There are many pros and cons to be a solo traveler.  So why do I do it?

Cause I’m a deuche.

That is why.

I want to be able to go where I want, when I want, and not have to deal with someone else’s moaning, whining or desires.  Really!  It’s fun to travel with people you meet in hostels and stuff, but really…I want to be able to say “ SEE YA” when what I want to do, is not, what they want to do.

Why?

Cause I like to stay in some days, and go out with no plans and see what happens on others.  I like the ability to say,  “Yes, I would love to go do this crazy thing with you right now” and not have to worry about someone else. 

I go to rock shows, randomly bounce out of the room (yes, I bounce) to go follow the sound of creepy carnival marching band type music I hear outside on the street,

I like to get ‘kidnapped’ by my friends with no idea where I am going, who the other people in the car are, and when I will be back.  And I like to be in a city for a full week (or month and a half ) without ever seeing a single damn touristy guide book thing.  (I also don’t carry a guidebook.  If I need info I go to Lonely Planet and such online).

Why am I like this?

Cause I’m kinda a brat.

And I am unapologetic about this. 

Its easier to get invited to things when you are just 1… (especially when you are 1 solo gringa chic in South America).  And I’d rather meet people and make friends and hang out like I would at home when I travel.  There have been a couple times I’ve been able to go to places (like the Colapso Show Fail Of Awesomeness) because I could smush into the backseat with 3 other people..but if I was with someone else, there would not have been room for 2 more and I would have had to stay home with said hypothetical travel partner to be nice and caring and crap.

There are still some touristy things I feel I must do,

but I’d rather go see them with local friends  than because my guide book says I should see it. (above here: my friend and Couchsurfing host brought me on a locals guided tour around important Caracas buildings, like this at the House of Representatives… and I loved it!)

But usually…I just don’t care.  I live in Vegas, one of the most touristy places in the world.  I work in the casinos there.  I have to deal with touristy crap and crowds every day. (See my LOCALS GUIDES TO VEGAS and F*%K THE STRIP posts).

Why do I want to do it on  holiday too?

Yeah, sometimes I wish I had people with me.  Like on a 50 hour bus ride from Maturin, Venezuela to Bogota, Colombia with no money and not speaking Spanish.  (still haven’t wrote that post yet.  Still scarred).  That would have been nice to have a friends with me on.  But for the most part, solo travel is better (for me).  Because I can do things like :  blow off half my South American trip to go back to Quito and Medellin for the music festivals and rock shows (see my IM A HORRIBLE TOURIST post).

Yup, I’m kinda a bitch. 

I want what I want, when I want it.

That’s why I travel solo.

CHEERS!

Hotel Patrick is in the town of Juan Griego on Margarita Island in Venezuela.  It’s a Caribbean beach town , and Hotel Patrick is a Caribbean beach hostel/hotel.  You get your own room and bathroom (most with AC – you specify if you want one of the fan rooms or not), but the rooms open into an open-air garden and bar lounge area that gives hotel Patrick the privacy of a hotel with the social interaction of a hostel.

Vanna White-ing the front entrance to Hotel Patrick

And at hostel prices (well $20 a night, but Venezuela is more expensive than most other South American countries, fyi)

Michael (Mick)– the owner of Hotel Patrick and a hilarious and gregarious Irishman, lives there with his family and they are the most helpful and friendly people, and he rocks.  If you need anything Mick can help.  He is from Ireland and speaks perfect English and Spanish and can help translate.  There is a pool table, tables and chairs (the garden is open-air – but the lounge/bar is covered so its fine to sit during rain and work with no worries).  The lounge/bar also has 3 prong plugs (USA style) for laptops and such if you don’t have a 3 to 2 prong adapter like me (in the room there are outlets too, but my room only had 2 pronged outlets)

The private bedrooms at Hotel Patrick

There is a kitchen, but it for Mick and his family.  But there is plenty of food, ranging from cheap and economical to fancy all within a couple blocks.  Across the street is a wonderful little home-restaurant where the women cooks in her kitchen and you can eat on the sidewalk at tables.  The menu there changes to whatever she has to cook for you (meat with delicious rice and a salad) for 30-50 Bolivars.

