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Cobh

Cobh is a port in Cork Harbour, County Cork, in southwest Ireland. It's pronounced "cove" and that's what it means, a sheltered harbour. It's part of the commuter belt for Cork city and in 2022 had a population of 14,000. Cobh retains a small town atmosphere, with colourful terraces rising up the hill to the cathedral, and visiting cruise ships towering over the waterfront.

Understand
Until the 18th century, shipping to this region used small ports such as Youghal, Kinsale and Cork city. Ships grew bigger as Britain created a maritime empire, and bigger still as metal and steam replaced sailing vessels. Cork Harbour is a "ria", a drowned river valley and sheltered cove of 7–26 m depth, so large warships, freighters and liners can use it. In the 19th century "The Cove" became fortified as a navy base and was renamed Queenstown after Queen Victoria visited in 1849. It was one of Ireland's main ports of emigration, with some 1.5 million embarking here on their way to North America. That was one source of revenue that led the White Star Line to schedule Titanic to call here westbound in 1912. They didn't see any point in it calling on the eastbound return; and sure enough, it didn't.

As Ireland struggled towards independence the royal name rankled, and the town became An Cóbh, which is the gaelicised version of "cove". But the British didn't leave – they retained three "Treaty Ports" as Royal Navy bases, here at Cobh / Queenstown, at Castletownbere on the southwest tip of Ireland, and at Lough Swilly in County Donegal. The Cobh port was not a land territory like Gibraltar or Hong Kong, but a collection of military installations dotted around the harbour, including at Crosshaven. In 1938 all three were handed over to Ireland and fell derelict. Ireland's own navy base was, and still is, on Haulbowline Island, which was not part of the Treaty Port. Cork Harbour remains busy with all kinds of shipping.

The Tourist Office is in Market House on Casement Square, just above the Lusitania memorial. It's open M-F 09:00-17:00. Visit Cobh is the tourist information website.

By rail
Irish Rail commuter trains run every 30–60 min from Cork Kent station to Little Island, Glounthaune, Fota (for Wildlife Park), Carrigaloe, Rushbrooke and Cobh, taking 25 min, single fare €5.

Change in Cork for trains from Dublin Heuston, Limerick, Waterford and Mallow (for Cork Racecourse).

Change at Glounthaune for Carrigtwohill (for Barryscourt Castle) and Midleton (for Jameson Whiskey Distillery).

is on the sea front by the cruise ship terminal. It's a simple platform terminus, rather hidden away on Westbourne Place, with ramp access to the sole platform. The former station building is now a museum of the emigrant experience, see below.

By road
Cobh is on an island, so by road there are only two access routes:
 * From N25 East Cork Parkway take junction 3 onto R624 south. This crosses Fota Island then reaches Belvelly to follow the coast into Cobh.
 * is reached by R610 east of Cork, and crosses to Carrigaloe 1 km north of Cobh. The ferry runs daily 6:30AM–9:30PM and takes 5 min, cars €6 single, €8 return.

There's no bridge across the island's eastern channel; the "East Ferry" sailed from medieval times, latterly cable-hauled, but ceased in 1913.

Cork Connect Bus 200 runs every 30-60 min daily from Cork St Patrick's Quay, taking 35 min to Cobh.

By boat
See Cork for the ferries from Roscoff and Santander. They dock at Ringaskiddy, west across the channel.

Cruise liners often visit: they may dock here or at Ringaskiddy, or land passengers by tender for excursions. They're mostly on round-trip itineraries, but check the upcoming cruise schedule in case a point-to-point journey is possible. For instance transatlantic one-way cruises from New York to Southampton might set down passengers here.

Get around

 * The main sights are within town or walking distance, though you'll want wheels to circumnavigate the island.
 * You can buy a Parking Disc in the tourist information centre or local shops, but a few blocks back you should be able to find free street parking without inconveniencing locals.
 * Taxis wait in Pearse Square. Operators are A Cabs +353 21 481 4000 and Cove Cabs +353 21 481 2299.

See

 * Titanic Memorial is on Pearse Square. This grand "unsinkable" liner was launched in Belfast in 1911 and began her maiden voyage for the White Star Line on 10 April 1912. The timetable was for RMS Titanic and her sister ships to sail from Southampton, cross the Channel to Cherbourg then overnight to Cobh, then onward to New York. Eastbound there was to be no stop at Cobh; the owners were eyeing the emigrant trade. She was too big to dock in Cherbourg or Cobh so passengers transferred by tender. 123 joined at Cobh, seven passengers left, and a stoker deserted. Two hours later Titanic was back under way into the Atlantic. Near Newfoundland she was gashed by an iceberg and sank in the early hours of 15 April, with the loss of over 1500 lives.
 * Lusitania memorial is on Casement Square. RMS Lusitania was a large Cunard liner plying between New York and Liverpool. On 7 May 1915 she was 12 miles off Kinsale Head, near the end of her eastbound crossing, when she was torpedoed by German submarine U-20. The single torpedo blast triggered a big secondary explosion and the ship sank within 18 minutes. The speed and list of the sinking prevented launching of most lifeboats, and 1195 people perished of the 1959 aboard. Survivors were landed at Cobh, as were many bodies. There was international anger at the attack: 128 US citizens were aboard, with the millionaire Alfred Vanderbilt being among those lost, but the USA stayed out of the war for another two years. Germany maintained that Lusitania was an enemy British ship within a designated war zone, and was carrying munitions. The shipwreck lies 93 m deep, so it's diveable but a hazardous technical exercise, not least because there are indeed munitions, now in an unstable condition.
 * The Clock Tower Gallery, Lynch's Quay, Cobh - geograph.org.uk - 1901279.jpg
 * is the 14th to 15th century turret that greets arrivals via the road bridge to Cobh. It fell derelict in the 19th century but in 2018 was restored as a private residence. During World War I, sailors on shore leave at Queenstown would be brought here by enterprising coachmen to see "Blarney Castle"; there was even a counterfeit stone to be kissed. But given the nature of Blarney, those coachmen had demonstrated a genuine example. Next to the turret, Cobh Bouncy Castles has no connection with either the ersatz or echt Blarney, but sure it's tempting....
 * is a wetland nature reserve, accessible 24 hours.
 * and Arboretum is a few km north, see Cork.
 * is the island half a km northwest of Spike Island. Just admire it from afar: although it's joined to the west harbour shore by a causeway, it's an Irish navy base, ugly and off-limits.
 * is a wetland nature reserve, accessible 24 hours.
 * and Arboretum is a few km north, see Cork.
 * is the island half a km northwest of Spike Island. Just admire it from afar: although it's joined to the west harbour shore by a causeway, it's an Irish navy base, ugly and off-limits.
 * is the island half a km northwest of Spike Island. Just admire it from afar: although it's joined to the west harbour shore by a causeway, it's an Irish navy base, ugly and off-limits.

Do

 * Sirius Arts Centre has a gallery but is mostly a performance space, open Th F 11AM-4PM, Sa 1-4PM. It's on the waterfront west side of JFK Park.
 * Football: Cobh Ramblers play soccer in the League of Ireland First Division, the Republic's second tier. Their stadium is St Colman's Park (capacity 5000) 200 m uphill from the railway station. The playing season is March-Nov with games usually on Friday evening.
 * is north off R624. Blue tees 6530 yards, par 72, visitor round €25–35.
 * Fail to notice what day it is for a couple of weeks, while otherwise being a meticulous travel-planner, if you're the hero of Around the World in 80 Days. If ever a traveller needed the assistance of Wikivoyage, it's the fictional Phineas Fogg, who makes a £20,000 bet that he can circumnavigate and return to London in that time. Homebound from New York and behind schedule he commandeers a vessel, rapidly burning all its coal to maintain top speed then burning its wooden fittings. The fuel runs out off Ireland so he lands at Queenstown, takes the night train up to Dublin then a steamer to Liverpool. He can just about make it, then he's arrested for a few hours. It's soon cleared up but Fogg arrives in London a day late. The author Jules Verne (himself a keen amateur sailor who knew the harbours of Europe) had thought up the final twist several years before he used it in this story. Fogg has gained a day by circling eastbound, it's still only Saturday 21 Dec 1872, and he wins his bet and more importantly true lerv. So we're asked to believe that he never noticed being a day adrift all the way across San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Ireland and Liverpool. The theme tune to the 1956 film version with David Niven, sung by Sinatra, doesn't namecheck Queenstown / Cobh but County Down, for the sake of a clunky rhyme with London Town. Still, if the alternatives were Malay godown or Puget Soun'....
 * is north off R624. Blue tees 6530 yards, par 72, visitor round €25–35.
 * Fail to notice what day it is for a couple of weeks, while otherwise being a meticulous travel-planner, if you're the hero of Around the World in 80 Days. If ever a traveller needed the assistance of Wikivoyage, it's the fictional Phineas Fogg, who makes a £20,000 bet that he can circumnavigate and return to London in that time. Homebound from New York and behind schedule he commandeers a vessel, rapidly burning all its coal to maintain top speed then burning its wooden fittings. The fuel runs out off Ireland so he lands at Queenstown, takes the night train up to Dublin then a steamer to Liverpool. He can just about make it, then he's arrested for a few hours. It's soon cleared up but Fogg arrives in London a day late. The author Jules Verne (himself a keen amateur sailor who knew the harbours of Europe) had thought up the final twist several years before he used it in this story. Fogg has gained a day by circling eastbound, it's still only Saturday 21 Dec 1872, and he wins his bet and more importantly true lerv. So we're asked to believe that he never noticed being a day adrift all the way across San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Ireland and Liverpool. The theme tune to the 1956 film version with David Niven, sung by Sinatra, doesn't namecheck Queenstown / Cobh but County Down, for the sake of a clunky rhyme with London Town. Still, if the alternatives were Malay godown or Puget Soun'....
 * Fail to notice what day it is for a couple of weeks, while otherwise being a meticulous travel-planner, if you're the hero of Around the World in 80 Days. If ever a traveller needed the assistance of Wikivoyage, it's the fictional Phineas Fogg, who makes a £20,000 bet that he can circumnavigate and return to London in that time. Homebound from New York and behind schedule he commandeers a vessel, rapidly burning all its coal to maintain top speed then burning its wooden fittings. The fuel runs out off Ireland so he lands at Queenstown, takes the night train up to Dublin then a steamer to Liverpool. He can just about make it, then he's arrested for a few hours. It's soon cleared up but Fogg arrives in London a day late. The author Jules Verne (himself a keen amateur sailor who knew the harbours of Europe) had thought up the final twist several years before he used it in this story. Fogg has gained a day by circling eastbound, it's still only Saturday 21 Dec 1872, and he wins his bet and more importantly true lerv. So we're asked to believe that he never noticed being a day adrift all the way across San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Ireland and Liverpool. The theme tune to the 1956 film version with David Niven, sung by Sinatra, doesn't namecheck Queenstown / Cobh but County Down, for the sake of a clunky rhyme with London Town. Still, if the alternatives were Malay godown or Puget Soun'....

