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

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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!
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Amsterdam, Netherlands: An Accidental Adventure

November 13, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

After spending 10 days in Jordan, I landed in Paris to the news that my flight home to Miami was cancelled due to Hurricane Irma, and that it would be at least three days until we could get home. To some, this might have been terrible news.  To me, it was the best news! Two extra days of vacation courtesy of Delta?!? Yes, please!

The only problem was, Paris. I mean, let’s be honest, Paris is NEVER a problem.  But, I (and my travel companion) had kind of been there done that.  At least twice that we could each remember. So, what did we do? We decided that we would hop the next train to a city that neither of us had ever been. Hello, Amsterdam!

Admittedly, you probably need a little more than two days for Amsterdam. I mean, we didn’t even get to go out to the Flower Strip (the tulip fields) or to the windmills. But, two days was perfect to get a taste of the city.

We arrived via the high-speed Thalys train and took an Uber over to a little boutique hotel we booked on the ride over called the Hotel Banks Mansion. It is a cute little art-deco style hotel that had a great breakfast and a cute little happy hour every day for guests.  The rooms were a little dated, but decent and a nice size.  The hotel was literally two blocks away from the Flower Market (Bloemenmarkt).

In existence since 1862, the Flower Market is the only floating flower market in the world. The flower stalls stand on the houseboats and front a small pedestrian street. Today, the market is pretty touristy, but still cute and worth a quick stroll.  It is also a great place to pick up some souvenirs.

In case you didn’t know, the Netherlands is famous for tulips, and the history of tulips in the Netherlands is rich.  In fact, tulips were once used as currency and caused a crash in the market. In the market, you will find all sorts of tulips, narcissus, geraniums and many other types of flowers. While there are export services, there are plenty of terrible reviews from people who never received their orders.  If I were you, I would buy the bulbs and put them in your checked luggage.

I mean, you had me at flower.  So, naturally, we made a beeline for that market as we killed time before our FREE walking tour later that afternoon.

Amsterdam is pretty well known for its free walking tours.  We took the tour as a way to orient ourselves with the city. Now, if you read this blog, you know that I am NOT a fan of group tours. I made an exception here because it was our only option.

We booked with Free Dam Tours. The tour was decent, but it reinforced my dislike for group tours.  All the regular cast of characters was present: the Americans whose first time it was in Europe (or out of the country really), the friendly Canadians, the German couple wearing short sleeved shirts in the pretty crisp temperatures, the couple who doesn’t speak/understand English that well (I mean, why? Why take this tour?), the weird couple who seemed to hate each other, the annoying guy who asked too many (stupid) questions, the couple who was still wasted from the Red Light District the night before (hell, maybe even from earlier that day), the solo female traveler, and the young backpackers.  Check.  Gang’s all here, let’s get this tour on the road.

The tour lasted about three hours.  It actually starts in the Red Light District and makes its way through the city in one big circle. During the tour, we learned about the dark history of city, particularly during World War II and how freedom and tolerance transformed a simple fisherman’s village into the center of a vast trading empire. We also learned about the city’s liberal attitudes in modern day life, particularly when it comes to sex and drugs. Exhibit A: A man in a long trench coat with stocking and heels walking around the city in the middle of the day.

At the end of the tour we got vouchers to take a reduced-priced canal tour (which you should do, but we just didn’t have time for). Also, etiquette dictates that at the end of a FREE tour, you are supposed to tip. People are so savage!  Most did not tip at all. I felt so bad for this poor guide who relies on tips to earn a living. One guy actually told her he was not tipping because he didn’t like the tour! I was so shook! I mean, he stayed until the end.  Why stay if you hate it? Others were tipping 5 Euros. Really?!?! For three hours? That’s barely a Euro per hour! So, of course, my friend and I over-tipped to save this poor girl from humanity. And that, my friends, is another reason why I despise group tours.

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First, let’s talk about sex (baby… you have to be a witty child of the 90s with a flair for Salt-N-Pepa to understand what I did there). Here’s what you need to know: the sex workers enjoy a lot of protection in Amsterdam.  They have their own union and are frequently tested. Whatever you fancy you can find.  There is a row of “Big Mommas” as  they are called in Big Momma Alley.  These are the plumper ladies. There are the typical young, hot girls of all races. If you are looking for men, you can find that too.  There is even something for the LGBTQ community. Here is a good rule of thumb: red lights for straight activity, purple lights for gay activity. The Red Light District is littered with store fronts that have big picture windows.  In the windows sit ladies in waiting, sometimes on stools, sometimes, standing, sometimes lying down.  They are usually dressed in lingerie, but sometimes partly nude.

