Best of Northern and Central America

I landed in Colombia. Landed indeed, as I had to resign myself to fly. Going from Panama to Colombia is not the easiest to manage: no road since the border is basically a 80 kilometre jungle strip, and only expensive small boats make the connection between the two countries.

So, here I am, in South America! I begin the second half of the trip. Indeed I left home 7 and a half months ago and it remains almost as much. Geographically speaking, it is also the half of the trip; I am equidistant from Fairbanks, Alaska and Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego.

To remember the best moments, a little best-of this first part. Here are some awards in the following categories:

• cuisine: El Salvador with its pupusas and yuca fried dumplings
• breakfast: oat-meal with peanut butter, at Casey and Brad's in Anchorage
• winter landscape: Fairbanks and the surrounding area
• spring landscape: the wild Pacific coast of Oregon and Northern California
• summer landscape: the desert State of Arizona, including Grand Canyon
• climate: dry and cold Alaska or hot and dry Arizona. Further south, I like least: much more humid. In the tropics, it is the rainy season from June to November.
• plant: a plant that retracts its leaves at outside contact. Viewed in Tikal, Guatemala.
• tree: the huge redwoods of California
• animal: the squirrel from North America
• ecofriendly house: Mark and Megg's in Bolinas, CA
• beach: in Tulum, Quintana Roo in Mexico (my only step on the Atlantic side) and in Zipolite, Oaxaca, Mexico
• historical site: the ancient city of Monte Alban (State of Oaxaca, Mexico)
• city: San Francisco, CA

Now the highlights:

• best shiver: arrival at the edge of Copper Canyon, State of Chihuahua (Mexico)
• best shivers: in the Chena River hot springs, Alaska (40°C/105°F) with an outside temperature of -48°C/-55°F
• best meetings: those with Andrew and Anna (Fairbanks, USA), Mike and Eve (Fort Bragg, USA), Roger (Great Falls, USA), and so many others...
• best militant moment: afternoon with Chris, the movement “Occupy Fairbanks”
• best hiking time: three day hike in the Grand Canyon and crossing on foot the Golden Gate Bridge
• best community time: in Pinpin in the mountains of western Guatemala, with Elsa and Nico
• best childhood-dream time: the Panama Canal and crossing the Bridge of the Americas
• best hitchhiking: when a Canadian wanted to drop me off on a site emergency stop on the freeway, at -10°C (see also Hitch-hiking, another way to travel)

The best-of in photos is divided in three albums: 1. Alaska and Canada 2. United States 3. Mexico and Central America.

And you now know where to find the portraits!...