tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83385500802862911772024-03-13T23:32:45.394-07:00My ThoughtsLenny Kharitonovhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12673219088583135066noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8338550080286291177.post-48052727984910607052012-09-01T17:42:00.000-07:002012-09-01T17:43:57.447-07:00What I learned about Singapore this week<br />
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Number one lesson is that in order to own a car you have to
pay USD$65-$80,000 for a certificate of entitlement that is valid for 10
years. Yes, $80,000 just to have the
right to own a car. Then after taxes and
import duties you can be paying USD$500,000 for a Porsche 911 or USD$300-400,000 for
a BMW 5 series.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Chobani yogurt that I bought on sale last week at my local
supermarket for 99 cents is about USD$8-$10 in Singapore.<o:p></o:p></div>
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A <u>small</u> corporate apartment can cost USD$10-$12,000/month.<o:p></o:p></div>
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If you are thinking about working abroad for a higher paying
salary, also consider the cost of living or make sure to get the expat package.<o:p></o:p></div>
Lenny Kharitonovhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12673219088583135066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8338550080286291177.post-56277675980877133542012-02-24T15:15:00.000-08:002012-07-29T15:19:38.790-07:00Dubai has arrived!<br />
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First time that I am in Dubai in the last 5 years and what
an experience. The world’s tallest
building is here – the iconic Burj Khalifa - <a href="http://www.burjkhalifa.ae/">http://www.burjkhalifa.ae/</a>at 2717 feet,
which naturally features the world’s highest restaurant, at.mospehere - <a href="http://www.atmosphereburjkhalifa.com/">http://www.atmosphereburjkhalifa.com/</a>. At the base of Burj Khalifa is a lake with a
dancing fountain that puts on a different show every 30 minutes (think Vegas
but grander). Next is Dubai Mall - <a href="http://www.thedubaimall.com/en">http://www.thedubaimall.com/en</a> which
is full with luxury brands and features a 50 foot high aquarium, indoor
waterfall, along with an ice skating rink.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The restaurants, much more so than before, feature cuisine
from every part of the world and many feature world famous chefs. Just like back home in NYC many restaurants
double as lounges and night clubs with world class DJ’s, popular music, and a
very hip crowd that dances on tables and consumes Grey Goose by the
bottle. Leaving People, a trendy night
club, we noticed that many of the cars waiting outside were Ferraris, Bentleys,
Rolls Royces, Porsches, and even a few Range Rovers.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There is also a shiny Atlantis - <a href="http://www.atlantisthepalm.com/">http://www.atlantisthepalm.com/</a> outlet,
the popular beach resort from Bahamas, with many restaurants, aquariums, and
tourists. The hotel is on Palm Island,
which is manmade group of islands in the shape of a palm tree.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The train system is brand new and very clean. Streets are very safe and you can walk
anywhere at night. Service everywhere is excellent.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Nearby government of Abu Dhabi had built a hotel, Emirates
Palace - <a href="http://www.kempinski.com/en/abudhabi/emirates-palace/welcome/">http://www.kempinski.com/en/abudhabi/emirates-palace/welcome/</a>,
which cost USD$3 billion and only has 400 rooms. Many of the rooms are specifically reserved
for Emirati royalty and their guests, who are usually heads of state and
celebrities.<o:p></o:p></div>Lenny Kharitonovhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12673219088583135066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8338550080286291177.post-67380311747153804482012-01-28T06:31:00.000-08:002012-06-12T06:35:00.499-07:00A note on sailing in the Caribbean<br />
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Finally, an old dream to charter a private boat and island
hop is achieved. Probably for the last
10 years I have been dreaming about renting a large boat and going from one
island to another with a group of friends.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Recently, 40 of us rented 5 large catamarans and cruised
around Leeward islands in the Caribbean and celebrated our recent graduation. We started from St Martin, then on to St
Barth’s, Pinel Island, and finally Anguilla.