Buy

 * Eurosaver and Centra are two convenience stores by the harbour.
 * The retail park 1 km north next to Old Church ruins has Lidl and Aldi, open daily.
 * Cobh Farmers Market is on the waterfront Friday 10AM-1PM.

Eat

 * Wan Fu on Lynches Quay does takeaway daily 3-11PM.
 * Grand Italia (aka Mimmo's) in Casement Square is open Tu-Su 4-10PM.
 * Jacobs Ladder is within Water's Edge Hotel, see Sleep. They do good seafood, open daily noon-9PM.

Drink

Town centre pubs are clustered around Casement Square, then north up the hill along Midleton St.

Further out:

Sleep

 * See Cork for Fota Island Resort.
 * See Cork for Fota Island Resort.
 * See Cork for Fota Island Resort.
 * See Cork for Fota Island Resort.
 * See Cork for Fota Island Resort.
 * See Cork for Fota Island Resort.

Cope
Doctor: for out-of-hours service call South Doc. They may direct you to one of the regular town GPs if one happens to be open.

Dentist: Cobh Dental Clinic is in Casement Square,. Out of hours try.

Pharmacies and chemist shops in town operate a 24-hour service by rotation.

Police: the Garda Station is 300 m west of the railway station on Lower Road and is open 24 hours a day. For emergencies dial 999 or 112.

Connect
As of March 2023, Cobh and its approach roads have 4G from Eir and Vodafone, and 5G from Three. The signal is poor on the east of the island.

Go next

 * Kinsale 50 km west is a charming historic small port.
 * Blarney with its famous castle is only 6 km northwest of Cork city.

title: Cobh


text:
Cobourg

Cobourg is a town of 19,000 people (2016) on the north shore of Lake Ontario in Northumberland County, southern Ontario. It is approximately midway between downtown Toronto and Kingston.

History
United Empire Loyalists fleeing persecution in the United States settled here in 1798. The town began as a group of smaller villages such as Amherst and Hardscrabble, which were later named Hamilton. It was renamed Cobourg in 1818, in recognition of the marriage of Princess Charlotte Augusta of Wales to Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, who would later become King of Belgium.

By the 1830s Cobourg had become a regional centre because of its harbour on Lake Ontario. The timber and other resources of Cobourg's large hinterland were identified as the key to its prosperity. Peterborough to the north had become the principal source area, and in the 1830s it was still the waterways that were the prime method of bulk transport. Rice Lake and the Otonabee River were brought into use when a steamer ran across the lake and up the Otonabee to Peterborough. But goods and passengers had to cover the last 13 km (8 mi) of valuable timber and mine products. By 1835, a plank road was built to Harwood using 300,000 feet of 3-inch wooden planks, allowing horse-drawn vehicles to haul heavy goods. By 1850 the plank road was breaking up, and was impassible in wet conditions.

By 1852 there was considerable enthusiasm for replacing the plank road with a railway, so plans were made for a 4-km (2.5 mi) long bridge across Rice Lake, to take the railway to Peterborough. By 1854 the rails reached the shore of the lake, and it transported passengers and nearly 2 million feet of lumber from the Rice Lake down to Cobourg that summer. However, all the revenue had to ploughed into building an ill-fated bridge, using hundreds of wooden trestles, 31 Burr Truss spans, and a centre-pivot swing bridge to allow boats to pass. Costs escalated, bond-holders lost their money, and the town council with a debt that was only repaid in the 1930s. The bridge was constructed over the summer of 1854 and was opened on 29 December that year. Three days later it collapsed when ice movements shifted the trestles out of line, splintering the Burr Truss sections. The bridge was stabilized on the southern side, but not on the northern side, and winter ice and shifting lake mud meant that it was frequently unusable.

In 1865 the railway was bought by a consortium of Pittsburgh steel manufacturers, who set up an iron-ore supply route in barges up the Trent River and across Rice Lake to the railway at Harwood. From there it was brought along the railway to Cobourg Harbour, for shipment across Lake Ontario to the steel mills of America. This provided a steady income for the railway and the town until the ore ran out in 1878.

The connections and trade links which developed through the iron shipments brought many American industrialists to Cobourg, which became a popular summer destination. High class hotels were established, followed in the late 19th century and early 20th century by enormous summer homes for wealthy Americans, a few of which still stand. A major ferry service connected Cobourg and Rochester, New York from 1907 to 1952, transporting passengers and cargo across Lake Ontario.

Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, the town invested heavily in purchasing property along the waterfront and beautifying the area. A boardwalk was developed to connect the harbour and large sandy beach while further pathways were created to encompass Victoria Park and the historic downtown. Because of this renewal and revitalization, many community activities now revolve in and around these spaces.

By car
Cobourg is just south of Highway 401 at exits 472 (Burnham St.) or 474 (Baltimore Rd./Division St.).

By train

 * Train operators:
 * Operates the following routes daily to Cobourg:
 * Between Montreal and Toronto including stops in Dorval, Cornwall, Brockville, Kingston, Belleville, Cobourg, and Oshawa. Operates multiple times daily.
 * Between Ottawa and Toronto including stops in Smiths Falls, Brockville, Gananoque, Kingston, Napanee, Bellevile, Trenton, Cobourg, Port Hope, and Oshawa. Operates daily.

By plane
The nearest major airport is in Mississauga.

By boat
There is one marina on Lake Ontario:

Get around

 * A segment of Canada's Waterfront Trail is open to cyclists on a former rail right-of-way in the Cobourg area.

See

 * Heritage Centre: One of the oldest buildings in the town was for many years known as The Barracks, suggesting military connections. However it is equally likely that it was built for industrial uses, either in the very early 1800s or as a malting house and brewery by James Calcutt in the early 1830s. It probably served that purpose until a larger brewery was built by the McKechnies in 1863. The old stone-built building had a variety of industrial and storage purposes, and 20 different owners. In 2000 it was acquired in a run-down state by the Cobourg Museum Foundation, who have restored it and it is now open as the Sifton-Cook Heritage Centre.
 * Heritage Centre: One of the oldest buildings in the town was for many years known as The Barracks, suggesting military connections. However it is equally likely that it was built for industrial uses, either in the very early 1800s or as a malting house and brewery by James Calcutt in the early 1830s. It probably served that purpose until a larger brewery was built by the McKechnies in 1863. The old stone-built building had a variety of industrial and storage purposes, and 20 different owners. In 2000 it was acquired in a run-down state by the Cobourg Museum Foundation, who have restored it and it is now open as the Sifton-Cook Heritage Centre.
 * Heritage Centre: One of the oldest buildings in the town was for many years known as The Barracks, suggesting military connections. However it is equally likely that it was built for industrial uses, either in the very early 1800s or as a malting house and brewery by James Calcutt in the early 1830s. It probably served that purpose until a larger brewery was built by the McKechnies in 1863. The old stone-built building had a variety of industrial and storage purposes, and 20 different owners. In 2000 it was acquired in a run-down state by the Cobourg Museum Foundation, who have restored it and it is now open as the Sifton-Cook Heritage Centre.

Do

 * Two nine-hole golf courses (Cobourg Creek Golf Course +1 905-373-4444 and Roxburgh Glen +1 905-372-8924) operate locally.
 * Two nine-hole golf courses (Cobourg Creek Golf Course +1 905-373-4444 and Roxburgh Glen +1 905-372-8924) operate locally.
 * Two nine-hole golf courses (Cobourg Creek Golf Course +1 905-373-4444 and Roxburgh Glen +1 905-372-8924) operate locally.
 * Two nine-hole golf courses (Cobourg Creek Golf Course +1 905-373-4444 and Roxburgh Glen +1 905-372-8924) operate locally.
 * Two nine-hole golf courses (Cobourg Creek Golf Course +1 905-373-4444 and Roxburgh Glen +1 905-372-8924) operate locally.

Connect
Wi-fi is available at Victoria Park/Cobourg Marina, at the train station, at the Human Bean coffee shop and at many hotels.

Go next

 * Port Hope
 * Peterborough
 * Trenton

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Cobourg


text:
Coburg

Coburg is a city in Upper Franconia. Coburg has been a household name since the 19th century as the local, relatively minor noble family "Saxe-Coburg-Gotha" managed to marry into plenty of European royal families, leading to "European family reunions" at their place during the Belle Epoque. So naturally you will find lots of castles, palaces and other historical buildings in Coburg.

By car
Coburg is just off the A73 about 50 km north of Bamberg.

See

Marktplatz:

Other:

Do

 * Walk the path of original walls of the town.
 * Wander the park around Veste Coburg.

Events

 * Samba Festival Coburg - largest Samba Festival outside Brazil - attracts about 200000 visitors usually in July.
 * Samba Festival Coburg - largest Samba Festival outside Brazil - attracts about 200000 visitors usually in July.

Eat
Coburger Bratwurst. On the Marktplatz (market square) you will find one or two stalls, who serve them to you. In the traditional way the Bratwurst has to be roasted over pine cones, which gives them part of their unique taste. The size of the Bratwurst is determined by a figure on the town hall (Rathaus, also on the Marktplatz) called Bratwurstmännle, which is said to keep the measure in one hand.

A second thing to try are the Coburger Klöße (Coburg dumplings), made from potatoes. They are served (mostly Sundays) with a variety of meats and roasts (pork, deer, beef) in nearly every German type Gasthaus or restaurant.

Go next

 * Bamberg and Nuremberg are both good destinations for a day trip from Coburg.
 * Kulmbach
 * Hof

title: Coburg


text:
Cochabamba

Cochabamba, or simply Cocha is fourth largest city in central Bolivia, in a valley with the same name, in the Andes mountain range. Its name is from a compound of the Quechua words q'ucha, meaning "lake", and pampa, "open plain". It is known as the "City of Eternal Spring" and "The Garden City" because of its spring-like temperatures all year round. It is also known as La Llajta, which means "town" in Quechua.

Orientation
The main thoroughfare in Cochabamba is Avenida de las Heroinas, which runs east-west, with its north-south counterpart Avenida Ayacucho. The intersection of these two is known as El Correo (the post office is located on that intersection). Plaza 14 de Septiembre is considered the center of the city. Avenida Ballivian, commonly called El Prado, is a tree-lined boulevard running north from Plaza Colon, with many of the city's better restaurants and hotels nearby. Generally, neighborhoods get more affluent towards the north, and poorer to the south. Avenida América north of La Recoleta runs east to west is also a major avenue with many restaurants and shopping.

