Blogs

Congratulations to
 Costa Rican chef Randy Siles
 and the staff at 
Hotel Tropico Latino
 in 
Playa Santa Teresa!

The star chef and that hotel’s 
Shambala Restaurant 
were featured in a recent article in Costa Rica’s important cuisine magazine
 Sabores. The full-page article features Siles’ fusion style called
 “Author’s Cuisine” – a freestyle way of cooking that lets Siles create original recipes from his imagination.

Like an artist with a blank canvas, Siles skillfully creates gourmet art fusi

There are many reasons to travel. Some of us travel to take a much needed break, others simply to take a holiday, maybe one is on a business trip. But one thing for sure. While on your journey, you will need to eat.  Cuisine is an integral part of any local culture. Not liking the locals eats can be a valid reason not to travel to a destination.  As culinary travel is one of the fastest growing segments in the travel industry, here are some of my favorite foodie towns to enjoy one of my favorite

by Nellie Huang


“Tê tê te, Tetetê tetê! Samba de Bahia, Samba de Bahia…”

You don’t have to be a samba lover to know this song. The catchy tune of “Maria Caipirinha” (video below) has won the world over with its infectious samba beats and Bahia feel. The creator of this and many other Bahia-inspired tunes is none other than Carlinhos Brown, a six-time Grammy Award winner and a native of Salvador da Bahia, Brazil.

Carlinhos Brown’s Love for Salvador

Born and raised in Candeal Pequenho, a sma

Perhaps vacationing at a grand resort may be considered by some to be a thing of the past or only for the wealthy. But that would be a major misconception because this experience flourishes nestled deep in the Pocono mountains of Pennsylvania. Skytop Lodge, one of the area’s signature properties, is not only grand in stature but classically all-inclusive. Packed with onsite activities and gourmet meals, your stay can be as active or chill as you want it to be…anything from zip lining, fly fishin

We reserved a whole week, including the July 4th holiday, at Liberty Harbor Marina and RV Park in Jersey City NJ. The closest RV Park to New York City.

Day 1:

Due to our unexpected early departure from Monticello Casino, we arrived a day early (for our reservations) and had to take a dry camping spot next to the Liberty Harbor Marina and RV Park to boondock for one night.

We took advantage of a beautiful morning and took a long bike ride at Liberty State Park. We got a close up view of the Upper Ba

At the end of the Revolutionary War in 1783 land speculators bought up large tracts of land in the western part of New York in the hopes of making a profit by subdividing and selling it to settlers who were anxious for inexpensive land suitable for farming.  In 1792 Lincklaen, working for the Holland Land Company, checked out the area around the lake claiming, “…situation superb, fine land.” Settlers came and Cazenovia grew.

In 1807 Linckaen had his home, the neoclassic Lorenzo, built and the ho

KwikChex, the reputation management and consumer-reassurance site, has published its first ratings of the top travel reviews sites. Each site has been awarded a star rating according to a KwikChex analysis of reliability factors.

Remarkably, no site has been awarded the top 5 stars at present, but several, such as Booking.com and Expedia have been awarded 4 stars, thanks to their carrying reviews from fully identifiable customers of the businesses they have reviewed.

In a previously post, New

This summer much of the world's eyes will be on London, England and the Summer Olympic Games. Perhaps the world premier sporting event begins on July 27th and continues until August 12.  Needless to say, such a major event, even for a city as large as London is no simple matter.  Organizing such a major event is no easy matter.  For example the Olympics will have over 23,000 security professionals and it is estimated that security alone will cost more than one billion British pound sterling. (ab

I watched “Eat, Pray, Love” for the second time last night (okay, third - plus I read the book). Here are the effects it had upon me:

• It made me hungry for Italian food - most especially pizza in Naples
• It made me hungry for Italian men but then I got tired and that desire dissipated
• It made me re-examine my life (for 1hr 25 min.)
• The above noted “It made me” gave me a headache and so that dissipated as well
• It made me want to date James Franco
• It made me want to cycle in Bali but not get hit by a hot

Spain is one of Europe's most popular destinations, receiving thousands upon thousands of tourists every year. Some people like it so much that they actually decide to stay, and statistics show that foreign residents are something like 10% of the population.