There is also a main shopping area a couple blocks down the street where you can buy needed items to souvenirs, and early in the morning is the fishermen market and you can go watch, buy, or just photograph the fishermen (and be loving called GRINGA or PHOTOGRAPHER for the rest of the week you are there by said fishermen).

Fisherman butchering the fresh fish at the morning fish market down the street from Hotel Patrick

The showers are not super hot.  There is a black slide button on the top of the shower head that alters the temperature of the water (and if you are short like me, you cant see or reach it without a chair), but Margarita Island is a Caribbean island and lukewarm showers mid-late afternoon are wonderful (and they help keep the sand fleas from nibbling your kneecaps..and ankles).

My private bathroom at Hotel Patrick

There is also a laundry line outside in the back of the garden where you can hang clothes you wash in the shower.

The locals beach (not as blue) but 10 min walk down the street.  another approx. 15 min walk past that is Playa Caribe – a more touristy, but blue beach with bars, cafes, food, and some great ceviche, and beautiful beaches.  It is recommended to take a taxi here unless in a larger group because you do have to walk through a small area where there is no houses or stores and the road is under construction (and since I travel alone and with an expensive DSLR, I took taxis)

The crystal blue water and sky of Playa Caribe.

SUMMARY:

Hotel Patrick is a wonderful beach accommodation that makes the best it can with what it can get in Venezuela (Venezuela is not a super rich country.) But Hotel Patrick is like many beach resorts all over the world.  It is not 5 star, it is homey, comfortable, sociable yet private, and with that wonderful laid back island feel.  Best part – Mick and the staff at Hotel Patrick are much more interested in how you are doing and if you are having a good time than money money money.  They want you to relax and be merry while you stay with them most importantly. 

I recommend Hotel Patrick to ANYONE who wants to visit Margarita Island.

The interior of Hotel Patrick. This is the bar and lounge area. And thats the owner's adorable daughter playing on the floor.

When is spandex fashionable?

When you are at THE CLASH show in Portland, Maine!

THE CLASH is a ‘battle of the bands’ of sorts that happens in Portland, Maine through-out the year.  It happened that the one night I decided to go walk around Portland, was the night of THE CLASH.  Walking down the street, I stopped the first 3 people I happened upon and asked “What cool is there to do in Portland tonight?”

“THE CLASH” they replied unanimously and super-excited.  So I had to go.  I also was told by this small group of locals that ‘your not that creepy for a tourist’.  HAHAHA…Thanks.  Then they deemed it was because, I am, originally from Maine. But anyway, back to spandex.

So THE CLASH takes place at a local venue Port City Music Hall, in downtown Portland.

Its only $5 to get in too (though the drinks were rather expensive; $11 for a shot of Jagger and a Cranberry juice..though I am in the city here).

The doors weren’t open yet (like my timeline of events), so I walked down the street and found a small group sitting outside OTTO Pizza.

I actually just stopped because I liked the photo; but then I saw what they were eating and it looked delicious.  On the positive reviews, and basically these people told me I had to; I went inside to get some brick oven pizza.  Its amazing!

They have a whole bunch of different pizzas, ranging from my traditional tomato-basil slice to various gourmet slices (the flavours dependent on what they feel like cooking)…and this pizza will easily rival any New York brick oven joint’s!  Just look at it!

(dammit, im making myself hungry now)

THIS IS HOW AWESOME THE PIZZA IS…

Just look at the guy in the window’s face! (no, they guy in the back, behind the decal – His mouth is dropped at the awesomeness of the pizza!)

Also, you can see the line of people who have now formed outside to get some (not only to I randomly change chronology – I also change tense!)

So after a delicious slice of heaven, I walked back down to Port City to a huge line that went down the block!  EVERYONE comes out for this event it turns out.