Most favorite island was Anguilla with its 35 beaches, where we found
ourselves alone on a perfect beach stretching for at least a mile. Most fun was St Barth’s where we danced on
tables at Bagatelle until we could not stand.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The actual sailing part was a bit overwhelming, although a
seasoned boater, I felt slightly nauseous and almost got sick from strong waves
and the rocking of the boat. Some in the
group ended up throwing up overboard, but those who took motion sickness pills
felt fine. At first, I thought it was
rough weather or bad season for boating but apparently these are just normal
waves in this part of the world. Note to
self: go sailing only in calm water<o:p></o:p></div>
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The unique part is going to secluded beaches only accessible
by boat and unspoiled by millions of tourists.
Moving around from one island to another and sleeping on a boat is also
pretty cool. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Watching from the sideline it feels like this holiday is
only for the rich and famous but it is very affordable. The cost to rent a 40 foot catamaran was a
little bit more than $1k/pp/week and included the skipper. However, the caveat is that sleeping
conditions are not very comfortable and bathroom/shower space is very small.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Of course the bigger the yacht the better the <o:p></o:p>accommodations:) </div>Lenny Kharitonovhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12673219088583135066noreply@blogger.com0Anguilla18.220554 -63.06861517.737921 -63.700329 18.703187 -62.436901tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8338550080286291177.post-11253765803778582382011-12-25T21:23:00.000-08:002011-12-25T21:30:04.825-08:00South Africa, China, and Korea<div>This is a long overdue entry and covers several trips. First is a trip to South Africa and later a short trip to China and Korea.</div><div><br /></div><div>We left for Johannesburg on a direct flight from NYC via South African Airways (SAA). Although the flight was excellent there was a 20hr delay before takeoff. As I made the booking only a few days before departure I was not able to select my seat for all the flights but 73D or exit row seats are the economy class seats on SAA that are most desirable according to www.seatguru.com and verified by me because there are no seats in front of them.</div><div><br /></div><div>Johannesburg like many others is a city of contrasts. We started a city tour by visiting the Houghton neighborhood, which has many beautiful villas hidden behind tall stone fences adorned with electrical security wire at the top. Most of the signs in the neighborhood advertised pool and tennis court repair, which gave us an idea of the demographic and its needs. Just a little while later we visited Hillsborough, where we were scared to get out of the car. Later on we visited the Apartheid museum and were reminded about how recent were the atrocities took place in South Africa.</div><div><br /></div><div>Next stop is Cape Town, which is the ultimate tourist destination in South Africa with great sightseeing and great entertainment. We stayed at www.africanpridehotels.com/crystal-towers-hotel-spa.html which is in Century City and 10 minutes away from downtown but the huge discount more than compensated for the taxi back and forth. We took the cable car to the top of Table Mountain and also visited Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point. Everything is very scenic and restaurants are top notch. Not too far away is beautiful wine country with many enormous vineyards and restaurants with some of the best chefs in the world - http://www.stellenboschtourism.co.za/. One restaurant that we really enjoyed here is Le Quartier Francais in Franschhoek - http://www.lqf.co.za/cuisine.htm. It is currently rated #36 in the world and #1 in Africa and the Middle East and the food stands up to the test.</div><div><br /></div><div>A very special place is Salt Restaurant - http://www.newmarkhotels.com/restaurants/salt-restaurant/, where Sara and I decided to celebrate our birthdays. We were there with our families and my classmates from the Global EMBA program. Special occasion is not only our 30th birthdays but also our engagement. I got down on one knee and after 10 years asked Sara to be my wife to which she agreed.</div><div><br /></div><div>We went on to rent a car and drive to Kruger National Park for a relaxing safari. It should be noted that the driving is done on “other side” of the road in South Africa. It took about 6 or so hours to get to the park from Johannesburg and we had to enter through one of the official gates. We stayed inside the park for about a week an alternated between different camping sites. Camping sites have different accommodation from tents to townhouses and are much less expensive than if you were to stay outside of the park in a lodge. For comparison we paid about $100/night for a room and did our own sightseeing in our rented car while a comparable organized tour with accommodations in a lodge outside of the park would cost $1,000+/night and would require a long time to get inside the park everyday as the park speed limit is very low. All information is available on the official park website - http://sanparks.com/ and all tours should be booked directly with the park.