The Audubon Zoo in New Orleans is ranked as one of the top zoos in the United States. We didn’t know this at all at the time. In fact we had no idea how amazing it would be when we decided to take a break from Mardi Gras… Continue reading
We were lucky to have a friend who had a friend in Montevideo, Uruguay, and he was enthusiastic about meeting us. Montevideo, Uruguay, is just across the water from Buenos Aires, Argentina, so with a 3 hour Buquebus ferry ride across the very wide Rio de la Plata,… Continue reading
First of all, there is something I need to explain. What you are about to discover is that in this country…. … the bigger and the broader you are, the more prestige you have! Quite a reversal from the cultural expectations in North America! Every time I tell someone… Continue reading
At last! Big Corn Island disappeared far off in the distance. No more threatening thugs, no more loud music, no more hurtling cars – just crystal clear blue water, soft sand, and the sweet sweet quiet of Little Corn Island. That’s right – there are no roads on Little… Continue reading
It was only by accident that we heard about the Mangrove Tour. We were swimming in a cenote at some Mayan Ruins in the Yucatan, Mexico, when a woman was telling other people about this amazing tour that no one knows about because it originates in a little village… Continue reading
One day I was checking out all the shops around Parque Cristo in Havana Vieja, when I saw the Churros wagon in the park. The Lure of Churros The delicious aroma of fried dough was wafting directly to me. Mmmm… 50 pesos (65 cents) for two freshly fried… Continue reading
Gigantic Butterfly Relaxing on the deck before our Borneo River Safari, something moved beside my chair. I looked, and made a small gasp. There was a huge creature fluttering on our patio window a foot away from me! I stood up, stepped back… and took a closer look…. Continue reading
We were in Cuenca, a pretty little city, high in the Andes Mountains of central Ecuador, enjoying the town square. It had a European feel with cobblestone streets, Spanish colonial architecture and lots of brick. Cuenca Town Square Take note of the hats… Sipping some hot chocolate… Wandering over… Continue reading
Thursday, February 26: A few days ago, February 22, in Mexico, the cat sitter emailed us that the pipes are frozen in the house, and that there is no water, so no bathrooms either. Car is also unlikely to start and is buried in a mountain of snow…. Continue reading
Even if it was raining all the time in Ireland, we loved it. I’m sure you’re wondering how anyone could love rain, but just wait a minute; there is some real evidence of the beauty of the Emerald Isle. After spending a few days in Limerick, we drove the… Continue reading
With Irish place names like Balleylickey, the Burren, Hag’s Head, Klonikilty, Skibbereen, Salthill, Graiguenamanagh, Sheep’s Head, Beara and Dingle, driving around Ireland was filled with curiosity. What would a place with such an odd name be like? There was a wild variety of landscapes, but like most countries, it was… Continue reading
This time the waiter at the restaurant spoke English. He was actually from Ireland, travelled all over the world, and ended up in Southern France. He was very helpful when we asked what we could see that was close by, and suggested Vieux Village (Old Town), though most of Marignane… Continue reading
We couldn’t decide where to go so we just closed our eyes and spun the globe. Crazy way to choose a place, but exciting none the less. Wherever the finger landed was where we would go. We landed on some little dots in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean…. Continue reading
Don’t you just love the rhythm of that name – Inga pirca? I’m not much of a history buff (T is), but the idea that a society existed in the 1600’s and that the buildings are still somewhat in tact amazes both of us. Ingapirca Ruins, Ecuador… … Continue reading
Last Long-Haul Trip We’re going on our very last long haul trip over the Pacific Ocean to S.E. Asia – our Asia Super Trip is what we’re calling it. [mapsmarker marker=”66″] It’s our last long plane trip because it is just getting too hard to be on… Continue reading
One day I was out shopping at the mall in downtown Budapest at West End City Centre Mall… It’s a huge five-level mall! Not without its charms… A bit disgruntled that I could not find a single thing I particularly wanted to buy, I was equally… Continue reading
AFRICA! We were finally on our way to Africa. After years of putting this trip aside because of the high cost, we were on our way to experience the trip we both had on our bucket list of many years. AFRICA MAP Flying to Africa Just in case you’re planning… Continue reading
The Art of the Chinese Sale, also known as The Calculator Game, is actually a lot of fun! I never considered myself much of a bargainer or a haggler – it felt way too pushy – so what happened was a bit surprising. Everyday in Beijing, I went somewhere… Continue reading
The Amazon Riverboat was a fantastic week, and it was definitely the highlight of our trip to Ecuador. Piranhas We went on excursions in the long canoe every day, but we did not go swimming in the piranha lagoon! Everyone was invited to jump off the canoe and swim in… Continue reading
Arrival El Nido Airport The Philippines were gorgeous. We can never forget the amazing colours of the ocean or the sweet people, but something else pops into our heads as soon as someone mentions El Nido, Philippines. The lovely welcome and the not-so-lovely departure from El Nido Airport…. Continue reading