travel - ilivetotravel's travel log

Djema el-Fna: The Central Square in Marrakesh – Full of Life!

15 August 2014 by Raul 3 Comments

Market time! Marrakesh has a very lively market, Jamaa el Fna (or Djema el-Fna) spread out over the same-named square, second most famous square in African after Cairo’s Tahrir Square. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site so that should command some attention, right?

Of course, the souks (or alleys) of the medina are full of shops but it is this square that is the main scene. At night, the market is teeming with life. Locals and tourists alike enjoy all it offers. The range of items for sale, be them food or other goods is wide. Eateries can be found all around from the basic to the restaurants. Of course, be ready for the extra “persuasiveness” of any of the sellers around. It is intense to walk around (a little bit of a turn-off for me). You can also see diverse live animals to charm you. But feeling the place’s vibrancy makes it a must-see and must-walk-around. Perhaps even buying a thing or two?

dates, fruit, Morocco, food stand, medina, Djemaa el Fna, Jemaa el-Fnaa

Dates, dates, dates

orange juice, Morocco, food stand, medina, Djemaa el Fna, Jemaa el-Fnaa

So many orange juice carts! Must be a lot of thirsty people around…

spices, Morocco, food stand, medina, Djemaa el Fna, Jemaa el-Fnaa, food stall

Food stalls, like these with spices, add a lot of color -and aromas- to the scene.

lamp, Morocco, medina, Djemaa el Fna, Jemaa el-Fnaa

Beautiful lamp

sweets, Morocco, food stand, medina, Djemaa el Fna, Jemaa el-Fnaa

And back to food after that lamp!

Morocco, food stand, medina, Djemaa el Fna, Jemaa el-Fnaa

Continuing with the food vendors…

dried fruit, figs, Morocco, food stand, medina, Djemaa el Fna, Jemaa el-Fnaa

Dried figs!

pita bread, Morocco, food stand, medina, Djemaa el Fna, Jemaa el-Fnaa

The baked goods could not be far behind!

eateries, restaurants, cafes, Morocco, food stand, medina, Djemaa el Fna, Jemaa el-Fnaa, Canon EOS Rebel

One of the many casual eateries in the square; more formal ones can be found in its periphery

drinks, entertainment, Morocco, food stand, medina, Djemaa el Fna, Jemaa el-Fnaa, Canon EOS Rebel

Soft drinks are part of an entertainer’s set up in the square

eateries, restaurants, Morocco, food stand, medina, Djemaa el Fna, Jemaa el-Fnaa, Canon EOS Rebel

Many restaurants all around

So whether during a short visit like mine or one that allows you exploring every nook and cranny of ‘kesh, don’t miss out on an evening out at Jemaa el-Fnaa!

Filed Under: Africa, Morocco, Travel Journal Tagged With: Canon EOS Rebel, dates, Djema el-Fna, dried figs, food stalls, Jemaa el-Fnaa, market, Marrakesh, medina, Morocco, Olympus, photo, square, travel, vendors

Photo of the Week: Sunset over Santa Barbara, California

5 August 2014 by Raul 1 Comment

Nothing like a beautiful sunset. And even better: one in California! So I will celebrate that with TWO, not one, of my favorite sunset pictures I took while visiting Santa Barbara!

Filed Under: California, Travel Journal, US & Canada Tagged With: beach, California, Olympus, photo, Santa Barbara, sunset, travel

Þingvellir: Where History and Nature Meet in Iceland!

31 July 2014 by Raul 5 Comments

One of the key stops along the Golden Circle in Iceland (a nice day trip from Reykjavik) is Þingvellir (or “Thingvellir”, as the first letter is a “th”-ish sound), in the Þingvellir National Park. It is a site of great importance both because of historic and geological reasons. It was here than in the 10th century, Iceland’s parliament was set up less than 100 years after the island was populated by settlers from what is Norway today And it stayed there until the very end of the 18th century! Setting up this parliament was key in creating a unique Icelandic sense of nation.

