Looking for some non touristy things to do in Madrid? A way to get off the tourist sprint from Must See to Must See? How about taking a step back and really seeing not just the sights, but the city and the Madrilenos living in the city? Give our list of 10 non touristy things … Continue reading
We were supposed to be in Madrid. Our group consisted of a Spanish teacher, four Spanish language students (one my daughter) and me, and the plan was for us to start our Spain exploration about now. Instead, we were in a hotel in Trim, Ireland – a town I had never heard of before – … Continue reading
When choosing a hotel in San Francisco, I was looking for something that would provide a home base more interesting than the basics for myself and my teen daughter. When I stumbled across the Hotel Zephyr San Francisco, I loved the quirky photos of the colorful interior, and the communal areas that seemed so inviting. … Continue reading
Headed to San Francisco with kids and trying to figure out how to make it an enjoyable time for everyone? Completely understand. I’ve wanted to go to San Francisco for years and was eager to finally get to go recently. But, since my daughter was going to be going with me, I started being my … Continue reading
The 16th Avenue tile stairs in San Francisco’s Sunset District went from utilitarian, if long, neighborhood steps to beautiful, instagrammable attraction, regularly drawing tourists to walk the length and photograph. The sunset neighborhood tile stairs is actually one long stair mural, made up of layers of smaller stair murals in vibrant colors. Creation of this … Continue reading
The San Francisco Ferry Building history is wrapped up in the history of the great city itself. Today, tourists and locals alike flock to the building seeking the raved about San Francisco Ferry Building restaurants, the Farmers Market, or the yummy wares of the artisan shops that line central nave of the beautiful building. By … Continue reading
The distance from Cancun to Chichen Itza makes it a full but popular day trip. When else could you take a day and see a modern wonder of the world? So I looked into a Cancun to Chichen Itza private tour, and at renting a car or taking a bus. Here is the benefit of my … Continue reading
One of our primary reasons for visiting the Yucatan peninsula was my younger daughter’s fascination with the area after studying it in Spanish class, and one of her top desires was to swim in cenotes. Cancun area was a draw for us though, because Dad loves his lay-by-the-pool-and-beach-time and waitstaff to bring him refreshing beverages … Continue reading
Our family has talked often of trying SCUBA diving, but for some reason things never fully aligned to make it happen. So, when we spent Christmas in Mexico and the opportunity presented itself, we decided we were going to do it: as a family, we were SCUBA diving Cancun, Mexico! Whether you want to scuba … Continue reading
Isla Mujeres is a colorful and quirky island, and this is demonstrated with mural after quirky mural as you explore the island. At first as we drove around, I thought street art would be confined to the main populated area. But, as we continued to explore Isla Mujeres, I learned that not only was it … Continue reading
On the northern edge of the Riviera Maya there are a surprising wealth of things to do in Puerto Morelos, possibly the last authentic, quiet fishing town on the Mexican Caribbean coastline. An easy trip from more highly trafficked areas, this small town has purposely restricted commercial growth, keeping an entirely different vibe from the … Continue reading
The ferry from Cancun to Isla Mujeres takes only 18 minutes, and the small island offers a surprising number of things to do. From Isla Mujeres’ Punta Sur, to shopping, to the island’s famous snorkeling… your Isla Mujeres Things To Do list is stocked with what you are looking for. For a partial or full … Continue reading
If you are trying to decide where to stay in Cancun, hopefully this thorough review of JW Marriott Cancun review based on a two week stay over the Christmas holidays, will help you out! Two weeks gave us ample time to put our room to the test, sample the restaurants, use amenities, interact with the staff … Continue reading
Our travel to Cancun, Mexico was not one of my long-hoped-for and much-planned trips. It was a somewhat short-notice change after the hurricanes came through this year. (Though one daughter has been desperately wanting to swim in a cenote – you can read about where to swim in cenotes near Cancun here!) So, our Cancun … Continue reading
There is no question that Burano island in Venice, Italy, is a photographer’s paradise, and I found my camera especially drawn to Burano’s colorful windows and doors. I know most travelers head to Murano for the glass works, but if you are trying to decide between Murano or Burano, maybe this peek a Burano’s colorful … Continue reading
Before we arrived in Venice, I knew Burano was a must see for me. I know most go to Murano, but in the decision between Murano or Burano, Burano is so much more colorful – it called to the photographer in me. Just a quick internet perusal showed me the colorful homes, the canal reflections… … Continue reading
The Rialto Market Venice is the most historic and extensive foodie stop in the beautiful city. You will definitely want to visit, whether it is to grab a snack, dinner ingredients, or just a feast for your camera. If you like to see markets from around the world, check out my other posts: Mercado San … Continue reading
Today, I am sharing some photography of Windows of Venice, Italy. As a blogger, I will at times visit a place with a rough idea of certain posts that I will probably write. I’ve planned my time, picked the sites I want to see, and can pretty much predict I will do a post about … Continue reading
Yes, here I am with another post about Doors. This time I’m sharing photos of some of my favorite Doors of Venice, Italy. (You can also check out my post on Doors of Paris and Doors of Athens.) It’s a sickness. An addiction, really. I take photos of doors as I travel, especially in Europe, … Continue reading
Today is October 7th, and that, my friends, is also Trigeminal Neuralgia Awareness Day. I bet you didn’t know that. A few years ago, I would have been right there with you. The first time I stumbled on the words ‘Trigeminal Neuralgia’ I had to sound them out. And as I kept reading, my heart … Continue reading