By bus
The terminal is some 10 blocks south of the center, just north of the market called La Cancha. From the north, you can catch several trufi lines to get to the bus terminal. For example, the green 101, the 102, the 103, the 109, all travel along Av. Ayacucho, passing the bus terminal. At the north end of the terminal, there are radio taxis associated with the terminal. These are much more convenient to get to your destination. If you are traveling with a lot of luggage, it is not recommended that you exit the main terminal to catch a bus. It's quite hectic making you an easier target for pickpocketing. It is also not recommended walking from the terminal especially late at night.

Most bus companies will charge around the same amount for a ticket, but there are different seat classes. Weirdly enough, even though it is a poor country, the amount of "leito" seats (aka cama) is far higher than that of semi-cama or regular seats.

Bus times are generally quite accurate, because the station is so busy that buses cannot wait forever at a platform. Arrive about 1 hr before the bus leaves to get the best price.

Always be aware of roadblocks while traveling in Bolivia. If companies know of existing roadblocks, many of them will halt their services, while others will take you as far as the roadblock, and you'll have to pay again after crossing the roadblock. It's always recommended to wait for a roadblock to be lifted before traveling, even if a bus will take you that far.

Destinations

 * From/to La Paz – It is at least eight hours by bus. Buses leave approximately every hour starting at 06:30, with the last bus leaving around 23:00. Regular seats tend to be at around Bs. 30, semi-camas typically will max out at Bs. 60., and camas will typically max out at Bs. 90.
 * From/to Santa Cruz – It is at least ten hours by bus, longer in the rainy season. Buses leave in the mornings and in the evenings, with the last bus typically leaving around 22:00. Regular seats tend to be at Bs. 40., semi-camas typically will be at Bs. 70., and camas will typically be at Bs. 110.
 * From/to Sucre – It is at least ten hours by bus. Buses only leave in the afternoons and evenings, with the last bus typically leaving between 21:00 and 22:00. Much of this road is unpaved, and it can be a quite uncomfortable and cold ride. Expect to pay maximum Bs. 60. for this trip.
 * From/to Oruro – It is a relatively quick four to five hours. Buses leave throughout the day and are relatively inexpensive. Bs. 20-30 will get you there on a semi-cama.
 * From/to Potosí – It is at least 10 hr by bus. Buses only leave in the evenings, with the last bus typically leaving between 20:00 and 21:00.
 * From Tupiza – At least three daily buses at 10:00, 18:30, and 21:00.
 * Other, less-frequented direct services: Buenos Aires, Iquique, Arica

If you're planning to go to any other cities not listed, it's typically advisable to not go directly from Cocha. Rather, first travel to one of the intermediary cities above and take another service once you arrive.

By plane
A taxi to the center of town from the airport ranges between Bs. 25-35 (approx. US$3.50-5.00) depending on the distance. When exiting the airport, there is a sign with the fixed costs depending on the boundaries. You may want to snap a picture of that sign in case the driver wants to charge you more. There is also a public bus "B" line that eventually makes it way to the center of town.

By bus
Cochabamba has buses (micros), mini-vans (trufis) and shared cabs (taxi-trufis) that run along fixed routes. There are no set stops and in order to get off, you must say "me bajo" (I want to get off) or "esquina" (for stop at the corner). Fares are Bs. 1.90. (Many drivers do not have adequate change, so do not be surprised if you do not receive change).

By taxi
Most cars honking at you are cabs. Ask and negotiate the fare before entering a cab. According to regulations that aren't very well publicized (some mentions in the local press), the price should be Bs. 6 for one person within the city center (inside the boundaries of the river). Crossing the bridges, adds another Bs. 2. Adding additional passengers should cost between Bs. 1 and Bs. 2/person. Downtown to Quillacollo is Bs. 25-30 There is no standard fare, and most taxi drivers will try to overcharge tourists.

If you are in a radio taxi (with a company logo on the side of the car), you can ask the driver to call into the dispatcher to quote you the official price. There is a municipal governmental toll-free phone number to report overcharging - 800-14-0201

It's recommended to take radio taxis in the evenings. There is no additional charge to call a taxi to come pick you up.

Sports

 * Cochabamba has two first division football teams, Jorge Wilstermann and Aurora, which play at Felix Capriles Stadium located on Avenida Libertador Bolívar (at the end of El Prado crossing the Cala Cala bridge). Matches usually take place on Sunday afternoons, as well as some weekday evenings. Matches rarely sell out, and one can buy a ticket the day of the game choosing among different seating sections. "Preferencia" is the most expensive, around Bs. 50-80 per match (depending on the rival), but for afternoon matches its location has the most shade. The supporter groups for Wilstermann are seated in the middle portion of both endzone (curvas).
 * The city is Bolivia's paragliding capital. Several agencies offer tandem flights (Bs. 300) and courses. A typical beginner´s course will take minimum 10 days (2 hours theory and 4 hours practice every day, 12 solo flights) and cost about Bs. 3,000. Among the cheapest on the continent.

Beyond the city
There are some towns and places around Cochabamba worth visiting and even several day excursions:

 * Punata – A market on Tuesday with a lot of indigenous people selling animals.
 * Tarata – Nice picturesque town that can make an easy day trip.
 * Quillacollo – Known for its Fiesta de la Virgen de Urkupiña (August 15).
 * Chapare Region – National Park Isiboro Sécure and local indigenous communities, you can stay with for several days.
 * Chapare Region – National Park Isiboro Sécure and local indigenous communities, you can stay with for several days.

Volunteer
Some organizations charge a fee for volunteer or intern to cover logistical and organizational costs. Please ask each organization for their policy.

Buy
One of the city's biggest attractions is La Cancha, the city market on the south side of town and the largest open-air market in South America. Clothing, food, souvenirs, or books, the Cancha has it all. The Cancha is generally bound in the area bound by: Av. Aroma, Av. Ayacucho, Av. 6 de Agosto, Av. República, and Av. Oquendo.

The best day to visit the market is on Saturday, on other days not all the shops are open. Pickpockets are fairly common in this area.

If you don't want to get knee-deep into the sprawling Cancha for your souvenirs, there is also a small pasaje behind the Post Office. You can enter from Av. Heroínas Avenue or Esteban Arze. Prices are comparable to La Cancha and you can pick up typical Cochabamba goods.

 * The Spitting Llama Bookstore & Outfitter, 615 Calle España Norte (between streets La Paz and Reza) offers offers a wide range of trekking, camping equipment and gear.

Eat
Lunchtime usually consists of a fixed menu at a number of restaurants or pensiones around time. The "almuerzo completo" consists of soup + main dish and often an appetizer and dessert. There are many options to find the menu displayed outside the door, usually consisting of your choice of two soups or 2-3 main dishes. This fixed menu varies in price depending on the part of town, and could run between Bs. 15-25.

Silpancho is traditional Bolivian dish that supposedly originates from Cochabamba.

Thanks to the city's origin as an agricultural center for mining communities, Cochabamba claims to have the best food in Bolivia.

 * Casa de Campo, Av. Uyuni 618, among other upscale restaurants in Recoleta. Large plates of food (even the half-plate was too much) and good pique macho and other local dishes. Price range is Bs. 37-50. Probably one of the best restaurants in town. Highly recommended.
 * Sucremanta, Several locations: Plaza 14 de Septiembre, and on the Prado. Small but filling menu, -somewhat spicey. The Plaza branch, with live piano music on Sundays, is a great place for brunch. Try the hearty menudito.
 * Dumbo, Av. Heroinas E-0354, also El Prado 55. Bolivia's favorite family restaurant. The main joint on Heroinas is always packed, with four dining floors and enough dancers in animal suits to keep the entire juvenile population of Cochabamba entertained.
 * Paprika, North American style dishes and internationalized Bolivian classics. Yummy hot wings. The restaurant has the air of a place for the "see and be seens" in Cochabamba. Recommended. Avenida Ramon Rivero, on the corner of Lanza. Open in the evenings.
 * Dumbo, Av. Heroinas E-0354, also El Prado 55. Bolivia's favorite family restaurant. The main joint on Heroinas is always packed, with four dining floors and enough dancers in animal suits to keep the entire juvenile population of Cochabamba entertained.
 * Paprika, North American style dishes and internationalized Bolivian classics. Yummy hot wings. The restaurant has the air of a place for the "see and be seens" in Cochabamba. Recommended. Avenida Ramon Rivero, on the corner of Lanza. Open in the evenings.
 * Paprika, North American style dishes and internationalized Bolivian classics. Yummy hot wings. The restaurant has the air of a place for the "see and be seens" in Cochabamba. Recommended. Avenida Ramon Rivero, on the corner of Lanza. Open in the evenings.
 * Paprika, North American style dishes and internationalized Bolivian classics. Yummy hot wings. The restaurant has the air of a place for the "see and be seens" in Cochabamba. Recommended. Avenida Ramon Rivero, on the corner of Lanza. Open in the evenings.

Vegetarian

 * Tulasi, Av. Heroinas 270, seemingly without regular opening times.
 * Gopal, Calle Espana, hot and cold buffet lunch Bs. 10-20, the homemade jugs of juice are delicious. Ordering off the menu is possible in the evening, but not as good. Beautiful open courtyard to sit in.
 * Copal, Calle España 250 (between Ecuador and Colombia) in the same courtyard as the Hostel Nawpa House

Drink
The best chicha, fermented corn (or peach) based beverage, is said to come from the Cochabamba region. The small town of Punata, some distance to the southwest, is especially well-known. Please note that not all chicherías have the same hygienic standards.

Most small bars are on 25 de Mayo and España close to Plaza Colon. Av. Ballivian (Prado) has bigger and noisier stuff. The joints grow fancier and more expensive has you head north into Recoleta, centred on Calle Pando.