The park is also the home of the largest lake in Iceland and it contains the crest of the rift valley in the mid-Atlantic. As you walk in down a paved path, a large cliff wall on your left frames the scene. It is an imposing wall!

As you walk down on it, you are shown to the spot where parliament was founded. It is barely noticeable except for the flag pole and the framing put in place on the actual site – oh, and all the tourists!

Þingvellir, Parliament, Iceland, Golden Circle, history, signficant, travel, photo, Samsung Galaxy

See the flagpole in the distance?

Standing on the spot gives one a great view down to the valley. But walk down to the water, perhaps the church and admire the cliff walls from below.

Þingvellir, Parliament, Iceland, Golden Circle, history, signficant, travel, photo, Canon EOS Rebel

Looking up to the site of the first parliament!

Þingvellir, Parliament, Iceland, Golden Circle, history, signficant, travel, photo, church

Church below the parliament site

But stop and admire the natural beauty of the site!

Þingvellir, Parliament, Iceland, Golden Circle, history, signficant, travel, photo, nature

Awesome land!

Beautiful!

Þingvellir, Parliament, Iceland, Golden Circle, history, signficant, travel, photo, nature, lava, rocks

The strata of lava point to the incredible geological uniqueness of Iceland

It was one of the first “sights” I visited in Iceland (after the Blue Lagoon) and it definitely help frame the country for me by marrying its history with its incredible landscapes!

——– More on Iceland ——–

My itinerary for my week visit to Iceland

A stroll around Reykjavik

Hallgrímskirkja Church in Reykjavik

Postcards from Iceland: Dalvík

The Blue Lagoon

Goðafoss: The Waterfalls of the Gods

A Northern Town: Akureyri

Whale Watching

Iceland’s South Shore: The Dyrhólaey Peninsula and Vik

Filed Under: Europe, Iceland, Travel Journal Tagged With: Alþingi, Iceland, Mid-Atlantic rift valley, must-see, nature, Parliament, photographs, Reykjavik, tourism, travel, Þingvellir

Iceland’s Blue Lagoon – Not Just for Movies

21 July 2014 by Raul 12 Comments

Blue Lagoon, Iceland, Reykjavik, geothermal, water, fun, travel, photo

At the Blue Lagoon in Iceland

When planning our trip to Iceland, we decided that because the Blue Lagoon was on the way from the airport to Reykjavik that it would make a lot of sense to stop there after landing as a way to relax after a not-long-enough overnight flight (and a long layover in JFK).

Getting there

So after landing in Reykjavik, we found the bus that takes passengers to the Blue Lagoon (along with all the luggage), right outside of arrivals – you can’t miss it once you walk outside! There are buses that go to the Blue Lagoon and others that go into Reykjavik. Just look at the buses or ask! Folks are very helpful.

The arrivals area at the Keflavik airport

Right across from that arrival area, you see the buses

Once you get to the Blue Lagoon, right by where the buses drop you off, is a storage room where you can leave your luggage (for a price). You can bring a bag in to the changing room and there are lockers there but they are small. We packed the bathing suit, a change of clothes and some toiletries in the smaller bag. There was a little of a wait to get in as the place was full and they control how many people will be in at once (which I take it as a good thing).

In the changing area they clearly ask that everyone shower without clothing on BEFORE getting into the lagoon. I assume it is for hygiene reasons but it seems most people ignore that…

The lagoon – minus Brooke Shields

Though it was a little cold that morning, the moment you step into the lagoon (which is sort of a light baby blue) you begin to warm up. The lagoon is quite large and you can remain close to the area where you drop your towel/lounge or you can go further away to areas that are much more quite on the opposite side. That day love apparently was in the air as there were many couples on that opposite side… You can also hunt down the areas where the hot water comes in if you want the temperature a little hotter.

Blue Lagoon, Iceland, Reykjavik, geothermal, water, fun, travel, photo, Olympus

Beautiful waters and landscape

Conveniently (probably for all the British youth that may visit), there is a corner of the lagoon with an in-water bar area for those who want their drink on while in the lagoon.