</div><div><br /></div><div>Everyone embarks on an African safari to see the big 5 animals, which are Leopard, Lion, Elephant, Rhino, and Buffalo. The big 5 are not categorized based on size but on aggressiveness. Different parts of the park are populated with different animals so I recommend that you visit different parts to see more animals. The best time to see animals is in the morning when they come to drink water so be ready to wake up at 4am. One night drive is also recommended just to get an idea of what’s it’s like. These can only be done by official park rangers and need to be booked at the campsite.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>China and Korea</div><div><br /></div><div>I was in Beijing as part of my school required international assignment. This was not my first time but Beijing has changed tremendously and I felt that it deserved a note.</div><div><br /></div><div>The number of cars has doubled in the last few years and what used to be a Chinese dream is now a nightmare as there is chronic traffic almost everywhere in Beijing and simple drive just a few miles away can easily take an hour.</div><div><br /></div><div>Apartments in Beijing, and many other large cities in China, are more expensive than in NYC. There are actually advertisements that say if you have $250,000 to spend for an apartment come to the US to buy 5 homes, if you have $500,000 learn about how to get official residency in the USA.</div><div><br /></div><div>We stayed at the Grand Hyatt - http://beijing.grand.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp?null, which has an amazing pool and Jacuzzi and a super convenient location near Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City. We visited the wall and the other attractions, including 798 Art Zone, which is an artistic community among decommissioned military factory buildings often compared to Soho in NYC.</div><div><br /></div><div>After China we took a short trip to South Korea, where we spent one night and had just enough time to try Korean BBQ, which is awesome and much less expensive in Korea than it is in NYC. Something that stood out was that a lot more people knew English in Korea than in China, which for some reason was a surprise to me.</div><div><br /></div>Lenny Kharitonovhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12673219088583135066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8338550080286291177.post-90855180702834490522011-08-04T03:30:00.000-07:002011-08-05T00:57:13.298-07:00Singapore/Malaysia/Indonesia/Thailand 2011 - The EndThailand met expectations - beautiful and affordable. We arrived ahead of our group to stay at the Beach Republic – <a href="http://www.beachrepublic.com/">http://www.beachrepublic.com/</a> ($120/night). As a group we rented one villa and a bunch of rooms which was the perfect arrangement for us as we used the villa to get together around the private pool and pre-game before going out for the night.<br /><br />The resort markets itself as the destination for the jet set crowd that likes to party but it was mostly deserted even during high season. We felt like we had the hotel all to ourselves which suited us just fine. It had 2 amazing infinity pools, several day beds, and many beach chairs with a live DJ for most of the time.<br /><br />We spent most days just enjoying the sun by the pool and drinking strawberry mojitos. One day we decided to rent scooters ($5-$6/day) and take them to a zip line adventure ($50/person) which was very exciting, especially for those who have never done zip lining before or never rode a scooter.<br /><br />One of the most memorable days was spent on a large catamaran that we rented from Kia Ora – <a href="http://www.kiaorathailand.com/">http://www.kiaorathailand.com/</a> ($100/person for private charter). We spent the day on the water with lots of dancing, drinking, eating, diving, and swimming while visiting remote beaches.<br /><br />As most of the group went home mid-week those who remained visited Nikki Beach – <a href="http://www.nikkibeach.com/">http://www.nikkibeach.com/</a> (free). Nikki was similar to the Beach Republic with nicer beach and not as nice accommodations. We had such a good time that we contemplated organizing a Global regatta to visit all the Nikki Beach locations around the world.<br /><br />As a note the whole group was introduced to 2 girls 1 cup - <a href="http://www.2girls1cup.ws/">http://www.2girls1cup.ws/</a> (priceless), an epic film that shows what’s really possible.<br /><br />Now in Bangkok as a stop before going back home to NYC - staying at the Banyan Tree – <a href="http://www.banyantree.com/">http://www.banyantree.com/</a> ($165/night) for the 2nd time but at a higher price than 3 years ago.