But there is one very, very, very important rule:  you are NOT allowed take photos of the women.  This is strictly enforced, not just by the police, but by the women themselves.  They will literally come out of the establishments, chase you down, and demolish your phone or camera.  Like stomp on it. Break it. Maybe even keep it. Also, the area is under 24-hour video surveillance. Lastly, you have to be super vigilant about pickpockets here.

Otherwise, it is a bustling area full of tourists, restaurants, and shops. In fact, at the end of Big Momma Alley is a kindergarten. The children pass by he windows, which are open 24/7, as they head to school because real Dutch people live in this area. Next to the kindergarten is the Prostitute information Centre (or PIC). Founded by a former prostitute, visitors can stop by for information on the district or for tours.  It is also a resource for sex workers who can get advice and information on how to get in and out of the business.

But the most interesting thing you will find in the Red Light District, again in Big Momma Alley, is a huge Catholic church, called the Old Church. In the 1500s, sailors used to go to the red light districts and sin and then go and absolve their deeds by begging for forgiveness from the church. In order to get forgiveness, the sailors had to pay an indulgence fee, which went straight into the church coffers. Lots of sin = lots of indulgence money = BIG church. By the way, if you like churches, you may want to make time for the Secret Catholic Church or Our Lord in the Attic.

It is no coincidence that the Red Light District is adjacent to the coffeeshops. No, not Starbucks. Marijuana. If you are going to partake in this sort of thing there are some things that you should know.  First, weed is tolerated, but not legal in Amsterdam.  In fact, the suppliers that the coffee shops get the cannabis from aren’t supposed to be growing or selling marijuana at all (go figure that one out). So, you are supposed to consume it only in the coffee shops.  I didn’t find this to be strictly enforced. Also, apparently, you are only allowed to visit the same coffee shop twice in one day, but there are over 200 coffee shops in Amsterdam so fear not!

The most important thing you need to know is which establishments sell and tolerate marijuana and which don’t. A licensed seller of cannabis products is always referred to as a coffee shop. A koffiehuis (coffee house) or a cafe does NOT sell marijuana.  These are places you go to for light meals or a casual restaurant and/or bar. Do not post up in here and spark up a joint. If you’re still confused, look for a green and white sticker in the window, a license which designates the establishment as a coffee shop. Also, if you are looking to get high and buzzed at the same time, sorry about your luck. The coffee shops do not sell alcohol. I mean, it’s only fair.  The other businesses need to make some money too! I have no other guidance for you on getting high in Amsterdam, but lucky for you, the internet is a blaze (see what I did there?!?) with such information.  You can start here or here.

Okay, enough debauchery! There are other things to do in Amsterdam other than get high and get laid. You could, for example, visit one of their many museums. We had limited time, so over the span of two days, we visited three museums. The first was the Anne Frank Museum. Do not miss this museum. Honestly, I was both fascinated and haunted by it. I am assuming that you know who Anne Frank is.  I mean you literally would have had to be living under a rock your entire life to not know.

The museum is located in the actual house (the Secret Annex) that Anne Frank, her family, and four other people hid from Nazi persecution during World War II. The lines to get in are incredibly long.  It takes about an hour to go through the home, so I recommend visiting a few hours before it closes when the lines are significantly shorter. There are a lot of stairs to climb and narrow hallways to walk through, so keep that in mind when choosing your footwear. The most interesting part about the museum is the bookshelf that blocked the entrance to the Secret Annex. Also, the original diary is kept in the museum, which to me was the coolest artifact.

The second museum we visited was the Van Gogh museum. I am huge Van Gogh admirer, so I loved this museum.  We got there right as it opened and did not wait in line.  However, soon after, the museum was a mad house.  It is a pretty well-laid out museum with a tremendous collection of Van Gogh’s work throughout his life. Pack your patience for this one, though.

The Van Gogh museum is located in the museum district, so as we were walking out, I saw a sign for a Banksy exhibit. Banksy is an anonymous England-based graffiti artist.  His work consists almost entirely of political and social commentary and has been featured on streets, walls, and bridges of cities throughout the world. I am a huge fan of his work, so we made an impromptu stop at the Moco Museum. This turned out to be my favorite art museum because the exhibition space is so uniquely perfect for art. The museum is modern art, but it is exhibited in  a beautiful, old 1900s townhouse.

The only reservation I made in Amsterdam was to De Kas, a Michelin starred restaurant located inside a greenhouse. The restaurant is located in a beautiful park and features a tasting menu only, which changes weekly and features the garden produce that is cultivated on site. The restaurant was beautiful and the food was delicious. The dishes focus on the veggies, but it is not a vegetarian menu.  Also, for a Michelin restaurant, it is not that expensive.  The lunch tasting menu ranges from 33 to 43 Euros and dinner is 53 Euros.

