Last Friday I got a short-dated and surprising offer to join one of the transports that bring goods and aid from the NPH home here in the Dominican Republic to the hospital St. Damian in Haiti. We started Friday at midnight: one bus, 2 pickups and the truck with me as the co-pilot and Colin (a relaxed guy from California) as the driver. We have almost 9 hours of road to go and that is much. It’s dark, the lights of our truck are badly adjusted and that’s definitely shitty when there are bumpers and deep road holes appear every once in a while. And sometimes there are more potholes than paved part on the road.

Dominican soldiers in “desert storm” uniforms control the roads; however there is no control when entering Haiti. No stamp, no visa, no nothin’. The border area looks bizarre. The white dust from the unpaved road covers the trees, bright rocks and a lake that flooded areas that were uncovered before give me a surreal impression. Now there are more trucks and transports going towards Port-au-Prince. At the same time there are groups of people walking towards the border. To the right we see a fort of the UN with a tank ran by blue helmets. We are not entering the capital but to Tabarre where the NPH hospital is located. On the way we pass a couple of tent camps. Obviously just build out of sheets. There isn’t that much devastation here but the damages get stronger the closer we come to the city. We reach the hospital at 9 am and it’s much bigger than expected! Some walls have come down and elevators and such things are not working. There are many people being busy: Italian civil defense, volunteers from all over the world (many Italians though), doctors, nurses, coordinators, tents outside, many patients inside. I meet a couple of people I already now. It’s not as chaotic as I thought but I can see that these people have worked hard to get everything organized in the last weeks …

In the next couple of hours I try to gather as much information as possible and to take some good photos as well. At 2 p.m. we start heading back. I am already tired. And we still have 9 hours to go …

I am already in the Dominican Republic but wanted to share my last Sunday where I had a little excursion to a mellow (gringo-filled) town called San Juan del Sur. Nothing really exciting, just laid-back, lots of surfer guys, good Nicaraguan food and beer …

Wow, I am back in Nicaragua. I think I’ve shown you a lot the last time, didn’t I? Well now, my trip was great: I started one week ago from Leipzig airport where I happened to be in the same plane with my former professor Dr. Trauzettel. My fellow students will remember him as the maniac teacher and great guy and indeed he seems to be the very same – although I didn’t really had the nuts to talk to him. After surviving this flight I had to change in Mallorca. And among these amazingly huge crowd of Germans I met – again! – Dieter Thomas Heck. For those of you who are not familiar with german culture: this dude is the crown if german entertainment. Well, at least for everybody who likes german Schlager and is at least 95 years old. Mhh, that sounds mean. Sorry.

Now, the next days were fabulous: la Marta and my cuñadito José picked me up from the airport. I must have been a little confused because I forgot to pick up my luggage and had to enter again. We met up with my exceptional españolita Pili, I got to know her family and we spend 2 days in the town of Segovia. This city I can highly recommend you. Nice restaurants, a lovely old city, a roman aqueduct and un montón de españoles. ¡Pinche loco!

So I felt sad to leave that soon but I had to, traveling is part of my job. Flying through the U.S. is always an experience although I hardly can enjoy that. Stupid checks and questions, check-out of luggage … there are easier countries for traveling. But I made it, got picked up from Managua airport in the night and had a chilly 2 hour drive to the NPH office. And that felt great: sitting in the care, the window open and the warm air coming in. I didn’t realize that before but Nicaragua smells different that any other country I know. I would describe it as a mixture of fruits and plants, open fires; somehow a little sweet but harsh at the same time. And I love that smell!

Today we spent the entire day on the island of Ometepe (you remember me being crazy about this 2 volcanoe island?). I still love. That’s for the moment. Keep you posted!

Again I haven’t posted for such a long long time. The last one was from Nicaragua, wasn’t it? Too funny that I am sitting and writing this about one week before flying to Nicaragua again! So yes, I will be away from the German basement once again. This time I’ll be heading to Madrid for a long weekend before visiting the NPH home in Nicaragua. Have I told you that I’ll continue working for NPH? The “volunteer Martin Weissgerber” accomplished his mission in Honduras last December! It was difficult to leave and I have to admit that I really miss my boys but I am a lucky guy: after being in Nicaragua I will be back in Honduras for a couple of weeks. And I am definitely looking forward so see my little buddies again. What else is on the travel schedule? Mexico and the Dominican Republic. As you all know Haiti was hit hard by the quakes so I’ll have to skip my visit there for this time. You might support the organisation I work for. It’s really easy – just have a look at the MyGoodShop!
Other than that I am enjoying the German winter. Cross country skiing is fun! I hardly could remember that I had skis but they’re still there. And yes, those are the ones I bought in Finland. A company that’s called “Peltonen” must make quality skiing equipment

As you can see the gallery plugin works again. I also updated the WordPress version after a looong time! have you heard about the font format WOFF? I am thinking of redesigning this page a little. Just a pity that Firefox 3.6 is the only browser supporting this technique.