<br /><br />As per Bertrand's recommendation just ate at Miyatake (Tokyu Supermarket, MBK, Bangkok) - amazing tuna toro and other Japanese dishes. A very plain sushi counter at a supermarket with quality and prices to rival Tokyo. We were about to give up looking for it when finally figured out where it was. I wish I took a video of our journey there through the massive electronics floor.Lenny Kharitonovhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12673219088583135066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8338550080286291177.post-30587104811869526512010-03-10T20:21:00.000-08:002010-03-10T21:23:29.856-08:00South America 2010 - The EndUpon arrival to Guayaquil, Ecuador we went straight to the check-in counter to check on the status of our flight to Santiago, Chile. After a few short hours it was clear that Chile and Easter Island were off the table. LAN, the airline was willing to send us to another destination but because of the crisis pretty much the whole continent was sold out....we considered an option of going to Buenos Aires and or Rio but it was too complicated since we would have to take 3 flights to get there and would add significantly to the cost. So we booked tickets to go to New York the next day on Aerogal in first class, which was the cheapest option available on short notice.<br /><br /><br /><br />In the meantime we decided to explore Guayaquil with the guidance of John, our classmate from Pace, who permanently lives there. We checked into a hotel and then we were off to see the city. The city is modern and much larger and more developed than Quito. We saw many western franchises and tall office buildings. Afterwards, we went to a very nice steak house and had lots of Sangria. Again, the city seemed safe but there were many warnings to be careful. Armed robbery seems to be a popular crime....John is sending his car out to get bulletproofed as many robberies happen at intersections while waiting for the light to turn green. Overall, we had an awesome time and even decided to try and change our flight home for a day later so we can see the beach.<br /><br /><br /><br />The next morning after checking out we went to the airport and changed our flight without any issues or penalties and we were on our way to Montanita, a remote beach town. The ride was very peaceful since we went on a workday with only interruption coming from tens of street peddlers at the toll booth....I wish we had a camera to take a picture...just imagine pulling up to a toll booth on a bridge and as you are paying the toll three people run up to your car and try to sell you candy, water, or a puppy...yes puppy. Montanita is a true experience. Although, only about 120 miles from Guayaquil, it feels like you are on different planet. Single rooms start at about $4 per night and the small, three block town is full of hippies and surfers. In a strange way it reminds of Rio where I met travelers who liked it so much they simply didn't leave but unlike the students who I met in Rio, these nomads have dread-locks, make a living by making and selling crafts, and also openly smoke and sell pot. It was nice to be in a remote place that does not often receive visitors from the USA. After spending the night we were off to the airport to fly home into the cold weather.<br /><br />Thank you for traveling with me!!!Lenny Kharitonovhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12673219088583135066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8338550080286291177.post-84011625835860269852010-02-22T10:46:00.000-08:002010-02-28T18:33:54.097-08:00South America 2010 - Day 9I am off to a new trip...this promises to be a true adventure as I shift to more and more remote destinations in my travels. I am starting in Columbia, then off to Ecuador, where I will visit the Galapagos islands, followed by Chile and Easter Island, the most remote inhabited island in the world. Additionally, I will have a new type of a travel companion, my girlfriend Sara, which will probably help me to explore a more luxurious side of travel as she is not into hostels.<br /><br /><br />Our first stop was Bogota, Columbia where we only able to spend one night. We stayed in the city´s historic district and went to LaRosa at night. Although, we didn´t spend enough time in Bogota for a fair opinion to me it seems like many other cities with good parts and bad...there were many brand name stores as well as some very poor areas. What remained with me is that typically residential garbage is thrown on the street. Our italian hotelier Massimo explained that the homeless would steal garbage bins if the city had them.<br /><br /><br />Next morning we are off to Cartagena, the so called Miami of Columbia named after Cartagena, Spain. We stayed in the old city at the Charleston hotel, which is one of the best hotels in Columbia. The old city is an impressive reminder of european beauty that the Spanish have left behind. The best attraction is simply walking around and taking in the beauty of it. We took a day to visit the famous Playa Blanca beach on Isla Rosario. Due our basic knowledge of Spanish or lack thereof, we missed the boat´s first stop at the beach and ended up at the aquarium that we were warned would be boring so we quickly jumped or tresspassed on another boat that took us to the beach. Although, a must destination for anyone visiting Cartagena, since the city itself does not have a good beach, it is not as nice as some of the Carribean beaches. There are many locals who approach you every few seconds and try to sell you anything from ice cream to a massage. We did end up buying ice cream and a mysterious yellow fried snack, which was 2 for 50 cents. Although many a woman and man offered to wash our feet, we did not get that.