And, that my friends, is how we spent two unexpected days in Amsterdam. If there is one thing you take away from this post, I hope it is an appreciation for the long or unexpected layover in a new place.  It is a gift. A chance for an accidental adventure.  Stop complaining and enjoy it!

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Porto, Portugal: Tiles and Wine and Other Things Fine

July 30, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

If you have a thing for tiles on the walls and on the floors, love Port wine, or are a foodie, then this is the place for you. Porto, or Oporto as the locals call it, is a modern city with iconic building facades and dynamic gastronomy.

It is like the San Francisco of Portugal and the Douro Valley is its Napa. As a matter of fact, Porto’s historic area was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. In 2001, its wine region, the Alto Douro Wine Region, was also declared a UNESCO World Heritage.

Port wine, that sweet, red dessert wine, is a fortified wine produced exclusively in the Douro Valley. It is the literal reason why most people come to Porto. The Douro Wine Region Valley is the oldest demarcated wine region in the world.

Unfortunately, we only had one day to spend in Porto. We woke up early in the morning and took a 30 minute flight from Lisbon to Porto (you can also take a 2.5 to 3 hour train from Lisbon). Because of our tight time frame, we did not have a chance to visit the Douro Valley.  If you have more time, I recommend an overnight in Porto so that you have at least one full day to visit the city and an overnight in the Douro Valley so that you have another full day to visit the region and do proper wine tastings.

We were met by Sara of Oporto & Douro Moments who would be out guide for a whirlwind of a day in Porto. Sara specializes in the Douro Valley and is native to Porto.

Despite that we would not have a chance to visit Douro with her, Sara made sure that we still experienced the heart of Porto – Port Wine. So, our first stop was Vila Nova de Gaia (or Gaia as it is locally know), which is just across the river from Porto, over the Dom Luís I Bridge, a bridge designed by Gustave Eiffel, you know, the Eiffel Tower guy. In Gaia is where most of the Port wineries have set up shop outside of the Douro Valley. We visited Pocas Junior.

We took a private tour and learned all about the history and tradition of port wine.They still use the traditional method of cleaning their wine storage units, which means that someone who is small enough to fit in this hole, climbs in and cleans by hand.  They have one dedicated employee for this task! They also have one dedicated employee who hand-makes their wine barrels at this on-site workshop.
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Um, are these not the literal largest wine barrels you have ever seen in your entire life?  Apparently, at their Douro Valley location, they have even bigger ones! After tasting several varieties of port, including a port rose (there is such a thing and it is splendid!), we were in need of some food, so we headed back over the bridge to sink our teeth into a sandwich for which Porto is famous: the Francesinha (the Little Frenchie).

There is NOTHING little about this sandwich. The name is kind of comical, actually. One sandwich is enough for two people. Oh, and don’t even bother putting this one in your calories app.  I am pretty sure you will break the damn thing. Just know that you are going to need to up your steps after this one, which is fine because Porto is all hills anyway and calories don’t count on vacation.

Okay, back to the sandwich that gave me a mini panic attack: in between two very thick slices of white bread, you will find cured ham, two different kinds of sausage,  and steak. The sandwich is then covered with melted cheese and a hot thick tomato and beer sauce. And, because there isn’t enough protein in the sandwich, it is topped with a fried egg.  And served with french fries. Take that McDonald’s! I see your Big Mac and raise you the Little Frenchie!

So. Much. Meat.

Okay, so after all that eating, it was time to walk. We walked all over the city admiring the amazing tiled buildings. We even went to a tile museum, kind of.  This place is a government owned and operated tile cooperative. While it does display all of Porto’s traditional tiles, it also supplies tile. So, if you have building that has traditional tile, and you are missing a few pieces, you come in, they verify that you are legit (as in you own the building and you are restoring it), and then they just give you the tile. As in, for free. They will also take tile if you are remodeling and getting rid of the tile (why you would ever do that is beyond me). They will not, however, sell you tile (trust me, I tried). We also visited some of Porto’s most famous food shops. These are legit shops that sell traditional Portuguese products. The most famous among them is A Perola Do Bolhao, open since 1917, and Comer e Chorar Por Mais, also in operation for over 100 years.