The bar scene

Once in the lagoon, you can go to a couple of spots to find the local white-ish mud to put on you to rejuvenate your skin. Though always uncertain about the effectiveness of such muds, I partook. Clearly, not a flattering look but I look 18 years younger. Well worth the embarrassing look captured below!

Blue Lagoon, Iceland, Reykjavik, geothermal, water, fun, travel, photo, mud, travel with children

The muddy faces blend well with the steamy air of the lagoon!

Oh, and it is worth saying that kids enjoy the lagoon too as you can see above! But be sure to put the arm floaties because, even if they know how to swim, the waters are not clear so if a child goes under, they are unlikely to be seen. No need to ask for trouble!

So, despite the similarly-named film, there was no Brooke Shields anywhere that I could tell. If you go and you spot her, please let me know! Otherwise, know that this is a great first stop to make after landing in Iceland from a red eye flight – it will help you recover some from the jet lag and lack of sleep, even if a bit on the touristy side!

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Read and see more about my trip to Iceland:

Thingvellir (or “Þingvellir” in local alphabet) – where history and nature meet
A “post card” from northern Dalvik
Our week-long itinerary

Filed Under: Europe, Iceland, Travel Journal Tagged With: geothermal, Iceland, Keflavik, lagoon, photo, relax, Reykjavik, transportation, travel, travel with children

A Week in Iceland – Our Itinerary

27 June 2014 by Raul 7 Comments

A week in Iceland comes to a close. I am sitting at the airport (to which I got way too early even though just about over 2 hours ahead of flight time) trying to figure out what I will be writing about and, more importantly, how I will be describing in.

Before I get on to sharing my experiences, I’d thought I’d start with a simple post about the agenda for the week. Those of you who follow the ilivetoravel Facebook page have seen some of the sights I have seen but maybe without the overall context for the photos (go click Like on it if you have not done so yet; I post real-time there during the trips!). I hope this post provides that context while I craft the stories that made up my full but short one week in Iceland… So here the overall itinerary of what we covered; later on, I will add the links to each as I write about them. This post will be short on photos so I can issue it faster but, never fear, I will be sharing tons of the great vistas in this country!

Day 1 – Arrival to Iceland

On the day of arrival, the plan was to make our way to our apartment in Reykjavik but first making a stop in the Blue Lagoon to recover a little bit from the lack of sufficient sleep and rest. We figured this is a must-see even if touristy so we could achieve both aims (recovery and sightseeing) in one brilliant stroke. More on the Blue Lagoon here!

One of my travel companions has an Icelandic great-grandmother so part of the trip would be about finding her roots. On the first day, we had been invited to a BBQ at her second or third, removed or not, cousins she had never met. So that was the plan for the evening.

Day 2 – Go around the Golden Circle

Our plan consisted of using Reykjavik as a base to see some key places before heading north, to the land of my friend’s ancestors. The first of this was the Golden Circle – a route that covers some very important places in Icelandic history and natural beauty. One of the most important places on the Circle is Þingvellir, where Iceland’s first Parliament was established.. We planned to use a tour company for this to ease our workload before the trip (i.e., researching exact;y what all we had to hit) and then doing all the driving to hit those places. It was a good choice!

Gullfoss waterfall, Iceland', Golden Circle, nature, water, sight, sightseeing, must-see

Gullfoss waterfall in Iceland’s Golden Circle

Day 3 – Go south and meet the bad boy – Eyjafjallajokull volcano

Using the same logic as for day 2, we opted for the same small tour operator to do the South Shore. We lucked out with the company we chose as they were very flexible and being a small tour, he could offer extra things or changes to the itinerary based on the weather that day. We went to the southernmost point in the island, drove past two volcanoes, visited the black sand beaches, and visited two beautiful waterfalls: Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss.

Day 4 – Head north young man. And another man, and a woman and two young girls

On day 4, we undertook the approximately 5 hour drive to our home base in the north of Iceland: Akureyri, the second most important city in the country after the capital. We looked forward to seeing the landscape along the way and contrasting it with the landscape of the south shore as we were told there would be a noticeable difference.

