16th April 2016I think I have an idea for a new tattoo. It would include a jacaranda blossom, a twisting tree with roots that dig and grasp. That's all I know for now; but other ideas are coming, slowly but surely, nascent but growing: a pod of tadpoles in a shallow pool who occasionally wiggle … Continue reading Mexico No.4: Inside My Head
Travels in Colombia No.4: Feria de Manizales
April 18th, 2016The year began excellently, with a week-long stay at the 60th Feria de Manizales in the Eje Cafetero in Caldas Province, Colombia. While we were in Manizales we saw beauty queens, jugglers, birdmen, wild dancers, rappers, artists, street vendors, beggars, tourists, touts and vendors. This is a city that is painted red by … Continue reading Travels in Colombia No.4: Feria de Manizales
Mexico No.3: A Sense of Scale
March 1st to March 3rd, 2015All around the Pacific, the Earth has been sewn up. Like the stitching on a softball, a horseshoe-shaped scar curls around the outer rim of our largest ocean, a forty-thousand kilometre line of crumpled mountains and spewing volcanoes, of active faults and oceanic arcs and marine trenches which all together … Continue reading Mexico No.3: A Sense of Scale
Travels in Colombia No.3: The Cocora Valley
December 30th, 2015What is it that makes an experience unique?Yesterday we discussed this on our walk to our campsite (beyond the 'Al Rio' sign we found at the end of this post). We had believed Salento to be a picturesque little town curled sleepily among the sunlit coffee bushes, waiting to be discovered. Instead, we … Continue reading Travels in Colombia No.3: The Cocora Valley
Mexico No.2: The First Two Weeks
February 11th to February 25th, 2016I love volcanoes. The power, the raw energy, the scale: the reason I came to the Americas. However, the only Reasoning with Volcanoes I did during the first weeks of 2016 was waving to the distant, snow-covered Nevado del Ruiz from the streets of Manizales.I'm happy to say that I have now returned … Continue reading Mexico No.2: The First Two Weeks
Travels in Colombia No.2: The Coffee Zone
December 29th, 2015In the central highlands of Colombia, a crop grows like wildfire. It flourishes on every hill and valley as far as the eye can see: enamelled green leaves with crinkle-cut edges, and glossy, dark red berries hanging like earrings below, spaced out on the vine. Coffee is intimately familiar to me. I associate … Continue reading Travels in Colombia No.2: The Coffee Zone
Mexico No.1: The first night
February 10th, 2016On my first night in Colima I went for a walk. Even though I was in the northern hemisphere in early February, and it was technically winter, the city had an estival air. What is Colima City like? Well, there are old rusty Beetles, and shiny new geckos. Most of the houses are box-shaped, … Continue reading Mexico No.1: The first night
Travels in Colombia No.1: Street Art in Bogota
December 26th, 2015It's rare that sayings translate directly from one language to another. The English idioms that we throw about willy-nilly rarely have next-door neighbours in Spanish refranes (caso en punto with 'willy-nilly'). There are, however, the occasional exceptions. 'Better late than never' has the equivalent, 'mas vale tarde que nunca' and it's with this … Continue reading Travels in Colombia No.1: Street Art in Bogota
Update
For any and all erstwhile readers of the blog, I'd like to provide a little update.I realize that since my last post there's been radio silence on my end with photos, blog posts, and tweets. Everything is fine! I've left Ecuador and have just finished celebrating Christmas with friends and family in Bogota, Colombia. The … Continue reading Update
Volcano Top Trumps
I can't believe I'm leaving this country in less than 48 hours! I have really treasured my time here in Ecuador. By my estimate, I have been to 9 volcanoes during my two months' here. Not bad! Volcanoes are what I came for, saw, and mostly conquered; although Cayambe remained out of my reach on … Continue reading Volcano Top Trumps
Reasoning With Volcanoes 