Now, if you are a Harry Potter fan, you are going to want to come to Porto. It is in Porto where the author, J.K. Rowling, got inspiration for her series. She apparently split her time between a little cafe, Café Majestic, and the oldest and most beautiful bookstore in the world, the Lello Bookstore, also known as Livraria Lello & Irmão.  Rowling frequented the bookstore when she taught English in Porto. The Lello Bookstore was built in 1906 by the Lello Brothers.

This was her cafe of choice:

And this is the bookstore.  The photo of the facade is mine, but the photos of the inside are courtesy of Mr. Google because there is a huge line to get in. This bookstore has become so popular that they actually charges 4 Euro per person to enter; but, if you buy a book, that is credited towards your purchase.

After all that walking in the heat, it was time for a little treat: Portugal’s famous Santini gelato! Some call it the best in the world.  It has been a staple in Portugal for more than 60 years, ever since an Italian named Attilio Santini set up shop in Estoril, Portugal.  With over 50 flavors made fresh daily, you are going to want to make more than one stop here!Alas, our day in Porto was coming to an end. We headed back to the airport with full bellies and achy feet; but it was worth every minute (and every calorie)!

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Sintra, Portugal: An Enchanting Fairytale Land

July 23, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

I have a confession to make. Prior to planning my trip to Portugal, I did not even know that Sintra existed. Sintra may just be Portugal’s best kept secret.  Sintra, I learned, is a popular day-trip from Lisbon. It is just a 30 to 40 minute drive from Lisbon. Or, you can take a 30 minute train from Lisbon’s Rossio station to Sintra station.

Since it was our first time to Sintra, we decided to explore this magical little place with Sintra Magik Private Tours. Out guide, Diogo, was fantastic! He is a Portuguese historian and filmmaker.  He is patient, unconcerned with the clock, and 100% focused on your interests. He is a wealth of information about Portugal, and he really made Sintra come alive for us.  He took us to secret little spots and planned our tour so that we would always be running opposite the schedules of the big group tour buses.

To say that Sintra is picturesque is an understatement.  It is downright enchanting.  It is up on a hill, so it is cooler than Lisbon.  And, it has a seemingly endless number of castles to explore.

The most popular of the castles is Pena Palace. The palace stands on the top of a hill in the Sintra Mountains above the town of Sintra. Pena Palace is the greatest expression of 19th-century romanticism in Portugal. Its color and tile work make it a breathtaking site. This was our first stop in Sintra. We got there right as the doors opened and were the first in line to buy tickets.

Exploring Pena Palace sans crowds makes this spectacular palace even more magical. The palace is surrounded by Pena Park.

You have two options to reach the palace.  You can stroll through the park, which is slightly uphill and takes about 10 minutes of walking. Or, you can pay 2 EU per person and be driven up on a trolley. We opted for the short and picturesque hike.

The views as you approach the palace from below are incredible. The palace, lording over you from above (as you approach on the footpath below), is so striking that it doesn’t even look real.

We made our way through the impressive stone entrance, and then Diogo guided us through the part of the palace from which you would normally exit. This gave us a chance to see the entire palace complex with NO other people around. 

We next explored the outer grounds of the palace. The color and stone and tile detailing of the exterior of this palace are truly breathtaking. Seriously, pictures do not do it justice. 

But don’t think that all the eye candy is just on the exterior.  The interior of this palace is equally as impressive. 

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We left the palace just as throngs of tour groups started filing in, and we headed back to Sintra’s town center to do some exploring. First, stop – snack time! We stopped at this little cafe, the oldest and most popular in the region to try the local queijadas, Sintra’s version of a pastel de nata (the ubiquitous Portuguese custard tart) made with a sweet cheese filling.

Sit inside by the window to enjoy a fantastic view.

The little town of Sintra is so charming, with darling cobbled streets that are lined with shops and cafes. After our brief snack stop, we made our way to the National Palace of Sintra, situated in the heart of Sintra.

We spent the remainder of our time exploring the shops, streets, and corners of this beautiful little city.

Diogo suggested that we head to the coast for lunch so that we can eat at an authentic Portuguese family-owned restaurant and visit Cabo da Roca, the westernmost part of mainland Portugal and continental Europe.

Next, Diogo took us to a secret spot that I promised him I would not identify in this post where we had the landscape and beautiful views all to ourselves!

We ended our day in the beautiful seaside city of Cascais.

Honestly, our day trip to Sintra was my favorite part of our Portugal visit. But, I left Sintra feeling like I really just scratched the surface. To really appreciate Sintra, I think you need to stay here for at least one night, but probably two nights. There were so many sites that we did not get to explore, like The Quinta Regaleira, which has this beautiful spiral and courtyard inside (courtesy of Mr. Google):There are some beautiful properties to choose from for an overnight stay.  You can go wine tasting in this region, and, I am told that once the day-trippers leave, Sintra becomes a different place, and the sites stay open to allow the people staying there to enjoy them without the crowds.