The house we rented for 3 days sat across the fjord from Akureyri and sported a large frontal window (I posted a couple of photos in Facebook). It was a neat place to stay – you almost did not want to leave it!

Day 5 – Exploring family history in the great Icelandic north

Day 5 was reserved for visiting areas where my friend’s family had history, likely areas most tourists don’t see if they are just sticking to doing the ring road. While the ring road is great to explore, areas off it are more pristine, if that is the right word. So we visited small towns, like Dalvik (which seemed almost Alpine), and got to drive the northern rugged coastline, way off the ring road – it was awesome and more to come on this for sure!

Day 6 – A whale of a time

While in Iceland, whale watching is a must and we planned to join a whale watching tour in Husavik. The waters were very calm and it was very pleasant. More on this later. We also knew we wanted to see the important Godafoss waterfalls which sit conveniently by the ring road. Then we went for a hunt for the best ice cream in Iceland at Brynja in Akureyri.

Husavik, Iceland, whale watching tour, sea, boats

The harbor of Husavik, the whaling capital of Iceland

Day 7 – The start of going home

On this day we planned to backtrack to Reykjavik as trying to head back continuing the clockwise direction would take WAY too long. We planned to stay near the airport so we could return the car, save money, and have an easy time the next morning getting five of us to the airport on time. But we started the day walking around Akureyri before hitting the road – a town I liked a lot.

So this is a BROAD sketch of the itinerary. The details of each story are yet to come – stay tuned!!! (Subscribe to the blog so you can be notified when a new post comes out!)

Filed Under: Europe, Iceland, Travel Journal Tagged With: Akureyri, Golden Circle, Iceland, Iceland tour, photo, Reykjavik, south shore, travel, travel with children to Iceland, volcano, waterfalls

Michigan Wine Country: Unexpected and Beautiful

27 May 2014 by Raul 7 Comments

I was looking forward to visiting Traverse City, Michigan and exploring the neighboring areas but little did I know my timing was going to be SO good. You see, that weekend, the Leelanau Peninsula Spring Sip & Wine was taking place (check here for other events!). Over 20 wineries participated and the ticket included a small appetizer and several tastings of wine at each participating winery. Heaven!

I did have to mind how many places I visited as I only had one afternoon and I would not want to rush just to score more wineries! (<- crazy talk) Plus, it was my first time in the area so I wanted to also admire the scenery.

Upon entering Leelanau Peninsula, our first stop was the Ciccone Vineyards.

If the last name sounds familiar, it is Madonna‘s last name: it is her Dad’s winery. I don’t know the full story but I know at some point (and maybe still) they are not close. The “savor” part at this winery was the homemade chili by the owner. It was delicious and perfect given the rainy weather at that point in the day. We enjoyed chatting with the staff!

Michigan, wine, Leelanau Peninsula, Traverse City, Sip and Savor, wine tasting, Ciccone, Madonna

The grounds of the Ciccone vineyards

My partner-in-crime, er, fellow traveler and I moved on to Blustone Vineyards which stole a piece of my heart… Why? They were serving CUBAN PERNIL (pork)!!!! As a 100% Cuban-blooded human being and cook of Cuban pork myself I was impressed with the quality of the pork. The pork was from Georgina‘s in Traverse City (I looked at their menu online and I immediately started salivating!! Next time in TC, I will HAVE to visit!). Kudos!

Plus, the wine at Blustone was the most impressive of the whole lot I sampled on this visit. I also did love the space: modern, spacious, and well lit with natural light. It got quite packed after we arrived but there still was plenty of space to hang around. Good job, Blustone!

Random driving led us to encounter 45 North winery. “What’s with the name?,” you may say? Well, it is near the 45th parallel, halfway between the Equator and the North Pole!

The place was festive on the inside and out as you can see! We enjoyed being served our tastings there and watching the “hat scene”. Good job, 45 North!

Michigan, wine, vineyard, winery, 45 North, wine bottle, Leelanau

The tasting area and the bottle tree that greets visitors – pretty cool!

