Central America Travel Stories

Central America Travel Stories Archives: BootsnAll Travel Network Visit other BootsnAll sites: BootBlog | Bali | London | Australia | Written Road | Travel News Daily Home | Ask an Insider | Members Forum Plane Tickets | Youth Hostels | RTW Guide About Us | Advertising | Contact | RSS | Staff First Time Visitor? Home » Central America » Central America Travel Stories Central America Travel Stories Making a Splash in St. Croix - St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands Linda Vissat finds herself surrounded by the ocean...and running out of water. A Taste of Tranquility: Life on the Shores of Lake Atitlan - San Pedro La Laguna, Guatemala Amy Richardson discovers the gem of Guatemala. Island Moment - Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua Hilary Miller longs to return to Nicaragua's most beautiful island and the best host she's ever had. The Perfect Panama - Panama City, Panama Kat Edwards found traveling in Panama to be the perfect experience. Guatemala City - Worth a visit? - Guatemala City, Guatemala Hilary Miller decides that although she wouldn't make Guatemala City a destination, it's not a bad place to be stuck for a day or two. Ocho Locos en Costa Rica - Costa Rica Susan Gottfried and her band of friends take on Costa Rica for less than 2,000 a piece. What We Offer - Santa Ines, Honduras Devin Foxall believes that to cherish the good that survives this world, it may be necessary to acknowledge the scars that bind us as well. Pyramids and Political Strife: A Day in the Belize River Valley - Belize River Valley, Belize David W. Kingsley examines the lives of the native people of Belize on his travels. Costa Rica, Hostels, and Plastic Surgery - Costa Rica There comes a time in every traveller's life when she realizes that she absolutely cannot spend even one more night in a dorm, and it's time to spring for a single. Maximon - the Saint that Loves to Drink and Smoke - Santiago de Atitlan, Guatemala Luminita Bianca Cuna pays her respects to a Mayan saint. Land of Eternal Spring - Guatemala Rites of spring and Passion Week go hand-in-hand in Guatemala. Soaring Skyscrapers of the Jungle-City of Tikal - Tikal, Guatemala Lito Galvan thinks George Lucas wasn't too discreet imagineering the aerial scenes in his film "Star Wars" - it's unmistakably copied from the magical fantasy city of Tikal. Shooting Two Birds with One Stone - Antigua, Guatemala Lito Galvan finds tourist police to be clueless crosses between cinema ushers and supermarket security guards that might have been recruited just days before the onslaught of the peak tourist season from a pool of the habitually indolent and unemployed. Chuckling Post from a Chicken Bus Ride - Pan American Highway, Guatemala The chicken bus offered limited outside view but inside, there is free entertainment, ride fare not inclusive. Temblor en Puerto Viejo - Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica Natural disasters aside, and being scammed to get her wallet back, Lisa Britt discovers there is something very real about being out there away from everything. Guatemalan Interlude - Guatemala Allan Taylor revisits his favorite spots in Guatemala and also discovers some new ones. Pura Vida! - Costa Rica Lisa Britt says that you won't see the seedier side of Costa Rica unless you go looking. Welcome to Costa Rica - Costa Rica Theresa Yiju Lin finds herself in an unusual position when she's welcomed into a country. Heros and Pleasers - San Salvador, El Salvador Traveling - the lack of sleep, the cessation of routine, the unbalanced diet, the abusive drinking - always turns Gary Pollitt into a mentally unstable 14-year-old girl. The Modern Bus: Smell The Magic - Latin America Dave Prival became an expert in Latin American busology while traveling by bus from Mexico to Argentina over 15 months and has a few tips to share about choosing the least-worse seat. Panama Living - Panama City, Panama, Less touristy than Costa Rica, but safer than other Latin American countries, Alexis Lojowsky thinks Panama is an excellent country to spend some time in. Love and Kindness in San Antonio Aguas Caliente - San Antonio Aguas Caliente, Vicinity of Antigua, Guatemala Luminita Bianca Cuna plays godmother twice - once in a monk wedding, and again on the street. Coming home to Costa Rica - San Jose, Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica Lisa Britt visits a place she knew she belonged before she even set foot on the ground: Costa Rica. Costa Rica: Gold, Floods and a Robbery - Costa Rica A flood, a robbery and a strenuous hike still don't deter Jerome Burdi from enjoying the Pura Vida. Guatemala Chicken Bus Travel - Guatemala It's Heather Okvat's chicken bus versus her sanity! Who will win?! Hello from Costa Rica - Alajuela, Costa Rica Sara Lamnin tromps through the jungles, mountains and the second-largest city in Costa Rica. The School of Life - Tamarindo, Costa Rica Solbeam learns that despite what her economics teacher says, the value of life cannot be charted on a map. Mango Season Madness - Playa Zunzal, El Salvador Catherine Mojsiewicz discovers Playa Zunzal by randomly picking a place on a map of the coast, and is overwhelemed by mango madness. El Dia de Todos Santos - Santiago, Guatemala Lafe Metz enjoys the Guatemalan custom of flying giant kites in graveyards to honor the dead each November - and the drinking that goes with it. Dodging the Bullet - Honduras When Derek Lalonde decides between beer and bed, he learns the latter might not have been a bad idea after all. Journey to Tambor - Costa Rica Bert Brun heads to Costa Rica thinking that he may invest in a resort - however, after a rough ride, a new bus may be a better use of his funds. Loud Volcanoes and Dense Jungles - Playa Hermosa/Central America/Costa Rica There is much to see and do in Costa Rica, but Tamara Garcia fears it will all soon dissapear. The Last Chicken Bus - Guatemala There are three of us in this row: me in half of my seat, his bag of mangoes in half of his, and him straddling the middle between us. Today is not a day I need anyone else's body heat. Roatan: a Caribbean Island in Transition - Roatan, Honduras David Alan Robinson snoops around Roatan and witnesses another Caribbean island that is poised for development. Don't Worry, It's Straight Ahead, and Other Guatemalan Fibs - Guatemala Children run from her shrieking, she has to catch a ride on a dump drunk and Claire MacDonell still has another week in the mountains of Guatemala. Petén: The Guatemalan North As anyone coming to Guatemala is painfully aware of, if you miss the ruins at Tikal, you might as well not come at all. As the number one tourist attraction in the country, this jungle encrusted ancient city of... Over Copan Out - Mexico & Honduras Chris Matcham is astounded by the impressive Aztec and Maya ruins in Mexico and Honduras. After too much 'stone-watching,' he is ready to call it quits. 8: Did I Tell You I've Never... - Diary of a Single Girl - La Fortuna, Costa Rica Fun abounds in La Fortuna: lava-boiled hot springs, toxic sulfur fumes, mutant cucharachas. You can also swing around the forest and wham-bang into a tree at high speeds. 7: Hey Mon... - Diary of a Single Girl - Puerto Viejo Talamanca, Costa Rica Fun abounds in La Fortuna: lava-boiled hot springs, toxic sulfur fumes, mutant cucharachas. You can also swing around the forest and wham-bang into a tree at high speeds. 6: Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head... - Diary of a Single Girl - Quepos, Costa Rica Life stays pretty hazy on CR's Caribbean side, but Maria's clear on one thing: just because she likes the chicken doesn't mean she likes the chef. A Year and a Day #25: An Often Depressing Paradise - Costa Rica Costa Rica and its natural beauty was one of the main reasons for Daniel Wallace to visit Central America. Reality was far different from expectation. A Year and a Day #26: Conclusion: No ticket home - Central America Daniel Wallace's travelogue is drawing to a close, but that does not mean his trip is ending. Rather, he's starting fresh, with a new perspective on his travels than he had when he started 6 months ago. A Year and a Day #24: Christmas and New Year\'s Eve, but where was the fiesta? - Nicaragua Daniel crossed over into Nicaragua and found his favourite city in Central America so far: Grenada. A Year and a Day #23: Diving on Utila - Honduras Daniel left with very warm memories of his very cold time on Utila. The diving was great and the people were fantastic. A Year and a Day #22: Honduras - Honduras Daniel crosses the border into Honduras and immediately sees the differences from Guatemala. A Year and a Day #21: El Retiro and the Day of the Devil - Guatemala Those of a nervous disposition may wish to avoid Guatemala on December seventh as the Day of the Devil celebrations explode with fireworks. A Year and a Day #19: Xela, Antigua and Chichi - Guatemala Daniel found