 * Chernobil, Best place to drink Chicha in the Cochabamba region. It is in the town of Quillacollo just west of the city. Well known by the locals, the chicha is safe to drink and so is the food.
 * Chernobil, Best place to drink Chicha in the Cochabamba region. It is in the town of Quillacollo just west of the city. Well known by the locals, the chicha is safe to drink and so is the food.
 * Chernobil, Best place to drink Chicha in the Cochabamba region. It is in the town of Quillacollo just west of the city. Well known by the locals, the chicha is safe to drink and so is the food.
 * Chernobil, Best place to drink Chicha in the Cochabamba region. It is in the town of Quillacollo just west of the city. Well known by the locals, the chicha is safe to drink and so is the food.
 * Chernobil, Best place to drink Chicha in the Cochabamba region. It is in the town of Quillacollo just west of the city. Well known by the locals, the chicha is safe to drink and so is the food.
 * Chernobil, Best place to drink Chicha in the Cochabamba region. It is in the town of Quillacollo just west of the city. Well known by the locals, the chicha is safe to drink and so is the food.
 * Chernobil, Best place to drink Chicha in the Cochabamba region. It is in the town of Quillacollo just west of the city. Well known by the locals, the chicha is safe to drink and so is the food.
 * Chernobil, Best place to drink Chicha in the Cochabamba region. It is in the town of Quillacollo just west of the city. Well known by the locals, the chicha is safe to drink and so is the food.
 * Chernobil, Best place to drink Chicha in the Cochabamba region. It is in the town of Quillacollo just west of the city. Well known by the locals, the chicha is safe to drink and so is the food.
 * Chernobil, Best place to drink Chicha in the Cochabamba region. It is in the town of Quillacollo just west of the city. Well known by the locals, the chicha is safe to drink and so is the food.

Budget
There are dozens and dozens of hotels and hostales between the bus terminal and the center (Plaza 14 de Septiembre). This area is not very safe late at night, however, and these options should only really be considered if none of the above are available. Always take a cab back to these locations after dark.
 * Hostal Kanata, Ayacucho 941, has clean doubles for Bs. 60 (Bs. 20 more for a TV), though a not too friendly staff.
 * Hostal Kanata, Ayacucho 941, has clean doubles for Bs. 60 (Bs. 20 more for a TV), though a not too friendly staff.

Mid-range
The upper end hotels are mostly concentrated within a block or two from Plaza Colon. Expect to pay upwards of Bs. 200 for a single. Also many classy hotels in Recoleta.

Stay safe

 * Cars rarely give preference to pedestrians, even at crosswalks. Don't assume they will stop.
 * Roving gangs of supposed glue sniffers (cleferos) are known to attack and rob people, especially at night. Stay on streets with ample pedestrian traffic. They tend to hang out under the bridges at night and rob people crossing.
 * The hill of the Coronilla (behind the bus terminal) is particularly not safe because this is where many of them hang around and camp. Generally, anywhere south of Calle Aroma be very cautious.
 * Robbers also operate from cars, particularly cabs, late at night. Stay alert if one stops right in front of you. Cross the street!
 * When getting into a cab late at night, it is best to call a radio taxi which you can get from friends, a local family, or the hostal you are staying at. If you cannot call a mobile radio to pick you up, make sure to take a taxi with a company name on the side and remember that company in case anything happens so that you can report it to them. It is best to ask a hotel, restaurant, bar, or discoteca to call a taxi for you.
 * On the stairs of the hill Cerro de San Pedro have been robberies. The cable car provider uses it as an argument for you to use the cable car (Bs. 6.50). However, during the day it should be fine. At dusk and later, take a taxi or the teleferico (cable cars) to/from the top.
 * The plain-clothed police officer scam seems to be popular (but seldom) in Cochabamba. Read all about it under Bolivia and be aware.

Connect

 * If you have an unlocked phone, you can purchase an inexpensive SIM card from the three major telecoms, Tigo, Viva, Entel and top up as needed. All of have pre-paid data plans. You must register your SIM card with your passport.
 * There are fewer internet cafés than there were just 3-4 years ago due to the availability of mobile internet. The Punto Entel on the southeast corner of Heroinas and Ayacucho is probably the neatest and best equipped internet spot. The going rate is Bs. 2-3 an hour.
 * Calls to landlines in Europe and North America can be had as low as Bs. 0.50 a minute. Shop around!
 * The internet/callshop at Av. Heroinas E0151 (near the corner of Ayacucho) is good for Skype.

Cope

 * Laundry at Calle Junin, between Heroinas and Bolivar. Wash and Dry Bs. 7/kg. 08:00-12:00 & 14:00-19:00.
 * A few exchange bureaus at the SW corner of Plaza 14 de Septiembre.
 * Many street money changers are located near some bridges such as Cala Cala bridge, 25 de mayo and Sucre, and Plaza Colón. You'll get better rates than from banks, but also a little riskier. There are some money exchange businesses around the Plaza that are more reliable. Please note that some money changers on the street won't accept bills smaller than US$100 or will want to give you a less favorable exchange for US$20 or less.
 * For visa extensions, head to "Migración" located in the north part of Cochabamba at Av. J. Rodriguez between the streets Santa Cruz y Potosí (near Instituto Americano)
 * Many street money changers are located near some bridges such as Cala Cala bridge, 25 de mayo and Sucre, and Plaza Colón. You'll get better rates than from banks, but also a little riskier. There are some money exchange businesses around the Plaza that are more reliable. Please note that some money changers on the street won't accept bills smaller than US$100 or will want to give you a less favorable exchange for US$20 or less.
 * For visa extensions, head to "Migración" located in the north part of Cochabamba at Av. J. Rodriguez between the streets Santa Cruz y Potosí (near Instituto Americano)

Consulates
The Consulate of Paraguay is located at Calle Ismael Céspedes #007 between Tadeo Haenke and Mejillones, parallel to Avenida Beijing. The phone number is 442-5902, and has been confirmed as of August 2, 2010. Keep in mind that visa applications at this consulate take a week to get filled, because the forms must be sent off to La Paz.

Go next

 * Torotoro National Park – Popular with travellers that head to Cochabamba for its dinosaur foot prints, large cave and hiking opportunities. The (mini)buses leave hourly or when full (06:00-18:00, ) from the.
 * Iquique, Chile – There are direct buses, some with a transfer in Oruro. Keep in mind that the border to Chile opens at 08:00. So, it makes little sense to leave at 16:00 from Cochabamba. Waiting time at the border can extend this trip up to 23 hr(!). From Iquique you will have several connections to Santiago.

title: Cochabamba


text:
Cochabamba (department)

Cochabamba is a department in the Sub-Andean region of Bolivia. It lies in the Andean valley region of Bolivia, between the tropical lowlands of Santa Cruz and the highlands and altiplano in Potosí and La Paz.

Cities
The urbanized region of Cochabamba and surrounding Quillacollo and Sacaba are the economic centers of the department, and have become closely linked, such that a tourist may not recognize that they are traveling between cities. Nonetheless the locals maintain that each has a distinct character. Cities in this central region include:

 * - capital and largest city.
 * - nearby city with a few windy colonial streets to explore, with the Virgen de Urkupiña religious festival in mid-August

Outside the central valley of Cochabamba department, there are numerous small towns, some of which retain a well-worn version of colonial charm. The three most prominent are in the valley directly south of the departmental capital.
 * - charming colonial village with the festival of San Severino in late November
 * and - towns in the same valley with a few colonial buildings, handicrafts, and local culture

Further afield are a number of major attractions.
 * – Becoming more and more popular with tourists for its nearby national parks and its climate.
 * – A distinctive and famous colonial village on the way to Sucre.
 * – A similar colonial village with handicrafts.
 * – Start of the river towards Trinidad.

Understand
Cochabamba is both the name for the department (like a state or province in other countries) and for the capital city, Cochabamba.

Like all Bolivian departments, Cochabamba is politically divided into several provinces. The capital city is coterminous with the province of Cercado. In general, the political divisions of Bolivia beyond department are not relevant to tourists, unless volunteering with an organization that works within a specific city, for example in a development project within the Cercado province.

Talk
You're always bound to find someone speaking Spanish, even in rural regions where Quechua is the predominant language. Bolivians tend to be shy with foreigners - it isn't disrespect, it's merely a cultural tendency when dealing with unknown people. It's still polite to smile and say "Buenos Días/Tardes" to people you see.

When someone says "salud" in your direction and holds up a drink, it indicates that they would like to share at least a sip of their drink with you. It is impolite to refuse - use your best judgement.

By bus
The best roads into and out of Cochabamba city lead to La Paz, Oruro, and Santa Cruz. It is also possible to travel to and from Potosi and Sucre by bus, but because of long, winding mountain roads at very high altitudes, the trip is uncomfortable and should be avoided. Typical prices (2011), travel times, and recommended bus companies are as follows: In general it is a safe bet to arrive at the bus terminal and expect a bus from at least one company to be leaving for Cochabamba within an hour or so.
 * La Paz - 25 to 60 Bs; 8 hours; El Dorado, Trans Copacabana, many others
 * Santa Cruz - 60 to 120 Bs; 10 hours; Trans Copacabana
 * Oruro - 20 to 30 Bs; 4 hours; Trans Azul
 * Potosi - 7 hours; unknown

By plane
The city of Cochabamba is the hub of the new airline Boliviana de Aviación (BoA) and as such has good, inexpensive connections to domestic and international destinations, including Buenos Aires and São Paulo.

TAM Bolivia flies on a less regular schedule to a number smaller cities and rural towns. See the Cochabamba (city) section for more details about flight options.

There is also a new airport in the town of Chimoré located in the Chapare region of the Department. For now, only BoA flies there.

Get around
Services to Quillacollo and other cities within the main valley traverse many of the streets in the capital. Go to a main road that's going in the general direction you want to go (eg. Heroinas or Aroma heading westward for Quillacollo), look on the front of the minibuses for the destination, or ask a local. These nearby urban services cost up to 3 Bs. Services within the city of Cochabamba cost 1.70 Bs.

Most transport to towns within the department leave from certain distinct spots within the city of Cochabamba. They go whenever full, and are usually available throughout the day. Services to Tarata and Cliza leave from Avenida Barrientos, south of La Cancha marketplace, and cost about 5 Bs. Services to Aiquile leave from 6 de Agosto and Barrientos, and cost 20 Bs; no service on Sunday. Villa Tunari services go from Oquendo and República, and cost 15-25 Bs.

For other destinations it's good to ask a local from the tourist information office or a travel establishment, though they might try to sell you expensive private services.

See
The mountain ranges, including Cerro Tunari and Cerro San Pedro with the famous Cristo de la Concordia statue, form most of Cochabamba province and provide opportunities for hiking and camping, as well as South America's most famous paragliding companies.

Do

 * Rent a boat or in, or take a cargo ferry in  (of the Santa Cruz department), and go down the river  or even further in the Amazon region. Stack enough food, and bring chlorine tablets for clean water and mosquito net. See Beni (department) for all the details.
 * Festivals. Visit Quillacollo, just 20 minutes from Cochabamba city, for it's Fiesta de la Virgen de Urkupiña, which is a national pilgrimage site and attract thousands of religious visitors on and round August 15th. Cochabamba city's festival is September 14th, while Tarata celebrates the fiesta de San Severino in late November, to mark the coming of the rain.
 * Volunteer. Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi is 4 hours into the jungle at Villa Tunari. It offers the amazing experience of looking after previously captive tropical wild animals as a volunteer.

