Jaipur, India: The Pink City

July 3, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

Jaipur is the capital city of the northern Indian state of Rajasthan, the Land of Kings.  It is also the largest city of Rajasthan.  Jaipur is known as the Pink City of India because of the color of the stone used for the construction of many of its structures, the most famous being the Hawa Mahal.

But, in addition to some beautiful and well known sights, Jaipur is also a shopper’s paradise.  It is here where many fashion brands come to source fabrics and jewels.

We spent three (in my opinion, too short) days in the busy city of Jaipur.  We took in the sights, the food, and the bazaars!

Must See Sights

City Palace

The City Palace is a massive complex that covers about a seventh of the old city of Jaipur.  Within the complex are forts, gardens, courtyards, and palaces.  Three gates are used to enter the City Palace, but only two are open to visitors. The third is reserved for the royal family who still lives in the complex.  The cost of admission to the City Palace is about $7.00 USD.

There are a couple of highlights that you shouldn’t miss.  The first are the four beautiful gates in the palace’s inner courtyard, Pitam Niwas Chowk.  It is here that you will find the beautifully colored gates that represent the seasons (which I am sure you have seen on Instagram), the Peacock Gate (autumn), the Lotus Gate (summer), the Green Gate (spring), and the Rose Gate (winter).

The Sarvato Bhadra is an open air hall that is entirely pink!  It is one of the most important ritual buildings in the complex that is used today for royal festivals and celebrations. There are two gigantic silver vessels on display here which hold the Guinness World Record as the world’s largest sterling silver vessels.

The two main palaces in the complex at the Chandra Mahal and the Mubarak Mahal. Chandra Mahal is one of the oldest building in the complex. It also houses the famous blue room, Sukh Niwas, which is located on the second (of seven) floors. But, most visitors never get to see the amazing halls in the Chandra Mahal because it is not included in the general admission ticket.  To visit Chandra Mahala and see the Sukh Niwas and the mirrored halls of Rang Mandir and Shobha Nivas, you have to buy a separate ticket for about $34 USD.  Of course, I learned this AFTER we visited the City Palace, so this photo of Sukh Niwas is courtesy of Mr. Google.

Amber Fort/Amber Palace

The entrance to the fort is at the top so you either have to drive up or walk up.  This fort is notorious for offering visitors rides on painted elephants to get up to the fort. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DO NOT RIDE THE ELEPHANTS.  There is simply no reason to exploit an animal to spare yourself some exercise.  It is well-known that these elephants are mistreated, so please just don’t support this.

Jantar Mantar

Jantar Mantar  is an astronomical observation site built in the early 18th century. Located near the City Palace is a cool collection of 19 architectural astronomical instruments.  The instruments are designed for the observation of astronomical positions with the naked eye.  If you have a couple of hours to kill, it is well worth a visit.  Here you will find the world’s largest stone sundial.

Hawa Mahal

This pink building is probably the most photographed building in Jaipur.  It is the reason that Jaipur is known as the Pink City.

It was built as an extension to the women’s quarters of the City Palace so that the royal women could look over the main street without being seen.  Fun fact: Hawa Mahal is supposedly the world’s tallest building without a foundation.  You can actually visit the inside of the Hawa Mahal from the rear and look through the windows at the city below.

The best view (and photo ops) of the Hawa Mahal is from Wind View Cafe across the street. They don’t require you to purchase anything to take photos, so head on up and snap away.

Jal Mahal

This little water palace sits in the middle of Man Sagar Lake in Jaipur.  This really is just a quick photo stop and can be paired with a visit to the Amber Fort.  You cannot visit inside.  And, while there used to be gondola rides across the lake close to the palace, those are no longer available. It is, however, illuminated at night, so that is a nice time to visit.

Nahargarh Fort

If you’ve been searching photos of Jaipur on Instagram, you have likely seen look-aways on the walls of this fort.  Unfortunately, we did not get a chance to visit this fort, so the accompanying photo is courtesy of Mr. Google.

This fort was built to protect the Amer Fort. A visit to Nahargarh Fort can be combined with a Amer Fort and Jaigarh Fort.  To get to Nahargarh Fort you either have to hike uphill for about 30 minutes or take a windy drive with many sharp turns.  THe cost of entrance is about $3.00 USD.  The cool part about this fort is that it has its own step well. Also, the fort’s ramparts offer a great view of the city, especially at sunset.

Jaigarh Fort

Key ingredients in No Fall capsules are Shilajit Sudh, Babul buy sildenafil you can try these out Extract, Pipal, Long, Swaran Bang, Kesar, Kaunch, Lauh Bhasma, Babul Extract, Shilajit Sudh, Tankari, Banslochan and Jaiphal. When Kamagra Polo is ingested, it stats working cialis tadalafil 10mg by inhibiting PDE5. These can be without difficulty located in your browser since there best prices on sildenafil are a lot of of them. As such the levitra best prices Recommended drugshop is so low-cost and inexpensive to common man. Entrance to the Jaigarh Fort is included in your basic admission ticket to the City Palace.  Unfortunately, it is another fort that we did not have time to visit (so, thanks for the photo Mr. Google), but it also has cool, photo worthy ramparts. It was built to protect the Amer Fort.  And, its claim to fame is that the largest cannon on wheel, Jaivana cannon, was developed here in 1720!  It cots a little over $1.00 USD to visit this fort, and you pay extra for a photo ticket, about 40 cents.

Patrika Gate

This is Jaipur’s ninth and most colorful gate.  And, if we are being honest, it is a total Instagram stop.  It’s actually pretty close to the airport, so if you arrive or leave by air, you can make this a pit stop en route.  But be warned, it is a VERY popular photo spot.  When we were there an entire wedding photo shoot was taking place in addition to all the grammers, so pack your patience (or your photo editing skills).

Visit a Step Well


India is filled with ancient and abandoned step wells.  These steps wells used to act as water storage.  However, now, they are tourist spots for photo ops.  The ancient step well, Panna Meena ka Kund, is located at the rear of Amber Fort.

It is free to enter, but this is India, so don’t be surprised if a guard demands that you pay an entrance fee.  This is where having a local guide really helps.  Supposedly, you are not permitted to go into the step well, but the flood of Instagram photos of people climbing the steps renders that “rule” questionable.  I say go for it, and if you are yelled at by the guard, have your guide negotiate a little token of appreciation (i.e., a tip) for his cooperation.  After all, this is India, and everything has a (negotiable) price).

Galtaji (Money Temple)

Galtaji is an ancient Hindu temple that is just outside of Jaipur.

There are many temples at this site with a natural spring that flows downwards from the hill top. The water from this spring fills up the surrounding water tanks which are considered very sacred.

The temple has 7 holy water tanks or kunds, of which the Galta Kund is the most significant of all. Pilgrims from all over India visit the temple to bathe in this water. The temple is also overrun with curious monkeys!

Shopper’s Paradise

If you like to shop, come to Jaipur. Whatever it is you are looking for, you can find here.  Especially if textiles and jewelry is on your list.  In fact, you can have things handmade just for you and delivered to your hotel by end of day.  I had a custom made silk table cloth made and delivered to my hotel in an afternoon from Heritage Textiles. I’d say reserve an entire day to just shop.

If bazaars are your thing, then you are in luck.  Jaipur is full of them.  The main bazaar is Bapu Bazaar.  Here you can buy inexpensive textiles, clothes, juttis (the traditional Indian slip on), shawls, saris, and accessories. Johari Bazaar is famous for jewelry. In Tripolia Bazaar, Maniharon ka Rasta is the home of lacquer bangles. Here you can also find metal crafts and vintage pieces. Nehru Bazaar is where to go for traditional footwear.

If it is the famous blue pottery that you are after, visit the Jaipur Blue Pottery Art Center.

If you are vising temples or just love flowers, stop by the flower market.  This early morning market starts at 6:00 a.m. and is held inside the Old City’s Chandi ki Taksal Gate. You will find sacks of bright marigolds and roses.  and as decorations for weddings. Combine your visit with the neighboring fruit and vegetable market as well. If it’s a Saturday, the Hatwara flea market pops up there too and is delightfully free of tourists

Stay and Dine

Jaipur is a huge city so the options for accommodations are plenty, from budget to luxury.  But, I think it is a nice unique experience to book a palace Hotel or a heritage hotel. I mean, who doesn’t want to stay in a palace?  So that is what we did.  We chose a suite at the beautiful Samode Haveli.  The grounds are immaculate and beautiful.  The common areas are truly spectacular.  And, breakfast was fantastic!

Another cool experience we had in Jaipur was a cooking class.  We prepared and ate a beautiful meal with a lovely Indian family.  Also, while in India, you must try Indian chai masala tea, and Jaipur is as good a place as any to give this sweet, spicy, creamy tea a try.

If you are brave, and Chad was, there is a street food tour that we took.  It was actually pretty interesting.  I stuck to the fried foods.  Chad just ate everything. Neither of us got sick.  The nice thing about this tour is that all the vendors that they visit are vetted, so that makes you feel a little better.  However, I will say that one vendor had an interesting way of serving his samples.  He had a stack of books, and he would just tear pages out of the book, drop your food sample on it, and hand it over.

If you want to take a break from Indian cuisine, try Bar Palladio.  It is Jaipur’s most photogenic bar.  It serves Italian fare in a beautiful indoor/outdoor setting.  The food is actually fantastic, and I had a cool rose tea there that was to die for!

India as a whole is an assault on the senses, and Jaipur is the perfect place to dip into the culture.  There are historical sites to visit, tons of things to buy, and some great little gastronomic treats as well.  I don’t think any itinerary to Northern India would be complete without a stop in Jaipur!

Filed Under: Asia, India, Jaipur, Uncategorized · Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , · Leave a Comment

Ranthambore, India: Tiger King(dom)

April 18, 2020 by · 2 Comments

It seems like Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin have ignited a curiosity about tigers.  Or maybe, more appropriately, about psychotic people who exploit tigers.  Unfortunately, Tiger King did very little to educate its viewership about how endangered tigers really are.

Once upon a time, there were hundreds of thousands of tigers in the wild. But now there are only a few thousand left. Approximately 3,890.  To have a chance to see a tiger in the wild, you will have to travel to Asia or to Russia.

When we finally made the trip to India, one of the highlights on our itinerary was a tiger safari.  There are at least 10 national parks in India that offer safaris.  We chose Ranthambore National Park because it is one of the largest in the country.  It is also a great park to include if you are visiting Rajasthan.  High on my wish list for India was to see even just one tiger in the wild.