This website offered a helpful three-day itinerary for Sintra:

sights of sintra portugal

If you find yourself in Portugal, make it a point to visit (and stay) in Sintra.  It is well-worth your time. Obrigado and Viagens Felizes!

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Rhodes, Greece: The Island Of The Knights

July 16, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

Rhodes is often overlooked on most people’s Greece itinerary because it’s one of the furthest islands away from the mainland. Also, Rhodes doesn’t have the hype that Santorini and Mykonos have. Most people, especially first-timers to Greece, flock to these touristy islands for the sunsets, white washed buildings, blue domes, and the windmills.

Don’t get me wrong, both Sanotrini and Mykonos, like all of Greece’s islands, are beautiful. But, in my opinion, they lack the authenticity of the Greek culture.  They are  expensive and overrun with tourists and the dreaded cruise boats. Rhodes, on the other hand, is less crowded, more affordable, and, in my opinion, more interesting. It is also a photographer’s dream! Allow me to introduce you to this little gem.

If you read this blog, you already know that I am Greek and that Chad and I visit Greece at least once a year because my dad lives on the island of Crete. Every time we go to Greece, we try to visit new places and new islands in Greece. This year, Rhodes was at the top of our list.

Rhodes is part  and also the capital of the Dodecanese, “The Twelve Islands” (which is a misleading name because the Dodecanese are actually made up of 15 larger islands plus 150 smaller  islands in the southeastern Aegean Sea). It is the largest of these islands. Rhodes is most famous  for the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the Medieval Old Town of the City of Rhodes has been declared a World Heritage Site. In fact, the Old Town is surrounded by a huge, intact, wall, and there is even a castle!  It’s very A Knight’s Tale; and, even more importantly, it has a look and feel unlike anywhere else you’ll experience in Greece.

Rhodes has a long and rich history. Suffice it to say, there were many things that attracted to us to Rhodes. To get to Rhodes, you can take a very long ferry from Athens or Thessaloniki or you could take an less than an hour flight. I’ll let you guess which option we chose and which we recommend you do as well.
We chose to stay in the Old Town of Rhodes. Old Town is surrounded by medieval walls with seven “gates” (Gate of the Naval Station, Gate of Agios Ioannis, Gate of Agia Ekaterini, Gate of the Apostle Paul, Gate of Amboise, Gate of Agios Athanassios and the Gate of the Port). Today, the gates are the seven entry points into the Old Town. When you enter these gates, you feel as if you have entered another world. I am so glad we chose to stay in the Old Town. It was truly enchanting and much more charming than staying at one of the huge beach resorts in the modern city. You literally feel as though you have entered some sort of enchanted land.

We stayed at a small boutique hotel called Kokkini Porta Rosa (which loosely translates into  the red door) in the Old Town. Now, this is NOT a sponsored post, but I love this hotel (it’s really more of a guest house than a hotel) and its owners (who were just the loveliest, warmest, and most interesting couple) so much that I am going to dedicate part of my post about Rhodes to this fantastic gem because I think this hotel really colored our view of Rhodes in the most positive of ways.

This hotel is a model for what hotels should be. In a world that has become so impersonal, Angela and Nikos, the owners (who have lovingly restored an old home, while staying true to its history), break the mold and have truly created a home away from home.

Every single guest of their small five-suite hotel is treated like family. Angela and Nikos pay the utmost attention to detail. This little hotel is luxury and service re-defined, from the moment you walk in until the moment you check out, with homemade gift in hand.

First, there is no such thing as a bad room.  All the rooms are breathtaking. They are large, they are beautifully appointed with the couple’s own hand-selected furnishings from around the world.  The rooms have every comfort you could ask for, including a pillow menu, luxurious local, organic bath products, and a fully stocked mini bar that is FREE in every room for every guest for your entire stay. You read that right- the mini bar is FREE. Everything in it is FREE! And, there are A LOT of choices, which are replenished daily. Also, the Wi-Fi is strong! Angela and Nikos have anticipated your every need. They literally have thought of every single little detail. Each room comes with a fully stocked beach bag that includes towels, mats, and bottled water.

Also, every single room is assigned a tablet that is pre-loaded and customized to each guest every single day of your stay. Your tablet will have maps, itineraries, places of interest, and restaurants, which are hand-selected by Nikos every day for every single guest based on what you tell him that you are interested in.

