tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42699423965593608702024-03-13T16:57:43.850-04:00Adventures of MadMichA collection of stories from my travel adventures.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07278008958167037626noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269942396559360870.post-4265748438198899822013-11-25T09:55:00.000-05:002013-11-25T09:55:29.662-05:00My Journey to the End of the World<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Trip Date: January, 2013)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Situated at the southern tip of South America, just a
thousand kilometers away from the icy land of Antarctica, lies Ushuaia…also
knows as The End of the World. Ushuaia is in the Patagonia region of Argentina,
right along the Chilean border, and is known as the most southernmost city in
the world.</span> </span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_1_Bbn4bu3Y/UpGLLMY_pdI/AAAAAAAAAWg/JnNEz1NtsbQ/s1600/BeFunky_IMG_7550.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_1_Bbn4bu3Y/UpGLLMY_pdI/AAAAAAAAAWg/JnNEz1NtsbQ/s200/BeFunky_IMG_7550.jpg.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As we emerged from the small airport we were greeted by
strong winds, sunny skies and giant, snowcapped mountains. We spent our first
evening walking through the city, checking out the shops and enjoying some of
the delicious seafood that Patagonia has to offer. The city is beautiful,
situated right on the ocean, surrounded by mountains and crisp, fresh air. We
were there during the southern hemisphere’s summertime, which meant long days,
cool temparatures and unpredictable weather.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9KxC9MdjB5Q/UpGKpVDezgI/AAAAAAAAAVM/UUbHG-bA5iA/s1600/BeFunky_IMG_4722.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9KxC9MdjB5Q/UpGKpVDezgI/AAAAAAAAAVM/UUbHG-bA5iA/s320/BeFunky_IMG_4722.jpg.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next day was a day I had been waiting forever for…visiting
the penguins! It was an hour long boat ride along the rough waters of the
Beagle Channel and included a stop at Bird’s Island, where hundreds of penguin-look-a-like
birds cover a giant rock shared with sea lions, plus a quick stop at the famous
<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 115%;">Les Eclaireurs
Lighthouse. My excitement was overwhelming as our boat approached Penguin Island,
coming to a halt as it reached land, and the penguins came waddling up to our
boat to inspect the new visitors in their home. We went out onto the cold and
insanely windy deck of our boat to enjoy the view of the penguins, taking photo
after photo of the cute pudgy black and white creatures. Hundreds of penguins
covered the island, rolling around the ground, diving into the frigid ocean and
waddling around from group to group. Two
King Penguins stood in the distance watching us suspiciously and keeping an eye
over their clan of adorable creatures. It was all I had imagined and more!</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zc3pgyeG0ZM/UpGKqExxrwI/AAAAAAAAAVU/K0NzlZBhr3I/s1600/BeFunky_IMG_4793.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zc3pgyeG0ZM/UpGKqExxrwI/AAAAAAAAAVU/K0NzlZBhr3I/s400/BeFunky_IMG_4793.jpg.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next day we took a bus to Tierra del Fuego National Park and hiked
through the forest. It was the first time I’ve ever done a hike in a lush
forest wearing a coat, scarf and toque! Situated by a lake and surrounded by
mountains, the scenery is stunning every way you turn your head. Through the
maze of trees and along the sandy beaches we journeyed, enjoying the sites of the Patagonian
forest and silence of the quiet land. There were many different types of
plants, ones we had never seen before at our end of the world, accompanied by
the sounds of new creatures mixed in with the roar of harsh winds.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Traveling to the End of the World was truly a unique experience. It’s a
rare opportunity to venture across the hemispheres, through the harsh climates,
and experience a land so foreign and far away. With its rich history, rustic land, distinctive
creatures, delicious seafood and stunning scenery, Ushuaia is a place I’m so thrilled
to say I’ve visited and land I’ll never forget. </span></span></div>
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Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07278008958167037626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269942396559360870.post-15745473218570771412013-06-20T09:23:00.001-04:002013-06-21T09:46:31.750-04:00Icicles and Berries in El Calafate<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Trip date: January, 2013)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As our plane flew over the snow capped mountains on our way
to El Calafate in the Patagonia region of Argentina, my heart skipped a beat at
the site before my eyes. I had always wanted to visit Patagonia, to travel to
the end of the earth and see how nature presented itself in a totally different
environment so far away from the rest of the world. The mountain range grew
bigger and more majestic as we finally touched down and the adventure I’ve been
waiting for finally began.</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uW_rMufzlnw/UcJyVjK4NRI/AAAAAAAAAU8/3ZQnLa5Pa3Q/s1600/BeFunky_IMG_0078.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uW_rMufzlnw/UcJyVjK4NRI/AAAAAAAAAU8/3ZQnLa5Pa3Q/s320/BeFunky_IMG_0078.jpg.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The town of El Calafate is very small, there’s one main road
lined with restaurants, shops, hotels and travel agencies. We got there in the
evening and went straight to the travel agencies to book our tours for the next
couple of days and learned a very valuable lesson I’d like to share with
anybody who is going to El Calafate: book your tours way in advance!!!! All the
hiking tours to the Perito Moreno Glacier, the main reason everybody comes to El
Calafate, were all booked solid for two straight days! Terrified that we were
going to miss out on the amazing experience we travelled so far to see, we
ended up paying for a private driver to take us to the glacier and fortunately
there were a couple of spots left on the hike itself. However it wasn’t just
the Perito Moreno Glacier hike that was booked, all the other hiking tours were
booked up as well. We had wanted to see El Chaltan and missed out on that too.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We ended up spending our first day in El Calafate checking
out the town, walking along the main road, doing some shopping, enjoying some
wine and local cuisine. The food in El Calafate is amazing and I had some of
the best meals I’ve ever had. I don’t eat red meat but had some of the best
chicken ever! Check out Rick’s, it’s one of the best restaurants in El
Calafate. You can also find amazing chocolate, decadent ice cream, the best jam
and delicious pizza around town!</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zpgOUnJSFRI/UcJxQXssAxI/AAAAAAAAAUk/Yyutu7hyvXA/s1600/BeFunky_IMG_7083.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zpgOUnJSFRI/UcJxQXssAxI/AAAAAAAAAUk/Yyutu7hyvXA/s320/BeFunky_IMG_7083.jpg.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next day we were picked up by our private driver who was
awesome, he barely spoke any English but he made sure he showed us all the well
known stops along the way, including a stop to show us the Calafate berry,
which is where the name “El Calafate” came from and is commonly used to make
jam. An hour and a half drive later we were at our final destination and boarded
the boat that took us to the glacier. The scenery was spectacular as we glided
alongside the glacier, so massive and majestic in its beauty. Once we were off
the boat, we met with our group, ate our lunch, and made our way over to the
glacier…with many photo stops along the way, of course! </span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6BY5d6BAATM/UcJwqEX-nII/AAAAAAAAAUE/zZErc08bNao/s1600/BeFunky_IMG_4549.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6BY5d6BAATM/UcJwqEX-nII/AAAAAAAAAUE/zZErc08bNao/s320/BeFunky_IMG_4549.jpg.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After being fitted with our crampons, we started our hike up
the glacier. It was a little scary at first, but after getting used to the
crampons (“trust the crampons” as our guide would say!), it turned out to be a
fairly easy hike surrounded by the most breathtaking scenery. Every direction
looked like a postcard. The snow-capped mountains in the
distance hovering over the pristine lake, surrounded by rolling hills of
various terrain, the contrast of brown rock formations against the icy blue
glacier. We walked up and down the path of the glacier, digging our crampons
into the soft, icy ground, stopping every few minutes to take in the scenery
and snap photos. The sun was shining,
our skin was warm, the air was fresh… top it off with a glass of ice cold
whisky at the end! It was truly a magical experience that I will never forget.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aOj8IPhZr7Y/UcJwlNIH1NI/AAAAAAAAAT8/ahDmRjCCPd8/s1600/BeFunky_IMG_4529.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aOj8IPhZr7Y/UcJwlNIH1NI/AAAAAAAAAT8/ahDmRjCCPd8/s640/BeFunky_IMG_4529.jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After the hike, we made our way back to the port and our
driver took us to the “balconies”. We had no idea what this was and thought he
was crazy when he told us we would need 2 hours here! We definitely should have
trusted him more as this turned out to be another incredible experience! We
walked along the several boardwalks that take you to several “balconies”
overlooking the Perito Moreno Glacier giving us a totally different view of the
glacier – from actually being <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">on</i> the
glacier to admiring it from afar. The view is absolutely spectacular as you get
a panoramic view of the glacier, yet somehow feel so close. But the most
amazing part of this experience was listening and watching parts of the glacier
fall off! The roaring sound was like thunder breaking the silence as the warm
