I was amazed when our guide took us to the sacred river where they deposit the cremains of Hindus who die. What I did not expect to see was the entire process of the cremation, from the blessing of the body to the actual funeral fire. Grieving family members stood by. Women cried while men took turns using sacred water that flows out of a spring in a temple above the river and then flows through the remains of a god ( not sure which, the Hindus have 1.3 billion of them according to our guide) an
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The Galapagos Islands, literally translated to mean the Island of Grand Tortoises is simply fascinating. Located just 1000 kilometers offshore from Ecuador and situated directly on the equator; it enjoys only two seasons but is home to several hundred species of animals. There is simply no place in the world as diverse in wildlife as these isles, as noted in the famous On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin.
Many animals that call the islands home today are thought to have floated there and t
Many animals that call the islands home today are thought to have floated there and t
Warm. Exotic. Remote. Unforgettable. All these describe beautiful Maui -- one group of Hawaii's breathtaking islands-- especially this time of year. It is plentiful in luxury accommodations and activities, which are as varied as the thousands of people that visit throughout the year. Whether you like to hike, shop, jog, sun bathe, ski, or just take in the beautiful scenery, Maui is a great place to vacation. It is definitely more than another beach vacation as there is so much more than beaches
There seems to be increasing confusion about appropriate tipping behavior while traveling. This type of travel etiquette is a source of many travelers concerns -- from staying in hotels to traveling on luxury barges or cruise ships. Small cruise ship tipping, including Riverboat Cruises, is based on industry standards and also our two decades plus experience in this business. Luxury travel comes with all the extras included in the experience, dining, locales, and especially service. On Riverboat
It’s not often I get the opportunity to right a wrong or set the record straight while thoroughly immersing myself in sugar white beaches, clear blue ocean waves, and warm tropical breezes. Pair that with total engagement in culinary nirvana, a high-end waterfront condo stay, art, music and eco-friendly golf cart tours and I can truly say I’ve lived the life of an oil-free Diva in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama.
A few weeks back the Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism Bureau invited me to
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| From NMT Images |
Recently I met a vivacious, young mother of two, Vera Sweeney, who is very much an entrepreneur.
Vera runs three rather clever web sites, one of which, ladyandtheblog.com is a sassy example of “fashionistas” taking to the web, often with video cameras (vloggers), to share their shopping successes and opinions for those of us (all of us), ever eager to find deals and good goods.
Vera talked about her recent trip to New York’’s Shoegasm (she lives
Everest. One word, wow. It was a beautiful clear day. Our Buddha Air flight was on a 17 seat Beechcraft. This aircraft is a small tubular unit with one seat on each side of the aisle. A six foot tall person cannot stand erect in the aisle. My wife dislikes small planes and she was uncomfortable at first. Once we got to the mountains, her demeanor changed.
We flew out of the domestic airport. This is a major tourist attraction, and we found out why.
We left at 6:30 in the morning and were back in t
Everyone should see Nepal.
My bonafides for saying that are simple. I have done my share of traveling (not enough yet mind you) and a lot of that has been in back water bizarre places. I have been all over the Altiplanos of Peru and Bolivia. I have been on an island in the middle of Lake Titicaca. I’ve been to Machu Picchu three times. I’ve been so far south in Chile I can almost say I have been in Antarctica. I have walked in the Atacama Desert in a place with zero rainfall ever. I have walked o
Taking a 'gap-year' is an experience that everybody can do and it doesn't mean being irresponsible.
I took two gap-years during my career in human resources (the first at 28, the second at 31), moreover having to face the Italian culture where the topic of the 'sabbatical' is still seen as an 'holiday'.
We often create some excuses to ourselves. Let’s start with the first three:
1. “Where can I find the money?”
Let’s try to have a realistic look at the money we really need to travel the world ‘on th
An architectural phenomenon, the hotel blendes together the Moorish, Oriental and Florentine styles, and offers panoramic views of the glorious Arabian Sea. Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Mumbai is a majestic hotel that reflects the contemporary Indian
(After the book Paris Movie Walks came out last year, I've discovered several more sites that I want to share with my readers. Inception is one of them. For others, feel free to read them in my official site.)
