There’s no doubt that Costa Rica is a haven for animal lovers. With 210 species of mammals, 878 species of birds, 218 species of reptiles and more than 35,000 species of insects, this small Central American nation is one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet. One of the fiercest predators that calls Costa … [Read more…]
I walk through the doors of the Museo de Arte Costarricense, the national art museum in San José, and enter the first exhibit to the left. Before I even have a chance to read what the exhibit is about, a friendly man approaches me and introduces himself. “Hello, my name is Ricardo Ávila and I … [Read more…]
Today, January 26, is Australia Day, the official national day of Australia which commemorates the 1788 anniversary of the arrival of the First Fleet of British Ships in what is now the state of New South Wales. While my personal travel map is marked at 36 countries and counting, there is perhaps no country I … [Read more…]
The bright sun of the Costa Rican morning peeps through the curtains of my room at Hotel DoceLunas, spreading warm rays across the floor and beckoning me to leave bed and head outside, where the jungle awaits. The dense foliage overhead scatters shadows on the paths below that weave around the property’s five acres of … [Read more…]
2014 was a beautiful and moving year for me, filled with an unprecedented number of travel experiences that made the year pass like a travel aficionado’s dream sequence. Since January, I visited a whopping 22 countries, fulfilling my goal of traveling to 25 countries in my 25th year and pushing my total country count to … [Read more…]
A few months ago, as my travel opportunities while living in Spain bounded beyond my wildest dreams, I proposed to myself a challenge: visit 25 countries while 25 years old. A week ago I arrived back in the United States and am proud to say I did it! 25 Countries in One Year Though I … [Read more…]
The modest door of Riad Joya pushes open and my feet glide across the cool marble floor to the open-air courtyard. Smooth tan walls are flanked by travertine columns that beckon up to a clear night sky flooded by the brilliance of a sea of stars. For a moment, the only sound that fills this … [Read more…]
I have a few frustrations with living in Spain. My shower is only two-inches bigger than I am. There’s no good Mexican food and what they do have is expensive. Madrid really is the city that never sleeps and it gets a little old being awoken at 1 and 3 and 6 a.m. by people … [Read more…]