Antigua and Xela to be places that are pleasant enough for a holiday from your holiday, but any longer and he started to feel uncomfortable. A Year and a Day #18: Todosantos Chuchumantan - Guatemala Todosantos was exactly what Daniel was looking for in Guatemala. It wasn't Utopia by any means, but he was able to feel more a part of the community than anywhere else he had been. A Year and a Day #17: Arrival in Guatemala - Guatemala Daniel has only been there a week, but already he is sure Guatemala is a lovely, amazing country to travel in. Even a bit of mysterious illness and the upcoming general elections can't discourage him. The Year of Living Differently #1: The Plan - Central America Trisha's plan, including her route, visas she needed, travel insurance and shots she got before she left. A Year and a Day #20: Coban - Guatemala Daniel discovered that the Gringo Trail is very heavily trafficked. He's also a staunch defender of the Chicken Bus. A Year and a Day #25: An Often Depressing Paradise - Costa Rica An Often Depressing Paradise Tuesday, 13th January 2004 "Ten years ago, this country was a paradise", grumped the ageing and slightly slimy Costa Rican barrister, speaking as our bus to the coast paused for a food break. He blamed the... Hippocrates Laughs - Nicaragua Shawna Kenney goes to Central America to cure her friend's loneliness and finds another world in the process. Caye Caulker - Belize & Tikal, Guatemala (4 of 5) Justin Bryant tackles wildlife, forests, scary restaurants and rickety bars, but why worry, man? It's Belize. Cayo District - Belize & Tikal, Guatemala (1 of 5) May-June 1999 I spent 27 days in Belize in the summer of 1999. The trip cost me $1300 or so, including $330 for my flight from Miami. I could have done it cheaper, but I splurged a little in... Cockscomb Basin Jaguar Preserve - Belize & Tikal, Guatemala (2 of 5) Justin Bryant tackles wildlife, forests, scary restaurants and rickety bars, but why worry, man? It's Belize. Placencia - Belize & Tikal, Guatemala (3 of 5) Justin Bryant tackles wildlife, forests, scary restaurants and rickety bars, but why worry, man? It's Belize. Tikal, and Difficulties & General Info - Belize & Tikal, Guatemala (5 of 5) Justin Bryant tackles wildlife, forests, scary restaurants and rickety bars, but why worry, man? It's Belize. La Catarata - Costa Rica Rebecca Bowe and her friends put their clothes back on and made their way back up the path feeling exhausted and full of wonder. Utila - Hangover in Paradise A tequila hangover doesn't stop Malcolm Blakey from spending 2 weeks diving and eating on the island of Utila. Avoid being Ripped-off in Guatemala Maury Englander follows up his story of being robbed in Guatemala City with some tips to help you avoid the same fate. Deconstructing Travels To Tikal - Tikal, Guatemala Amongst the huge stone temples at Tikal, Shawn Cooley waxes philosophical. Biting the Bullet - El Salvador William Koplitz went to El Salvador to go surfing and was shot by thieves after being in the country for 24 hours. Fear (but no loathing) in Guatemala - Guatemala Explosions ripped Shannan Murphy out of an exhausted sleep. But she learned she had nothing to fear, but fear itself. ER in Guatemala - Guatemala The nightly turtle races were all the excitement the village of Monterrico was supposed to offer. Laurie Magree found a bit more than that after helping to save two locals attacked by a machete-wielding drunk. Pepperoni, Island Style - Belize A Washington state man sells off three pizza joints and stateside life to open shop in a bamboo-covered trailer in Belize. Touch the Wire (Part Two) - San Jose, Costa Rica After 2 years of highs and lows Brandon Dane's hand got pried off the high-voltage line of life. He can't wait to clutch on again. Touch the Wire (Part One) - Costa Rica After 2 years of highs and lows Brandon Dane's hand got pried off the high-voltage line of life. He can't wait to clutch on again. Don't Miss the Boat - Costa Rica Costa Rica is considered one of the most ecologically abundant areas in the hemisphere, writes Judy Wolf. It has distractions and attractions galore - beaches, surfing, nesting sea turtles, cloud forests, active volcanoes, rivers and more. Pura Vida en Costa Rica - Costa Rica Whatever your taste, you can find it in Costa Rica. Lee Abbamonte promises that you will want to return time and again. The Idiot's Guide to Good Transport in Guatemala Diana Espirito Santo navigates the scary, but rewarding, world of Guatemalan transportation. Bloody Football - Honduras Today's football heroes are worshipped, but in an ancient time, they worshipped the gods with human sacrifice. I Will Survive: Early Morning in the Guatemalan Jungle with a Drag Queen - Guatemala The temples of Tikal are cause for awe and wonder. But Diana Reed found herself wondering about one of her fellow visitors to the ancient ruins. Counting the Hours on Contadora - Panama Troy White visited the only nude beach in Central America, called 'Swedish Girls Beach.' The problem was: there were no Swedish girls, just he and his friends. Casa Viejo Mike Heavers is awed by resilient, sensual, enticing Casco Vieja - epitomized by the daily struggle against poverty by its people. A Bridge in The Bay Islands - Roatan, Honduras The Great Barrier Reef and the Red Sea pale in comparison to the quality of the Bay Islands of Roatan. Time may be running out, writes Lee Abbamonte, to see this unspoiled area. Don't wait. Escape from Roatan - Roatan, Honduras Leaving Roatan, Honduras felt more like an escape than a departure for Diana Espirito Santo. Diving Adventure in Belize - Belize Seasickness, wild waves and an overflowing toilet weren't going to keep Kristin Piljay from diving in Belize's blue waters. Costa Rica Beach Bum Buddha - Costa Rica People can touch your life, even if you know them only for a short while. Shawn Cooley reflects on the people that touch the life of a traveler. Seven Days in Costa Rica - Costa Rica Traversing through the rainforests next to an active volcano, David Alan Robinson makes the most of his seven days in Costa Rica. La Fortuna Fiesta - Costa Rica A spring break with a difference, Catharine Wells traveled to Costa Rica to see Volcan Arenal. Instead she arrived in time for a local festival. Relax, Mon - Caye Caulker, Belize Matt Scott quickly adapts to the easy-going pace of Caye Caulker - both above and below the water. The Legend of La Mona - Puntarenas, Costa Rica Did a half-woman half-monkey, with a hysterical laugh, prey on Andrew Black's sanity? The Complete Rules of the Road for Driving in Guatemala Ken McCormick provides a basic set of rules for surviving (or not) Guatemala's notorious highways. La Casa Grande What Chris Lele's search from the website blurb on Casa Grande led him to expect and what he found was different, even shocking. Belize and Tikal, Guatemala Justin Bryant tackles wildlife, forests, scary restaurants and rickety bars, but why worry, man? It's Belize. A Guatemalan (Sad) Story - Guatemala City, Guatemala Maury Englander was distracted for just a second, but that's all it took for thieves to end his holiday in Guatemala. Island Time - Roatan, Honduras Island Time - undetermined quantity of time just long enough to infuriate, confuse and befuddle a sick-stomached mainlander, writes Thomas Jones. Like a Fish to Air - Roatan, Honduras Roatan is reknown for diving, but it also forces Kristina Johnson to confront her fears. From Baja to the Land of Fire #9: Panama City, Panama (part II) What was that about South America? Things were going to plan, but then romance called for a change in itinerary. From Baja to the Land of Fire #8: Panama City, Panama Nicaragua, Costa Rica, an awesome dancer named Arlen, and a bit of illness (well, a lot of illness) can only mean one thing: it's time for South America. From Baja to the Land of Fire #7: Tegucigalpa, Honduras Theo takes rain delays in stride as he visits the ruins of Copan, has a near death experience while rafting, and takes a night dive on Roatan. From Baja to the Land of Fire #6: Coban, Guatemala A week of Spanish lessons, volcanoes, learning how the chickens feel and, at last, arrival in the city of everlasting drizzling rain. From Baja to the Land of Fire #5: Guatemala Cool long-term travelers, colorful locals and plenty of good times meet Theo throughout Guatemala, from Tikal to Xela. From Baja to the Land of Fire #4: Caye Caulker, Belize Belize is a midpoint between Mexico and Central America, a chance to finish adapting from home life to road life, before plunging in to some real traveling. Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #27: After Latin America, What\'s Next? Recap & More on Plans The full statistical breakdown of Wee-Cheng's trip, but it's only this part that's coming to a final destination. Look for him in Europe soon... Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #23: Mad Rush Through Honduras, El Salvador & Belize - Honduras, El Salvador, Belize Late, late, late. WeeCheng is behind schedule, and so he had to rush through Honduras, El Salvador and Belize. Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #22: Nicaragua: Bulls' Testicles in the Land of Fire and Revolution - Nicaragua If the North Americans will leave the place alone, peaceful Nicaragua can finish the process of rebuilding after years of conflict. Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #21: Costa Rica: Rice and Beans, Beans and Rice - San Jose, Costa Rica Gringolandia at its finest, but for heaven's sake, not another jungle-and-volcano tour... Worldwide with Wee-Cheng #1: Project Infinite Liberation Wee-Cheng outlines his trip, route and destinations. Latin America is only the beginning. Paget's Belize Journal #10 September 27: Here I Am and It's Hot! Here I am in Belize and well on my way to slowing down. Since we have lots of new people on the list since my June visit, I will repeat some... Paget's Belize Journal #11 September 28: More Weather; Sensations; Housing Today Dangriga is back to being a refreshingly breezy coastal community, but when I first arrived here, it was very still. The staff at Pelican Beach (the resort where I'm staying temporarily) say... Paget's Belize Journal #12 October 1: Housing Styles and Security A few people have expressed some interest in the security measures that are in place here, presumably because of my mention both of the issue of security bars on houses and the night... Paget's Belize Journal #13 October 4: Security and SNORKELING! Just a short note to finish the security topic for now and then on to the good stuff. The point of all this security is not physical protection but possessions protection. As I was... Paget's Belize Journal #14 October 5: Dock Activities, Yoga and Nightlife One of the reasons I will be very sad to leave Pelican Beach Resort (when I finally find a house) is the dock. It's about 120 feet out into the ocean and... Paget's Belize Journal #15 October 7: Day-to-Day Life - Part 1: Avoiding Nocturnal Mosquito Bites It appears to be true that mosquitoes do not land in a breeze and that although they can bite through cloth, it has to be taut enough to... Paget's Belize Journal #16 October 8: The Quadrille, or, Lewis Carrol Ain't Got Nuthin' On Us! I offer here, an entire, unedited article from the online version of the Belize Reporter Newspaper - one of four national newspapers in the country (there are... Paget's Belize Journal #17 October 8: A Place to Live, Hooray! My househunting efforts have been successful and I will be moving into an apartment in the next few days! I'm a little apprehensive, it's been cozy and safe and quiet at Pelican,... Paget's Belize Journal #18 October 13: Cleaning and Culture Well, the weekend did not go quite as I had planned. I got felled by one of those lovely stranger-in-a-strange land bugs and wasn't too lively for most of it. But I did get... Paget's Belize Journal #19 October 14: Hurricane Irene Just in case you were wondering, here is this morning's evaluation of our weather GENERAL SITUATION: HURRICANE IRENE NEARING THE SOUTHWEST COAST OF CUBA POSES NO IMMEDIATE THREAT TO BELIZE EXCEPT FOR AN OCCASIONAL BAND... Paget's Belize Journal #2 Monday, June 14 Things are going well here in Belize, but it's taken me this long to get an e-mail connection operating via the account of my hosts Tony and Therese. Weather has been lovely, the rainy season here... Paget's Belize Journal #20 October 19: A Weekend in Hopkins Village Since I didn't have a new bedstead and I still had quite a few not-so-tiny roommates, I decided to get on the bus and go to Hopkins - a small Garifuna village... Paget's Belize Journal #21 October 19: Hopkins Village Part II There are a few more things I want to relate about my visit to Hopkins before I forget. Hopkins is primarily a fishing village, the fishing boats (really slightly enlarged rowboats in a... Paget's Belize Journal #22 October 23: A Weather Report or, What they think is cold Here's another Belize weather report for you: GENERAL SITUATION: COLD FRONT AFFECTING THE COUNTRY! TEMPERATURES: HIGHS(TODAY) COASTAL 30C/86F INLAND 30C/86F LOWS(TONIGHT) COASTAL 20C/68 INLAND 16C/61F And that's what... Paget's Belize Journal #23 November 2: Observations on Transportation As I think I've mentioned, there's not much in the way of paved roads in Belize. There's a big project to pave the Southern Highway and most of the Hummingbird Highway is paved, and... Paget's Belize Journal #24 November 6: Food Experiments Even though Belizeans (or at least the Garifuna) are content to eat beans and rice and stewed chicken every day, the food here is really quite good and varied. The fresh fish and shellfish of... Paget's Belize Journal #25 November 12: The Brits; Furniture Therese and I just got back from a trip to the capitol, Belmopan, to talk to the British High Commissioner (a super-ambassador) and his staff about developing a web site. It looks like we'll... Paget's Belize Journal #26 November 17: Night Noise, Settlement Day I've had a restless enough go of it the last two nights that I decided to complain a little. Although there are not enough people here to make a truly difficult noise pollution... Paget's Belize Journal #27 November 18: Dragonflies! Just a quickie. There was a dragonfly hatch yesterday and it is the most amazing thing to have a sky full of dragonflies. There were truly millions of them, all drifting lazily from where they were... Paget's Belize Journal #28 November 24: A Good 19th As I told you earlier, November 19 is the major Garifuna holiday and Dangriga is the center of Garifuna culture, so it is a very big thing here. (You refer to it as "the... Paget's Belize Journal #29 November 30: Wrapping Up the 19th Some interesting things to tell about the Thanksgiving trip to Mexico to visit Carol, so I'll just do a quick wrap up on 19th festivities and hope for time to write more later... Paget's Belize Journal #3 Wednesday, June 16: A tourist trip Yesterday I had my tourist day. Went by van up from the coast on various "highways" and back roads through the citrus fields to the Belize zoo which is a natural habitat approach... Paget's Belize Journal #30 December 1: Traveling to Mexico Getting to and from Mexico and across the border was half the fun of the Thanksgiving trip to Bacalar to visit Carol (a friend from the States, "wintering" there). I flew from Dangriga to... Paget's Belize Journal #31 December 7: Thanksgiving in Mexico Thanksgiving in Mexico with Carol's friends was a good combination of traditional and local color. Carol and J.B. are back in Bacalar, located about 10 miles from Chetumal (just across the Belize border) on... Paget's Belize Journal #32 December 10: A Trip to Cockscomb Basin They called me Wednesday from Pelican Beach and said that there was a tour going to Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary on Thursday that had space available. So I went. There hasn't been... Paget's Belize Journal #33 December 15: A Belizean Week-end I got a little more adventurous this weekend and ended up with some typically Belizean experiences, unlike my usual mode which is mostly observation. On Saturday night I finally visited a Belizean bar (a... Paget's Belize Journal #34 December 15: Tobacco Caye: A "Trip" The plan after my night at the lodge with Capt. Frank, Sgt. Alejandro and the drunk (a Saturday) was that we would meet on the street in front of my house at 7:30... Paget's Belize Journal #35 December 21: Is it really Christmas? Several of you have had the experience of trying to get into the Christmas spirit in a tropical clime. Just doesn't work for me. I put up my Christmas lights and got out... Paget's Belize Journal #36 December 24: This is the Life I know that Oregon and Massachusetts and many other spots also had good viewing for this beautiful, bright full moon and it sounds glorious, but it's hard to believe it could get any... Paget's Belize Journal #37 December 24: Christmas Wishes Christmas wishes for you and yours. Here's a nice Christmas wish I just got from Kurt, the young programmer here at Naturalight. Worth passing on, I thought. We wish you the courage to be warm,... Paget's Belize Journal #38 December 31: Some Christmas Experiences I had quite a nice time over the Christmas holiday even though nothing topped the moon, caye, shrimp and Chardonnay of early in the week. Christmas Eve I went visiting with Therese and the... Paget's Belize Journal #39 January 7: Bits and Pieces About Life in Belize As my time here begins to wind down, I've been thinking about the major social characteristics and influences that I've written little or nothing about. The short list is: Lottery,... Paget's Belize Journal #4 Friday, June 18: Flying to San Pedro; Sand Crabs Here I am in San Pedro (Canon Beach, or maybe Rockaway Beach at 110 degrees with dreadlocks) and finally got a connection that seems "normal" in a