 9 am until noon. Workshops like cooking (finding ingredients throughout the gardens), chocolate making and the like are offered. Oh well - just another reason to book a return trip to St. Croix!

While this brood certainly enjoys outdoor action and soaking up some history, we do appreciate a little “chillaxing time” as much as the next folks. Chenay Beach and Rainbow Beach are perfect family hangouts. Chenay provides shallow water and lots of shells to hunt. Its palm-lined shore offers ample shade. The kids can even go nuts on the play set. Rainbow Beach is like hanging out at a friend’s house for a barbecue. Volleyball, swimming and snorkeling are on hand on this white sand beach. Often, you can enjoy live music as well.

Although our time on land was waning, refueling with local cuisine was a “must do”. Our group

View from Rum Runners' deck in Christiansted, St. Croix.

enjoyed the casual fare and excellent view at Rum Runners in Christiansted. Voted best for just about everything by tourists and locals, Rum Runners serves up a mean fish taco and sumptuous conch fritters. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner – and given more time, I would have sampled all three. Live steel pan music added to the island vibe, and made us sad to realize our day on St. Croix had come to an end.

I wasn’t surprised how quickly my family fell in love with the island. I got bit by the St. Croix bug years ago, and was excited to finally share it with them. After we boarded the ship and watched St. Croix fade into the distance from our cabin balcony, I asked my daughters when they wanted to go back. Their response was a resounding “Now!” Ditto, girls.

~~~

Kristy Tolley, from Tega Cay, South Carolina, is a freelance travel copywriter with a soft spot for the Caribbean. Her blog reflects that love - and other amusements. She's no stranger to traveling boldly. She's traveled with children, and has forgotten to pack deodorant on occasion. You can follow her on Twitter @KristyTolley to share ideas on what she should write about next - or share packing tips.

Painted fish from Oaxaca, Mexico

This painted fish carving was photographed in a art gallery in San Angel in Mexico City.  The folk art
carving style originated in the state of Oaxaca and has become a commercial engine for the remote region.
This image has become the avatar for one of my most popular Twitter accounts, @TwavelTweeter. 

Painted Fish - Mexican folk art carvings from Oaxaca, Mexico 

How far back in history do the origins of the Oaxacan hand-painted folk art figures go?

If you thought Oaxacan carvings have their origin centuries ago with the Mayan and Aztec cultures you'd be wrong. If you thought the carvings were handed down through the generations of  the Zapotecs and the Mixtecs or one of the other sixteen indigenous cultures of Oaxaca you'd also be wrong. You'd have missed the dates by several hundred years. While carving was a part of the ancient cultures of Oaxaca they mainly carved ceremonial masks and later crosses and saints. This craft nearly died out  in the 19th century after independence from Spain.

The painted animal and figure carvings are a recent folk art craft that owes its origins more to the commercial art galleries of USA, Canada and Europe than it does to indigenous fore bearers of Oaxaca.

The colorful painted carvings like the fish above are a recent addition to the art landscape of Mexico dating back only about 60 years.  The first practitioner of these carvings was Manuel Jimenez, a peasant from San Antonio Arrazola.  He carved animals from chunks of Copal wood. The wood is perfect for carving.  Copal worked green and is soft and easy to carve and has a small core that rarely splits. When sanded smooth Copal has a porcelain-like smoothness that does not absorb paint.  Aniline paints were originally used but due to fading most artists now use acrylic paint that sit brightly on the surface of the copal carvings.

At first Manuel did the carving, sanding and painting himself. But as the popularity of his works grew he began to train other members of his family in the skills required. Thus it became a family assembly line. The men carve, the elderly and young sand and the women paint.

The tools of carving are the machetes, kitchen and pocket knives. The animal or figure that is brought forth is determined by the shape and characteristics of each piece of wood.  Carvings are generally completed within one or two days.

Eventually others in the villages of Oaxaca noticed that a good living could be made from the carvings. Families in San Martin Tilcajete and La Union Tejalapan got in on the folk business.  These communities have become folk art centers along with San Antonio Arrazola.  Generally each family developed their own distinctive style, design and color scheme. Each family kept its proprietary secrets safe by not hiring outside the immediate family members.

Pedro Linares, from Mexico City, added his contribution to the imagery of Oaxacan folk art in the 1930s.  Linares fell very ill. During his illness he saw visions of a forest where objects had the power to transform. Rocks and trees could become a fantastical animals that combined body parts of multiple animals into one strange beast, He envisioned donkeys with butterfly wings, roosters with bull horns, lions with an eagle heads.  In his vision they all shouted one word, "Alebrijes."

Once recovered from the illness he made drawings of the beasts and eventually began making papier-mâché and cardboard animals. The papier-mâché to wood carving adaptation was pioneered by Manuel Jiménez.  The technique then spread to other families and villages in Oaxaca. The Alebrijes have become some of the most popular figures in the Oaxacan folk art portfolio.

Dia de Los Muertos figures are the newest imagery added to the Oaxacan folk art product line.  Many are adaptations of the symbols and imagery of calaveras created by the printmaker José Guadalupe Posada.

Of course mass production has reared its ugly head and now there are replica "carvings" produced in factories and selling for substantially less than the authentic Oaxacan folk art carvings.  Buyer beware.

Do you own any Mexican folk art?  What is your favorite Oaxacan folk art imagery? What  do you think of the commercially mass-produced knockoffs?

Contact me at @JeromeShaw  or Facebook 

copyright Jerome Shaw 2005 / www.jeromeshaw.com

More information on Oaxacan Folk Art 

