Louisiana is known for many things: music, culture, but most importantly, its cuisine! Louisiana food is often on the spicier side and known all around the world as "Cajun Cuisine". The history of the recipes and foods of Louisiana is an interesting one. There are influences from France, Spain, Africa, and India. However, there are parts of Louisiana that offer a more soul food-like experience.
Ambergris Caye, Belize Xanadu Island Resort, Ambergris Caye, Belize Xanadu Island Resort, Ambergris Caye, Belize Wedged between Mexico and Guatemala, the very small country of Belize has become one of the most popular scuba diving and eco-tourism destinations in Central America. With its immaculate beaches, lush tropical rain forests, and ancient Mayan cities, (plus diverse flora and fauna to boot!),
So you want to take a vacation and are looking around at destinations to visit where there are sandy white beaches to stick your toes into the sand. You spin the globe and your finger lands on the sunny land of Belize. Then you get to thinking, what kind of beaches do they have down there? Can you find the best 4 Belize beaches? What
The country of Indonesia, officially known as the Republic of Indonesia, is located in Southeast Asia. Nestled in between the Pacific and Indian Oceans, this country is dispersed into thousands of small islands. One of its famous islands is Komodo Island where it is home to the most famous lizards in the world, the Komodo Dragon. In fact, this country is famous for not only
I have been looking for unique or unusual bucket list ideas since staying home from traveling because of COVID19. After the initial shock wore off of social distancing, I started redecorating my home. But after a few months, I was done with that and was looking for more fun things to do at home in the evenings. Of course, no traveling was required until things
Like every big city, Buenos Aires has many popular tourist attractions that can be found on almost any street corner in Argentina. In fact, Argentina has many popular tourist attractions that are labeled “must-sees”. Argentina’s vast metropolis is a melting pot of food, cultures, and colors. With football history icons like *Diego Maradona and La Boca, cemetery visits, and, above all, tango, everything seems
Panama City Beach, Florida, is one of the most sought-after tourist destinations for a large number of Americans, especially those from the Southern and Midwestern states. Known for its sugary-white sand and turquoise water, Panama City Beach is a tourist hotspot for vacationers of all ages. Best Places to Eat in Panama City Beach This beach town caters to many different types of tourists, ranging
Portofino, Italy is a small fishing village along the Italian Riviera known for its good looks and visitors: the Hollywood crowd and beyond! But you don't have to be a celebrity or wealthy to visit this gorgeous seaside town in Northern Italy. For me, it is the perfect town. The half-moon-shaped harbor, with its pastel houses lining the streets along the shore, hasn't had
As a travel lover, there is no better feeling than exploring a new city. Oftentimes, we get so caught up in sightseeing during the day, that our night activities revolve around eating and then either going out for a nightcap or just going to bed. However, that should change when you visit Portland, Oregon, as there are plenty of things to do in Portland Oregon
Picture yourself in one of the over 17,000 islands in the Republic of Indonesia. One of the most notable and particularly interesting islands is known as the habitat of the Komodo dragon. It is the largest lizard on earth and the island is known as Komodo Island. But no need to worry, the Komodo dragon is not the only species roaming around the islands of Komodo.
Visiting the city of New Orleans and hearing the sounds and intonations of blues music really inspired me to learn a little bit about the blues harmonica songs I kept hearing around town. And why they are so closely tied to the sufferings of the Africans (the "cradle of the blues"), Caribbeans, Haitians, and even Catholic Louisianas who live here. From those who taught me,
Greece is undoubtedly one of the most picturesque countries in Europe. This beautiful country is surrounded by turquoise-colored seas, deep blue and crisp white houses, rich landmarks, and some awesome museums. Similar to the Italian culture, Greeks love to show off their cooking and baking skills. Just like in the homes of millions of Americans, one of the Greek ways to show affection to the
Whether you call her the Big Easy like I do, Crescent City, NOLA, or New Orleans, once you visit you may never want to leave. That is what happened to me. I was with my girlfriend over on Royal Street in the French Quarter at a diamond store. She’s from New Orleans, so when I told her I was coming for a visit to her
An interesting perspective on bucket lists is that if you don’t write your goals, ideas, and dreams down, they never seem to get accomplished. I have always heard to write them down very specifically so that you can accomplish them. When it comes to travel, I will quote American Airlines, who opens up their safety video (that I have heard hundreds of times) with “There
I fell in love with Genova, Italia the minute I stepped off the plane that landed on the tarmac. Located in the Liguria region, it is tightly squeezed in between Monaco and Tuscany and is the thinnest and the smallest of all the regions of Italy. It may not be the most popular area of Italy or an area that you think of when it
One of our favorite family vacations is to travel and stay at a house or condo in the area where we want to explore in Mexico. We recently took a family trip to the Sea of Cortez to the little town in Mexico called Puerto Penasco to celebrate my son's college graduation. Not only did we pack a few things that are hard to find
Santorini is just one of the many Cyclades Islands in Greece that literally has everything I want on an island. Hidden and blue-domed churches, stunning sunsets, abundant antiquities, beautiful beaches, volcanoes rising out of the Aegean Sea, cave houses, and whitewashed stone buildings that dot the landscape. Add in all the fresh food you will eat to the equation and you’ve got an unbeatable vacation.
