Travel

Deal Alert: 2-for-1 Broadway tickets

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It’s that time again when the summer is winding down and Broadway week is kicking off.  For the first two weeks of September you can get 2-for-1 tickets to a lot of shows including Lion King, Mamma Mia, Chicago and many other new and old favorites.  If you are around the city, it’s the perfect time to catch that show that you’ve been thinking of going to, but never had the chance.  The show that I’ve been dying to see is Phantom of the Opera, a classic.  If you are not from the city, Fall is also the perfect season to visit.
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Photo of the Week: Foggy Cliff

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IMG_6181Cliff of Moher, Ireland

This photo was taken at the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland.  After watching this spectacular site featured in many movies, we were excited to finally make it to the Emerald Isle in the summer of 2013 to see it for ourselves. This Irish natural wonder is where coastline rises high above the Atlantic ocean. If you are not scared of heights,  you can walk along  the cliff side all the way to the edge, staring down into the abyss.  This magnificent vista is one of the most popular tourist locations in Western Ireland.

Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home.  Most of my photos have little or no post processing.  If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.

Trip Report: Peru

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It’s hard to believe that it’s almost 2 months since our trip to South America.  Time flies! This trip report summarizes all the posts related to our trip to Peru and provide a break down of the cost.

  • Time Cost
    • Total Days In Peru: 8 day  –  1 days in Lima, 2 days in Cusco, 1 day in Sacred Valley, 4 days in the mountain
    • Total Days Off From Work: 4 days (we went over July 4th weekend).

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Travel Tips: What to Pack for the Inca Trek

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For our Inca Trek, we had a porter to help carry our stuff, however, there is a 6 kg weight limit on how much a porter is allowed to carry.  The limit includes the weight of the sleeping bag and air mattress, which will leave about 3 kg for personal stuff, and it all has to fit into a duffle bag. We had to balance between the weight limit and what we deemed absolutely necessary to bring for the whole trek. Anything extra would have to be carried in the day pack, but on the second day when you are climbing the steep mountain, you’ll be glad that you don’t have a 20 lbs bag on your back. Based on our experience, here are some tips on what to bring. This includes some of the tips that were given to us and some that we added from our experience.

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Peru: Machu Picchu

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Getting ready for the Inca trek

Finally, after all the preparation and anticipation, we made it to the day of the trek. Starting off from Ollantaytambo, we packed our bags, said goodbye to civilization and got on the bus taking us to the km marker 82, the official start of our Inca trail. As we wound our way along the Urubamba river, the bus driver was blasting music, pumping us up for the adventure ahead. Sitting at the back of the bus, staring out at the Andes mountains I contemplated if I really wanted to go through with it and if there was time to turn back when I heard the lyric “everything that kills me makes me feel alive”.  I think that’s a sign.

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Photo of the Week: Mosaic

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Volubilis, Morocco

This photo was taken at Volubilis, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Morocco.  This ancient Roman city is located a short distance from the bustling city of Fes.  Scattered throughout the ruins you will find many well preserved mosaics.  This particular mosaic depicts the goddess Diana bathing with her attendants. Growing up I was fascinated with Greek/Roman mythology, so having the opportunity to see the myths come alive in these colorful mosaics was priceless.

Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home.  Most of my photos have little or no post processing.  If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.

Nostalgia

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I was digging through a box of memories when I found these “books”.  Long before I started blogging, I was writing about my travel stories in these picture books I made.  Each was made of photos that I’d taken or postcards that I bought along the way and held together by binder rings.  

What started as a great idea was forgotten over time and hidden away.  I am glad I found them not only so I can walk down memory lane and re-live those trips, but because they provide me a new source of inspiration to keep on writing and taking more pictures.  After the adventure is over, all we’ll have left is our photos, stories, and memories.

Peru: The Sacred Valley

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On the first day of our tour, we visited the valleys of the Andes. This fertile land of the Incas stretches between Cusco all the way to Machu Picchu and is filled with many archaeological sites in between.

Our first stop of the day was at the statue of Cristo Blanco (White Christ) standing tall on the hillside, overlooking the city of Cusco. From this vantage point, you can view the entire expanse of the city. The locals believe that the city was built in the shape of a puma, a sacred animal for the Incas. If you squint your eyes (and have an active imagination) you can actually see the shape of the animal forming with the Plaza de Armas being the heart and the hills where we stood being the head. Adjacent to the statue is the archaeological site called Saqsaywaman (pronounced sexay-woman) a name that means satisfied falcon. Continue reading →

My New York: Summer Streets

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Everyone came out for Summer Streets

I need to take a break from writing about Peru, so it’s time for another New York post. There are many positives and negatives about living in the city.  On one hand, the summer can be unbearable with the oppressive heat. On the other hand, there are plenty of free summer activities to choose from, ranging from free  movies by the waterfront to free concerts in the park.  When we are around on the weekend, we try to make the most of it. Continue reading →

Photo of the Week: Beach Day

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IMG_6625Koh Khai, Thailand

It’s really hot here in New York, which makes me wish I was at the beach.  So today’s picture of the week will hopefully transport me and you to the beautiful Koh Khai island, Thailand.  This tiny piece of paradise is where the blue sky meets the soft sand and crystal clear water.  In fact, the water was so transparent, you can see the school of fish mingling with people that wade in the water.  On the beach, colorful umbrellas and chairs were set up for tourists to visit for the day.  

Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home.  Most of my photos have little or no post processing.  If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.