Machu Picchu. The name conjures up images of impossibly tall mountains, llamas, colorfully dressed natives and amazing ruins. Machu Picchu means “old mountain” in Quechua. “Inaccessible mountain” might be a better name since there’s nothing really easy about getting there. However, with a little patience and determination, anyone can...
We were sitting in a restaurant in Peru wondering if we could trust the food, when an idea struck. We ordered a drink, connected to the wifi and pulled up Trip Advisor. We discovered that out of the 76 restaurants in the city, the one we had been corralled into was rated 72. Not only was the food rated as “awful” or “tasteless” by other...
Austin is unlike any other city in Texas, or anywhere else really. The capitol city is famous for it’s music scene and artistic laid-back attitude, but places within a few hours drive have never seemed as exciting to me as going somewhere where you have to board a plane. Consequently, I have always bypassed Austin for greener pastures. When I ended up...
I must admit that I didn’t know a lot about Tennessee until last week when I found myself right in the heart of it. I’ve been gallivanting around the globe for years but all I knew about Gatlinburg was what I’d heard from a Johnny Cash song . I thought Knoxville was the guy from Jackass. I confess that I’ve focused so much...
Over the last two decades, cruises have become one of the least expensive ways to travel. As more itineraries and ships become available, competition heats up and prices get lower. If you live near a port, keep an eye out for deals, you can snag some pretty good bargains and spend less traveling by sea, than by land. Knowing what things cost, hidden extras and...
You know you’ve been to SeaWorld a lot when Shamu recognizes you. You’ve walked past Ripley’s Believe it or Not so many times that you’ve started to believe it. You can’t seem to get lost on the Riverwalk no matter how hard you try. Have you been to San Antonio too many times? Probably. Have you missed something...
Dude:1. a man excessively concerned with his clothes,grooming, and manners. I’m sitting at a dude ranch near Bandera, Texas and ironically enough, no one seems to be concerned about their grooming. The meaning has obviously changed over the years. Bandera is called the Cowboy Capital of the World, its origins stemming from being the starting point of the...
We had just disembarked at the Las Vegas airport and could already hear the slot machines dinging in the distance. It was our first trip together on a plane and my girlfriend’s first voyage to Sin City. She turned to me and said “I didn’t tell you this earlier, but this is the first time I’ve been on a plane in 20 years.” I was...
Christopher Columbus was one of the first tourists to visit Costa Rica and apparently he made such a lasting impression, the country named the currency after him. Costa Rica has been the poster child for Central America for several decades as it seemingly earned the perception of being more stable and safe then it’s neighboring...
Knowing art is a little like knowing wine. You might know what suits your taste, but sometimes it can be difficult to know why or how to describe it to others. It’s subjective, but if enough people love it, then it’s considered great. Take a moment to think about what famous art pieces you know. Most of us in the western world have heard of the...