<br /><br /><br />The next day we are off to Ecuador. We started with Quito, at 9000 ft above sea level it is one of the tallest capitals in the world, second to only LaPaz in Bolivia. Quito was very inexpensive but apparantely not very safe as even to go 3 blocks in the historic district we were recommended to take a taxi. The restaurants were on par with anything that you can find in NY and there were many real estate offices selling newly constructed homes at fire sale prices. Sara asked our hotel if there is anywhere we can walk in the evening and he said no, nothing is safe. Not following his advice we went to the historical center anyway and much to our surprise he was right.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />After Quito we are off to the Galapagos Islands, a group of islands in Pacific Ocean, that lie on the equator and were made famous for their contribution to Darwin´s theory of evolution and natural selection. The only way to see the Galapagos Islands is on a cruise and we chose the M/S Santa Cruz, a 90 passenger, expedition ship to see them. Over the last 3 days we have seen a truly amazing group of animals ranging from Flamingos to Penguins. It was amazing to see many animals peacefully living with each other and many are only found on Galapagos and furthermore, many have adopted to the Galapagos and have little resemblance to their ancestors such as Swimming Iguanas. The peak of the expedition was snorkeling with the sharks. Another perk was that our room, which was supposed to be the worst room on the ship on the lowest deck, got upgraded to one of the best suites on the ship.<br /><br /><br /><br />During our trip we found out that there was an earthquake in Chile, near the capital city of Santiago, our next destination. This will definitely affect our travel plans and we will keep you updated. Now we can let spontaneity take over.Lenny Kharitonovhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12673219088583135066noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8338550080286291177.post-11144142464541379312009-01-28T16:28:00.000-08:002009-07-10T01:27:40.472-07:00South America - Boston, MA - Brazil and AfterthoughtSo I came to Rio not knowing what to expect. I heard stories of both robberies and wild orgies and I am not sure if I wanted to participate in either. To be cautions, in order to get to my hostel I took a car service , which cost $40, almost double if I was to catch a taxi outside. I came in very late and almost everyone were already out in the city. I decided to stay-in and explore Rio in the next few days.<br /><br />The next morning as new roommates were coming into the hostel I met Cesar(Washington DC) and Marie (Paris). We were all traveling by ourselves and instantly became friends. The weather was cloudy so instead of going to the beach we decided to go out and epxlore the city. We spent sometime walking around and takng pictures but then it started to rain so we came back to the hostel. We ate, slept, and prepared for the night.<br /><br />Our hostel was very small so everyone were very friendly so Cesar and I decided to buy beer and vodka and have a party before going out. That being said we set up the liquor at around 10pm and by the time it was gone we were leaving the hostel to party with another 19 people.<br /><br />We went to Lapa, one of the party neighborhoods and partied into the night. Next day we did some more sightseeing and more partying. Sunday, was the first sunny day in Rio so we finally went to the beach but only to jog. We ran along Copacabana Beach for 2.5miles+ and walked back. Afterwards we watched a soccer match at Maracana, one of the largest stadiums in the world, which hosted 200,000 people last time they hosted FIFA's World Cup!!!....and then on to the airport.<br /><br />As I reflect back on this trip I think about the people who I met along the way and about the cost of living in South America compared to Boston or NYC.<br /><br />I recently read a book called "the 4hr work week" where the author, Tim Ferris, describes different ways to achieve a lifestyle of working one tenth of the normal time while earning ten times as much as you would if you worked a normal job. He talks about common excuses that people make on why they don't do it and how you should never put anything on hold.