The name of Montreal's Golden Square Mile or Le Mille Carré, a square mile of signature historic blocks at the heart of downtown at the foot of Mount Royal, traces its origins back to 1950s real estate developers promoting the area's prosperity. Today, "Golden" more aptly describes the stellar array of attractions available within such a small radius. In 1983, only 30% of the district's historic buildings survived the wrecking ball due to … [Read more...]
Playing the Points Game: A Beginner’s Thoughts
My youngest son is about to fly the coop and start college, joining his older brother in the fall at San Diego State. This means that my wife and I are about to become empty nesters, giving us the chance to fly the coop ourselves and travel more. With this looming rebirth of freedom, I am beginning to look into the wonderful (and complicated!) game of acquiring points as a means of knocking down the costs of airfare, lodging, restaurants, and … [Read more...]
Exploring Shanghai
Shanghai is among the world's largest cities by population. Two airports serve this major metropolis: Hongqiao International Airport (more domestic flights) and Pudong International. The metro connects both airports to the center of town and outlying suburbs. The fastest train in the world, the Maglev connects Pudong Airport to the metro system. Air pollution is certainly a problem here - during the Shanghai Expo in 2010 factories were shut down … [Read more...]
Crazy About Cats at the San Diego Zoo
The black jaguar strides agitatedly back and forth in a small corner of her otherwise large enclosure, occasionally stopping to sniff the air, then quickly resuming her search. Something has piqued her interest. She stoops down to take a view from a different angle, brushing her snout through the tall green grass. Her deep emerald eyes flare like Saint Elmo's fire as she continues to hunt for the elusive source of her interest. This is Mystique, … [Read more...]
How to Get Licked by a Giraffe
I'm about to be licked by a giraffe. It sounds silly but it's happening. She leans forward to get closer to me, her massive head moving to within a few centimeters of my face. I can feel her heavy breath on my cheek as she extends her enormous 45-cm (18 in) long tongue straight at me. I cringe and smile in delight at the same time. The anticipation is too much and, against every impulse, I shut my eyes. Wow, is this really happening?! Where am … [Read more...]
Giant Serpent and Scorpion Sculptures in Borrego Springs, CA
The Search is On The road trip from Palm Desert to Galleta Meadows is speckled with rolling hills, dramatic crevices, and a few ocotillos. We saw a couple four wheelers and an off road motocross trail, but the drive is rural, i.e. make sure to fill up on gas beforehand. This was my first trip into the desert and my interest was piqued -- I needed to see these massive desert sculptures for myself. We put 'Galleta Meadows' in the GPS and drove … [Read more...]
Guide to Cinque Terre
The Cinque Terre is a collection of 5 colourful villages built in the Cliffside in the Italian Riviera. I've had Cinque Terre on my bucket list ever since I saw an iconic photo of this part of Italy in National Geographic. When I was planning my trip to France and Italy in the Summer of 2017, I knew I wanted to check it out. It was the perfect stop between Nice and Florence; it took about 5 hours to get to the Cinque Terre by train … [Read more...]
8 Cultural Things to Do in Winnipeg
Are you into Culture, History and Art? Winnipeg is the ultimate destination for it all. Though the capital of Manitoba has only a population of 800,000 people, the ethnic and religious diversity makes Winnipeg an incredibly interesting and culturally and artistically enriching city to visit for a few days. Here are 7 cultural stuff to do in Winnipeg. CANADIAN MUSEUM FOR HUMAN RIGHTS Officially opened in 2014, Canadian Museum for Human … [Read more...]
7 Important Tips for Everest Base Camp Trek
You don’t have to be a mountain enthusiast for wanting a glimpse of the world’s tallest peak, Mt. Everest, and that’s why it’s basecamp is the most famous trekking destination in the world. Other than the triumph of being able to say that I have visited the highest mountain of the world, this trek has so much more to offer. It will take you right into the hearts of the high Himalaya, ever more so than any other teahouse trek in Nepal. The ancient … [Read more...]
5 Important Rules To Follow Prior To Hiking Solo (Plus A Bonus Tip)
If you are like me, sometimes you prefer hiking all by yourself instead of hitting the trails with a company. That’s completely understandable given the outstanding benefits that hiking solo has to offer. It’s far more peaceful, and it allows you to better immerse yourself with nature. You can keep your own pace and you don’t have to fit in with the wishes or needs of anybody. All that sounds great. However, going into the wilderness all … [Read more...]
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