As most of you know I spent the last 12 days traveling in Nicaragua. I haven’t seen much of the capital Managua but everybody told me that the countryside is much nicer. And what surprise: it is lovely indeed! After being in San Jorge and on the Ometepe island (a sensational construct of 2 volcanoes that gave me an impression of paradise) I moved on to the touristy but nevertheless nice and colonial Granada. This is one of the oldest cities in all Latin America and I just can recommend it to everybody. Anyway, I enjoyed Nicaraguan people. Relaxed, friendly and so not intrusive. I heard that Nicaragua and Honduras are “fighting” for the title of the poorist country but I have to state that beside all the (lacking) money Nicaragua just looks neat and cheerful. Somehow in contrast to what the rough Honduras is most of the time.
So, after Granada I moved on to the nearby Masaya where I climbed up the Masaya volcano and enjoyed the normal life including the “mercado viejo”, an old market offering you all kinds of handicraft. Nice, nice, nice. There isn’t much I didn’t like about this country. Let me think … mhhh … no, nothing.

P.S.: The car on one of the photos is a Skoda, make in the Czech Republic

who wondered what happened in the meantime. Yes, I am still alive, still in Honduras, and there is work to to. A weak excuse for not writing for almost one month but here we go (thanks to the requests of Pili and Moni). Keep pushing me!

Once in a while I have to go to the market in Tegus. Actually this is just one of several markets but the Zonal Belén is one of the biggest. Getting there is always hard because we start here before 5 am but once you’re there it is cool. Thousands of people (no white people or gringos whatsoever) that make it hard to understand how all this works. Now, I am just accompanying Moncho (a really cool guy from our purchasing department) and he always explains me how things work. I remember that when I first entered the market I was pretty scared. But I found out that beyond all this chaos are pretty descend structures and reliable people. I wouldn’t trust most of them though but I am not afraid to carry my camera anymore. Now, there is a Señor they just call “Caballo” (horse) and he uses to help us to carry all the things (fruits, vegetables, …). Caballo is amazing and super funny. He knows EVERYBODY at the market, is always goofing around and carry weights that some heavier than he is. Hard to describe but in one word: remarkable.

Other than that life goes on and on and on and I just have 2,5 months left here. Yesterday we had something they call “desfile” here. It is the parade for the independence day. I have to admit that I do not really enjoy parades but I took some nice fotos and it was fun. All this took place in the next town Talanga and the main road was crowded with pageants; however I had to stick to the one of our home.

I am back now for almost one week. Things are busy these days after not being in the office for almost 4 weeks. The traveling part throughout Honduras was really cool. On the way back from Germany we met in Miami, Florida and spent one day there. Then 4 days on the Rancho with a tearful goodbye to all the good folks that left. The next stop was the colonial city Comayagua, than the Lago de Yojoa with the Pulhapanzak cascade (cool again!), the city of Tela which was also our first stop on the caribbean. Than moving on the La Ceiba and the island Utila with a nice flair and cool snorkeling experiences. Back to La Ceiba in a terrible catamaran speedboat (being seasick sucks!!!) and Trujillo as the last city to visit. Also one the nicest. To me this is a hidden treasure. Super quiet, close to the sea with mountains and jungle just a stone throw away. After seeing all this beauty I have to state that Tegucigalpa is the ugliest city I’ve ever seen! Godspeed!

Shame on me! This is the first post after a long time. Right now I am sitting in an internet cafe in Utila, a sweet island in the middle of the Caribbean. My sister, Mario and I are on the road for almost one week. Most of the other volunteers (including Pili) left last Sunday and we had a sad farewell party. The last days we stopped in Comayagua, the Lago de Yojoa, Tela and now we’re in Utila. I have to be back on the racho by next Thursday so there are some days left to hang out here. I guess we’re staying a little more on the island before going to La Ceiba and a national park and Trujillo. And hopefully we find a convenient way back to Tegucigalpa. All told this side of Honduras is gorgeous … everything is better than the capital. I’ll upload some photos later. Peace out people!