Melbourne, Australia

I have wanted to go to Melbourne for quite some time. Last December I finally made it there.

We were in town for four days, just enough time to see that people there have figured it out: Melbourne is a beautiful, green city that thrives arts and culture, music and fashion. Melbourne is something like San Francisco meets Williamsburg. It's chill, yet vibrant. 

We were amazed by the abundant offer of tasty food (the produce there is to die for), exceptional coffee shops and surprisingly good Pinot Noir. The down side? Prices. Melbourne is, as the rest of Australia, notably expensive.  

Some of the best coffee shops we visited while in town are:

Market Lane - right by the entrance of Prahran market, it featured a selection of Guatemalan coffees when we were there (bonus points!). They roast their own beans and offer brewing classes and equipment as well as a killer espresso. 

Proud Mary - where the cool kids hangout. Most of the staff either have a tattoo, a cool haircut or a unique sense of fashion. You feel cool by association, just by walking in- and then there's the coffee and the food, the music and the drinks. Proud Mary is also a wholesale roaster distributing its coffee across Australia. 

Annoying Brother - owned by a young entrepreneur who is, like most Australians, very passionate about the coffee he drinks and in his case, the coffee he serves. Good food too. 

And this is where we got the tastiest food:

Ici - their menu is seasonal and purely inspired by fresh local produce. Yummy.

South of Johnson (SoJo) - good food and good coffee. A nice place to meet a friend for a catch-up or spend an afternoon reading a book on your own. 

Grub Food Van - great spot on both sunny and rainy days. It offers funky drinks and tasty food, and it has a "home away from home" feel that makes it perfect to chill out when you're just feeling lazy. 

Bowery to Williamsburg - hidden in the middle of busy down town Melbourne, this place offers a limited menu mostly composed of generous sandwiches. The coffee is good.

Most of the places listed above are for day-time eating. Our local friends told us that Melbourne is very much about going out for food during the day, and cooking dinner at home. It's a brunchy sort of city.

Eating and drinking aside, we took advantage of Melbourne's many blush parks, out of which we especially enjoyed the Carlton Gardens with its strong, climbable trees and happy people.  We also paid a visit to the Queen Victoria Market (yummmm...!), and then, for what was the trip's highlight for me, we went on a road trip to Sorrento and, wait for it...SWAM WITH DOLPHINS*

*Ok, as the captain of our boat put it, out of 100 trips out to sea maybe 1 time he won't find any dolphins. We were that 1 time. It was okay though, because we got to swim with seals! And I'm not talking about one or three...I'm talking several sets of ten either really young or really old male seals (we visited a male colony).

It was one of the most heart-stopping experiences of my life (that could also have something to do with the 10 degree water we were swimming in!). 

Seals are curious, clumsy-yet-gracious, strong-yet-cuddly and STINKY creatures I've ever interacted with. Just WOOOOOOOOOOW, it was absolutely fantastical. 

Melbourne gave me that feeling of comfort you get when you visit a place you know you will come back to. I'm looking forward to the next time. 

Guatemaltecos Extraordinarios

Juan Carlos Molina es una persona que irradia luz. Oírlo hablar acerca de Guatemaltecos Extraordinarios equivale a correr varias vueltas por la cuadra; te agita el corazón y te roba el aliento. El amor, la entrega y la pasión que cada célula de su ser delata por los jóvenes con los que trabaja es una inspiración. Su entrega es completa. 

Hace poco más de dos años, Juan Carlos inició este proyecto de amor en el que busca (ambiciosamente) "rescatar almas", transformando las vidas de jóvenes en riesgo de delincuencia, drogadicción y pandillismo en el área del basurero municipal de la zona 3 de la Ciudad de Guatemala. Su página web, www.guatemaltecosextraordinarios.org, describe su objectivo como "que la persona descubra su esencia para revelar su naturaleza extraordinaria".  

