Humphrey Bogart, Panama Hats And 50¢ Roses

 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

Should Have Stayed In Mexico

    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

Ireland: Playing In The Rain

  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

Balleylickey, Skibbereen, Hag’s Head & Klonikilty

  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

A Secret French Village

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

Close Your Eyes & Spin The Globe

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  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

Ingapirca Ruins and Purple Fog

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

ASIA Super Trip: Our Greatest Fear

S. E. Asia Super Trip - Our Greatest Fear

  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

The Garden of Happiness

  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

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: A Hot, Noisy, Bustling City

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

  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

Piranhaus, Pink Dolphins and Wild Parrots

  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

El Nido Videos: Above and Beyond To Cruel and Unusual

    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

NL: Quidi Vidi, Signal Hill & Trapper John’s

Quidi Vidi Brewery   Quidi Vidi – the name alone was intriguing. We had to find out more. On our third day in Newfoundland, we took a taxi ($10 taxi each way) a few miles out of St. John’s to Quidi Vidi Brewery.    It’s not that the Quidi Vidi… Continue reading

Terra Cotta Warriors

From Beijing, we travelled inland south to Xian.   2200 years ago, Emperor Quin Shi Huant, one of the most famous emperors in China, was losing a battle with his enemy. He developed an ingenious plan.   He asked his soldiers to build an army of clay soldiers exactly like… Continue reading

Borneo River Safari: Gigantic Butterflies and Tree-Climbing Crocodiles

  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

Amazon Riverboat

  There were only six guests on the Amazon Riverboat so it was almost like a private cruise, and it was the highlight of our Ecuador trip. We can highly recommend the Manatee Explorer.   As we flew high above the clouds from Quito to Coca over the Amazon Jungle , we… Continue reading

#1 Travel Cosmetics: Irresistible BOOM!

Photo Boom Sticks Trio

  Wow! I just love BOOM Sticks. Compact cosmetics sticks, perfect for purse and travel.   I don’t know about you, but when I travel, I rarely have time for make-up. We are anxious to get out and see the million things there are to see in a new country…. Continue reading

Argentina: How To Kayak Without Getting Wet

  Had we gone canoeing here on our own, we would surely have been lost for days.   The Parana Delta in Argentina is a maze of tiny waterways through a wetlands jungle forest. It is one of the largest deltas in the world covering over 8000 square feet. The… Continue reading

Craziest, Wildest, Lewdest Place We’ve Ever Been

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  This place is full of fantastic music, sexual innuendo, great food, riské parades, endless surprises, fantastic music (hint hint) and just wild crazy fun! Have you guessed where we’ve been? It’s more fun than a barrel of monkeys, a basket full of strange surprises, and a wagon load of… Continue reading