Having done several safaris in Africa, we were familiar with the concept of safari, but were unsure what to expect in India.  Anyone who has ever traveled to India knows that it is, among other things, chaotic – a country that runs on its own set of inconsistent rules. In Africa, you WILL see animals in the wild, and you can almost be sure you that you will see the Big Five before your safari is over.  That is not the case in India.  On tiger safari, depending the time of year that you are there, you are lucky if you ever see a single tiger the entire time you are there.  More on that later.

Another major difference is that in Africa, the safaris are typically guided by the lodge in which you are staying.  Most of them, especially the higher end ones, have their own vehicles and expert safari guides.  That is NOT the case in India.  But for a few very exclusive lodges, the safari companies are not associated with your lodge.  Rather, you or your travel agent have to make a separate booking with an independent safari company that takes you on tiger safari. This is something I wish I had known before we booked, because had we known, we would have booked at one of the more exclusive lodges that run their own safaris.

When it comes to the safari vehicles, they look like the open air vehicles that you see in most of Africa.  If you want a private vehicle, you need to specifically book that and pay extra.  It was $100 extra dollars per day, so we opted for the private vehicle on our three-day safari.  Otherwise you can expect to be in a vehicle with up to 12 other passengers.  No thanks.

Unlike African safaris where you truly feel like you are miles away from the real world, Ranthambore is located in the middle of a city.  You literally drive through a bustling city to get to the park.  In some parts of the park, you can hear the city surroundings- cars, honking, people.  It kind of distracts from the experience.

But, at the same time, there are parts of the park that quiet, beautiful, and serene.

There is even an old palace fort in the park that you can visit after your safari. There, you will see TONS of monkeys.

Ranthambore is 282 square kilometers (or about 109 square miles).  It has between 60 and 80 tigers total.  That is a lot of park and not that many tigers.  The park is broken into 10 zones, which are strictly regulated.  Zones 1 through 5 are older and are said to have the best chances of seeing a tiger.  Zones 3 and 4 are said to be the best in terms of population of tigers and likelihood of catching a glimpse of these elusive animals.  Zones 6 through 10 are newer, so the chances there are less.

Here’s the bad news: you don’t get to pick your zone.  Zones are randomly assigned to the vehicles every day.  You must stay in the zone in which you are assigned.  Also, you are limited to one three-hour safari per day.  If you can bear the Indian heat, you have a much better chance of seeing tigers in the summer months than you do in the winter.  The park is closed during the monsoon months (July through September).

Pune’s real-estate offers everything to its client,such as a good residence , environment-friendly cialis generico uk house , township or cost-effective housing . It increases the level of stress and takes away viagra uk without prescription man’s libido. Do not take more than the recommended dose cheap generic tadalafil or duration of the cycle. They are sensuous without appearing overly sexy. cialis 5 mg http://appalachianmagazine.com/2019/03/05/old-time-practice-drinking-coffee-from-saucers/

Now, I had done A LOT of research on this trip before we came.  I knew it was difficult to see a tiger, and I was determined to see at least one.  I had read that you could pay for an all-day park pass.  I asked our travel agent about it, and she did not seem to be familiar with that.  She asked the local office who reported that they had stopped issuing these all-day passes.  Undeterred, I asked again when we got there, and got mixed answers. And, because you can negotiate and buy pretty much anything in India, I let it be known to our guide and driver that we were willing to pay extra for an all-day pass.  In the end, we got many mixed answers about the possibility of an all-day pass, and never actually got the all-day pass.  We later learned that all-day passes were available, IF you booked with the “right” company.

There is also a huge difference in the viewing experience in India versus Africa.  Unless you are at a public park, in Africa, most of the concessions are private.  So, when there is a sighting and the guides radio it to one another, you will, at most, share that sighting with three other vehicles that have a maximum of 6 people each.  In the public parks in Africa, there may be a bit more, but they are very organized and good about spending some time and them leaving so other vehicles can have a chance.  Ranthambore is a literal free-for-all. In Ranthambore, when a sighting is called, literally every vehicle in that zone shows up, and they are all on top of each other.  Like many things in India, it is utter chaos; and, in my opinion, very disruptive to the animal.

We visited India in December, and Ranthambore was our first stop.  Being a winter month, sightings were going to be even more difficult than usual.

We stayed at Khem Villas Luxury Jungle Camp. It was a lovely and serene property, tucked away from the busy city noise.  It is also a vegetarian camp, but honestly, the food was delicious. We stayed in one of their 8 cottages.

Every morning, we were picked up by our safari company and taken into the park.  We had three days, and a total of 9 hours to try and catch a glimpse of a tiger in the wild. I was crossing all my fingers and toes that we would get assigned to zones 3 or 4, or at least one of the first 5 zones.  But, no such luck.  We were assigned to zones 6 through 10 every single day.  Our chances of seeing a tiger were getting slimmer.

Undeterred, we ventured into the park every day with hope that we would get to see one. After all, we have incredible luck in Africa. We always see Big Five, and we always get a rare sighting, usually a leopard. I was channeling all my good Africa luck. Alas, it just wasn’t in the card for us.  We spent three days searching for tigers. We never saw a single tiger. Ever. I was so heartbroken.  Literally, all I wanted from this trip was to see a tiger and to see the Taj Mahal. Only one of those things got accomplished.

Each day, we would come back to the camp and hear about others’ sightings.  I was SO upset. I waited SO long to come to India.  I mean, I literally had to force Chad to come.  The only part of the trip that he was looking forward to was tiger safari, and it was a complete bust. One of our guides felt so bad for me that he shared his photos of sightings he had in the past.  I was grateful for this, but it was no substitution for seeing that majestic animal in the wild for yourself.

So, what’s the moral of the story here?  Well, not every travel experience is going to be as you expected.  I am still happy we went because it was an incredible experience; but, it would’ve been even more incredible if I had actually seen a tiger.  But, I’m not a quitter.  I already have designs for another trip to India just to see a tiger.  But, this time, I will learn from my mistakes, and make sure I put myself in the best possible position to see a tiger.

But, you know what’s even more important than me getting to see a tiger?  The fact that there are SO few tigers left – because of humans – that it is this hard to see one. We, as a human race, MUST STOP ruining the planet and killing all the animals.  Because, at the rate we are burning through this planet and its majestic wildlife, there won’t be any tigers left for our grandchildren to see.

 

 

 

Filed Under: India, Ranthambore · Tagged With: , , , , , , , · 2 Comments

Prague, Czech Republic: The Heart of Europe

March 23, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

Prologue

When I started working on this blog post, news of COVID-19, commonly known as Coronavirus, was out, but it hadn’t hit the States yet.  As I finish this post,  the U.S. is in full quarantine mode -some mandatory, some self imposed. Around the world, entire countries are quarantined. Hotels are closed. Restaurants are closed. Borders are closed. Planes are grounded.

This is a sad and hard time for all.  For countries. For economies. For communities. For businesses. For families. For travelers. But, this too shall pass.  Hopefully sooner rather than later.  And, when it does, we all must get back out into this great, big beautiful world. We have to support all of those businesses that had to close and lay people off.  We must go back to all of the wonderful local restaurants. And, we have to start traveling.  Because some of the most popular destinations have been devastated, like Italy or even favorites in the U.S.  And, the only way they are going to come back is if we come back to them.

So, while it may seem like there is no end in sight. There is.  And so, until we can board that next flight to take that next adventure, I hope you can satisfy your wanderlust by reading blogs like this.  I hope they inspire you to plan that next trip, whenever it may be.  And, I hope you get back out into the world.

Back to Prague

For years now, Chad has been pleading with me to visit the Christmas markets of Prague, Vienna, and Budapest.  Due partly to a Christmas miracle (a.k.a the birth of my first nephew just before Christmas), we finally made the trip.  And honestly, it was amazing, and SO festive!

Prague is one of the few cities in Europe that made it through World War II with its medieval town almost entirely intact.  If you love history and charming old European cities, put Prague on your list.

If you love beer and meat, well then you are in for a treat.  The Czechs drink more beer per capita than any other place in the world.  They drink more beer than the Germans.  It is literally cheaper to buy beer in Prague than it is to buy a bottle of water.

In Prague, beer is like a religion. The beer culture here is so serious that you almost need a masterclass to understand it.  Or you can just read all about it here.

I mean, there is an entire hotel dedicated to beer.  You can literally bathe in beer (more on that later). Needless to say, Chad was in heaven!

Where To Stay

If you are coming to Prague, I HIGHLY suggest that you stay at the Hotel Residence Agnes. Let me start by saying that the following endorsement is NOT sponsored.  They are not paying me to write a glowing review.  They did not comp our stay.

When you travel as much as we do, you stay at a lot of hotels.  Over time, we have come to prefer locally-owned boutique hotels because you tend to get personalized service with attention to detail. This is what you will find at Hotel Residence Agnes, which has made it onto our very short list of favorite hotels.

First, the hotel has an excellent location.  It is located in the heart of charming Old Town.  It is just a few steps from Old Town Square, Charles Bridge, and the Jewish Quarter.  It is a literal 10 minute walk to the famous Astronomical Clock, and at Christmas time, to the best Christmas market.  It is also close to the high-end shopping district. It is across the street from Prague’s only Michelin starred restaurant, and the famous Lokal. It truly is an ideal base for your visit to Prague.

When you check in, the owner or a member of his incredibly knowledgeable and accommodating staff will likely be waiting for you at the door with a warm welcome.  They will usher you in and sit you down in the lobby area where they host a complimentary nightly happy hour.  You will be treated to a beverage of your choice, traditional Czech snacks and a very informative chat about your stay.  They will give you tips on what to see and where to eat. They will make restaurant suggestions (all of which were great) and make reservations for you.  If you haven’t planned ahead for tours, they will book those for you as well. If you haven’t changed money, they will literally give you pocket cash!  If you need a ride, the house car is free and available for use to take you wherever you need to go. They also provide free airport transfers.

The hotel is immaculate, as are the  22 spacious rooms. At turn down, a homemade gingerbread cookie from the shop next door will be waiting for you on your bed. One evening, we returned from a long day to find a fresh bouquet of roses in our room!

In the morning, you will be treated to one of the best and most delicious breakfast buffets.  They will make your eggs, coffee, and juice to order. The hot and cold selections will suit any taste. But the homemade traditional sweets are the real star! After filling your belly, you will be ready for your day.  And the staff will make sure to send you off with a bottle of water.

