Yearly Archives: 2012

Traveling again: in Costa Rica

 in Central America / Costa Rica / Deb's Travels

This morning starts the third day since I left San Salvador. You may notice I say San Salvador, not El Salvador — and that is a big part of the difference in what I am feeling today and yesterday. I landed in San Salvador as a traveler and a bit of a tourist, but I quickly came to more be living there. San Salvador became home. I had a phone number, a permanent (for three months) address, and I had many friends. People who live there called me and invited me out. I called them. I went to the beach, swimming, out to lunch and dinner, etc with my friends there, not with other travelers. I lived there — an everyday life participating in the everyday lives of my friends. Now I am back on the road again — a traveler. This hit me as I waited for the bus […]

For phone charging

 in Traveling with Technology

I saw this in a bookstore in San Jose, Costa Rica. It is made by a New York company. I love it for all the travelers who now balance their phones on their wall chargers in hostels. It takes up a bunch of room in a backpack though – depending on packing. I didn’t get one to try it though, so this is not an endorsement. By DRIINN – driinn.com, New York. It comes in several colors.

Ended 3 months in El Salvador

 in Central America / Costa Rica / Deb's Travels / El Salvador

I arrived in El Salvador — specifically San Salvador — on July 4th, with a plan to spend one week and two weekends there. By mid-week I had decided to stay another week. Then another… I didn’t leave until my already-extended CA4 visa was ending so I had to leave. I LOVED Cumbres de Volcan, the hostel in Escalon that my CouchSurfing friend had heard about. It easily became home.  It was easy to stay. The neighborhood I was in. It was perfectly safe to walk around in. To walk to beautiful supermarkets and malls, to go out to nice places, to walk all the way downtown… All fear of San Salvador was easily questioned by my Tica bus seat-mate as we arrived in the city. My fears somewhat melted away the first days but I remained diligent. No city is perfectly safe, but as with all cities, if you […]

Photos of a top hostel – Cumbres del Volcan, San Salvador

 in Sleeping Accommodations

I have stayed in several hostels a I travelled this past year (2012) and have been lucky enough to find three charms – 3 hostels I absolutely recommend. Cumbres del Volcan is certainly in my top three hostel recommendations. Here are some photos that I took during my stay. (The Cumbres del Volcan Facebook page) These photos are not edited. I did not special cleaning before taking them. The only difficult thing was to wait until there were not people in my shots. Note: This was actually composed at the close of 2012 but I am dating it to coincide with my travel timeline. ; ;

Typical breakfast in San Salvador

 in Food

My last days in San Salvador I was thrilled to be a guest of friends. Having breakfast alone as they were out on errands or work, I read their newspaper. (I got much but not all and used my dictionary.) This was my breakfast – a typical breakfast in the homes of my Salvadorian friends. The toast is white bread. The whole wheat breads that have become common in the US are not commonly found there. The beans are what we in the US call refried beans. The egg… I don’t know if most Salvadorian families have eggs. This was how their housekeeper automatically made my egg for me and it happens to be how I like eggs. The cup always contained Chocolate. Hot Chocolate, that is. In El Salvador it is made with water. My plate doesn’t have Salvadorian cheese on it, which is common. It looks like Feta cheese. I […]

Life in San Salvador

 in Deb's Travels

Tonight I am watching TNT with a friend. We are sitting at her outdoor dinner table, a part of her home that’s comprised of a tile floor as is the rest of her home and a sloped ceiling that also matches the rest of her home and is replete with a ceiling fan. But the online walls are the ones that comprise her living room, kitchen and indoor dining room. The other two sides are open. The ceiling is steeply sloped because several months here, from approximately May to November, are known as the rainy season and at this time it rains pretty much daily. Oh, the movie we are watching — (He’s Just Not That Into You). I have wanted to see this film since it came out but never got to. Now I am following it — in Espanyol. Following it, but not fully “getting” it. I recognize […]