sun broke gigantic pieces of ice off the glacier and sent them crashing into
the ocean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our one magical day touring the Perito Moreno Glacier was
worth traveling to the other end of the world for. It was everything I had
thought it would be, and more! The beautiful and contrasting landscapes, eerily
quiet with every breath of fresh air, so majestic, raw and untouched, enhanced
by the sparkling blue icicles shining off the glacier. It may seem like a cold
site, but it can’t help but warm your soul.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07278008958167037626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269942396559360870.post-62613876159444038152013-05-16T09:04:00.000-04:002013-05-17T09:13:23.144-04:00 It’s Hard to Get Tired in Buenos Aires!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Trip date: December/January, 2012/13)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had never heard anybody say anything bad about Buenos
Aires and now I know why! The city is amazing, full of life and colour and energy
and a vibrancy that is truly contagious. The people are incredibly friendly,
the food is delicious and there’s so much to do you never want to stop
exploring.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IFziOyu9Lik/UZQ9tSf_40I/AAAAAAAAASk/M9RCIXXBm_0/s1600/BeFunky_IMG_4334.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IFziOyu9Lik/UZQ9tSf_40I/AAAAAAAAASk/M9RCIXXBm_0/s320/BeFunky_IMG_4334.jpg.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We spent our first evening in Buenos Aires just like the
locals do. We took a long walk through the city enjoying the warm summer night
air and ended up in Puerto Madero, an area of the city with restaurants and
shops lining the waterfront. We walked up and down the strip admiring the array
of restaurants and enjoying the company of people out on a Saturday night –out
for a stroll, sitting on patios, eating ice cream, families gathering, couples
hand-in-hand. We quickly adapted to the Argentinean way of life and had dinner
at 11pm, a typical dinner of fresh breads, salad, grilled meat, dessert and of
course – wine! I loved watching all the friends and families making an event
out of dinner, watching the food being passed around, the continuous flow of
wine, the conversation and laughter filling the air. I was immediately addicted
to Argentina!</span></div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sHpApHU9NWU/UZQ9e2RLcqI/AAAAAAAAASM/udm_RygtpMA/s1600/BeFunky_IMG_4022.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sHpApHU9NWU/UZQ9e2RLcqI/AAAAAAAAASM/udm_RygtpMA/s200/BeFunky_IMG_4022.jpg.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-egwhT8zTnCM/UZQ-ER-nVGI/AAAAAAAAAS8/rHvpFycSnxg/s1600/BeFunky_IMG_6944.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="146" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-egwhT8zTnCM/UZQ-ER-nVGI/AAAAAAAAAS8/rHvpFycSnxg/s200/BeFunky_IMG_6944.jpg.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fortunately we were in Buenos Aires on a Sunday as there is
an amazing craft market that is only opened on Sundays in San Telmo – the old
part of the city and the area we were staying in. We walked through the market,
stopping at many booths to admire the jewelry, clothing, antiques, paintings
and many other unique crafts and got to enjoy watching tango dancers in the
street. The day market turned into a night market as the sun went down and we
came across a group of drummers in the street, surrounded by crowds of dancers
enjoying the infectious beat as the pulsating rhythm filled the air. We also
made sure we enjoyed some famous Argentinean pizza, many empanadas, grilled
meats (steak for Bev, chicken for me!) and alfajores – yum! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A trip to Buenos Aires is not complete without a shopping
trip to Palermo Soho – where the vibrant colours and Bohemian culture embrace
you, Caminito in La Boca – famous for the origin of tango dancing and brightly
coloured buildings, and the Recoleta Cemetery – a fascinating city of vaults,
tombs and mausoleums. The cemetery is part eerie and part beautiful and you
feel a sense of mystery while walking up and down the pathways peering inside
the vaults to get a sense of closeness to those who are buried inside. Many of
the vaults are covered in cobwebs illustrating how long they have gone
untouched and some of them are mysteriously empty sending a chill up your
spine! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We also took a tango lesson and saw a live tango show, rode
one of the oldest trains in Buenos Aires and visited Casa Rosada (the Pink
Palace) in Plaza de Mayo. Just walking through the streets is a treat, admiring
the colonial architecture and taking in the culture of a city where old meets
new. It’s a combination of beautiful, old buildings contrasting with cool,
modern skyscrapers. Every turn brings you to a different site, through the
winding cobblestone streets and along the paved highways. It’s a city where
Europe meets South America. It’s a city that never sleeps. It’s a city where
the colours shine, the people laugh, and the energy takes over your soul. </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HdLMPUyHqbQ/UZRBP0LbAVI/AAAAAAAAATk/fy_9it4DUMs/s1600/BeFunky_IMG_6923.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HdLMPUyHqbQ/UZRBP0LbAVI/AAAAAAAAATk/fy_9it4DUMs/s640/BeFunky_IMG_6923.jpg.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07278008958167037626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269942396559360870.post-28744781107952207222013-02-27T09:49:00.000-05:002013-02-27T09:49:58.969-05:00The Enchanting Iguazu Falls<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(<span style="font-size: small;">Trip date: December, 2012)</span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri Bold;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-et7aTChDnjk/US1_SPaHSiI/AAAAAAAAAQU/4fFkPhzdwhU/s1600/BeFunky_Iguazu+Panoramic+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="304" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-et7aTChDnjk/US1_SPaHSiI/AAAAAAAAAQU/4fFkPhzdwhU/s640/BeFunky_Iguazu+Panoramic+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Having visited Angel Falls - the world’s tallest waterfall
hidden deep in the Venezuelan jungle, and living so close to Niagara Falls -
one of the world’s seven wonders surrounded by a mini Las Vegas, I wasn’t sure
what to expect when visiting another one of the world’s famous falls: Iguazu Falls.
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On our first day in Iguazu Falls we hopped on a bus and
headed for the falls on the Brazilian side – the side we were staying on. We
grabbed a map and had decided we were going to do a little hike before heading
to the main falls, which are at the very end of the park. There is a bus that
goes through the park since it’s so big and when we tried to get off to do the
hike, the bus driver looked at us like we were insane and practically forced us
back to our seats. Huffing and angry we sat back down, not knowing then what we
learned later – that it takes an entire day to see all the falls of the park
and there is absolutely no time to detour onto other hikes! Thank you Mr. Bus
Driver and sorry for the dirty looks!</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3YJntqTMbiw/US2A3oClCzI/AAAAAAAAARM/LPVKtnfN9rw/s1600/BeFunky_IMG_6832.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3YJntqTMbiw/US2A3oClCzI/AAAAAAAAARM/LPVKtnfN9rw/s320/BeFunky_IMG_6832.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The park is so lush and green, you can’t help but feel
relaxed and peaceful as you stroll up and down the trails. Then you suddenly
turn the corner and in front of you are beautiful waterfalls in every
direction! You ask yourself “is this the final waterfall view everybody talks
about?” and as you walk another few minutes and come across another magnificent
view of waterfalls you think to yourself “no way, THIS is way more beautiful
than the last scene, this must be it”. And then you just keep doing that until
you get to the grand finale and wonder how in the world you thought the first
waterfall was so magnificent when this magical scene is right in front of you!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The final waterfall, the main part that everybody comes to
Iguazu Falls to see, is beyond amazing. You take an elevator down to the bottom
level and walk out onto a little lookout that stands in the middle of the falls
and you are surrounded in every direction by the loud roar. You can’t help but
feel so small and helpless standing as a little dot amongst one of Mother
Nature’s grand treasures. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the very
end of the horseshoe of the waterfall is the Devil’s Throat on the Argentina side
– on the agenda for the following day!</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4iNXRisGKoI/US2DpoZaFaI/AAAAAAAAARk/P0uFNXhvzVs/s1600/BeFunky_IMG_3954.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4iNXRisGKoI/US2DpoZaFaI/AAAAAAAAARk/P0uFNXhvzVs/s400/BeFunky_IMG_3954.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We decided to do the famous boat ride everybody talks about
and both of us thought it would be something similar to the Maid of the Mist in
Niagara Falls – wow, were we ever wrong! And wishing we had listened to the guy
at our hostel who told us to wear our bathing suits. If you are reading this
and plan to do the boat ride in Iguazu Falls: WEAR YOUR BATHING SUIT! Stepping
onto the little raft and being the only tourists who didn’t speak English, we
got thrown onto the front of the raft. This sounds more fun, right? Well it is,
but also way more wet! We watched as our captains geared up in full waterproof
gear from head-to-toe and wondered what we had gotten ourselves into as the
boat went straight for one of the falls along the river (not the main falls,
there’s way too much pressure to go near them on a boat). We couldn’t stop
laughing as our captains took us right under the falls and each time we emerged
and I wiped my eyes clean, our boat would turn around and go right back under!