Just before Inception came out, when anything everybody had ever seen from it were a few clips and a print synopsis, it was hailed, even by journalists from serious newspapers as a masterpiece, a thinking man’s adventure entertainment, half reflection on the nature of human consciousness, h
How many times have you heard yourself saying, “I need a break”. Yes, I know exactly what you mean and today I would like to tell you ten reasons why you should take a vacation on the enchanted island of Puerto Rico.
Reason # 10 can simply be because it is like going to another country but you don’t need a passport.
You can still use U S currency and most people know some English.
Reason # 9 is that you can go the many casinos in the hotels.
Reason # 8 is that there are almost 20 golf courses around
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| From NMT Images |
With its big stick and bigger voice, Consumer Reports (CR) announced in its blog that Google’s planned acquisition of ITA Software “ has the potential to limit consumer choice in the already complex market of online travel.”
Hotel Marketing .com reported that CR stepped into the fierce battle between Google and travel web sites over the search engine’s intent to buy ITA Software because it was genuinely concerned the de
Vieques is the perfect holiday destination. Just 15-20 nm from the US and British Virgin Islands, six nm from the east coast of Puerto Rico, Vieques is one of the Spanish Virgin Islands, also referred to as the "Passage Islands”. Less crowded then their southern counterparts and ringed with white sand beaches, the islands are still relatively untouched by developers and tourists alike.
Getting There
Take the ferry from Fajardo for $2. Schedules available online: http://www.vieques-island.com/vieq
but I learned to make chocolate
truffles in Florida.
Italy’s Cortina d’Ampezzo announced it will stage a ski race with a
chocolate theme during the Eurochocolate
Festival held in the famous Italian ski town from December 16-19th.
It is the very first time that the International Chocolate Festival,
Eurochocolate, takes place at altitude and the race is just the tip of a
chocolatey iceberg. Eurochocolate Ski will offer chocolate experiences
directly on the slopes or s
We all have a bucket list, whether it be entrenched in our minds or thoughtfully prepared on paper; travel destinations that we long to visit. For many people these ‘trips of a lifetime’ get put on the backburner as they seem so unattainable.
I like to think of knocking these places off whenever time and money will allow me to, why wait? Wildlife and nature focused travel is my passion, and the more places and unique experiences I learn about the longer my bucket list gets!
Why wildlife and nature
At an art gallery in Eden Prairie, Minnesota about 1995, there was a painting that caught my eye, that would lead me to a magical place in Norway many years later. Passionate about the cruise industry, I have been on over 300 cruises around the world and have even worked on the ships as a Cruise Director and Entertainer. Today, as a Cruise Industry Journalist, I set out to find creative and fascinating cruises and itineraries that will be of interest to the listeners of my talk show and viewers
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A veteran of the restaurant world, Anthony Bourdain was largely unknown until the publication of his 1999 New Yorker exposé, Don’t Eat Before Reading This, which formed the basis for his best-selling book, Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly. Bourdain has since emerged as the bad boy rock star of the foodie world, releasing critically acclaimed
Photography is often about moments which make unique photos that can't be replicated, not with the same person in them, not with the same light, or the same mood. A famous building or monument is not a moment in itself - it's merely a context anyone with a camera can capture. The following are three shots from my latest trip to London when, a couple of children, fascinated by a group of pigeons sheltering behind the National Gallery, spent a lively 15 minutes chasing them up and down the pavemen
This year for me was a little different - I was working out at JFK, dropping off some British travelers for the flight back home, when I was asked by a friend to meet her at the balloon blow-up on Central Park
West. Wow - I've not had the chance before, so ... let me see if I
could make it.
But the E train wasn't working and I had to walk through the proverbial strange neighborhood at night to get to the F - I could imagine how some could be scared! And, you know what? The city
could do better about
