San Juan Comalapa
Guatemala
Guatemala
Río Cangrejal
Honduras
Honduras
Nueva Ocotepeque-San Jorge-Copán Ruinas Road
Honduras
Honduras
Guanajuato
Guanajuato - Mexico
Guanajuato - Mexico
Quebec to Panama 2017-2019
(North and Central America)
16 months - solo travel - Suzuki DR650
Latest news:
This journey is completed. Consult the map for the entire route.
This journey continues in section South America 2019-2023.
This journey continues in section South America 2019-2023.
Most recent posts:
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May 14, 2019 — Panama
My trip to Panama started with a visit of the Bocas del Toro Archipelago where I stayed one week to explore beaches and the jungle on some of the islands...
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May 7, 2019 — Panama
The Panama Canal cuts through the Isthmus of Panama and ends in the Atlantic Ocean in the Colón Province. Unlike the capital, the city of Colón is not...
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May 1, 2019 — Panama
Panama City, a capital with more than 1,5 million inhabitants. Panama is the name of a city, a province, and also a country. Located on the Pacific Coast...
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Apr 24, 2019 — Panama
Finally, it's done! I reached the end of the road... I am in Yaviza, a small remote village at the edge of the Darién Jungle.Sorry? What are you saying...
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Apr 23, 2019 — Panama
This artificial lake was created in 1976, after the construction of a dam on the Río Bayano. Nothing better than a short stay in this small hostel located...
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Apr 16, 2019 — Panama
The Azuero Peninsula is probably the place where the rainy and dry seasons are the most obvious. Despite the fact that the rain has started in the mountains...
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Apr 10, 2019 — Panama
Some landscapes around Baru Volcano and the village of Boquete.Since the rainy season has already started, I chose to turn back. I will come back in...
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Apr 7, 2019 — Panama
Bocas del Toro is a province located in the extreme northwest of the country. It's also an archipelago of magnificent islands with beautiful beaches and...
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Apr 3, 2019 — Costa Rica
After a stay in Quebec, with my new camera and a good idea of my itinerary for next months, I flew back to Costa Rica. A fairly long trip since I had...
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Apr 2, 2019 — Costa Rica
Cocles is the name of the village where I stayed a few days while visiting the surroundings. In the garden of the hostel, there were several interesting...
I do a 14-day round-trip to Quebec in order to buy a new camera and new lenses. I also renew my driver's licence.
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Mar 7, 2019 — Costa Rica
I am trying to add a new element to my site. From now on, when you see this image in the list of posts, it will be about a text describing my latest adventures...
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Feb 25, 2019 — Honduras
The region around Trujillo is very nice. There are interesting villages, some beautiful beaches, nice mountains in the background, and the town of Trujillo...
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Feb 19, 2019 — Honduras
On the following panorama, one can see the mountains of the Pico Bonito Park over the plains near the city of La Ceiba. This vast park is a dense jungle...
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Feb 17, 2019 — Honduras
Omoa is a small fishing village along the Caribbean Coast. On weekends, the village comes to life with locals from the neighbouring town of Puerto Cortés...
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Feb 15, 2019 — Honduras
Superb park located on the east side of Lake Yojoa. Nothing better than a kayak excursion to enjoy the beauty of Lake Yojoa...
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Feb 12, 2019 — Honduras
This cave has been explored up to a depth of 921 metres. However, only the first 300 metres are lit. ...
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Feb 8, 2019 — Honduras
Erandique is the most beautiful village of the region, and possibly of the country. The village was at the earth of the Lenca rebellion waged by the indigenous...
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Feb 7, 2019 — Honduras
The Lenca Road is located in the southwest of Honduras. It's a mountainous region with superb landscapes and numerous century-old villages. The Lenca...
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Feb 2, 2019 — Honduras
Celaque National Park is one of the most beautiful parks of Honduras. The major part of the park is located at an altitude of 1800 metres or more. The...
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Jan 31, 2019 — Honduras
At first glance, this animal centre is a bit depressing with its cages in such a beautiful environment. Don't be fooled by appearances. The place is a...
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Jan 29, 2019 — Honduras
Copán Ruinas, despite its names, is a small town in southwest Honduras where are located the country's most important Mayan ruins. Curiously, the town...