Michigan, wine, vineyard, winery, 45 North, wine bottle, Leelanau, food, white wine

What greeted us upon entering the testing room!

Michigan, wine, vineyard, winery, 45 North, wine bottle, Leelanau, hat, clever

One of the cleverest hats I saw!

It was time to keep on trucking along and we decided to go to Old Mission Peninsula to try a winery that was recommended, Brys Estate. I enjoyed their reds – and the view of the east bay. Though there was a great outdoor seating area with Adirondack chairs, because of the slightly weather, we did not partake of the outdoor. But that was fine because we enjoy chatting with our server and some of the other visitors.

Brys, Estate, winery, vineyard, Old Mission, peninsula, Traverse City, Michigan

A view of the east bay

So, after this Saturday spent driving around these and other Michigan wineries, I can safely say it is a GREAT way to explore the beauty of Michigan – and enjoying delicious food and wines! I do hope to return as there were many wineries I did not get to check out. I love having a reason to go back to places I like!

Filed Under: Good Eats and Drinks, Michigan, Travel Journal, US & Canada, Wine Tagged With: Brys, Ciccone, exploring, food, foodie, Leelanau, Michigan, Peninsula, photo, Sip and Savor, travel, Traverse City, vineyards, Wine, wine tasting, winery

Summer Vacation Is Almost Here!

22 May 2014 by Raul 1 Comment

This summer, I finally get to take a real vacation, not just a couple of days of here or there. Actually, I get to take TWO real vacations! The two vacations came about differently and it was certainly hard to plan them as I did not control when one of them took place and the other had to be coordinated with other people’s schedule.

The great cold and outworldly: Iceland

The first vacation will be to Iceland, my first time visiting this unique land sitting astride an incredibly active piece of Earth (who remembers the volcano-whose-name-cannot-be-said-because-it-is-too-hard?). Friends of mine were planning to go and invited me to come along with them and their two young daughters. One of the parents has an Icelandic ancestor and has been doing research so part of the trip will be to visit the rural areas of her ancestors. This is likely unlike what the normal tourist goes to do in Iceland and that is precisely what I think makes it a great opportunity for me to travel. Of course, we will try to hit the major unique features of the island that make a visit there so neat (waterfalls, volcanoes, hot springs, fjords).

Upon landing, we plan to hit the Blue Lagoon hoping it will help some with jetlag (we have a 6-hr layover in JFK… remember, with two young girls aged 4 and 7…). We will then spend some days anchored in Reykjavik but hopefully doing the Golden Circle and perhaps a day trip to the south part of the island.

After those three days we will drive clockwise on the ring road to the town of Akureyri. We have rented a house across the “bay” from it with spectacular views. We already see ourselves in the hot tub with a bottle of wine soaking in the late Icelandic summer day… We will use this as a base to explore the northern part of the island and the area where my friend’s ancestors lived in.

Trekking with a purpose: the Camino de Santiago and Morocco

Right after returning from Iceland, I will go on the second vacation of my summer. This one is a special one as I will be doing 7 days of the Camino de Santiago with Trekking for Kids in order to help street and at-risk children in Morocco (I went with this organization to hike in Romania and climb Mt. Kilimanjaro).

The trip will begin by going to Morocco and spending a few days at the center that we will fundraise for (each trekker raises money that will go 100% to the projects we will fund at the center). I have never been to Morocco and though I will not be officially “touristing,” I like that I will experience some of Morocco in such a unique way. We will then fly to Madrid and train it to León from which we will begin our trek in the Camino. I have wanted to do the Camino ever since a friend did it many years ago (though I am not sure I would want to do the route starting at the Pyrenees). So this trek is perfect as it will be about 7 days’ worth of walking. A good bit of that walking will be in the area of Galicia where some of my ancestors come from so walking through it will be special in that way for me.

I have been to Santiago de Compostela before but look forward to the experience of arriving there by foot, as many have done since the Middle Ages, and getting my “Compostela.”