<br /><br />On this trip I met many people who were traveling for over 6 months..some were students but there were also many adults. Some quit their jobs, some were there to volunteer, some were traveling during their gap year between school and work, and others simply came to place as tourists and liked it so much that they simply stayed there...this was especially true in Brazil. I met at least 4-5 people who came to Rio on vacation and just decided to live there. They are living in one of the best cities in the world with no worries and no money.<br /><br />While on vacation, I was not very conservative and took taxis alsmost everywhere and always ate at restaurants as opposed to cooking. In most places I could not spend more then $30-$40 per day...if I lived in Argentina or Brazil I would probably spend less than $10 as I would cook and take public transportation. Hence, for those of you whore are dreaming about a long term vacation you can spend a month on the beach in Brazil or Argentina and spend less then $1000 for lodging, food, and entertainment.........live life!!!!!!!!<br /><br />An interesting fact that I saw in South America are the family values...many young adults live at home until they get married. This created a bustling industry for sex hotels, the kind you rent out by the hour. I heard there is one almost every 10 blocks!!!<br /><br />Thanks for traveling with me and I will talk to you soon!!!Lenny Kharitonovhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12673219088583135066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8338550080286291177.post-31669194830934725802009-01-21T15:58:00.000-08:002009-07-10T01:24:39.265-07:00South America - Day 13 - Patagonia, Argentina - ParadiseFor those who don´t know what or where Patagonia is..it´s quite simple...it´s the south part of South America, which inclides Argentina and Chile. But more on this later.<br /><br />I arrived in Buenos Aires on Saturday and checked into Hostel America del Sur - <a href="http://www.americahostel.com.ar/">http://www.americahostel.com.ar/</a> I am mentioning the name in the blog because it is the best hostel I have ever stayed in. It is clean, has friendly staff, amazing food, plenty of entertainment, and all for abut US$15 a day.<br /><br />I immediately proceeded to Plaza Italia to watch the final minutes of the Dakar Rally, one of my main reasons for returning to Buenos Aires. I saw the first Motorbike arrive and then many more to follow, along with Trucks, Cars, and Quads. There was a hugh throng of spectators that kept on growing as the day went on. It was great to see racers who survived this truly challenging race and gladly signed autographs and took pictures with the crowd.<br /><br />Dakar which originated in 1978 is a two week off road race that includes terrain such as mud, grass, rocks, etc...traditionally the Dakar Rally began in Paris, France and ended in Dakar, Senegal but due to political instability in Africa this year it was held in South America and inlcuded Argentina and Chile. If anyone is interested in joining you´ll be happy to know that 80% of racers are amateurs so anyone can take it.<br /><br />After the race I went back to the Hostel and since I was by myself I began to make friends. I met many people from all over the world some who were traveling for more then six months, some professionals, some who did volunteer work, and of course a few students. The hostel offered dinner which for US$15 included all you can eat steak, salad, and wine. I took full advantage by eating 4 steaks and drinking about half a bottle of wine. I might have set the hostel record for most eaten at dinner.I decided that I will go to southern part of the country to visit more family and explore the Patagonia that I have been hearing about.<br /><br />On Monday, January 19, 2009 for the first time I arrived to Bariloche, Argentina. I was met at the Airport by Nacho from BA and my uncle Nicholas. It was about 8pm and we went straight to their home. Nicholas and his wife Rosita, along with my cousin Niko live in a Chalet at the bottom of one of the mountains in Patgonia. Their property actually includes 7 units which they rent to tourists year round.<br /><br />During the drive from the airport I saw that this place was special. It was a web of lakes, mountains, and trees combined together for one of the most scenic places that I have ever been to. It´s even better than Lake Bled in Slovenia, which until now was a big favorite.<br /><br />We had dinner at around 10pm, which is very normal for Argentinians, and went to sleep leaving the next few days to discover Patagonia. Over the next few days we explored hidden beaches, tranquil lakes, and picturesque mountains. Right now as I am typing it is about 9:30pm and we will probably have dinner soon...this is also my last night in Patagonia. I am truly upset as I feel this to be a tease as there is so much more that I did not have time to see.<br /><br />As I mentioned in the title of the post this place is Paradise. It should definitely be added to everyones list of places to see before you die.