Greetings,

I’ve been busying trying to catch barracudas, to the point of doing internet research which is where I found this. Thus far have caught two of them but neither are particularly photo worthy. On the topic of worthy, watch Captain Willy catch to cook a big barracuda with a hand line off the coast of Little Corn Island.

Tips hat,

P.S: Thanks to whoever filmed this and got around to putting it online and to the photographer of this.

Wanted to give you an idea of what it would be like approaching a bus station in Central America at 7am. This video was shot yesterday in Leon, Nicaragua en route to catch a bus to Matagalpa. As you can see it’s quite different than say North America but strikingly familiar to SE Asia from my experience. At first you’ll probably feel uncomfortable but after a few, won’t really notice anymore.

Used a new video editing software, not sure why it doesn’t take up the whole screen. #nexttime

Greetings from Amman, Jordan.

Met up with Abdul and George who are my guides for this trip at about 9AM, I had no clue what to expect as I explained in the last update. We did so much today, I can’t believe it and here I am about to try and fit what could be an entire trip into an update. Spent the day exploring desert castles and the city of Amman in Jordan…

We drove out of town and visited three separate castles, for what it’s worth only one of them was really a castle, the others had separate uses. The reason I’m so ecstatic is that one of the castles was inhabited by T.E Lawrence during the winter of 1917, this means a lot to me, we’ll get to that later. The castles, forts, buildings we visited were Al Harraneh, Al Azraq Castle (where Lawrence lived) and the UNESCO World Heritage Site that is called Qusair Amra.

The first one we visited that is closest to the city is All Harraneh, it was mainly a caravan stop that was originally built roughly 1200 years ago. It’s still in good condition and resembles a castle but was never used as such. People on the spice trail would stop there and it had several other uses. It really does resemble a castle with arrow slits and all but was told they were used primarily for ventilation.

After that we headed to Al Azraq Castle which was originally built in the early 4th century by the Romans and then rebuilt by Arabs after it was destroyed in the crusades. In 1927 there was a large earth quake which sort of destroyed it and the reason it’s in the condition that it is today. It’s also where T.E Lawrence spent the winter of 1917. His room was right over the main entrance to keep tabs on who was coming in and what was happening inside the walls.

The maiden name of my grandmother on my fathers side is “Lawrence”. From the time I was a kid there was always talk about him because he is from the same small town that my grandmother’s family originates from in the UK and shares the same name. Hanging out in his old stomping grounds was just one of those experiences that I’ll never forget, getting to visit his room for the winter of 1917-1918 was special in particular. The photo below was his room and the video above explains the place.

That castle was a real castle, did a full tour and got to see what all the different rooms were used for and could only imagine what it was like in its prior glory. Afterwards we headed towards Qusair Amra which is a very unique building and also built over 1200 years ago. It’s one of the most important examples of early Islamic art and architecture. It is also covered in frescoes which depict women, hunting, signs of the zodiac and six kings. The photo at the top is from the exterior of this place, the video below explains it in detail. Afterwards we had a tea in the tent below, met a Bedouin gent going to Montreal for the first time in October, filled him in.

Afterwards we drove into the downtown core of Amman. We stopped at Hashem Restaurant which is one of the most famous for its hummus, falafel, etc… It’s also very famous because many powerful political figures from Jordan have visited there, including the Royal Family.

Supposedly one day roughly two years ago, a car pulled up out front and out stepped the Royal Family. They sat down and enjoyed a meal like everyone else, the restaurant is obviously very proud of that fact. Supposedly they came without any security or anything, just like anyone else, pretty cool. Down the road was a peanut stand run by the son of the gent who started it. He had photos of the queen buying peanuts there.

The meal was delicious but even more filling. Seriously felt distressed afterwards from consuming so much hummus, falafel and other dishes with names that elude me. Suffice to say it was incredibly filling, one of the dishes is nicknamed “cement” as you’ll be full for hours. Afterwards, ran into the friendly cobbler above before heading to the fruit market. It was a lively place like most markets. The feeling I got was Africa meets Asia, that said the one in Odessa, Ukraine was similar. No one seemed to mind me carrying around my camera besides one meat guy and he was just like, please don’t film me.

From there we headed to the Roman Theater in the center of town. It’s in very good condition and is where Greek & Roman architecture meet. Greeks always built their theaters on the side of a hill while Romans always had tunnels, this one had both. Spent some time there before moving on to the Amman Citadel.

The site of the Amman Citadel dates back to 6500BC. It’s ancient holy land and if you’re interested, do click the link above. The history of the place dates so far back that I can’t even begin to regurgitate what I learned today. Something notable of this place was that it hosted the largest temple to Hercules anywhere on earth and has a museum with some of if not the oldest statues in the world. There are remains of part of Hercules’ hand to give you an idea of the size of the temple. There were also steps from the theater to the citadel, must of been quite the march.

