Cancun, Mexico

Cancun is a world-renowned and tropical paradise that remains one of the world’s top tourist destinations.  If you’re looking for a place with fantastic weather, pumping nightlife, shopping galore, and some of the coolest activities in and out of the water, then Cancun is the place to come.  Boredom is something not possible in Cancun, this place has everything under the sun.  Whether it’s a family vacation at an all-inclusive like the RIU Cancun, destination wedding, romantic getaway, or spring break, Cancun has it all.

Home to one of the world’s largest barrier reef, Cancun is an ideal place for scuba diving and snorkeling.  For those who are not into water activities, you will find golfing or fishing areas.  For the shopaholic, you will shop till you drop, as you will find shops galore.  For the party animal, Cancun is notorious for their nightlife, this place is rocking with tons of bars and night clubs for every night owl.  As far as accommodation, Cancun runs the gamut.  It has everything from luxurious villas to all-inclusive resorts, to budget hotels, many accommodation options.  You’ll be able to find accommodations in Cancun that meets your budget and your needs.

My main purpose to come to Cancun was I had to see Chichen Itza.  I love history and have always been fascinated by the Maya Civilization.  My day tour to Chichen Itza was the highlight of my trip.  It was amazing seeing the ancient Maya ruins.  A tour through Chichen Itza is a trip back in time and a learning journey on most of the Maya history .  Remember they predicted the end of world, December 21, 2012, the end times prophecy, doomsday.  If you love history, please do not miss this place, even if you don’t love history, you will be fascinated by the Maya Civilization.  I found it mind boggling.

Okay, history in a nut-shell on the Maya Civilization.  I am so fascinated by this place that I want to give a brief history lesson.  Chichen Itza was once one of the most powerful cities of the Maya.  The history of Chichen Itza is mysterious, and written records are scarce. Most sources agree that from approximately AD 250 to AD 900, Chichen Itza existed mainly as a ceremonial center for the Maya.  Civilization weakened, and the Maya abandoned their religious centers and the rural land around them, between 900 AD and 1000 AD.  The Maya civilization stopped making monuments, why, no one seems to know for sure.  What we do know for certain is the Maya civilization was one of the most advance and sophisticated cultures in the Western Hemisphere.  The Maya are famed for their impressive knowledge of mathematics and astronomy, which were essential to their religious rituals.  When you visit you will see why I find it mind boggling, they were so ahead of time.  They are also known for the practice of human sacrifice, which was a means of appeasing and nourishing the gods.

It can take a whole day to see the extensive ruins of Chichen Itza, which occupy about 2.5 square miles.  At the entrance is a large, modern visitors' center that includes a museum, a restaurant, bathrooms, and a bookstore.  Here you can hire a licensed guide who speak Spanish or English.  A guide is not necessary, especially if you have a map or guidebook, but he or she can really give you all the details and interesting stories about the ruins that you might otherwise miss.  I hired a guide and I recommend it because there is so much fascinating history, you do not want to miss out.  It really makes it come alive hearing all the information and stories by hiring a knowledgeable guide.  The Mayan Civilization is fascinating, so do hire a guide.

Let me share with you a suggestion while visiting Cancun.  If you are looking for a quiet and peaceful holiday, then come to Isla Mujeres Island, it is a great way to escape away from all the noise and crowds.  This island is about 9 miles offshore.  This is where I stayed and I was so glad I did.  You have to take the ferry over to the island, so if you come make sure you reach the ferries by 11 pm, which is the last ferry over in the evening, but do check timings because schedules change.  I got out of the airport too late and I had to stay at another hotel till the next morning when I could take the first ferry over.

I love Isla Mujeres Island, quaint and quiet and away from all the noise and nightlife in Cancun.   It is a nice place to shop and pick up some nice handcrafted gifts.  I prefer a relaxing vacation, so Isla Mujeres worked great for me.  Unless you love the nightlife and clubbing, the real party animal, then I would suggest staying in Cancun's main strip.  Another option, you can always take the ferry back and forth, regardless of where you stay so you can visit both.  There are a few locations for ferry boarding every 20 to 30 minutes. Then again, if your planning to party all night then best not to book a hotel on the island as you will miss the last ferry over at 11 pm. I would recommend at least a visit to this lovely island.  Till next time, it’s 5’oclock somewhere.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Dubai is one of the seven Emirates making up the United Arab Emirates, which has developed now into a top class tourist destination.  Every year the Emirate welcome thousands of visitors from all over the globe.  Today Dubai is a hot spot tourist place, which dazzles people from all over the world to come and visit this amazing city.  Dubai is a sparkling gem in the desert, the crown jewel of the United Arab Emirates. If you want a destination encompassing every imaginable luxury, as well as rugged outdoor adventures, then you must come to Dubai for your next vacation.  It really is a wonder !