I had to get the scoop on what THE CLASH really is.  This is my massacred understanding of how THE CLASH works:

One guy started THE CLASH.  What he does for each show is he picks 2 known artists to cover.  He becomes ‘team leader’ for one band (pretty sure this is what they meant).  Then he picks one local musician to be ‘team leader’ for one of the bands.  This ‘team leader’ picks; say, someone he want to be the drummer.  Then the drummer picks who he wants to be the guitarist, and so on until there are enough people to form a band.  So its all actual local musicians who form these bands..but may have never all played together before.  Then they learn a bunch of songs.  At THE CLASH; a coin is flipped, and one band wins to go on first.  They come out and play one song.  Then the next band plays one song.  Then the first band comes back and plays another song.

The bands take turns playing one song at a time and at the end of the night; the crowd votes by cheering who the winner is. They clash bands like Madonna vs Lady Gaga; Rocky Horror Picture Show vs Greece; Soundgarden vs, Pearl Jam.  This night it was..

wait for it..

(now you understand where the spandex comes in)

Oh, you don’t?  Well let me show you:

Yes, this stunning young man is looking quite fashionable in a black and white diamond-checkered-pattern spandex unitard.  This ensemble is enhanced by the single gold chain he has chosen to wear; which really brings out his hair.  He accessorizes this piece with a microphone; which he sways ever so subtly as he parades down the stage in this exquisite attire created by someone with way too much awesomeness to even say their name.

This is the singer for ‘Queen’.  The ‘David Bowie’ side had considerably less spandex and considerably more makeup (you cant do Bowie without the makeup)

Just look how he matched the his gold lipstick and gold eyeshadow to the giant gold circle on his forehead! So simple; yet so elegant!

Oh yes! Not only do the bands play the songs…they get all dressed up too!

Its HILARIOUS!

The crowd goes nuts! The bands are insane!  And the entire 20-30something population of Portland, Maine comes out to watch.

If you are planning a trip to Portland, Maine; I highly suggest to call Port City Music Hall and find out when the next THE CLASH is; and plan your trip around that! (ps: if you click any of the links to THE CLASH or Port City – you will be taken to their websites so you CAN plan your trip around this event!)

And now, for your enjoyment…more photos of dudes in spandex and makeup:

Cheers!

Fireworks were shot off from the back of the pool

Sometimes my job as a stagehand/rigger has its perks…like getting to watch the fireworks for free at Mandalay Bay Casino’s Pool! (and in return –had to run spotlight for a horrible reggae band from Alabama..but you take the good with the bad).

Setting up fireworks in the Mandalay Bay Pool

Here they are setting up the fireworks.  The fireworks were set up on barges in the wave pool, and on each side.

Checking on the fireworks set-up.

They started the show with a bang, and playing a whole bunch of USA rock and rockish-country songs (like Born In The USA, American Woman, some other country songs everyone; but me, seemed to know).  Its quite a departure for someone like me; that grew up in Boston, and still thinks it kind of sacrilegious to have any music other than the Boston Pops playing to the fireworks…but I still got into it after my initial shock.

4th of July firework show at Mandalay Bay Pool

The fireworks were quite beautiful, and loud, and sparkly, and continuos! Really, just massive amounts of fireworks for 12 minutes straight.  But this is Vegas; so the whole show is pretty much a giant finale to me (i except for the one time I actually braved the traffic to see the real show in Boston, im used to small townie fireworks…ones almost no bigger than the $700 kits you can buy in the store).  So I thought this was a pretty big show.

Fireworks exploding from the back of the pool at Mandalay Bay Casino

It is really cool to be able to see the fireworks actually get set off; rather than being so far away you don’t see them until they blow up in the sky.  I loved watching them come out of the cannons and leave trails all the way up till they exploded!

Crowd watches the fireworks from the "beach" at Mandalay Bay Pool

It could have also been because I was watching this from my spot tower about 30ft in the air and 100yards away from where they were shooting them off.

You can see how close the crowd is to the firework barges. Im just sad that I didn’t get to see the fireworks set a tree on fire this year (it happened a couple years ago)

The fireworks finale at Mandalay Bay. It was a great show!

And this is the finale.  It was more red, white, and blue than in this photo (they shutter delay to show the trails make it look more pink, off-white, and purple – still a cool color combination).

So for all of you Americans who aren’t in America, or others who don’t celebrate the 4th of July (and why would you celebrate our Independence Day? That would be rather silly)…I hope you enjoyed my little slice of Mandalay Bay’s Fourth of July Fireworks Show.