We did this about 20 times! Soaked doesn’t even begin to describe how wet we
were after this adventure.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PKDQ-mF7mE0/US1_cf-HRwI/AAAAAAAAAQk/eoUpMJjbe8w/s1600/BeFunky_IMG_3969.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PKDQ-mF7mE0/US1_cf-HRwI/AAAAAAAAAQk/eoUpMJjbe8w/s200/BeFunky_IMG_3969.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m8SqbDTGD_M/US1_nFT6kXI/AAAAAAAAAQs/genpynjFiGw/s1600/BeFunky_IMG_6776.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m8SqbDTGD_M/US1_nFT6kXI/AAAAAAAAAQs/genpynjFiGw/s200/BeFunky_IMG_6776.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next day we journeyed across the border to the Argentinean
side of Iguazu Falls. Four buses, two border crossings and three hours later we
made it to the park! The Argentinean side is very similar to the Brazilian side
yet somehow has a much different vibe to it. It felt more like an amusement
park as we hopped on a train that took us to the end of the park to see the
Devil’s Throat. However it also seems to house a wide range of creatures and
some of the world’s largest! In just one day in the Argentinean jungle we saw a
group of cuatis (a South American raccoon) attack a man’s food bag, the largest
ant I’ve ever seen, the world’s largest rat – the Capybara, exotic birds, lizards, mating stick bugs,
a huge array of colourful butterflies, spiders the size of my hand a massive
black fish that was half as tall as me. It was definitely an eventful trek on
the way to see the Devil’s Throat!</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-agVoAR3pdYU/US1_Xeq5_7I/AAAAAAAAAQc/YxHi0Fm_B7c/s1600/BeFunky_IMG_3970.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-agVoAR3pdYU/US1_Xeq5_7I/AAAAAAAAAQc/YxHi0Fm_B7c/s320/BeFunky_IMG_3970.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had to walk for about 30 minutes along a bridge in the
open water to finally get to the Devil’s Throat. We were fascinated by the
waterfalls as we were now standing behind the magnificent falls overlooking the
Brazilian side, however we were also getting drenched from the mist. Wanting to
save my cameras from the water, we didn’t spend much time here and headed back
out onto the bridge. But what a better time for the thunder to roar and the
skies to open up to a torrential downpour and lightning storm!? A VERY wet walk
along the open waters made sure we were drenched for a second day in a row! Once
the sun came out, we took a nice walk along one of the trails and marveled at
more of the beautiful waterfalls along the river. Soaking up the sun while
marveling at the roaring waters falling through mazes of lush greenery, I felt
like I had just experienced magic as the feeling of peace and tranquility took
over me. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ubIV3-bgDeY/US2Aa8eeruI/AAAAAAAAARE/7osiES7wv_c/s1600/BeFunky_DSC00917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ubIV3-bgDeY/US2Aa8eeruI/AAAAAAAAARE/7osiES7wv_c/s400/BeFunky_DSC00917.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before going to Iguazu Falls I had heard that the Brazilian
side was the nicer side and there was no point going to the Argentinean side –
my research was unanimous in this advice. But after seeing both sides I
disagree with every word of that statement. If you’re going all the way to
Iguazu Falls, you MUST see both sides! They are both magnificent and beautiful
in very different ways. They are both magical and enchanting as you witness the
roar of the falls like a lion protecting his jungle and experience the true power
of Mother Nature.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xCf_id_NqDc/US2AGJR5bGI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/Os-5IxEPV7c/s1600/BeFunky_IMG_3947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xCf_id_NqDc/US2AGJR5bGI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/Os-5IxEPV7c/s640/BeFunky_IMG_3947.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07278008958167037626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269942396559360870.post-71777053679878820512013-02-07T09:21:00.000-05:002013-02-07T09:21:11.764-05:00There Really is Ice in Iceland<span style="font-family: Arial;">(Trip date: July/August, 2012)</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V9q5nBzKJ_o/URMSlusMaxI/AAAAAAAAAN8/L6Ik0aZagwI/s1600/BeFunky_IMG_3110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V9q5nBzKJ_o/URMSlusMaxI/AAAAAAAAAN8/L6Ik0aZagwI/s640/BeFunky_IMG_3110.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Why would you go to Iceland?” was what everybody said to me
when I told them where my next vacation destination was. Why would I not go to
Iceland was what I was thinking in my head!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The beautiful and rustic land way up by the Arctic Circle, full of lush
greenery and midnight sun, the land of fire and ice….</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ue1kY1ex3bg/URMVyBfMJ8I/AAAAAAAAAO0/jEuTnVDledQ/s1600/BeFunky_IMG_6102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ue1kY1ex3bg/URMVyBfMJ8I/AAAAAAAAAO0/jEuTnVDledQ/s200/BeFunky_IMG_6102.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I awoke on the plane just as we were landing, the first
thought that came to my head was “are we landing on the moon?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The land below was like nothing I’d ever seen
before, a field of soft green and brown craters - what I later learned were
lava fields. From the airport I went straight to my hostel, then off to explore
the city of Reykjavik, as I waited for Kat to arrive. It was a beautiful sunny
Saturday afternoon and all the locals were out and about enjoying the city.
When I say it was beautiful, it was about 16 degrees, which is considered a
nice summer day in Iceland! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri Bold;"></span><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4e-OqrGJMKA/URMSXftHTLI/AAAAAAAAANs/ZTpEJhpzx3M/s1600/BeFunky_IMG_3177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4e-OqrGJMKA/URMSXftHTLI/AAAAAAAAANs/ZTpEJhpzx3M/s320/BeFunky_IMG_3177.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I walked through the streets, just me and my SLR, admiring
the quaint city with its colourful buildings and peaceful lake, soaking up the
smell of the ocean and sound of the seagulls. The air doesn’t get much fresher
when you’re this far from civilization! Although I was a bit on the cold side
coming from summer back home, the people of Reykjavik were all out sitting on
the patios and chilling in the lawn chairs scattered throughout the city. I decided
to do as the locals do and plopped myself onto a lawn chair and as the warm
afternoon sun began to beat down on my skin, I feel into a peaceful nap amongst
the many other nappers around me. </span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was an exciting reunion as my friend, Kat, from London,
England met me at our hostel later that evening as we hadn’t seen each other in
years. We hung out in our awesome hostel bar at <a href="http://www.kexhostel.is/" target="_blank">Kex Hostel</a> (I highly recommend this hostel), a place that
even the locals come to hang out (Russell Crowe made an appearance the week
before!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and we were both shocked when we
looked at our watches to see that it was 10:30pm but the sun was still high in
the sky! Your whole food and sleep clock gets confused in Iceland as the sun
barely sets in the summer and you never know when it’s bedtime and when it’s
mealtime. But it’s amazing to walk the streets at 10:30pm on any given night of
the week and see the sun high in the sky and people out and about like it was
just 6pm.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dPYCypJX-kY/URMTY5P9CLI/AAAAAAAAAOU/9l7SztageK4/s1600/BeFunky_IMG_3329.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dPYCypJX-kY/URMTY5P9CLI/AAAAAAAAAOU/9l7SztageK4/s200/BeFunky_IMG_3329.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dPYCypJX-kY/URMTY5P9CLI/AAAAAAAAAOU/9l7SztageK4/s1600/BeFunky_IMG_3329.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We did the Golden Circle tour, a must-see trip that takes
you to the <span class="hascaption"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Eldborg
Crater – a beautiful blue pool of water deep in the ground, the geysir – where
the ground was hot and steaming and a huge geysir shoots water high into the
sky every 3-4 minutes, then to the fantastic Gullfoss Falls – where we were
lucky enough to see a vibrant rainbow frame the majestic waterfall. The tour
gives you a perfect taste of the beautiful and rustic land.</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-27p8onbp120/URMbnnR_8HI/AAAAAAAAAP0/c2DO-MKSpsY/s1600/IMG_3354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="379" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-27p8onbp120/URMbnnR_8HI/AAAAAAAAAP0/c2DO-MKSpsY/s640/IMG_3354.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7UyVBWMcKA8/URMa8r5lWcI/AAAAAAAAAPs/Tey1NySzAHo/s1600/IMG_6361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7UyVBWMcKA8/URMa8r5lWcI/AAAAAAAAAPs/Tey1NySzAHo/s200/IMG_6361.JPG" width="200" /></a><span class="hascaption"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The next day we did a whale watching tour. We were given special suits
to keep us warm as we headed out into the choppy ocean to see the famous
creatures of the sea. We were very lucky and saw hundreds of whales! Some came
close to our boat, some were far away, it was a special site to see these
magnificent creatures in their own habitat. Later that day we went to the
famous Blue Lagoon spa, where we relaxed and bathed in the hot springs,
enjoying the warm waters, steam rooms, massaging waterfall and all the
wonderful amenities this place of tranquility has to offer.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="hascaption"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">We decided to rent a car on our last day and drive to </span></span><span class="fbphotocaptiontext"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">Jökulsárlón,
where the ice in Iceland is actually found! It was a stunning drive and a day I
will never forget. We drove for five hours each way through some of the most
amazing landscapes I have ever seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
landscape kept changing from green hillsides, to lava fields, to volcanoes, to
snowcapped mountains, and then finally to glaciers and icebergs. The land is so
rustic and raw and it feels like it’s just you and the land as we saw maybe
five cars drive by every hour. There is only ONE stop to get gas (and we almost
ran out!) and about TWO restaurants in the small “town” of Vic on the way to Jökulsárlón
– so fuel your car and your stomach when you can! We even stopped to see the