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I am very much looking forward to my vacations, long overdue. One thing I will say before I conclude here is to urge you to consider doing a trek with Trekking for Kids – it will be a unique experience as the fact that many trekkers (like me) keep returning for other treks! Check out the upcoming treks to Kilimanjaro, Jordan, and Patagonia here.

Filed Under: Africa, Europe, Iceland Tagged With: Camino, help kids, Iceland, Morocco, Santiago, travel, trekking, vacation

The Grand Traverse Resort and Spa: Something for Everyone!

13 May 2014 by Raul 8 Comments

I had the opportunity to head north to Michigan recently to explore the town and area around Traverse City. Mind you, I had only learned about Traverse City a couple of years ago when I read about it from one of my favorite travel blogs, The Working Mom’s Travels. So, always ready to explore new places, I did not hesitate to make the trip even though I could only go for a weekend.

Getting there required a connection for me coming from Atlanta but, frankly, it was easy as a Michigan cherry pie as Detroit is a great airport, easy to navigate and with many flights in and out to my place of origin and my destination. Traverse City is but 10 minutes away from the airport, a straight drive in.

I arrived at my place of stay, the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa in no time. The courtesy airport pickup was excellent and my driver, Aaron, did a great job of giving me an intro to the area. His friendliness was just the first one I experienced after arriving but it was not to be the only one at the GT Resort and Spa! (I like the GT abbreviation they use because I went to university at another GT: Georgia Tech!)

When I arrived, the place was packed as there was a convention that weekend but everything flowed smoothly, with check-in being lightning fast. The Grand Lobby is large and has multiple seating areas (so many hotels these days forget to make their lobby inviting; I like it when they feel almost like a living room) including one in front of a fireplace, another in front of a piano, and a couple of others, including a small bar area.

Grand Traverse Resort, Traverse City, Michigan, view, vista, hotel, travel, photo, blue sky,

Lobby at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa

The hotel has about 600 rooms, a combination of standard hotel rooms, suites, and condos, some privately owned. Wifi is free and it’s everywhere – now THAT scores high on my list of amenities, as I am sure does for everyone. It gets so old to go to a hotel where you have to pay for it… Come on, people, move on to the 2010s before the 2020s get here!

Since I arrived later in the afternoon, I decided to stay in and not go into town (I knew that would be on my agenda on the next day anyway). So I opted to check out the health club facilities and explore some of the resort. I guess I am not surprised their health club was larger and more complete than a standard hotel as this is not a standard hotel. Plenty of treadmills, elliptical, rowing machine, etc. and not of the archaic kind (mental note: add this to my hotel pet peeves list…). The health club overlooks a large indoor tennis facility that apparently is well known. I didn’t count how many courts but at least 5, if not more. So if you pick the right piece of equipment and your timing is right, instead of watching TV, you may be able to watch a live tennis match! Next door is a large indoor pool entertainment area with stuff for kids of all ages to enjoy. Pretty neat place.

Grand Traverse Resort, Traverse City, Michigan, hotel, travel, photo, pool, recreation

Pool area

With the workout done ahead of eating a big meal (see how I plan ahead??), it was time to shower and get a cat nap in. The bed and pillows were so comfortable it took me no time to get to that nap.

Grand Traverse Resort, Traverse City, Michigan, hotel, travel, photo, bed

Look at that bed!! All comfort!

Recharged, I decided it was time to discover some Michigan wines since I had never tried one before. Yes, I had planned to taste some wines the next day as part of Leelanau Peninsula’s Sip & Savor festival but I am nothing if not a student and a learner, so no harm in pre-research 🙂 The resort’s up-high restaurant and bar, the Aerie Restaurant and Lounge, sits on the 16^th floor of the tower at the Grand Traverse. I really liked the openness of the bar and restaurant with great views of the East Grand Traverse Bay and the golf course at the resort. Unfortunately, it was cloudy that day so the setting’s incredible sunset views were not going to happen for me but I can only imagine how spectacular the sunset must be from up there.