And for all my British readers out there : HAHAHAHA, WE WON!

Cheers!

AND YES THEY ARE!

Wicked Good Sandwiches - the sign doesn't lie!

This bright red building is Edna and Lucy’s in Pownal, Maine. (407 Hallowell Road, Pownal, ME 04069)(207) 688-3029

Edna and Lucy’s is one of the best sandwich shops ive been to, and they are located in a tiny rural town in the countryside of Maine; just north of Freeport. I had a Maine Italian (different than an italian sub).  Maine italians are (my family will be correcting me if I get this wrong) ham, provolone, onions, green peppers, tomatoes, pickles, and olives on a soft roll (or hotdog bun).  They are not toasted. There is no ‘italian’ meat.  It is a MAINE italian.  So all you Bostonians and New Yorkers; stop your cursing…im kinda with you; till I had one…Maine italians are really good.  They are much closer to what us people who grew up in MA (except for the cheese choice) call AN AMERICAN.

Not the point

Edna and Lucy’s has a whole range of sandwiches that would stop the cursing,and fill gaping mouths of all the New Yorkers and  Bostonians (still reading in horror) with delicious awesomeness.

I also tried the (im so looking at the menu photo to get this right) GRILLED EGGPLANT on Wheat bread with (surprise) grilled eggplant, onions, spinach, goat cheese, and tapenade. MMMMM  (ok, my mouth is watering right now).

Oh im just going to show you the menu photo

Edna and Lucy's menu is written on chalkboards that line the walls of their shop

(yes, I distorted the photo a bit to make it bigger).

BUT WAIT…THERE’S MORE…

Homemade desserts and pastries...and the are all fucking delicious!

OH YES, Homemade treats (remember the sign on the outside from the photo at the top?…)

Look at that…on the back of the table..

HOMEMADE DONUTS!

I don’t even like donuts…and those are AMAZING!!!!!  (I had some for breakfast on another day).  Fruit, Scones, Molasses Ginger Cookies,..

Oh, and look in the background.  Oh yes,… that IS a refrigerator display for MORE TREATS!  I had some delicious baklava (so good in my mouth)!

And the lady’s who work here are the cutest, sweetest people ever!  I miss country life, just how nice everyone is, and how everyone knows everyone else.  If you have grown up in the city you probably think im wicked naive, and the people here may scare you because you will be positive that no one is that nice or trusting; and the whole town is up to something…and I will feel sorry for you; because in the country, they are. (nice; not up to something).  Unless you have grown up in farmland, you wont understand, so I wont try to explain further.  If you have, you know what I mean, and probably miss the atmosphere right now too.

Hey, look at me totally getting off the topic of the food – you are thinking this right now – but this is about the the whole place; people, food, simplicity, all of it.

Now if you look at photo 2 again; there are 2 doorways (one you just see the frame of).  Guess what’s behind those doors?

A DINING ROOM!  OH yes, you can also sit down and eat here at Edna and Lucy’s Wicked Good Sandwiches & Treats Shop of Awesomness! (ok, so I lengthened the name a bit)

Inside Edna & Lucy's. I love how the pastry/dessert table just calls to you

This is a bigger picture of what you walk into from the outside. Open, clean, lots of natural light and fresh air!  And the ladies are right behind the counter cooking everything in front of you; joking it up with each other and you.  And since I knew someone from the area…they already knew who I was when I walked in the door.

So if you are ever in Pownal, Maine…or Freeport, Maine (Pownal is next town up and Edna and Lucy’s is only about 15min from downtown Freeport)…

…Go to Edna and Lucy’s!…(aka Wicked Good Sandwiches)

Edna & Lucy's - wickedest awesomest sandwich shop

407 Hallowell Road, Pownal, ME 04069

And check out their Facebook page here

And no, this post is not created out of sponsorship, advertisement, or any other business or monetary arrangement.  I just think Edna and Lucy’s is WICKED GOOD!

All opinions are my own…and in my opinion EDNA AND LUCY’s ROCKS!

Cheers!