Cochabamba is also a good point for excursions into the rainforest Chapare Region:
 * Samaipata is a town towards the Carrasco National Park and has lodging in the wilds nearby for a quiet retreat.

Eat
Cochabamba department prides itself on its food, mostly for the large portions in local dishes - Cochabamba has been dubbed the "bread basket of Bolivia." Though it may not all be prepared close to western tastes, it's worth trying at least the Sillpancho, an egg-meat-tomato-onion-rice-potato dish, and the Sopa de Maní, which is a creamy peanut soup.

Drink
Chicha is the traditional corn-based alcoholic drink of the rural areas, and while in the past it may have been trustworthy to drink in most places (when saliva was used in fermentation), the modern-day addition of other products for fermentation (some highly unsanitary) may make it dangerous in most places.

Local beers include the nationally-known Taquiña brand, though most Cochabambinos prefer Huari which comes from outside the region.

Stay safe

 * Cochabamba city has some shady neighbourhoods.
 * During the rainy season the roads throughout the province are more difficult, especially to Toro Toro.

Go next

 * Going further into the jungle towards Santa Cruz offers a more tropical experience and may be more fun than battling flooded mountain roads during the rainy season, December-March.
 * Going to the altiplano, especially Uyuni and the tours in that region, are a great way to continue travelling through Bolivia. Trains also go from Uyuni to the Argentine border, but it is out of the way if you'd like to go directly to Argentina.

title: Cochabamba (department)


text:
Cochamó Valley

The Cochamó Valley is a beautiful valley in the Lakes Region of Chile that is known for its granite domes and old-growth forests. It attracts serious hikers with trails ranging from easy to challenging, and a myriad of rare bird and plant life, and a stunning landscape.

Understand
The valley is known as the Yosemite of Chile, a comparison and term first made in 1996, in an article in the Chile News Review, and later amplified by Seattle Times reporter Bill Dietrich, who wrote about his horseback trek and visit in 1997—see Seattle Times.

Landscape
With its remote location, far removed from modern, urban living, Cochamó is like stepping back in time. The U-shaped valley, lined with 1000-meter granite walls and peaks, was originally carved by a glacier millions of years ago. Lush, green pasture land gives way to dense, deep-green rainforest, and thence to bamboo forests and, eventually, bare, granite peaks that rise more than from the upper valley floor. As for the waterfalls, there are more than you can count. And the water is clear, pure and drinkable.

Flora and fauna
The lush, virgin temperate rainforest - one of only three such natural treasures in the world - is a highlight of the valley. Towering native trees, hundreds and even thousands of years old, are entwined with ferns, vines, and the bell-like, bright-pink copihue flower. The Alerce trees (fitsroya cupressoides) are one of nature's wonders, living for up to 3,000 years.

The fauna is perhaps on a smaller, less-dramatic scale but still very unique, and often threatened. Lucky visitors often glimpse pudu (the world's smallest deer), or the flash of a wild boar racing through the trees. Puma do prowl the upper reaches, but are shy and rarely seen. The Darwin's Frog, a very rare and endangered species, is to be found in this valley - as are nesting condors, caranchos, and a variety of migratory birds (ibises, humming birds, swallows, etc.) Occaionally, at the mouth of the Rio Cochamo a small family of black-necked swans makes a graceful appearance.

Although trout are not native to the area, they were introduced more than a century ago - and now the Cochamo abounds with brown and rainbow trout.

Climate
A pleasant season to visit the area is from October through April, although September and May can often be pleasantly clear and crisp, too. The months that usually have the best weather are December through March. Between May and August, the climate is generally cold and very rainy (90% of the area's rain falls in these southern-hemisphere winter months.)

The weather in Patagonia is difficult to predict, but locals have followed one general rule that helps forecast stormy weather. Clouds moving north to south generally bring rain.

Get in
If you are heading to Valle Cochamó from Santiago (Chile) or Bariloche (Argentina), you must get to Puerto Montt or Puerto Varas as a starting point.

There are inexpensive buses from Puerto Varas and Puerto Montt to the town of Cochamó for about 3,000-5,000 pesos. Four buses daily leave from Puerto Montt and pass through Puerto Varas to pick up more passengers on route to Cochamó but will not stop in Puerto Varas when full. Make sure to ask the bus driver to drop you in Pueblo Hundido part of Cochamó to hire a car to take you to the trail head or simply get dropped off at the north side of the Cochamó River bridge and hike the 6 km to the trailhead. If you arrive late, you can camp at Campo Aventura's Riverside Lodge or at the trailhead's Camping Los Pozones.

The trailhead is 6 km up river following a gravel road, that meanders through pastures and woods. It's possible to hire a car in town to drop you off at road's end where the trail begins.

Fees and permits
There are no entry fees or permits needed. Most of the valley is owned, however, by private individuals. Access into and through the valley is open along mostly a well-eroded trail. Its right-to-access is protected by Chilean law. Visitors are urged to respect boundaries, fences, and be careful with gates. Close a closed gate; leave an open one open. And be sure to pack out all your refuse.

Get around
At the end of the road or trailhead, cross a small bridge and pass through a gate. From that point, hiking into the valley takes 4 to 5 hours. The trail is well marked and never crosses the Cochamó River. The hiking is relatively easy except for crossing through some trenches, pools and streams, which can become harder to cross - when it rains heavily. Wate proof hiking boots are strongly recommended. Gaitors help significantly on rainy days. Continue to La Junta River, the center of activities and accommodation in the valley.

Riding up the valley trail a great alternative to walking and much less strenuous. There are guides and horse rentals of all variety, so choose a reputable provider.

Many visitors choose to visit the valley by horse or using packhorses. All horses are (or should be) accompanied by guides. Cochamó offers numerous different guides but tracking them down is not a formal task. Ask around town and expect to pay 18,000-25,000 pesos per horse and be sure to find out if the guide charges for the horse he/she uses. If starting the ride from the village of Cochamo, expect to ride for at least 5-6 hours, with a local resident who only speaks Spanish (and to carry your own food.)

If riding on a program with Campo Aventura, the ride is an hour shorter; there is often an international guide; and meals and refreshments are provided along the way and upon arrival in the upper valley. Campo Aventura is supposedly the oldest and best-established provider of guided horseback treks, known for its commitment to the community. They also offer all-inclusive hiking and trekking programs throughout the valley, and up to the border with Argentina.

See
Thousand-meter granite walls, waterfalls, rivers, granite arches, Alerce forests, caves, pools - basically some of Patagonia´s most amazing landscape. And experience traditional Andean mountain life as it has been lived for generations - self-sufficient, low impact, and viable.

Do
The Cochamo Valley is one of the most pristine places in northern Patagonia, with its historic Cochamo Trail, up to the border with Argentina, having been in use for more than 100 years. Once traversed only by gauchos, missionaries and the occasional bandit (Butch and Sundance being the best-known of the latter), the trail is today being explored and used by travellers from all parts of the world. This is, in large part, due to the 'discovery' of this hidden gem by maverick traveler and journalist Clark Stede, was one of the early European visitors to this remote valley, in the waning years of the Pinochet regime. He was just 'passing by' in his aluminium yacht, but once he glimpsed the valley and his peaks; he decided to stay. Working with young local huasos, he explored the Cochamo Trail and other long-unused byways, and decided to lead and guide horseback explorations of this magnificent valley, thus bringing international tourism to little-known Cochamo.

Today, the Cochamo Valley, specifically the upper La Junta section, is a famous rock climbing destination with many granite walls and domes ranging around 1000 m. New routes are opened every year and thousands of new long lines are waiting to be done. For most other types of outdoor travelers, the multi-day horseback trekking and hiking activities remain the most popular and common way to access this natural treasure trove.

In addition to rock-climbing, the Cochamo and La Junta valleys offer visitors a rich feast of nature - crystal-clear pools and streams; towering ancient trees; scattered, occasional encounters with traditional mountain homesteaders; and dozens of hikes - ranging from easy to moderate to challenging.

It used to be not well known to travellers, but the valley receives more and more hikers and climbers each year, which brings its own set of challenges: ill-prepared or ill-equipped visitors; littering and trash; unauthorised camping and fires. Whether the growing number of local and international visitors will respect the fragile environment and local inhabitants and their property, and do what they can to keep this "Yosemite of Chile" clean and unspoiled, remains to be seen.

 * Horseback treks Numerous visitors also choose to travel through the Cochamo Valley's native rainforest up to magnificent La Junta valley on horseback: a traditional way of accessing this hard-to-reach natural gem. Day rides and multi-day trips, combined with hiking, lodge stays, or camping, provide an unsurpassed opportunity to experience the "huaso" traditions and culture along the centuries-old [https://cochamo.com/cochamo-valley-trail/ Cochamo Valley Trail.
 * Natural waterslide. La Junta River offers an amazing natural waterslide. In early 2010, there were a couple of serious mishaps when overzealous (and, perhaps, underprepared) campers took the plunge.
 * Arco Iris. The 'arc of the rainbow' is one of the more popular trails. It is a vigorous hike, with a small section requiring ropes and the reward is well worth it. Stunning, 360-degree views of a lush valley and imposing peaks are your reward.
 * El Arco The "arch" is a destination approximately 10-15 km up river from the La Junta basin and valley. It gets its name from a lone Alerce tree growing atop a natural rock archway, through which a waterfall courses. In the higher reaches of El Arco are hundreds of millenarian Alerces, the second-longest living tree in the world, renowned for its ability to remain strong and usable in home-building, boat-building and other uses for decades, even in an intensely wet and cold climate. A "ride & trek" program is the ideal way to explore this reserve.
 * The Gaucho Trail - a circle route between the Cochamo and Puelo river valleys, pioneered by Campo Aventura. This is an unforgettable journey, in the words of a Chicago Tribune article, it is "a chance not just to see mountain scenery far removed from the well-trampled tourist track and romp through a bit of history; but also to ride back to an earlier age, a time of hand-hewn log cabins and crystal streams and partnership with a horse to whom you trust your life."
 * Arco Iris. The 'arc of the rainbow' is one of the more popular trails. It is a vigorous hike, with a small section requiring ropes and the reward is well worth it. Stunning, 360-degree views of a lush valley and imposing peaks are your reward.
 * El Arco The "arch" is a destination approximately 10-15 km up river from the La Junta basin and valley. It gets its name from a lone Alerce tree growing atop a natural rock archway, through which a waterfall courses. In the higher reaches of El Arco are hundreds of millenarian Alerces, the second-longest living tree in the world, renowned for its ability to remain strong and usable in home-building, boat-building and other uses for decades, even in an intensely wet and cold climate. A "ride & trek" program is the ideal way to explore this reserve.
 * The Gaucho Trail - a circle route between the Cochamo and Puelo river valleys, pioneered by Campo Aventura. This is an unforgettable journey, in the words of a Chicago Tribune article, it is "a chance not just to see mountain scenery far removed from the well-trampled tourist track and romp through a bit of history; but also to ride back to an earlier age, a time of hand-hewn log cabins and crystal streams and partnership with a horse to whom you trust your life."