streetside lab ($16/hr... Paget's Belize Journal #40 January 10: Caye Caulker - The Haircut Well, my trip to Caye Caulker was one of those mixed experiences. The water taxi from Belize City takes about 45 minutes and it was threatening to rain and the wind was... Paget's Belize Journal #41 January 14: Caye Caulker Again After my haircut I went walking around the village to see what I could see. This is a nice little beach town (in the middle of the ocean), pretty much focused on tourism and... Paget's Belize Journal #42 January 18: Red Bank, Scarlet Macaws, Gray Skies My last nature trip in Belize was a good one, very strange and jungly. We (Godfrey the guide, a couple from Las Vegas and me) started out from Dangriga a little... Paget's Belize Journal #43 January 25: The Last Few Days Well, I'm back home, taking hot showers and goggling at all the white people. But I have a few more thoughts in me about Belize. If it's not as interesting because the dramatic... Paget's Belize Journal #5 Saturday, June 19: Saturday in San Pedro Gradually sorting out what I'm here to do. Last night I went to the annual banquet of the Belize Tourism Industry Association at the grand opening of a convention center facility -... Paget's Belize Journal #6 Monday, June 21: Braids, Snakes and Dogs Well, I'm not sure the Caribbean braids are an unqualified success. They're certainly cooler, but I have to be very careful and wear my hat all the time in order not to... Paget's Belize Journal #7 June 30: Leaving Dangriga I was to leave on Tuesday afternoon about 2:00 and had lots of things to take care of - finishing up a project at the office, packing all the hot sauce and belongings, sorting out... Paget's Belize Journal #8 September 10: Can You Help the Library? I will be leaving for a four-month stay in Belize in two weeks. One of the things I want to do in Belize this time is to help the Dangriga librarian, Mrs.... Tapir Travels #15: The Ixil Highlands Talking abou the war with the locals and visiting the hidden city of Tikal. Tapir Travels #14: Back in School Again Spanish schools and internet cafes in Antigua and plans for the next part of the trip to the Ixil triangle. Tapir Travels #13: Men of Corn After visiting Lake Atitlan, Mattias meets his friend from Sweden in Guatemala City. Tapir Travels #12: The Tourist Trap After coming from El Salvador, Guatemala's Antigua has a very different atmosphere. Tapir Travels #6: Colonial Charm Granada's European architecture and then in to the jungles of the Miskito Coast. Tapir Travels #5 Slowing down for a chronic allergy and then on to Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua. Tapir Travels #4: Prejudices Nicaraguans in Costa Rica and the Caribbean influence. Tapir Travels #3: Critters and Creeps Volunteering in Barra Honda national park and then back to civilisation in San Jose. Tapir Travels #2: Birthday Celebrations A ceremony for a 15th birthday and life in Nicoya. Tapir Travels #1: The Arrival Flying into San Jose, Costa Rica from Mexico City and travelling across country. Hammocks, E-Coli, and Liquados #11: The End - Taulabe to Copan, Honduras Honduras is Kelli's country. She will never again voluntarily eat bananas. She now know the best alternates to toilet paper. And she thanks everything holy for flushing toilets and warm showers. Hammocks, E-Coli, and Liquados #10: The Ticket to Taxis - Tegucigalpa, Honduras Kelli gives you three very good reasons why not to slam the doors of the taxi when you're trying to bargain a ride. Hammocks, E-Coli, and Liquados #9: Pulhapanzak - Pulhapanzak, Honduras Was it the brilliant 200 foot waterfall surrounded by jungle or the green-eyed prodigy jumping from top of said waterfall that took Kelli's breath away? Hammocks, E-Coli, and Liquados #8: Emmex - Tegucigalpa, Honduras Volunteering in a Honduran hospital, Kelli didn't think she was strong enough to handle it. Until she met a little orphan named Emmex. Hammocks, E-Coli, and Liquados #7: Bus or Bust - Tegucigalpa, Honduras Honduran buses, be them yellow American school buses or masterpieces with the face of Bob Marley plastered on the rear, always made Kelli a little nervous and provided several entertaining stories... Hammocks, E-Coli, and Liquados #6: Washed and Pressed with Bullets Included - Tegucigalpa, Honduras Running late to make a meeting became irrelevant after Kelli looked into the front seat of the taxi, engine running but dead driver hunched over the steering wheel. Hammocks, E-Coli, and Liquados #5: Hotel Juticalpa - Juticalpa, Honduras Hotel Juticalpa is a lot like Kelli imagined Hotel California to be. The owners guarded the entrance with a fully loaded machine gun...as they slept on the couch watching a Latin soap opera. Hammocks, E-Coli, and Liquados #4: Hitch Hiking 101 - Talanga, Honduras It's not as easy as throwing your thumb in the air and kissing public buses goodbye. There is definitely skill involved, as Kelli found out on the way to Guaimaca. Hammocks, E-Coli, and Liquados #3: Homemade Barbed Wire - Tegucigalpa, Honduras What do you do when a 40 year old drunk man comes straight at you with a machete? Hammocks, E-Coli, and Liquados #2: Que La Vaye Bien... - Copan Ruinas, Honduras Almost as soon as she arrived, Kelli was off on a trip to the ruins at Copan, where she learned that dogs hate rocks and always hike with your passport. Hammocks, E-Coli, and Liquados #1: Introduction Kelli knew she needed to be somewhere else in the world besides the monotony and mediocrity of her college town in Utah. Two weeks later she showed up at the airport in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Finger On The Trigger - Costa Rica It was a cool morning in April 2000 in San Jose, Costa Rica, when Brandon Dane had his run-in with the Costa Rican Police, aptly named: FUERZA PUBLICA. Hear No Evil - Costa Rica I was sitting in my room in San Pedro minding my own business when a buddy of mine calls me to tell me that there has been ANOTHER American girl found dead in Costa Rica. I held my tongue... Volcano Pacaya (1 of 2) Hiking a live volcano should be adventure enough, but throw in a few bandits and it's downright scary. Volcano Pacaya (2 of 2) Hiking a live volcano should be adventure enough, but throw in a few bandits and it's downright scary. The Jungle - San Jose, Costa Rica Qualifying Statement #8 This article is dedicated to Joy Rothke, my harshest critic. Well, I came sliding back into San Jose, Costa Rica, last Saturday afternoon. Four months in The States was all that I could stand, even with... Disturbing the Peace Clouds fall over the sleepy village of Santa Elena, Costa Rica as the chirping birds sing in the sweet symphony of the night. The occasional monkey howls off in the distance as the wind rustles the branches and leaves... Dreadlocks & Voodoo (1 of 4) Jack Simpson, Jr honeymoons in Belize where he experiences dark caves and voodoo rituals. No tigers though. Dreadlocks & Voodoo (2 of 4) Jack Simpson, Jr honeymoons in Belize where he experiences dark caves and voodoo rituals. No tigers though. Dreadlocks & Voodoo (3 of 4) Jack Simpson, Jr honeymoons in Belize where he experiences dark caves and voodoo rituals. No tigers though. Dreadlocks & Voodoo (4 of 4) Jack Simpson, Jr honeymoons in Belize where he experiences dark caves and voodoo rituals. No tigers though. Dead Pirates and Frozen Fish (1 of 2) Battling a fever in Honduras, Christine Michaud uses the only thing at her disposal to cool down: a frozen fish. Dead Pirates and Frozen Fish (2 of 2) Battling a fever in Honduras, Christine Michaud uses the only thing at her disposal to cool down: a frozen fish. Tico's Rampage (1 of 3) The story of Craig Guillot's right leg dashes on a mad horse through Costa Rica. Tico's Rampage (2 of 3) The story of Craig Guillot's right leg dashes on a mad horse through Costa Rica. Tico's Rampage (3 of 3) The story of Craig Guillot's right leg dashes on a mad horse through Costa Rica. Paget's Belize Journal #1 How Paget's adventure began. Paget's Belize Journal #9 Paget comments on her gifts. Antigua: Home Sweet Home Semana Santa is one week when Antigua gets even more international visitors than usual. La Union to Potosi Boat problems lead to a refreshing break on the island of Conchaquita. Los Chiles to Lago Nicaragua Many different ways to travel on this river, in varying degrees of comfort. Puntarenas to Nicaragua Taking the bus from Puntarenas to Nicaragua and back. Tikal to Rio Dulce & on to Livingston The Hotel Backpackers is a great way to meet other travellers in Rio Dulce. Home » Central America » Central America Travel Stories Book It! RTW Air Tickets (round-the-world) Plane Tickets (round-trip and one-way) Search for Hotels Rental Cars Youth Hostels Eurail Passes Travel Insurance Adventure Travel & Tours Travel Bookstore TEFL Courses Airport Parking GSM Phone Rental Travel Visas Newsletter Sign up for any or all of BootsnAll's newsletters. Why should you sign-up? Newsletter