Desde hace más de 60 años el basurero de la zona 3 recibe los desechos no sólo de la ciudad de Guatemala sino de todo el departamento, y alrededor de él viven y trabajan familias en condiciones de extrema pobreza que con el paso de los años han invadido el área y construido barrios enteros de casitas hechizas fabricadas de lamina o madera (materiales que encuentran en el basurero), champitas sin acceso a agua corriente, sin sistema de tratamiento de aguas negras; colonias enteras sin escuelas o centros de salud.

Estas familias, generalmente numerosas y poco educadas, se dedican a recolectar material de reciclaje para vender, como latas, vidrio, papel o plástico, y otros objetos para cubrir sus propias necesidades básicas, como ropa y alimentos desechados. Se les conoce como "guajeros". Para hacerte una idea de su estilo de vida, mira esto. 

El mundo en el que viven estos niños y jóvenes es difícil de imaginar y más aún de entender, pero Juan Carlos los describe como "niños tristes que viven en un total y completo desorden; un desorden emocional, físico y sexual". 

Su mundo es un mundo de absoluta contaminación. El aire es espeso y reseca la garganta, la visibilidad limitada, el ruido incesante, la basura infinita, los olores opresivos. Sus opciones? Restringidas, digamos. Su destino es casi certero: desechos sociales, como "guajeros", como adictos (espapistas, pues) o como delincuentes, viven al margen de la sociedad, una sociedad que los etiqueta de criminales e indeseables, que los rechaza y completamente ignora. 

Guatemaltecos Extraordinarios cuenta con una metodología excepcional de varias etapas, en grandes términos divididas en dos: sanación y superación. Su programa dura un espacio de dos años, y al final del camino los valientes resultan personas capaces de reconocer sus propios dones y talentos, con la convicción necesaria para trabajar en desarrollarlos y construir una vida en la que sean extraordinarios. 

El camino es largo y es muy duro, muy intenso, muy profundo. Duele, es vergonzoso, es complicado. Requiere paciencia, humildad y mucho coraje. Es por eso que Guatemaltecos Extraordinarios trabaja a través de un auténtico vínculo de amistad, bajo la premisa que "solo esta auténtica relación humana permite conocer lo mas íntimo del ser humano para saber dónde sanar y revelar la extraordinaria persona que lleva dentro". 

Juan Carlos citó a Albert Einstein revelando una verdad humana absoluta: "El ejemplo no es la mejor manera de enseñar, es la única". Luego imaginemos a estos niños y jóvenes, personas que no conocen más que el mundo en el que (sobre)viven, y la luz de Guatemaltecos Extraordinarios se hace más intensa. El trabajo que están haciendo por estas familias, por Guatemala, es invaluable. 

Su misión es tan ambiciosa que resulta aún más extraordinario (valga la redundancia!) que el equipo se limite a tres personas. Ayudémoslos, colaboremos, seamos parte de esta delegación de esperanza. Cómo? Con tu tiempo (como voluntario) o con tu apoyo financiero (como donador). O, idealmente, de ambas maneras. 

Más información aquí.

Depósitos bancarios al BANCO INDUSTRIAL, S.A., CUENTA MONETARIA No. 457-000156-0, ASOCIACION GUATEMALTECOS EXTRAORDINARIOS. 

Para aportes directos, contactar a Juan Carlos Molina (+502 2471-7059).

Myanmar (Burma), the review

What a place! 

Burma was always meant to be one of the highlights of our trip- we pictured it as this fascinating, complicated and particularly beautiful country and we couldn’t wait to explore it...and explore it we did. 

Walking around the streets of Yangon is like traveling back in time. The feeling you get is similar to that you get when visiting La Habana, both having been frozen in time mid 20th century. Yet Yangon is bigger, dirtier and more chaotic. The old colonial houses are easily missed under stained walls, the paint having surrendered to the annual torrential showers. The streets are covered in red stains, fresh and dry, from the constant spitting of local men chewing betel nut incessantly, and just a short walk around the city is sure to procure a bazaar of smells, colours, sounds and people more diverse than that you might find in a whole country somewhere else. 

