I used to tease my Mom growing up that she packed by set colors. For every family trip we would go on, she would select two to three colors for the packing “theme” so to speak of the trip. She would then toss in basics of black, white and tan. I used to mock that idea, thinking it would be a trip where it looks like you are wearing the same thing, over and over again. And the wise sayings, “You’re mother is always right” or “Listen to your mother” holds true in how I packed for a month in Ireland. Packing is generally a dreaded activity. I may moan and groan about packing, but secretly, I Continue Reading
Suzy Stumbles Over Travel: Week of February 28, 2011
As I try to figure out how to cram a month’s worth of clothes in one bag for my trip to Ireland on Wednesday, I bring you this week’s Suzy Stumbles Over Travel. In case you are new here, each week I ask writers and readers to submit their favorite travel posts of the week. I read, comment, tweet the post on Twitter, stumble the article on Stumbleupon and post a link to the piece on my Facebook page. The following Monday, I select five favorites to feature and the stumbling begins again. Just a few things to keep in mind, you must leave your submission in the comment box below. Please only Continue Reading
Petatlán, Mexico Wishes You Were Here
In Petatlán Mexico, if you find a miraculous Jesus statue and cross you adorn him in lime green polyester fabric. The town only a few dozen miles east of Zihuatanejo has become a major pilgrimage site in the Guerrero state of Mexico. In the 1500s, a statue to Christ complete with a cross was found in the Petatlán River. A miracle of sorts, the Church of the Father of Jesus de Petatlán was built to house the statue. An earthquake would call for a reconstructed church today that is both modern and classic in design. People come from all over the area to ask the Petatlán Christ statue for Continue Reading
Exploring Travel and Home in Sagres, Portugal
The Romans referred to Sagres, Portugal as the Promontorium Sacrum, the end of the world. Sagres upholds that world’s end attitude as you stand on the cliffs of Cabo de Sao Vicente in Portugal’s Algarve region, the most southwesterly point in Europe. With connections to Portugal’s rich nautical past, this section of Portugal lends the closest form to understanding travel and home in one for me. Prince Henry the Navigator supposedly built a fortified town here along with a school of navigation. He was also thought to have a home here and to have died in Sagres in 1460. Whether it is fact Continue Reading
Suzy Stumbles Over Travel: Week of February 21, 2011
As I frantically try to finish up my Ireland planning and hope some clothing designer will donate a whole new wardrobe for my trip, I bring you this week’s Suzy Stumbles Over Travel. In case you are new here, each week I ask writers and readers to share their favorite travel posts of the week. By submitting a link in the comment box below, I read each post, comment, stumble the post using Stumbleupon, tweet the post on Twitter and add a link to the piece on my Facebook page. The following week I feature my five favorite travel posts here and the stumbling over travel begins again. Just a Continue Reading
Leon, Nicaragua Wishes You Were Here
This week's Wish You Were Here post comes from The Globetrottergirls. The Globetrottergirls are German-American couple Dani and Jessica who balance a digital nomad lifestyle of full-time work and travel. In April 2010 the girls traded their London apartment to travel the world indefinitely and work from a hammock as often as possible. Be sure to check out The Globetrottergirls and follow their travels on Twitter @travelworklive. Often overlooked by tourists who prefer Nicaragua’s most visited city, the well-preserved colonial gem of Granada, the northern city of Leon, the country’s second Continue Reading
The Art of Hotel Housekeeping
If you have ever stayed at a hotel, you know there is always that possibility an artist may grace your room. Not only is your room made up for you, every 12 year old’s dream, but you may also find a surprise on your bed, a work of art. A few weeks ago, I realized housekeeping art is largely under-appreciated. Little is known about how these men or women create their work of art on your pillow. Whether it is chocolates arranged in a pattern or some sort of animal made out of towels, where do these people learn their trade? How long does it take to create these pillowcase works of art? In Continue Reading