Sign-Up (enter your e-mail) Research It! Africa Asia Australia & NZ Europe Middle East Round-the-World North America Central America South America Caribbean Pacific Islands Antarctica BootsnAll Travel Blogs Travelers Toolkit Travel Bookstore Give and Take Become a BootsnAll member Travel message boards Ask an Insider Write for BootsnAll Code of Conduct Member travel blogs Search BootsnAll Home | Email BootsnAll | Become a Member | Top of page Travel Guides, Stories, Information, and Newsletters Africa Travel | Asia Travel | Pacific Travel | Europe Travel | North America Travel | Central America Travel | South America Travel | Middle East Travel Odds'n'Ends | Travel Book Reviews | Insiders | Travel Blogs | Travel Newsletters Around the World Travel Around the World Tickets | Around the World Travel Guide | Cheap International Plane Tickets | Around the World Travel Tips Airport Parking Reservations Philadelphia Airport Parking | Newark Airport Parking | Oakland Airport Parking | San Diego Airport Parking | Phoenix Airport Parking BootsnAll World Adventure Travel Tanzania Safari | Viet Nam Tours | Thailand Tour | China Tours | New Zealand Adventure | Australia Tours Youth Hostels Europe Hostels | New York Hostels | Paris Hostels | London Hostels | Amsterdam Hostels Eurail Eurail Passes | Britrail Passes | Eurail Travel | Eurail Tips Book Tickets, Hostels, Hotels and more anywhere in the world Search for Hotels | Traveler's Toolkit | Plane Tickets | Rent Cars | Search Youth Hostels | Travel Insurance | Learn Languages | Backpacker Tours | Cheap Tickets | Cruise and Vacation Packages | Cheap Hotels | Cheap Vacation Rentals | World Music Downloads | Travel Bookstore BootsnAll Travel Community websites, blogs and About the Company Press Kit | Advertise with us | Internships | TripPlanner Affiliate Partners | Link to Us | Join Us! | Privacy policy | BootBlog | Bali Travel | Australia Travel | BootsnAll TravelBlogs | Travel Writer's Resource | Travel Gear Blog | Eurail Blog | London Blog | BootsnAll Travel: Australia | UK and Europe Travel | Travel News Daily | World Travel Watch BootsnAll in Other Languages Chercher des Auberges De Jeunesse | Ricercare gli Ostelli di Gioventù | Busque para Albergues Juveniles de Juventud | Suchen Sie Jugendherbergen Suchen Sie Hotels --

European Vacation," was just

feature National Lampoon's European Vacation "NATIONAL LAMPOONS EUROPEAN VACATION Intro Oh, my goodness -- is this really the last night of Joe Bob's Summer School? Well, hack off my leg and call me Peggy. I'm Professor Joe Bob, and tonight's class is Recreational Geography 207, where we find out whether our first movie, "National Lampoon's European Vacation," was just a good excuse for the stars to go to Europe -- and we can DO that, because we have not only the producer, Matty Simmons, as one of our guest lecturers, but we have the world's most famous expert on travelling all over the world without paying anybody for anything, the one and only Robin Leach. He'll stay with us for this movie and maybe our second one, too, Dan Aykroyd and John Candy in "The Great Outdoors." Now. Speaking of vacations, I want you to remember the one cardinal rule of all professional vacation-goers. [writes on blackboard] "Do Not Structure Your Damn Time." Do you understand what I'm saying here? For example, I have this friend Larry who's as rich as a sitcom star, and so every year at this time he takes one of those European cruises where you drink champagne every night and listen to bad cabaret acts and occasionally get off the boat to look at some Madonnas or sit at a seaside cafe with red-checkered tablecloths where you can guzzle the local vino for thirty bucks a pop. And they have all kinds of "programs" and "seminars" and "athletic activities" on board, so you can learn how to be a real-estate agent or a professional shuffleboard coach or find out who Marcel Proust was. Now here's the interesting part. On his daily schedule of all the "programs" and "seminars" and "cultural activities," there's always a place marked "Free Time." Like there's time that costs money, and then there's FREE TIME. But, no, that can't be what it means, because it ALL costs money on a cruise, whether you CALL it free or not. So what they mean is, there's PRISON time and then there's FREE time. This is when the guy's ON VACATION! This is when he's in the one place in the world where ALL the time is supposed to be free! What's wrong here? When I was a kid, I'd go to these science fairs where they had "labor-saving inventions of the future," and we were all supposed to be working twenty-hour weeks by now. But what happened? We invented all these labor-saving devices, everything got faster, and we have two-thirds LESS "Free Time" than we had twenty years ago. You know why? Because of guys like Larry who CAN'T STAND IT. They go on vacation and they're faced with this endless stretch of "Free Time," and they start to go crazy with guilt and nervousness. There's some great Yuppie Devil God in their gut crying out, "You could have done SEVENTY HOURS of work in the time you spent hanging around the Parthenon and chucking rocks in the Aegean. Your life is MEANINGLESS." And so they have "Free Time." They work just as much as they do when they're back home -- they're getting an education, or they're becoming culturally enlightened, or they're IMPROVING themselves -- and then, after they've done that, they can just barely face that agonizing hour of "Free Time." They can suck down a couple martinis without guilt, though, because they've just read part of a book about Giotto. They can USE that Giotto someday. They'll be talking to that West Coast sales rep who's into European art, and they can just casually mention that magic word -- "Giotto" -- and pretty soon they'll be bosom buddies for life. But tonight we're gonna teach you how to vacation right, by watching "National Lampoon's European Vacation," the follow-up to the comedy classic "National Lampoon's Vacation." "European Vacation" picks up as the Griswalds accidentally win a gameshow and embark on their first trip overseas, where they run people over, trash national monuments and make a general nuisance of themselves. Check it out, and we'll have Robin Leach popping out here to join us. [fading] Robin's gonna be slumming. Instead of doing "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous," he'll be doing "Lifestyles of the Hard-Up and Obscure." "NATIONAL LAMPOONS EUROPEAN VACATION Commercial Break #1 See, isn't this movie helpful as a travel tool? When planning your European vacation, just beat Paul Bartel and his family on "Pig in the Poke"! You know what's NOT a good sign, though? FOUR dream sequences, and the movie's barely 20 minutes old. Okay, let's not dwell on that, because it's time to welcome our first guest-lecturer of the evening, world-traveler extraordinaire, a guy who has been every place via every mode of transportation. The one and only Robin Leach. LEACH: How're you doing? Welcome to Joe Bob's Summer School. And all right, so here we are. LEACH: Only two places in the world I haven't been to. Really. What are they? LEACH: I haven't been to Burma, which is now called Myanmar and I haven't been to Papua New Guinea, where in some parts there's still cannibalism practiced. Really? LEACH: I don't want to wind up . . . You won't go there even to sample the cuisine? (LAUGHTER) All right, so here we are watching a movie about a European vacation. I would suppose that you have taken a vacation in Europe so many times that, well, let me ask it this way. The Griswalds -- they just checked into this worst hotel in London. LEACH: The worst. The worst. Have you ever gone out to do like a journalistic piece as part of one of your shows and ended up in some roach-infested nightmare? LEACH: No. It never happens. LEACH: I tell you the only thing that was really surprising to me in all my travels was in Cuba, where I went into a bedroom and I was the only person in the bedroom. But there were eight single beds in the bedroom. I wondered who the other seven friends (LAUGHTER) were going to be for the night. And who showed up? LEACH: No, fortunately nobody. Not even cigar farmers. So that was all right. Or unfortunate. All right. Have you ever . . . LEACH:. . . And the bed I was given was the furthest from the phone. That I never understood. (LAUGHTER) What, you couldn't switch beds? That was against the rules? LEACH: No they wouldnt let me switch beds. Against the rules. Have you ever paid for anything Robin? (LAUGHTER) LEACH: Is that the traditional Joe Freeload question? (LAUGHTER) Of course we've paid as we've gone around the world. Weve done it at a travel agent discount but no, we pay. We have to -- that's the law. Oh, even at the hotels . . . LEACH: Yes. that you're featuring in a show. LEACH: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You have to pay. Favorite destination in Europe? LEACH: In Europe, again