Why Trinidad Cuba is a UNESCO site Trinidad is one of Cuba's UNESCO World Heritage sites recognized for its "Outstanding Universal Value" (a category where Blonde hopes to eventually gain recognition). Trinidad was founded in the early 16th century in honor of the Holy Trinity, back when Spanish Catholics were running things and Fidel Castro wasn't even the proverbial gleam … [Read more...]
The Bay of Islands, Fiji – #2 in Places Without Postcards
Where is the Bay of Islands? The Bay Islands are part of the remote northern Lau Islands which lie about 200 miles from Fiji's mainland and near the international date line. Interesting factoid: The international date line isn't straight because it was made to sort of wiggle around the Fijian Islands so they would all be on the same side. Otherwise it could have … [Read more...]
José Fuster – Cuban Artist and Good Neighbor!
Cuba has had more than its share of hard times over the last 50 years but José Fuster has proven that one man can make a perceptible difference by using his (considerable) talents to be a good neighbor. Born in Havana in 1946 Fuster chooses to live in the poor neighborhood of Jaimanitas on the northwestern edge of Havana. Poverty has a tendency to be drab but Fuster has … [Read more...]
Miami Beach Art Deco Walking Tour (the AARP goes to Spring Break version)
When we decided to attend the event Cruise Shipping Miami we simultaneously decided to make it a mini-vacation. After researching walking tour providers on TripAdvisor we booked a top-rated one for a tour of the Art Deco buildings of South Beach. We did not give a thought to the fact that it would be Spring Break - a time famous for lewd behavior, public intoxication and … [Read more...]
Szentendre, Hungary
Why visit Szentendre? If you’re going to Budapest try to find the time to take a half-day trip to Szentendre. And do it using Viator, even though we stupidly didn’t! We use Viator all over the world and should have for this trip but instead we used a local provider our hotel recommended. We do not recommend them and, to make matters worse, we don’t even remember their name, … [Read more...]
Prague – Castle Hill, Lesser Town and mistakes
Sometimes the weather is cloudy and sometimes our memories are; unfortunately, both were in Prague. When we travel Brunette takes detailed, copious notes. Except when she doesn’t. For our couple days in Prague last October she jotted down only that we humiliated ourselves. We were 24 hours and 45 minutes late for a dinner reservation we made months earlier. We … [Read more...]
Dear Abbey (the one in Melk, not the advice columnist)
Perhaps you've heard of Melk Abbey so if someone says "Melk" your brain probably tosses in the word "Abbey" Kind of like hearing "Marco" and immediately thinking "Polo". Blonde's brain also reacted only in terms of "Melk Abbey" with no clue of the history behind it or of the town below it. On a Viking River Romantic Danube cruise we stopped to see the Abbey. Blonde had been … [Read more...]
Perusing Pleasing Passau
Before going to Passau with Viking River Cruises Blonde knew one thing about Passau; it’s a city somewhere in Germany. Rather surprisingly, she got that right. But Passau deserves more recognition than merely knowing its country of location. Passau, like Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where Blonde grew up, is a city where 3 rivers converge. Pop quiz time! What are the three … [Read more...]
UNESCO World Heritage Site: Prambanan Temple, Indonesia
We were fortunate enough to get to Prambanan Temple in Java, Indonesia and unfortunate enough to be there during Eid al-Fitr. If you are not Muslim or do not live in a Muslim country you're probably wondering the heck Eid-al-Fitr is. Our simplistic explanation is that it's a 3 day holiday that begins when Ramadan ends. During it all Muslims have to simultaneously drive, with as … [Read more...]
Why we want to go on an eight-day Emerald Waterways river cruise through Europe
Our girlish hearts yearn to go on Emerald Waterways’ Classic Prague and Danube Delights cruise. Why this yearning, this passion, this desire? Well, why not? Have you heard about Emerald Waterways? Have you dreamt of being on a “starship?” Well they have some! Emerald Waterways is a daring new entrant in the river cruise market and they are here to provide, as their Managing … [Read more...]