Grand Traverse Resort, Traverse City, Michigan, view, vista, architecture, hotel, travel, photo

The Aerie offers great vistas 360 degrees

Having sampled a couple of wines, I proceeded to have dinner. There is not bad table at the Aerie since they all have a window view. In the area where I sat, the booths away from the windows are slightly raised above the floor so you also can get a pretty unobstructed view from them – and so I did. I enjoyed a blackened trout and a spinach salad that were tasty and fresh. I capped the meal with their version of a bananas foster which consisted of a small scoop of cinnamon ice cream, dark chocolate pot de crème, chocolate mousse chips, bruleed bananas, and banana cheesecake. Pretty. Dang. Delicious. I got to my room and in no time I had fallen asleep fully clothed… That’s a good night!

Aerie Restaurant, dinner, bananas foster, chocolate mousse, Grand Traverse Resort, Traverse City, Michigan, hotel, travel, photo, bed

The awesome dessert that closed up my meal

Though some signs of the age of the wing I stayed were evident (other wings are newer), for the most part a good effort has been made to update the spaces, especially the rooms and bathrooms. The room I stayed at had two double beds and was quite large with a side view towards the East Grand Traverse Bay with Old Mission Peninsula in the background – not bad!

Though I am not a golfer, if you are, this may be a perfect place for you. Their main golf course, aptly named “The Bear,” is a Jack Nicklaus signature course and I hear it is for those who like a good challenge! They have two other golf courses in the 900-acre property, one a Gary Player signature course (“The Wolverine”) and another designed by William Newcomb (the more pleasantly named “Spruce Run”). Looking out the window of the Aerie, I was begrudging not having pursued learning how to golf! (I did briefly try in the late 1990s but if you keep missing the ball when you tee off, you know it is time to pursue other interests…)

On the day of my departure, I went for a massage at the spa. Work had been hectic the week before and my last massage was four months ago so I was overdue for one to help set me right. A mid-morning massage, a couple of hours before heading to the airport, was the right thing to close up the weekend visit. Using cherry infused oils (I was worried the smell would be too much but it was actually subtle), the relaxation massage was just what I needed before returning home to face the work week after such a fun weekend.

I am glad I invested my time and money to visit Traverse City and in an upcoming post, you will see what else contributed to making this such a fun and excellent weekend!

Have YOU been to Traverse City and its vicinity? What is your favorite spot? I leave you with the view from my room towards the East Grand Traverse Bay!

Grand Traverse Resort, Traverse City, Michigan, view, vista, hotel, travel, photo, blue sky, East Grand Traverse Bay

View towards East Grand Traverse Bay

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I was hosted at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa during this visit. Opinions all ilivetotravel’s.

Filed Under: Michigan, US & Canada Tagged With: blue sky, East Grand Traverse Bay, food, Grand Traverse Resort, hotel, Michigan, photo, travel, Traverse City, view, vista

Photo of the Week: Orange Fire in Oslo

6 May 2014 by Raul 1 Comment

A few years ago around this time of the year, I went to Oslo for business. And I ran into this beauty!

Filed Under: Europe, Norway, Special Photos Tagged With: color, flower, garden, Norway, orange, oslo, photo, travel, tulips

The Warm Capitals: Panama City, Manila, San Juan, and Port of Spain

1 May 2014 by Raul 1 Comment

For many, the ideal vacation is to go where it is sunny and warm, be it the tropics or somewhere with good “Mediterranean” climate. Be it the Caribbean, the South Pacific, or the Greek Isles, sun and fun seem to go together. I am not as much a chaser of these climates but they definitely present great color and usually interesting and, pardon the word, warm peoples. For the “Capital Cities” series, I have chosen four warm capitals: Panama City, Manila, San Juan, and Port of Spain.

Panama City, Panama

I have shared before about incredible and ever-changing Panama City, a place I have visited over four different decades and which I always enjoy.

Modern Panama City as seen from the Casco Viejo

As I have family there, I get to do both the things a visitor would do but also live a little like the locals when I am there. Panama City is both old and modern and whether by visiting the old ruins of the original establishment, or exploring the old (but not as old) city or “Casco Viejo,” or entering the Canal Zone, or simply enjoying the modern life, Panama City offers great experiences. And when those are not enough, then fly to the Pearl Islands or head to other beautiful parts of the country like the area near Chagres or Chiriqui, for example.

