Note: The Following is a guest post by Lea Ann Christenson If someone would have told me five years ago I would one day travel abroad solo, let alone to a place as far and exotic as Japan, I would have thought they were crazy. However, in recent years I’ve found myself traveling solo more … [Read more…]
I am expecting to hear a melody of coquis, the noise a species of frogs native to the rainforest of Puerto Rico are rumored to make. But as we enter the screening room at the El Yunque National Forest visitor center, the first sound I hear is the voice of actor Benicio del Toro. After a short … [Read more…]
My feet sink into the crisp, tan sand on Vieques Island and carry me out into crystal water. As the water reaches mid-calf, its hue deepens into a soft blue that matches the sky, and by the time I reach the rest of my family who are all blissfully wading waist level, the water is … [Read more…]
Note: The following is a guest post by Lea Ann Christenson While researching for a trip to Japan I called on a fellow professor who had lived in Japan for a time. He suggested that I go to Koyasan, a mountain top village of approximately 100 Buddhist temples approximately a 2 and a half hour train … [Read more…]
Our feet glide across the blue cobblestone streets of Old San Juan as we follow Natalia, a guide with Flavors of San Juan Food and Culture Tours, on an afternoon deep-dive into Puerto Rico’s history and cuisine. Smiles form across the faces of all members of my family as we reach our first stop and … [Read more…]
Long before visiting Puerto Rico, the concept of the island came into my consciousness when I was a fourth grader at Guadalupe Elementary School in California’s Bay Area. The year was 1998 and the island, a territorial commonwealth of the United States, held the third referendum in its history to vote on its political status. … [Read more…]
I’m standing on a corner along Ariapita Avenue in Port of Spain when Anthony Luces, owner of Trinidad Food Tours tells me to put my notebook down. I’ve wandered with guides down streets in a dozen or so countries writing stories for this blog and not one of them has ever uttered such a phrase, … [Read more…]
Come one and all. Let’s have a ball. It’s Carnival time again. With cheery voices, sprightly whistles and the soft beat of the steel pan, soca music comes on full blast through the radio as I roll through Port of Spain. I sit alongside Norm, my guide for the day from T & T Sightseeing Tours touring Trinidad and … [Read more…]
When I was 25 I lived in Madrid and completed a quest to visit 25 countries in one year. If you’ve been following my journey here on Something In Her Ramblings for a while now, you probably already knew this, but it’s a fact I’m proud of and begs repeating as I start my ramblings … [Read more…]
What is it about Sicily that enchants every traveler who steps foot on the island? Whether it’s the azure waters that surround golden hilltops, knowledge to be gleaned from architectural wonders that have survived the ages, or the warmth of the people who call this land home, to rent a villa in Sicily and spend … [Read more…]