On a busy Monday, I bring you this week’s Suzy Stumbles Over Travel. In case you are new to this site, each week I ask bloggers/writers and readers to submit their favorite travel posts of the week. I read each submission, comment, tweet the article on Twitter, stumble the piece using Stumbleupon and post a link to the article on my Facebook page. The following week I select my five favorites to be featured here and the stumbling begins again into the next week.

Just a few things to keep in mind, please only submit one post per person each week. Your submission must be travel related. Please leave a link to your post in the comment box below rather than sending it to me on Twitter, Facebook, etc. You have until the end of the day on Friday to leave your submission. Anything left past Friday will be carried over into next week’s submissions. I will get busy promoting the articles by the end of the day on Sunday. Be sure to follow me on Twitter, subscribe to my stumbles on Stumbleupon and “like” me on Facebook to make sure I give your post the attention it deserves. Check back here next Monday to see if your submission made my five favorites of the week.

The 5 Favorites of Last Week

“Wild West Coast Adventure with SANParks” From Rory in South Africa

Submitted by Rory

Rory explores West Coast National Park, 120 kilometers outside of Cape Town. From views of Table Mountain, sunsets of dreams to unique cuisine, Rory provides a nice weekend view into life in the park.

“One Day in Galway” From Expat Edna

Submitted by Edna

Edna encourages those on a trip to Ireland to not overlook Galway on their itinerary. She provides a nice outline of things to see, do, eat and drink while in the Western Irish city, from pubs to street performances. 

“The Definitive Guide to Pizza Margherita” From Tour Absurd

Submitted by Katrina

Katrina provides the not-so pizza educated with a very detailed post on Italy’s most well-known pizza, Pizza Margherita. From how it’s made to what makes it a Pizza Margherita, Katrina’s insight into this key dish in Italy is a must read for anyone headed to or dreaming of Italy.

“The Maasai and The Honey Badger” From Maiden Voyage

Submitted by Emily

In this guest post on Maiden Voyage, Walker details his experience with tourism and tribal Africa in a Maasai village. His insightful experience of visiting a tribe at a price makes a comment on the westernization of Tanzania.

“Siwa Oasis Photo Essay” From Someday I’ll Be There

Submitted by Mina

Closing out the week, Mina takes us to the sands of the Siwa Oasis in this photo essay. From the changing colors on the sands at sunset to the history lurking below of ancient burial sites, Mina provides enough travel inspiration to want to get up and go explore Siwa for yourself.

Don’t forget to leave your submission in the comment box below. You have until the end of the day on Friday to submit.

Knowing my destination and not knowing it at the same time, my taxi driver slammed on his brakes in the middle of a cliff-top road. With a whole line of cars waiting behind him, I knew his  yelling and pointing in Italian meant he wanted me to get out of the taxi, admire the view and take a photograph. Traffic can wait for the wide eyed to see the pull of Sorrento. Jet lagged and uncertain, I did as I was told. In many respects, I have to thank that driver. He knew this moment and view would be one I wouldn’t forget.

The Greek’s believed Sorrento was the site of the mythical sirens, those creatures that would lure sailors, Odysseus included, with their song as a trap. And while many believe Sorrento to be nothing more than a tourist trap, I found myself trapped in its subtle songs, even those songs, or shouts, of persistent taxi drivers.

I was studying Italian and Tarantella, the area’s main song and dance that tells its history over the last 500 years. I frequented a number of these tarantella shows. While most of those in the audience were 60 years my senior, the youthful emotions of Sorrento’s performance side carried throughout the room. Tasso Theater buzzed with song and dance, proof yet again Sorrento  knows how to keep you entertained.

When I wasn’t in class or down by the water in Sorrento, I would try to find those spaces in the city that weren’t so touristy. From a little train running through Sorrento’s main thoroughfares to countless shops selling lemoncello, the town on the cliffs overlooking the Bay of Naples can seem devoid of locals. However down at the weekly market, little old ladies pushed their rolling suitcase like carts to load up on the fruits of the land.

Families worked behind these stalls, with each member assigned to a certain job. From the son’s task of shouting out for shoppers to the father hurrying the bagging process, Sorrento’s market is a family and local affair.

Most know of Sorrento’s Marina Piccola, where the ferries depart for Capri. Marina Grande is actually less frequented  in Sorrento and much more localized. Crumbling old buildings stand covered in scaffolding. I suspect it might still be this way. A lone old man keeps his perch on a balcony above. Little toddlers play in boats just beyond. Fishermen cast off for the day in rickety boats. It is activity and inactivity all rolled into one marina.