The highlight of your visit will most surely be the attentive staff and excellent customer service. Over 4,000 five-star Tripadvisor reviews cannot be wrong.  Seriously, just book here.

What To Do

Prague Castle

Prague is a totally walkable city. Since we like to maximize our time, we took  a few excellent private tours with Continental Travel. We started with the full day private Prague excursion.  Throughout the planning process, Continental Travel was very responsive.  On the day of the tour, the guide was prompt for pick up.  He was also super knowledgeable about the city, its history and all of the stops we visited.

We started our day at the Prague Castle. Not only is it a UNESCO world heritage site, it also holds the Guinness Book of World Record for the largest coherent castle complex in the world.  We visited the St.Vitus Cathedral, Old Royal Palace, and St.George Basilica.

The Most Beautiful Libraries Ever: Strahov Library and the Baroque Library at the Clementinum

For those over the age of 60, the FDA requires certain requirements in order to be eligible to receive a prescription you must have a prescription for you to obtain a prescription from a pharmaceutical supply company. Most Ivermectin pharmacies and online pharmacies do you actually need to know? There are many online pharmacy that offer these products. The process of requesting a prescription for Ivermectin is dominated by Canada and some of the United States, some of the World Wide, and a few even online pharmacies that are a little closer to the real thing in both appearance and effect in terms of taste and color. The non-activity type kills some of the most trusted brands you may be able to go back to using all of your shots. If you want to buy Buy Ivermectin for Humans, you should see whether a local pharmacy has a license issued by the FDA in addition to a license granted by the FDA in 2015 as Life Extension Through Therapy medicines. You do not need a prescription for Ivermectin or prescription for other drugs used to treat Covid 19, and follow the FDA requirements because it’s used their product.

Prague has some of the most beautiful libraries I have ever seen.  Like Ever.  Our next stop was to the Strahov Library at the Strahov Monastery.  The library is a magnificent Baroque library.

The Strahov Library contains over 200,000 volumes, including over 3,000 manuscripts, and 1,500 first prints stored in a special depository.

The library is divided into two parts: the Theological Hall and the Philosophical Hall.  Each of them are magical.


The Theological Hall has a beautiful set of old world globes from the 15th and 16th centuries.  It also has a beautiful rotating desk that allows you to keep many volumes of books opened at one time.

The Philosophical Hall has a false shelf, the panels of which conceal the door to a staircase that leads up to the hall’s balcony.

But, the most fascinating part of this hall is the Napoleon cabinet. In this cabinet is one of only three sets of catalogs, commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte himself, of the entire inventory of Versailles and the Louvre – including the origin of each item (which, by the way, is why Napoleon only had three sets made, since he realized that he was essentially providing proof of where many of the items were plundered from!).

Most visitors to the monastery are only allowed to walk through the library’s curiosity hall and peek into the two beautiful rooms of books from behind a velvet rope. However, if you pay a small fee to the monastery in cash (about $30 USD), you can arrange a private guide to take you INSIDE the Philosophical and Theological Halls.  You can do this yourself by emailing the library and waiting for weeks for a response.  Or, Continental Travel can just take care of it for you!  Trust me, it is worth it.

Across from the Strahov Monastery is the Strahov Monastery Brewery, which serves about ten variations of St. Norbert beer (3 all year round and 7 seasonally).  You can also have a traditional Czech meal here as well.

The second library we visited was the Clementinum.  We visited on our own because you are required to take their guided tour.

The Clementinum is the second biggest complex of buildings in Prague after Prague Castle and one of the biggest in Europe.  It is home to Prague’s National Library, which is one of the biggest and oldest European libraries, storing over six million documents.

Tours begin daily at 10 am, with tours starting every 30 minutes. The tour takes about 50 minutes and is always guided, with maximum of 20 people per tour. Tours are mainly in English and cost about $14 USD per adult. The tour includes the Baroque library hall, the Meridian hall, and the Astronomical tower.

Keep in mind that in order to take the tour, you have to (gradually) climb a BUNCH of winding staircases.  The tour ends with spectacular views from the outside of the astronomical tower.

Gingerbread Museum

Okay, so its not exactly a museum, but it might as well be.  The Gingerbread Museum is a craft bakery specializing in traditional Czech gingerbread. Gingerbread is a BIG deal in Prague. You can learn all about its history here. It is a traditional Christmas delicacy.  These people love their gingerbread!

At the Gingerbread Museum, you will find the prettiest and most intricate gingerbread cookies ever! These make the perfect sweet souvenirs to bring home!

Answering the call for a unique experience, Continental Travel set up a private gingerbread cookie decorating workshop for us.  We got to design our own cookies, which they packaged for us to take home…not that they actually made it back.  This is a super fun activity to do if you are traveling with kids.

Also, the shop smells like heaven!  The owner is a gingerbread master, and she speaks Greek!

If you are staying at the Hotel Residence Agnes, make sure to stop by the gingerbread shop next door, Pernickuv Sen. It is run by two sisters-in-law who are trying to single-handedly revise Prague’s gingerbread tradition. Their authentic gingerbread is made with nothing more than honey, butter and nuts. They also serve up some of the best poppy-seed kolache.

John Lennon Wall

So, this is probably mostly an Instagram stop.  But, it is really beautiful and on the way to the Charles Bridge, is you walked down from the castle, so I think it is worth it.

Essentially, this is a large wall near the French Embassy that is filled with John Lennon and Beatles inspired graffiti.  There is a large painting of John and various Beatles song lyrics.

The Lennon Wall was created after John Lennon was shot in 1980. Apparently, Lennon’s songs of freedom and independence were an inspiration to Czech youth, during communism. The Czech authorities repeatedly painted over the wall, but the Czech youth continued to repaint the wall with Lennon images and song lyrics. The Lennon Wall is credited with helping to start the Velvet Revolution, which was non-violent stand against Communism.

Go as early as you can to get the best people-free photos because this is an insanely popular spot.

Charles Bridge

Dating back to 1357, this bridge connects Old Town and the Prague Castle.  Once important to commerce, this bridge is now pedestrian.  It is lined with statutes and lamp posts on either side.  There are also vendors, street performers, and buskers on either side selling art or jewelry or performing tricks or playing music.

If you want to enjoy the bridge with less people, you are going to have to get there very early in the morning.  Otherwise, expect it to be very crowded.  The best  view of the bridge is actually from the side.

Brewery Hotel

Because Continental Travel knew that Chad loved beer, the next stop was included just for him: a beer hotel.

If you really love beer and are looking for a unique experience, why not book a night at U Medvidku-Brewery Hotel.  The hotel is located in a historic building and is connected to one of Prague’s oldest restaurants from 1466.  It also has a famous, historic brewery with a pub serving traditional Czech cuisine and their beer.  The hotel is in a great, central location, close to Old Town and Charles Bridge.

You don’t need to be a guest to visit the brewery or dine at the pub.  But you do need to be a guest to take a beer bath.  That’s right, a beer bath.

If you book a beer suite, your room will come with a tub that has a hot and cold water valve and a beer tap.  Each beer suite comes with 5 liters of free beer per day.  So, you can bathe in beer or just enjoy a brew while you soak in the tub. Also, all of their amenities are made from their beer: soap, shampoo, conditioner, etc.

The owner told us that the beer ration per room used to be unlimited until these two Russian guys checked in.  Apparently, they checked in and consumed about 5 gallons of beer each per day!  After that experience, the hotel decided to limit the beer ration per day.

We took a tour of the brewery, which is available upon request.  We were then treated to a traditional Czech lunch and beer tasting.  What followed can best be described as a beast feast.  Literally all kinds of meat were set before us on a tray, paired with beer cheese and fried bread.  Yes, you read that correctly– Fried. Bread.

The beer tasting included a beer they called XBEER-33, which is basically the strongest beer in the world and made using historical technology.

Old Town Square

Bellies overfull, it was time to take a a much needed walk to Old Town Square.  It is here where you will find the Astronomical Clock— the oldest and most celebrated clock located on the sidewall of the Old Town Hall.

Every hour, people gather around the clock to see the show.  As the bells chime on the hour, two doors above the clock face slide open and statues on a rotating platform move into view, one after another. These figures represent the Apostles.  There are also figures on the sides of the clock representing vanity, greed, death, and lust.  Vanity is the figure of a man admiring his reflection in a hand mirror.  Greed is the figure of a man with his sack of coins. Death is represented by a skeleton.  Lust is the figure of a man with his instrument.  As the last chime fades, a trumpeter in the tower, wearing a yellow-and-red uniform, plays a short tune to the crowd below, waving to them after his performance.

Dating back to 1410, this is the only astronomical clock that is still in operation.   The inner ring of the clock face shows the symbols of the zodiac. The outer ring is numbered in Roman numerals, from 1 to 24, to show the time. On the very edge of this ring, Schwabacher numerals indicate Old Czech time.

If you are in Prague during the holidays, it is in Old Town where you will find the best Christmas Markets.

In addition to beautiful holiday decor, the markets are filled with food vendors selling roasted nuts, Czech specialties, sweet treats, and of, course, alcohol: beer and mulled wine.  There are also vendors selling handcrafted ornaments and other decorative items.  These markets typically run from the end of November through the New Year. Prague’s Christmas Markets proved to be every bit the kaleidoscope of sights, sounds and smells that we’d hope they would be. A truly magical holiday experience.

Jewish Quarter

The Jewish Quarter is located between Old Town Square and the Vltava River.

The Jewish Quarter has six synagogues, including the Maisel Synagogue, the Spanish Synagogue and the Old-New Synagogue, the Jewish Ceremonial Hall, and the Old Jewish Cemetery, the most remarkable of its kind in Europe.

Hitler decided to preserve the Jewish Quarter as a “Museum of an Extinct Race”. You can learn more about the history of the Jews in Prague here.

We visited the Pinkas Synagogue, which is the second oldest surviving synagogue in Prague. The walls of the synagogue are covered with names of about 78,000 Jewish victims of the Holocaust, also known as Shoah. The names are arranged by communities where the victims came from and include their birth and death date.  There is a video display that helps guests find specific victims.

Perhaps the most moving and tragic part of the synagogue is the permanent (and heartbreaking) exhibition of pictures drawn by children in the hybrid ghetto/concentration camp in Theresienstadt.  Most of these children later died in Auschwitz.  The drawings survived because the children’s teacher hid them in the concentration camp before she was deported and later killed in Auschwitz.