Pedro y Lola on Machado Plaza Mazatlan Mexico

Alfredo (left) the owner of Pedro y Lola joins us for drinks after dinner and we are serenaded by passing musicians on Plaza Machado.  An outside table at Pedro y Lola is a ring side seat for people watching and the Carnival circus on the plaza.

Pedro y Lola Restaurant on Machado Plaza Mazatlan, Mexico

Pedro y Lola quickly became our base of operations in Mazatlan.  We stopped here our first night in Mazatlan for dessert and drinks. We were hooked.  The flan was good and margaritas were better. We certainly could have done without dessert but the opportunity to grab an outside table at one of the best people watching patios on Plazuela Machado was too good to pass up.

 Lunch at Pedro y Lola's  Mazatlan. 
Grilled Arranchera / skirt steak with Charro beans. 

I don't think more than one day passed during my week in Mazatlan where I did not set foot in Pedro y Lola.  Machado Plaza and Pedro y Lola became our haunt.  We came here after the formal Carnival festivities died down. We came here late at night. We stopped for a beer in the afternoon after a food tasting event with the Carnival Princesses. We ate lunch here our second day and dinner at Pedro y Lola on our last night in town.  I tried the house special "Pedro y Lola Shrimp" prepared with fresh orange and Cointreau. It was superb and a memorable shrimp dish in a week filled with shrimp dishes. Pedro y Lola was our home away from home in Mazatlan. For lunch I had the Grilled Arranchera / skirt steak with Charro beans but the highlight of lunch was the tortilla soup.

Alfredo, the owner of Pedro y Lola, became our friend and protector.  When we couldn't locate a cab because of the throngs of people in the Historico Centro we consulted El Flaco, as Alfredo was affectionately known. He told us if we walked to the Malecon we could catch a pulmonías (open air taxi) there with far less competition. He also taught us a thing or two about how to party in Mazatlan during Carnival. 

His family has lived in "Old Mazatlan" for several generations.  While the Historico Centro district has always been the lively heart of Mazatlan it has seen some tough times too.  At one point central Mazatlan lost favor with tourists as the new beach resorts sprang up further north and provided safe new restaurants and night life. 

Pedro y Lola is one of Mazatlan's most
popular places to eat, drink and watch
people as they stroll Machado Plaza

Alfredo's family never gave up on old Mazatlan and kept there family home, real estate holdings and business there even though his father was offered land north of Mazatlan that eventually became the new, rich resorts of Zona Dorada.  Now, Alfredo is being rewarded for his faith in historic center of the city as the pendulum swings back and Plaza Machado and Historico Centro become the hip place to be in Mazatlan all over again.

Pedro y Lola is named after legendary ranchero singers Pedro Infante and Lola Beltran. The restaurant is housed in the beautifully restored 19th-century Juárez building that has long served as the social center of Mazatlan. The building was home to the first projected motion pictures near the turn of the century. 

You feel the history of Mazatlan as you walk the streets near Machado Plaza in what is the only coastal colonial city in Mexico.  It was probably in the Juárez building that the news was first whispered that the legendary singer, Angela Peralta, was coming to this music-loving city to perform.  But the woman known as the "Mexican Nightingale" would never sing in Mazatlan.  She and Yellow Fever arrived on the same ship and she died before ever giving a performance in Mazatlan.

Pedro y Lola's colorful patio before the
rush.  Get here early for the best spots.

The historic restaurant/bar sits on the corner of the Constitucion and Carnaval Avenue  The interior of the restaurant is relatively small and decorated with local artwork. Even when it is not Carnival, weekends are filled with live music and performances on the square. On weekends (and during Carnival) the street that runs in front of Pedro y Lola is closed, the tables move out to the street, the patio expands and Pedro y Lola becomes part of Plazuela Machado. 

Contact me at @JeromeShaw  or Facebook 

copyright Jerome Shaw 2013 / www.jeromeshaw.com

My travels to Mazatlan were sponsored by Mexico Tourism, GoMazatlan and Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide

Portrait of a young woman - San Angel Market, Mexico City

A young woman mans a fruit stand in the market of San Angel. At one time it was a small town outside
of Mexico City, San Angel has now been absorbed by the staggering sprawl of the capital city Mexico.

 Portrait of a young woman - San Angel Market, Mexico City

The market in San Angel, though indoors, has a good quality of light for photography and an excellent variety goods for purchase. It has everything from windows of fish packed in ice to hanging rows of freshly butchered chickens. There dozens of kinds fruit and vegetables.  There are peanuts, piñatas and pumpkins, fabric and flowers, shrimp and spices, and coconuts, crabs and cactus inside the two block market. There are many places to grab a bite to eat.  It is a lively place to spend time and a great place to make photographs.  

I had to coax a smile out of this young woman at the San Angel market.  I mimed that I wanted to take a photo of her but at first she did not respond.  I looked into the camera to set up my shot and expected her expression to indicate whether I had her permission, but she was deadpan. I took one shot of her with a flat, stolid expression. I peeked around the camera and smiled at her. She smiled back and after one more exposure I knew I had my shot.  

I had lined up the composition to include the stack of oranges at the front of the stand to contrast with a background of bright yellow bananas. Light from an exterior doorway was coming from behind me.  I was shooting with a 180mm f 2.8 lens so I knew the minimal depth of field would isolate my subject. All I needed was a smile, a moment, to create a photograph.

Do you like to photograph people or would you rather photograph subjects that don't talk back?  How do you handle photographing people in public environments?  Do you ask before you shoot or beg forgiveness if the subject objects? Share you methods in the comments below.


Contact me at @JeromeShaw  or Facebook 

copyright Jerome Shaw 2007 / www.jeromeshaw.com