famous volcano that halted European air traffic in 2010, </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Eyjafjallajökull - can you pronounce it? I
sure can’t! </span><span class="fbphotocaptiontext"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">As we rounded the corner approaching Jökulsárlón, we were speechless –
from the land of greenery out came the glacier lagoon with its spectacular
icebergs jutting out of the water. We took a raft through the lagoon where the icebergs
were like skyscrapers in a city of glaciers and snow, each one unique in size
and shape. </span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VRWqfZhm_-c/URMUy0tJ1eI/AAAAAAAAAOs/-kn3PSrGLC8/s1600/IMG_3437.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VRWqfZhm_-c/URMUy0tJ1eI/AAAAAAAAAOs/-kn3PSrGLC8/s400/IMG_3437.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cX_opT79KPE/URMY1WmRgII/AAAAAAAAAPU/QLSyln4eFh4/s1600/BeFunky_BeFunky_IMG_6372.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cX_opT79KPE/URMY1WmRgII/AAAAAAAAAPU/QLSyln4eFh4/s200/BeFunky_BeFunky_IMG_6372.jpg" width="200" /></a><span class="hascaption"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Iceland is so unique in so many ways. As I browsed through the many
shops I realized that there are no name brands! They are all local boutiques,
there’s no GAP or H&M or Zara. It’s also the first place I’ve ever been to
that has no McDonalds (seriously, not one!) or Starbucks! It’s truly refreshing
to see a modern society that is completely uninfluenced by the Western world. As
for the food, it consists of a lot of cured, smoked and pickled fish, rye bread
(we even had rye ice cream) and meat soups – all served in jars. Oh ya, and you
can eat whale and puffin too<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- no
thanks.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="hascaption"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">I had never been to a place like Iceland before. I had never felt so
connected to a landscape, like the land and I were one. I had never seen the
sun shine at midnight. I had never seen lava fields. I had never seen a ground that is hot and steamy yet cold
and icy. I had never seen icebergs that change
shape every day. So now when people ask me why I went to Iceland, I just show
them my pictures and I get a very different response than I did before: </span></span>“I
can’t wait to go to Iceland one day!”</span></div>
Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07278008958167037626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269942396559360870.post-11742629996639442162012-12-13T12:35:00.001-05:002012-12-13T12:53:22.741-05:00 Surf n’ Turf in Choroni<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Trip date: December, 2011-January, 2012)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KOdYGt_lz28/UMoL2wg7g1I/AAAAAAAAAMo/dAEEowJQ6E4/s1600/IMG_4889R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="473" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KOdYGt_lz28/UMoL2wg7g1I/AAAAAAAAAMo/dAEEowJQ6E4/s640/IMG_4889R.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Through the winding road and over the cloud forest lies a
small beach town called Choroni. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a little
town where Venezuelan locals like to visit for a nice weekend getaway and not a
place where you’ll see many international tourists. A beach town where the main
attractions are the beaches, known for crazy waves and rough waters, and the
seafood…perhaps a little partying too!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The journey to Choroni is unique. It’s a bit hard to get to,
but not because you have to cross rough waters or high altitudes, but because
you have to venture high into the cloud forest. The road is VERY narrow and
winding, and as you turn each corner you wonder how it’s possible that you did
not hit the car coming around the corner and driving straight at you. This is
why you trust the locals and hire a car to drive you through the maze of a
forest - they do this drive several times a day and know each twist and turn
off by heart. After about two hours of winding your way up and up into the lush
mountains, through the clouds, and deep into the forest, Choroni is waiting on
the other side. You feel like kissing the ground – or your driver – when you
make it there alive! And try and forget the fact that you will have to do that
drive again on your back in a few days...</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PnCcoWAUO_E/UMoMP62XC9I/AAAAAAAAAM4/turbML6DNHM/s1600/IMG_4925r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PnCcoWAUO_E/UMoMP62XC9I/AAAAAAAAAM4/turbML6DNHM/s320/IMG_4925r.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There’s one main street full of restaurants, cafes, bars,
and shops. During the day there are several beaches you can visit that are just
a short bus ride away, or there is the local beach in Choroni. We stayed in a
great little guest house<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a little off
the main strip with a beautiful garden, great staff and two adorable dogs –
Brownie and Tequila. One day we visited an island called Cepe, a beautiful
strip of beach situated right into the lush mountains. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What was most memorable about visiting Cepe was not the
beach itself, but the boat ride there - I have never been more scared for my
life on a boat ride before! Getting onto the boat was the most challenging
part, the waves were gigantic and the waters were very rough, with all the
boats bopping up and down and bumping into each other. Once we were “safely”
inside our boat, we then had to conquer the actual boat ride! I’ve been on many
bumpy boat rides in my travels, but I’ve never been more terrified than on this
one. The waters were so rough and choppy, I was pretty sure I was going to fall
over and get swallowed up by the angry waters! And just like the drive into Choroni,
once we made it safely to Cepe, all I could think about was the boat ride back!
A cocktail (or two) helped me forget about that for a few hours and I was able
to sit back and enjoy the beautiful sunny day on this secluded tropical beach.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thankfully we survived the boat ride back to the mainland
and decided to spend our next day at the local beach in Choroni - no boats necessary! It was also
very beautiful, a short stretch of ocean nestled into the lush mountains. The waves were very large, giving Choroni its reputation as a surfer’s
paradise. Us non-surfers just soaked up the sun and sipped our cheap beer as we
watched the surfers conquer the angry waters.</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xnIFVJ-IT9E/UMoMHLRaxAI/AAAAAAAAAMw/1qku7_45hfo/s1600/IMG_4885R.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xnIFVJ-IT9E/UMoMHLRaxAI/AAAAAAAAAMw/1qku7_45hfo/s400/IMG_4885R.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tuBQFXUpRxY/UMoQOBalt5I/AAAAAAAAANM/73Jr5CvZbqs/s1600/photo+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tuBQFXUpRxY/UMoQOBalt5I/AAAAAAAAANM/73Jr5CvZbqs/s320/photo+(1).JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The town of Choroni itself is small and cute. It was packed
when we were there as many local Venezuelans were there for the weekend, I
loved the vibe and energy as people hustled through the roads getting ready to
go to the beach or return from a day of fun in the sun. We found a restaurant
we loved and made sure to return several time during our stay – the pina
coladas were fresh and delicious and I’m drooling just thinking about the
massive pot of seafood paella we shared! It was amazing! After a couple days
chilling on the beach, sipping on cheaper-than-water beers and filling up on
seafood empanadas, it was finally time to venture back into the deep forest, up
into the clouds, through the winding roads, and back to safe land.</span></div>
Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07278008958167037626noreply@blogger.com0Choroni, Venezuela10.493092 -67.61267910.477479 -67.63242 10.508705 -67.592938tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269942396559360870.post-80921850654609189422012-12-07T10:52:00.000-05:002012-12-07T10:52:40.016-05:00Los Roques: There Really is a Heaven on Earth!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Trip date: December, 2011-January, 2012)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We all picture it when we’re daydreaming of an escape…silky
white sand, turquoise waters, the sounds of the lapping waves, the seashells
under your feet and nothing but ocean as far as the eye can see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my travels, I’ve visited many beautiful
beaches that fit the above description, but there is something so magnificent
and different about Los Roques. Situated in the Caribbean, very close to other
popular beach destinations like Aruba and Curacao, Los Roques is an archipelago
not known to many as it belongs to Venezuela. I had seen many pictures of Los
Roques before I went, but thought most of them must have been digitally
enhanced as they didn’t look real at all, I didn’t believe a place like this
really existed, and that I was going to visit this magical land myself!</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BYZhY9eY9AI/UMD6ik9L8wI/AAAAAAAAALg/HhoHOce0tV0/s1600/IMG_4564r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BYZhY9eY9AI/UMD6ik9L8wI/AAAAAAAAALg/HhoHOce0tV0/s320/IMG_4564r.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ll never forget the journey there – firstly because our
pilot was sick and throwing up at the airport so we had to wait three hours for
a new pilot to drive across Caracas and take over. We all huddled into the tiny
plane that sat about eight people and flew an hour over the ocean on our way to
paradise. At one point our<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>plane went
into a massive cloud and we were immersed into complete grayness, then
suddenly we emerged from the cloud, as if we just went through a magical
doorway, into a whole new world! The sun was shining and the ocean was bright blue,
completely covered with tiny islands, sand banks and cays…each little island sparkled
a different shade of turquoise, looking like precious gemstones glittering
across the sea. The sight before my eyes looked like the fantasy photos I had
seen and I couldn’t believe that I was going to be stepping foot on those exact
islands!</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9RCsg1Yo4yQ/UMD-try9iGI/AAAAAAAAAMI/pvvBytgGGX4/s1600/IMG_4581r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9RCsg1Yo4yQ/UMD-try9iGI/AAAAAAAAAMI/pvvBytgGGX4/s320/IMG_4581r.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is one main island that has all the accommodations and
restaurants, and every day a boat takes you to a different island to explore.