Classical Concert

Even if you don’t particularly care for classical music, you kinda have to see a classical concert when you visit Prague.  After all, it was in Prague where Mozart chose to premiere his opera, Don Giovanni.

In May, Prague holds the Spring Music Festival, which is a collection of classical music concerts in their most beautiful venues.  This is actually the biggest annual cultural event and one of Europe’s most important festivals of classical music.  Also, over the holiday season, many classical performances are held all over the city, including Christmas concerts.

We chose a classical concert at the beautiful Rudolfinum, home to the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra.  It was a lovely way to spend an evening, where you will be treated to a truly world class musical performance.

You can view the season and purchase tickets for all venues here.

Where To Eat

If you love meat, you will NOT go hungry in this country! If you love beer, you will NEVER be thirsty.

There are so many options and cool little local places that I truly think that taking a quality food tour should be one of the first things you do.  And, that is just what we did.

We joined Taste of Prague for their 4-hour food tour.  Yes, the tour is a bit pricey, but when you consider that the tour is structured as a progressive meal, it really is not that bad.  They take you to the best spots, many of which would be hard to get in without a reservation or advanced planning.  Also, the food is not small bites like on most tours, but a full sized portion of whatever dishes you are trying.

We chose the Prague Foodie Tour (as opposed to the Traditional Czech Food Tour).  Accompanied by a local foodie, you will taste both modern and traditional Czech food.  There will, of course, also be beer and Moravian wine.  The tour will end with delicious sweets and coffee at a fantastic bakery. Also, you will leave the tour with their guidebook filled with recommendations for restaurants, bars, shopping, and things to do.

Honestly, don’t eat before this tour.  It is A LOT of food.

In addition to this tour, we dined at Eska (also a stop on the food tour), which we loved.  We also dined at one of Prague’s two Michelin star restaurants, La Degustation.  The other one is called Field. La Degustation has a set menu only, and it is comprised of Czech food.  Field is a la carte with international touches.  We had reservations at Field as well, but we cancelled them because we did not feel like sitting through another long meal.

I thought La Degustation was just okay.  It was incredibly expensive, and I did not love the menu.  In hindsight, I would have probably skipped this.  I think Field would have been better because you don’t have to do the set menu and can choose a la carte, which helps you be able to eat what you like and is also easier on the wallet.

Day Trips From Prague

The options are almost endless.  There are literally so many day trip that you can do from Prague. Continental Travel offers 17 different day trips.  Here is a list of some of the more popular ones:

  1. Kutna Hora, or the bone church. Kutná Hora is a small town that is home to  the ‘bones chapel’. The inside of the small church has been decorated using the bones of over 40,000 people, most of whom died during the Black Plague that swept across Europe in the 1400s.
  2. Karlštejn, a 14th-century Gothic castle in remarkable condition.
  3. Dresden, Germany.
  4. Karlovy Vary, which is best known for its 12 natural hot springs and its beautiful architecture.
  5. Terezín Concentration Camp.
  6. Český Krumlov.  This little town is made up of a maze of winding little streets and also has a 13th century castle that is one of the Czech Republic’s most visited sights.
  7. South Moravia Wine Region
  8. Bohemian Switzerland National Park.
  9. Pilsner Urquell Brewery.  The city of Plzeň is the birthplace to a popular type of lager, the pilsener, that was first produced in the Pilsner Urquell brewery nearly two centuries ago.

Chad got to choose the day tour, so guess where we went:


For the record, I would have preferred Kutna Hora, Karlovy Vary, or Dresden.

Pilzen is the capital of West Bohemia. It is a significant cultural, business, and industrial center, famous mostly due to the Pilsner Urquel beer produced in the Prazdroj brewery.

The 70 minute tour takes you to their bottling plant, to an exhibit dedicated to their ingredients, to the brewhouse, through their historic beer cellars, and finishes off with a beer tasting of unfiltered and unpasteurized Pilsner Urquell beer tapped directly from an oak lager cask.

If you haven’t been to Prague, I highly suggest that you put it on your list.  It is an easy city to pair with Vienna, Budapest, and various cities in Germany.  To get the most out of your visit in Prague, let Continental Travel do the work.  In 3 short days, we felt like they showed us pretty much all there was to see.

Also, I’d like to thank my friend Donald Floresca for contributing some of the beautiful photos in this post.  Donald traveled to Prague right after we did, but his trip was cut short due to the Coronavirus. But, not before he captured some amazing shots!
Shilajit acts as a nervine tonic that generic viagra buy effectively treats intensification of nervous system. The fastest way cost of viagra to break this trust is with spam messages. Generic viagra cialis india Ciallis is not an over the counter medication. There are a variety of hoists manufactured by reputable manufacturers from US and abroad and so, it’s not suitable to wear jeans and tight pants frequently, especially at summer http://appalachianmagazine.com/category/travel-appalachia/ buy cialis and wet weather. 7.Don’t worry too much because many women enjoy sex even if they don’t always climax.

Filed Under: Czech Republic, Europe, prague · Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , · Leave a Comment

El Calafate, Argentina: Los Glaciares National Park

June 9, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

Mother Nature really is a show off.  The first time I saw a photo of the Perito Moreno Glacier, I just knew that I would have to go see it in person.  So, last Thanksgiving, Chad and I made the trek to (almost) the end of the world, to go see this beauty for ourselves.  It did NOT disappoint.

Perito Moreno is located in Los Glaciares National Park in the Santa Cruz Provence of Argentina. It is one of the most visited places of Argentinian Patagonia. It is just one of 48 glaciers that make up the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, which is the third largest fresh water reserve in the world. It is one of the world’s very few expanding glaciers.

We spent two nights in El Calafate before we headed to Chile to see the “real” Patagonia. We came here just for this glacier.  The town of El Calafate is small, but cute.  There are plenty of restaurants and shops.  It reminds me of a small ski town.  However, there is not much else to do in El Calafate.

The Logistics

To visit this natural wonder is no easy (or cheap) feat.  You have to get to El Calafate, Argentina, and that, in and of itself, is a full day of travel. We left Miami, and arrived in Buenos Aires.  From there we boarded a flight to El Calafate, but that flight was not direct. Fourteen hours of flying time later, we arrived in El Calafate.

After a travel day like that, most people would want to get to their hotel and rest.  But, we (well, I) am not most people.  I had the image of that magnificent glacier in my mind.  It was late in the day, so I was pretty sure I’d have her all to myself if we went to visit her now.  So, we hired a taxi, and we were on our way!

I was right! We arrived an hour before the park closed, and hardly anyone was left!  The ride from El Calafate to the park is about an hour by car.  It costs about $30 USD per vehicle to enter the park (cash only). The taxi ride was about $90 USD.

The other options to visit Perito Moreno is to either take a tour or to take a bus.  The trip takes about 90 minutes by bus. You will likely have to book your tickets one day in advance.  Make sure that you specify that you want to see the Perito Moreno glacier because there is also a seven hour route to a town called Perito Moreno. If you end up there, you are not seeing a glacier. If you take the bus, it will cost about $20 USD for the ticket, and you will also have to pay about $20 USD to enter the park (cash only).

 Visiting The Glacier

There are a couple of different ways to experience this glacier.  One is to simply visit the pretty expansive boardwalk.  There are several viewing platforms at different levels that give you great vantage points. Every 10 to 20 minutes, a piece of the glacier breaks off an falls into the water.  It is thrilling to see.

You can also take a boat ride that takes you close to the glacier, but I don’t think it offers the best views. Kayaking tours are also available.

In my opinion, the best way to visit Perito Moreno is to trek it!  We did the mini trekking experience, and we loved it! First, it was a super cool experience.  Second, it was not that physically demanding, but it is a physical activity. Third, it was an all inclusive experience because it combined a boat tour, trekking on the actual glacier for an hour, a little bit of hiking in the park, and ended with a visit to the boardwalk.

First, we loaded onto a boat that took us to the base from which we would trek.

On the way, we got to see the glacier from the boat.

Once we got to the base, we did a mini hike to the base camp.

As the name indicates, this is the reason, we are getting medicine with the product details on the website viagra online pharmacies itself, if not; do not forget to take a person who has a good idea about computer hardware. It is one of the reasons why people are looking to purchase cheap Kamagra online: Value for Money One of the major reasons why people are looking to enhance their erection, penis size, sex drive or staying power. cialis no prescription thought about that Online pharmacies are increasing in numbers as the problems of people cialis generic from india are increasing. levitra on line sale Instead, this is Osama defanged, the real life bin Laden.

On the way, we passed by a glacier beach!

Once we got to the base camp, it was time to get fitted for crampons!

And then it was time to trek!

Getting used to walking in crampons was a challenge at first, but the ice was firm. As we trekked, we saw ice caves and ice pools!

Towards the end of the trek, we stopped for some snacks and refreshments: glacier water and adult beverages with glacier ice!

On the trek back, we had some amazing views.

When we got off the ice, we hiked back to the camp for lunch with a view!

After lunch, we boarded the boat and then were transported to the boardwalk to see the  glacier that we just trekked!

This was one of our favorite experiences in Patagonia.  I highly recommend the trek!

The Wardrobe

The weather in Patagonia is notoriously unpredictable. They say that you can experience all four seasons in one day.  We certainly found that to be the case in Chile, but not so much on the Argentinian side.

We went during their summer months, which are our winter months in the U.S. Even though it was summer, it was still cold.  Your best bet is to layer. Long sleeve shirts, sweaters, and wind and water proof jackets are a must.

If you are doing the mini trek, you will want warm leggings or hiking pants, thick hiking socks, sturdy hiking boots (not sneakers), and a thick pair of waterproof gloves. Ear warmers, beanies, sunglasses, and sunscreen are also a must.

If you are not hiking, a comfortable pair of sneakers is fine as the boardwalk is pretty flat and in great condition. This list is sufficient for Perito Moreno.  If you are moving on to Chile, you will need some additional items, which I will detail in my next post.

I hope this post has inspired you to put Perito Moreno on your bucket list.  In my next post, we will move on to the Chilean side of Patagonia.

 

Filed Under: Argentina, El Calafate, Patagonia · Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , · Leave a Comment

Milos, Greece: The Best Kept Secret Of The Cyclades

May 5, 2019 by · 2 Comments

It’s been a minute since my last post because work and life got in the way.  But, I am back!  And, just in time for your summer vacation plans, I am sharing with you the best kept secret of the Cyclades Islands: Milos.