The tablet acts as a GPS (which is helpful in the maze-like roads of the Old Town), and a means to communicate directly with Nikos and Angela from anywhere on the island. If you book directly with them, your room comes with a free car rental on a day of your choosing so that you can leave the Old Town and explore other areas of Rhodes, like Lindos.

Every day when you return, Angela and Nikos are there to greet you with a drink in hand and snacks. Every evening, they leave out a full array of cocktails for you to enjoy before or after dinner, including Angela’s homemade limoncello, which is literally the best I have ever had.  Ever. Including the ones we tried in Italy. Even in Positano. Breakfast is included with your room, and you would be a fool to miss it. It is literally the best breakfast I have ever had at a hotel, and Chad and I have stayed at some VERY nice hotels all over the world. Angela serves up a three-course, homemade breakfast. First, she brings you a French pressed coffee or a hand-squeezed juice (all of which are amazing) and an array of bread with homemade jams (which are also amazing).

Your first course will be something sweet and something savory from the local cuisine. This selection will change every day. Your second course is Greek yogurt with fresh fruit and bee pollen and/or honey. Finally, she will cook your eggs to order.

Thus, smoking can leave adverse effects on your health. order viagra online 2. It might make you prone to other health complications. viagra price This drug is said to http://appalachianmagazine.com/2019/09/21/trust-the-climb-wvu-football-proving-coach-brown-is-legit/ levitra cost be convenient medical option for the people & helps them to get it repaired or replaced as the case may be. Erectile dysfunction is a medical condition which comes under Delhi NCR region. viagra side online find out that shop now The presentation is beautiful, the food is delicious, and by the second morning, Angela has your preferences committed to memory. Oh, did I mention that your breakfast is taken in the garden oasis featured above? Also, the hotel is located in a quiet residential district, so there is no noise from cars, bars, restaurants and people, but it is walking distance from all the action.Here’s the best part: this hotel is affordable, especially when you consider what you are getting (breakfast, fully stocked mini bar, daily cocktails, car rental, etc.) and compared to the other options on the island. Hell, even if the hotel was a splurge, I’d spend it! Nikos is a wealth of information about the island, and both Nikos and Angela are truly passionate about what they do, which translates into the guest experience.  Everyone on the island knows them and their hotel. I am quite confident when I say that you will never again stay a hotel that is quite like this one.  I dream about this hotel and coming back. Hats off to Angela and Nikos for creating the ultimate guest experience. If you go (and, I truly insist that you do), please let Angela and Nikos know that I sent you.

After we were done swooning over the hotel, we spent our first full day wandering around the Old Town and taking in all of the beautiful little corners of this charming town. By the way, if you are into doors and floors, then hold on to your britches, because Old Town Rhodes is an assault of charm in the door and floor department. The ancient mosaic stone work on the floors is incredible! And, the doors…I died! On Angela and Nikos’s suggestion (which, by the way, were always spot on), we stopped to eat lunch at this amazing little restaurant and loved the food so much that we came back again, which is VERY rare for us, as we try to eat at as many different places as possible. After lunch, we decided to explore the area outside of the Old Town wall. On our second day, we hired Nick of Rhodes Private Tax Tours to give us a tour of the Rhodes outside of the Old Town and to take us to Lindos to visit the famous Acropolis of Lindos.

Lindos is a resort town with a small (touristy) village at its center, which is pedestrian only.  The village gets pretty crowded as does the Acropolis of Lindos, but it is well worth a visit. I would recommend spending an entire day here so you can go to the Acropolis as early as possible and then have time to explore the little village. You can also overnight in Lindos if you want to enjoy the beach.

However, before we left for Lindos, Nick showed us one of the places where the Colossus of Rhodes was thought to have stood. The Colossus of Rhodes was an enormous statue depicting the city’s patron god, Helios (the god of the sun).  Many believe that this wonder of  the ancient world stood in Mandraki Harbour, and there are rumors that a fundraising effort is underway so that an architect can build a new monument, albeit one five times larger than the original, to straddle the entrance of this harbor. However, there are some theories that because this monument was so important, it did not actually stand at the harbor, but at the Acropolis of Rhodes.  Lindos is a cute little village that has many shops and small, but stunning churches to explore before you make your way up to the Acropolis of Lindos, a climb that includes several hundred stairs of various heights with no guardrails.  Not to worry, it is totally do-able (if you are wearing the right shoes), the views are incredible, and there are donkeys to assist.

The irony of a Greek bank building being used to store donkey is not lost on me. This is just ripe for Greek financial crisis jokes…like the only ASSets being stored in Greek banks this year…but that’s not funny. I mean, it kind of is, but not really.