Mattresses are HARD in Central America

 in Sleeping Accommodations

One thing I have noticed so far in Mexico’s Yucatan and Quinta Roo, in Honduras, in Guatemala, and in El Salvador is that bed mattresses have been quite hard. Of course, this is from the perspective of an American that longed for a memory foam or latex mattress, so bear that in mind. I love a mattresses that, although it gives me support, I can relax into and melt to sleep. So, if you are like me, just be prepared for different sleep. When a hammock is available to try, opt for it and give it a try. If you have room in your bag consider a foam pad. (I sure wish I had that kind of room.) There may be exceptions, of course. High end hotels that cater to Americans, perhaps. But I have not seen anything I call pillow top or soft. Some hostel or low end beds […]

Favorite Salvadorian food near Hostal Cumbres del Volcan, San Salvador

 in Food

One of the great things about Hostal Cumbres del Volcan, THE hostel and B&B I recommend for your stay in San Salvador, whether you are a single backpacker, a traveler seeking a nice private room but interaction with others, or a couple or family seeking a private room — is that it is in an upscale neighborhood but there is no shortage of excellent. true local Salvadorian food. (And I do mean at Salvadorian prices.) There is also high-end food on every level, but the true finds are the homes turned restaurant or tienda. As I dig up my photos and my friends’ photos of these places, I will be sharing them here. This street, behind the hostel is called 87 Avenida Norte. It is also the street that runs along the Plaza Futura and Torre Futura. While the Plaza offeres upscale dining, this street and the small side streets […]

Challenges installing Ubuntu

 in Traveling with Technology

Adventures testing my NetBook for Ubuntu — then installing and using it. Remember, I am a Mac user. A power Mac user who started on DOS, but prefers ease and efficiency. The NetBook: Compaq Mini with Intel Atom processor. Similar to the HP 500 that is listed as officially compatible. (This gave me hope. There are online boards full of compatibility posts but way too many for me to sift through. Plus, only the latest version matters.) This is my documentation of my foray into Ubuntu on a friend’s NetBook.

New year 5773

 in Deb in El Salvador / Deb's Travels / Sight-seeing

My LA Mac friend Elaine just sent me wishes for a good 5773. My reply: And as I sit on a roadside patio in upscale Escalon, San Salvador fully loving the music of 4 men, a bass and marimba in the fresh rain-washed air taking in the view of the nearby volcano before I head to synagogue here, I wish you the same. I am so loving this weekend!

Important tip for Skype using travelers

 in Traveling with Technology

A highly savvy Mac/computer consultant recently reported that her Skype account was suspended when Skype determined that it was probably hacked. Someone had gained access and was making calls to Asia. The great news: 1) Skype monitors and was suspicious, suspending the account 2) her damages, her financial loss, was limited to $11 3) via chat with Skype customer service she was able to get it back up and running. Why her Skype loss was limited to $11. Thanks for that minimum loss go to Allison Sheridan, the fantastic woman of Nosillacast podcast — and I now share that thanks here and I have a feeling many of you will join me in thanking Allison. A while back Allison’s Skype account hacked and she lost a few hundred dollars! Unfortunately, Allison had a DEFAULT SETTING ON — having Skype automatically reload her account via her payment method when the balance […]

Oh language…

 in Deb's Travels

As I have traveled I have often been asked to clarify American phrases or define words. Conversely, I was taken aback when a woman told me of a relationship with a man and said “he molested me.” I had to check that out, had to get used to people saying things like that and mothers telling children to stop molesting each other.  These people are using the word perfectly as it means: “pester or harass (someone), typically in an aggressive or persistent manner” but because Americans use the word to mean “assault or abuse” we have dropped that everyday use of the word and molest carries strong connotations. So anyway, today I was looking up annoyed, angry, and mad to see how I can explain them to someone and I was struck by the cyclical definitions.  Per the New Oxford American Dictionary, 2nd edition, 2005 by Oxford University Press, Inc. annoy |əˈnoi| verb [ trans. ] (often be annoyed) irritate […]

