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The Mother of All Words – Dissecting “La Madre”

Loozrboy's photo of a mother's day cake.

May 12, 2013 in Cultural Experiences, Mexico

Happy Mother’s Day! In honor of the day, honoring that most important of persons – Mom, the local newspaper here in Guanajuato published an article listing the uses of the word “madre” (mother) in Mexico. I learned a lot, and it seems to illustrate just why learning a foreign language is so difficult! Here’s a sample: [...]

Passover and the Joke of Destiny

April Killingsworth's photo of a Passover dinner.

March 25, 2013 in Culinary, Cultural Experiences, Cultural Exploration, Israel

My mother always said that you should clean the house once a year whether it needs it or not.  I’m not quite that bad (neither was she), though I do consider a dust-free home to be a sign of misplaced priorities.  When I do engage in a major bout of housekeeping, I always remember the [...]

5 Tips to Make Your Business Trip Pleasurable

Road trip from Cebu to Moalboal - weekend getaway from work!

March 22, 2013 in Cultural Experiences, Philippines, Sightseeing, Top Five

Now, business trips are not really that glamorous! You either wake up very early to catch the first flight out so you can attend the morning meetings or catch the last flight the day before to arrive at your destination close to the witching hour! When you get to your destination, you work practically the whole day and by the time you finish you have to head back to the airport to catch your flight back or to another destination

Angkor Wat: The Ruin that will Spoil You

Monk wandering the temples at Angkor Wat.

March 18, 2013 in Asia, Cambodia, Cultural Experiences, Sightseeing

My father recently asked me which of my trips was the best.  I whined that it was an unfair question and refused to answer.  My favorite trip is the last one.  And the next one.  But there are a handful of experiences that rise to the top in my memories, that stick out as highlights.  [...]

Unforgettable Sichuan Tea

Renato Ganoza's photo of a tea set

March 12, 2013 in Asia, China, Culinary, Cultural Experiences

He wielded the pot as if it was a sword. Standing two meters away from the table, he would take aim and the tea would continue it’s trajectory after leaving the spout, traveling in an apparent straight line through space and landing magically in our tiny cups.

Away-from Home Improvement: Confessions of an expat do-it-yourselfer

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March 7, 2013 in Cultural Experiences, Mexico

So if a papeleria is a paper store, and a fruteria is a fruit store, then a ferreteria would be… a ferret store?  Nope.  It’s actually something much more essential for the adventurous, expat, do it yourselfer – a hardware store.  In my constant quest for home improvement, I’ve become a regular at the many [...]

What Musical Artist would you Travel Across the World to see Live?

Bjork-swan-dress

March 6, 2013 in Cultural Experiences, Personal Growth and Travel

Certainly there is music that transforms who we are when we listen, music that just picks us up and sweeps us away to far off places.  It’s a common feeling depending on my mood, but some artist seem to do it for me every time.   Somehow they are unique,  they have something special, a creativity that drives [...]

The Bottle Museum of Panagsama, Moalboal

Myrna and Lito Alvarez - warm, loving and so full of joy!

March 4, 2013 in Adventure Travel, Cultural Experiences, Eco Adventures, Philippines

The Bottle Museum is a cross between “Letters to Juliet” and “Message in a Bottle.” This place is full of positive vibe and radiates a warm fuzzy feeling.

Hillwood Musuem – A Mini-Hermitage in America’s Capital

Fabergé egg at the Hillwood Museum.  Photo by ctj71081.

February 11, 2013 in Cultural Experiences, Sightseeing, USA

Reading travel blogs has made me realize that I’m less of a planner than most.  However, I’m not above taking advantage of other people’s planning.  So when a friend and I were preparing to go to Washington D.C., I was delighted when she started emailing me about a place called Hillwood.  Who would have imagined [...]

Ten of the Best Stag Weekend Activities

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February 5, 2013 in Adventure Travel, Cultural Experiences, Europe

Sometimes choosing your mate’s stag party destination depends on the activity you have in mind. Not all areas across the country have everything on offer, so staying centrally in a city often puts you within easy access of most stag-like shenanigans. Save money with group bookings with Travelodge and leave plenty of cash to splash [...]