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Wednesday, November 15, 2023

November 15th, 2023 Fast Five!


 
















1.    The Marble Mountains in Da Nang, Vietnam.   This is a wonder not far from downtown in this fabulous city.  There are five peaks named after the five elements; water, wood, fire, earth, and metal.  Mahayana Buddhists built temples, pagodas, statues and so much more to look at throughout these natural wonders.  It's a great day trip while visiting the area.




























2.   Let's talk some budget tips!   I traveled on Breeze Airways recently, and I am intending to travel on Play very soon.  We'll see what that volcano in Iceland does.  Breeze was wonderful.  I didn't expect pampering, and I was fine.  The staff was nice, there were basic drinks available.  You could purchase drinks and snacks.  There were movies available if you brought a device.  There was Wi-Fi.  The Wi-Fi was $8.00, but it was good.  I would happily fly with them again.

Other advice for right now.  Always check alternate days for flying.  If you can be flexible, you can save a lot of money.  Don't bother with traveling during the high seasons.  In most cases, the difference between traveling the day after Memorial Day and the week before is substantial.  Look into renting an apartment.  I've found this is thrifty!  You have a kitchen, maybe more than one bedroom, and sometimes washer and dryer.  This normally can be found for the same prices as a hotel room.  It will save on weight in your luggage, food costs, and so much more.  Catch me for more tips soon!



























1.   Arogonese Castle, Ischia, Italy.  Here it is, a massive castle begun before the time of Christ.  The history of this place is long and varied, and spans from moorish to Christian, to modern day.  It sits on the tiny island of Ischia, adjacent to Naples in Italy.  Not only can you visit this castle and learn about the museum, it's also the location for numerous events from plays to music and so on.  You can even stay the night or visit the spa.  It's a great addition to whatever you have planned if in the area.































4.  The Tibetan Market and Monastery in Delhi, India.  This is one of those hidden treasures in a city so crowded it's pure madness.  Delhi is hot, crowded, busy, and can often be downright confusing to navigate.  But, there's an entire neighborhood that's a bit calmer and has a different atmosphere than any other.  Tibet was absorbed by China, and that created a lot of expats.  No surprise there.  This community has settled in Delhi and has set up their own way of life.  Not only is the temple beautiful, but it is the only place in the city where you can buy sturdy outerwear for cold weather.  Something different in the city!


































5.   Travel Hacking?  This is all the rage.  I'm still learning how it works.  It involves getting travel credit cards and racking up the points to travel cheap.  It does work.  I'm still learning how.  There are also chances to upgrade, join luxury lounge clubs and on and on.  There are some apps, YouTube videos, and even classes offered online to learn how to save a lot of money and be able to afford to travel more!  Can't wait to use it!









There you have it.  Some ideas for places to visit and things to do to save money.  Some sites to check out to learn how to travel more cheaply.  I want to mention something very important here.  Lots of people go nowhere, because they believe travel is expensive.  If I had a dime for everyone I knew who went to Disney World every year, but believed that Europe was out of their range; I'd be rich.  You don't have to spend a bunch of money.  Go at an off time, book a budget airline, take the subway instead of renting a car in the city.  There's lots of way to save money and go out and see the world.  It might take some work or learning something new, but imagine the wonderful things you can see and do, and imagine what it would be like to truly live your life and enjoy!
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Tuesday, November 7, 2023

Election Week's Top Fast Five!


 














1.    The Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park, Grenada.   What can I say?  Sometimes weather can change the world.  Hurricane Ivan wiped out a lot of the underwater life off the shores of Grenada, an island in the south Caribbean that is constantly increasing in popularity in 2004.  In 2006, Jason de Caires Taylor began the sculpture park to help restore the balance of nature and create an artificial reef to enhance underwater life in the area.  The sculpture garden is the first of its kind and has really caught on around the world since.  I don't dive, but if you do, this is a great place to visit while visiting Grenada.



























2.    Sandy Island, Carriacou, Grenada.  Yes, I found a few cool things to check out in Grenada.  This island is a five minute boat ride from Carriacou.  It's quiet, breezy, beautiful and natural.  It's a great day trip to just relax and bask in the sun.  You'll find just a few places to get snacks and food, and you'll need to make sure you catch a boat back at the end of the day, but it's one of those places that will make you feel like a movie star, steeling away to get some privacy.






























3.    The abandoned Soviet Planes at Pearls Airport, Grenada.   In 1979, Cuba decided to for lack of a better term, invade Grenada and they held a presence there until 1983.  Then, the United States got involved and yadda yadda, a lot of things changed.  Part of the reminders of the era are some Soviet planes that were left behind by the Cubans.  Pearls is an airport that is no longer used, except for some drag racing, but visitors can root around and see these old planes left over from the times when the Communist battle came to Grenada's doorstep.

