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Jan 26, 2019 — Honduras
After crossing the border between El Salvador and Honduras, I had to choose between a nice 175 km paved road with so-so scenery or a harder 100 km dirt...
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Jan 23, 2019 — El Salvador
Here are a few landscapes from northwestern El Salvador.Despite the fact that the dry season is not even halfway through, the lack of water is already...
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Jan 22, 2019 — El Salvador
Here are the two most spectacular places in El Salvador. The national park and the caldera are both located next to each other. The Coatepeque Caldera...
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Jan 15, 2019 — El Salvador
Normally, I rarely visit any country's capital since they often have few charms, lots of traffic, pollution and violence. San Salvador is among the cities...
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Jan 11, 2019 — El Salvador
Arcatao is a lovely mountain village near the border with Honduras. My old guidebook, published more than 12 years ago, mentions that this village has...
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Jan 8, 2019 — El Salvador
Located in northeastern Salvador, Perquin had a major role during the civil war that ravaged El Salvador for 12 years, from 1980 to 1992. The war raged...
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Jan 7, 2019 — El Salvador
Here are a few photos taken in northeastern El Salvador. The paintings in this cave are some 10,000-year-old according to some archeologists. The cave...
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Jan 5, 2019 — El Salvador
One of my favourite places in El Salvador! The beaches along the country's Eastern Pacific Coast are amongst the nicest of all the region. I had the opportunity...
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Jan 4, 2019 — El Salvador
A few photos of nice sites in the country. The Pacific Coast around the Bay of Jiquilisco is barren of any trace of tourism development. It seems there...
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Dec 31, 2018 — El Salvador
Here are some landscapes from the country's Western Pacific Coast. The beaches in the region are known for their very good surfing waves. It's here that...
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Dec 27, 2018 — El Salvador
After the Route of the Flowers, I am heading toward the city of Santa Ana, visiting a few interesting sites on the way. This scenic site has some surprises...
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Dec 24, 2018 — El Salvador
The Route of the Flowers is very popular in El Salvador. It's a route of some 36 km linking a series of small charming mountain towns. Although its name...
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Dec 20, 2018 — El Salvador
After passing the border, I drove toward the El Imposible National Park. Its name comes from a gorge that was very difficult to cross for farmers and...
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Dec 14, 2018 — Guatemala 2
The Guatemalan Coast has a few nice attractions, and is endowed with some decent beaches for surf enthusiasts. As you already know, beaches are not my...
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Dec 11, 2018 — Guatemala 2
Santiaguito Volcano is located at the foot of Santa Maria Volcano, and a few kilometres from the city of Quetzaltenango. It's still active, and sometimes...
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Dec 7, 2018 — Guatemala 2
Markets in Guatemala are very colourful. In the mountains, people with Mayan ancestry still wear traditional outfits. Among the three markets I visited...
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Dec 2, 2018 — Guatemala 2
Lake Atitlán is born from a massive eruption some 84,000 years ago. The quantity of magma expelled from the Earth's depth caused the surface terrain...
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Nov 28, 2018 — Guatemala 2
After Pacaya Volcano, I wanted to tackle the Acatenango Volcano. Its summit towers at 3880 metres, almost 1300 metres higher than Pacaya. This time, I...
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Nov 25, 2018 — Guatemala 2
Guatemala is a nice place to explore volcanoes, some of which are active. However, since I travel with a motorbike, I don't have any backpack and my equipment...
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Nov 23, 2018 — Guatemala 2
When you are surrounded by volcanoes, it's a must to drive around in search of beautiful landscapes. Here are a few images of the region around Antigua...
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Nov 19, 2018 — Guatemala 2
Lake Amatitlán, with the Agua Volcano in the background, is located only 25 kilometres from the capital. For such a nice lake, it's surprising to see...
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Nov 18, 2018 — Guatemala 2
Located at the top of Ipala Volcano, this small crater lake is about 1 kilometre long, and is at an altitude of 1493 metres.I spent a night camping on...
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Nov 16, 2018 — Guatemala 2
Lake Izabal is the largest one in Guatemala, and it's the source of Rió Dulce. There are several nice sites to visit all around the lake. Here are a...