What I loved most about Los Roques was its simplicity – the accommodations are
pretty basic (there are fancier hotels, but not too many and they are quite
pricey) and they are all family run. Our guest house was right on the beach and
we ate breakfast and dinner at the same time as all the other guests that the
family prepared fresh every day. There is a certain community feeling in Los
Roques, as you walk around to the handful of shops, restaurants and bars, and
run into the same people every day. </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4lhV-qRxSZE/UMD9gZJLI9I/AAAAAAAAAMA/xqUbomvSxGc/s1600/IMG_4800r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4lhV-qRxSZE/UMD9gZJLI9I/AAAAAAAAAMA/xqUbomvSxGc/s400/IMG_4800r.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Los Roques is an almost untouched coral reef and the secluded
beaches we visited each day were each as stunning as the next. Some were busier
than others, but you could always take a walk and in five minutes you would be
alone and by yourself in total tranquility – just you and the beauty of the
ocean. Although Los Roques does have a tourist industry, it is still so unknown
to the world that the beaches are still fairly quiet and untouched my man. On my
walks along the beach I found many seashells without any cracks, as if they’ve
coasted along the calm waters and landed on the quiet beach, never having been
stepped on or touched by anybody…my friend even found a live starfish!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the beaches had a massive sand bank
where you could literally walk along the ocean surface until you almost reached
the next island. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At night we would visit the bar next to our guesthouse,
which was not only a bar, but it also had a dance floor with no roof so you
could literally ‘dance under the stars’. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you didn’t feel like dancing, there was an
outdoor sitting area right beside the ocean where you could plop yourself into
a big, comfy bean bag chair and enjoy a cocktail after a hard day at the beach!
One night a huge group of guys invaded the bar - they were on a trip from
Caracas and this was their night out, and kindly took it upon themselves to be
our dance teachers. They taught us all sorts of Latin dance moves including
salsa and meringue as they whisked us across the dance floor, making us look
like we actually knew what we were doing! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you haven’t guessed by now, Los Roques is one of my
favourite places I’ve ever been to, and by far at the top of my list of beaches
in the world to visit. I never imaged a beach to be so beautiful and untouched,
to be able to close my eyes and know that I have visited true paradise. Where
the calm waters glitter in the sun and the silky sand is smooth at your feet,
where the starfish live and turtles play, where you dance under the stars at
night after a perfectly blissful day.</span></div>
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</span>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07278008958167037626noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269942396559360870.post-74456159375204416522012-12-04T12:23:00.003-05:002012-12-04T12:25:18.087-05:00Food, Fireworks and Baseball in Maracaibo <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-CA">I’ve been to
Maracaibo three times as one of my best friends is from there and I always love
visiting Maria’s family, they are so warm and inviting and welcome me into
their home just like I am part of the family. Even though I don’t speak Spanish
and most of her family doesn’t speak English, we always manage to communicate
and have a great time! I’ve even brought some friends from home as well as a
friend from Australia and they all received the same welcome I did. I also love visiting Maria’s family because her mother is such an amazing cook. Everyday she cooks fresh, home cooked meals, including fresh arepas, plantain, and other Venezuelan favourites. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could get used to freshly squeezed raspberry juice every morning! <span lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA">Maracaibo is known
to Venezuelans as an oil city, a big city and a hot city! I especially like the
hot part. It is hot and sunny and 30+ degrees for 365 days of the year and most
of the locals are so sick of the heat and sun (really, I didn’t know that was
possible!) that we get the weirdest looks from people when we willingly sit
outside. Not only do I like being outside because of the heat, but also because
every single indoor space has the air conditioner on so high it’s like walking
into a meat freezer. I usually pack some winter clothes when I visit! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA"></span><span lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vE6WvRjtWqM/UL2NcL-s4vI/AAAAAAAAAJw/dss9KRZ4CBs/s1600/BeFunky_IMG_7618.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vE6WvRjtWqM/UL2NcL-s4vI/AAAAAAAAAJw/dss9KRZ4CBs/s320/BeFunky_IMG_7618.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA">My visits to
Maracaibo are usually very chill and relaxing. We spend most of the time
hanging out with Maria’s family, drinking sangria and playing dominos – one of
Venezuela’s national sports! I always enjoy a day at the park, Vereda del Lago,
and visiting the old part of downtown Maraciabo – one of my favourite parts of
the city but unfortunately also one of the most dangerous. The old city is
beautiful, with small winding roads lined with the famous Venezuelan coloured
buildings and the cathedral, Basilica de Nuestra Senora de Chiquinquira,
looming in the middle of the downtown square.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F9DBgO1HNiA/UL2I_vqUH8I/AAAAAAAAAJE/WOboz-WSVtU/s1600/IMG_0349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F9DBgO1HNiA/UL2I_vqUH8I/AAAAAAAAAJE/WOboz-WSVtU/s640/IMG_0349.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA">My visits to
Maracaibo are always over new years and I love spending New Years Eve in my
Venezuelan home. It’s very different from the regular New Years Eve I’m used
to – we spend the day watching Maria’s mom cook, then we get dressed up,
drink sangria, and entertain family as they come and go throughout the night.
As the clock strikes midnight, we all cheer and hug and kiss, then follow the
tradition of making wishes on grapes before eating them. Then, champagne in
hand, we all rush outside to watch the fireworks around us. The entire city is completely engulfed by
the sounds of fireworks and car alarms (because the alarms are so sensitive), it’s a sound you hear ringing in your
ears for days! </span><span lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA">Another memorable experience
in Maracaibo was going to a baseball game. Now THIS is Venezuela’s true national
sport! I never imagined a baseball game could be so fun and exciting! The fans
are cheering and yelling like their lives depend on it and the spirit in the stadium is completely contagious. The game we went to
was a very important game, if the Aguilas won they would move on to the finals.
And lucky for me, they won! The energy in the stadium was overwhelmingly
exciting! The crowds actually rushed on to the field, screaming and
dancing...even the military who was there to monitor security could do nothing about
it. Go Aguilas!!!</span><span lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xeKVEOZHb7w/UL2QIRlZTDI/AAAAAAAAAKE/gSEWtnHXB-s/s1600/BeFunky_IMG_0321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xeKVEOZHb7w/UL2QIRlZTDI/AAAAAAAAAKE/gSEWtnHXB-s/s400/BeFunky_IMG_0321.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA"></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-00Dh8KpsCaY/UL2Mkt9yw3I/AAAAAAAAAJg/xdQ-AIiU-sI/s1600/BeFunky_IMG_7102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-00Dh8KpsCaY/UL2Mkt9yw3I/AAAAAAAAAJg/xdQ-AIiU-sI/s320/BeFunky_IMG_7102.jpg" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Calibri Regular;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can’t forget to
mention our trips to the “Ugly Beach”, actually called Zapara. Well, it’s not so
ugly, but in comparison to other beaches we’ve been to, we just decided that it
deserved that name. A short drive and then boat ride takes you to a sand
island, where you walk across the sandy desert (or you can pay for a donkey
ride), where there are actually sand dunes and cactuses, for about half an hour
until you get to the beach on the other side. It’s a simple beach with absolutely
no vendors, no restaurants, no shopping, no bathrooms (well, except for the
ocean ;). With good company and lots of sangria, a day to the “Ugly Beach” is
always a great day!</span> </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kPHlzw2WGvk/UL2IplQzoYI/AAAAAAAAAI8/HzK800tUt_Y/s1600/BeFunky_ColorPinhole_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kPHlzw2WGvk/UL2IplQzoYI/AAAAAAAAAI8/HzK800tUt_Y/s320/BeFunky_ColorPinhole_3.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA">Another interesting
thing to note about Venezuela are the old cars. Oddly I hadn’t noticed this
until my third visit, when we ordered a taxi and an old, beat up, brown car
with white patches and the blackest windows possible drove up to Maria’s door.