Sorrento trapped me, much like those sailors in mythology, most importantly with the color of her sunsets. From Villa Comunale Park, I would watch the sunset over the Bay of Naples. While the space seemed more town square than park, the sky was the attraction. Tourists and locals gushed over these magenta and lavender skies each night. And for a moment while watching the sun fade over Mt. Vesuvius, I think I heard the sirens of Sorrento. Sometimes the myth is no myth at all.

Have you been to Sorrento?

My feet land in New Orleans and I instantly know this city is all about food and drink. While the masses of seemingly underage spring break college kids tote around their green grenade filled drinks hunting for the next bar, I am in search of something a little more innocent, a grape snowball. With a band rocking out on a stage set up in the French Market, people aren’t the only spectators. The scents of crawfish cakes and shrimp balls swarm the crowds.

Going on a diet in New Orleans might be the greatest impossibility. With so much food and drink to be had, I brought my empty stomach and my thirst for a few days to its table. And while there are so many classic dishes and drinks in New Orleans, a weekend only scratches the surface of tummies. Here is my sampling of food and drink in New Orleans, dishes and drinks I am probably still working off. At least a snowball is low-cal, right?

Step One: Attend A New Orleans Food Festival

Having arrived from the road, I instantly made my way to the French Market. The Roadfood Street Festival was taking place, an annual springtime event in New Orleans. Across four blocks in the French Market, stalls line up from local restaurants, eateries across the state and food staples all over America. You can really pick and choose what you want and how much you want. I went for a tasting of a soft shell crab po’boy. Po’boys are the sandwiches of the city, served on French bread. Clovis and Benjamin Martin came up with the inexpensive sandwich for striking streetcar drivers. When one would come up to order, they would shout to the kitchen, “Here comes another poor boy,” and thus the sandwich was born. It now carries many varieties like this crabby version.

And while the beer flows for New Orleans’ food and drink festivals, I only want a snowball, another taste of the city. Snowballs are what most of us would call a glorified snow cone, consisting of finely shaved ice and sprayed with an assortment of flavors. I watch as my artificial grape flavoring coats the ice shavings. The fingertips of the man creating this staple are dyed every shade of snowball up for offer. You can tell what snowball flavors are most popular merely by looking at his hands. They tell the snowball story.

Step Two: Consume The Other Sandwich

New Orleans’ po’boys make room for another famous sandwich, the muffuletta. The place to go from these sandwiches, while served all over town, is the Central Grocery, also in the French Quarter. I am quickly hurried to a line where a less than friendly man throws me my pre-made sandwich.

Composed of salami, ham, provolone, oil, vinegar and a spicy olive spread, the monster of a sandwich hit the spot. Sicilian immigrants opened the very store  and brought the sandwich to New Orleans. While I enjoyed this mouthful to say and eat, I was a little disappointed in the experience. A stack of sandwiches sat pre-made as they tossed them at the tourists like Frisbees. This could be different, but my stomach wasn’t complaining.

Step Three: Hop on The Bar That Moves

In New Orleans, there is no shortage of drinking holes, including the unique. It’s not everyday you get to take a ride on a rotating bar or a carousel no less. I step right up to the Carousel Bar at the Monteleone Hotel. Mentioned in the writings of Ernest Hemingway, the stools decorated like carousel seats with circus scenes rotate ever so slowly around a stationary bar.

Depending on how long it takes you to down your drink, I made my way around the room three times without ever lifting a foot on a one beer visit. The tipsy man next to me, complete with a handlebar mustache jokes with his friends, “Oh, I didn’t even know we were moving.” It might be time to get off the carousel.

Step Four: Find The Burger in the Big Easy

If you get a little tired of fish while in New Orleans, Port of Call serves up one of the best burgers in the city. Established in 1963 on the edge of the French Quarter, the neighborhood restaurant is more like walking into a restaurant that could appear on Gilligan’s Island. Dimly lit, you order cheeseburgers and steaks, even if you can’t see it.

I order a Neptune’s Monsoon to wash down my burger, a drink seemingly the size of a skyscraper. A few sips deep and suddenly Port of Call gets even hazier. Its contents aren’t important other than I could be dining with Gilligan and thinking myself Ginger if I finished the whole thing.

Step Five: Wait For The Hurricane

Pat O’Brien’s, the bar serving up legendary hurricanes, has been around legally since 1933. Before that time Pat O’Brien’s spent its days underground as a speakeasy. By the 1940s, the hurricane drink was created here. Before I can even open my mouth to tell the waiter what I want he says, “Hurricane?”. There must be something on my face that screams tourist.