I wish we had a little more time to explore this village, but it was pouring that day, so as soon as the sun came out, we hiked up to the Acropolis!

And the views from the Acropolis of Lindos are not too shabby:After Lindos, Nick took us to the cutest little beach side taverna for lunch (which had the most INCREDIBLE views) before we set off to explore other sites around the island, including Filerimos, monastery is dedicated to Virgin Mary that has monuments of the seven stations of the cross and  is overrun with friendly peacocks, and Anthony Quinn Bay, which is a beautiful little bay riddled with controversy and drama. 

Filerimos:

Anthony Quinn Bay:On our third day on the island, we took advantage of the free rental car that came with our room and took to the roads with our tablet to explore other points of interest, such as the Castle of Monolithos, Profitis Ilias, Ancient Kamiros, and the Seven Springs (Epta Piges). Also, in the right season, you can also visit the Valley of the Butterflies. Rhodes is a fairly flat island, so it is easy to drive and navigate. I would highly recommend renting a car for a day or two to do some independent exploring.

Monolithos: Ancient Kamiros: Seven Springs:

Make sure the water is running at the springs before you go because when we went, the water had dried up, so this lovely shot is courtesy of Mr. Google!On our last day, we stayed in the Old Town and visited the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes. We also walked through the moat, which was kind of cool because you see the Old Town above you and there are a few little nooks to explore.  And, we walked on top of the medieval wall, which had fantastic views of the Old Town below, and the exist was literally in front of our hotel!  Finally, we visited the archaeological museum.

Moat:

Palace:

Medieval wall:

 

Museum:

There are several day trips you can take from Rhodes, including trips to Symi,  Kastellorizo, Alimia, and Chalki Islands. You can also visit Turkey for the day from Rhodes! We didn’t have time to do any day trips on this visit. We do, however, plan to come back to Rhodes to explore more of the island (but really to stay at Kokkini Porta Rosa again) and to visit some of the neighboring islands. Second to Crete, Rhodes is my favorite island in Greece. Add this little medieval gem to your bucket-list.  I promise it will not disappoint!

 

 

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Living Life To The Fullest: In Memory Of A Friend And Great Adventurer

March 30, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

“I can’t believe that we would lie in our graves, wondering if we had spent our living days well.”

Lyrics from Lie In Our Graves, Dave Matthews Band.

You always hear these adages, encouraging you to live life to the fullest.  To live with no regrets.  But what does that really mean, and, honestly, how many of us really heed that advice? How many people do we know that actually live these full lives?

I recently lost a friend in a tragic and unexpected way.  To me, he was the living embodiment of what it means to live life to the fullest, and to never take a single day for granted.  He was the one person I knew that lived these truths.

Neither my friend’s identity nor the details of his death are important.  What is important is the person that he was.  He was the kind of guy that had seemingly lived 100 interesting lives.  I met him 10 years ago in law school.  We were in the same section, and, if you know anything about law school, you know that means that we spent the next year together because we had the exact same schedule– every class, every day for a whole year. We bonded over our mutual love for travel and for animals, dogs specifically.

He was the kind of guy that basically excelled at everything he did, but not in an annoying way. In an inspiring way. He attended the Portuguese Air Force Academy where he graduated first in his class. He had a career as a military pilot and as an airline pilot for one of the largest airline companies in the U.S.  He was an accomplished private, commercial, instrument and ATP rated pilot as well as a Gold Seal Flight Instructor. He once told me that he enrolled in law school as a result of a bet/dare from his wife.  True to form, he was accepted to the best law school in the State of Florida and graduated second in our class, booking almost every class he took (non-lawyer translation: at the end of every class in law school, they give out an award (often endowed), called a book award, to the person who has the highest grade in that class). I always wondered if finishing second annoyed him since he was so used to being first.

He had an affinity for adventure and speed.  He loved fast (German) cars and fast motorcycles, and had both. He also loved to fly. He was the only person I knew in law school who had a plane, and that includes the faculty and staff.  He loved taking his fellow classmates up in the plane.  Two of my girlfriends and I once flew to his home to meet his wife and puppies (all 5 of them) and have dinner.  He let me take control and fly the plane on the way back, which was so exciting because I had never before (or since) flown a plane.  I saw a light in the distance and told him that he should probably resume control of the plane since there was some air traffic up ahead.  He laughed and said, “That’s not a plane, Anastasia; that’s a planet!” Whoops!

He was the kind of guy that always had time for conversation (especially if the conversation was a debate). He as not afraid to take a position, even an unpopular one, and he stood by his convictions. He believed in himself. He was also the kind of guy that never said no. He was always willing to help.  If you were struggling to understand a concept, he would take time and explain it to you the way he understood it.  I sat next to him for an entire month during our bar preparation course, which I was in charge of running.  He was early every morning, ready to help. He was an authentic and genuine soul.