Few people know much about this country, mostly because it gets confusing: Myanmar, known as Burma until 1989, was an English colony for a short while; it was also a place ruled by many small kingdoms once, and it has been an international pariah since 1962. It’s complicated. 

Once you’re there, the complexity of the country becomes apparent. A long history of ongoing ethnic conflicts, bureaucratic chaos, systematic corruption, and military repression have created a country that is as knotty as it gets. 

Sadly, Burma continually ended up becoming a victim of history. Bad luck (bad timing) again and again got on the way of Burma’s attempts to progress: the decline of the English empire, Japan’s imperialism, World War II, China’s Cultural Revolution, the Vietnam War, the Cold War…

Extremely diverse, constantly unstable, always vulnerable: Burma’s story is that of a beautiful place imprisoned by incompatible aspirations, both internal and external.

Today, after over 50 years of isolation (partly self imposed and partly because international sanctions) it is awakening as a fascinating and naturally magnificent place. In 2011 the repressive military junta that held power since 1962 was dissolved and even though it retains great power over the government, democratic reforms are taking place as the country continues to open up to the rest of the world. 

Because tourism is still quite limited, the experience is very authentic. Local people are very curious about foreigners (to some of them we were the first foreigners they ever saw or talked to) and they smile shyly but easily. The younger generations read and write good English but don’t get to practice it, so they appreciate a chance to. Most of them hope for a professional future in the (thriving) tourism industry or a job abroad. Singapore seems to be a popular destination. 

           

Buddhist monasteries have a strong presence all over the country, but we came across many churches, temples and synagogues as well. 

Rice is a big part of the local culture: a central element to their meals it is not uncommon to see young buddhist nuns singing along the streets and collecting rice from believers in the afternoon hours. I remember thinking that rice even shaped Burma’s landscape, with never ending green rice paddies dominating the horizon. 

Traditional wear, the longyi, is widely used in urban and rural areas by men and women. Trousers are pretty uncommon. 

Electricity, sewage systems, roads…infrastructure in general is scarce. This is one area where the government’s incompetence is beyond apparent- and a major factor holding the country’s economy back. I read somewhere that Myanmar people like “new” things and I don’t know if that is true but the military junta certainly did: with the country’s main cities lacking proper roads to connect them, they built a “new capital” in Naypayidaw.

While in Yangon, the country's largest city, we visited the Shwedagon Pagoda: Burma’s pride and glory, and one of the most impressive buildings we have ever seen. Its golden structure shines beautifully under the sky and its central stupa is made of genuine gold plates. Burmese people donate gold to the pagoda to maintain it, a practice that started when the pagoda was first built in the 15th century. I found the Sule Pagoda quite impressive as well- built 2,500 years ago, it’s a symbolic place in the country’s history and that is something you can feel and see as you walk around it looking for your corresponding shrine. 

Bagan is one of the most beautiful and spiritual places I have ever been to. Over 2,000 temples and pagodas beautify the horizon and take your breath away. Red brick stupas look up at the sky from a green sea of trees and hot air balloons add to the impossible beauty of sunrise and sunset in this place. The most practical and fun way to get around the temples regardless of where you stay is by bike. The heat that dominates this region most of the year allows you to ride around the temples early in the morning and late in the afternoon.

My favorite part of our trip in Burma was the 3 day track we did from Kalaw to Inle Lake. Our group of 7 (including Naing Naing our guide) walked 62 kms across the Southern Shan region, spending the night in family homes, visiting isolated little villages amongst endless (and gorgeously bright) green rice and tea fields...the scenery was astonishing and the time we spent walking (between 6 and 8 hours a day) gave us the chance to view, experience and reflect upon the country we were discovering in the best possible way. It was awesome. We met so many kids on the way (I gained the honorary title of ‘tooth fairy’ by refusing to give away candy to the children and giving tooth brushes away instead) and we were fortunate enough to meet Myanmar people of diverse ethnicities, faiths and cultures. 