  

Here is a picture of me standing in front of the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa.  I was getting nauseated just looking up at this building.  I don’t know how Tom Cruise manage to do some of those crazy stunts from this building here for his Mission Impossible movie, but I was fine with both my feet on the ground.  Unless if Hollywood wants to pay me 30 million bucks, I might possibly consider :-)))  Okay lets get to the stuff to do, as there is so much, but here are a few must see places and things to do.

The Dubai Mall, wow wow wow, I have never been to a mall like this.  World class shopping all over Dubai and this mall is no exception.  In the Dubai Mall you will find more than just high-end stores like Oscar de la Renta and Valentino, but also entertainment and activities for the entire family.  With a spectacular fountain display, the Dubai Ice Rink, and the Dubai Aquarium, it will be easy to spend a whole day exploring all the sights in the Dubai Mall, as well as dropping some bucks on the fine stores.  This was the most beautiful mall I have ever stepped foot in.  Wow I could only imagine how much it cost to build this gorgeous mall.

The Atlantis Waterpark, this is located in the Atlantis Resort, this is another example of things to do in Dubai that are ideal for any age.  Atlantis Dubai’s waterpark has everything from a Dolphin Bay where you can interact with dolphins to Aquaventure, a 42-acre area with slides, rapids, an area for kids, and a beach.

Jumeirah Beach Park, this is a wonderful area with many things to do. It is a park situated right on the beach, complete with tables, grills, and play areas for kids. Whether you want to swim in the ocean or the pool, the Jumeirah Beach Park has both to offer.  Or if you rather not have a day of sand and water, and rather be skiing, then head over to Ski Dubai, yes skiing in Dubai, how strange you might be thinking, but it is an enclosed building that blows snow year-round and offers slopes for skiing, sledding, and snowboarding. 

The Gold Souk is for you if you prefer shopping outside of a mall.  I definitely enjoy outside shopping, and prefer the outside markets by far, as compared to indoor malls.  The street markets are my favorite shopping, as I feel it is nicer then being stuck in some building, but that is just my personality, and the Gold Souk might be right up your alley too.  Street lined with vendors selling products made of gold and offering quality jewelry.  

Also if you like museums then check out The Dubai Museum,  the purpose of this museum is to present the traditional way of life in the Emirate of Dubai, so soak up a couple hours of learning at this museum, and don’t forget to complete your mission and head over to Burj Khalifa.  Until next time, mission possible - nothing is impossible :-)))

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Victoria, British Columbia,  this place is unforgettable.  This is one place were I really enjoyed my holiday.  I think this is one place that everyone would feel the same way, unforgettable.  Blessed with parks, natural and water scenery's, this place is the epitome of charming.  From Vancouver there are several ferries that you can take to Vancouver.  I was coming from Washington State so I jumped on the Port Angeles ferry.  Load up your car if your driving one and it takes approximately one and half hours to reach Victoria, which is the southernmost tip of Vancouver Island.

Once you reach Victoria you will see why it is known as the “City of Gardens.”  It is a super quaint and picturesque, but yet a sophisticated city .  Victoria is a seaside city with it's bustling inner harbour and breathtaking views everywhere you look.  When you arrive you will feel like you have been transported to England.  Victoria has a distinctly British feel to it; pretty gardens, double-decker buses, guards in uniform, Parliament buildings, the cathedrals.  Victoria has all the characteristics of England with a twist of other ethnic influences.

There are many tourism attraction and landmark such as the Fairmont Empress Hotel, the Royal British Columbia Museum, Christ Church Cathedral, Chinatown, Victoria Butterfly Garden and many other gardens, including the Pacific Undersea Gardens, catch a whale watching tour, and a must the strikingly beautiful Parliament buildings.  This is a picture of me taking in front of the Fairmont Empress Hotel or more commonly named, just the Empress Hotel.  It is one of the oldest and most famous hotels in Victoria.  A must is to stop in the Empress Hotel for some tea.