After law school, we kept in touch through Facebook.  He briefly worked at a law firm, but hated the structure, so he started his own firm with his wife who was already a lawyer. He also provided safety consulting services to the offshore and land-based oil and gas industry. In his spare time, he volunteered his time and his plane to provide free air transportation to financially distressed people with medical needs and to health care organizations through a non-profit charitable organization.

When the medicine is fully absorbed, it leads to a healthy erection of the penis. generic discount levitra tablet viagra appalachianmagazine.com Impotence treating meditation aids you forgetting about all the active consumption of other drugs, so that he can deal with the issues of erectile dysfunction in you. Do not let erectile dysfunction curb your physical viagra generic sildenafil and mental health. generic viagra pill The price is also within affordable range. As a law school graduation gift, his wife got him a climbing trip to Kilimanjaro.  He was certainly no stranger to travel or to adventure. He  was a skydiver, mountain biker, sea-kayaker, and scuba diver. But, I think this gift began his love for the climb. My law school friends and I followed his travels on social media, and every time I would open Facebook, he would be in some other corner of the world, conquering some unimaginable feat.  Waldo had nothing on this guy.

Over the course of two and a half years, he completed the Seven Summits Challenge.  That means that he summited the highest mountain on each of the seven continents: Mount Everest in Asia, the Aconcagua in South America, Denali in North America, Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa (twice), Mount Elbrus in Europe, Vinson in Antarctica, and Puncak Jaya in New Guinea (Australia).  Because there is a debate about whether Mount Kosciuszko or Puncak Jaya is the tallest in Australia, he climbed both. I teasingly told him that I would be impressed only after he also summited K2. He matter-of-factly told me that he already summited the highest mountain in Asia and the world. Touche.

In between climbing mountains, he had some other pretty epic adventures, including gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda, expeditions to Antarctica, and 100s of “trips of a lifetime” to the Galapagos Islands, Australia, South America, North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. It seems he that he always immersed himself with the locals wherever he went, and he always found dogs to love all over the world. His pictures are National Geographic amazing, because he was, of course, a professional level photographer. He was my travel icon, and we often compared notes on travel, although my travels paled in comparison to his.

On the rare occasion that he wasn’t off on some bucket list journey, he spent time at his second home in the Bahamas, which he built and dedicated to his squad of adorable Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.  In my next life, if I can’t come back as him, I want to come back as one of his dogs. He would load up the pups in his plane, put the  protective earmuffs on them, and fly them down to their island home, Sandy Paws. They would spend time exploring the island in their golf cart and taking to the seas in their boat, the Barkardi. He and his dogs would go paddle-boarding. These dogs live a charmed life, and I loved it.

He got involved in a local charity in the Bahamas that built homes for and fed stray Potcake dogs on the island, which is a mixed breed dog commonly found on the Caribbean Islands.  He flew plane loads of supplies to the island from the States to support this cause and the these dogs. He loved all animals and our environment, but he especially loved dogs. He had tattoos of the face of every one of his dogs on his body. I judge the greatness of a person by the way they treat animals, and he was one of the greatest.

The last country he visited was Bolivia, where he was hiking up a volcano. Before he died, he was working on completing the Explorers Grand Slam, which he planned to start next month. That involves skiing to both the North and South poles. I am sad that such a great adventurer will never get to complete this feat.

He was truly the most interesting person I have ever known (and probably will ever know). His life was remarkable, inspirational, and one that deserves celebration. He lived life to the fullest. The last time I spoke to my friend was on March 15.  He died four days later.  I never got to tell him how much I admired him, and for that I am sorry.

As news of his death spread, his Facebook wall was loaded with pictures and messages of condolences from people around the world. Literally, around the world: his climbing friends, his Island friends, his local community, his law school friends, even people who had met him once in passing.  It is amazing to see the impact and reach that one person had on so many. The messages are similar: “amazing man”, “great human”, “inspiring person”, “authentic”, ” positive, fun-loving and gregarious” “remarkable and wonderful[ly] accomplish[ed]”. In times where humanity can’t seem to agree on anything, scores of people from different cultures, races, and religions seemingly agreed: he was good people.

They say all dogs god to heaven, and if that is true, on March 19, heaven’s dogs met their greatest angel.  I hope that he is resting peacefully in heaven, surrounded by dogs, gazing over the highest and most amazing peaks. I hope he died feeling like he spent his living days well. 

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