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Nov 15, 2018 — Guatemala 2
During the boat tour, I stopped at this hotel on the Tatin River, a tributary of the Rió Dulce. I slept in one of these dormitories that has spaces for...
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Nov 11, 2018 — Guatemala 2
Alta Verpapaz et Baja Verapax are two mountainous departments in the centre of the country. This region is populated by the Rabinal Maya, a group known...
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Nov 6, 2018 — Guatemala 2
Santa Maria de Nebaj is a municipality in the Quiché region. The region is also known as the Ixil Triangle for its people. Personally, I don't think...
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Nov 4, 2018 — Guatemala 2
San Mateo is a mountain village with mainly Mayan population. The women of the area wear very colourful huipiles. The landscapes around the village are...
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Nov 3, 2018 — Guatemala 2
Did I ever tell you that I love riding a motorbike? Yes, it's tiring, the rain and cold can be a major deterrent, and it's not possible to sleep anywhere...
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Nov 2, 2018 — Guatemala 2
The Day of the Dead is normally celebrated on November 1st, but in Todos Santos, the day is postponed to November 2nd to allow for the horse race.The...
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Nov 1, 2018 — Guatemala 2
The most famous events of the Todos Santos fiesta is the horse race. During the days preceding the race, the competitors celebrate, dance, and drink a...
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Oct 30, 2018 — Guatemala 2
Todos Santos is usually a small quiet town where inhabitants proudly wear brightly coloured traditional clothing. In many regions, only women wear traditional...
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Oct 28, 2018 — Guatemala 2
After more than 6 months in Quebec, I am back in Mexico to retrieve the motorbike that was in storage in Tapachula. I had left it outside, under a blue...
I take a break for a few months in Quebec... From Quetzaltenango, I drive to Tapachula in Mexico to store the motorbike. The city is about 20 kilometres from the Mexico-Guatemala border, and it is a 'Free Zone.' This means, I don't have to register the motorbike with a temporary import permit. After my break in Quebec, I drive back to Guatemala where I will continue my trip.
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Mar 26, 2018 — Guatemala
It's the end of the first stage of my trip. After a few days in this city, I will return to Quebec for a few months. My mother is selling her house and...
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Mar 22, 2018 — Guatemala
The site is a series of pools with turquoise to green-emerald coloured water. It is easy to spend a full day swimming in each of the pools. ...
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Mar 19, 2018 — Guatemala
Naj Tunich was a pleasure to discover due to its remoteness. Indeed, I had very few information on its location, and I had to rely on an imprecise map...
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Mar 19, 2018 — Guatemala
A superb cave near the village of Lanquín. The cave extends for several kilometres, but only the first hundreds metres are easily accessible. ...
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Mar 17, 2018 — Guatemala
Sayaxché is a very ordinary small dusty town. However, the road to get there comes up against the River of Passion (Río de la Pasión). There is a ferry...
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Mar 15, 2018 — Guatemala
After the jungle, a few days of rest around lake Petén Itzá were very welcome. Many people choose to stay on the island of Flores, but I chose to base...
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Mar 7, 2018 — Belize
This reserve is a superb mountainous area with awesome forests, rivers, and waterfalls. The rivers and falls are great places to swim.....
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Mar 4, 2018 — Belize
Mennonites are also present in Belize. There are many communities, and most of them are relative to those that came from Canada. An underground river...
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Feb 28, 2018 — Belize
This sanctuary has the reputation to be an excellent place for birds observation. As far as I am concerned, it was not a great success. Indeed, February...
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Feb 25, 2018 — Belize
Lamanai was occupied as early as 1500 BC, and it was a very important ceremonial centre. Its peak seems to have been from 200 to 100 BC, and its main...
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Feb 19, 2018 — Mexico
Here is a fantastic show from Mother Nature. Looking at this small hole at the bottom of the hole, it's easy to think it's boring. Indeed it is. However...
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Feb 17, 2018 — Mexico
Here are some interesting archeological sites in the Yucatán Peninsula. They are less-visited sites and for some of them, the highlight is the road to...