During the day also passed a highway sign that had directions to Iraq and Saudi Arabia, had to take a photo as well, it’s not something most see everyday, yes? On the topic of Iraq, near the Roman theater, picked up crisp old Iraqi Dinar notes. They are useless now but something I couldn’t pass up, may be worth something some day and at the very least, coolest currency I’ve come across in my travels. Also saw a dream home, check out the photo below, INDEED, yes? There is a huge difference between the buildings in old town and some of the more affluent parts such as Abdoun which is the modern part of the city.

I’d like to continue but believe enough has been said and a huge day tomorrow. Off to dinner at Trader Vic’s and then hopefully hit the gym below before the pool, not sure if it’s open, I’m becoming portly, sigh.

Tips hat,

P.S: Abdul and I are perfecting our video skills, it’s a work in progress.

Seasons greetings from Istanbul,

Today I did what any gentleman with a love of life would do, woke up and hit the town. Threw off my sheets, did a somersault into my shorts, skipped the shower, took long strides down the steps and ran into the streets of Istanbul…

Enjoyed a fresh orange juice served by a gregarious gent, rolled into the spice market and bought a load of pistachio nuts, while consuming such said nuts, bought 10 pairs of socks and enough boxers to send a full box home. Returned to such said bed and crashed for a few hours.

Upon arising, took a the tram to Taksim to buy a friend of mine Benny a birthday lunch. I’ve ran into him in Bangkok, Budapest and now Istanbul. He is a polyglot and an interesting individual, it’s nice to hang out and chat with someone who lives a similar lifestyle to yourself.

Taksim is cool, if one lived here it would be in that area. It’s basically the pulse of the country if you were to ask me. It’s where all the main shopping, clubs, banks and everything is. A very nice area but don’t expect to find a Turkish delight in the way of deals, yes? He’s a vegetarian so we hit up some place that name eludes me then headed to Ada Cafe.

One must rest up tonight, tomorrow I’m flying to the Middle East. Besides Dubai, never really ventured there before. Even Dubai was still for a only a day so might as well be my first time, full details in tomorrows update. I’m flying with Royal Jordanian Airlines and looking forward to 10 days of discovery and immersing myself in everything the country has to offer AND MORE.

Istanbul truly is an awesome city, as I stated yesterday, it is where Asia, Europe and the Middle East intersect, not to mention the history and incredible architecture. I was going to visit the Hagia Sophia last time I was in town, just wasn’t in the mood. I knew I’d be back and sure enough, I’m here now. I’ll be in Jordan until the 19th then back in Istanbul and will visit it then. Frankly, if you want to discover this part of the world, Turkey is somewhere you’ll probably just keep coming back to, Istanbul in particular.

Last night met some interesting people and get this, they actually have twitter!? It’s not everyday such occurrences happen. Can count on one hand the number of travelers I’ve met who use it. If you’re interested it was Marty Smiley and Olimpia Barnes, fun people. They headed to Taksim later and yours truly retired, yes!

Tomorrow will get a shave, maybe pick up some collared shirts and head the airport. Considering my last experience in a shopping district was in Bucharest in a depressing mall, was awesome to buy stuff from someone on the street again, it truly makes all purchases that much more pleasurable.

In closing, I’d like to stress that it has always been the people that make any place, the more places you visit, the people you’ll meet. The more people you meet the more you’ll mature and your understanding of the world will expand.

Have a great week.

Tips hat,

Greetings,

Ever wondered what it would be like living in Bucharest, Romania? That’s part of the reason that I’m still here. I love it here and I’ve concluded that after the first 48-72 hours in any new city, you basically just develop a routine and stick to it, let me expand…

The first 24-48 hours in each city is usually filled with the “Ohhh ahhhh” stage where you look at all the attractions that interest you, perhaps visit some nightlife and go to a fancy restaurant. The next day you perhaps see something else, after that? You basically just live your life in that city….

Should I be in Bucharest for 1 week or 1 month, after 72 hours, I’ll basically be doing this: wake up when I wish, eat a boiled egg with a cup of joe, play online until my hands hurt, go for a stroll to a market and buy a sandwich or something, take a nap, go out to dinner and potentially drinks if the opportunity presents itself… That’s what I’ve done the last few days and will do again today.

You don’t need to live somewhere for 1 year to get a feel for it, the law of diminishing returns my friends, in the first 72-120 hours in any city, you kinda find your niche and discover the most, afterwards you continue to discover but at a much smaller rate, enough of this, alright!? Basically feels like I’ve started living in Bucharest.

Last night after this, headed to Caru Cu Bere and it was splendid, naturally. The ladies hated it though saying it was too loud, different strokes for different folks. Had a chicken cordon bleu with 2 sides, a liter of beer and split a cheese platter for a starter, the starter was amazing. Afterwards they all went out to paint the town, yours truly who has recently become a mature old sage or a mage if you’re into Dungeons and Dragons decided to retire early as well, things to be done.

This evening, will be meeting with @Kidha at an undisclosed location in Old Town to discuss social media. She’s very bright and we have overlapping spheres of influence and interest, it only makes sense to discuss possible collaborations, more on that later.

