We spent the day driving along the coastline from Lisbon up to just south of Coimbra. The first stop was at Obidos, a small ancient walled city of about 3,000 people. As luck would have it, this was one of the weekends for the Chocolate Festival and cars surrounded the outskirts of the city with thousands descending into the old town. We parked along with many others on the side of the road and some old guy started yelling at us and everyone else … [Read more...]
Archives for March 2013
Destination: Savannah, GA
“Are you interested in purchasing that house?” He said to my husband and I, as we stood tiptoed peering into the windows of a brick-faced two-story townhouse. It had a wraparound porch that was covered with intricately curving rod iron gates. The man startled us from our daydream. “No, we’re just looking,” we replied. “Oh, well I know the owners and they are very interested in sellin’ it.” He continued as we strolled with him and his dog down the … [Read more...]
Destination: Buenos Aires, Argentina
I could see myself, watching myself. An “out of body experience,” they call it. I was naked, wallowing hysterically in the crisp, clean, white sheets of the king-sized bed in my Marriott hotel room. I hadn’t eaten for many hours, too tired, emotional, and downright fearful to leave the room to forage for even a candy bar, of which there were plenty. Abundant bodegas were filled to the brim with candy brands foreign and domestic; chocolate … [Read more...]
Hawaiian Healing, Our Favorite Places
My husband and I love to travel, and Hawaii is one of our favorite destinations. We have been to Maui, Lanai and Oahu; Oahu is by far our favorite island. Oahu has a vast variety of things to do, such as hiking Diamond Head, shopping and enjoying nightlife in Waikiki with restaurants serving food of all cultures, visiting the Polynesian Cultural center, going to Luaus, and watching the surfers on the north shore. The local people are … [Read more...]
Charleston offers great boomer getaway
There is so much to see and do in Charleston that it’s hard to squeeze so much fun into a four day weekend, but this baby-boomer decided to try! The four of us girls flew to Charleston on an early Thursday morning flight and took the last departure out on Sunday evening packing in as many delightful activities as possible while still leaving down time to enjoy each other’s company and share stories of previous travels. This was my … [Read more...]
Exploring Lisbon Portugal
Headed out to Lisbon this week to catch up with my brother who is living in Verona, Italy - it was a good chance to deliver his mail from California as well as spend some time sightseeing in a city neither one of us have been to before. The airport is a small one and easily navigable. Oh and the metro connects right to the arrivals hall. I quickly jumped on the metro - found the hotel, buzzed up to the hotel room and we headed out. My brother … [Read more...]
The Mozambique of my youth, happening now
I'm walking on Maputo Beach, a beautiful, litter-strewn stretch of coastline to the north-east of Mozambique's capital city. It's overcast, so most of the tourists have stayed away. I am among a group of ex-pat stragglers, making their way to the ubiquitous piri piri chicken stands dotted all along the coastline. We feast on the chicken, sitting on plastic chairs on the beach. After we finish, a group of four children between the ages of six … [Read more...]
Beware of Camels and Mysterious Shisha
I thought to myself, “I knew this was a bad idea.” I was officially stuck on top of a camel. Even after two weeks in this scandalous country, I had managed to fall into yet another obvious scam. A young boy had approached me at the base of the Great Pyramid in Giza and sweet talked me into climbing onto his camel for a picture. It seemed harmless enough; camels are pretty docile, and I was not obligated to pay for a ride. Just a quick … [Read more...]
Day Trips from Fredericton, New Brunswick
Fredericton, the capital of the Canadian province of New Brunswick, offers plenty of outdoor, cultural and historic activities to fill any traveler’s itinerary. However, Fredericton is also uniquely located among some of the most incredible natural treasures and scenic places in the world. Within two hours in any direction, you’ll find the ocean, the mountains and forests, as well as spectacular natural phenomena (14-metre tides!) and historic … [Read more...]
How to enjoy Paris on a Budget
When most people think of Paris, they probably picture the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre or the bright lights of the Champs-Élysées. It is a city which evokes romance, not to mention a certain amount of decadence. The words ‘Paris’ and ‘budget’ are two which probably seem highly incompatible. However, is this notion of Paris as a destination for the rich a myth? We’re inclined to suggest it is in fact a misconception… After all, there are over two … [Read more...]