Even early in the morning, my brows sweated from the sweltering heat. We walked the cobblestone streets, admiring the pastel-colored colonial buildings adorned with balconies. Our steps were accompanied by the clip-clop of los coches – horse-drawn carriages – taking tourists around the block. Vendors and tourists crowded the open plazas, and the palenqueras – Afro-Latinas dressed in colorful traditional garb – greeted them. As if we were transported back to the Spanish colonial times, we experienced a place where history and the present intertwined. We were in Cartagena de Indias, or simply Cartagena, in Colombia.
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Ocean to Ocean Tour in Panama
Panama’s Ocean to Ocean Tour starts in Panama City (Pacific Ocean side) to Colon (Atlantic Ocean side) and back with stops at Gatun Lake, Agua Clara, and Fort San Lorenzo to view wildlife, cargo ships transiting through the canal, and explore an old Spanish fort.
Georgia: Five Historic Mansions in Savannah
Savannah’s downtown area is one of the largest National Historic Landmark Districts in the United. With almost 300 years of history, the city attracts millions of visitors annually because of several notable historic buildings. Here are five Historic Mansions in Savannah worth checking out that we saw in our recent trip to the city.
New Orleans: Stay in a Historic French Quarter House
We were transported to the 19th century French Quarter as we walked inside the hotel, a historic mansion. Completed in 1839, its main hall and the adjacent double parlor remain much as they were in their early days. Antiques and period artworks decorated the hallway. An ornate chandelier hanged above the main hall. A vintage red sofa sat against one wall sandwiched between two end tables with decorative lampshades. Paintings adorned the wall over the couch, and a large mirror occupied the opposite wall. The hallway floor was tiled marble, while the double parlor was all wood. We felt that we turned back time and stepped into the antebellum era of New Orleans when it was the wealthiest city in the nation.
Iceland: Chasing Lights
I had been waiting for a few hours, standing in the dark. I was on a ridge above a glacial lake. I was cold. It was below freezing. I could not feel my fingers. My hands were digging in my pockets, looking for some remnants of heat from the hand warmers I placed there hours prior. I had two cameras on a tripod taking photos on a timer. My nose was running. My face was so numb I cannot feel it. I thought I must be nuts to waiting there in the cold. Then all of a sudden, when I
Travel App: Cool Cousin
The best thing to find out where the cool places are in a destination is to talk locals with the same interests. What if you don’t know anyone? Enter Cool Cousin! How you used the app? You can browse vetted like-minded locals and see what places they recommend. You like jazz music? Find a Cool Cousin who is into the jazz music scene. I’m somewhat of a foodie, and I found a local favorite brunch place and an off the beaten path taco place in Vancouver when I visited the city a couple of years ago. You can also sign
Mexico: Journey to the Monarch Sanctuary
I climbed the steep hills for an hour or so at an elevation of about 10,000 feet. The trail was a mix of stairs and dirt paths equivalent of climbing 600+ stair steps. My legs were like jelly when I reached the site, but it was so worth it. There were hundreds of thousands of monarch butterflies! I can hear the wingbeats as they swarm like bees in the oyamel fir trees. My day started in Morelia, Mexico, in the Michoacán State, some 5-6 hours West of Mexico City. My next destination is El Rosario Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary, a few
California: A Wild Walk to a Hidden Waterfall
I kept looking back and kept my ears open as I made small steps on the tracks. I was ready to get out of the way in case a train came through. The reward for a little wild walk on the active tracks was a beautiful waterfall, Mossbrae Falls. Water drips on the mossy canyon wall into the Sacramento River. Mossbrae Falls is arguably one of the most beautiful and scenic waterfalls in California or anywhere. It flows into the Sacramento River in the Shasta Cascade area in Dunsmuir, California. Springs feed the falls that course down the canyon wall into
New Zealand: There and Back Again, a Hobbit’s Tale
I had not slept in over thirty hours, yet I was still wide awake! I had a pint of the finest Southfarthing apple cider at the Green Dragon Inn before stuffing myself at the Hobbit feast, where an abundance of meats, side dishes, and desserts filled the tables. After dinner, I strolled towards the big tree, Bilbo Baggins’ party tree, for an evening of merriment listening to Hobbit tales and dancing while singing Hobbit songs! I was in the Shire in Middle Earth! The Hobbit (or There and Back Again) by J.R.R. Tolkien is one of my favorite books. “In
San Francisco: Five Spots for Night Photography
San Francisco, California, is the cultural, commercial, and financial center of Northern California. It is the 16th most populous city in the United States and the fourth most populous in California. Colloquially called The City, it has a mix of eclectic architecture and several iconic landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island. Fog (known as Karl) often rolls in and adds a cool element to the view. Here are some of my favorite spots for night photography in The City. 1. Saint Ignatius Church. The Catholic Church on the University of San Francisco, a Jesuit University, is