Greece

I’ve always found myself enchanted by the mesmerizing beauty that is Greece. The hillside villages, divine waters and rich enchanting history captivates me. Getting the opportunity to travel to this country is at the top of my bucket list.

During my schooling, I was always learning about the Greek gods and goddesses and the amazing stories that partner with them. I was entranced by these stories and wanted to know more. Getting to see where these stories originated and took place would be right up my alley. The shrines throughout the country that are dedicated to these heroes and heroines would be amazing to see; Along with all the ancient artifacts and landmarks. Plus Greece is the birth place of the Olympics which I think adds to cool factor of this country.

People are constantly posting pictures of Greece on Instagram, Facebook and other social networks, sharing the beauty of the country. I know these pictures are great, but getting to see and experience the country first hand would be utterly amazing.

Down Under

I’ve always been intrigued with visiting Australia, ever since I was a little girl, but as I’ve grown up the place I would really love to see “Down Under” would have to be New Zealand. The pictures I have seen of this country bares some of the most beautiful natural landscapes I have ever seen.  Traveling to a place with beautiful beaches and then also getting to see beautiful rustic mountains would be so awesome. And seeing it all in person would be indescribable, I am sure.

New Zealand is located on an island above Australia. Through some research, I’ve learned that because of New Zealand’s remote location, it is actually one of the last lands to be settled by humans, which I think is pretty cool. Most people tend to think that New Zealand is a Caribbean type of destination, but actually the climate there averages around 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit. To me that’s nearly warm enough, but I’m sure I could easily bare the temperatures to see what the country has to offer.  New Zealand is also known for it’s unique animal and plant life that has grown habit there. Also, the country is English speaking, which makes it easy to travel there and to find your way around.

So, if you’re looking to go “Down Under,” then look no further than New Zealand and experience some serene natural beauty and interesting plant and animal life.

Northern Lights

Back to my travels and future travels..

While I have been to so many amazing places, I left with wanting more and planning future trips. One place in particular I am dying to go, is somewhere to see the Northern Lights. The Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, can be viewed from many different places on Earth. If I were to go see this natural phenomenon I would probably choose to venture to a Scandinavian country, like Finland or Norway.

The Northern Lights is a highly scientific event, described as a collision of energetic charged particles with atoms in the high altitude atmosphere. While I am not big on science, I can certainly still appreciate the magnitude of this awe-inspiring light display in the sky. To me, getting to see the Lights would be incredibly spiritual, that something so beautifully complex could exist and be seen to the world. I feel like getting to see those shimmering colors and lights dance across the black sky would be a memory I could never forget.

The Northern Lights are at the top of my bucket list for sure. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/27/10-best-places-to-see-the_n_814506.html

American Horror Story

Taking a break from my traveling experiences to talk about the season premiere of American Horror Story: Coven last night. Starting it’s third twisted season, AHS is all about horrific stories from America’s past. The current season’s plot is based on witches with a New Orleans, LA setting. Each season is different; having different stories, plots and characters. The diversity of this show is perhaps why I am so obsessed. It’s dark, demented and twisted, yet also has a softer side with some bizarre love stories.

The season started off with a flashback to the past to an older woman slave owner who cruelly abuses her help in the most tortuous ways possible. Then the story heads into present day with a young girl, who was actually in the first season. She quickly finds out that she’s a witch and is sent off to New Orleans to what is essentially a Witch Charm School. Previous characters from past seasons show their wicked faces again, along with some new fresh faces.

The story line is always exciting, thrilling and full of surprises you never thought possible. I’m very excited that the show is back on and my Wednesday nights now have a purpose again. I can’t wait to see how the story unfolds and I suggest you start watching!

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Punta Cana, D.R. is a classic tourist, beach destination. Surrounded by crisp blue waters, white sand beaches and full scale resorts, this is the perfect place to vacation. Dominican Republic has become increasingly popular to tourists in the last forty plus years. The friendly people and scenery makes it an attraction for all ages.

The Dominican Republic was my first big experience with traveling out of the country. I didn’t know much about the island before going there, but I did know it was located on the island of Hispanola with Haiti in the Caribbean Sea.