it would be Italy. Italy? LEACH: Just like the Griswalds wind up there, the most spectacular country is Italy. And so after all your travels, its still good ol' Italy -- probably one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. LEACH: Because they know how to live, those people. They have such a great lust for life. You know, they drink wine. They smoke cigars. They eat pasta. They don't care about anything other than . . . No smoking sections in a restaurant. (LAUGHTER) LEACH: No. None of that stuff. LEACH: This is the la bon vie, as they say in France. Of course most of our audience can only dream about places like that 'cause right now they're planning their trips to Six Flags over Bakersfield. (LAUGHTER) But you probably do those kinds of trips too. Ever do, like, low budget trips? Have you ever done that? LEACH: No. Never. (LAUGHTER) You've never been. LEACH: I dont, I dont . . . Youve probably never been to Six Flags have you? LEACH: Yes, in Dallas. You were there? Okay, the original Six Flags over Texas in Arlington. You went there? LEACH: Yes. How did you like it? LEACH: The roller coaster was great. And I went to the Six Flags in New Jersey with Bob Pittman, who used to run it, and on the Batman and Robin ride. What else would I go on? You've experienced it. But I doubt if you stayed at the Six Flags Inn across the street, did you? LEACH: No. And Motel Six is a strange name to me. (LAUGHTER) All right. Let's return to National Lampoons European Vacation and -- roll the film -- and then we'll talk some more at the next break. By the way, Robin. My eagle eye picked up Playboy Playmate of the Month for 1984 Tricia Lang as the game show hostess at the beginning of the movie. Now, did you ever do any Playmates on Lifestyles? That didn't come out right. Did you ever have any Playmates as Lifestyles guests? LEACH: I want you to try that even one more time. (LAUGHTER) No, but we did feature Hugh Heffner up at The Mansion, so a lot of the attractive, ah, decorations were hanging around. (LAUGHTER) So you went to the king? LEACH: Well, yeah, or the king came to the mountain. I don't know what that is but yeah, it was -- that's a palace. Palace of pleasure. Okay. I can imagine. (LAUGHTER) "NATIONAL LAMPOONS EUROPEAN VACATION Commercial Break #2 I don't mean any disrespect to the late Dana Hill, but she doesn't really seem right for this part. I think it would've worked better with that kinda laid-back prettiness of the original Audrey, Dana Barron. Hey, Robin, did I tell you I'm moving to El Lay? LEACH: No. You like El Lay don't you? LEACH: Yeah. It's one of your favorite places. Can you introduce me to some girls? LEACH: Ah, probably. Okay Robin. LEACH: You won't have a tough time handsome, tall, talented host. (LAUGHTER) Don't bet on that, Robin. Okay, let's get down to the nitty gritty all right? What are the best party towns in the world? Where can you go if you just really want to tear it up? LEACH: New York is the greatest party town in the world. Really? Right here in the USA. LEACH: Then the nightlife of Paris. Okay. Paris. That's a big one. LEACH: It used to be a great nightlife in Rome, but not so much any more since La Dolce Vita quieted down. Monte Carlo is also good during the summertime in San Tropez. And of course, in America, we have Las Vegas, which is the party city of the entire world. I need to start writing these down. Where can you go if you just want to tear it up and you don't want anybody in your immediate family to know what you did while you were there? LEACH: About four thousand miles away. Four thousand miles away . . . LEACH: Get four thousand away from the nearest family member. (LAUGHING) Yeah. And what, you findwhat city would that be? LEACH: It could be any city. You can have fun and games in any city of the world. Okay. But you know are there some that are kind of like special in, you know, special cities for like that dark, naughty side? LEACH: Paris. Paris is the best? LEACH: I would think so. Okay. LEACH: As you see in this movie when the Griswalds go off to the nightclub, they even find their own child in the Crazy Horse. Right. Well now, see, one reason I trust you, Robin -- even before you were world famous, I would have trusted you because you're English. And I trust the English guys on any kind of issue like this about nightlife, because, well But one thing I do, I make it a rule to never drink with English guys or at least try to drink as much as they drink. (LAUGHTER) Because now we -- now listen, hear me out. Wouldn't you agree, Robin, your countrymen do know how to put away cocktails? (LAUGHTER). And you will drink 37 different kinds of cocktails at dinner and sweet ones and everything and then at two in the morning somebody'll say, But we haven't had an after-dinner liqueur yet! The English like many many, many different kinds. Would you say this is true? LEACH: I would say that's true. Okay. (LAUGHTER) Well, all right, all right. Well keep working on that party list as we return to National Lampoon's European Vacation. Roll it. You know, the trouble with going to those kinds of places is that you can't remember 'em when you get home 'cause somebody told me that. . . LEACH:. . . they don't wish to remember them. Well maybe that's good 'cause . . . ROBIN:. . . explains why there is heavy drinking. I know, I know, 'cause somebody told me one time that they spent three days with me at Mardi Gras in 1985. I don't even remember even going there. (LAUGHTER) LEACH: We've forgot New Orleans. Yeah. Oh. LEACH: The greatest of them all. That's on the list. And it's naughty isn't it? LEACH: I don't how you define that. Oh, ho. Come on, okay? LEACH: There's no such thing as naughty. Oh, okay then I do understand you. (LAUGHTER) The whole list was naughty. "NATIONAL LAMPOONS EUROPEAN VACATION Commercial Break #3 And Chevy Chase takes his famous pratfalls to the extreme and knocks down Stonehenge. Ha ha ha. Lot of the gags in this movie don't really work, do they? LEACH: No, it was the model that didn't work in the movie. That's true. It was kind of cheesy wasn't it? LEACH: Did you notice that as well? Yes, I. . . LEACH: That's a lot of damage for a small English car to do that hardly backed up in reverse. Yes. Okay, Robin, now we're in Paris. First thing . . . LEACH:. . . ooo la la . . . Yes, we were just talking about Paris. Now, first thing that comes to your mind well, first of all, best hotel in Paris? LEACH: Oh, the Ritz. Best restaurant in Paris? LEACH: Um, boy. Well, Taurus would say Maxims, but it would be the new Alain Ducasse restaurant in Paris. Alain Ducasse. Alain Ducasse. Okay. Best place to see naked French girls? LEACH: Ah I would say, go to the Crazy Horse. Really? Still, after all these years . . . LEACH: They change the show every three months so . . . Okay. LEACH: They change the girls every three years. All right. I want to talk about Thailand. LEACH: My favorite country in all the world. Really? LEACH: Yeah. I love Thailand. Is Thailand really all its cracked up to be? You hear so many people . . . LEACH: Nicest people in the world. Yeah. LEACH: The most incredible food. Yeah. LEACH: Wonderful countryside. Wonderful Asian culture. How much does it cost? LEACH: You can get there quite inexpensively. Yeah. LEACH: Depends how you want to do it. If you want to go on a private, you know, G-5, it'll cost a lot of money. But if you want to go as baggage on a boat, it'll cost very little. Yeah (LAUGHTER) but you would never go as baggage on a boat, I mean LEACH: . . . I've only heard about doing those things. (LAUGHTER) The typical trip for you, though, I mean what would it cost for a week? Bangkok? LEACH: It makes a hard man humble. You could do Bangkok on a very, you know, on a grandiose scale of under five thousand for a week. And what does that include? Hotel? Meals? LEACH: Yeah. Everything. LEACH: Not the . . . . . . Okay. LEACH: Not the air transportation. Then Bangkok you could also do much more inexpensively because they have very, very small hotels. And then, of course, if you wanted to go to any of special places that Bangkok is somewhat known for (LAUGHTER). Well that's kind of what I was gettin' at. LEACH: You were getting to the Thai massage. Uh huh. LEACH: Was that what you were getting to? Uh huh. Yeah. LEACH: The two or three girls on a rubber raft. Yeah. LEACH: And the swimming pool? Yeah. I go with that. (LAUGHTER) You can actually stay overnight there. LEACH: I'm told its quite reasonable . . . I would assume. (LAUGHTER) Well, and you could probably stay overnight at those places. LEACH: You can stay for as long as you wish. Oh, so like you just spend seven days there -- you don't even need a hotel room. (LAUGHTER) LEACH: That's one way to look at it. (LAUGHTER) All right. I'm gonna need your home phone number, Robin (LAUGHTER), after this is over. Okay. That was an awfully short segment, so let's get back to the movie. You ever need somebody to