The glass is a thing a beauty, made to look like a hurricane lamp. Garnished with an orange slice and a cherry on top, the fruity rum concoction is sweet for certain. You can take your glass home as a souvenir or return it for a few dollars.

Step Six: Let Them Eat Beignets

I close out my eating time in New Orleans under the striped green and white tent of Café du Monde. Founded in 1862 in the French Market, the space is known for its café au lait and beignets, a fried doughnut of sorts. One order of beignets produces three, piled high with powdered sugar.

I take a bite and instantly find a new addiction. Warm and chewy, I can see why these beignets warrant Café du Monde to be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. With the exception of Christmas or a hurricane, let them eat beignets, New Orleans seems to say.

Have you broken your diet in New Orleans?

From sunny and warm Denver, I bring you this week’s Suzy Stumbles Over Travel. In case you are new to this site, each week I ask writers and readers to submit their favorite travel posts of the week. I read each submission, comment, tweet the article on Twitter, stumble the piece using Stumbleupon and post a link to the article on my Facebook page. The following week I select my five favorites to be featured here and the stumbling begins again into the next week.

Just a few things to keep in mind, please only submit one post per person each week. Your submission must be travel related. Please leave a link to your post in the comment box below rather than sending it to me on Twitter, Facebook, etc. You have until the end of the day on Friday to leave your submission. Anything left past Friday will be carried over into next week’s submissions. I will get busy promoting the articles by the end of the day on Sunday. Be sure to follow me on Twitter, subscribe to my stumbles on Stumbleupon and “like” me on Facebook to make sure I give your post the attention it deserves. Check back here next Monday to see if your submission made my five favorites of the week.

The 5 Favorites of Last Week

“Living in Italy: Monique from Bringing Travel Home” From This is My Happiness

Submitted by Jenna

Jenna interviews former Italy expat Monique from Bringing Travel Home. And while we all know I can’t resist articles about living in Italy, I found the interview to be very insightful as Monique separates the difference in being a visitor to a country and a resident.

“Tsunami 2012: I Thought I Was Going To Die” From Never Ending Footsteps

Submitted by Lauren

Lauren experiences what might be every traveler’s worst nightmare, being right in the line of a pending tsunami in Phuket. Between the not knowing the gravity of the waves and the lack of high ground in the area, you can sense Lauren’s heartbreaking fear. Don’t worry. This story has a happy ending.

“Walking Through The Land of the Giants” From The World is a Book

Submitted by Mary

Mary details the beauty, mystery and enormity of the monarch sequoias trees found in central California. On a visit to the groves at Yosemite National Park, King’s Canyon and Sequoia, Mary marvels at these natural giants, thought to be the largest trees on earth.

“Love Letter To California” From Not in the Pink

Submitted by Ceri

Ceri expresses her love for California, a place that took ahold of her in a very short amount of time. It is always inspiring to me to see someone fall in love with a specific location and exude that passion for the place. She details some of her favorite moments with California, a state unlike any other in the U.S.

“I Hate Cruises” From Leah Travels

Submitted by Leah

While the cruisers of the world might object to Leah’s opinions on cruises, she outlines a few of the reasons why cruises make her skin crawl. What I admire about this piece is that Leah didn’t list out why she hates cruises without ever going on one. After experiencing a few cruises in her life, you won’t find this traveler enjoying the buffets and pushy passengers.

Don’t forget to leave your submission in the comment box below. You have until the end of the day on Friday to submit.

The cold has consumed every inch of my being, and yet, I am on the hunt for wine. When visiting Hungary in the winter, the only way to keep warm is with the strongest of spirits and wines. For me, European wine has long been synonymous with the famous producers like France and Italy. Seldom have I contemplated Hungary as a wine destination. However the country houses the oldest classified wine region in all of Europe. And when you are the oldest, you probably know a thing or two about your product. I face a daunting set of stairs,  dusted perfectly in snow, to taste these wise, old wines. It is my stairway to wine heaven.

I am in search of the House of Hungarian Wines– Buda Castle, otherwise Magyar Borck Háza. Perched on Budapest’s Castle Hill, the location overwhelms more than the possibility of wine tasting. I already feel a few glasses of wine deep in this setting of glowing spires and arches. Frozen to the core, I finally reach a very plain door, telling me I have arrived at this house of wines.

The House of Hungarian Wines boasts Hungarian wines from all of the country’s 22 regions. I read you could pay a flat fee for samplings, letting your nose and taste buds guide you where they will. However, I found the experience to be a bit more organized than carefree. You can select what tasting package you would like from the wine house’s main selections. The cheapest package runs at $18, allowing you to sample three different Hungarian wines. Other options include award-winning groupings, Hungarian spirits, exclusive wines and the House’s own selection. I decide to go with the World Famous Tokaji Wines, a sampling of one of the oldest wine regions in Hungary for $24 for 4 glasses of wine.