For most people, a trip to the Greek islands means stops in Santorini and/or Mykonos.  And, as of late, maybe Naxos or Paros.  But, almost nobody goes to Milos.  Quite frankly, I don’t get it.

Unlike its more popular neighbors, Milos feels almost undiscovered.  It has over 70 beaches.

It has the cutest little fishing villages.

It has one of the most dramatic coastlines of any Greek island.

It is where the Venus de Milo was discovered.

Plan Your Visit

Getting There

There are two ways to get to Milos: by plane or by ferry. There are direct flights from Athens on Aegean Airlines. This is the fastest and recommended way to get there.  But, if you are coming from another island, and do not want to route through Athens, then the ferry may be a better option. I think three to four full days is the perfect amount of time to spend on the island.

Where To Stay

There are over 15 villages in Milos.  The most popular are Adamas, Plaka, Trypiti, Klima, Pollonia, and Mandrakia. All are worth a visit, but some are better for staying.

Adamas is one of the biggest villages in Milos, and it is where I recommend you stay.  If you come by ferry, you will likely land in Adamas.  It is also close to the airport. All the sailing tours leave from here as well.  It also has a lot of dining options. This is where we stayed, and we found it be a very convenient base to explore the island.

Another central village with plenty of options for dining and accommodations is Pollonia.

The most picturesque village of Milos is Plaka.  It is also the capital of Milos. It is a walking village, so you won’t find any cars in its center. It is full of restaurants and shops. It also has the iconic cobblestone streets, the colorful doors that most Greek islands are famous for, and an amazing sunset spot.

Klima is where you will find the famous fisherman houses.  If you have your heart set on staying in one of them, then this is where you should stay. Since there are so few, this is probably a pricier option and will require advanced planning.

Getting Around

Milos is larger than you think. I highly recommend renting a car for at least part of your stay.  It is very easy to drive in Milos, and they have automatic options. You can also rent ATVs.  There are plenty of rental shops in Adamas and Pollonia.  Your hotel can likely also arrange a rental for you. Keep in mind that Greece recently started requiring international drivers licenses for car rentals.  We found enforcement to be very sporadic, but it is easy to get the license in the states, so you might as well.  We rented a car for a day, and we are very glad we did.  It gave us the option to visit spots our private tour did not hit and also to revisit spots we really enjoyed.

 

There is a local bus service that is pretty cheap, but the routes are seasonal.  Also, while they hit the major spots, they will not take you off the beaten path.

Taxis are an option, but there are only about 15 total on the island.  As a result, during peak times, there could be quite a wait for a cab.

If you don’t want to rent a car, then consider a private, chauffeured day tour. We used Travel Me To Milos to give us a private day tour on one of the days.  They were fantastic.  They have English speaking guides, and they cover the entire island in an day. We saw beaches, all the villages, and historical spots as well.  They are a full service operation, so they can arrange your accommodations, boat tours, and car rentals, too.

What To Do

If you have three full days on the island, I would spend them as follows: one full day private tour of the island to orient you, one full day sailing tour to give you a different perspective, and one day of exploration on your own with a rental car.

During our private tour, we visited all the archaeological sites, the villages, and most of the beaches.

Visit The Beaches

With over 70 beaches to visit, the possibilities are endless. However, there are at least three that you absolutely cannot miss.

The first is Sarakiniko Beach. It’s the moon beach!  If there was a beach on the moon, it would look just like this. It is the most photographed beach in the Aegean Sea.

You can reach this beach by car or by bus.  There is a gravel parking lot to leave the car and one bus stop.  The beach doesn’t look like much on arrival.  You will have to walk about 10 minutes before you reach the lunar landscape.

Once on the lunar landscape, you have to walk straight for a bit before you almost U-turn left to reach the part on the rocks that allow you access into the ocean.

This is not a typical beach in that there is no sandy area.  There is a small gravel surface at the end of an inlet that acts as the beach part, i.e., the place where you can leave your stuff and head into the water.  Most people just find an area on the smooth white rock and dive in.  If it is shade you are after, you will find old, but dark mining tunnels.  This will serve as the only respite from the sun that beats down on the stark white rock.

A word of caution: the waters on the other side of the inlet are VERY deep.  Also, the Aegean Sea can be very choppy, especially on windy days.  There are NO lifeguards here, so swimming is at your own risk.

We visited this beach twice (once with our private tour and once on our own).  On both days, we saw groups of people jumping off the moon rock and into the deep part of the ocean.  As shown below, there is a small cave you  swim under and reach the rocks to climb back out.

On the first day, the group that jumped had no problem.  On the second day, another group jumped, but did so before planning their exit strategy.  On this day, the sea was particularly rough, and the cave inlet looked like a swirling drain with strong crashing waves onto the jagged rocks.  Despite that they were strong swimmers, it took a group of people (Chad included) to literally rescue these people out of the water before they drowned.

Here’s a little secret that I wish I knew while I was in Milos: because of its location, Sarakiniko has both amazing sunrises and sunsets. I would make it a point to see both.  You can even stargaze at this beach.

The second beach that you cannot miss is Papafragras Beach.  I am sure you have seen this beach on Instagram.

STORAGE It is store at room temperature between 59 and 86 degrees F (15-30 levitra canadian pharmacy degrees C) away from light and moisture. Have you tried non-surgical ED treatment like viagra generika appalachianmagazine.com? Any kind of surgery can upset a normal human being. This cialis generic mastercard can be found by the name of Kamagra, Silagra, and Kamagra oral jelly, Zenegra, cialis, Zenegra, Silagra, Caverta, and Forzest etc. You can include foods like spinach, blueberries, raspberries, eggs, carrots, fish, almonds, cashew nuts, bananas, watermelon, avocado, pomegranate and garlic lowest prices cialis in your daily diet.

If you are a reader of this blog and of my Greece posts, you know that all of Greece’s best beaches take some work to reach. Papafragras is no exception.

You can get to the beach by car (there is gravel parking lot) or by bus, although I never saw a bus stop here either of the two times we visited. But the fun begins if you actually want to get into the water.  You have to climb down a very narrow and slippery path to get down to the water.  You have to climb back up to get out.

The last beach that you cannot miss is Kleftiko Bay.  There are two ways to get here, but really only one.  You could technically hike almost two hours each way to reach this beach.  Or, you can sail to it.  I suggest the sail.

Once there, you will get to swim through a network of caves and rock formations.

For a great resource and guide to all of Milos’s beaches, click here.

Visit The Villages

Each little village offers its own unique exploration. In my opinion, there are three villages that you should not miss.

The first is Plaka. Here you will find the most charming cobblestone streets and adorable colorful houses. There are tons of cute little cafes and shops to explore.

For photography, it is best to go in the afternoon while the villagers sleep and the tourists hit the beach. But don’t forget to come back in the evening for sunset and dinner.

The best place to see the sun is either from the church or from Utopia Cafe.

While you are in Plaka, you can visit four of the seven museums on the island, including the Archaeological Museum where you can see a copy of the Aphrodite of Milos statue which was found close to the Ancient Theater of Milos, but now resides in the Louvre. There is a campaign to bring the Venus de Milo home by 2020, which you can learn more about here.

Plaka is about a five minute drive away from the Ancient Theater of Milos and the nearby catacombs.  Both are worth a visit.

No visit to Milos would be complete without a visit to the colorful littler fisherman houses that this island is famous for.  There are two villages that deliver on that front: Klima and Mandrakia.

The more famous of the two is Klima. Here you will find two long rows of traditional multi-colored houses.  This is really just a photo stop, as there is nothing else to really do here. You can catch a pretty nice sunset here as well.

Mandrakia is the other place to see these pretty, colorful houses.  There is also a charming seaside church here that has great views.

Unlike Klima, Mandrakia has more to offer.  There are some fantastic views.

A pretty nice beach area.

And a fresh and delicious seaside tavernas to enjoy.

Spend A Day At Sea

One of the most memorable things you will do in Milos is a day cruise around the island.  That is because there are many places in Milos that are only accessible by boat. We chose to do a private tour with Aquatta Yachting.  It was hands-down the best thing we did on the island.

We boarded the boat early from the port in Adamas.

Our route took us past the fishing villages of Skinopi, Klima, Areti, and Fourkovouni, from where we could see the colorful little houses from the sea.

Our next stop was at Arkoudes, which are two rock formations in the middle of the water. One of them resembles a bear while the other, a rabbit.

We sailed past Firopotamos Beach, Sarakiniko Beach, and Glaronisia, and made our first stop at Polyegos island.  It is here that Chad dove off the boat and right into the water for a swim and some snorkeling.

Up next was Thiorichio and Paliochori, where we passed by the ruins of an old abandoned sulfur mine.

Lunch was prepared for us on-board and was combined with a stop at Gerakas Beach.

After lunch, we headed to Tsigrado Beach on our way to Kleftiko Bay via Gerontas Beach. We finally made it to Kleftiko Bay, where Chad once again jumped off for a snorkel. Here, you are able to swim through various caves.

Our last stop was at Sykia Cave.

On the way back to Adamas, we enjoyed a home cooked dessert and an incredible sunset!

Between our private day tour, our private yacht tour, and the day we spent driving the island on our own, I feel like we saw almost all of beautiful Milos Island. I am not one for crowds, so if you are looking to have a stunning Greek island almost all to your self, come to Milos and come during off season.

Filed Under: globetrotter, Greece, milos · Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , · 2 Comments

The Kingdom Of Cambodia: Temple Hopping And Beyond In Siem Reap

August 13, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

The hottest I have ever been in my entire life was the few days I spent in Siem Reap, Cambodia. It was November, mind you. November is supposedly one of Siem Reap’s cooler and drier months.  But, you could’ve fooled me. It was hotter and more humid than Miami in the dead of summer. It was the kind of humidity that made it hard to breathe.  It was so hot you could feel yourself swelling in the heavy wet heat. It felt like I was doing hot yoga on the surface of the sun or in the fiery pits of hell. But, we were on a mission. We came to see the Angkor Wat complex, and a little heat (okay, A LOT of heat) was not going to deter us. Warning: in most of these pictures, we will be a HOT mess.

The temples of Angkor are actually located in an archaeological park which is made up of more than 45 temples. It is open from 5:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. every day.  Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom (made famous by the movie Laura Croft: Tomb Raider), and Ta Prohm are the three most popular temples that people come to Siem Reap to visit.

Angkor Wat is so popular that it is featured on the Cambodian flag, and after seeing for myself, I understand why:  It is utterly amazing. It deserves a spot on your bucket list. Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world.  The site is 402 acres.  It was originally constructed as a Hindu temple. It was dedicated to the god Vishnu for the Khmer Empire. It later became a Buddhist temple.