I gave Maria a look of fear that said “seriously? We’re getting into THAT????”
She looked at me and said “don’t worry, it’s totally safe.” Given the history
of Venezuela and the safety situation of the country, Maria is very cautious
and I totally trust her, so I shrugged my shoulders and un-frighteningly got
into the frightening car. This new observation intrigued me and as we drove
around I noticed that the streets were covered with other old, beat up cars and
I also noticed that the car dealerships had no cars in them! I immediately did
my research and learned that due to the political situation of the country, old
cars are actually more valuable than new cars. It is the only place in the
world where cars actually appreciate due to the demand for used cars, since new
ones are not easy to come by. There are strict laws on importing foreign cars
into the country and therefore, the wait to purchase a new car is years, which
makes used cars more desirable. I quickly learned not to fear the old sketchy
car with the dark black windows! </span><span lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While Maracaibo is
also one of the more dangerous cities in the world, I get sad as I miss my
Venezuelan family and the good times I always have when I’m there, especially on
New Years Eve. With the warm welcoming I always receive, to Maria’s mom’s home
cooked meals (did I mention she also makes homemade eggnog?!), to the heat and
constant sun, I always love my trips to Maracaibo – my Venezuelan home!</span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA"></span><br />
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Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07278008958167037626noreply@blogger.com0Maracaibo, Venezuela10.64504 -71.63715410.395355 -71.953010999999989 10.894725 -71.321297tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269942396559360870.post-82459489795910538932012-11-29T12:56:00.000-05:002012-11-29T12:56:01.696-05:00A Mix of City and Jungle in Santa Marta<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(Trip date: December, 2011-January, 2012)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A short bus ride from Cartagena took us to Santa Marta, a
city mostly known for its proximity to the famous Tayrona National Park. We
chose to stay in the city of Santa Marta, however if I knew then what I know
now, I would have chosen to stay in the actual park for a little more adventure.
The city itself was nice, but mostly just a city. There’s the main street along
the beach lined with restaurants and cafes, however during high season it can
seem a bit over-crowded. The streets were lit up with beautiful Christmas
decorations and the buildings a colourful display of colonial architecture
known to Colombia.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SdsJgvSxv3o/ULZPfR9BFzI/AAAAAAAAAH8/mR6SZKFZn5Y/s1600/429680_10150518868416325_1376952198_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SdsJgvSxv3o/ULZPfR9BFzI/AAAAAAAAAH8/mR6SZKFZn5Y/s320/429680_10150518868416325_1376952198_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Since we are total beach bums, we couldn’t resist a day at
the beach! We took a local bus to Taganga, which is a small fishing village on
the edge of Tayrona National Park. A quaint town bustling with tourists
strolling along the main road, sipping cocktails on a patio and enjoying the
sunshine at the beach. We took a short boat ride around the main strip of
Taganga to small beach on the other side of the town where the beach was
quieter. There were no shops or roads, just a small stretch of beach with a
couple of restaurants and cafes. When it was time for lunch we asked a waitress
for a menu, and to our surprise she brought out an entire tray of freshly
caught fish for us to choose from! Definitely the most visual menu I’ve ever
seen! Of course the fish was delicious and we had a perfect, chill day mixed
with some tanning, kayaking and some cocktails of course!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LtnL_w0bL2I/ULZRDji6dbI/AAAAAAAAAIM/ag7j4vCFxug/s1600/396188_10150518877996325_939550240_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y8T6OCXMbgI/ULZREYWf-WI/AAAAAAAAAIU/ZZqCZuGli24/s1600/397363_10150518872851325_1045858743_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y8T6OCXMbgI/ULZREYWf-WI/AAAAAAAAAIU/ZZqCZuGli24/s320/397363_10150518872851325_1045858743_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After a day at the beach, it was time for our trek through
Tayrona! The beautiful hike took us through winding trails and forests, up and
down muddy paths, over large rocks and along majestic beaches and lush
mountains. Walking through the quiet forest, we would suddenly emerge from the
peaceful sounds of the jungle into the loud roaring of the ocean. We welcomed the
long stretches of beach as we were sweating and covered in mosquito bites.
Removing our sweaty shoes as quickly as possible, we walked along the cool,
refreshing water as it soothed our bites and cooled us off. Though watch out
for critters when walking barefoot in a jungle as I experienced my very first
bee sting! We also encountered many beautiful butterflies, ant farms and other
exotic birds and creatures unknown to us Canadians. Had we known that it was
super easy to stay the night in the park itself as they had many little lodges
and hammocks, we would have planned to do that - to hang out in the peaceful
forest at night and wake up to the sound of the exotic birds and lapping waves
of the ocean. </span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LtnL_w0bL2I/ULZRDji6dbI/AAAAAAAAAIM/ag7j4vCFxug/s1600/396188_10150518877996325_939550240_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LtnL_w0bL2I/ULZRDji6dbI/AAAAAAAAAIM/ag7j4vCFxug/s400/396188_10150518877996325_939550240_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Our stay in Santa Marta brought us to the end of our stay in
Colombia, which was a truly wonderful and memorable experience - a country that
is definitely at the top of my “must see” list! White sand, crystal clear
water, lush mountains, fresh seafood, cheap beer, delicious coffee...the
people, the energy, the beat of the drums...it's true what they say: "Colombia, the only risk is wanting to stay!" </div>
</span>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07278008958167037626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269942396559360870.post-87230582255008923602012-11-26T20:05:00.001-05:002012-11-27T12:13:55.162-05:00Behind the Old Walls of Cartagena<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(Trip date: December, 2011-January, 2012)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">From the moment we stepped out of the airport in Cartagena,
I knew I was in love. Not only was it the waft of hot, humid air that hit me as
I walked outdoors (for those who know me, I love heat and especially humidity),
but I just had a feeling...and my instincts are rarely wrong! </span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ee4Lig52QaU/ULQJfqHQK8I/AAAAAAAAAGc/rrABl0rpYtM/s1600/IMG_3844r2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ee4Lig52QaU/ULQJfqHQK8I/AAAAAAAAAGc/rrABl0rpYtM/s320/IMG_3844r2.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There is a magical feeling you get as you step off the main
road, through the doorway of the ancient city walls, and into a whole new
world. The cobblestone streets winding through ancient colonial buildings, with
the turn of each corner taking you through a narrow street full of bright,
multicoloured homes decorated with an array of colourful flowers. There’s the
hustle of people walking through the streets and relaxing outside at the many
cafes and restaurants. There’s the clicking of the horse drawn carriages mixed
in with the beat of the drums as the traditional Colombian dancers attract crowds with their inspiring performances. There are the rows of food vendors lining
the streets, filling the air with aromatic scents that tempt your taste buds. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Our time in Cartagena was so wonderful that I continuously forget
that the entire city had no running water for almost three full days! That
meant some uncomfortable bathroom moments and learning to shower with a bucket
of water – thanks to our amazing hotel, <a href="http://www.hotelpatiodesandiego.com/" target="_blank">Hotel Patio de San Diego</a>,
who purchased water for us so we could bathe the sweat, sunscreen and mosquito
spray off our bodies. We so easily forget what privileges we have back home and
take advantage of so many little things, like running water. I’ll never forget
the moment of joy I felt as we walked by a family’s kitchen and saw the stream
of water coming out of the kitchen tap, indicating that the water was back on. I
felt an overwhelming surge of happiness, a feeling I never thought I’d encounter
at the sight of tap water! The sound of the first toilet flush that followed was like music
