Sweet dreams are made of this. From Russia (with love) to South Korea by Ferry I get a good night's sleep after the wonderful exploration of Vladivostok yesterday. I think about taking a bus to the funicular railway, one of only two in Russia. The second one has just been built in Sochi for the recent Winter Olympics. However, I choose a lie-in and a good breakfast instead. The warmth of the hotel compared to the freezing temperatures outside … [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...]
Adventure Travel in Quebec – Part II
“Blessed are the curious, for they shall have adventure.” When I last left you on my week-long adventure trip to Quebec's Saguenay-Lac St. Jean region, I had just finished two days of aerial challenges: an exhausting a treetop obstacle course, followed by an even more obscene climb along the 250-meter high Via Ferrata. What was next on the agenda around Saguenay fjord, I wondered? Sea kayaking in the fjord Turns out, that next stop … [Read more...]
Peru’s Inca Heartland: An Experiential Vacation With Kuoda Travel
I’m in a remote Peruvian village in the Sacred Valley, deep in the heart of the Inca world. Surrounded by mist-shrouded mountains and cobalt blue lakes, agrarian rhythms define life here, just as they have for centuries. I feel as far off the beaten track as I can possibly get. I’m spending the afternoon with the women of the village. Traditionally dressed with their long black hair in precise plaits, it’s as if time has stood still. They … [Read more...]
Looking Cool, Feeling Lonely
After my first year of college, I was dying to do something by myself. Freshman year was filled with group outings, constantly noisy dorms, and very little personal space. I arrogantly prided myself in being an introvert, and thought I was so cool for being brave enough to travel through Europe by myself. This two-week solo trip was my chance to establish my independence over the summer, and prove that I was an adult. But it turns out that I was … [Read more...]
Fall in Vail, Colorado
I am careening downhill on my rented cycle, hair streaming behind me, the cool September air of the Colorado mountains rushing past my face. I’m grinning. Biking is exhilarating, I realize, especially when you’re on a paved path weaving through stunning fall scenery. Yup, I'm in Vail, Colorado to experience adventure, romance, and world-class cuisine with my husband, courtesy of Vail Tourism. Growing up in the Bay Area, Vail and Aspen to me … [Read more...]
Isn’t it Iranic?
The taproot of the tree of civilization, Iran. While the USA is an entity less than a quarter a millennium young, Iran’s recorded history bows back 5000 years. At its height, about 500 B.C., Persia controlled more than 2.9 million square miles of land spanning three continents, east into India, south to Egypt, westward to Greece. It reigned over roughly 44% of the world’s population, making it the largest world power ever by population … [Read more...]
Ireland’s Ancient Guardians
Donegal Sea Stack Climbing Living along the western seaboard of County Donegal live 100 guardians of an ancient and little known world. Sculptured by the pounding heart of the wild Atlantic Ocean over thousands of our lifetimes. These towering rock sentinels stand guard at the outer edge of our distant shores. Mark the boundary between the moving and the static. These gothic leviathans are the last remains of a time long … [Read more...]
Elephants in Indonesia
When I was a kid I did not want to get a dog or a kitten. I did not even want toys for presents! Everybody was surprised by my wish because I expressed it from very small age and everyone was wondering why. I wanted to see how it does it feel to be next to the most gigantic animal on the planet. How does it feel to watch it walking, eating, and taking care of its children? I wanted to see an elephant. My wish grew bigger as the year was … [Read more...]
Santa Fe, New Mexico: Explore The Arts
Santa Fe and art go together like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. This northern New Mexico town has been attracting artists for decades. Like magnets, they are drawn to the magical light, turquoise sky and starkly stunning landscape. Galleries galore and top-notch museums attract art appreciators like bees to honey. Georgia O’Keeffe was deeply inspired by Santa Fe. At her namesake museum, you’ll find plenty of examples of her sensual, … [Read more...]
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