I recently visited Budapest, Hungary with Avalon Waterways to check out their new “Active and Discovery” excursion tours that are offered on their European river cruises. Since I have been on my share of European river cruises along the Rhine, Main, and the Danube, I was excited to try out their new style of excursions. One of my choices for a "discovery" excursion was called
Floating up to the stunningly gorgeous jetty at the Raja Ampat Dive Resort on Waigeo Island in West Papua Indonesia, I knew I was in for a special treat. Waigeo Island is the largest of the four main islands of the Raja Ampat Island archipelago. This was THAT kind of place, the epitome of a remote, exotic beach vacation. Raja Ampat is one of those
Is there anything kids love more than playing with toys? Most, if not all, kids enjoy playing with a range of different toys. So leave it to me to introduce you to some of the best toy museums in the world. With toys such as Legos, dolls, Barbie and Ken, Micky Mouse, Lion King, stuffed animals, robots, trains, and Hot Wheels. These are just a
Luigi Lombardi's Garden to his Violin Shop in Forli, Italy La Bottega del Legno: The Wood Shop in Forli, Italy La Bottega del Legno - Luigi Lombardi's Violin Shop in Dovadola, Italy The Violin The year was 1943 and it was blistering cold. The conditions were unbearable and he struggled with making it yet another day. Days ran into more days
This post won the award by Italy Magazine as the best blog post on an art and culture blog for 2014! Carpegna, Italy Rumbling down the road, past the emerald green pastures, dirt, and signs in Italian, I knew I was up for this adventure. The roads became tinier and tinier as we headed toward Carpegna in the Le Marche region of Italy.
The anticipation was thick in the air when we arrived mid-morning for our very first peek deep into Germany’s Black Forest where Carnival comes alive! Not the Carnival you may be thinking of with drunkenness and bead-throwing like in New Orleans, but a traditional type that has been going for centuries in the forests of Germany. This carnival, deep in the Black Forest, is a
Stavanger Norway is a city that is close to the mountains along the southwestern coast of Norway in the Rogaland fylke. Stavanger is a place where it is easy to go hiking and to explore its famous fjords of Norway - which are long, narrow inlets with steep sides created by glaciers. In this article, I show you some of my favorite things to do
A visit to the Black Forest in Germany may bring you sounds you may remember from your childhood: "Cuckoo, Cuckoo, Cuckoo!" that Cuckoo Clock Sound. Remember from an episode of the Carol Burnett show or even "In the Pink of the Night" by the Pink Panther (if you are old enough!) Are you able to bring to mind an awareness of when the Pink Panther
In South America, there is a tiny sliver of a country nestled between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean known as the Republic of Chile. There are many legends as to why this country was named Chile including a derivation from the Mapuche word that means “where the land ends”. Others might think it has to do with Chilean food or red chili. However, regardless
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico was named the "best city in the world" by the world-famous Condé Nast Travellers Magazine (2020) and Travel + Leisure (2017). This Mexican city sits in the eastern part of Guanajuato and is a part of the Bajio region. This fascinating city was founded in 1542 by Franciscan monk Fray Juan de San Miguel, hence the name of the city.
I recently was on a trip to Lake Charles, Lousiana for Mardi Gras where I encountered the making of a King Cake or King's bread! "A what, I asked?" Being from the South, you would think I would have heard of all the desserts from this region but never had I heard those words before. There are some words related to food that we eat knowing
This popular Mexican Toy Museum or "Museo La Esquina" in San Miguel de Allende is one of the many treasures you will find in Latin America that specializes in collecting and exhibiting handmade and beautifully-crafted Mexican toys. It is a collection made up of more than 3,000 toys that have been amassed by its director Angélica Tijerina, for over fifty years! And it is a
Right at the center of the Indochinese Peninsula is the beautiful country of Thailand. Did you know that in the Thai language, the word “Thailand" means “Land of the Free”? This mirrors Thailand's freedom from all European nations. This is unlike some of its surrounding Asian countries like Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar (Burma), and Vietnam. Also, Buddhism plays a huge role in Thai society, as nearly
Authenticity in food is a very fluid concept, especially when looking for authentic food from a specific country. Authentic Italian food to the baker on the corner in Tuscany could be different from the pastry chef down the street, much less the difference in different regions of Italy. In fact, the same recipe can taste different from chef to chef and all of them will
Have you ever thought about diving Cancun cenotes while in the Riviera Maya? The stunning Kukulkan Cenote is a 33 feet (10 meters) deep blue cavern that is part of the Chac Mool caving system in the Yucatan, Mexico. It is set in a jungle scenery with fresh and saltwater, lots of fossils, and even a few stalactites. Cancun Cenotes The main attraction though is
Like every big city, Buenos Aires has many popular tourist attractions that can be found on every website you read about the country of Argentina. Many times as tourists, we go to popular tourist attractions that are labeled “must-sees”. And so many times I have gone and come away feeling a bit misguided. This article is not to say you should visit La Boca, but
Caye Caulker is a minuscule little island off the coast of Belize. Roughly 3000 people live on this breathtaking island that sits off the Caribbean Sea. If you are one of those people who love to visit “off the beaten track” places, then I would recommend visiting Caye Caulker Belize. The island itself is less than 1 mile from east to west and 5 miles
The natural depth of a lake is a fascinating wonder that intrigues numerous people to learn more and to take time to visit some of the deepest lakes in the world. A lake is a large body of water that is surrounded by land. Lakes usually do not flow into rivers and are mostly made up of fresh water. Many of the deepest lakes of
