Road lists

Today should be a writing day, so I think I'll have some more content up today, including a long, long blog about the sailboat trip in Panama. Perhaps. Damn, its long.

So I thought I'd knock out a short on this morning. Here are a few lists of things I've done so far on the road.

Countries visited: 11

Counties visited that the U.S. had not invaded, assassinated a leader or tried to overthrow the government: 3, I think. Someone can correct me here. I have Costa Rica, Peru and Argentina. But my history may be off.

Least favorite country so far: Costa Rica

Most favorite country so far: Hard to say. Columbia. Nicaragua. Chile. Gotta say that most of them have been great.

Best place visited: Manchupiccu. Truly does live up to the hype. If you haven't been yet -- it really must be the next place you visit. Do not go during our summer -- overrun with tourists. Take the chance at a visit during their rainy season with less people around.

Things lost: 10. One ATM card. Two pairs of sunglasses. Two bottles of shampoo (annoying, I leave them in the showers). One watch. One pair of socks. One SPOT device (lost yesterday on a bus, but also found yesterday, supposed to be delivered back to me today). One pen. And one towel.

Books read: 12. Sun After Dark: Flights Into the Foreign by Pico Iyer (fantastic -- one of the best travel writers out there -- go get it). House for Mr. Biswas by Nobel Prize winner V.S. Naipal (so-so). Butterfly and the Diving Bell by Jean-Dominique Bauby (quick read and interesting). What am I Doing Here? by Bruce Chatwin (again, fabulous -- go get anything he's written -- I really, really need to find Patagonia while I am here). Power and the Glory by Graham Greene (best 20th century author to not win the Nobel Prize -- but not one of my favorite books of his). Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins (what an incredible pompous twit -- can't write at all -- found it on the sailboat and read it -- interesting story, but he is a horrid writer. . .and likely a horrid person). The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde (kudos to Veronica for giving it to me -- great little read). On the Road by Jack Kerouac (interesting -- has it been made into a movie? If not. . . I may have another script to write). Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky (I promised myself some big reading -- half way through -- its a read and set down for another book read -- WILL finish). And last but not least, one of my new favorite authors. I don't read much fiction, but I'll be pouring through about a dozen of his books when I get back -- Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter and The Way to Paradise by Mario Vargas Llosa of Peru. Incredibly good stuff. And just stared Paulo Coelho's Eleven Minutes: A Novel (his stuff is a very quick read, I'll finish this one in the next day or so. Loved The Alchemist and really haven't liked any of this other stuff, until this one.)

Times sick: zero. Knock on wood.

Strangest food so far: fried grasshoppers.

Favorite food so far: no shocker -- ceviche.

Favorite beer so far (most countries have their own beer monopolies -- limited choice, but on the good side, different every time you cross a border): Panama's Balboa. 2nd place probably was Salva Vida in Honduras, partly because I think the name is great ("Lifesaver" -- how good is THAT for a name of alcohol??)

Interesting for my Texas friends:

Flag of Chile --

Flag of Texas --

Chile adopted its flag (commonly known as "the Lone Star") in 1817. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Chile

Texas adopted its flag in 1838.

Just sayin'. . . . .