<br /><br />Tommorow morning I am off to Rio De Janeiro, Brazil for the final leg of my trip.Lenny Kharitonovhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12673219088583135066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8338550080286291177.post-7454659657914422512009-01-14T21:37:00.000-08:002009-07-10T01:17:16.331-07:00South America - Day 8 - Punta Del Este, UruguayLima is a nice city and considering that we did not shower for three days we went straight to JW Marriot, a 5 star hotel, and paid $15 to use the gym, shower, and sauna facilities. We were extremely relaxed, had an early dinner and went to the Atlantic City casino, which was very impressive compared to many casinos abroad.<br /><br />We arrived in Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina (BA) and checked in into our Hostel, in the trendy Recoleta district. We spent the day walking around and taking pictures of the famous sights; the Obelisk, Plaza de Mayo, Puerto Madero, La Boca neighborhood, the birthplace of tango, and some more. We also booked our trip to Punta Del Este, Uruguay via BuqueBus, the ferry connecting Argentina and Uruguay.<br /><br />Buenos Aires is a very impressive city. It has many buildings modeled after those of Spain, France, and Italy. It has its own subway system, bus system, and commuter rail. There are also many tall office buildings resembling those of New York or Hong Kong.<br /><br />In the evening we had steak dinner, which included 2 entrees and a bottle of wine for about US$23 then we met with my cousin Ignacio (Nacho), who showed us some of the bars in Recoleta. We were very tired and did not stay out late and agreed to meet with Nacho the following day to continue.<br /><br />The next day we explored Palermo, the BA version of Soho or the Village with many cafes and shops where everyone seems to relax without a care in the world. We went out again for another super dinner with appetizers, steaks, drinks, and desert this time for only $60 for three people.<br /><br />The next day we took an early ferry to Punta Del Este, Uruguay. We were very excited as this place is said to be either the South Beach of South America or the St. Tropez of South America. However, the only thing that remind us about those other places were the prices. Punta Del Este, which baloons from 10,000 to over 1,000,000 inhabitants during the summer (Dec-Feb) is prohibitively expensive even for our budgets used to American prices. Despite being expensive I don´t think there is much more here, yes there are a few beaches and a few nice houses that are as expensive as their counterparts in resort areas of the States but this is mostly a family place with many little kids and a few restaraunts that are medicore at best.<br /><br />Today is Friday, Vladimir left early this morning to go back to NYC and I am all set to go back to Argentina tomorrow and plan the rest of the trip. I am debating if I should take Spanish lessons, visit family in the southern part of the country, or go to Brazil. Will keep everyone updated and let me know if you have any suggestions.Lenny Kharitonovhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12673219088583135066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8338550080286291177.post-81339879470057138462009-01-10T19:26:00.000-08:002009-07-10T01:29:06.128-07:00South America - Day 2I have not slept since 6 in the morning on Friday, when I went to sleep at 3am the night before. So far the adventure to South America is very interesting. Our first destination is Machu Pichu, The Lost City of the Incas, built more then 500 years ago and now one of the new seven wonders of the world.<br /><br />Our flight to Atlanta was at 1pm after which we transferred to our flight to Lima, Peru. We arrived to Lima at around midnight. My travel partner for this trip is Vladimir and he was held up by Peruvian customs because of an Interpol alert. Fortunately, the guy they were looking for had the same name but no other informaiton matched and they finally let him go. I already jotted down Vladimir's passport number and was getting ready to call the American Embassy in Peru.<br /><br />Our next flight was at 5:40am so I convinced Vladimir to forget about our hostel reservation and sleep in the airport. After sleeping for about 2 hours we found out that our flight was delayed by 5 hours, which means that we would not make the train to Machu Pichu and our flight back to Lima the next morning. We were lucky and were switched to another airline and at 8am were on our way to Cusco, the nearest city to Machu Pichu that has an airport.<br /><br />My first impression was that Cusco is very poor as the street were not well kept and houses had much unrepaired damage. However, once we got closer to the center the city became more beautiful, which made sense. Tourism is the most important thing in Cusco and all the tourists live in the center. Outside of the city centers poverty prevails despite Peru's much progress as fastest growing economy in South America due to mineral exports, food exports, trade, and private investment.<br /><br />We had to take a taxi for over an hour through the Huatanay Valley to catch our train. The taxi ride only cost $25..compare that to a yellow cab. While driving we saw some of the most amazing landscapes; there was perfectly manicured farmland nestled in the valley between the mountains, animals such Cows, Lamas, and Pigs roaming freely in the fields, snow caps on the higher mountains, and everything else that you would expect from such a place.