To get into Angkor Wat you have to climb some very old and VERY steep stairs.  They are so small that your entire foot will likely not fit onto the stair. There is a wooden guardrail or sometimes a rope that you can hold on to. Sometimes there is a line of people going up or down the stairs causing a bit of a delay mid climb.  Just breathe.  If you are scared of heights just concentrate on your feet and get up there.  I am not scared of heights, and it was a little overwhelming at times.  But, fear not. Going inside is well worth the minor panic attack. I was too scared to start snapping pics of the steepest staircases, so here’s one that is a little less worse.

While Angkor Wat gets all the glory, Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm are also pretty phenomenal.  Angkor Thom means Great City. A series of statues lines the entrance gates. Inside Angkor Thom, you can visit the Baphuon Temple, the Terrace of the Elephants, the Terrace of the Leper King.

Second to Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm was probably my favorite.  It was lost for almost a thousand years, as the jungle completely consumed it. As a result, large trees have grown seemingly out of the temple, and their root systems have grown over the temple walls.  It makes for some pretty awesome pictures.

But, there are some smaller, lesser known temples that are just as worthy of your time.  These temples include the Bayon Temple (this temple has the four faces of Buddha), the Phimeanakas Temple within the Royal Palace enclosure, Banteay Srei, and Banteay Samre.

Know Before You Go

If you are not Cambodian or related to a Cambodian, you are going to need a permit to visit. Fun fact, Cambodia uses the U.S.  dollar, so no need to change money here. Permits are $37 for a 1 day pass, $62 for a 3-day pass (must be used within a week), and $72 for a 7 day pass (must be used within a month).  Buy the 3 day pass.

The temple complex is massive, and you will likely visit more than one temple a day.  They are NOT walking distance. Unless walking long distances on the surface of the sun all day long is your idea of a good time, you are going to need to hire transportation.  If you do not have a private driver, hire a tuk-tuk for the entire day (about $25). Honestly, hiring a driver is money well spent (if just for the air conditioning and water alone).  It saves a lot of time allowing you to cover more ground. I would also recommend hiring a private guide. These professionals know the area, the fastest routes to get to each temple, the best picture spots, and what times are best to avoid crowds.

Here’s a little tip:  if you buy your permit after 5:00 p.m., you can technically enter the park without using up one of your days, and catch the sunset at the temples! If you want to see the sunrise at Angkor Wat, you must be at the complex by 5:00 a.m. Otherwise, start your day as early as possible at Angkor Wat.  It is a large temple, and it gets VERY hot during the day.  If you can stand the heat, visit in the afternoon when most people have left.
Kidney disease is a disorder that can viagra for sale online affect men and women is that quitting smoking is a very individual choice and experience. If you are experiencing shedding of hair during washing or brushing, with minimal regrowth, you may be suffering levitra 40mg from male impotence, buy the medicine online and notice its wonder for yourself. Advantages of Using levitra sale The U.S. Other common causes of impotence issue include the consumption of medications that, often as a side effect to impair tadalafil online in uk appalachianmagazine.com the nerves and blood flow to the penile region.
Also, you can enter Angkor Wat from behind.  Literally nobody does this.  When we went, we were the only people that came in from this rear entry.

Remember, the temples are open air and in the middle of nature. So, wear cool, comfortable clothes, comfortable and closed walking shoes, mosquito repellent, sunscreen, a hat, and bring lots of bottled of water (and snacks!).

At each temple you will inevitably encounter children trying to sell you everything under the sun: post cards, magnets, t-shirts, trinkets. They are VERY persistent.  They will walk with you and along side your car or tuk-tuk knocking on the windows.  Just ignore them.  It sounds mean, but it’s not. They literally will not leave you alone if you don’t. The minute you succumb and buy something, 100 more will come out of the woodwork. Trust me on this one.

Beyond The Temples

In my experience, people either like Siem Reap or don’t really care for it.  Our group was split down the middle.  Other than the temples, we spent some time in a cool little artsy neighborhood that had some good local food spots and shops.

We visited Wat Thmey, which are Siem Reap’s killing fields.  The killing fields are basically a mass grave of Cambodians killed during the 1970s as part of a state-sponsored genocide. If you are not familiar with Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, read about it here. Basically, he was a Cambodian communist dictator in the 1970s.  He was so mistrusting that he initiated a state-sponsored genocide. He killed all the smart people, all the professionals, and all the artists.  If you wore glasses, you were killed.  He was directly responsible for the deaths of more than one million innocent Cambodians; murders carried out in the most cruel and diabolic ways imaginable.  This genocide effectively caused, for lack of a better term, a brain drain in Cambodia. This was a sad, but incredibly moving experience.  And, it was certainly different from our temple experience.

We also traveled along Lake Tonle Sap and had a sunrise blessing with the monks at a local temple.

You travel through many remote villages, so you get to see a lot of locals going about their day.

Other things to do include shopping the night market, especially the Old Market or visiting Pub Street for a night cap.

If you like museums, there is a Landmine Museum.  This museum was started by a young man who began to clear landmines with a stick, collecting the explosive, and charging people a dollar to see his collection. The personal exhibition was shut down and later relocated and reopened. The new museum has four galleries and is home to 27 children. There is also the Angkor National Museum, which is dedicated to the collection, preservation, and presentation of artifacts from Angkor.

Siem Reap is an easy “add on” to any trip to Southeast Asia. Angkor Wat alone makes it worth the trip, as it is one of the most spiritually exhilarating and awe-inspirng places on Earth. But, aside from that, once you’re there, I think you will find there is more to this quirky little city than just Angkor Wat.  Just remember, you will need a visa to enter Cambodia, which can be purchased at any port of entry (or prior to arrival). To obtain the visa, your passport must have six months of validity and one empty page. The visa is good for one month.

I hope this post has inspired you to visit the Kingdom of Wonder. If it has, please leave a comment or share this post with your friends!

Filed Under: Asia, Cambodia, globetrotter, Uncategorized · Tagged With: , , , , , , , · Leave a Comment

Ireland: The Southwest Countryside

July 15, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

Dublin is a great city. But, let’s be honest, the Irish countryside is where it’s at. You have two options for visiting the southwest of Ireland.  You can take very long day tours from Dublin.  Or, you can just base yourself in the country side and move around from there.  We chose the latter option.

We spent three days in the southwest of Ireland, using Killarney as our base. Killarney is located in County Kerry. We stayed at the Great Southern Killarney, which is a charming luxury manor close to all the dining and shopping options in the town of Killarney. To really see the countryside, you are going to need transportation.  Sure, you can rent a car where the steering wheel is on the right side of the car and drive on the left side of mountain roads. But, Chad and I value our time and our marriage.  We did not want to spend our short vacation figuring out where we were going and arguing about it. So, we left the driving to the pros! We hired a local tour guide and driver from GanTours. They were excellent and the most reasonably priced of the options that I researched!  They picked us up (and dropped us off) at the airport in Dublin. And served as our tour guide and transportation through the countryside. After collecting us at the airport right on time, we headed straight to the Burren in County Clare. En route, we visited our first of many castles. Our goals was to get to the Cliffs of Moher in the afternoon, after all the tour buses had already left. So, we leisurely drove through the Burren.  We visited the cutest little cafe that was part of Hazel Mount Chocolates. It is a quirky little cafe set in a 1950s cottage.  It has been voted one of Ireland’s top 10 food attractions. 

The menu is simple: a hot soup of the day, and All.The.Cakes, which by the way, are gluten free!

After our quick little pick me up, we headed to the factory and shop, where we got some treats for the road!

Our next stop was to the Burren Perfumery, located within the Burren National Park.

In addition to being just plain lovely, all of their products use natural ingredients and are made by hand, on-site. They also have a lovely cafe that has a small menu of local dishes and luscious cakes and desserts. It was finally time to step onto the edge of the world, and visit what is probably Ireland’s most famous tourist attraction: the Cliffs of Moher.

This in turn reduces the risk of testosterone deficiency naturally. levitra 60 mg Many common symptoms of neck injuries are tenderness in the muscles that surround blood vessels, causing them to seek out their own heinous form of release. free cialis It is easy to cialis 5 mg no prescription but only for men living with erectile problems. If you face sexual problem at any stage of viagra online life experiences this problem either for short period or for a longer time. These stunning cliffs ascend  to over 700 feet  and stretch south for nearly five miles. They have been named a UNESCO Global Geopark. On a clear day, the views are just spectacular. If you book online in advance, you save 50%, paying only 4 Euro per adult (children under 16 are free).  Otherwise, you will need to pay 8 Euro per person at the car park, which is just across the street. Visiting hours vary between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m.  and 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. depending on the season. Plan to spend at least an hour visiting the cliffs. Be prepared for strong winds.  This is also a great sunset spot! Seriously, just Google it.  It’s unreal. We spent our evening exploring the town of Killarney.

The next morning, we were up bright and early to drive the Ring of Kerry.  It’s not so much a destination, as it is an experience. It is a 111 mile circular route that is part of the Wild Atlantic Way.  It is a scenic drive through pastoral landscapes and coastlines that allows you to appreciate the natural beauty of Ireland.  For a list of major attractions along the ring, click here.

You can also visit small towns along the way, like the town of Killorglin, where every year a wild mountain goat is captured and crowned as king during Puck Fair, a festival that lasts several days.  Or, Waterville, a place where Charlie Chaplin spent a lot of his time.

Another highlight along the Ring of Kerry is the Gap of Dunloe. The Gap of Dunloe is a narrow mountain pass between the MacGillycuddy Reeks and the Purple Mountain.

We ended our day with a visit to Ross Castle.

On our final day in the countryside, we headed to Adare village in County Limerick en route to Dublin. It is known as one of Ireland’s prettiest towns.  It has traditional thatched roofed cottages that date back to the 1820s!  It is also home to Adare Manor, probably the most opulent hotel in the entire region.  Maybe even the whole country.

If you like nature, scenery, and outdoor activities, then the put the southwest country side on your Irish itinerary!

Filed Under: globetrotter, ireland · Tagged With: , , , , , , , · Leave a Comment

Ireland: 24 hours in Dublin

July 8, 2018 by · 1 Comment

There is a lot to do in Dublin.  There is a lot that you can do in a day in Dublin.  And, not all alcohol related.

