RSSNov|23|2008
Thanksgiving Travel: The Pilgrim Monument
Posted by Noemi as Arts & Culture, Destinations, Family, Historical, United States
Are you planning on traveling this Thanksgiving? If you read my last post, you would know that it just might be a good idea to hit the road this week and one place that would be perfect for Thanksgiving travel is The Pilgrim Monument in New England, where it all started.
Contrary to the expected idea that this monument should be located in Plymouth, where all the other Pilgrim attractions can be found, The Pilgrim Monument is located in Cape Cod, Provincetown. The monument has the distinction of being the tallest structure totally made of granite in all of the United States. Standing at 252 feet tall, the monument commemorates the fact that the Pilgrims first spent 5 weeks in the area before moving on to Plymouth to eventually settle there. So if you want to personally …
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 …
Aug|10|2008
Top Getaways For Girls
Posted by Noemi as Arts & Culture, Tips
I might get in trouble for using such a biased title but I couldn’t help it – an article I read at MSN really inspired me to write about it. You know how sometimes, you just need to get away from the mundane things in your life and the best thing to do would be to go out with your girl friends? Well how about taking it one step further and going away on vacation with them? Of course, mothers might find this a bit difficult to arrange but it is not impossible! Here are some ideas for you.
Go on a cooking class vacation.
The MSN article suggested taking cooking classes in Provence in France. While that would be a dream come true for many women, it might also be unrealistic for some. …
Jan|21|2008
Learning on Vacation (Part 2)
Posted by Noemi as Arts & Culture, Eco-Friendly, Family
Does the idea of learning while on vacation appeal to you? Maybe not – that is, if you are thinking in terms of traditional classroom education. Yet as I mentioned in my last post, most every vacation can be a learning experience for anyone, as long as you keep an open mind.
The second kind of learning on vacation that I mentioned in the last post is more for families with children. I am talking about homeschooling. Just because you have children does not mean that you cannot follow your dreams and travel for extended periods of time. This is when homeschooling comes in handy. You can take your kids with you for months on an end and still keep them up to date when it comes to their schooling. This would even be …
Jan|15|2008
Learning on Vacation
Posted by Noemi as Arts & Culture, Family
Yes, going on vacation usually means getting away from it all but who ever said that going on vacation means you cannot go on learning? As a matter of fact, going on a vacation can be an educational experience – both for the parents and the children. This idea is actually starting to become popular and more and more people are considering vacations as a way to enhance themselves and learn more about the world, life, and themselves as well!
Generally speaking, there are four types of learning while on vacation. They are as follow:
-Informal learning
-Homeschooling
-Escorted tours
-Classroom vacations.
This post is the first in a mini-series that will be tackling the concept of education vacations. Who knows? Your next family vacation could actually be a learning experience for everyone!
Informal learning
I would say that this is the most popular way of learning …
Jan|08|2008
Doing Good While On Vacation
Posted by Noemi as Announcements, Around The World, Arts & Culture, Eco-Friendly, Family
Why do we go on vacation? If you are anything like me, the primary reason is to enjoy myself and to have a change from my daily life. I suppose that this is the main reason for most people to go on trips, yet have you heard of family volunteer vacations?
This is an alternative type of vacation for families who want to do more on their break than merely enjoy themselves. What happens is that the trip is meant as a get away from the mundane daily life of the family and aims to help other people who are less fortunate at the same time. The way I see it, volunteer vacations targets a lot of things:
-the family gets to experience something new
-the children learn about other ways of living
-the children experience how it is to …
Dec|13|2007
The Bethlehem Christmas Town Festival
Posted by Noemi as Around The World, Arts & Culture, Destinations, Events, Family, Festivals, Getaways, Shopping, United States
What is the reason for Christmas? Any Christian would readily answer that it is because of the birth of Jesus Christ. Where was he born? In Bethlehem. We all know that this small town is located in Israel. Yet did you know that there is a Bethlehem right here in the United States?
It is actually located in Connecticut and is a picturesque town and boy, do they make the most out of their town’s name when Christmas time comes around! In fact, countless people have already made a visit to Bethlehem, CT a part of their Christmas celebrations.
What can you expect from a visit to this town during the Christmas season? Their Christmas Town Festival is the highlight of the period. Unfortunately, this year, they held it from December 7-8, so it’s …
Dec|11|2007
Christmas Destination: The Christ Redeemer
Posted by Noemi as Americas, Around The World, Arts & Culture, Cities, Destinations
If you are thinking of an alternative destination for the holidays, you may want to consider going somewhere which can help you experience the meaning of Christmas all the more. There are many choices all over the world but one good destination – which is not at all that far – is Brazil.
Have you heard of The Christ Redeemer? This amazing statue has in fact been featured in countless documentaries, highlighting its significance and relevance with regard to the Brazilian culture. This statue of Jesus Christ stands 124 feet tall and is located on top of Corcovado Mountain, just overlooking Rio de Janeiro.
For Christians, this would be the perfect backdrop for a Christmas celebration as Jesus Christ is the center of all the celebration. If you are looking for alternative ways to impart to your children the …
Nov|26|2007
Christmas Tree Lightings
Posted by Noemi as Arts & Culture, Events, Family
The Christmas season is one of the best times for families to take a trip. Undoubtedly, it may be a little bit crowded and prices may be a bit high. It is not called peak season for no reason. However, there are some scenes and experiences that are well worth the price. More so, if you plan your trip ahead of time, you wouldn’t have to pay as much as if you plan your trip late.
If you were to think about it, the Christmas tree is one of the most recognized symbolisms of the season. Children and adults all over the world look forward to seeing wonderfully decorated and lighted Christmas trees when the holiday season ensues. One good idea for a short trip this Christmas is to go see Christmas tree lightings. These are …
Oct|17|2007
To Each His or Her Own Halloween
Posted by Jen as Around The World, Arts & Culture, Events, Festivals, Trivia
While Halloween may have originated from the Celts in Ireland, it has spread quite quickly all over the world, reaching continents as far as Asia. It’s also remarkable how different cultures manage to incorporate this old tradition with their own. In this entry, let me take you to some of those places and see how Halloween manifests itself there.
In China, Halloween is called by another name: Teng Chieh. During this day, the Chinese would offer food and drink to their departed ancestors by setting them before old photographs. They also light bonfires or lanterns in order to serve as a guide for the spirits who walk the Earth. In Buddhist temples, many people make “Boats of Law” which are to be burned during the night. The purpose of this is to remember the dead and to help the spirits who died a tragic death to move …
