Honeymoon Perfected

Although I am no where near marriage I came across an interesting article in Conde Naste travel regarding remote hotels. My eyes obviously flashed towards the clear blue waters and the solitude of this hut sitting in the middle of no where. MALDIVES. That is where I would love to spend my week long honeymoon when I decide to finally get married. Going on a vacation these days defeats the purpose of "getting away" when your hotel room becomes an office away from the office. Technology gets in the way and by the end of our vacation we are in need of another one. The rate at this hotel is about $800 a night, quite expensive but worth every penny. 

The Beach House at Maldives, a Relais Châteaux resort, has recently rebranded itself as a Waldorf Astoria Collection hotel. The private beach house at Manafaru Maldives offers 68 luxury villas with pools in exquisite luxury. Guests enjoy private butler service, every modern technology convenience in a Maldives paradise. Now who wouldn't want that kind of vacation? 

To fly or not to fly

After high school graduation I felt obliged to move away as far as possible to experience life in the real world also known as my-life-my-rules-my-provocative world. So I got on a plane and moved 1200 miles away to Provo. Little did I know that I'd be back to Houston three times that year and a few side road trips to fill a void that seemed to have been created when I left home. Since then I have made several trips by land, by sea, and air. So I think it's safe to say I am what the airport calls an "expert flyer". By now I should have frequent flyer miles but I can't commit to a particular airline. 

The Miami international airport was full of rude, rushing joggers because they were late getting to their gate. Newark airport was empty when I arrived at 2 am. LAX airport is to say the very least addicting; there are slot machines at every gate. Bush International airport in Houston...well as they say in Texas "Everything is bigger in Texas". I could go on and on but you've seen one airport you've seen them all. 

Experience has taught me to always buy the window seat. I try to avoid eye contact and conversation if possible, you never know what you will find and I don't intend on waiting to find out. I have heard too many creepy stories regarding meeting people on planes. I usually take a book, magazine or my ipod to entertain myself while I'm not sleeping. 

I realize at this time in our economy it's a luxury to fly somewhere so I suggest buying your tickets early on, don't wait until the last minute if you can help it. Try to look on websites such as Expedia or Orbitz. There are alternatives to flying so decide ....to fly or not to fly?

Unplanned Road Trip Tips

On occasion I get this crazy idea to pack up some stuff and take off. It helps to have roommates who are willing to do the same on such short notice. Life gets hectic and you need a break from it all. Now these tips are in no particular order:

1. Take plenty of snacks (healthy or not) 

2. Go with a few friends, family, or a significant other

3. Choose a place that is relaxing and not too far away

4. Make a cool play list and always have it in your car

5. Take a nice outfit in case you go out with your friends

6. Pick a hotel with a pool and hot tub

7. Don't forget your camera and take pictures the entire time

8. Don't speed (I always manage to get a ticket on these road trips) there's no rush!

9. Stop along the way...rest stops, monuments, any excuse to stretch your legs take it

10. Enjoy yourself, let loose, relax because everything will be the same when you get back so don't worry about those things until you get back home

A World of Magic

I used to live in Florida when I was younger with my parents but because of high costs of living we moved. In some way a part of me has always yearned to go back. So when I got that opportunity this past summer I took advantage of it. I remember visiting Universal Studios on a family vacation about six or seven years ago but it was vague in my memory. Walking through the park I could smell the huge turkey which reminded me of that first visit.  For first-timers I would encourage you try the turkey leg but split it with a few friends or family. The park has some new rides but I was excited to ride all of them and share that experience with my friend Sara since this was her first time in Florida. My favorite ride was the Men in Black. Who can resist black shades, aliens, and a sci-fi looking gun? Plus I got the highest score, those aliens didn't have anything on me! 

A quick tip: Bring a poncho or umbrella. It always rains in Orlando but that doesn't shut the park down in fact its pretty refreshing in the hot weather. Take comfortable shoes because by the end of the day your feet will be worn out. Get on every ride if you have time. Pay the extra 20 bucks for preferred parking you will appreciate this at the end of the day. Make sure you have dinner at the CityWalk when it gets lively with music, lights, and a fun atmosphere. Most importantly just have fun!  

Fiji Seducing Me

I have never been to the island of Fiji but it's blue ocean waves call my name each night. I hear the palm trees whisper my name begging me to come take down one of its coconuts and drink the delicious milky juice. I can feel the warmth of the sun on my naked skin and a light breeze cooling me off as little droplets of perspiration trickle down my back. The soft sand underneath my feet promises not to burn my tender feet if only I will come walk upon its shore. Thoughts of my hair blowing in the wind as I envision myself riding on a horse without a saddle. "Freedom," is what it calls out to me. The air smells sweet as I breathe in pure air from the mountains. A colorful landscape pleads for me to memorize this quick instant as I begin to fade. 

Sadly it was all a dream BUT there is hope. I will look up flights to Fiji today and think of nothing more. It has been ingrained in my mind and refuses to leave. So there is only one solution. I must go to Fiji. Who wants to come?

Guatemala or Bust

My father is from El Salvador so when we went to visit our family for a month in the summer my mother decided to take us to Guatemala for a week. We took a bus there with some of our extended family. Six hours stuck in the same position smelling an acrid aroma was not my definition of a road trip. Nonetheless we made it and looking back I really enjoyed spending time with my family. We had to make a quick stop at a random person's house to use the bathroom because "someone" (this person will remain nameless for obvious reasons) had stomach issues. "Someone" used an outhouse before they realized there was no toilet paper and finally after some digging around in the suitcases we were able to find some. The view however was incredible with mountains and green pastures with grazing animals entertained our eyes for most of the trip.