Those running the wine house offer tours of their cellar if you don’t show up 45 minutes before closing. Unfortunately, I think I was given the fast track tour as the woman told me to just go explore the cellar and then come back up for my tasting. The cellar is impressive, chalk full of over 700 choices in wines. Placards invite you to learn more about your sampling section. I find my Tokaji selection boasts of being a favorite of popes and royals. The northeastern wine region has been churning out this product since the 16^th century.

Knowing the clock is ticking, I hurry through this maze of a cellar and head back up for my tasting. The woman presents the first dry white wine, beginning with the lightest in color. She tells me what to taste and smell, along with a little background on the wine. To top off her explanation of each wine, she smiles and says, “Enjoy!” as she makes her way back to her computer perch.

My second glass is a semi-dry white wine, coupled with a cracker/cookie palette cleanser. Surprisingly, the wine doesn’t taste over processed or fraught with chemicals as most white wines taste for me. My third glass is sweeter, clearly darker than the first and second glasses, signaling the conclusion of the tasting  is imminent.

By the time I reach my final tasting, a late harvested sweet dessert wine, I am starting to realize you should never come to a wine tasting just before closing. A little fuzzy, my taste buds still tell me this sweet, almost honey infused wine would most certainly compliment a dessert.

While white wine has never been a favorite of mine, I found these wines to be exceptional, something I didn’t expect from Hungary. And for $24, I sampled four wines I would otherwise have missed while in Budapest. The House of Hungarian Wines– Buda Castle explains why wine is so important to the city and country. Sippers or sluggers get out of the cold and learn a thing or two about wine regions you don’t notice everyday. However, four glasses of wine warrant more time than an hour, especially if you still want to be able to say cheers in Hungarian as you sip. Egészségedre!

Have you been wine tasting in Hungary?

For me, the excitement of a new adventure begins when I start accumulating a pile of “trip clothes”. Within a few days, the pile grows, so much so that the suitcase comes out and the actual process, one I have been anticipating for weeks, officially begins.

However as much as I love to pack, coordinating colors, outfits and the like, I loathe the last part of the packing process, stocking the toiletry bag. I keep a collection of travel-sized products in a cosmetic bag the size of a small baby. Weeding through that collection to find the bare necessities tends to turn into several hours of work. Over the years, I have turned my hate into something more productive and useful.

If you are like me, struggling with this last stage of packing, I have come up with a solution that has aided me when I pack and travel, the pre-packed toiletry bag. These are my permanent travel toiletry bag fixtures, those that will always travel with me, all set to go even when I’m not traveling.

Travel Size Bar of Soap

I used to travel with several 3oz tubes of body wash. They took up unending space in my jam-packed Ziploc bag and in my toiletry bag. After traveling for years now, I have made the move to a bar of soap. Not only does it cost less than body wash, but a travel sized bar lasts me a whole month of travel. Whenever I think my supply of these beauty bars are low, I grab one at the supermarket. They usually run under a $1 or just over a $1. If a last minute trip presents itself, I am ready to go in the cleanliness department. I don’t have to worry about searching for tiny bottles of body wash and losing space in my liquid bag.

Travel Toothbrush

In all of my years of travel, I can’t believe it took this long to make the transition from hauling my large toothbrush around the globe with a cumbersome case around it to a travel sized toothbrush. I would always have trouble fitting the lengthy toothbrush into small cosmetic bags to take on the plane for long haul flights. Now I always keep this mini-tooth brush in my permanent go-to toiletry bag. The brush itself is not too small like some travel toothbrushes can be. The last thing I want to do when I get home from a long trip is unpack, especially my toiletry bag. I don’t have to for my toothbrush at home never leaves its cup in my bathroom.

Mini Pain Relievers

For some reason, I always need an Advil when I travel when I have forgotten to pack one. To solve this lapse in memory, I always have a mini-bottle of pain relievers in my permanent toiletry bag so that I am never without basic medicine. My medicine cabinet at home doesn’t always make my travel checklist so buying smaller mini bottles of pills help with my forgetfulness.

Travel Hairbrush

My hair is long, fine and tangles easily. You wouldn’t think fine hair would be an issue, but I have a lot of it. I had always packed my large hairbrush for I have never found travel sized hairbrushes that didn’t pullout my hair every time I tried to brush. However this mini hairbrush gets the job done. Combing my hair doesn’t turn into a sob-fest and I still save the room in my bag. I can throw this hairbrush virtually anywhere in my bag and I know I am covered when those airplane seat tangles make me look like the bird lady in Mary Poppins.

