xml encoding=”UTF-8″–>  In hindsight, I probably shouldn’t be spending three nights at The Ranch at Rock Creek, located off the Pintler Veteran’s Memorial Scenic Highway 1 in southwest Montana.  Don’t get me wrong, being treated like the most important person to ever walk through their front door and being delightfully pampered is out of this …

xml encoding=”UTF-8″–>After a 1 1/2-hour bus ride from Penang, Malaysia we had finally arrived at the Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat in Ipoh. Weary and worn, I was overwhelmed with joy as we approached the lush entrance of this breathtaking tropical retreat and meditation center in Ipoh.  I had never seen anything like it and I was …

xml encoding=”UTF-8″–>Most days I write about my travel experiences: the good, the bad, and the ugly… But mostly I write about the wonderful travel experiences that I feel and see through my rose-colored glasses. I am grateful for the travel experiences that I have had around the globe and a recent invite by Trafalgar Tours, …

xml encoding=”UTF-8″–>Mardi Gras is the love of life. It is the harmonic convergence of our food, our music, our creativity, our eccentricity, our neighborhoods, and our joy of living. All at once. – Chris Rose To really understand what a Chicken Run is, you must understand the cultural significance of the above statement. Zydeco music was …

xml encoding=”UTF-8″–>I’m a collector of masks. On display in my home are over 30 masks carefully carted back as my treasures from visits to faraway lands. So naturally, heading to Venice, I was keen on picking up a few Venice masks to add to my collection. I timed my visit to be there during the …

xml encoding=”UTF-8″–>  Quotes on Patriotism: Republic Day in Istanbul While I was in Istanbul, it was a national holiday known as Republic Day, and the flags of Turkey were out in full force. It was the best display of patriotism I have ever encountered.  There was a religious holiday going on as well, so festivities were …

xml encoding=”UTF-8″–> Coming off a week of touring in Europe, I needed a place to relax. I know, there is no feeling sorry for me, the “non-stop traveler” by choice, but it is harder than you think at times! I wanted nothing to do with any cheap or rundown airport hotel but instead wanted upscale …

xml encoding=”UTF-8″–>Sedona’s cinematic red rocks had been flashing across our windshield for almost an hour. It was hard for the driver to keep her hands on the steering wheel due to the beauty at each turn in the road. My iPhone camera was going off every few minutes, regardless if it was a good shot …

xml encoding=”UTF-8″–>When I stepped on the grounds of the Shangri La’s Rasa Sayang Resort on the island of Penang, Malaysia, I felt like I had walked into the nostalgic good times of the 1920’s. Old-style, romantic, and unassuming, this resort is like stepping back in the time of the 1920’s world of bourgeoisie and old money. …

xml encoding=”UTF-8″–>Travelers to Myanmar are there to explore the thousands of pagodas and temples that characterize this country (formerly known as Burma).  That’s a given.  But not to be missed is the surreal watery world of Inle Lake, famous for its natural beauty, glassy waters, and inhabited by Inthas, the native lake-dwellers known as Myanmar’ …

xml encoding=”UTF-8″–>That was my mantra when I stepped off the plane in Yangon, Myanmar. To be honest, I had googled a few images from this Southeast Asia destination to get a sense of what kind of photos I could come home with. Since I was traveling with a group of photographers on a trek. The …

xml encoding=”UTF-8″–>  “Ain’t it funny, rumors fly, And I know you heard about me.” – Taylor Swift Have you heard? I’ve been living it up at the Hotel California in Todos Santos, Mexico… with “mirrors on the ceiling” and “the pink champagne on ice”… I was dangling my feet in the refreshingly cold swimming pool …