We finally made it! The first thing we did was take a tour of a factory that was known for gemstones in particular Jade. I bought a beautiful silver necklace with a Jade gemstone on it which I absolutely love. The tour was given in Spanish with a few words in English which was pretty funny when Carlos, our tour guide, kept saying "Pleaz bee sawdy fur mai Ingles". No one had the heart to correct him, my sisters and I just giggled a little each time he said it. And then we finally hit the streets of Antigua which is a beautiful town with cobble streets and delicate, old houses. We were lucky and got to see a colorful parade celebrating "Senorita de Antigua" and an entourage of dancers along with a band.

We then took a boat ride to see the Castle of San Felipe (the tour was a little long and boring but the scenery was amazing). The castle was built around 1604 and consisted basically on a vigilance tower named The Tower of Bustamante. The construction continued so the Castle was completed and named San Felipe in honor to the king Felipe II. After the boat ride we got hungry and decided to go eat (my mom insisted on eating a traditional Guatemalan dish). So we sat at some cafe and ate Jocon. Doesn't sound tasty does it? Well it was DELICIOUS!!! Basically it is chicken simmered in a tasty sauce tinted a beautiful green by tomatillos (tomatoes) and cilantro and thickened with ground sesame and pumpkin seeds and corn tortillas. I highly recommend this dish to experience and take in the countries real essence. 

Seattle and a Wedding

I had never been to Seattle and after receiving a wedding invitation to be held in Portland, Oregon I figured I might as well take a detour to visit the Evergreen State. So we packed up the car and headed out to Seattle. The scenery on the way there is much more intriguing than say Utah; all through the mountains we could see lush greenery and beautiful dark blue water. We stayed with my friend Megan who happens to live right by Puget Sound. Growing up in a hot and humid place like Houston I couldn't fathom not having AC in the house; but here they just opened a window. Sight-seeing was quite an adventure. I had never taken the subway anywhere so Megan suggested we take a ride to downtown Seattle. Of course you can't visit Seattle without going to see the Space Needle. To be honest I didn't go up to the very top because as a college student, this trip was already taking a chunk out of my bank account.

 We drove down to Portland just in time for the rehearsal dinner at Rheinlander German Restaurant. I had never heard of it but was quite satisfied with the food and entertainment by the end of the night. We all joined in singing German folk songs about women and beer while banging on the tables. The food was quite delicious I especially enjoyed the sausages and dipping sauces. For dinner we had a juicy flank steak and scampi skewer (garlic marinated shrimp) accompanied by scalloped potatoes and seasoned vegetables. After a few "get to know you" games the night finally came to a close but not without eating an Apple Strudel desert first. Yum!

  Portland had never seen temperatures this high during the month of August but this day temperatures had reached well into the high nineties. There wasn't a breeze all day or a cloud in the sky. The wedding happened to be outside and it wasn't until the late evening that temperatures finally cooled down. The ceremony was beautiful despite all the sweaty guests but she looked more lovely than ever. I must confess I did shed a few tears as I watched my two friends begin their eternity together. The couple had this serene blissful look on their faces the entire evening. The trip back to Provo was very enjoyable that is if you are a fan of nature. There were tall, green pine trees all around us and as we inhaled the sweet smell of nature enveloped us.

Cruise, Booze, and News

Recently my roommate Sara and I went on a cruise to the Bahamas. The weather was perfect with a light wind to keep us cool while baking out by the beach. We stopped at Port Lucaya Marketplace (as you can see in the picture) to do some shopping and relieve our sunburned bodies from the sun's rays. The shops were quaint with colorful signs inviting us to come spend our hard earned money on fine gems, designer watches, perfume and Duty-Free liquor. My favorite part was the women selling straw crafts, t-shirts, key chains, and shot glasses. I met this woman named Doris, she was charismatic yet aggressive when it came to negotiating the price of her straw bags. In her Bahamian accent she proceeded to tell me all about how they had been kicked out of the marketplace to fumigate and she was left to sell out of her home for a few days. So she was glad to be back at the marketplace and decided to give me a good price on t-shirts. (I bought like four).

Alcohol was shoved in our faces everywhere we went on the cruise as well as on the island. We kindly refused their offers; even after our tenth refusal they still persisted. I guess it was their way of welcoming tourists to the island. It's called a "Bahama Mama" which essentially is orange and pineapple juice with some rum. We were told it was their specialty and most of the tourist really enjoyed it. It may seem that way during the first few drinks but after a while most of the tourists were throwing up. Gross! The only enjoyable part was watching the drunk men and women do the "Dollar Dance". I didn't record this but this is basically the gist of the dance with a Bahama Mama in hand. 

We did visit the island during hurricane season but fortunately for us we didn't encounter any storms and the waves were gentle on the way there and back. Luckily for my roommate she did not have to take care of me because I usually get seasick. The best time to visit is during the months of March-July. Take plenty of sunscreen. You will need a passport if you want to get back to the US although after a few days in paradise you just might forget all about home. The legal drinking and gambling age is 18 (I say this with a cautious warning to all because throwing up is not fun and losing all of your money in a few hours isn't either). And finally, nude or topless sunbathing is illegal so wait until you get back to Florida to find those particular beaches. 

Tell me about your most recent vacation either outside of the country or in the states. Any interesting stories?