Raul
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Making a Pilgrimage to Lourdes, France
More Details: Making a Pilgrimage to Lourdes, FranceA pilgrimage to Lourdes, France – a major Catholic pilgrimage destination – was a one-of-a-kind of experience for me. It was that for two very good reasons: It is the site where the Virgin Mary appeared to young Bernadette, a country girl with no education but a lot of faith. (Watch the 1943 classic “The…
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Andorra: The Last of the Tiny Ones
More Details: Andorra: The Last of the Tiny OnesI wrote earlier this year about my visit to tiny Liechtenstein, second to last of the small European countries left for me to step foot on. Nestled between Switzerland and Austria, it is protected by mountains which helps explain perhaps why it survived as an entity over the centuries. Well, 2017 was the year to…
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Eating Out and Exploring San Sebastian, Spain – Phenomenal!
More Details: Eating Out and Exploring San Sebastian, Spain – Phenomenal!As I mentioned in my earlier post, one of the goals of our trip to Spain was to visit the lands from which some of my Mom’s ancestors came to Cuba. San Sebastian (or “Donostia” in the local language), in Spain’s Basque country, was perfectly situated to serve as our base to explore before heading…
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Exploring France and Spain around the Pyrenees
More Details: Exploring France and Spain around the PyreneesMy recent trip to Europe was centered on exploring a bit of Spain and France around the Pyrenees which serve as a natural border between these two countries. I wanted to write this introductory post to the trip’s writings as the trip combined a few different objectives that neatly came together into a one-week trip.…
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Not Just Skiing in Lech, Austria – Delighting in Après-Skiing too!
More Details: Not Just Skiing in Lech, Austria – Delighting in Après-Skiing too!Ahh, summertime… perfect time to reminisce about, what else? Winter! My time skiing in Lech, Austria to be more precise, fulfilling my dream to ski in the Alps. Yes, the warm, humid days of the Atlanta summer make me long for winter… Well, I have to say that it is not like we are in…
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In-and-Out: Vermont
More Details: In-and-Out: VermontAs part of my “In-and-Out” series (where I write about very short visits to places due to business trips), I am going to share about my visit to my 40th state. This week, I got an opportunity to visit one of my employer’s offices in Burlington, Vermont, a state I had never set foot on…
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Small European Countries – One Left to Go!
More Details: Small European Countries – One Left to Go!I admit it, I am not ashamed to share it. It is frivolous and perhaps not terribly inspiring. Hopefully, not embarrassing. Or so I tell myself… (Is there a support group, perhaps?) Here it is… I do want to finish the little ones in Europe; the little countries, I mean. I don’t mean “finish them” as…
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Photos of the Week – Sights of Amsterdam
More Details: Photos of the Week – Sights of AmsterdamAmsterdam is such a unique city. It is like Venice meets… meets… I am not sure what! It is a charm typical of old cities, of cities by the water, of cities with architecture seen nowhere else, and of cities with a one-of-a-kind type of energy (and I don’t mean that in terms of the red…
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A Great Day Trip from Stockholm: Uppsala
More Details: A Great Day Trip from Stockholm: UppsalaA long weekend in Stockholm sounded like fun. And off I went last October with a college friend, John. While Stockholm was the focus, I have always wanted to see something of ‘rural’ Sweden: lakes, charming homes, and lots of green. At least, that is how I envisioned it. So, once in Sweden, I was…
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I Used to Not Know How to Spell Phnom Penh
More Details: I Used to Not Know How to Spell Phnom PenhEarly last fall, when I was planning my itinerary for the SE Asia trip, there was an extra day to spare. With 5 days already in Bali and Singapore (and the phenomenal 57th story infinity pool) awaiting, the options became extending Siem Reap by one day, jumping from Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh City…
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One Spectacular Pool and Great Views in Singapore
More Details: One Spectacular Pool and Great Views in SingaporeAs someone who likes to read about travel and far-away places, I come across many places around this planet which I hope to see someday. Sometimes I think I will never get to see places that catch my eye because my imagination fails me: I fail to picture the how and why of me getting…
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The Killing Fields of Cambodia
More Details: The Killing Fields of CambodiaTravel is supposed to be an experience to be enjoyed: leaving our day-to-day behind, seeing new places, trying new foods, exploring, relaxing, etc. However, travel sometimes is an opportunity that we get to understand other places, other peoples, and perhaps the past. There are places like Auschwitz that one can visit to gain some of…