Manila, The Philippines

I have only visited Manila once and for a rather brief visit. I shared in another post how the old district has much more history than I understood from centuries of Spanish rule, then American control, then Japanese occupation, and –finally- from the times after it gained its independence.

Intramuros, Manila, city walls, Manila Town Hall, Philippines, golf course, clouds, sky, Olympus

Looking from the Bayleaf’s Sky Deck towards the Manila Town Hall (notice the golf course)

While it can be quite hot and humid (as Panama City), the warmth of the people is well worth the warmth of the climate. You’d expect that people in any large city would be short-tempered, always in a rush – a la Manhattan. Not in Manila, where it seems the human connection is most important. I did not get to venture outside of the city to enjoy what I hear are incredible beaches and other natural settings worth exploring. But the city alone was well worth the visit!

San Juan, Puerto Rico

You may know from prior posts that I grew up in Puerto Rico. We moved there when I was two and I left at 17. 15 years to make San Juan a piece of my heart, as the lovely song says: “En mi Viejo San Juan, cuantos cuantos sueños forjé en mis noches de infancia…” The old part of San Juan is referred to as “el Viejo San Juan” to distinguish it from the more modern city around it.

Great fields facing the ocean (note the kites and the city walls) in El Morro

The small island where old San Juan sits is connected by bridges to the rest of the city and, if you don’t pay attention, you may not catch that.

Old San Juan is truly a living museum. Centuries old, it has not been destroyed nor significantly burned so what you see is what it was and has always been. But it is not a lifeless museum or collection of old buildings: people work, shop, play and live in those old buildings! The heat of the tropics is kind in Puerto Rico due to the strong breezes coming in from the Atlantic, at least on the northern and eastern side of the island so Old San Juan is a great place to spend time as it sits higher than sea level for the most part and the breezes, combined with the shadows the buildings offer part of the day, make it comfortable even for the most cold-loving snowbird. When you go, make sure you explore the old forts and walls erected by the Spanish centuries ago. For more of what to see in this incredible place and the rest of Puerto Rico, check out my recommendations on experiences to have in Puerto Rico!

Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago

The capital of Trinidad and Tobago sits in the island of Trinidad. Facing the water but with hills around it, it is a melting pot of races and cultures which results in a fun place to discover, even when it is not Carnival (which I hear is phenomenal!). I visited for a few days and enjoyed GREAT food (whether Italian, Indian, tropical, or other!). I loved driving around the neighborhoods and seeing some neat island architecture.

Trinindad, food, fish, rice, tropical, travel

A delicious lunch at Veni Mangé in Port of Spain was well-deserving of thanks!

While Port of Spain definitely has an industrial side to it, it has many other awesome areas to spend time in – and don’t forget Maracas Bay not too far away (passing through a beautiful tropical forest and great ocean views from the road!).

Port of Spain, Trinidad, Tobago, architecture, dark sky, travel, photo

Great architecture in Port of Spain!

Modern architecture? Check!

The world has many capitals in the warmer climates. In fact, quite a bit! Here is to getting to explore many more of them! Have any recommendations??

Filed Under: Panama, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Travel Journal, Trinidad & Tobago Tagged With: architecture, dark sky, Manila, Panama, Panama City, Philippines, photo, Port of Spain, Puerto Rico, San Juan, Tobago, travel, Trinidad, Trinidad & Tobago

20 Photographers-in-Action Shots

29 April 2014 by Raul 9 Comments

Like most travelers, I enjoy taking pictures of the places I see. It used to be to show family and friends but eventually developed into more of giving myself a challenge of not only capturing images for my memories, but also seeing if I could capture anything unique or interesting as I explore the world via travels. However, I am hardly unique in all this as this photo essay will show. Among the interesting images that catch my attention is watching others photograph people or their setting. So in what I hope will not be the only post of its kinds, here are “photographers in action.”

Let me know which is your favorite picture!