RSSJun|14|2010
America’s Coffee Towns. Part 1
Posted by Zahir as Americas, Cities, Food and Drink, Historical
Seattle, San Francisco. These two jewels of U.S Pacific Coast have much in common: a reputation as the coffee lover’s Nirvana. So who is the real pro?
Though the cities’ caffeine societies are distinct, their pasts are intertwined. San Francisco has a tradition of good coffee that goes back at least as far as the 1899 opening of Freed, Teller & Freed, the oldest specialty bean roaster west of New York.
Peet was Dutchman Alfred Peet’s modest little roastery, opened in 1966 on Walnut and Vine in Berkeley, that became the real epicenter of the gourmet coffee boom that has engulfed the Bay Area, Seattle, and, mercifully, many former Maxwell House strongholds beyond.
It may be purely coincidental that many of San Francisco’s independent coffeehouses have a similarly well-worn, unhi-tech atmosphere. But it is no accident that the first Starbucks, …
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May|23|2010
US Travel Alert For Jamaica
Posted by Noemi as Warnings
Jamaica has always been a sought after destination for many Americans (and non-Americans for that matter). If you are planning on going there any time in the near future, though, you might want to think about it again. Late last week, the US State Department issued a travel alert for the country.
The reason for the alert is that reports are coming in about criminal gang members gathering in Kingston. Never mind that the reports are unconfirmed – Jamaican defense forces are “responding” to the potential threat already. And in spite of the fact that the reports are not confirmed, the US Department of State is being careful. Here’s a snippet of the alert:
The possibility exists for violence and/or civil unrest in the greater Kingston metropolitan area. There are unconfirmed reports of criminal gang …
May|09|2010
Tips On How To Get Some Sleep While Flying
Posted by Noemi as Air Travel, Tips
It took me a while to decide whether or not to write about this topic. You see, I am the kind of person who can fall asleep anywhere. And I mean anywhere. I once fell asleep on the bus while standing. Yup, my hands were raised, holding on to the rail, and I woke up when I almost fell flat on my face.
For those who have difficulty falling asleep while on long haul flights, though, the problems can be serious. The last thing that you would want is to feel dead tired because of lack of sleep all throughout your vacation. Here are some tips on how to get that much needed sleep in-flight.
Make sure the seat reclines.
Of course, this is not a problem for those who fly first class, but for …
Apr|21|2010
Hang Up Your Hammock In Some Of The World’s Best Beaches
Posted by Noemi as Around The World, Destinations, Islands, Website
There is no denying it – I am a beach fanatic. It wasn’t always the case. It wasn’t till 2006 that I discovered my passion for the sun, the sand, and the water. Since then, however, I haven’t been able to control this passion. When I saw Lonely Planet’s list of the best beaches in the world to put up a hammock, I knew I had to put these places on my own list. Here are my most desired destinations in the list.
Jambiani, Tanzania
The Beach that Time Forgot – that’s how this area is described. The only drawback to this beach is that you cannot really swim as the tides are low. However, you can put up that hammock and be lazy all day.
Pulau Perhentian, Malaysia
Lonely Planet’s write up says “Except for snorkelling, …
Apr|18|2010
Travel Challenge: Go Out Of Your Comfort Zone
Posted by Noemi as Adventure, Travelogger
People travel for different reasons. If someone asks you why you travel, what will you say? Some people travel to get away from the tediousness of their daily lives. They don’t care where they go or what they do, as long as they have a change of scenery. Others travel to pamper themselves – probably something that they do not have the luxury of doing on a daily basis.
Have you ever thought of traveling to challenge yourself to get out of your comfort zone? To be honest with you, I have always belonged to the first two groups I described above. When I travel, I want to stay at the most comfortable hotel I can afford. I want to do things that I am not “afraid” of doing. I stay away from …
Apr|14|2010
Score Cheap Accommodations
Posted by Noemi as Hotels, Tips
Next to airfare, accommodations usually take up a huge chunk of one’s travel budget. In fact, sometimes, airfares can be cheaper than hotels. This is especially true if you fly on a budget airline. However, there are many ways by which you can find cheap (or maybe even free) accommodations. You just need to exert a little more effort. Here are some ideas.
Be a couch surfer. What in the world is this? If you’re a budget traveler, then you probably have heard of this. I am not into couch surfing, but my friends who are swear by it. The idea is to join a community composed of likeminded people who travel like you do. When you travel, you can look for a host who will offer his “couch” for you …
Apr|10|2010
Cities Party People SHOULD Go To
Posted by Noemi as Cities, Destinations
You probably know a little bit about me by now – I don’t like partying or going to a new city just for the night life. I do realize, however, that there are countless people out there who travel to a new place and yearn to get a sampling of the party scene. If you are one of those people, you ought to check out Lonely Planet’s list of ultimate party cities.
Some of the featured cities were not really a surprise. Buenos Aires, Argentina, for example, has long been known to offer the most exciting night activities one can ask for. After all, this is the land of tango!
But, did you ever think of going to Tel Aviv to party? According to the travel experts, this city is filled to the brim with …
Apr|04|2010
What Makes You Come Back?
Posted by Noemi as Asia, Getaways, Travelogger
Sunset at the beach
The beach is just “okay.” The sand is not even white – it’s more of a beige-brown color. Neither is it fine. Once you get in the water, the pebbly ground can hurt your feet if they are overly sensitive. The waves are often strong. There is practically no night life to speak ok.
So why do I keep coming back to Tamaraw Beach Resort in Puerto Galera, Philippines? My answer is simple: I feel at home there. Every time I lay my …
Mar|22|2010
Ben Thanh Night Market
Posted by Noemi as Asia, Cities, Destinations, Food and Drink, Shopping, Travelogger
There is something about night markets that attract me – and tons of other tourists, as well. Every time I visit a new city, I make it a point to find out if it has a night market, and I make sure that go there at least once. I don’t know why, but night markets are much more fun than the “day” ones.
In any case, as I was telling you in my previous post, Ben Thanh Market closes in the early evening, but its night market draws more crowds – if that’s at all possible. The night market is composed of stalls set up in the streets flanking the Ben Thanh Market. During the day, these streets serve as, well, streets. The sides are parking areas as well. When the night market opens, they still serve as streets – motorcycles galore – but your …
Mar|21|2010
Ben Thanh Market In Saigon
Posted by Noemi as Asia, Cities, Shopping, Travelogger
At the start of this month, I told you that I would probably be writing mostly about Saigon as I had tons of experiences that I would like to share. I did have a short break yesterday when I wrote about my Mount Pinatubo experience – which is in the Philippines. Let’s go back to neighboring Vietnam, shall we?
One of the attractions of Saigon is the shopping experience. Trust me, even those who normally shy away from shopping will have a blast in Saigon! The most popular shopping destination is Ben Thanh Market. It is located right smack in the center of the city and served as a landmark for me. When I got a little lost, I would always find my way back to this market and rediscover my bearings.
So what does Ben …