Eat & drink
Refugio Cochamó provides home-cooked meals with ingredients from their organic garden, oven-baked pizzas, whole wheat bread, home-made beer and Tabano Pale Ale. Breakfasts are included for guests.

At Campo Aventura's lodges, guests are provided with all meals as part of their stay - starting with a hearty breakfast, picnic or hot lunches, the famous afternoon tea (or once) with cake and home-made bread, and substantial dinners. They specialise in catering to vegetarians, and even provide gluten-free options with advance warning. Drinks, snacks, and full meals are also available to visitors just stopping by at Riverside Lodge for a day visit.

Restaurants have been springing up in Cochamo village, most of them offering the standard empanada and french fries menu. But there is at least one good seafood place, and a couple of places to buy the ubiquitous pancitos.

Lodging
Within the Cochamo Valley proper, there are three main accommodation options.

Camping
You can camp at Camping La Junta across the river from Refugio Cochamó or at Campo Aventura's Riverside Lodge.

Campo Aventura provides camping facilities at the mouth of the Rio Cochamó and in the La Junta valley with hot showers, indoor plumbing, & firewood. It limits the number of tents or campers at any one time, to ensure a more private experience.

Camping La Junta provides ample space for sites, running water, hot showers, indoor fire ring, pots, pans, and utensils.

With the influx of visitors, hikers, and climbers, local landowners have faced the challenge of unauthorized and uninformed camping. This results in litter, possible damage or misuse of water sources and random fires. Please use and pay for these camping facilities, charges that are nothing, compared to the cost of damage and ruination of this fragile and pristine environment.

Backcountry
There are plenty of hikes in the valley. Recommended is the Cerro Arco Iris peak hike.

Stay safe

 * Many visitors have had continuous problems with one guide in particular (https://cabalgatascochamo.wixsite.com/chile), located in front of the police station in town. There are many other guides so ask around.
 * Due to the continued travel by horse into the value, the trail up to La Junta can be terrible during wet and rainy day, and you might reconsider making the effort to save the stress or if you do not want to hike in 20-cm-deep mud.

Go next

 * San Carlos de Bariloche – It is possible to hike from Cochamó to Bariloche (Argentina), passing by the small police checkpoint at where you will receive a small note with which you have to go to the police station once you arrive in the next big city to complete your registration and entrance into Argentina.

title: Cochamó Valley


text:
Cochem

Cochem is a traditional German town with half-timbered houses and an exceptionally scenic location on the Mosel river in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The town is home to about 5,700 people, and has and a population of 8,700 in a 7 km radius.

Understand
Few towns in Germany can match the charm of Cochem. Cochem is rated as one of the prettiest villages along the Mosel, and it is a favourite place for visitors. Legend, folklore and a rich web of history is woven into every street. Little seems to have changed for centuries. The town has many fine buildings, quaint cottages, black & tan guild houses, and winding streets. The town square, lined with half-timbered houses, is particularly fine. Cochem Castle (Schloss Reichsburg) dramatically rises above the town.

It is in an area of outstanding natural beauty in the Mosel river valley, between the Eifel and Hundsrück.

It is surrounded by high elevations, steep vineyards and typical wine villages, offering tastings, festivals and genuine hospitality. Cochem is the center of the Mosel wine trade. Fondly known for its regional wines due to the presence of the many vineyards and small family run wineries in the nearby towns along the river.

Early in the 19th century the first modern tourists came to Cochem. Mostly English artists. They recorded the romance and beauty of the Mosel Valley, in their drawings and paintings. The development of Cochem into the first tourist center on the Moselle came in the 1930s.

The Mosel river flows between the maintown and the Cond district, across the river by one of two connecting bridges. A wide boulevard runs along the river, with a number of river-view hotels, restaurants, bars and seating areas. From here you can take river tours at frequent intervals.

Weather
Cochem is in a valley and has an almost Mediterranean climate, with warm sunny days over a 9-month season. Summers are mild to hot.

Get in
Cochem is on the Mosel river route B49, 92 km (57 miles) northeast of Trier, 51 km (32 miles) southwest of Koblenz, 90 km south of Bonn, and 170 km (106 miles) west of Frankfurt.

By car
Cochem is between Trier and Koblenz. You can either follow the B49/B53 road along the Moselle River (most scenic option), or take the E44 (A48/A1) motorway between the two cities, until exit 2, then go down the hill on the B259 road.

There are direct local trains from Luxembourg (1h45min), Trier (50 min to 1hr 10min), Koblenz (40-55 min), Bonn (1hr 20min), and Cologne (1hr 45min).

By plane
The closest airports to Cochem are:

By train and local bus
IC trains, (Koblenz-Saarbrücken). The train travels mostly along the left bank of the river Mosel. The train-station of Cochem is in the east-end of the town, less than 500 meters from the center. From the train-station and the centre of town, you can take frequent bus and less frequent river boat connections to most of the villages along the Mosel-valley, that have no train-connection.

Get around
You can easily walk all through town and the districts of Cond and Sehl in a very short time. On the other hand the climb to the Castle and the upper town is quite steep.

 * You can take the trolley tour or
 * Rent bicycle at many locations.
 * There are frequent and regular bus and rail service to and from nearby towns with the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Mosel.

Do
Stop at the tourist office first on Endertplatz 1. They have loads of information to orientate you to Cochem and are very helpful.

 * Cochem is a port of call on many cruises from Trier, Bernkastel-Kues and Koblenz. Many cruises start from Cochem daily. The cruise ships pier is on the beautiful boulevard of the town. The river is an important transportation waterway for cargo-ships between the river Rhine and Moselle-ports in France.
 * Hiking - Many walking opportunities
 * Valwig wanderweg
 * Swimming, indoor pool and recreation center in Cochem/Cond, across the North bridge.
 * Disco at the Youth-Hostel in Cond.
 * The town can get a little quiet, after 18:00, when most of the tourist day trippers go home.
 * Cond, across the bridge, afternoon sunny terraces with a great view across the river of the Cochem architecture, the castle and the steep slopes as a background. Recreation centre, hiking paths, camping-grounds, large shopping centre, medical centre/hospital.
 * Sehl, in short walking distance south along the Boulevard, has a small historic village atmosphere. Offers good accommodations and hiking paths. Ebernach Kloister and winery, is also located here on the edge of town and well worth a visit. Beside the winery, it has an arts centre and shop, extensive gardens and a chapel for quiet contemplation.
 * Valwig wanderweg
 * Swimming, indoor pool and recreation center in Cochem/Cond, across the North bridge.
 * Disco at the Youth-Hostel in Cond.
 * The town can get a little quiet, after 18:00, when most of the tourist day trippers go home.
 * Cond, across the bridge, afternoon sunny terraces with a great view across the river of the Cochem architecture, the castle and the steep slopes as a background. Recreation centre, hiking paths, camping-grounds, large shopping centre, medical centre/hospital.
 * Sehl, in short walking distance south along the Boulevard, has a small historic village atmosphere. Offers good accommodations and hiking paths. Ebernach Kloister and winery, is also located here on the edge of town and well worth a visit. Beside the winery, it has an arts centre and shop, extensive gardens and a chapel for quiet contemplation.

Events
Throughout the year there are many events in the resort town of Cochem.
 * The season begins with the Easter Market two weeks before Easter. It continues with the Moselle Wine Week in mid-June. Over 300 wines are offered for sampling at twelve wine stands.
 * On the first weekend in August the Cochem castle invites "ladies and gentlemen, young and old, rich and poor" to the Castle Festival.
 * Popular events and fests all over the year from May to November
 * Wine tasting almost everywhere, especially in September and October
 * Christmas market (Weihnachtsmarkt) Nov. - Dec. most charming since it is small enough to be contained in a single tent.

Buy
Local wine and liqueurs. Especially in the pedestrian area you may buy a big choice of wines from the Mosel-valley. Almost every 2nd shop is wine-store and depending on the year expect to pay about €3-5 0.7-litre bottle.

Eat
The area revolves around excellent wine and good food. A number of wineries have cosy restaurants where fine cuisine and regional specialties are served. While the town may only boasts a few churches, it makes up for it in the wealth of weinstübe, pubs, restaurants, bistros, cafes and hotels, offering traditional regional fare, in additional to dishes from many other regions exist.

The following is just a small selection of restaurants offerings. While exploring, you are sure to find many more.

Drink
Wine tasting is possible everywhere in and around Cochem, many also serve good food.

Beer & cocktails

Nite life, dancing, music

Sleep
Cochem is the recognized centre of a geographical area especially well suited for tourism. There are over 3.300 beds, from budget to luxury, in area hotels, pensions, hostel, camping and vacation homes. Of the 350.000 annual overnight guests, 150,000 are foreigners.

There are three camping areas in Cochem.

For further area camping descriptions see this site made by a Dutch friend of the Mosel river.

B&B and Apartments on family-owned vineyards.

Visitors wanting to stay longer than they intended, because the wines are so good, might consider a cosy guest room at the vineyard. A vineyard holiday is often one that is remembered fondly for years afterwards. Maybe you have already experienced helping with the grape harvest or walking and picnicking in the vineyards, where you are quickly caught up in the relaxed, friendly atmosphere and visitors soon become friends.

Apartments (self catering) Price per unit usually between €35-50 per night.

Hotels Usually includes breakfast, charged per person

Go next
The RMV-Internet Agentur-Team (Rhein-Mosel-Verlag In Alf on the Mosel) has a very expansive website, not only on the Mosel but with links to the wider Hünsruck, Eifel and the Rhine area.
 * Zell
 * Burg Eltz, what many regard as the most beautiful castle in the Moselle region, near Treis-Karden
 * Burg Eltz bei Karden
 * Koblenz
 * Above all the tiny village of Beilstein, which has provided a fairytale setting for several films.
 * Nürburgring You'll notice many motorcycle (and sports car) enthusiasts, during the March to November season, visiting the famous racing circuit.

title: Cochem


text:
Cochrane (Ontario)

Cochrane is a town of 5,400 people (2021) in Northern Ontario. One of its big draws is the Polar Bear Habitat, which is home to three polar bears (as of 2023) that are unable to survive in the wild.