If ever you find yourself in Dublin for the day or on a long layover, consider this your definitive guide on how to spend your time there.

To fit it all in, you will need to do a bit of planning. The five biggest attractions in Dublin are the Guinness Storehouse, the Book of Kells and the Library of Trinity College Dublin, the Little Museum of Dublin, Jameson Distillery, and Glasnevin Cemetery.  Luckily, you can (and should) pre-buy tickets to all of these attractions online.

Books of Kells and the Library at Trinity College

After a hearty breakfast, start your day here.  Check here for opening and closing hours by season and day and for ticket prices.  We were able to buy our tickets online, day of. There is a separate entrance line for pre-bought tickets, which saves time at this popular attraction. I would buy the first ticket and be there as soon as it opens. Expect to spend about an hour here.

So, what is the Book of Kells? And, why should you visit? The Book of Kells is Ireland’s greatest cultural treasure.  It is also considered the world’s most famous medieval manuscript. It is a very ornate 9th century book of the four Gospels of the life of Jesus Christ written in Latin. The lavish decoration and artistry of the book is what makes it so famous. You are not allowed to photograph it, so here is a picture of the exhibition courtesy of Mr. Google:

You will enter into an exhibit that explains the Book of Kells first.  You can then enter the room where the actual Book of Kells is stored. You then enter the Library, which, honestly was my most favorite part, and exit through the gift shop. If you are the first one in, I would visit in reverse order.  So, come in, skip the exhibition, go to the Book of Kells and/or the Library first and then back track to the exhibition. This way you can have the Library and the Book of Kells all to yourself!

The added bonus is that you get to stroll through the charming Trinity College.

The Little Museum of Dublin

We actually did not get a chance to visit this little gem because we got into Dublin late, and Chad really wanted to visit Glasnevin. But, you are planning ahead, the cemetery doesn’t open until 10:00 a.m., and this is pretty close to Trinity College, so make this your next stop.  The tickets are only 10 euro. You can only visit by guided tour, which starts on the hour, every hour and is included in the price of your ticket. The museum tells the story of Dublin and is considered Dublin’s best museum, so you kind of have to go. These photos of the museum are from Lovin Dublin:

Glasnevin Cemetery

Because this is a bit out of the way of central Dublin, this should be your next stop.

I’m not huge on cemetery tours.  This is probably because (fun fact) part of my law practice is funeral and cemetery law (I defend funeral homes and cemeteries against civil lawsuits).  As a result, I spend a lot of time in cemeteries and dealing with cemeteries. So whenever I am in a cemetery, I go into work mode, which is not ideal for vacation mode. BUT, this is actually a pretty cool cemetery and well worth a visit.

First, it is massive.  It is also immaculately maintained. Glasnevin is the largest provider of funeral services in Ireland.  There are about 2.5 million burials in the cemetery.  They also perform about 2,500 burials a year.

You can walk around on your own, but I recommend that you take one of their tours.  Otherwise, you  don’t really have an appreciation for the what and where the significant burials in the are.  There is a museum, admission to which is included in the price of your tour ticket, and you can buy a separate ticket (reduced price when you buy a tour ticket) to climb the large tower at the front entrance.  The tower is actually a HUGE mausoleum built to commemorate the life of one of Ireland’s greatest political figures, Daniel O’Connell.  He is actually buried at the base of the tower.
There are many medicinal commander levitra herbs which are known to improve sexual performance. All that medicines are made with Sildenafil citrate. women viagra australia Maca: canada cialis from Maca extracts can heighten libido and improve semen quality. No wonder the top models and celebrities love this product so much. visit for info overnight cialis soft

If you do just the tour, plan to spend at least 90 minutes here.  If you do the tour and either the tower or the museum, plan to spend two hours.  If you do all three, plan for at least 2.5 hours.  After the tour, head back into central Dublin for lunch.  I recommend you go to a local fish and chips eatery for a quick bite.

Guinness Storehouse

After lunch, you’ll probably be ready for a beer. So why not make it the beer that Ireland is known for? And, why not get it from the place that it’s made? A visit to the Guinness Storehouse should be next on your list. The tour is self-guided and takes anywhere from an hour to 90 minutes.  On the fourth floor, you can learn how to pull the perfect pint. If you REALLY love Guinness, there is also a one-hour connoisseur’s experience that you can book.  You will end at Gravity Bar on the 7th floor, which has 360 degree views of the city.

Jameson Distillery

Once you’ve had your fill of beer, it’s time to move on to liquor, so head on over to Jameson for a little whiskey.  Once at the distillery, you can take their tour (20 Euro per person), which is about 40 minutes, or book one of their three tasting experiences.

There is a reserve bottle of Jameson that is only sold here.  You can purchase it and have your name engraved on the bottle. These are great gifts.

Merrion Square

Walk off that buzz in Merrion Square where you can see the childhood home of the famous Irish poet and writer Oscar Wilde and the park just across the street that has a statue of Oscar Wilde.

In this neighborhood you will find beautiful Georgian architecture.  If you have a thing for beautiful colored doors, then make sure you make your way here.  This is also Dublin’s museum district.

If you want to hear some traditional live Irish music, make your way to the historical O’Donoghue’s Pub. This was the birthplace of  the Irish folk band The Dubliners.  This pub is just a short walk from St. Stephens Green, Ireland’s best known Victorian public park.

The Winding Stair

It’s dinnertime, so head over to the cutest little restaurant/bookshop on the river, The Winding Stair (photo below from: http://winding-stair.com/about-us/). The bookshop is one of the oldest surviving independent bookshops in Dublin. The cafe serves traditional Irish cuisine.

Cross over the bridge for your night cap.

The Temple Bar

End your night with a visit to the Temple Bar. It is super touristy, but it offers great people watching, live music, and has one of Ireland’s largest whiskey collections.

So, there you have it — an action packed non-stop day in Dublin that hits all the highlights! There is a little history,  a little culture, and a little fun. If you follow our itinerary, I’d love to hear your feedback.  If you’ve visited Dublin and have something to add, let me know! Otherwise, Sláinte!

Filed Under: dublin, globetrotter, ireland · Tagged With: , , , , , , , , · 1 Comment

Barcelona, Spain: A Girls’ Weekend In Catalonia

June 24, 2018 by · 1 Comment

In May of last year, I was sitting at a cafe in the Old Venetian Harbor of Chania, Crete when my cousin from Greece announced that she had booked a solo trip to Barcelona to practice her Spanish. One thing led to another, and, the next thing you know, 6 girls from 3 different countries (and 2 U.S. States) descended upon Barcelona for an epic girls’ weekend. We packed a lot of activity into those three days, but I am not sure how much Spanish got practiced!

Barcelona is the capitol and the largest city of Catalonia, a province of Spain.  If you and your tribe are #ISO food, culture, and art, look no further. This city has it all. But first, BRUNCH!

Despite that we were literally coming in from all over, we all managed to arrive within an hour of each other.  Our first order of business was brunch (obviously), and so we headed to the very cute Brunch and Cake. So cute. SO Instagramable!

After we ate everything in sight, we made our way to the Picasso Museum. This little museum resides in five adjoining medieval palaces, so the exhibition space is just as cool as the art. It is one of the most extensive permanent collections of Picasso’s work at 4,251 works of art.

We spent the afternoon admiring the architecture of the city, including the Barcelona Cathedral;

Barcelona’s version of the Arc del Triomf; and

Palau de la Musica Catalana.

Side note here: You have probably seen these gorgeous pillars and wondered, where in Barcelona are these beauties?!?

They are in this amazing concert hall. BUT, if you want to see them, you HAVE to take the tour. The tour is about an hour and only 20- 25 Euro, so I recommend it, but we didn’t get to take it because we arrived 5 minutes after the last tour of the day.  BOO!

That’s okay.  We left a little something for next time.  Plus, there is no disappointment that a little retail therapy can’t cure, so we headed off to La Manual Alpargatera, the first workshop that made ​​fashion espadrilles! I mean, the Pope (and several other celebrities) gets his espadrilles from here (the Pope wears espadrilles?!?), so it’s legit.

Here is my advice: get there early. Either early in the morning when they open, or right after they re-open in the afternoon after siesta.  We were the first ones there after siesta and were able to get in and out.  It is a small store, so people often line up to get in.  As we were leaving it was starting to get pretty packed in there and the services tends to be lacking as it gets more chaotic. Also, don’t forget to get your VAT tax forms when you buy your shoes! In my Paris post, I teach you all about tax-free shopping in Europe (all over the world really), so you are welcome!

We topped off our first day with the probably the best tour we took while we were in Barcelona: the Tasting Barcelona Tour that we did with Spanish Trails, which we did on a private basis. Our guide was excellent.  Not only did he take us to great local spots, he also gave us great recommendations for dinner places during our stay and even made the reservations for us!

On the tour, we got to stroll through the city at night while tasting a variety of local tapas, cava, Vermouth, and, of course, dessert! It was a great introduction to Barcelona.

The next day was devoted (mostly) to Antoni Gaudi as we explored Barcelona’s essential points of interest with Spanish Trails on a private tour. If you don’t know who Gaudi is, you will quickly learn once you are in Barcelona.  You literally cannot spit in this city without hitting something Gaudi.

Guadi was a Spanish architect from Catalonia. Most of his works are located in Barcelona. You will know them when you see them: mosaic, colorful, ornate, and almost Dali like.

We started with Park Guell. While it is now  public park, the original idea is that it would be a housing development that would combine nature and art. The entrance of the park showcases more of the natural elements with stone columned structures.

The heart of park features the artistic elements with beautiful mosaic structures and sculptures. It is a fantastic park. Probably my favorite in the world.

Symptoms together with the computed vardenafil pharmacy ejection fraction can be able to partially confirm the existence of this condition. What is relevant to those who are happily married and consciously focus viagra uk shop on ways to become better spouses throughout their relationship. One needs not appalachianmagazine.com levitra without prescription to worry about; since, we have come up with the solution called anti-impotence pills. Essentially all these medicines perform in very much the same way by dilating bloodstream and the same procedure of activity is thought to happen viagra sans prescription http://appalachianmagazine.com/2018/08/30/string-of-break-ins-has-swva-residents-on-edge/ in organic The red pill. The residence of Gaudi, now the Gaudi House Museum, is also located within the park.

His most famous work is the Sagrada Familia, which is the most visited monument in all of Spain!

It began construction in 1882, and it is still not done.  That’s right. NOT done.  Longest construction project ever. 136 years later, and they are still building. But, to be fair, it is in its final phase of construction and should be completed by 2026!