We chilled in Inle Lake for a couple of days and got a chance to see its artisanal fishermen, with their elegant rowing technique, their awesome nets and boats. The lake’s water has a texture that is often described as ‘inky’; I don’t know if that’s the best word to describe it but its water certainly is particular, it’s special- I would use terms closer to mysterious and holy to describe it, partly because of its look and feel but mostly because of the amount of life that blossoms around it. 

We ended the trip back in Yangon, which by our second visit made a lot more sense. Overall Burma was an experience that aroused all of our senses, a thrilling place to visit. We were tired and ready for some Aussie hamburgers, but I felt a little nostalgic about leaving Burma. What a place! What a country!

Cambodia, the review

We decided to go last minute. We hadn't booked anything as we considered whether to visit Hanoi in Vietnam or to go to Cambodia instead. We only had a week before we were due to land in Myanmar (Burma) and even though Vietnam remains undiscovered to us, I’m happy we decided to go to Cambodia. We spent one week there and in that time we visited Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. 

A modest budget goes a long way in Cambodia, so we stayed at The Plantation in Phnom Penh and in the Bunwin Boutique Hotel in Siem Reap. These are two of best hotels we’ve ever stayed in-  first class design, a tranquil atmosphere and top level service. 

Very quickly Cambodia found its way into my heart. It’s a beautiful country with excellent people, and the food is to die for. 

Similar to my previous experience in Korea, I learned how little I knew about it while I was there; Cambodia has a grand imperial past but due to its geographical position it has been caught in regional power struggles for centuries. It became a French colony in the late 19th century, until its independence in 1953- a hot time in international politics. In the midst of the Cold War Cambodia attempted to stay neutral but it eventually got caught in the middle. It was bad. 

In Phnom Penh we saw a lot of poverty; skinny kids running around naked, filthy streets and people openly living in half done shacks that served as shops during the day and covered them from the drizzle by night. Walking or driving around town is quite challenging- there were more motorcycles than in any other city I’ve been to before (‘bikes are the car of the poor’ our taxi driver remarked), and there was no apparent logic to the traffic. It’ somehow fun though: there’s no anger in the honking, and you get this sense of pride when you manage to get your way.

Cambodians have a smile in their faces most of the time, but it is hard to miss their sorrowful past and notice its consequences. We had read about Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge regime before, but when we visited the Killing Fields and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (once the regime’s secret police headquarters) we got a graphic idea of the atrocities committed during this time in the attempt to create a “pure agricultural state”. From 1975 to 1979 the country was ruled by fanatics that oppressed, tortured and mass murdered its own people leaving over 2m dead (approx. a quarter of the population) and setting the country back decades. The fall of the regime was followed by a war with Vietnam that lasted over two decades, causing more suffering, famine and death. 30 years later we visited a wounded but beautiful Cambodia, finally getting back on its feet, with great spirits and with a clear intention not to forget, but to build from its past. 

In Siem Reap we were blown away by the beauty of the many temples in the Angkor region. The most renowned ones are Angkor Wat, Prasat Bayon and Ta Prohm, but there are countless more to see. We spent over nine hours walking around these testaments of grandeur and faith (buddhist or hindu, and sometimesboth). I could not believe myself then and even now, looking back, it seems unreal that places like that even exist, and that they are man made. The beauty and magnificence of the temples cannot be put into words because it’s not about their size, their detailed artisanship or age; it’s something you feel because of what they represent and what they are a proof of. 

For me personally, Cambodia hit a nerve; the character of its people reminded me of my own: Guatemalans are generally docile and submissive, they keep their opinions to themselves, try to avoid painful memories and smile constantly. While I was in Cambodia, I read Haing Ngor's book Survival in the Killing Fields and I cried many times upon the constant realisation that even the kindest of us are capable of the worst barbarities. The brave and indispensable efforts not to let people forget now on display in many ways across Cambodia filled me with hope, and perhaps a little fear; for Guatemala has a disturbing past of its own, and we are yet to honour it, recognize it and learn from it as a nation. 

Inspiring and fascinating, Cambodia is a place to experience.