Booked a flight from Bucharest to Istanbul and I’m flying into the old airport, YES! The new one is really far and you need to organize a shuttle unless you’re clinically insane and feeling like spending 3 hours to get to your accommodations to save 5 euros. The flight was 71E one way, I like that price, especially last minute. I’m over super discount lines, they are only cheap if you travel with only a purse or murse of sorts. Basically they tear your pockets on checked luggage and if you don’t pay with a visa electron, they add like 15 euro, huh!?

Really enjoying it here, as I’ve said before one could live here. I’ll be Istanbul for exactly 1.5 days before flying to an undisclosed location, this will be a first and a great step forward for SHABL, very excited and why I’m resting up. It will be the ultimate match of business and pleasure. A friend of mine his having a birthday party the night I’m there, black tie event, haha just kidding.

After watching the video above from Caru Cu Bere, can you see why a gentlemen who walks around in cargo shorts and a torn t-shirt while presenting the persona of a gent in a freshly pressed tuxedo and top hat would love it? Of course you did and let us not forget the pocket watch, moustache (sic) and cane.

Why dress down? Thieves can’t get blood from a stone… (applicable world-wide)

90% of the world tries to look richer than they are, let them be the target.

Tips hat,

P.S: This guy got his car stuck in a most egregious manner, had to help him inch it out, the only civilized thing to do.

Random SHABL Search – “Boring Life Dysentery“

Greetings,

I’ve been in Odessa over a week now and have basically just been living my life. The weather has turned but before that happened, had some amazing days at the beaches. In fact it was 30 degrees and sunny for about a solid week. Weekends were best but the beach was packed daily.

Odessa is a port city along the Black Sea. It’s got countless beaches in and around town, something for everyone. Also the Arcadia district has many lovely resorts. Yours truly has mainly just been hitting up a local beach off the side of the city.

These photos & video were taken last weekend. To be fair, I walked down the beach with my iphone and just hit “snap” whenever I felt the urge. Since it was sunny out, could not see anything past the glare. This SHOULD give you an idea of what it’s like here. I could live here for a summer, easily. Naturally, some photos have been excluded for being too graphic for the likes of “John Q. Internet Public”.

Tips hat,

P.S: Can you see why I’ve been in no rush to leave!? #nobrainer

Good day,

Saigon aka Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam has some of the craziest and most insane traffic in the world. I heard about it but until I got there, I truly had no clue just how insane. Please bear in mind this is 5:15 or so on a Saturday, not rush out. It gets even more “loco” at that time of day.

As Matt mentions in the video, if you want to cross the road in Vietnam, you just gotta go and people go around you, if you’re timid you’ll never cross as the traffic well, never stops. Thanks to Matt for filming this, I had broken camera #1 and was waiting for camera 2 while in the Mekong Delta.

This was filmed while driving home from the private tour we went on in the Mekong Delta. It was probably one of the most memorable segments of this trip. Whenever you can go on a private tour with a cool guide, I recommend it, totally different experience.

Last night was fun, today was golfing for $3.33us, yes, huh?

Update coming later, like tomorrow.

Tip of the hat to Matt for filming and the gents I went golfing with.

Good day,

That’s “Shark Bay” in Koh Tao, Thailand which is still my favorite island in the world to date. The island is only ~7kmx6km or something of that nature. It has out of this world beaches, great nightlife and incredibly hospitable residents. When I look at it again, all I can think of is “that’s paradise”.

Not that I’m the “overly romantic type” but if one were to ask a lady to marry them, this seems like a most appropriate place, yes?

If you go to the islands in the gulf of Thailand, I recommend you visit this bay as it’s, well, “super chill”.

Tips hat,

Greetings,

This video was filmed in December 2009 at Bounty Bar in Kuta, Bali, Indonesia. Bounty Bar is one of those “hate it or love it” type bars. It’s crazy, it’s intense and it’s a meat market. It’s also the largest bar on the Legian Street which is the notorious party street in Kuta. Personally, I love Bounty and always end up there for at least a drink or so if hitting the streets.

Not sure who that girl was, will note that she ~sorta~kinda~ looks like the model mentioned in the last update. Then again, that’s Bali, one of those “anything can happen” places.  So you know, Bali is incredibly cheap and incredibly fun.

Good day,

P.S: Click here to win a free 1st class Eurail global pass, only from SHABL.

P.P.S: LOTS more to come.

Random Search?: “Lisbon Picpockets” – Search.

Greetings,

The video below is just a short idea clip from the ZTE Indonesia 10 year anniversary beach party held in Kuta, Bali this weekend. The internet connection here is slow and therefor the clip is short. The party was good times and later that night they had a reggae concert.

I won’t bore you with the shenanigans from the “champagne party” of sorts that transpired last night. Suffice to say  it was most eventful and amusing in a “have fun it’s the holidays” type spirit. The party included some ladies from Spain celebrating a birthday while running into some ladies from Sweden at the “GreenBox” that you met 2 months ago in Bangkok. Good times.

Enjoy this most festive time of year, wherever you are, whatever you are celebrating.