Upon cresting a Tian Shan Mountain pass at 3200 meters above Song Kul Lake we were treated with spectacular views of a valley far below and towering mountains in the distance. The scenery reminded me of parts of Southern California - especially around Bakersfield or around Death Valley. We hiked for several hours, ultimately reaching a small village in the valley. Looking back at the tall mountains it was impressive to see the great distance we … [Read more...]
A Tour of Lahemaa National Park with Tallinn Traveller
The tour operator, Tallinn Traveler was founded in 2008 by initially offering short day walks around old town Tallinn. They have since expanded and offer a variety of day trips outside of Tallinn and now employ approximately 30 guides. All tours are offered in English. This particular tour was worth every Euro. Led by young, interesting and often humorous guides, this National Park tour touches on a variety of attractions within a 200km … [Read more...]
Rila Monastery – November 2014
Rila Monastary is located about 2 hours outside of Sofia, the capital city. You can hire a taxi (be sure to bargain - and note that hiring taxis from public transportation places such as bus or train stations are usually higher in price), take a bus or go with a number of Bulgarian based tour companies that visit the monastery (Traventuria, Tandem Travel, Bulgaria-Guide). The road past the small village of Rila is narrow and winds up a river … [Read more...]
Connecting with Locals and Experiencing Village Life in Thailand
When I travel I try to take advantage of meeting locals and seeking out home stay opportunities. Rather than seeing a country from just my own perspective, often times more superficially, staying with locals allows one to see and experience a country through their eyes. I find experiences more rewarding and despite the usual communication barriers I discover they are also intrigued with my perspectives and are curious about my own travels. My … [Read more...]
Trekking in the Tian Shan Mountains above Song Kul Lake, Kyrgyzstan
Waking up early this morning after a restless sleep, I watched the sun rise and I also watched one of the ladies milk several cows. The splish splash of milk from one teat to the next into a metal pail reminded me of the last time I saw this - in a small village in Romania. I have been battling a nasty flu and subsequent cold and ultimately a back breaking cough the past three weeks. A cough that is so spasmodic at times, fellow travelers … [Read more...]
Foreign Funeral – Heartbreak in a Romanian Village
Our arms interlocked tightly at the elbow. We stared downward in the chilly, quiet living room when an improbable question broke the silence. “Did you touch her yet?” my wife, Oana, asked as tears streaked down her high cheekbones. “She’s still warm.” Mama Ana, as she was known, my wife’s 82-year-old grandmother, died hours earlier in her small, century-old stone farmhouse in the Romanian countryside. We journeyed 7,000 miles from … [Read more...]
From Sea to Clouds, Vancouver to Whistler
With two days in Vancouver before jumping on the Rocky Mountaineer train on the way to Banff, we decided to visit the mountain town of Whistler. Greyhound offers a relatively affordable option by combining a round trip bus journey with unlimited tram/gondola rides on Whistler/Blackcomb Mountains. This makes it quite doable to see Whistler in a day with an early start from Vancouver. As soon as we arrived in Whistler Village (partly home to … [Read more...]
Most Amazing People We’ve Met On Our Travels
While traveling we meet a lot of people with different destinies, dreams, and lifestyles. We forget immediately about the majority of them, but some live in our memories as if we’ve just talked to them. Today we’d like to share the most touching stories of people from different cultures, social classes and continents we collected during our travels. KAREN GIRL This girl belongs to Karen tribe, also known as long-necks. When she was born, … [Read more...]
Canada: The Road Less Traveled
The Canadian province of Saskatchewan is a hidden gem. Less well known than its neighbor Alberta, it boasts a population of approximately a little more than 1 million and has roots in Aboriginal history. The province is named after the Saskatchewan River, which the Cree named Kisiskatchewani Sip, meaning “swift-flowing river.” In fact Canada, in the language of the Huron is from Kanata, which means “settlement.” Saskatchewan is also a … [Read more...]
More to Augusta, Georgia off the course on The Masters Weekend
Whenever a host city focuses the spotlight on an internationally recognized event, it leaves in the shadows attractions and destinations that define the city every other day of the year. I challenged myself to discover what Augusta, Georgia had to offer off the course on Thursday morning of the Masters weekend. A cab from Augusta National Golf Club to downtown Augusta on Masters weekend meant standardized premium rates: $30 one-way for an … [Read more...]
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