<br /><br />Once we reached the train station we just missed the train and had to wait for the next one, which was a luxury train and cost over $50 for the 90 minute ride to Aguas Calientes, city on the bottom of the Machu Pichu mountain. Once there we took a bus to the top at a cost of $14. We did not have much cash since we expected to rely on credit cards and bank cards but strangely almost no one accepted them. At the entrance to the Machu Pichu site we had to buy tickets at a price of $40 each. We scraped together every penny we had and were lucky because after we paid for the tickets we were left with only 1 Sol, about 33 cents US. Hence, eating, drinking, and using the restroom were out of the question for us until we can find an ATM. It was scarry to think that we traveled for over 24 hours and almost not get in.<br /><br />Machi Pichu is one of the most amazing sights I have ever seen, I can only compare it to the great Wall of China. Its a real city located at 8000 feet above sea level. It's clean, well maintained, and extremely peaceful. There are over 140 structures made from stone.<br /><br />After walking around for a few hours we started making our way back to Cusco, the location of our Hostel - about a 4 hour trip. At around 10pm, about 32 hours into our trip Vladimir's body totally gave up and he fell asleep in his clothes as soon as we got to our hostel. I am debating if I should take a shower since the shower is outside and it is not very warm here.<br /><br />Tomorrow, we will go to Lima for a day and then will take the red eye flight to Buenos Aires, Argentina.Lenny Kharitonovhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12673219088583135066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8338550080286291177.post-79332679959677347022008-09-20T09:50:00.000-07:002008-09-20T10:26:22.398-07:00My MagnetsI am off from work today, which is very rare. It's Saturday and I woke up at 11:30, another rarity. My best friend's weedding starts at 3:30 so I am enjoying my free time just doing nothing at home.<br /><br /><br /><br />As I am having tea in the kitchen I look at my fridge and some magnetic panels on the wall and see a few hundred magnets from different places that my family and I have been to. Every magnet brings me back to the place where it was bought. I start thinking bout Dubai, Prague, London, and many other places that I have been to. I start thinking about how much I love to travel and quickly check prices for Rio in January.<br /><br /><br /><br />I also start thinking about why I travel. Why everyone should travel. Everytime I visit a new place it brings a new dimension to my personality. I like social interactions with foreigners, even though I often feel more comfotable with Russians and Americans, I like to observe attitude and work ethic, as well as appearance. As I am an etrepreneur I always look for different ideas that I can use in my own business. I always like to visit museums and other famous sights wherever I am. I'd like to say that I do so for their cultural value but it's mostly for the check mark to know that I have been there seen that.<br /><br /><br /><br />Many places that I have been to are very unique and I don't have a favorite since it's hard to compare rural Thailand with modern Las Vegas. Here are some thoughts on a few places that I have been to:<br /><br /><br /><br />Dubai - I visited during the Summer of 2006. This was the time of war between Israel and Lebanon and I was concerned about going to a Muslim country. However, once there I never felt so loved as I did in Dubai. I was able to book Burj-Al-Arab, world's only seven star resort, for only $600 by using my travel agent discount. Our room was a 2 story luxury condo with anything that you can imagine, including a 24 hour concierge assigned to our floor. Even though there were only 4 of us travelng the room could have easily accomodated 20. We had an office, a dining room, a living room, a bedroom, a master bathroom with a whirlpool, and a guest bathroom. We ate exotic fruit and read the NY Daily News and NY Post. We decided to go down the beach where we each had personal cabana boys who constantly brought cold water, in various forms such as sprays, towels, and bottles; this helps to deal with temperatures that range from 95-140F depending on the time of the day. The water was very clear, still, and peaceful despite of my idea that it would be polluted with crude.<br /><br /><br /><br />We took a city tour and learned that Dubai is a new city and about 50 years ago it was nothing but a desert with minor fishing trade. Wa saw massive sky scrapers as well as the world tallest building. However, nothing compares to Mall of the Emirates, an enormous shopping facility with a movie theatre, amusement park, bars, restaurants, designer boutiques, and of course the world's famous indoor mountain skiing facility.Lenny Kharitonovhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12673219088583135066noreply@blogger.com0