Whether coming from Washington State or Vancouver jump on that ferry and take a ride over to Victoria.  You will be completely impressed and permanently infatuated with Victoria, and  it is one of the worlds premier destination cities to visit.

Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu, India

Puducherry, Pondicherry, or Pondy, is a Union Territory of India, south of Chennai.  The French ruled this territory for 300 years, and today it stands as a living monument of the French culture in India !  A remarkable amount of French influence in Pondicherry exists to this date.  Pondicherry is divided into Tamil and French parts,  where you can find typical 18th century French mansions and Tamil houses, very unique and charming to picturesque.  Pondicherry is a place blessed with a little bit of everything, and a tradition of welcoming all.

Pleasant and charming, Pondicherry has a beautiful beach that is always warm and welcoming.  Pondicherry has been made world famous by the Aurobindo Ashram and Auroville.  You can find more information about Auroville on my recent post from June.  French influenced, and it’s uniqueness sets it apart from the rest of India.  I love this place and am overdue for another visit.

One of Pondicherry’s most popular temples is the Managula Vinayagar Temple, located in the French quarters.  Pictures of me receiving my blessings from Lakshmi, the temple elephant.  Just give Lakshmi some rupees, she will take the coins from your hand with her trunk and then will gently touch the top of your head with her trunk to give you your blessings.  Just make sure Lakshmi doesn’t knock you out, and you get what you paid  for :-)))

Another main attraction to see in Pondicherry is the Sri Aurobindo Ashram.  The ashram is located within the French quarters you will have to remove your shoes, switch off  your cell phones and maintain complete silence inside the complex.  Starting with a memorial to Sri Aurobindo, where many just sit and meditate.  From there you walk into a hall that has displays about the ashram and its founders, and another hall had a small bookshop where books related to the ashram and its teachings were available. Thousands of visitors all over the world come for the Ashram.

The Sacred Heart Church, is another wonderful site in Pondicherry.  Constructed in Gothic style, is a highly revered religious destination in Pondicherry.  Lot of visitors and believers are thronging to this church to offer prayers.  One can be blessed by seeing the wonderful stained glass windows highlighting the life of Jesus and the soaring ceilings.  Every year this church has thousands of devotees from different places visiting. This church is one of the most attractive churches in Pondicherry.

If coming to Pondicherry then don’t forget seeing Auroville is a must.  On the outskirts of Pondicherry this place has a truly unique concept, remember to check my blog back in June for more info on this one of kind place.  If you’re a wine connoisseur like me, then no worries getting some really nice wines here.  Also know for its variety of cuisines, South Indian delicacies, to some really delicious seafood, and the good French restaurants around the French part of town.  One can eat, drink and be "Merry in Pondicherry".  Until the next blog, Bon Appétit :-)))

Ocho Rios, Jamaica

Ocho Rios, Jamaica is the essence of every thing Caribbean, and more.  Things like blue skies, warm weather, beautiful waters, and sun-drenched beaches.  The mountains, magnificent waterfalls, and endless list of attractions.  Add to that scrumptious dining, spirited reggae, and moonlit nights and lots of sporting activities like golf, tennis, and scuba diving.

My journey to Ocho Rios was an interesting one.  I went to Ocho Rios back in September of 1997.  A two hour journey from the Kingston Airport to my resort was a crazy ride along the cliffs with a crazy driver that seem to have no worries of falling over the cliff.  Hugging that rail, and a bus full of people screaming their heads off, including me, I thought I was not going to make it to the resort.  With all that said, Ocho Rios is a good escape from your typical Montego Bay.

The first and foremost attraction in Ocho Rios is its wide white sand beach.  There are also more nice beaches east of Ocho Rios, but they are mainly private hotel beaches. Nearby beautiful Reggae and James Bond Beaches are open to the public.  The town itself has some nice colonial buildings to see, including old churches.

Dunn’s River Falls is a popular attraction near Ocho Rios, featuring stunning waterfalls that cascade into the sea.  Eden Falls is another beautiful waterfall in Ocho Rios area. More natural attractions near Ocho Rios include Fern Gully, a forested gorge with over 500 species of ferns.  From horseback riding to jeep safaris to plantation visits to pottery tours are well available.  Rated on Trip Advisor as one of the top attractions in Ocho Rios, is the bobsled ride down Mystic Mountain.  Also noted as one of the most famous Jamaica tourist destinations and one of the coolest destinations in the Caribbean.