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Feb 9, 2018 — Mexico
Chichén Itzá is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is surrounded by at least five cenotes that are an important source of water in this arid region. For...
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Feb 7, 2018 — Mexico
Cenotes are natural pit, or sinkhole, in a specific type of rock. They are mostly found in North and Central America, more specifically in the Yucatán...
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Feb 2, 2018 — Mexico
In 1517, when the Spanish arrived, Campeche was only a small Mayan village named Ah Kim Pech. The Mayas of the area were very hostile toward the Spanish...
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Jan 26, 2018 — Mexico
This superb region is a mix of lakes, ruins, and forest. There are dozens of lakes to see and some old Mayan ruins. A lake at the border of Guatemala...
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Jan 23, 2018 — Mexico
The nice colonial town of Comitán is very nice, especially its central park. Small Mayan ruins near Comitán. This site may have been in use up to AD...
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Jan 20, 2018 — Mexico
The region around San Cristóbal is dotted with superb villages and fantastic landscapes. One of the villages, San Juan Chamula, is very independent...
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Jan 18, 2018 — Mexico
San Cristóbal is a splendid town known for its colonial architecture. Around the town, there are numerous traditional villages with ancient beliefs and...
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Jan 16, 2018 — Mexico
The town of Chiapa de Corzo was one of these places where you stop at random and where you end up staying much longer than initially anticipated. At first...
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Jan 11, 2018 — Mexico
In the beginning, I thought my stay at the Escobilla Turtle Centre would be short. I witnessed to the release of baby turtles with other tourists, and...
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Jan 2, 2018 — Mexico
What a lovely place to spend a few days during New Year's Eve. While my Canadian/Quebec compatriots are freezing in temperatures around -30 degrees Celsius...
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Dec 23, 2017 — Mexico
Oaxaca is a pretty city in the mountains known for its culture and food.Surrounded by villages, markets, hiking trails, and interesting archeological...
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Dec 22, 2017 — Mexico
Monte Albán is one of the most important archeological sites of Mexico. It competes with other great sites such as Teotihuacán, Palenque, or Chichén...
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Dec 21, 2017 — Mexico
The ruins of Mitla are located in the centre of the modern village of San Pablo Villa de Mitla. The ruins date from a few centuries before the Spanish...
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Dec 20, 2017 — Mexico
Located at an altitude of 1,800 metres, this site is a splendid bubbling mineral springs. A natural infinity pool was created next to a cliff, offering...
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Dec 18, 2017 — Mexico
Tlacotalpan is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It's a colonial town from the 19th century, well preserved and renovated. The colour palette of...
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Dec 7, 2017 — Mexico
Yes, a park's name quite difficult to pronounce, but with incredible scenery. Iztaccíhuatl is a dormant volcano while Popocatépetl is active and its...
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Dec 2, 2017 — Mexico
Taxco became rich from numerous silver deposits exploited during nearly 400 years and still harbour a rich colonial heritage. Nowadays, these deposits...
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Dec 1, 2017 — Mexico
The monarch's sanctuary hasn't been a great success. I visited the sanctuary during the butterfly high season, but by some misfortunes, I didn't see as...
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Nov 28, 2017 — Mexico
How do I feel about a city of more than 22 million inhabitants? Some suburbs are very nice, but the population density and especially the traffic jams...
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Nov 26, 2017 — Mexico
The National Museum of Anthropology showcases an impressive art collection on Mexican cultures from prehistory to modern times. The most interesting sections...
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Nov 24, 2017 — Mexico
The pyramids of Teotihuacan are among the most famous and most visited of Mexico. The site is located 50 km north-east of Mexico City and is a UNESCO...
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Nov 21, 2017 — Mexico
Las Pozas is the creation of the British poet Edward James. It's a garden with surrealistic structures built between 1962 and 1984 in a subtropical forest...
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Nov 17, 2017 — Mexico
The road to the town is 24 km path made of cobblestones. Imagine all the work to do it.It's a nice road, but it is a bit bumpy. Fortunately with a motorbike...
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Nov 14, 2017 — Mexico
In the previous post, I told you about the fascination Mexicans have with death. Here is another example of it, a museum entirely dedicated to the death.In...