do, like, script continuity on your crew or something? LEACH: Are you offering? Location scout. I'll be your (LAUGHTER) location scout. Yes, Im offering. LEACH: You're too tall to go to some of the places we go to. Too tall. LEACH: Yes. Too tall to go to Bangkok? LEACH: No. Not too tall to go there, but there are other places where only the short make it. Really? (LAUGHTER) I don't even want to think about what you're talking about. LEACH: I don't want you to think about what I'm talking about. (LAUGHTER) "NATIONAL LAMPOONS EUROPEAN VACATION Commercial Break #4 Well, that's a first. TNT is famous for holes in the dialogue where the cuss words should go, but I've never seen em bleep the subtitles before. And that scene where the dog jumps off the Eiffel Tower --that's obviously a reference back to the scene in the ORIGINAL "National Lampoon's Vacation" where they forget the dog is tied to the back of the station wagon and they kill the little guy. So this time you THINK the dog is gonna die, but then they go out of their way to show the dog swimming to safety in the river. I mean, why is everything so much SOFTER in this movie? Yeah, it's really not very good, and it was written by John Hughes, the guy who did "Breakfast Club" and all those famous movies in the eighties. "NATIONAL LAMPOONS EUROPEAN VACATION Commercial Break #5 So we KNOW that Audrey misses Jack. We got that. But you probly DON'T know that the guy who just played Fritz, the Bavarian relative, is the German comedy legend "Willy Millowitsch." And you know what cut-ups the Germans are. "Nehmen Sie meine Frau, bitte!" [Naymen-Zee miyna frow, bitta] You know what that means? "Take my wife, please." See, wasn't funny. Anyhow, it's getting crowded here at "Joe Bob's Summer School," we've got so many experts hanging out with us. Robin Leach, the world's most experienced tourist and traveller and . . . could I call you a libertine? AND Matty Simmons, producer of the National Lampoon movies, who for many years published and edited the funniest magazine in American history. Brian McConnachie--funny writer. That sequence where they rush through the Louvre. And then, of course, drinking out of the bedpan --that's always GREAT for laughs. You know what's different about this movie, Matty? There's no goal. In the first one, they had to get to Wally World, but in this one, they're just kinda . . . travelling. I'm sure Robin would agree with me. It's two against one. Did you tell John Hughes his script sucked for that reason? Okay, let's get back to the brilliantly conceived, but less than brilliantly executed, neverthless financially successful, "National Lampoon's European Vacation." Roll it. "NATIONAL LAMPOONS EUROPEAN VACATION Commercial Break #6 Okay, Matty, what's with the extended SHOPPING MONTAGE? The movie's almost OVER. And you're starting a Mafia subplot. What do you have to say for yourself? You know I'm moving to El Lay next week, Matty? I might be able to get you hooked up. As you may know, all our guest-lecturers get a book as a parting gift. We got you this one: it's called "Matador." I figured you could maybe make "National Lampoon's Spanish Vacation." Okay, we're gonna watch the conclusion to "National Lampoon's European Vacation," where we're finally gonna get some plot, believe it or not. So, roll it, and then we'll come back and talk some more to Robin Leach. [fading] Do you think of Chevy Chase as living out YOU on the screen, Matty? "NATIONAL LAMPOONS EUROPEAN VACATION Outro We just had the entire plot of the movie in the last ten minutes, didn't we? Accompanied by a little late-movie cameo by Moon Unit Zappa as Rusty's girlfriend. I should point out that there was some in-fighting of how they were gonna end that flick. Chevy Chase wanted it to be him sitting in front of the fireplace saying, "It's good to be home." But Matty Simmons pointed out that they were making a COMEDY, and then HE came up with what I think is a pretty funny ending, which is that they're all relieved to be home, and a guy with a camera crew knocks on the door, saying, "You've just won a trip to the Great Wall of China!" And Chevy's really happy, and he turns to the rest of the family, and they're all glaring at him, so he says meekly to the guy, "What's second prize?" But Chevy Chase was so p.o.ed at Matty that he'd ix-nayed HIS idea, that Chevy then ix-nayed Matty's idea, and they had to go with Amy Heckerling, the director's idea, which was the Statue of Liberty thing we just saw. And what do you expect from the director of "Look Who's Talking Too," the only flick we've ever given ZERO stars? © 2000 Turner Network Television. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved. Legal/Privacy Notice about this site. Return to the Archive

travel insurance at excellentrates

Travel Insurance - Car Insurance - Computer Insurance - PrivateMedical Insurance - cheap worldwide holiday travel insurance at excellentrates Cheap travel insurance for worldwide holidays: AnnualMulti-trip Travel Insurance; Single Trip Travel Insurance; Ski & Snowboard;Longstay for Backpackers; International; SLI-LDW. PLUS Car Breakdown insurance;Computer insurance; PMI. Buy insurance online. 0870 112 8100 TravelInsurance | CarBreakdown Insurance | ComputerInsurance | PrivateMedical Insurance | CarHire | TravelAccessories Contact us atWorldwide | Your Privacy | AssociateScheme | Travel Advice and usefulLinks | Travel InsuranceGuidelines Travel Insurance for UKresidents AnnualMulti-trip Travel Insurance Travel world-wideas often as you want for just one payment. Cover for business tripsavailable. SingleTrip Travel Insurance Holiday travelinsurance for the occasional traveller - ideal for short trips of 1 - 94days. Ski& Snowboard Travel Insurance Travelinsurance for skiers and snowboarders, including off-piste, heli-skiing,parapenting etc. Longstay Travel Insurance TravelInsurance from 3-18 months for long-haul travellers, backpackers. Coversworking overseas. Alreadytravelling? - click here TravelInsurance for E.U residents Travel Insurance for E.U residents Annual , Single , Ski or Longstay options - FOR E.U RESIDENTS, priced in €. TravelInsurance for World residents International Travel Insurance Travel insurance for non-UK residents. : only available to UKresidents. PrivateMedical Insurance UK plans: two options to choosefrom Euro plan: cover for EEAresidents Worldwide plan: for non-UK / EEAresidents CarBreakdown Insurance UK cover European travel cover OR UK cover AND European travel cover Computer,MP3 & Mobile Insurance PC/Laptop or Palmtop Insurance Cover 24hrs a day - whether at home or whilst travelling. Only available to UKresidents. Mobile Phone Insurance iPod/MP3 Insurance CarHire Worldwide Car Hire - over 3,000locations including Spain, USA, France, Italy, Germany, Greece, Canadaetc USA CarHire SLI/LDW Insurance FOR FLY-DRIVEHOLIDAYS. Increase hire-car 3rd party insurance to $1M in USA or Canada.Plus LDW with NO EXCESSES TravelAccessories Essential items for your travels A wide range of travel accessories - ideal for holidays in theUK or overseas. Plus may items for MosquitoProtection FCO partner of the 'Know before yougo' scheme. Sitesecurity: Worldwide Travel Insurance is authorised andregulated by the Financial Services Authority. TravelInsurance | CarBreakdown Insurance | ComputerInsurance | PrivateMedical Insurance | CarHire | TravelAccessories Contact us atWorldwide | Your Privacy | AssociateScheme | Travel Advice and usefulLinks | Travel InsuranceGuidelines Available on worldwide insure : Travel Insurance policies for UK residents: Annual Multi-trip TravelInsurance | SingleTrip Travel Insurance | Longstay TravelInsurance | Longstay Overseas TravelInsurance | Wintersports TravelInsurance USA CarHire Insurance | Plus other insurance products for UK residents: Computer Insurance | LaptopInsurance | Mobile PhoneInsurance | iPod/MP3 Insurance| European Car BreakdownInsurance UK Car BreakdownInsurance | Travel Insurance policies for EU residents: E.U Annual Multi-tripTravel Insurance | E.U Single Trip TravelInsurance | E.ULongstay Travel Insurance | E.U Wintersports TravelInsurance USA CarHire Insurance | Travel Insurance policies for World residents: International TravelInsurance

london vacation rentals, rome