Feeling secure with Zagg skin & InvisibleSHIELD

 in Traveling with Technology

On August 13, after months of lamenting my cracked screen iPhone, I posted  12 Reasons I wish I had invisibleSHIELD on my iPhone. As August ended, a Salvadorian friend visited the states and brought me:  invisibleSHIELD – a clear coating for my iPhone’s screen  ZaggSkin– a nicely designed coating for my iPhone’s body invisibleSHIELD – a clear coating for my iPad’s screen The invisibleSHIELD is a “scratch-proof patented film delivers military grade invisibleSHIELD protection.” I love that it is on my screen now. When this stuff first came out I watched devices get tossed around in plastic bags full of keys and nails and come out without a scratch. I am secure now in knowing that I can put my phone into a pocket or pouch along with stuff and that it will be OK. (Of course, allowing a key or coin land inside a devices connection port is not good.) I also […]

All The Places You Will Go, by Dr Seuss

 in Mindset / Misc

All The Places You Will Go – one of my favorite books of all time. This book isn’t just a kid’s story with morals. It’s a fully inspirational and wise book, full of words to live by. Every kid should know this book. Every teen and adult should re-read it once in a while. So, here are the words — as an inspiration… to all those who have not traveled yet, or who are feeling stuck to you travelers out there, because I’m sure this will ring true and make you smile and keep you moving Have a read. And maybe buy the book or the Audible version (at Amazon if that’s your thing). If there’s a kid in your life, inspire him/her, and share it! Oh, The Places You’ll Go! by Dr Seuss Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away! You have brains […]

A traveler’s language challenges

 in Central America / Deb in El Salvador / Deb's Travels / Travel Tips

Tonight’s plan was for me and two friends to hear a woman from Argentina perform at the bar in the Crowne Plaza two short blocks from where I am staying. I’d walked over there this afternoon to learn the times and even find out that her performance coincided with the last half hour of happy hour so we’d enjoy two-for-one draft beer in the warm evening’s air. I was happy that I’d gone over there and inquired in Spanish, gotten the information, and relayed it to my two local friends. However, we arrived to find she is not performing tonight. One of my friends’ response to me: “So your Spanish is not so good.” (Not meant in a bad way.) Really, I didn’t understand what I’d done wrong. I am certainly not fluent in Spanish. I lack many, many words. But I knew how to ask about a female singer […]

Considering Ubuntu & a netbook for travel

 in Traveling with Technology

Here’s something different in my life… I have actually just called ASUS computers for advice on their models. I am actually considering traveling with a non-Apple netbook. I know this will be a shock to many. It is to me. I won’t be running Windows though. I’d be using Ubuntu, open source, and running the apps of creative open source programmers. I would be exploring this as a lower cost option to provide true computing power and more flexibility than the iPad or an Android-based tablet provides. Not having my Apple and my Adobe software will be hard, but this is a growing exercise, in part for Computer Talk Radio. [facebook page] I have been looking into photo and web design apps in this arena. This will be difficult for me, but apparently this trip was meant to be a wild tech growth experience for me. Unfortunately, ASUS did not […]

Fabulous Fillet at Ruth’s Chris San Salvador

 in Central America / El Salvador / Food / Food in El Salvador

Tonight  my two friends and I weren’t terribly hungry but we wanted a good meal. My friend Frida hadn’t had the opportunity to try the newly-opened Ruth’s Chris San Salvador yet, so it was time. She welcomed me into her life so warmly and has done so much for me that I wanted to take her out before I have to move on (whenever that turns out to be). It’s late but the meal was so good that I have to write about it while the tastes are fresh on my tastebuds and in my memory. A perfect steak dinner at Ruth’s Chris San Salvador None of us were very hungry so it’s great that Ruth’s Chris gladly served French Style — cutting our thick, juicy, perfectly seasoned, sizzling steak by our table, serving a piece to each of us on our own very hot plate. There are several cuts of steak […]