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Nov 12, 2017 — Mexico
WARNING: If you don't like what you see at the beginning of this post, don't go any further. There are mummies of babies and very young children below...
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Nov 11, 2017 — Mexico
Ah Guanajuato, what a fantastic place! It is a very photogenic city, and you will quickly understand why it is a UNESCO World Heritage site.The city of...
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Nov 9, 2017 — Mexico
San Miguel de Allende is a beautiful city with a colonial architecture, cobblestone streets, and superb lighting of certain buildings at nights. In 2008...
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Nov 6, 2017 — Mexico
Volcano Paricutín is still quite young at 80 years old and with a height of 2800 metres. On February 20, 1943, while a farmer was labouring its field...
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Nov 4, 2017 — Mexico
Highway 200, also known as Carretera Pacífico in Spanish, follow the Pacific Coast for about 2000 km and crosses seven Mexican states. Here are a few...
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Oct 31, 2017 — Mexico
Guadalajara is the second-biggest city of Mexico with 1.5 million people; 4 million when counting the greater metro area.The city has a superb downtown...
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Oct 29, 2017 — Mexico
I am not a fan of beaches, but here I am in a very touristy seaside town resort. To my great surprise, I loved this town. The beaches are nice, the waterfront...
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Oct 25, 2017 — Mexico
Who is Francisco Villa, nicknamed Pancho Villa? He is one of the most famous historical figures of the Mexican Revolution in the years 1910 to 1920.I...
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Oct 23, 2017 — Mexico
At the beginning of this journey, during our crossing of the United States on the Trans-America Trail, Alvaro, Thierry and I have met a Mennonite community...
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Oct 20, 2017 — Mexico
In the last part, I present you the classic Copper Canyon. It is the touristy part where most people go. The train starting from Los Mochis and reaching...
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Oct 18, 2017 — Mexico
Up to now, the trail from Urique to Batopilas, has been the most difficult one that I drove in solo. Before starting the trail, I knew that the first...
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Oct 17, 2017 — Mexico
The landscapes in the first part were fantastic, but those I was about to see after Cerocahui were even more impressive. A few kilometres after Cerocahui...
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Oct 14, 2017 — Mexico
The Copper Canyon (Barrancas del Cobre, in Spanish) is a series of canyons located in the southwestern part of the state of Chihuahua. Six canyons and...
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Oct 11, 2017 — Mexico
The Pueblos Mágicos are villages or towns that offer a 'magical' experience with their beauty, culture, or history. Álamos is the first magical site...
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Oct 6, 2017 — Mexico
I entered Mexico by the border post at Tecate. On the American side, there is no real village, but on the Mexican side, there is a bustling town.Crossing...
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Oct 2, 2017 — United States
My journey continues toward the south through the mountains. The scenery is fantastic. Here are some landscapes of the last week in the United States...
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Sep 28, 2017 — United States
Reno is a mini Las Vegas. I say 'mini' since Reno is far from being an equal to Las Vegas. It is far less impressive, and there are fewer illuminated...
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Sep 24, 2017 — United States
We reached the Pacific Coast in Oregon, but we didn't complete the last kilometres on the Trans-America Trail. Because of a tight schedule and also since...
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Sep 9, 2017 — United States
After many adventures, we are finally in Oregon, on the Pacific Coast.It is the end of our journey on the Trans-America Trail. Thierry and Alvaro are...
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Sep 8, 2017 — United States
Our journey continues in Utah, one of the most scenic areas of the TAT. In turn, some sections of the route are very difficult especially when carrying...
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Sep 7, 2017 — United States
The United States is the best country for guns. Many Americans claim high and loud their right to have a firearm. Indeed, in the American Constitution...
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Sep 3, 2017 — United States
Who are the Mennonites? Do you remember the movie Witness (1985) with Harrison Ford? That film is about Amish, but Mennonites live in a similar way.For...
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Sep 1, 2017 — United States
Here we are at the start of the Trans-America Trail, clean, shaved, and with bikes and luggage in good conditions. The TAT crosses the United States from...
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Aug 1, 2017 — Quebec
Motorbiking is a new adventure for me and it's the first time I drive. I hope I am going to like it and be able to accomplish the whole journey. Even...