My parents and I stayed in one of the numerous resorts in Punta Cana that had every amenity we could ever ask for. Several restaurants, pools, spa amenities, live entertainment, beach/water activities and shopping. It was like a dream. There was something planned for us to do every single day we were there. We went cruising on a glass bottom boat, rode jet skis and went snorkeling on a reef off the beach and got to see so many tropical, exotic fish. There were locals constantly trying to sell their handmade items of clothing, jewelry, etc. I thought it was neat to get to mingle with the locals and see what kind of products they were making. There were nature hikes that could be taken and you could even go into town to see some of the sites. The food was amazing, along with the great weather while we were there.

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic is an absolutely beautiful place to travel. The resorts make the trip super convenient and you have everything you could ask for. This was the perfect way to ease me into international travel and I would go back in a heartbeat!

The City of Love and Lights

Ahhh Paris. The city of love, the city of lights. I can certainly understand why this city is always paired with romance and love. The sights and sounds are all so enchanting, so it’s easy to be mesmerized and entranced when coming here; especially with someone you love.

Being in 5^th grade when I was in Paris, I obviously wasn’t in love, but I fully appreciated what this lovely city represented and had to offer. Every morning, my parents and I would start our day sitting in little cafés drinking tea and eating delicious French bread. It was a wonderful way to begin each day with all the people passing us and the beautiful sights and scenery in the background.   

Of course, my favorite site was the Eiffel Tower. We began walking up the never ending stairs to the top and quickly opted for the elevator to finish to our trip up into the sky. When stepping out of the elevator doors, we were immediately hit with wind and cold. Totally worth it though. Being able to see the city of Paris from every angle and all directions was beautiful and thrilling.

Another site I fell in love with was the Louvre. The Louvre is a grand museum and the home of many great works of art (i.e. The Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, and many ancient artifacts). I’ve always been a fan of art, so the Louvre was right up my alley.

Right around the time we were traveling to Paris, the movie Moulin Rouge came out. I was infatuated with the love story between the main characters and the music within the movie. Naturally, I begged my parents to go see the location of the Moulin Rouge and the inspiration of the movie. I didn’t go into the Moulin Rouge, obviously, but I did get to see it.

Paris is a city rich in history, culture and love. It is chalk full of museums, churches, and historical sites that will keep you busy for days upon days. 

Switzerland

If you’re looking to go on a trip to somewhere that’s rich in beauty and nature, then I would definitely have to suggest going to Switzerland. During the trip where my parent and I went to London, we also got to spend some time in three different cities in Switzerland. First we traveled to Lausanne, which is on the shores of Lake Geneva. Lausanne is actually right across the lake from Evian, France, where Evian Springs water is made. I actually got to spend a day in Evian, which is rich in shopping, dining and casinos. It was beautiful of course, but back to Switzerland. In Lausanne, we decided to go on an old-time vintage tour boat from the early 1900s up the pristine blue, green waters of Lake Geneva. It was an enchanting boat ride full of scenic beauty. After our boating extravaganza we opted for walks along the Lake side. Flowers were at our every look and turn. The people were so amazingly friendly and helpful with suggesting where we should go. After several days on the Lake side and wondering around the city limits, we were onto our next destination.

Next was Locarno. We took a train up the mountains and were able to see vineyards, little farm houses and all kinds of animals. It was probably my favorite train ride of my entire European trip because of all the things there were to see. Locarno is located on Lake Maggiore and by the Swiss Alps. This city has heavy Italian influences, so were able to have some authentic Italian cuisine during our stay. Of course the sights were captivatingly beautiful like everywhere else in Switzerland.  

Lastly we traveled to Zurich, which is the nation’s largest city and one of the world’s leading financial centers. There have been many surveys that state that Zurich has the best quality of life and is the wealthiest city in Europe. So this place already has a lot going for them. I remember after arriving in Zurich, we walked from the train station to our hotel. That train station was the most beautiful one I’ve ever seen; so intricate and massive. So we walked across the long bridge to get to our hotel. My dad and I had lunch at the café that was under our hotel and sat outside and enjoyed the lovely day. We only stayed in Zurich for one night, but it was a great end to our travels in Switzerland.

There are some things in life that are so beautiful you can’t put into words to capture and describe the essence of a place. Switzerland is just that; go see for yourself!  