Driving in Spain doesn't present too many difficulties, but there are several things drivers should be aware of. First of all, and this one is a big one for British drivers, traffic in Spain drives on the right-hand side of the road.

Not left,

What’s all the buzz about stand-up paddle surfing?

It’s one of the fastest emerging global water sports, that’s what.

Also called stand-up paddleboarding, or SUP for short, the sport is popular with surfers as a way to keep fit when surf is low and also as another way to catch waves. Because it is a great full-body workout, other athletes like skiers, snowboarders, etc. are using stand-up paddle surfing to cross train.

Described as “walking on water,”it involves standing on a big, long modified sur

A unique wine tasting phenomenon is going on in the Temecula Valley Wine Country, located about an hour north of San Diego.  While it’s not surprising that the wine aficionados here get together and drink good wine, eat good food, and discuss what they’re eating and drinking, it is interesting that there are several organized groups that meet not just for socialization but for the specific purpose of tasting and reviewing wines from all over the country and the world.  These groups are organized

 Rappelling 300 feet down a cliff into the Black Hole

When the Belize Tourist Board asked me to come to Belize to get a taste of their “slice of paradise,” I gladly accepted. As a scuba diver I was well aware that Belize is the world’s second largest barrier reef, only Australia’s Great Barrier Reef in Queensland is larger. I figured a beach vacation would be a dream come true. But, I would begin my “Belizean Adventure” in the jungles of Belize. The Caves Branch Jungle Lodge and Tree Houses wou

When travelling, it's always important to take every necessary precaution in order to ensure your safety and that of family. Driving is no exception. Whether your touring the Costal del Sol, or visiting the colourful city of Cape Town, here are some tips to stay safe.

1. Never leave valuables in the car. If for some reason you must leave valuables in the car, don't leave them where they can be seen from the outside. Put them in the trunk, or lock them in the glove compartment. Never leave your do

by Cristóbal Ramírez

Intenté hacer un cálculo: contar el número de veces que se le abrirá la boca en San Petersburgo. Lo más probable es que termine perdiendo la cuenta. Peter, como la denominan sus habitantes igual que si estuvieran llamando a un colega, está construida para impresionar. Al zar Pedro el Grande se le ocurrió levantarla a principios del siglo XVIII en medio de la nada. ¿Y a cuento de qué? Quería conectar Rusia con Europa y el mar. El invento le salió bien, porque hoy es una de

Undoubtedly the best way to experience other countries and cultures is to visit them in person. But no need to despair if lack of cash or time have you restrained! Virtual travel is alive and well especially with our ever burgeoning technological advances. But don’t just bury your head in your tablet or smart phone vicariously living off other traveler experiences. Create your own cultural journey by tasting it. Buy some Fleur de Sel salt harvested by hand off the coast of Brittany, sprinkle on

Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia's corner of beautiful Borneo, is the capital of Sabah State and the gateway to visiting Sabah and Borneo. Known as KK, it is the largest city on Borneo and the sixth largest in Malaysia.  It is accessible from many places in Asia.

1. Orangs: One of the great attractions of Borneo is the orangutans and while they are difficult to see in the wild there are two places where it is easy to see the playful Orangs.  The easiest is at a rehabilitation center on the property of the

With summer in full swing, this year's series of Dragon Boat Festivals is underway today throughout coastal China; called Duan Wu Jie in Mandarin, they're normally held on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. Historically, this festival marked the beginning of summer and was celebrated to honor the gods in hopes of a good season. While Hong Kong is said to be the best place to go to take part in the festivities, each major coastal city on the mainland holds its own colorful and exciting races

The San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration, usually known as San Francisco Pride, is dedicated to education, to the commemoration of LGBT heritage and to the celebration of LGBT culture and liberation. The parade and festival are celebrated every year, for the past 41 years, in the city of San Francisco which has a rich and lengthy history of gay rights. The celebrations take place the last weekend of June where hundreds of exhibitors and parade contingents get toget

 It’s 6 AM and the call comes in. It’s the only time these calls come in.