to my ears!</span> </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9tH6GGyLc_k/ULQLXqQiytI/AAAAAAAAAGk/Tj9agmtdgqc/s1600/IMG_3937r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9tH6GGyLc_k/ULQLXqQiytI/AAAAAAAAAGk/Tj9agmtdgqc/s320/IMG_3937r.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C2wZc50osJ4/ULQL3rGrzpI/AAAAAAAAAGw/w3gSrPArHeo/s1600/IMG_3955.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C2wZc50osJ4/ULQL3rGrzpI/AAAAAAAAAGw/w3gSrPArHeo/s320/IMG_3955.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can’t go to Cartagena and not visit El
Totumo, the mud volcano. As you lower yourself into the pool of
thick, bubbling mud, a strange man starts rubbing mud all over your body before
you become completely immersed. He then pushes you across to the other side
where another man gives you a massage. The mud is so thick and full of minerals
that you can’t sink, in fact you can barely stand up! Once your massage is
over, the masseuse slides you across to the ‘socializing’ area, where you sit
VERY closely with other mud covered zombies and begin to make friends as you
are half-naked and squished together in this intimate pot of mud. There might be some unintentional
leg caressing and body rubbing! Once
your time is up in the mud, you pull yourself out of the pool into the cool air
as another man aggressively rubs the mud off your body and then you proceed
down the hill into the lake where a strange woman forcefully bathes you with a
bucket of water. Beware, these women take their jobs very seriously and that
often means your bathing suit being removed and the invasion of some personal body parts – but they are just trying to get all the mud off, don’t take this the wrong
way! If you find this uncomfortable, just tell them you don’t want to remove
your bathing suit, sometimes they listen ;)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Another must-do activity is the Party Bus! A large, open-air
bus, called a “chiva” picks you up at night and takes you around the city…and
you guessed it, you party on the bus! The experience includes a live
performance of the traditional Colombian music, Vallenato, which consists of an
accordion, a drum and a charrasca (a metal tube instrument that kind of looks like a
cheese grater). All party-goers are given unlimited drinks of rum and coke (gotta love South America!) as
well as some late night empanadas as the bus drives through the streets of
Cartagena. There is an MC that keeps everybody entertained as you play games and
after a few self-poured rum and cokes, there’s definitely some dancing
involved! There are a couple of stops, including a stop outside the old city
walls where crowds gather and dance in the street, and ends at a night club
inside the old city. A unique experience for those who like to party!</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wVgIcpxfIkw/ULQNWqugNnI/AAAAAAAAAG4/8QId3apgDJA/s1600/IMG_4030r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wVgIcpxfIkw/ULQNWqugNnI/AAAAAAAAAG4/8QId3apgDJA/s400/IMG_4030r.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If you’re a beach bum like myself, you can also visit the
island called Playa Blanca for a nice escape from the city. The boat ride
allows you to do a snorkeling stop as well – warning, they don’t tell you that
you have to pay to snorkel until you are already stuck snorkeling (and there really wasn't much to see), as well as
an option to stop at the aquarium. The waters can be VERY choppy
and can make for some intense boat rides that can be considered fun once you've made back to land safely! The beach itself is nice, but make
sure you head to either ends of the beach as the middle is very touristy and
you will find yourself swarmed with vendors. Find a quiet spot and enjoy the
calm, turquoise waters with some fresh coconut water in-hand! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I can’t forget to mention the food in Cartagena as I had
some of my best meals in Colombia here. There are the amazingly delicious
cheese arepas, which are pretty much just patties of cheese that are fried and
then served hot and gooey – I couldn’t get enough of these! Then of course
there is the seafood. Most of our meals included fresh fish straight from the
ocean, lightly seasoned, grilled to perfection, and served with a side of coconut
rice and fried plantain. Yum!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It was easy to fall in love with Cartagena, with the magical
vibe of the city hidden behind the old walls and the amazing people who made my
time even more special. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The food, the
music, the energy…Cartagena has definitely become a highlight of my many
travels and an experience I will always cherish!</span></div>
Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07278008958167037626noreply@blogger.com0Cartagena, Bolivar, Colombia10.3873369 -75.519663110.383432399999998 -75.5245986 10.3912414 -75.5147276tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269942396559360870.post-46743146195458172372012-11-20T22:24:00.002-05:002012-11-27T12:13:03.148-05:00Bustling Bogota<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA">(Trip date: December, 2011-January, 2012)</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA">Arriving at 12am in
Bogota, I didn’t know what to expect as I waited for another couple of hours
for my travel buddy to arrive. Shocked at how busy the airport was so late at
night, I made my way to a little corner outside, took a seat on my backpack (it
always makes a handy chair) and watched the bustling airport full of joyous
people reuniting with their family and friends. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Watching all the hugs, double-cheek kisses and
smiles all around me, I couldn’t help but get excited to experience this
wonderful culture I was about to explore. </span></span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rCIyJrdT2Dk/UKw9qqoVU4I/AAAAAAAAAEQ/iiPvH6-BN6c/s1600/IMG_3482r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="296" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rCIyJrdT2Dk/UKw9qqoVU4I/AAAAAAAAAEQ/iiPvH6-BN6c/s400/IMG_3482r.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bogota did not fail
me, the city was full of energy with people riding through the streets on bikes,
chilling at the city’s many cafes and restaurants, and many just walking around
admiring the quaint architecture. Although we stayed in what is known to be one
of the most dangerous areas of the city, the Candelaria district is also one of
the most touristy areas, being an old, historical neighbourhood of Bogota. A
walking day tour took us through the winding streets of Candelaria, including
the home of the president, where we tried to make the guards smile (didn’t
work), as well as the famous Plaza Bolivar. The Plaza was beautiful, with its
cobblestone streets, colonial buildings and a stunning display of Christmas
lights and decorations. And one can’t help but be mesmerized by the magnificent
cathedral , one of the biggest cathedrals in all of South America, with its
ancient brick, delicate features, and a natural illuminating glow.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aNuiGxGPSp0/UKw-9Vxzw_I/AAAAAAAAAEY/vvXf0SlFcS0/s1600/IMG_3160r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="444" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aNuiGxGPSp0/UKw-9Vxzw_I/AAAAAAAAAEY/vvXf0SlFcS0/s640/IMG_3160r.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-CA">Another great thing
about Bogota are the museums, there are so many museums around the city you
can’t possibly get bored. And make sure you are there on a Sunday, because all
the museums are free for just one day! We visited the funky Botero museum as
well as the coin museum, thanks to the friendly security guard who’s smile we
just couldn’t resist. </span><span lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R9l_SSmtezg/UKxBZqhsS_I/AAAAAAAAAEo/aYmh4SGKlWE/s1600/IMG_3294r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R9l_SSmtezg/UKxBZqhsS_I/AAAAAAAAAEo/aYmh4SGKlWE/s320/IMG_3294r.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the
highlights of my trip to Colombia was a visit to a coffee plantation. Since we
were not going all the way to Medellin, the area of Colombia known for coffee
plantations, we managed to find a small, family-run plantation just a couple
hours <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">outside of Bogota (well four hours if you’re stuck in a traffic jam like
we were). A local bus took us to the small town of </span><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-style: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fusagasugá (try saying it, it was
my favourite word of the trip!) where we walked from the bus station straight
to <a href="http://haciendacoloma.com.co/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7&Itemid=165&lang=en" target="_blank">Hacienda Coloma</a> – an amazing experience, especially if you’re a coffee lover
like myself! We stepped through a large red, iron door into a whole new world
of tranquility...and coffee!</span> </span></i></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-style: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had a private tour with a very knowledgeable
guide and I developed a whole new appreciation for coffee after seeing the intense
process that goes into each and every coffee bean, it was amazing! We sampled
some delicious and fresh coffee as well as their homemade coffee liquor – yum!
