As soon as I saw them enter the train car I knew I was in trouble. The doors closed, the jerk of the subway starting caused everyone to unanimously jolt forward and then back, and the new passengers announced themselves with “Fahrscheine bitte” (tickets please). Riding Schwarz I had forgotten to renew my monthly pass when […]
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After a wonderful four days in Bali’s northwest village of Pemuteran it was time to move on to the next adventure and Ubud was calling our names. The options for getting there, however, were either very expensive (500,000 Rp to hire your own driver) or very out of the way (going all the way to […]
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The tiny town of Windsor Locks never makes anyone’s travel bucket list but I must admit that I feel lucky to have lived there for three years. Spanning only 9.4 sq miles (24.35 km²), the smallest town in Connecticut slowly grows on you and before you know it, it feels like home. It’s the kind […]
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On my last morning I took a final look at the map of Ayuthaya that the guesthouse gave me when I noticed a small cartoon-drawn elephant with the label “Elephant Kraal” in the top right corner of the page. With a piqued interest, I looked into this further and discovered that this was the last […]
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Only a 15 minute taxi ride from Singapore’s airport, the Furama Riverfront Hotel is conveniently located on Havelock Road, on the Singapore River. It is a short drive to the Bugis shopping district and the Fortune Center, where you can find great vegetarian and vegan dining. First Impression The first impression of the Furama is […]
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Baltimore, the largest city in the state of Maryland, lies on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay of the United States’ east coast. Also known as “Charm City”, Baltimore can be broken up into neighborhoods giving it a small town feel. History enthusiasts will find that Baltimore warrants more time than a quick day trip from Washington […]
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Puerto Rico, roughly the size of Rhode Island, is teeming with an array of activities, easily lending itself to a bucket list. From great hiking opportunities through lush, waterfall-filled jungle, to placid scenic beaches, to bat caves and numerous water adventures this US territory seems to have something for everyone. Having only a few days […]
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Phrases like “living off the grid” are often muttered in rural parts of beautiful New England. Everyone has advice of how best to preserve vegetables to make eating home-grown food during the frigid winter months possible. Freezing, drying, maintaining a root cellar and canning are all common practices throughout New England’s many rural communities. During […]
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I’ve always been fascinated by the North American moose and no matter how many times I see one, I am still always surprised by their size. Standing up to a towering 7 feet at the shoulder, it’s often hard to remember they are in the deer family. I enjoy learning moose trivia as well, such as […]
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The kindness from complete strangers can often make the difference between a good trip and a great one. The Chinese passengers in our train car, who vacated the window seats for us when we passed a gorgeous lake on the Tibetan plateau, or the hotel clerk unlucky enough to work on Christmas in Coban, Guatemala, […]
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Much like going to the Israeli Museum or visiting the Western Wailing Wall, walking the way of the cross began as just another item on my “things to do in Jerusalem” list but it ended up being much more than a tourist activity. Although my empathy for what Jesus went through grew with each station, […]
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As a kid, I had always heard about the mysterious Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth, and wondered what it would be like to float in it. I had had no idea that it was located between Israel and Jordan, or that it was shrinking by one full meter annually, or that it was […]
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I lived in Berlin from 2002 to 2005 and during those three years I resided in four neighborhoods including Prenzlauerberg, Kreuzberg, Schoeneberg and Friedrichshain. This was my first time living outside my own country and hence I discovered what I missed and appreciated from “back home”. I currently live in Thailand and I have now […]
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The alarm pierced the silence at the ungodly hour of 5:00am. My leg muscles were sore from our hike up to David’s Waterfall the day before in Ein Gedi National Park. And I had a headache, no doubt due to a mild case of dehydration from staying in the Dead Sea a bit too long […]
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My curiosity about the world began as a small child and I have my mother to thank for preparing me for my global exploration. By arming me with both practical skills, such as how to read a map, and analytical skills, like how to see the world from a different perspective other than my own, […]
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Have you seen all the main tourist hot spots in Chiang Mai but have an extra day before journeying on to your next port of adventure? Consider bicycling through the wooded campus of Chiang Mai University. Located between Suthep and Huay Kaew roads, with the main entrance off Huay Kaew, Chiang Mai University offers shade […]
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A young guard greeted me and without smiling (very atypical in Thailand) she allowed me to enter through the door made of painted metal bars and be seated just outside the second of what I later learned would be a series of identical doors. As I silently sat in the plastic chair provided, it suddenly […]
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Chiang Mai certainly has its share of elaborate and ornate temples, such as Wat Phra Doi Suthep and Wat Phra Singh. However, if you’re in the mood to visit a temple with a different style, my new favorite wat in the city might be exactly what you’re looking for. Sobering Wat Umong, built in 1297 […]
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