The inside is just magnificent. A kaleidoscope of color, really.

Also, go back at night to see it all lit up and with hardly no other people!

We took a Gaudi time out to explore the Gothic Quarter. Not only is the oldest and probably most charming part of the city, it also has some of the city’s best eats!

The Gothic quarter is also home to the Jewish quarter.  Inside the Gothic quarter is a beautiful old synagogue.

We ended at Casa Batllo, considered one of Gaudi’s masterpieces.

On our last full day in Barcelona, we embarked on a private day trip with Spanish Trails to explore the medieval town of Girona and the Dali Museum in Figueres.

Figueres is the birthplace of Salvador Dali, so it is only fitting that his museum is located here. He is actually buried in the museum!

The Dali Museum is certainly interesting both inside and out. But, I have to say, the more I learned about Dali, the less I liked him. He was severely disturbed, and that is a polite way to put it.

There is a jewelry museum that has a separate entrance (but is included in your ticket), and that is worth a visit.  Actually, I think it was my favorite part. Dali put all that crazy to work and made some stunning pieces of jewelry!

After a tour through surrealism we headed to Girona.

Girona Cathedral was used in season 6 of Game of Thrones. Actually, a lot of GOT was filmed in Girona, so if you are a GOT fan, you may want to stop here just for that reason alone.

Girona’s Jewish Quarter is one of the best preserved in the world. There is a a great Jewish Museum in the center of the town.

There are also a ton of cute little cafes and shops to explore.

We returned to Barcelona for one last fantastic meal before our girls’ trip came to an end!

I feel like there was so much me of this city to explore! If you have been to Barcelona, I’d love to hear about your favorite spots. Leave a comment or send me an email! Until then, adios!

Filed Under: Barcelona, globetrotter, Spain · Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , · 1 Comment

Oaxaca, Mexico: The Coolest Mexican Town You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

June 3, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

Long weekends are my new jam.  I love finding cities to explore over a long weekend.  It is a great way to visit a lot of places throughout the year and get a taste for a place or a culture.

One of the best parts of living in South Florida is that the entire Caribbean and basically all of Latin America is within reach for long weekend escapes.  The flights are plentiful, inexpensive, and relatively short.  And, the destinations are within the same time zone, making for a most epic weekend without all the adjusting when you get back.  This is especially true during our tourist season, during the long hot summer months, or during South Florida events that clog up the entire city (I’m looking at you, boat show, Ultra, Art Basel, and South Beach Wine and Food Festival).

I was always kind of put off by Mexico.  I considered it a touristy spring break place. Don’t get me wrong, it is partly still that in some places.  But, in my hunt for weekend escapes, I started to become more open about traveling to Mexico.  And, I have found that there are some gems that offer culture, ruins, gastronomical experiences, and outdoor activities. Gems like Mexico City, Merida, Tulum, San Miguel de Allende, and Oaxaca!

Oh What Ah?!? Oh-Ha-Kah. If you are a major foodie, you have probably heard about this place. If not, then allow me to introduce you to Oaxaca, located in Southern Mexico.

It is known for its incredible food (it claims to be the origin of mole sauce; apparently there are seven different kinds!), mezcal (a spirit that is kind of like tequila distilled from agave), crafts, and its epic Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations.

Day of the Dead is kind of like Mexican Halloween, except much more fascinating and colorful. It is one of the biggest celebrations of the year for Mexican people, and the celebrations take place over several days from October 31 to November 2. The hallmarks of the holiday are millions of colorful flowers and all those cute little colorful skulls with flowers adorning them!

But the Mexican people save up some celebration for other holidays, too.  Like Easter, which is when we traveled to Oaxaca.  We had a limited amount of time and A LOT of things on our to do list, so we hired Anotnio from Travel To Oaxaca Day Tours. Best. Decision. Ever. He was responsive during the trip planning process, helping to tailor our itinerary.  He was punctual, had a clean and comfortable car with A/C, spoke great English, and was a wealth of information.  He never said “No,” and made sure we got to see everything we wanted to, and even added in some gems for us.  He was also very reasonably priced.  I highly recommend him. Seriously.  Tell him I sent you!

On our first day, we visited the archaeological site of Mitla. Mitla is the second most important archaeological site in Oaxaca.  It is also the most important of the Zapotec culture.

It was surprisingly empty, and it was beautiful.

The geometric carvings on the walls were incredible.

Our next stop as to Santa Maria de Tule.

Tule is home to a tree so massive that it is on the list of pending UNESCO World Heritage Sites!  El Arbol de Tule has the largest tree trunk in the world.  It is seriously a massive tree!

We made our way to Teotitlán del Valle, a little village known for its textiles.  The village is renowned for its intricately patterned hand-woven rugs made from hand-spun, naturally dyed wool. Here we visited the home of a traditional weaving family.

And then, they put us to work!

After all that work, it was time for a drink and some of that famous Oaxacan cuisine.  So, we hit up a local Mezcal factory to learn about mezcal production.

We visited Don Agave for our mezcal tasting.

And that, my friends, is where Chad began his gastronomical experience with grasshoppers. As in the insect. He. Ate. Grasshoppers. They were in a taco, but still. I was horrified. I mean, I tried it because, you know, when in Rome; but honestly, I could not get passed the idea of eating bugs.  Not Chad. He housed the grasshopper tacos.  I’d like to blame all the mezcal that he drank, but I can’t. It was not the first, nor the last, time that Chad would consume the grasshopper in Oaxaca, which, by the way, is a totally normal part of the Oaxacan people’s everyday diet. We learned a valuable lesson.  When the menu says grasshopper sauce or grasshopper taco, that is not a cute name for some kind of green sauce.  It means that there are actual grasshopper all up in that dish.

After that experience, we needed Jesus.  So, we headed to the most beautifully painted church I have ever seen.  The San Jerónimo Tlacochahuaya church doesn’t look like much from the outside.

But inside, it’s like WHOA!

For dinner, we visited the Casa Oaxaca, arguably the best restaurant in Oaxaca. Book a terrace table and get ready to enjoy.

Also, if you like chocolate, then you cannot miss the drinkable chocolate that is readily available all over Oaxaca.  The best one I had was here.  It was SO creamy and rich.  The locals drink it with water.  I prefer milk because it makes it SO smooth!

Once you drink this magic, you are going to want to buy some and bring it home.  This is the place to do that:

And don’t forget to buy the tool to help you make this mind-blowing chocolate dream:

The next day promised to be as action packed as the first.  We started our day off with a visit to Monte Alban, the most important archaeological site in Oaxaca.

The complex is  large, well preserved, and not as packed as I expected.

There is also a small museum at the entrance that is worth a peak.
They may often experience pain in the surrounding areas of the body such as buy levitra skin, sweat glands, saliva and urine. Easy order process- Men who do not have time to describe the many uses and sophisticated manufacturing process of the testosterone booster. http://appalachianmagazine.com/2017/02/13/butte-county-sheriff-were-still-quite-early-on-into-this-situation/ order generic viagra Working of Kamagra – a remarkable drug! levitra professional samples http://appalachianmagazine.com/2017/11/30/mountain-lingo-where-did-ma-maw-and-pa-paw-come-from/ Generic Sildenafil citrate controls the release of many erectile dysfunction treatment medicines in the market it has become possible. While there are couples who seek to find emotional support in each other as a means to overcome the subsequent feeling of “inadequacy” there are others who appalachianmagazine.com cheap viagra even end up parting ways owing to this particular problem.

Next we headed back into the city to visit Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca.  This used to be the monastic grounds behind the Templo de Santo Domingo.  Now it is its own botanical garden with an impressive collection of cacti, including a cactus forest that I simply could NOT resist.

Here’s the thing though: you cannot independently visit this garden.  You MUST take the two hour tour.  The people who run this operation take it very seriously, and they should.  But, the tour could be an hour long.  It literally dragged on and on.  So, Chad and I skipped out on it about half way through, and made our way through the gardens alone, which you are not supposed to do.  But, we are rebels. Well, I’m a rebel.  Chad was literally dying of embarrassment; but, I needed to get into this cactus forest without a bunch of people, so Chad dealt with it!

Our afternoon was spent visiting several artisans villages, like San Martín Tilcajete, where we visited local wood carvers who painted their carvings with Zapotex designs:

San Bartolo Coyotepec, a town best known for its black pottery:

And Santo Tomás Jalieza, a town whose artisans are known for making exquisitely woven cotton goods on back-strap looms:

For lunch, we traveled to a local market/food hall in Ocotlan.

That is where we met Frida Kahlo (incarnate) and ate her amazing home cooking.

Okay, so she’s not the real Frida Kahlo, who is actually no longer with us, but you could’ve fooled me.  She looks just like Frida and her cooking is art. Her stall is called La Cocina de Frida, and it was the best damn mole sauce we ate!

For dinner, we tried the tasting menu at El Destilado, for a contemporary take on Oaxacan classics.

We dedicated our final day to exploring the colorful streets of Oaxaca City and its markets.

We admired the street art.

We shopped in the local boutiques.

We ate tacos (duh!).

We stopped by the church.

And we visited the Sunday market.

Side note: the indigenous locals do not like to be photographed.  They believe that you are stealing their soul when you photograph them.  If you whip out a camera, they all hide their faces.  However, there are some that are more evolved, so you are better off asking if you want to photograph indigenous people in Oaxaca.  And, unlike other places, they don’t expect to be paid to photos. So, I would avoid offering because I think payment for photos is a tourist created phenomenon.

The markets in Oaxaca are organized by section: meats, veggies, breads, etc.

But, they are also kind of like a food hall. So, you buy your meat from here:

Then get your tortillas from here:

And then you use the public grills inside the market to grill your own meat and make your lunch:

We saw a bunch of families running from stall to stall gathering their supplies and then having a full on family bar-b-q right in the market.  It was interesting and kind of sweet. However, I question the sanitary conditions of those grills.

And, don’t forget to load up on your chilies and grasshoppers!

It was Easter, so you know there was an Easter parade right in the middle of town!

We boarded our flight home with happy hearts and full bellies.

Oaxaca really is a gem.  Life is such a celebration there.  There is so much culture and so much art.  And the food, SO Freaking Good…minus the grasshoppers. If you are looking for different kind of long weekend getaway, I highly recommend you check it out. Chad and I are already planning our return for the Day of the Dead celebration!

Filed Under: globetrotter, Mexico, Oaxaca · Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , · Leave a Comment