Ocho Rios is one of the safest destinations in Jamaica.  Unfortunately, petty crime and scamming of tourists do occur also here, so it is good to use common sense and to leave your valuables at the hotel safe.  Especially at Kingston Airport and Dunn's Falls.  Also you will experience the locals push you to buy ghanja and voodoo dolls, which is abundant in Jamaica.

Salzburg, Austria

If you ever get the chance to go to Salzburg, you will be smitten by it's old time charm.  I would definitely recommend it, even for a day as a transit.  It really is a quaint and and lovely city, I love the feel of this place, quite charming.  Even when I arrived to this beautiful city with the rain and cloudy skies, it did not even put a damper on my arrival.  I enjoyed walking through this remarkable city feeling I was transported back in time. I found a local to take a snap of me while I was admiring the horses.

Let’s explore some of the things to do in Salzburg, starting with its musical heritage. Salzburg has quite a history with music, starting with Mozart, and this city is totally Moazart inspired.  Everywhere you went and shopped they had everything you could possibly think of Mozart, everything down to even Mozart chocolates.  Even today, 250 plus years later, he is still the inspiration of this city, and for the spectacular music festival held here every year for 5 weeks, which normally begins somewhere at the end of July.  I was lucky to have arrived in August, to take part in the celebrations.  Musicians everywhere playing Mozart on the streets to pay tribute to the musical genius, his legend still rules today.  One of the area’s top tourist attractions found in the heart of town is Mozart’s Geburtshaus his birthplace. 

Take a ride on a horse carriage across the Old Town, it is a wonderful way to see, hear, smell, and feel this old town.  If you need to put your feet up after exploring all day, chill out on the riverbank, it is a treat after site seeing to just relax and enjoy the magnificent views.  A must on your to do list in Salzburg is to visit St. Peter's Cemetery, it is oldest cemetery in Salzburg, and Salzburg's most popular tourist attraction.  When at St. Peter's Cemetery check out the two church caves overlooking St. Peter's Cemetery.  Of the two church caves, Gertraudiskapelle and Maximushohle, Maximushohle is built right into the mountain and is more cave church then Gertraudiskapelle.  Maximushohle dates back to Roman times in the third century.  I found them absolutely fascinating. If you love the quaint old time feel, you will experience that in Salzburg.

Munich, Germany

Munich, Germany, I love this place, it is a fun city that draws folks just about any time of year, but it is crazy around Oktoberfest.  So if you plan on coming during that time you will want to reserve hotels well ahead in advance, the high season months are between May and September.

Munich is one of my favorite European cities.  The people are really so nice and helpful.  I was trying to figure out a location I wanted to go to,  and standing there with a map in my hand trying to figure out which way to go, strangers would come up to me and offer to help without me asking, odd in most places.  I also found Munich's railway station to be the best and easiest to get around, as I am one of those persons who gets lost in their own backyard, lol, but I manage comfortably and with great ease without getting lost.  They have the S-Bahn and U-Bahn around the city and I enjoyed riding on the rail, German engineering at it's best.

 A few top things to see is The Neuschwanstein Castle.  It is the world's most famous castle.  This Castle is nestled in the Bavarian Alps.  King Ludwig II designed his dream castle with the help of a theatrical set designer. Again, Oktoberfest is the best time to come to Munich, so I hear, I came in August, but Oktoberfest is the world's largest fair and one of the best festivals in Germany.  Every year, over 6 million visitors from all over the world come to Munich to drink beer, eat sausage and join together in song.  The festival is famous for its huge beers in heavy steins and a good helping of German hospitality.

The English Garden is one of the largest city parks in the world, the English Garden in Munich offers beer gardens, lakes, and recreational activities such as biking, horse back riding, and sun bathing. If you walk around and feel like having a drink, stop over at the Chinese Tower, one of the biggest Beer Gardens in Munich.  Another site, The Deutsches Museum, this is one of the largest and oldest science museums in the world, attracting more than 1.5 million visitors every year.  The museum itself is located on an island in the middle of the Isar River, and houses over 17,000 exhibits. You could easily spend a number of days wandering around this museum.

I love Munich and definitely plan on coming back again in the future.  The German hospitality,  the quaint and charming ambiance of the city, is not easily forgotten, neither was their bread, the best bread I have tasted.