Slipper Socks

On long haul flights or car trips, I would scramble to find some socks to put on my feet when it turned cold. The problem with big, bulky socks is that they look like socks. When you slip off your shoes on a flight, you become that person with stinky socks and feet. Instead I now travel with these slipper socks from Old Navy. They look very similar to flats, but provide that warmth and comfort you need on plane rides. They also have grippers on the bottom so that I am not slipping and sliding around the airplane on less than cleanly surfaces.

Small Loofah

There is nothing worst than packing up a large loofah when you travel. It doesn’t dry quickly or even ring out quickly. Also it is a drag when you get home and have to unpack more toiletries and items you will need to shower with after 24 hours of travel. I keep this small loofah permanently in my go-to toiletry bag. It is small enough that I can ring it out on a towel when I travel and it is dry. Also I never have to worry about trying to suds up that bar of soap with a creepy hotel towel.

Solid perfume

Nothing can make you feel cleaner while traveling than a nice spray of perfume (or cologne for men). I have long tangled with this mess. I have split bottles of travel-sized perfume and broken glass. I have filled up travel spray bottles and wound up smelling like a grandma. To solve the problem and still come out smelling like roses, I pack a solid perfume. This one from Crabtree & Evelyn eliminates any of the mess of a regular glass bottle or perfume or the bulky body splash bottle.

 What’s in your permanent travel toiletry bag? I can always use more tips on how to make the toiletry packing process easier. If anyone has solved the travel shampoo and conditioner dilemma, please teach me your ways.

From sunny Denver, I bring you this week’s Suzy Stumbles Over Travel. In case you are new to this site, each week, I ask writers and readers to submit their favorite travel posts of the week. I read each submission, comment, post the article to my Twitter, stumble the piece using Stumbleupon and place a link to the submission on my Facebook page. The following week, I select my five favorite submissions submitted last week to be featured here. The stumbling and blog promotion begins again into the next week.

Just a few things to keep in mind, please leave a link to your submission in the comment box below. It can be from your own travel site or another’s site. I can’t guarantee I will see submissions left on Facebook, Twitter, etc. Your submission must be travel related. Please only submit one post per person each week. You have until the end of the day on Friday to leave your submission. I will get busy promoting your articles by the end of the day on Sunday. Be sure to follow me on Twitter, subscribe to my stumbles on Stumbleupon and “like” me on Facebook to make sure I give your post the attention it deserves. Check back here next Monday to see if your submission for this week made my five favorites.

The 5 Favorites of Last Week

“The NYC Psych Ward, Or My Manhattan Hostel” From That Backpacker

Submitted by Audrey

Audrey finds a cast of characters in her Manhattan hostel room. She looks at some of these strange bunkmates, all while pointing out how unforgettable those nights are with some of the strangest people to walk through the door. Anyone who has ever stayed in a hostel or shared an overnight train car with a group of oddballs can relate to this piece.

“Is Space Tourism The 8^th Continent?” From Welcome 2 Someday

Submitted by Hilary

After a meaningful exchange with an astronaut at a young age, Hilary develops an interest in examining the possibility of space tourism. Those who brag of hitting up all of the continents on earth might want to take a look at Hilary’s findings on space tourism and its future.

“7 Super Shots—India Edition” From GQ Trippin

Submitted by Kieu

The duo at GQ Trippin present some classic shots of India, those the imagination always tends to create even for those who haven’t visited. From the perfect center shot of the Taj Mahal to the man in front of temple clad bright colors, I found their super shots of India to place me right in the country’s imagination.

“Brisbane; The Good, The Bad and The Breakdown” From Pack Your Passport

Submitted by Beverley

Beverley arrives to Brisbane with hopes of loving the city and plans to stay for some time. However after a few days, her feelings for Brisbane are not of the positive and perky variety. While she finds several redeeming qualities, Beverley decides to cut her losses and move on. I admire any traveler than can go on feeling. When a place isn’t right for you, there is no sense is staying.

“The Horses of Iceland” From A Dangerous Business

Submitted by Amanda

Amanda takes a ride on some of the shaggiest horses in Iceland. Direct descendants of horses the Vikings brought to the country, Amanda finds the animals to be incredible gentle and unique. Having a rough week? One look as these Icelandic horses should turn it around.

Don’t forget to leave your submission for this week in the comment box below. You have until the end of the day on Friday to submit.