Blogs

by Miguel Martínez Rabanal


Along with many other cultural traditions, Spain bequeathed Christmas and New Year’s to its American colonies, now the 17 Spanish-speaking countries of Latin America – and while quite a few customs have survived intact or close to it, many others have become modified over the years, and new ones have arisen according to local circumstances. Here are five of the most notable examples.

Colombia

The Christmas season is inaugurated in many of the country’s cities by the

Christmas & New Year holidays are the most awaited of the year for many. Spending the holidays with family and friends is the longstanding custom in almost all the parts of the Western world. To add to the joy of the festivities, many families and friends try to source out places where they can spend interesting quality time together.

As we all know Christmas is almost here and New Year’s Eve not far behind, so though it's probably too late this year, we've compiled a list of 7 amazing places i

Danke & Peter


People like to travel alone for a number of different reasons. While some prefer the intimacy coupled with freedom of traveling all by themselves, others simply travel solo because they couldn't find the right partner or a friend to go along with them. More often than not, people make plans with their friends only to have those friends cancel at the last possible moment. Traveling alone can result in much-needed introspection and self-discovery, only with drinks, food and the prosp

Just 15 minutes from Colorado Springs Airport, one of the most convenient gateways to the Rocky Mountains was founded back in 1918 when real estate and gold mining baron Spencer Penrose opened The Broadmoor hotel to much fanfare. The location accommodated Penrose's dual goals of offering an otherworldly oasis in the Wild West and providing a launching point for more rugged leisure pursuits like speeding up hairpin turns on a dirt track to Pike's Peak in his Pierce Arrow Yellow Devil race car.

Pen

Nothing beats the feeling of traveling or going on a trip with your family. Vacations are necessary to de-stress and bond with your companions, and if they include temples, the results are even better- you come out with a well-rested body and a relaxed mental state. With that in mind, let's take a look at a few of the temple towns near the industrial giant of Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore:

Namakkal

Namakkal is not the first place that comes to mind when one thinks of temple towns, but that does not me

by Cristóbal Ramírez


In recent years, the capital of Angola – the southern African country which has long left the devastation of its civil war behind and whose annual growth rates of late have rocketed as high as 20 percent – has become this continent’s most thrusting boomtown (some have gone so far as to dub Luanda “the Monaco of Africa“). While much of this is due to petroleum (which despite the drop in world market prices is still the main moneymaker for this country), there’s also a nascent

A warm welcome at the Celestine Tokyo Shiba

As Tokyo starts gearing up for the Summer 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, new hotels are opening across the city.  Here's what's just opened and what's ahead into the new year.

Exterior of MOXY by Marriott Tokyo Kinshicho

MOXY by Marriott Tokyo Kinshicho is located in the rapidly renovating Sumida-ward. The first MOXY to open in Japan, it will sport 205-guest-rooms ranging from 18 to 28 square meters, targeting a moderate price range and tech-savvy, mil

Melbourne is heralded as the cultural capital of Australia, and for good reason. The city plays host to a variety of events ranging from sports to music and cultural festivals, along with a great number of sights and attractions, perfect for both the tourist and the curious local. Here are the half dozen best places to visit in Melbourne: 
 

Federation Square

While it opened in 2002, Federation Square has had a vibrant, yet somewhat controversial history, its unique architecture met with strong

mymaastricht.nl


During a year when the European Union is commemorating the 25th anniverary of the momentous signing of the Maastricht Treaty which established the EU, no better time to take a look at this vibrant university city in the southeast Netherlands province of Limberg, on the border with Belgium and just over a couple of hours by train or car from Amsterdam. 

With the country´s second highest number of national heritage sites after Amsterdam, this city of some 278,000 inhabitants (met

For those of a certain age, it is impossible to forget how consumed the American public was with the Vietnam War in the late 60s and early 70s.  We ate it, slept it, watched it on TV every night.  But not me – I was a student in a state of denial for most of its duration, even though many of my high school classmates were fighting and dying there.

Afterward, when Michael Herr’s “Dispatches” burst upon the world in 1977, providing gritty literary bulletins about what it had been like to be deep

Straddling two time zones and four climate zones, Kazakhstan is a country of startling contrasts.

Some would say it is the country of steppes, others of endless flatlands, of deep canyons such as Charyn, of deserts or of semi-saline lakes, like Balkhash. They would all be right. Richly endowed by nature, the country has embraced green policies with targets extending to 2050. Like an old nomadic tribe, change is part of the country’s fabric, as illustrated by the decision to move the capital f

It does not matter how old you are, 10 or 50, and a meeting with wild nature, even though slightly fed, always brings some original childish rapture, well, at least, we have. That's why my husband and I shared a birthday with a visit to one of the most famous national parks of Costa Rica, Manuel Antonio on the Central American country's crooked central Pacific coast, famous for it rich animal world, which has long been not shy of people. So today's post will be dedicated to this park and its na

Living in your country of birth isn’t the right choice for everyone, there are some many beautiful and unique countries around the world that some people need to consider relocating for true happiness. Whether you want to move for the scenery or your career here is a list of amazing cities to consider whilst trying to find your perfect location. 

London

Home to some of the most famous landmarks in the world, London is a desirable city to live in. People love how busy and popular the city is ever

On a recent trip to Aiken, South Carolina (just over an hour south of state capital Columbia and a half hour from Augusta, Georgia), I received as a gift a book titled When I think of Aiken, written by Michael Gibbons and illustrated by Betsy Wilson-Mahoney, two long-time residents of Aiken who shared in words and drawings their memories of growing up and living much of their lives in this beautiful southern charmer of a city.

The book gave me pause to try and remember what I thought of Aik

Ahmedabad, the largest city in western India's Gujarat state and India's fifth most populous  is a bustling crowded city famous for India’s glorious history, architectural marvels and delectable food meet. A 90-minute flight from New Delhi, this city is also dubbed "The Land of Gandhi," with the Sabarmati Ashram still holding its old-world charm for visitors. In a tourist point of view this colourful city has everything from mosques to museums, tombs, temples, stepwells and lakes to theme parks.

With a wealth of recent restaurants, bars, and nightclubs, Morocco is truly a modern cultural city, but if you step inside the medina,you’re taken to a new world. Comprised of high walls, the medinas - present in all four of the country's majestic "Imperial Cities" as well as various others - are occupied by slightly narrow streets, small alleys, marketplaces and antique mosques, all meant to thwart attacking enemies. Each has its own exceptional story, but all offer visitors an extraordinary e

While most people think of visiting the historic cities of Europe during the holiday season, for some lovely and lively Christmas cheer you may also want to consider a trip to Tokyo, Japan! 

Brilliant LED displays, projection mapping, and digital choreography light up Tokyo's trees, buildings, and landmarks light up the nights from mid-November to December to February in a winter wonderland orchestrated with millions of LED displays, projection maps, and digital choreography. Additionally, sel

The post-wedding honeymoon is a tradition going as back as the 1500s. While some couples go for a day or two, others spend weeks traveling and exploring different places around the world, together. And why shouldn’t they? After all, they have taken the decision of their lifetimes to spend it with each other. Bonding two families together, for some honeymoon is actually the first chance at sparking new shades of fondness.

However, planning a honeymoon can get tedious. Of all the other things, deci