Understand
The main industries in Cochrane are transportation, railway, tourism, and forestry. There is also marginal farming around Cochrane. Although the soil is considered to be of good quality, the growing season is too short to have substantial crop production.

History
Before Cochrane was founded, it was used as a summer camping ground by indigenous people, and a stopping place for fur traders travelling to Moose Factory.

In the early 20th century, the National Transcontinental Railway was built through the area, and in 1907, the place was selected as the junction point with the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway. In November 1908, the lots were sold by auction and a railway town formed. It was named for politician and merchant Frank Cochrane, a former mayor of Sudbury and a federal Cabinet minister from 1911 to 1919.

The settlement was devastated by fire in 1910, 1911, and 1916, but rebuilt each time and became a transportation hub for northern Ontario.

Climate
Cochrane has a transitional climate sitting between the subarctic and humid continental climate zones with very cold winters and warm summers.

Visitor Information

 * Town of Cochrane
 * Tourism Cochrane

By car

 * Cochrane has Highway 11 (Trans-Canada Highway) passing through it.
 * If there is an accident, you won't be able to go anywhere but sit in traffic until the road is re-opened.

By bus

 * Operates the following bus routes to Cochrane:
 * Between Hearst and Sudbury including stops in Kapuskasing, Cochrane and Timmins. Travel time to Cochrane from Hearst is 2.75 hours, from Kapukasing is 1.5 hours, from Timmins is 1.25 hours, and from Sudbury is 6.25 hours.
 * Between North Bay and Timmins including stops in Temagami, Cobalt, Temiskaming Shores (Haileybury, New Liskard, Dymond), Kirkland Lake, and Matheson. A timed connection from this route to Cochrane is available at Matheson. Travel time to Cochrane from North Bay is 6.25 hours, from Cobalt is 4.25 hours, from Kirkland Lake is 2 hours, and from Matheson is 1 hour.
 * Connections are available from Ottawa and Toronto in North Bay and Sudbury.
 * Connections are available from Ottawa and Toronto in North Bay and Sudbury.

Ontario Northland bus service runs daily local service westbound to Hearst with connection in Driftwood to Timmins, Sudbury, Parry Sound, and Orillia; southbound to Toronto via Temiskaming Shores, North Bay, and Barrie. Special express shuttle to Hearst for the Northlander and to Iroquois Falls and Timmins for the Polar Bear Express. Bus service also operates from the train station (see above).

By plane
The town is served by the, but it has no scheduled flights.

Do

 * In the winter, Cochrane is famous for its world-class snowmobiling.

Connect
NorthernTel offers 4G HSPA+ (max 21 Mbps) and 1xRTT coverage in Cochrane. An analogue cellular service (AMPS, band B) had been provided by Ontera, but that company's GSM footprint now covers Moosonee and Moose Factory only.

Go next

 * Kapuskasing ― a company town west along the Trans-Canada Highway. The town's museum is housed in two heritage railway cars alongside the highway. It's on the way to Hearst, the "moose capital of Canada".
 * Kirkland Lake ― a gold mining town, about south. Esker Lakes Provincial Park is nearby.
 * Timmins ― a small city with mining heritage and outdoor recreation opportunities.

title: Cochrane (Ontario)


text:
Cockermouth

Cockermouth is an English market town of 8,700 people (2011) in the modern county of Cumbria, at the north western end of the Lake District. Much of the architectural core of the town remains largely unchanged since the 18th and 19th centuries. Wordsworth House was expensively restored in 2010, and visitors may take tea in its 18th-century kitchen. Cockermouth is a few minutes travelling distance from lakes such as Ennerdale Water, Crummock Water, Loweswater and Bassenthwaite Lake but is much less crowded with tourists than many Cumbrian towns.

Understand
The town has ancient roots and Romans, Vikings and Normans have each left lingering marks on the town and surrounding placenames. Curiously, Cockermouth lays claim to be the first town in Britain to pilot electric lighting, reputably in 1881.

It is perhaps best known as the birthplace of William and Dorothy Wordsworth, John Grayston, and Fletcher Christian (of Mutiny on the Bounty fame). John Dalton (a father of atomic theory) was born in Eaglesfield, a village on the outskirts of Cockermouth, and Astronomer Royal Fearon Fallows also hailed from the town. Also world-famous mountaineer and TV personality Chris Bonnington is a native of the town.

The tree-lined main street boasts a statue of Lord Mayo, a former MP for Cockermouth, who became British Viceroy of India and whose subsequent claim to fame was that he was assassinated.

Its location tends to enhance the life and character of the town without the negative impact of receiving too many tourists (as some believe has occurred in the case of Cockermouth's neighbour Keswick).

Visitor information

 * Cockermouth visitor information

See
Attractions include the sizeable but partly ruined Norman castle (still inhabited by Lady Egremont), built at the confluence of the Rivers Cocker and Derwent (complete with a tilting tower which hangs Pisa-like over Jennings Brewery). The castle with its preserved dungeons opens to the public only once a year during the annual town festival. Wordsworth's birthplace are other attractions.

Do
Cockermouth is home to the traditional Jenning's Brewery which offers regular public tours and occasional carriage rides pulled by a shire horse. Culturally, the Kirkgate Centre offers international music, theatre and world cinema (including critically acclaimed and art-house movies on Monday evenings) and the town has an annual festival of concerts and performances each Summer. Cockermouth has an annual Easter Fair, fireworks display and carnival. In April 2005 it hosted its first Georgian Fair, which was such a success it was repeated in April 2006, and will in future become a biennial event. At Christmas the town presents festive lighting, accompanied by competing shop displays.

Eat
There are many restaurants and of course lots of pubs. There is even a gourmet fish and chip restaurant in the Market Place.

Go next

 * South east to Keswick through the scenic Honister Pass on the B5289 via Buttermere and Borrowdale.
 * South West on the A595 to Whitehaven

title: Cockermouth


text:
Cockeysville

Cockeysville is a city in Central Maryland. This article will also cover Hunt Valley.

title: Cockeysville


text:
Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, is in Stann Creek, Belize.

Understand
This a 128,000 acre (52,000 ha) park that protects jaguars, Baird's tapirs, and other forest creatures.

Flora and fauna
There is good birdwatching.

Get in
The entrance is 6 miles (10 km) from the paved Southern Highway, on a well-maintained dirt road. Turn west at Maya Centre.

See
There are several waterfalls, which make popular hiking destinations. There is also an airplane crash site.

Do

 * There are several well-marked walking trails, of varying levels of difficulty, from one hour strolls to a 4-day challenging trail to Victoria Peak (dry season only, guide required).
 * You can rent inner tubes and float down the river, admiring the jungle around you. Fee is about BZ$5 per tube.

Buy
A small shop collects the BZ$10 entry fee, and sells T-shirts, books, cold drinks, and sundries.

Camping
There is a campground (non-powered), or basic overnight accommodation in cabins or dormitories (self-cook).

title: Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary


text:
Cocoa Beach

Forever linked to Cape Canaveral and the U.S. space program, Cocoa Beach is famous as the setting of the popular 1960s TV show I Dream of Jeannie. Filming for the TV show took place entirely in Southern California in place of Cocoa and Cape Canaveral.

Understand
The city is on the east coast of Florida on the Atlantic Ocean. Between the ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway is the narrow coastal region that is the location of the city.

Get in
Cocoa Beach can be accessed by several roads: Florida routes 520 & 528 cross the Indian River and Merritt Island from Interstate 95; A1A parallels the coast and provides access from the south. Cocoa Beach is on the water, so access by water is also possible.
 * Florida 520.svg West Cocoa Causeway ends at its intersection with Atlantic Ave (FL-A1A) in 'downtown' Cocoa Beach. Going west, into the mainland, the road winds into FL-50 where it continues another  west into Orlando as Colonial Dr (FL-50). It goes across Merritt Island as Merritt Island Causeway and through Cocoa Village on the mainland as W King St where it intersects I-95 at exit 201.
 * Florida 528.svg Florida A1A.svg Martin Andersen Beachline Expressway connects Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Village to its junction with I-4, south of Orlando, near Walt Disney World, at west, via Orlando International Airport. Locally FL-528 ends at its intersection with US Hwy 1 in Cocoa Village. From US 1, the road continues across the causeway as FL-A1A, into Port Canaveral/Cape Canaveral as Astronaut Blvd (FL-A1A) where it curves south through Cape Canaveral and into Cocoa Beach as Atlantic Ave (the main thoroughfare). It crosses over I-95 at exit 205.

By car

 * Florida A1A.svg Atlantic Ave (FL A1A) Coastal highway connects Cape Canaveral in the north (SR-528), through Cocoa Beach (SR-520) to Patrick Space Force Base in the South (SR-404). It actually runs continuously from Patrick Space Force Base to Stuart Beach in Fort Pierce. Atlantic Ave serves as the main thoroughfare through Cocoa Beach and Cape Canaveral.
 * Minuteman Causeway is a local east-west road south of 'downtown' Cocoa Beach which divides north from south. All north-south roads north of Minuteman Causeway have a 'North' designation in the prefix while the ones south have the 'South' designation. House numbers increase as you go further north or south from Minuteman Causeway and further east or west from Atlantic Ave (SR-A1A).

By bus

 * Space Coast Area Transit is the name of the local Brevard County bus service. It is a cheap way to get around and is handicap accessible. The website provides maps and timetables. Buses travel to most sites and places of interest. $1.25 per ride, or $35 for a monthly pass.
 * Bus route 9 serves as the main bus route through Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach between King George Blvd & N Atlantic Ave in Cape Canaveral (to the north), to SR-A1A & S 13th in the south of town, via Shephard Park at Ocean Beach Blvd (SR-520) as the main begin/end point of the route

Bike or Walk

 * Many bike lanes are available along major roads.
 * The area is very pedestrian-friendly, with good sidewalks.

