Vermont's Stowe region embodies what comes to mind when envisioning a quintessential Green Mountain getaway. Beyond its renown as “ski capital of the east" surrounded by wide open meadows and working farms nestled among rolling mountains that rise up in every direction, this region is the epicenter of VT craft food producers ranging from household names like Cabot and Ben & Jerry's to local favorites like Cold Hollow Cider Mill and Vermont … [Read more...]
Seas the Day: Four World-Renowned Beaches in the Philippines
The Philippines holds the world’s most diverse ocean life hidden underneath the sea. Surrounded by white sand protecting the mesmerizing turquoise waters, Philippines’ amazing coastlines serve as a testimony to its divine nature, making it one of the most desired travel destinations all over the world. There are over 7000 islands in the Philippines with approximately 2000 of the islands being inhabited. Each island offers rich biodiversities … [Read more...]
Pissing on Snakes: a Postcard from Georgia; the Country on the Fringes of Europe
Too vast. My eyes have nothing to rest on, sliding over rolling landscapes. With no point to hold my gaze, I’m afraid of tripping over the horizon. The road doesn’t look like it was designed to lead anywhere but merely to serve as a metaphorical symbol of the journey into the unknown. There isn’t much to know in the unknown, it seems. It looks unfinished and bare. Only in places the ground is covered with withered grasses, sometimes leafless … [Read more...]
New Zealand of My Thirst
Aotearoa, the Maori name for New Zealand stayed in my head days after I inhaled its poetry, its wild forest, its volcanic lake in a caldera, the slow, gentle rhythm of its longest river, Waikato and its multi-cultural people. The North Island floated in my landscape that wanted to hear its voice during fall. There I was introduced into the polyglot voices of the Pasifika experience of Karlo Mila, a poet who captures the essence of … [Read more...]
12 Things You Need to Know when Booking a Trip to Thailand
Thailand is a popular travel destination for Americans and Europeans. Anyone who has watched the movie ‘The Beach’ can’t fail to be mesmerized by the idyllic landscape, with its towering cliffs, lush tropical greenery, white sand, and turquoise ocean. It truly is an amazing place. Whether you elect to visit Bangkok, Phuket, or the rest of Thailand, you won’t be disappointed. Thailand has something to offer everyone. From ancient temples to … [Read more...]
Shamanic Shenanigans in São Tomé
As we grind up the mountainside, a makeshift road block has been left meaning we have to halt. It looks like our journey is done. Three women and a small child arrive and laugh. They put down their huge buckets of bananas from their heads and inform us that local kids have created the temporary barrier to be able to charge a toll to use the road. They remove the obstruction so we can continue. The road is black volcanic rock, no more tarmac, and … [Read more...]
2018 Penang Temple Fair
Chinese New Year is undoubtedly the best time to visit Penang. During this time, this UNESCO World Heritage site becomes a buzz of activity with crowds, colorful holiday decorations and a lineup of exciting and interesting events. One of the most anticipated events that always draws a diverse crowd is the Temple Fair, otherwise known as Miao Hui in Chinese. This celebration is a large-scale street fair co-hosted by a collective of Chinese … [Read more...]
My first experience of a Turkish Hamam
There are many Turkish bathhouses (Hamams) in Istanbul. The famous ones being Çemberlitaş, Ayasofya Hürrem Sultan Hamam, Cağaloğlu etc where you fork out a fortune (more than 100 liras) to enjoy the finest bathing experience in a lavish and elegant environment. Being a frugal traveler (or cheapskate as sometimes the meaning of frugal connotes), those bathhouses with world-class facilities surely are places I would not be able to … [Read more...]
Italy Is Always A Good Idea
I know this title normally refers to Paris, but for me, Italy has been on my mind and in my dreams since I first saw the movie "Only You" with Robert Downey Jr. & Marisa Tomei. The music, the cobblestone streets, the pasta, the lilt that accompanies each Italian word, and the romance. Bellisima! (Try to picture my thumb and fingers together waving in the air while I say this). There is so much to say about our trip to Italy, so you can expect … [Read more...]
A Remington and a Volvo
At 9, I thought it was crazy. My dad was going to squeeze Mom and all six of us kids into a boxy, top heavy, narrow Volvo station wagon, and we were going to drive for three months from our home in Paraguay to Kansas where my father grew up. This trip had been his dream since coming to Paraguay in 1951 to found and manage a Mennonite leprosy mission. “Is there really a road that goes all the way from Paraguay to the States?” I asked. Dad … [Read more...]
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