4.   Shibuya Scramble Crossing, Tokyo, Japan.  This is literally one of the most famous intersections in the world.  We've seen it in Fast and Furious; We've seen almost every travel host in history visit it.  Thousands and thousands of people, both tourist and resident, walk through this intersection every single day.  Tokyo is known for it's strange neighborhoods, funky bathrooms, and lots and lots of people, amongst thousands of other things.  This intersection is one of the places you have to visit if you come to this iconic city in the east.































5.   The show at the Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theater, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.   Vietnam is one of the most fascinating countries in the world.  Ask anyone who's been there.  The Golden Dragon puppet show is just another of the fascinating things you'll only see there.  It's a great addition to any visit to Ho Chi Minh, and is a unique experience you'll never forget.  It's a good idea to take a guide for this one, however.  Translation may be a bit necessary.











There you have it; this week's fast five.  Hope it helps enhance your visit to your chosen location.  I did find a few things in Grenada alone, but I couldn't resist.  I'll be back soon with another fast five of activities that could enhance a trip you've already planned.  Just remember, look for that unusual thing that goes along with the famous thing you're traveling to see or experience.  There's always that something else, and sometimes it's a something else you truly have to see.  Travel is an adventure, and it's the Atlas Obscura style items that can really make the trip.  Enjoy!



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Monday, October 30, 2023

October 30th Week's Fast Five!

 















1.    Taking ferries in Newport, Rhode Island.  This is a must do.  Newport is grand, full of iconic mansions with lots of history.  It's known for it's food, festivals, and luxury lifestyle and in the summer months you'll find some yacht's parked in their harbor that you can't believe even exist.  It's Newport, and that's life in the summer.  What you may not know about this city is that the roads are extremely narrow, mostly one way, and that parking is ridiculous most of the time.  I'm a veteran, so I navigate it with the ease that I navigate the subway in NYC.  But, one thing that I always love about Newport is the boats.  I don't mean super yachts.  I mean boats that the rest of us can ride.  Newport has ferries to Block Island, Martha's Vineyard, Providence, Bristol, Jamestown and across the harbor to Fort Adams.  There are also harbor tours, scenic tours, and dinner tours.  You can take a trip on a masted schooner if you'd like.  Newport is also a cruise ship port.  Boats are life in this city, so take advantage of the area transport, which is mostly boats.





























2.  The doors of Malta.  This is something that just goes along with a trip to a fascinating and beautiful Island Nation such as Malta.  The island has fended off countless invaders over the centuries and is an independent nation with its own separate culture.  Part of that culture throughout history has been to display your status.  There are doors of the traditional dwellings all over Malta which are works of art.  The colors, the shapes, the carving, and by all means the door knockers.  They were and somewhat still are all status symbols in the country.  Nevertheless, while visiting, don't miss them.  Take notice of the beauty the people of Malta show us every day just with their doors.




























3.    Gozo Island, Malta.  Like many countries we know that are islands, there are several islands that make up what's known as the Maltese Archipelago.  Gozo is the second biggest island in the group.  It's a great way to get away from the more touristy sites in Malta and see how more of the locals live.  It's a cultural experience with historic sites, ruins, all kinds of history.  Great local food, fabulous beaches, and a ferry that takes you back and forth.  You can get around the island in a number of ways, including scooters; the most reasonable option.  Gozo is beautiful, and not nearly as hectic as the big island of Malta, so it's easy to relax.  The food is local and good.  The crowds are limited.  It's a great getaway while in Malta.

























4.    The World's Biggest Toilet.  That's right.  I said it.  Thank you to The Tim Traveller on YouTube for bringing this up.  Hornberg, Germany is the home of this record setting throne.  Nestled in the Black Forest region of Germany, the tiny town is home to a design firm called Duravit Design Center, and for whatever reason; they decided to advertise with this creation by Phillipe Starck.  The area is known for cuckoo clocks, some as giant as the toilet.  It's become a local tourist attraction, and a great roadside attraction if you happen to be in the Black Forest of Germany.

































5.     The Other Temples in Siem Reap, Cambodia.  We've all heard of Angkor Wat.  The location is famous all over the world.  The history, the art, the power of it all.  People get up in the wee hours of the morning to see the sun rise at this famous temple site.  But, there are around a thousand temples in the complex.  Keep that in mind if you visit.  The main temple is crowded, hot, humid, and I'm told that the sunrise isn't worth dealing with the crowds.  The best advice I've seen and heard is to take in many of the other temples and let the crowds reside at the main one.  But, keep in mind, there's a lot to see no matter how you look at it, so the experts say to give yourself three days to experience all the temples in the complex.













So, there you have it.  This week's somewhat quirky recommendations when traveling abroad.  I say check out those travel vloggers.  Those guys are interesting.  I do most of my travel research that way.  As usual, always check the State Department site before going abroad.  You never know where the next war may have broken out.  Keep reading as I continue to find five things a week to suggest as you travel around the world.  It's not about the main thing,  it's about the little things that enhance that trip.  So, make sure you take time to notice the little things and enjoy!


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