A truly unique and local experience away from the touristy coffee plantations,
I highly recommend a trip to Hacienda Coloma for all coffee lovers traveling
through Bogota.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another unique
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">experience is a visit to the <a href="http://www.catedraldesal.gov.co/" target="_blank">Salt Cathedral</a>, just a short drive out of Bogota,
in the town of </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Zipaquirá - an entire
underground world of salt mines turned into a cathedral. There are several
tours available, the most common one being a tour of the first level of the
cathedral built right into the salt mines. There are actually miners working
while tourists walk through the mines, however they are far away and</span> out of
site. But for the very brave, you can sign up for a tour that actually puts you
into mining gear and lets you detonate a part of the mine! Too bad I had a
flight to catch and ran out of time, or I’d have a very worried mother ;)</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span> </span><br />
<span lang="EN-CA"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many people think
Bogota is not a safe place to visit, but apart from a few paranoid moments –
including one cab ride where we were sure we were being kidnapped as our cab
driver detoured from our usual route up into the mountain and into the dark
forest, we felt pretty safe. There is a huge military presence around the city,
and the streets are pretty busy during the day. As long as you’re a careful
traveler, it is a safe and definitely interesting place to visit. With its lush
mountains, magnificent architecture and bustling city life, Bogota is a
must-see for anybody visiting Colombia!</span></span>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07278008958167037626noreply@blogger.com0Bogotá, Colombia4.5980556 -74.07583333.5851516000000005 -75.3392608 5.6109596 -72.8124058tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269942396559360870.post-54463803148303412772012-04-30T22:43:00.002-04:002012-11-26T16:22:09.694-05:00New York City: The Perfect Stopover<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
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(Trip date: December, 2011-January, 2012)</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1osj_k4a-Lk/T59KlgCo8LI/AAAAAAAAADc/TL6Q7c1mNxI/s1600/IMG_3285r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1osj_k4a-Lk/T59KlgCo8LI/AAAAAAAAADc/TL6Q7c1mNxI/s320/IMG_3285r.jpg" width="240" /></a> We started our adventure in New York City – a perfectly
planned day and a half stopover. It was right before Christmas so the city was
lit up with coloured displays, festive decorations, and street-corner musicians
playing holiday songs on every corner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The streets were packed with people in high spirits for the holidays and
there was a special feeling of energy and excitement in the air. To top it off,
it was an unusually mild and perfectly sunny two days just for us!</div>
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Our New York City experience started off in a stereotypical New
York way – we walked out of the airport and onto a local bus crowded with
angry, yelling people who were NOT happy about the extra space our backpacks
required (um, we’re coming from the airport, is it really surprising we have
luggage?) We quickly realized we were not in Canada anymore! I also didn’t
quite know what to say to the guy who asked me if I had a Canadian flag on my
backpack so people wouldn’t think I was American, not sure what he thought I’d
say considering I was on a bus full of Americans? I quickly responded that I was
just very patriotic – which is the truth! </div>
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After getting lost and
ending up on the scenic route through Harlem, we finally made it to our hostel
- <a href="http://www.jazzhostels.com/" target="_blank"><u>Jazz on Amsterdam</u></a>. Since New York City is a pretty expensive
place to visit we decided to stay at a hostel to save money for the rest of our
trip. It was simple and clean and our two-person bunk bed room was perfect for
us (especially since the walls were painted bright pink, our favourite colour!)</div>
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We walked for hours and hours and visited all the regular
tourist spots including Times Square, Rockefeller Centre, Central Park, F.A.O.
Schwartz, 5<sup>th</sup> Ave, Brooklyn Bridge, Highline Park, the Meatpacking
District and more. It was a whirlwind of a tour but we savoured every moment! From
New York style pizza to (rather pricey) martinis in the Meatpacking district,
we<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>excitedly walked through the bustling
streets of New York City knowing we still had a one-month adventure ahead of
us, who wouldn’t be in the best of moods?</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aCXuxvq_9Ho/T59JL3n95GI/AAAAAAAAAC8/wkVkNT7L3JU/s1600/IMG_3032r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aCXuxvq_9Ho/T59JL3n95GI/AAAAAAAAAC8/wkVkNT7L3JU/s320/IMG_3032r.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I can’t forget to mention the interesting people we encountered,
like the two brothers we met at a bar – one being a professional boxer and the
other being a diagnosed alcoholic who claimed to be part of the mob. Even our
waitress returned to our table a little more than normal to make sure we were
ok! They were definitely interesting – especially the story the boxer told us
about how he got stabbed with a fork, and then continued to show us the fork
scar - a unique addition to our New York experience! </div>
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After our jam-packed day and a half in New York City, it was
an early morning flight and an exhausting 24 hours of travel (that’s what you
get when you travel on a budget) until we made it to our next destination:
Bogota, Colombia!</div>
Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07278008958167037626noreply@blogger.com1New York, NY, USA40.7143528 -74.005973140.3292248 -74.637687100000008 41.0994808 -73.3742591tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269942396559360870.post-48189835339506515832012-03-22T22:27:00.010-04:002012-11-27T12:14:55.286-05:00Me, Myself & Travel<div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I fell in love with traveling at the age of 14 when my grandparents took me on my first trip to Europe. I was suddenly exposed to new sites and experiences that opened up my world forever. They first took me to England and Scotland and the following year we explored more of Europe. I will never forget taking a stroll along the lake in Lucerne, Switzerland and admiring the peaceful, stunning scenery around me. It took me away from my crazy life at home (I know, how crazy can high school be, but it seemed crazy then!) and allowed me to escape to this wonderful world of beauty and tranquility. I suddenly realized that we have this huge world around us to wander and explore and enjoy!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ojaf2IOglpA/T2vdnpgTN1I/AAAAAAAAACk/OgndnTz1aKI/s1600/IMG_2477.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ojaf2IOglpA/T2vdnpgTN1I/AAAAAAAAACk/OgndnTz1aKI/s320/IMG_2477.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">That trip to Europe also took us to Hungary, where my mother’s side of my family is from. It was such an enlightening experience to step back into history and walk along the streets my mother and grandparents had walked. To hear my grandmother relive her tales of a happy family who walked along <i>that</i> bridge and enjoyed the cafes on <i>that</i> street, to being forced out of the country during a Revolution that left them no hope if they stayed. The experience took me back to my roots and reminded me of who I really am and where I really come from.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">That trip made me decide that I wanted to travel the world. To see what was out there and how people lived in different parts of our planet. Once I started university, I worked my butt off to make sure I could travel more and successfully visited most of Europe during that stage of my life. Once university was over I decided I wanted to go farther next time. So I worked and saved and worked and saved and finally was able <span style="font-size: small;">to</span> take half a year off, and explore a new part of the world – Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. It was just me, my backpack, and a friend, and together we explored new cultures, made new friends, and formed a lifetime of memories (and photos!)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HElrbHvdkIE/T2veC-3c9gI/AAAAAAAAACs/IosMN5XQuFQ/s1600/Michelles+China+074+-+R2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="294" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HElrbHvdkIE/T2veC-3c9gI/AAAAAAAAACs/IosMN5XQuFQ/s320/Michelles+China+074+-+R2.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Once that trip was over I was worried I wouldn’t be able to travel very much since I was about to start my career. But thankfully I was wrong! Not only have my jobs allowed me to travel around Canada and see the beauty and diversity this very country I live in has to offer, but I learned that with the right planning, my traveling life was far from over! Since I’ve started my career, I’ve visited many new places including Central and South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East and to date I have visited 4<span style="font-size: small;">2</span> countries in total.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I hadn’t considered blogging during most of my trips as it wasn’t very popular back then and travelers still resorted to updating friends and family over ‘group emails.’ But I love to write and share my experiences with pretty much anybody who will listen, so I’ve decided to start my blog and share my stories! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Many people tell me they are jealous of how I manage to travel so much and ask me how I do it. Some people think I have an endless amount of vacation at work (I don’t) and some think I have won the lottery (I didn’t), and I always tell them – if you really want it, you can do it too! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IoA1IlACICw/T2vfBxBkSwI/AAAAAAAAAC0/NPUItQfBAdQ/s1600/dn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IoA1IlACICw/T2vfBxBkSwI/AAAAAAAAAC0/NPUItQfBAdQ/s320/dn.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div>
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Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07278008958167037626noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4269942396559360870.post-36825570171364889442012-03-17T00:07:00.002-04:002012-03-26T21:37:58.867-04:00Live, Breathe, Travel<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Travel…it’s my fuel…it’s like the air that I breathe…it sustains me. Fellow travelers will understand the high that you get when you board the plane en route to your next adventure destination. It’s a feeling of mystery, excitement and intrigue. You know exactly where you’re going, but you have no idea what you’re going to experience once you get there.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iQPKgp7dB6w/T2QKVdzPQaI/AAAAAAAAACE/j4d0QOak9qg/s1600/Michelles+China+364r3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iQPKgp7dB6w/T2QKVdzPQaI/AAAAAAAAACE/j4d0QOak9qg/s320/Michelles+China+364r3.jpg" width="320" /></a>It’s about stepping out of your comfort zone and experiencing the different cultures that exist on this one planet we all share. It’s to stop and take in the spectacular sights and scenery that the land and ocean have created. It’s to see how similar, yet how different, the human race can be. It’s to taste, to feel and to understand. Traveling will open the mind and the door to your soul as you encounter different people from all different backgrounds. The people you meet and relationships you build will ignite your spirit and change you forever. </div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">Our lives are a result of our experiences, and to travel is to experience. It’s to learn and grow and laugh and cry and form an endless list of memories that will last a lifetime. It’s to share your stories and inspire others to hop on that plane and experience the adventure of life themselves. For we were all given the gift of life, and it is up to us to get out there and live it.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07278008958167037626noreply@blogger.com0