To add a FB photo album via iPad

 in Traveling with Technology

As it stands today, Sept 2, 2012, the Facebook iPad app is very poorly done and is an exercise in non efficiency. I marvel at the failures of the Facebook programmers, given that they came of age in the days of the Macintosh. Want to add a new Facebook photo album via your iPad? Here is what I found necessary. First, you must go to the website to create the album. Use a browser. No UI to do this in the app. Then you have to Cancel because you cannot add photos from the FB page on iPad. Then you have to quit the FB app if it is running on your iPad. Then go to the FB app and find the album, and then you have to add the photos ONE photo at a time. What should take a few minutes becomes an hour of ordeal if you have […]

My first El Salvador earthquakes

 in Central America / Deb in El Salvador / Deb's Travels / El Salvador

Last week there was a quake here in San Salvador. Ironically, I was sitting at the dining table at my guest house, working on a Mac there when the all-too familiar shaking started. Sitting at a Mac just like I was during most of the shakes I have felt in Los Angeles for the past many years. Seriously, over 5 months of not sitting at a Mac and here I was – same combo. So here I was relaxing and doing some casual work, when the ground shook. Not rocked. Shook. Sharper than what I felt most in LA. In LA I lived 2 floors up, too high to exit through a window, and always wondered if it was best to stay inside or go out. Here, I was in a single home, but up some stairs. And immediately outside are major electric wires. I wasn’t sure of the building […]

Weekend in Guatemala

 in Central America / Deb's Travels / Guatemala

When I got on my bus from Guatemala City to San Salvador, I never expected to do the reverse drive to Guatemala City and return by the same route again. But I did, when my friend Frida decided to do the trip in her car. Another friend arranged for a CouchSurfing host who lived in a very modern, tall apartment building with a reception desk and a beautiful view. This was a very different experience than my previous visits into the city. I will post the photos of this view when I find them. I didn’t get to take my photos of me leaving Guatemala and entering El Salvador the first time across because passengers were not permitted to get off the Tica bus. So this timne, at least I got a photo as our car crossed the bridge borders. (Of course, I don’t photograph customs offices.)

Website consulting in Guatemala City

 in Central America / Deb Fixed It / Deb in Guatemala / Guatemala / Traveling with Technology

I spent this Shabbat in Guatemala City with some friends. It gave me the opportunity to meet several great people. Some invited me to their homes and it is so tempting because i like the people and the places. However, each is in a place I have already been. Great invitations for the next time I come there. But for now I need to keep moving south. It was pretty funny to have left Guatemala and traveled south, then back to Guatemala and back down again. Anyway… One on my many conversations led me to spend some time Saturday night reviewing someone’s business website and teaching them what they need to do to improve their site. It felt great to be back using that familiar expertise. From explaining the flaws of the existing site, to teaching them web site and web page structure, to giving them user interface advice, to […]

Camera Considerations – card & cable

 in Traveling with Technology

If you’re taking a camera traveling, be sure to consider the media card format when you purchase that camera! Also consider its cable connection. And the charger. For example, I had to deal with an Olympus camera that uses xD-Picture Card rather than the very common SD card — and a proprietary connector. The photos were important to me, but there was no way to get them out of the camera without the person carrying the cable or having the correct card reader myself. I love Olympus, but this format ruled out their cameras for me. Another big issue is the camera’s charger. Big being the issue. Why most cameras require you carry a separate charging unit, which takes up critical bag space, is beyond me. See if you can find a camera that charges via USB. Sadly, they are not common yet. So next, go for a compact charging […]

Awaiting stuff

 in Deb's Travels / Traveling with Technology

Today I am on pins and needles wanting to pick up stuff from a friend who was in the states recently. My amazing friend Mark Hartman express mailed disks across the country for me to help me create a new bootable external disk on my traveling-with-me Western Digital My Passport drive. (Wow, until I looked at that Western Digital page I hadn’t even realized this drive is smaller than my passport.) I also have a box of small, reliable Radtech stuff coming, including a new iPhone battery, and a couple of other small things from other compaies as well – to help me rebuild what was stolen when I started this trip. And maybe some Tootsie Rolls from Mark! Tomorrow seems a l-o-n-g way away.