Travel Memories:
Traditional Irish Thatched House

The thatch roofed houses peppering the sea of emerald grass fields seems so oddly reminiscent of another era but yet are actually still found in areas all Ireland. Landing on the Aran Islands off of the west coast of Ireland is like taking a full leap into a small and traditional pocket of intensely Irish culture; Irish is their first language and the traditional Irish céilidh on the weekends counts among the best Irish music jam sessions I have ever heard…although some of it is done …

About time I posted an update from Bali! I actually broke my laptop my first day in here- and by first day I mean within hours of landing in Bali after 36 hours flying from US my laptop simply would not turn on – so with some initial tears and “holy crap, I’m screwed” thoughts rolling through my head I was forced to hunt down a local computer repair center recommended by the locals (details at the bottom).
Telephone Conversation with my Computer Technicians
I’m going to jump right into my …

Travel Memories:
Biking Pit-Stop for Mulberry Foraging

Spotting a huge mulberry tree on the side of the road after hours (ok, barely two hours really) of biking uphill read like salvation – like a thirsty man in the desert spotting a mirage this seemed too good to be true. It was hot, I was sick and forced to pull over frequently during the bike ride and the last steep hike to the top of the Bribirska Glavica archeological ruins outside of Krka National Park in Croatia were just no longer worth …

Everyone has those signature dishes they’ve tried in a new country – whether it’s a local delicacy or just bizarre street eat. But what about those fun snacks and new flavors on old favorites?
Delicious Snacks and Treats from Around the World
Some of these are sweets, some salty. But all are portable and can make a great treat on a long bus ride…interestingly, most of my favorites from my travels are centered in Asia!
NEPAL: Lapsi

Topping the list is this sweet jellied candy. I don’t even like chewy candies but this …

I didn’t know that the Hollywood Walk of Fame concept extended to RockWalk of Fame at the Guitar Center on Sunset Boulevard.

Right there in front of the doors to the Guitar Center are the hand prints of rock legends, icons of the music industry who left an imprint on the world with their music and were asked to leave an imprint in the concrete to solidify their presence for the coming generations. And I never knew it existed.
When I passed through LA in June for a friend’s wedding …

Travel Memories:
Traditional Bosnian Coffee and Turkish Delight

I winced as I took my first sip of the jet-black Bosnian coffee – it was certainly not your average American brew! My couch surfing hosts in Sarajevo, Furkan and his roommates Anida and Sidak decided that I couldn’t leave Sarajevo without stopping in the Turkish quarter for a traditional Bosnian coffee complete with Turkish Delight.
After that first wince from the thick unsweetened coffee, Sidak got a kick out of watching me attempt to sip the battery acid…I mean coffee, from a delicate …

Travel Memories: The Three Sisters in Australia’s Blue Mountains

You can’t actually smell the sweetly mentholated scent eucalyptus when you’re already up in the mountains but the blue haze for as far as you can see is your first indication that the forests in the Blue Mountains north of Sydney contain such a high density of  eucalyptus trees that they the air is blue with tiny droplets of eucalyptus oil.
To this day – and even though I have been hiking in the Himalayas of Nepal, volcanoes in Guatemala and countless …

“Safe travels! You’ve got my Facebook details so we can keep in touch – you have a couch if you ever make it to Florida!”

And just like that a new friend has come and gone. At the parting, my new friend scurries off with her backpack strapped to her back, ready for the next hostel, the next hike, sightseeing tour, the next group of backpackers waiting at the next hostel.
I’ll probably never lay eyes on her again and within a couple of months we probably won’t even talk …