Category: animals

Lima’s park that belongs to cats

Lima’s park that belongs to cats

In Peru’s capital city, there’s a neighbourhood called Miraflores. Miraflores attracts lots of tourists, being one of the most bohemian neighbourhood’s in the city. In Miraflores, there’s a park called Parque Kennedy. That park attracts a lot of cats. In fact, it seems that it belongs to the cats.

Español: El parque limeño que pertenece a los gatos

En la capital de Perú hay un barrio que se llama Miraflores. Miraflores atrae a muchos turistas, ya que es uno de los barrios más bohemios de la ciudad. En Miraflores hay un parque que se llama Parque Kennedy. El Parque Kennedy atrae a muchos gatos, ya que es unos de los parques más gatunos de la ciudad. De hecho, por lo visto, pertenece a los gatos.

– Welcome to Kennedy Park. This cat looks beautiful but hisses at and swats anyone who dares touch her.
– Bienvenido al parque de los gatos. Puedes mirar, pero no te atreves a tocar esta gata a menos que quieras que te cachetee

There are hundreds of cats. They’re sitting on every bench and napping in every corner of the park.

Hay cientos de gatos. Están en cada banco y en cada rincón del parque.

– On the move.
– “Tengo cosas que hacer. No hay tiempo para los humanos.”

The cats were introduced to get rid of rats. The rats are long gone but the cats have stuck around. Now I think the cats eat more hunt more desserts than rodents! Fortunately, there’s a group of dedicated volunteers who look after them and make sure they’re well fed.

Se introdujeron los gatos para matar las ratas. Ya no hay ratas, pero los gatos se quedan igual. ¡Ahora creo que cazan más dulces y postres que roedores!

– Cat #B2
– Gato #B2

They’re very independent, as you’d expect for creatures that live outdoors.

Son muy independientes puesto que viven al aire libre.

– “Mind your own business”
– “¿Qué quieres, humano?”

Even so, many are cuddly, especially when the sun is out and they’re sleepy.

Aun así muchos son mimosos, especialmente cuando hace sol y están cansados.

– Mr. Long Arms.
– Qué brazos tan largos, ¿no?

I like to visit cat cafes when I travel but Lima has none. These fluffy kitties with their free spirits already have a monopoly on the cuddles business.

Suelo frecuentar los “cat cafés” cuando viajo, pero en Lima no hay tal cosa. Ya tienen un monopolio sobre el negocio de mimos estos gatos emprendedores con su espíritu libre.

– “A little privacy, please”
– “Un poco de privacidad, por favor”

It seems that the presence of the descendant of apes doesn’t bother them at all. On the contrary, they’re very happy to wander about their little kingdom without giving us a second thought.

Parece que la presencia de los descendientes de simios no les molesta. Al contrario, están muy contentos de deambular por su reino sin preocuparse de nosotros.

– Bath time
– Es hora de bañarse

So, if you get tired of climbing volcanos and exploring Inca ruins while you’re in Peru, I suggest that you spend an afternoon cuddled up to one of these kitties. You won’t regret it.

Entonces, si te cansas de escalar volcanes y conocer ruinas mientras estás en Perú, te aconsejo que pases una tarde mimosa con estos gaticos. No te arrepentirás.

– Sleepy time for tiger cat
– El gato tigre está cansado

Bolivia’s Jungle National Park: Amboró

Bolivia’s Jungle National Park: Amboró

In the center of Bolivia, there’s a very special place. Three important ecosystems meet here. The Amazon jungle, the Andes mountains, and a huge desert-like area called Chaco all intersect at this specific point: Amboró National Park. The mixing of these three ecosystems makes it one of those most biodiverse places on the planet. There are more bird species here than in all of North America. Continue reading “Bolivia’s Jungle National Park: Amboró” →

2021 in 12 Photos

2021 was a year of staying at home in Canada, a place that many people dream of visiting. Even though I really wanted to travel, staying at home gave me the opportunity to foster kittens and to welcome a wonderful dog into our home. I reconnected with the mountains at the BMC climbing camp and got together with good friends to explore a rarely visited park, hidden in northern BC. With the cooler temperatures of autumn, I began exploring many more of the beautiful trails that the Kootenays have to offer and set myself a goal of hiking every one of them in my guidebook. Finally, at the end the year, I got to travel again. We picked Chile, one of the safest but most complicated countries to visit, where both the capital and the amazingly scenic Patagonia left a lasting impression.

En 2021 me tocó permanecer en casa en Canadá, un lugar al que mucha gente sueña con ir. Pero, qué sitio tan bonito. A pesar de tener muchas ganas de viajar, me hice amigo de muchas gatitas, a las que cuido como dueño de paso, y una perra cariñosísima. Volví a las montañas rocosas de Columbia Británica a hacer alpinismo y me reuní con buenos amigos para explorar un rincón escondido en el norte del país. Descubrí muchos nuevos senderos y me propuse terminarlos todos, lo cual será un meta a largo plazo. Por fin, a finales del año, me tocó viajar de nuevo. Me fui a Chile para conocer la capital y para desafiarme en los caminos patagónicos. Que el año entrante sea muy especial y lleno de aventuras.

– January – After many years of spending winters travelling, it’s wonderful to snowshoe everyday.
– Enero – Después de muchos años viajando, es maravilloso disfrutar del invierno canadiense.
Continue reading “2021 in 12 Photos” →

2020 in 12 Photos

2020 hasn’t been the best year for travelling, which has been my main theme and focus for the last ten years. Despite that, I did manage to visit five new countries at the beginning of the year before the coronavirus turned into a pandemic and I’ve also learned a new language – español. While I couldn’t travel during most of the year, staying put in Canada gave me the opportunity to explore my own backyard and to spend time with my loved ones.

El 2020 no ha sido el mejor año para viajar, lo que a mí más me gusta hacer. Sin embargo, logré visitar cinco nuevos países y he aprendido a hablar un nuevo idioma – el hermoso español. No pude viajar durante gran parte del año pero eso me permitió conocer mejor mi propia tierra y pasar más tiempo valioso con mis queridos familiares.

– January – A tea ceremony welcomes us to Kinosaki Onsen, Japan
– Enero – ¡Bienvenidos a Kinosaki Onsen, Japón! Una ceremonia de té nos da la bienvenida más cálida

Continue reading “2020 in 12 Photos” →

Valhalla Climbing

Valhalla Climbing

After spending a fantastic week canoeing on Slocan Lake, I really wanted to explore the mountains higher up. Valhalla Provincial Park is an alpine paradise that few people ever visit. The interior of the park is hidden by big hills that block the view from the lake and road below. But, believe me, it’s worth the effort to hike up and explore this enchanting place. Continue reading “Valhalla Climbing” →

2019 in 12 Photos

As I look back over photos from the past 12 months, my year looks a little inside-out. I spent the winter in nice warm New Zealand walking the 1200-km long Te Araroa. It was a great year for long-distance hiking. In the spring I returned to Canada to hike the Great Divide Trail – which looked a lot more like winter even though it was summer! I spent the second half of the year travelling around the world – my first ever circumnavigation of the earth. Cycling in the Netherlands, exploring the ever mysterious North Korea, celebrating China’s 70th anniversary in Beijing, learning yoga in Sri Lanka, scuba diving with sharks in the Maldives, and eating everything possible in Singapore.

January – Hiking length of New Zealand’s South Island on the Te Araroa trail

Continue reading “2019 in 12 Photos” →