Vacation rentals by owner, apartment for rent by owner, vacation rentals by owner, apartment for rent by owner, amsterdam apartments, amsterdam vacation rentals, paris apartments, paris vacation rentals, london apartments, london vacation rentals, rome apartments, rome vacation rentals, barcelona vacation rentals, barcelona apartments, cyprus villas, cyprus apartments, vancouver vacation rentals, vancouver apartments, destin fl vacation rentals, destin apartments, buenos aires apartments, prague apartments, prague vacation rentals Menu English Deutsch Magyar Italiano Holland Untitled Document Welcome to our accommodation / lodging site! Our homepage contains vacation rentals / vacation home / bed and breakfast inns, apartment, condos, rooms for rent, last minute and special vacation offers all over the world from Italy, Germany, Bulgaria, Spain, Hungary, Greece, UK, USA, Florida, Hawaii, Canada, Kenya, Egypt, Thailand etc. Family vacations, cheap travel, holidays... For accomodation - owners Take the opportunity to try our 2-month-test period for free. Free vacation rental listing offer Click for more... Country search Europe Austria Belgium Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark England Estonia France Greece Holland Hungary Iceland Ireland Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg The Netherlands Northern Ireland Romania Russia Scotland Serbia and Montenegro Slovenia Slovakia Spain Sweden Switzerland Poland Portugal Turkey USA states Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Americas Asia Argentina Bahamas Belize Bermuda Brazil British Virgin Islands Canada Cayman Islands Chile Costa Rica Cuba Dominican Republic Ecuador Jamaica Mexico Netherland Antilles Nicaragua Panama Peru Puerto Rico St. Lucia St. Martin St. Vincent and the Grenadines Trindad and Tobago Turks and Caicos USA U.S. Virgin Islands Venezuela India Indonesia Israel Malaysia Nepal Sri Lanka Thailand United Arab Emirates Africa Australia and South Pacific Egypt Kenya Mauritius Morocco Senegal South Africa Tunisia Australia Cook Islands Fiji Islands Micronesia New Zealand Top offers Siofok, Lake Balaton, Hungary New vacation apartments with pool, air-conditioning only 50m away from Lake Balaton... apartments in Hungary... Apartment in Rome Elegant Rome apartment located in area Spanish Steps, Rome, Italy apartment in Rome - Limassol, Cyprus Family villa, holiday home in a quiet village nestled in a valley in Limassol, Cyprus Apartment in Cyprus Luxor, Egypt New opening holiday Luxor villa in Egypt on the bank of the river Nile in Luxor, Egypt villa in Luxor, Egypt... Sorrento Penisula, Vico Equense Amazing Apartment in Vico Equense on the Sorrento Coast About the Sorrento apartment Tortola, British Virgin Islands 2 magnificent Tortola villas with panoramic ocean -views in Tortola, British Virgin Islands Tortola villas Top destinations London Paris Rome Varna Barcelona Costa Blanca Siofok Tallinn Athens Bruges Prague Amsterdam New listings Rome apartment Amalfi coast apartment, Italy Athens Hotel Emmantina New Delhi apartment Barcelona apartment Czech Republic vacation home Tallinn apartment Estonia Dubai villa for rent with pool Luxury villa in Orlando, Florida Last minute offers Click button to view last minute offers Link Exchange Click here to add your link to our directory Another link directory Link Directory 2 Link directory 3 Link directory 4 Link directory 5 Link directory 6 Amsterdam, The Netherlands Nice, France London, England Apartment Rentals Amsterdam Apartment for rent in Amsterdam Nice villa rental is situated in Nice, on the French Riviera. Nice villa rental London bed and breakfast - Barry hotel in Central London About the small hotel London Patong Beach, Phuket, Thailand Paris, France Prague, Czech Republic Blue Sky Hotel on Patong Beach resort, Phuket, Thailand about the hotel Paris apartment - The magical of Paris is HERE in the historic heart nearby the Seine Apartement Paris Comfortable vacation apartment Prague three tram stops from Charles Bridge in Prague Vacation apartment Prague Link partners Sitemap Subdomains Holiday home in Siofok Siofok, Lake Balaton, Hungary Neues Appartement Ferienhaus Pter Plattensee Ferienhaus, Ferienwohnungen, Appartement Casa vacanza, affitto Lago Balaton Ungheria Vacation rentals, holiday homes worldwide Zürich Reinigung Bed & Breakfast Inns Web statistics Untitled Document Top cities and destinations: Europe Paris | Paris apartments | Paris accommodation | Paris vacation rentals | Amsterdam | Amsterdam apartments | Amsterdam apartment rental | Amsterdam vacation rentals | Prague | Prague apartments | Prague accommodation | Rome | Rome apartments | Rome hotels | Rome villa | Siofok | Ferienhaus Siofok | Ferienhaus Siofok Pool | Siofok Ferienhaus Pool | Siofok Ferienhäuser | Oregon | Oregon vacation rentals | Tallinn | Tallinn accommodation | Tallinn apartments | Tallinn hotels | Beaver Creek | Beaver Creek lodge | Beaver Creek lodging | Beaver Creek rentals | Beaver Creek condos | Riga | Riga hotels | Riga accommodation | Riga apartments | Riga hostels | Riga accomodation | Austria | Austria ski chalets | Austria bed and breakfast | Austria chalets | Salzburg accommodation | Salzburg bed and breakfast | Salzburg hotels | Salzburg pension | Berlin hotels | Berlin Wohnung | Berlin Ferienwohnungen | Berlin Übernachtung | Berlin Ferienhaus | Berlin Appartement | Lisbon | Lisbon accommodation | Lisbon hotels | Lisbon accomodation | Lisbon apartments | Lisbon bed and breakfast | Crans Montana, Switzerland | Crans Montana, Switzerland | Crans Montana hotels | Crans Montana apartments | Crans Montana chalets | Amalfi Coast | Amalfi Coast villas | Amalfi Coast villa rentals | Amalfi Coast accommodation | Amalfi Coast apartments | Amalfi Coast vacation rentals | Schweiz | Schweiz hotels | Schweiz Ferienwohnungen | Schweiz Skihütte | Schweiz Ferienhaus | Schweiz Pension | Schweiz Appartement | Saas Fee | Saas Fee Hotel | Saas Fee Ferienwohnungen Asia Malaysia | Malaysia hotels | Malaysia villas | Malaysia accommodation | Malaysia apartments | Langkawi | Langkawi hotels | Langkawi villas | Langkawi holiday villas | Langkawi accommodation | Langkawi apartments | America Beaver Creek | Beaver Creek lodge | Beaver Creek lodging | Beaver Creek rentals | Beaver Creek condos | Belize | Belize hotels | Belize accommodation | Belize vacation rentals | Belize villas | Belize apartments Australia Africa Hungarian accommodation - Magyar szállás - szállások Debrecen | Debrecen apartman | Debrecen apartmanok | Debrecen hotel | Debrecen szoba | Esztergom | Esztergom szoba | Esztergom apartman | Esztergom apartmanok | Esztergom hotel | Sopron | Sopron apartman | Sopron apartmanok | Sopron szoba | Sopron hotel | Zalakaros | Zalakaros apartmanok | Zalakaros hotel | Zalakaros szoba Partners Siofokcity.com | Plattensee Ferienhaus, Ferienwohnung | Holiday next to Lake Balaton | Vacation rentals worldwide | Gyümölcsfa - faiskola | Holiday home in Siofok | Case Vacanze nel Lago Balaton, Ungheria amsterdam apartments, amsterdam vacation rentals, paris apartments, paris vacation rentals, london apartments, london vacation rentals, rome apartments, rome vacation rentals, barcelona vacation rentals, barcelona apartments, cyprus villas, cyprus apartments, vancouver vacation rentals, vancouver apartments, destin fl vacation rentals, destin apartments, buenos aires apartments, prague apartments, prague vacation rentals

Mexico Travel Savings Holiday

Mexico Travel Guide - The News Mexico mexico travel guide Situated in the southwestern part of mainland North America and roughlytriangular in shape, Mexico stretches more than 3000 km (1,850 miles) fromnorthwest to southeast. Its width is varied, from more than 2000 km (1,200miles) in the north and less than 220 km (135 miles) at the Isthmus ofTehuantepec in the south. Mexico borders two major bodies of water, thePacific Ocean (with the Gulf of California between the mainland and theBaja California peninsula) to the west and on the east the Gulf of Mexicoand the Caribbean Sea that lead to the Atlantic Ocean. Here are foundcoastal plains, whereas central Mexico consists of high plateaus andrugged mountains, including volcanoes, the highest of which is thePico de Orizaba at 5 610 m. The terrain and climate vary from rocky deserts in the north totropical rain forest in the south. Mexico's major rivers include theRo Bravo del Norte (Rio Grande) and the Ro Usumacinta on its northernand southern borders, respectively, together with the Ro Grijalva, theRo Balsas, the Ro Pnuco, and the Ro Yaqui in the interior. $page topical links link 1 link 2 link 3 Favorite Mexico Vacations Acapulco Cancun CaboSan Lucas Cozumel Guadalajara Ixtapa Mazatlan MexicoCity Monterrey Playa del Carmen PuertoVallarta San Miguel de Allende Mexico Newsletter subscribe to the newsletter States of Mexico Aguascalientes BajaCalifornia BajaCalifornia Sur Campeche Chiapas Chihuahua Coahuila Colima DistritoFederal Durango Guanajuato Guerrero Hidalgo Jalisco Estado deMexico Michoacan Morelos Nayarit NuevoLeon Oaxaca Puebla Queretaro QuintanaRoo SanLuis Potosi Sinaloa Sonora Tabasco Tamaulipas Tlaxcala Veracruz Yucatan Zacatecas Search Now: Mexico Travel Savings Holiday Inn Hotels in Mexico Cheap Tickets To Mexico Travel Book Reviews Mexico Forum Discussion Forum Link Partners link 1 link 2 link 3 history ofmexico | food anddrink | mexican culture | arts of mexico | handicrafts of mexico | learnspanish travel tips | maps of mexico | pictures of mexico | about the mexico travelguide | mexico travel books | forum newsletter | advertise | sitemap © 2005 TheNewsMexico.com's Mexico Travel Guide