RSSSep|30|2008
53 Places To Go In 2008 According To The NY Times (Part 2)
Posted by Noemi as Around The World, Destinations
I can’t help it – I just have to share some more destinations. To be honest, I had to keep going through the article over and over again trying to figure out which are the most viable destinations for the next few months. It is hard!
Lombok
Lombok, a low-key Indonesian island east of Bali, is coming out of the shadows. With Bali oversaturated with villas and designer restaurants, tourists are hopping on short flights to find less-crowded beaches, a bigger volcano and better surfing. It’s also cheaper — not that visitors are slumming it. There’s already an Oberoi (www.oberoilombok.com), and other high-end hotels are on the way.
Indonesia is more known for Bali, I think but I heard about Lombok from a guy we met on vacation last May. He is Spanish but he lives in Indonesia …
Sep|28|2008
53 Places To Go In 2008 According To The NY Times
Posted by Noemi as Around The World, Destinations
I can’t believe that I only stumbled upon this article now! This year is almost over and I am only starting to read “53 Places To Go In 2008.” Oh well, better late than never, right? And it is not as if I would have had the means to visit ALL 53 places in a year anyway! You can read about all of the places on your own – the list will not fit in a single blog post – but let me pick out some of the ones that I am really interested in.
Laos
Vietnam and Cambodia are so 2007. Now, Laos is shaping up to be Indochina’s next hot spot. Ancient sites like the Wat Phou temple complex and the capital city of Vientiane are drawing culture seekers. Luxury teak houseboats are cruising down …
Sep|27|2008
A Whole Lot Of Hot Air
Posted by Noemi as Destinations, Family, Festivals, United States
Autumn is the favorite season of a lot of people and even if the colors are not as bright as they used to be (at least according to some), there are still a lot of reasons to go traveling. One of them is the Carolina Balloon Fest 35. This hot air balloon festival is going to be held from the 24th of October to the 26th of October at the Statesville Regional Airport, Aviation Drive, Statesville, North Carolina.
This event has been held for the past 34 years and has always been a success. This year’s events has a lot of treats for visitors and participants. The organizers promise to launch 50 balloons – all of them eye candy with their multitude of colors. There will be lift offs both in the morning and in …
Sep|24|2008
The Maryland Wine Festival
Posted by Noemi as Americas, Arts & Culture, Destinations, Festivals, Food and Drink, United States
I was really surprised to find out that Maryland has its own wine festival. My husband is from this state and he has never once mentioned the wine festival. I know about their crabs, Ocean City, the mountains, the railroad, etc., but I didn’t have the vaguest idea that there is actually a celebrated wine festival in the area. For someone who likes wine (though I don’t know all that much about it), this is good news indeed. And for those of you in the east coast, then here is another festival that you should not miss.
This year’s wine festival is already over but they are already planning next year’s celebrations. The Maryland Wine Festival is held at the Carroll County Farm Museum in Westminster, Carroll County. Next year’s festival is slated for …
Sep|22|2008
Why You Should Travel In Winter Continued
Posted by Noemi as Air Travel, Tips
Not yet convinced that traveling this coming winter is a good idea? I don’t blame you. What with all that is going on, it can be hard to keep a positive outlook. Then again, I will still try to convince you that, more than being good for you, going on a trip this winter can be easier on the pocket than you might think.
Believe it or not, you might be in for a better flying experience. We all hate airports and the delays we associate with them, not to mention the people that come in droves. Then again, according to surveys, more and more people will be opting NOT to travel during the holidays and in the ensuing months. If I were you, I would take advantage of this fact. Contrary to other …
Sep|20|2008
Why You Should Travel In Winter
Posted by Noemi as Air Travel, Carribbean, Tips, Trends, United States
Practically every travel site will tell you NOT to travel during the holiday period, especially in winter during Christmas. It is common sense, really. This is considered peak season and most everywhere you go, peak season means two things:
-everyone else is traveling
-all the prices go up.
So why am I suddenly proposing that you travel this winter? Am I going nuts? Not really. I recently read an article by Christopher Elliot and I find myself agreeing with some of what he talked about.
First, for those in the United States, things are bound to get better once the elections are over with. I believe that I am not being over optimistic about things. It is just that Americans – and the world, perhaps – have had it with the current administration. The goal of …
Sep|18|2008
Is Fall Becoming Duller?
Posted by Noemi as Eco-Friendly, Nature
What is your favorite season? Various people would have different answers, naturally, but I have heard “fall” to be a common answer. The rationale behind this answer usually has something to do with the temperature being just right (as opposed to summer’s heat or winter’s chill) and the fact that the colors of this season are astounding.
Yet if some people are to be believed, fall this year is not the same as before. According to Dave Gram, who wrote a feature article on this topic, people are noticing changes in the colors of the trees and their leaves. The consensus is that the colors are less vivid, duller.
What is the culprit? Many people think that is the climate change that we are experiencing worldwide.
“It’s nothing like it used to be,” said …
Sep|10|2008
Cherish Those Vacation Memories Better (Part 2)
Posted by Noemi as Tips
So you have decided on what camera to bring on your trip. You have also picked out a memory card that can accommodate all the shots that you are expecting to take. What’s next?
Pick your shots
This tip is quite helpful when you are actually on your vacation already. I mentioned how I liked taking snapshots of everything and anything while on vacation. While this might cover most every aspect of our trip, it would also be good to think about your shots. This is particularly important when you are taking pictures of landscapes and similar scenery. You have to consider elements such as the lighting, the background, and so on. This does not mean that you should stop clicking on the camera. All I want to say is that before you …
Sep|06|2008
Cherish Those Vacation Memories Better
Posted by Noemi as Tips
Are you the type of person who takes pictures of everything when on vacation? I have to admit that I am like that. In fact, my husband sometimes gets embarrassed when I take pictures of even the food we eat. My reasoning is that I want to remember every little detail years down the road and I find nothing wrong with snapping pictures all the time.
However, if you really want to make the most out of those photographs, then you might want to exercise a bit of discernment. I found a great article on this topic written by Doug Newcomb. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Decide what kind of camera you need.
If you are like me and you do not pay much attention to the technical aspects of photography, a point and shoot should …
Sep|04|2008
New Destination For Foodies: Tokyo
Posted by Noemi as Announcements, Around The World, Asia, Destinations, Food and Drink
It used to be that when one wanted to go to the premier destination for food, it was Paris that came to mind first. These days, it seems that there is a new culinary capital – at least according to the experts. The attention of Michelin, arguably the foodie’s guide to the best, was placed on Tokyo and they came up with a Michelin guide. What did it contain? Nothing but praise for this foodie’s haven, where even the ones on a budget could satisfy their palates with tons of great food.
MSN reports:
Here’s a Michelin morsel:
“Tokyo is a shining star in the world of cuisine,” Michelin Guides Director Jean-Luc Naret said shortly after its Tokyo edition came out last November. “We found the city’s restaurants to be excellent, featuring the best ingredients, culinary …