See
The beach is a justifiably famous stretch of Atlantic beach. Activities include beach volleyball, surfing, sunbathing, surf fishing:
 * 1020 Palm Dr was identified as Maj Tony Nelson's (Larry Hagman) home address in the script where both the Jeannie (Barbara Eden) and Maj Nelson lived in. In real life the address does not exist in Cocoa Beach. The exterior shots were filmed at one of the faux houses (the 'Blondie' House) in the Warner Bros Filming Ranch in Burbank, California. The interior scenes were filmed in the Sunset Gowers Studio (formerly Columbia Pictures) in Hollywood, California. Since 2023 the faux houses in the Warner Bros Filming Ranch have been torn down to make room for new studio and office buildings.
 * Maj Nelson's Workplace The building exterior at "Cape Kennedy" where Maj Nelson and Maj Healey worked in was filmed at the NASA Flight Research Center (renamed to 'Armstrong Flight Research Center' in 2014) at the Edwards Air Force Base, north of Los Angeles. The closest place in town where filming took place was at Patrick's AFB (south of town, in place of "Kennedy Space Center") when Hagman and Eden came into to town to act out a mock wedding for their respective characters on set, who were "engaged" to marry at the officers' club in 1969.
 * Point Dume The pilot episode of I Dream of Jeannie was filmed at Point Dume, in Malibu, California which served as the deserted South Pacific island where astronaut Cpt Tony Nelson's (Larry Hagman) space capsule washed ashore and when he released Jeannie (Barbara Eden) from 2,000 years of imprisonment in a bottle.
 * "The Bottle" The bottle in which the Jeannie was imprisoned in is/was an old Jim Beam decanter whiskey bottle for Christmas of 1964 rather than being specifically made for the TV show. But, the bottles were painstakingly painted for the show. During the show the Jeannie hides in the bottle but she is/was still free to come and go unless her "master" corks the bottle if he wants to exclude her from what's going on at the moment. But she can still see out from within the bottle. The first bottle in the first season was kept by the first director, Gene Nelson. After his death in 1996 the bottle sold on auction for $100,000. Subsequently 12 additional bottles were used as props with some used with implanted smoke bombs blowing out to signify the Jeannie is coming out of her bottle. After the production of the show, Barbara Eden and Larry Hagman, each saved a bottle from the final destruction of their stage set. Barbara Eden eventually donated her bottle to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC. An old Jim Beam decanter whiskey bottle can be bought as a souvenir to the show from eBay, Etsy, and other online sources or from local thrift stores, antique malls and garage/estate sales if available. They are marketed as "I dream of Jeannie Bottle" or something along those lines.
 * 1020 Palm Dr was identified as Maj Tony Nelson's (Larry Hagman) home address in the script where both the Jeannie (Barbara Eden) and Maj Nelson lived in. In real life the address does not exist in Cocoa Beach. The exterior shots were filmed at one of the faux houses (the 'Blondie' House) in the Warner Bros Filming Ranch in Burbank, California. The interior scenes were filmed in the Sunset Gowers Studio (formerly Columbia Pictures) in Hollywood, California. Since 2023 the faux houses in the Warner Bros Filming Ranch have been torn down to make room for new studio and office buildings.
 * Maj Nelson's Workplace The building exterior at "Cape Kennedy" where Maj Nelson and Maj Healey worked in was filmed at the NASA Flight Research Center (renamed to 'Armstrong Flight Research Center' in 2014) at the Edwards Air Force Base, north of Los Angeles. The closest place in town where filming took place was at Patrick's AFB (south of town, in place of "Kennedy Space Center") when Hagman and Eden came into to town to act out a mock wedding for their respective characters on set, who were "engaged" to marry at the officers' club in 1969.
 * Point Dume The pilot episode of I Dream of Jeannie was filmed at Point Dume, in Malibu, California which served as the deserted South Pacific island where astronaut Cpt Tony Nelson's (Larry Hagman) space capsule washed ashore and when he released Jeannie (Barbara Eden) from 2,000 years of imprisonment in a bottle.
 * "The Bottle" The bottle in which the Jeannie was imprisoned in is/was an old Jim Beam decanter whiskey bottle for Christmas of 1964 rather than being specifically made for the TV show. But, the bottles were painstakingly painted for the show. During the show the Jeannie hides in the bottle but she is/was still free to come and go unless her "master" corks the bottle if he wants to exclude her from what's going on at the moment. But she can still see out from within the bottle. The first bottle in the first season was kept by the first director, Gene Nelson. After his death in 1996 the bottle sold on auction for $100,000. Subsequently 12 additional bottles were used as props with some used with implanted smoke bombs blowing out to signify the Jeannie is coming out of her bottle. After the production of the show, Barbara Eden and Larry Hagman, each saved a bottle from the final destruction of their stage set. Barbara Eden eventually donated her bottle to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC. An old Jim Beam decanter whiskey bottle can be bought as a souvenir to the show from eBay, Etsy, and other online sources or from local thrift stores, antique malls and garage/estate sales if available. They are marketed as "I dream of Jeannie Bottle" or something along those lines.

Sleep

Go next

 * Cape Canaveral is home to Kennedy Space Center and Patrick Air Force Base north of town, north of Barlow (5800 block) along Atlantic Ave (FL-A1A)
 * Port Canaveral is the home base to many cruise ships, including ships of the Disney, Royal Caribbean, and Carnival Cruise lines. There are also seafood restaurants at the port.  Nice place to watch the giant ships, smaller craft, and sea birds.
 * The Canaveral Lock allows boats to travel from the Atlantic/Port Canaveral to the Indian River. It's a little hard to locate, but visitors can watch small boats as they are lifted a small amount to compensate for tidal differences between ocean and river.  Free.
 * Rockledge is the next town, west of Cocoa Beach on the mainland on the other side of the lagoon via the Causeway (FL-520)

title: Cocoa Beach


text:
Wikivoyage:Joke articles/Cocobanana Beach

COCOBANANA BEACH is in Upper Caisse, San Serriffe.

Get in
The only safest way to get here is by jeep. You can try another way by sea but beware of the sharks because many sharks want to be your friends.

Get around
You can see shark palace in the bottom of the sea, but you have to have permission from immigration office.

See
Cocobanana Beach is, of course, famed for its vast expanse of white sand and its bevy of Serriffean lovelies wearing only Flong thongs, a garment prepared from coconut husk that can also be used to remove pieces of swarfega from between your teeth. It should, however, be noted that the Flong thongs are traditionally worn only by men who have passed the demanding initiation rites of the Very Brotherly Fraternity of the Homoglyph, and women usually opt for burlap sacks, or go naked, instead.

Cocobanana has suffered somewhat from development recently, with some residents objecting that the giant boulders of rock dumped from the nearby quarry onto the beach detract from the scenic beauty. However, protests have quieted down after mine management, yielding to public pressure in a sign of the times, gave residents the democratic option of having the boulders quarried to either the beach or on top of their huts.

Do
You can be sharks's friend by visiting them in their palace.

Buy
There is only one mall around here selling cattles.

Eat
There is no restaurant here, so you have to fish by yourself.

Drink
You can drink water from the wells.

Sleep
There is only one hotel around here, but beware of the mosquitos.

Splurge

 * Cocobanana Beach Resort, on National Highway 1, . Visitors to Cocobanana Beach Resort never cease to be amazed by its stunning appearance and the level of services available, and often leave with indelible memories of their experience.  For easy access, National Highway 1 runs right through the resort, and complimentary donkey carts to the beach (17 km away) are provided weekly.

Stay safe
Beware of locals with large sacks over their shoulder contacting you about purchase of foreign tubers. Remember: possession of foreign vegetables is a crime. Also, some of the local law enforcement officials pose as tuber salesmen to trap foreign visitors. If you are a victim of one of these traps, a payment offer 2,000dNr will normally allow you to go on your way (and you can keep the tubers).

Go next
If you want to get out fast from this place just call 911.


text:
Coconuco

Coconuco is a small village a curvy hour ride from Popayan whose main attraction is the Aguas Hirviendes hot springs and a few natural pools of cold water. Once in Coconuco, it is necessary to either wait on the main street in town for a mototaxi or hike 1- 1½ hours uphill to the hot springs. There is a fork in the road with two signs that indicate the direction of the hot springs.

Get in
The last bus leaves Coconuco at around 5PM.

Do

 * Aguas Hirviendes is gated and costs a few thousand pesos to enter. Outside the gates are a few guesthouses and restaurants. The restaurant inside offers a meal of the day for around COP$8,000.

title: Coconuco


text:
Cocos Island National Park

Cocos Island is a nationally protected jungle-covered island and national park off the coast of Costa Rica. It's also a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Understand
Cocos Island is in the Eastern Tropical Pacific approximately southwest of Cabo Blanco, Costa Rica. A rugged and incredibly beautiful island, today Cocos Island is the most sacred National park in Costa Rica's extensive park system.

Among Cocos Island's many attributes is a startling degree of biodiversity. This island's world-renowned waters explode with life, including innumerable white tip reef sharks, schooling hammerhead sharks, dolphins, mantas and marbled rays, giant moray eels, sailfish, and of course the occasional whale shark. Other common encounters are large schools of jacks and tuna, silky sharks, silver tip sharks, marlin, Creole fish, green turtles and octopus. On the Island you will encounter a lot of pigs and not much else besides the usual vegetation.

History
The island is supposed to hold three of the largest treasure troves of all time. From pirates to the entire horde of Lima which was hidden there from Simon Bolivar and his troops in 1821.

Landscape
Cocos Island is a very hilly, dense tropical jungle with over 200 waterfalls and averages over of rain a year. It has three bays and is 24 km² of land.

Climate
Is hot and very humid. Expect showers lasting a few hours most days between March and December.

Get in
As tourists are allowed ashore only with permission of island rangers, there are very limited ways to be able to step foot on the island but one of the best ways to experience this natural beauty is through a dive trip. There are two fully equipped dive boats that do week-and-a-half trips out to the island and back, they are the Okeanos Aggressorand Undersea Hunter.

Fees and permits
In order to set foot on the island with the intent of treasure hunting requires a permit from the Costa Rican Government. This is because of the large numbers of treasure expeditions that have been seen come through the island over the last 50 years. Over 400 large scale expeditions have been assembled along with tens of thousands of smaller and independent searches.

Get around

Getting around the island is a little tricky. The main types of transportation are by foot or bike usually used for hikes and sight-seeing tours. The few locals who live here mainly use foot, or bike, or small motor bikes and dirt bikes.

See
Since this is an island you will see a lot of ocean, but if you ever get the chance to step foot on the island and are somewhat physically fit, hike to the top of the island with a guide. It is a magnificent view.

Do
The main attraction for Coco island is its unbelievable scuba-diving with its schooling hammerhead sharks. On the island hiking and biking to the top of the island for the spectacular view is an almost must. Other main activities include snorkeling, island hopping, and fishing the waters surrounding the island. Many people go to Cocos just to relax on the beach and enjoy the scenery.

Sleep
Tourists and are not permitted to stay on the island.

Stay safe
The only possible dangers in Cocos Island are the sharks, eels, and other creatures that might be seen while diving, snorkeling, boating, or fishing.

title: Cocos Island National Park