London’s Calling

In 2002, at the young age of eleven, I had the privilege of traveling to Europe for the first time. My dad was on business in London and had my mom and I fly over to see him. The flight over to London, was the longest I had ever been on in my life. The flight was roughly twelve hours and I was battling a cold, so it wasn’t all that pleasant. The thought of seeing my dad and the beautiful city of London got me through it though.

After fighting all the traffic out of the airport we were on our way to our hotel to meet up with my dad. After our reunion we began to map out our week. My parents had already traveled to London numerous times, so they knew exactly where to take me. I think it makes a trip even better when you have someone with you that has already been to that place. They know the area and points of interest and can guide you where to go, which is very helpful.

Our first stop was to see Big Ben and Parliament which is by Westminster Abbey. We decided to go up on the London Eye, which is essentially a gigantic ferris wheel that is enclosed. It was very cool to get see Big Ben from so high in the sky. That was probably the coolest part of our London trip. From there, we visited London Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. The history of this place had me in awe. To learn about so many historical figures/stories in class and then to go to the places where these people inhabited and where events took place was so special to me and it still is today. I’ve always been a fan of history, so I was very into this trip. I also was able to go to Windsor Castle where the current Queen spends her summers. Of course we stopped by Buckingham Palace and got some pictures there. We even were able to go to London’s “Broadway,” to see the Phantom of the Opera, which was incredible.

The sites, the food and people were wonderful in London. So if you’re looking to go on a trip and experience a lot of history, London would be a great place to see.

You Better Belize It

Over the years, I have been blessed with many opportunities to travel. I’ve always known how lucky and fortunate I have been to have these traveling experiences, both domestic and abroad. I have cherished each and every trip and have developed such a passion for traveling the world.

By far the best trip I have ever been on was in 2005, to Belize. My parents and I, along with my favorite cousin were able to experience this amazing trip together. Before embarking on this trip, we actually spent time in Mexico, but I’ll save that story for another time. After what seemed like the longest, complicated journey to get to Belize, we were finally there. We piled off the smallest plane I’ve ever been on, called a “puddle jumper,” to the areas tiny airport. We were going to be staying in the San Pedro and Ambergris Caye area. Before we could head to our “resort” we had to stop at the local grocery store. Being as famished as I was from our drawn out arrival, I had never been happier to be in a grocery store in all my life. We got what we needed and put our groceries on the boat and waited. We decided to kill some time at a little bar by where the boat was docked and have some beverages. The water, the scenery and smells were all so beautifully relaxing to me. The waters in Belize are the clearest blue, green I have seen. It was truly breathtaking.

Finally we were on the boat, heading to our hotel. The boat ride was about twenty minutes and of course beautiful. The wind and water spraying in your face, cooling me down, was exactly what I needed. Watching all the beautiful houses pass was pleasing as well. As fun as the boat ride was, I was happy to arrive at our destination. The place was called the Costa Maya Reef Resort; made up of separated houses for privacy, which I thought was really cool. We had an entire bottom floor of a house to ourselves. It was spacious, nice and very accommodating. Once we got settled, we began to plan our activities for the week.

The reason I say that Belize was the best trip I’ve been on is because of all the activities I was able to experience. Zip-lining through the Mayan jungle with howler monkeys hooping and hollering off in the distance was probably my favorite part. As a nature lover, I thought the rainforest was incredible to get to walk/fly through. Next was cave-tubing and what an awesome time that was. Floating in black inner-tubes through the river and into a cave was the perfect way to cool down. Our guide forgot to mention that the river had fish in it, just swimming under us, until after we were done—which was definitely for the best, or I’m sure I would have freaked out. The cave was infested with bats, sleeping away, which was also very cool to see. Before this trip, I had never had the opportunity to go scuba diving. We did our practice session with our guide in the resort’s pool. Then after we learned all the essentials, we headed out to a dive. If I can remember correctly, I believe we dived down to about 60 feet. Talk about an experience! Being able to be under water for such an extended period of time was so foreign to me. I have to admit, I was a little intimidated by it all, but I quickly gave into and it was incredible. Getting to swim with all the fish and sea life was remarkable. We even got to swim through an underwater cave with an electric eel right beside me. I thought I was going to die, but it was totally worth it.

There are so many other activities that were available to the resort (snorkeling, deep sea fishing, nature hikes, Mayan ruin hikes, etc). If you want a fairly cheap, super exciting and activity filled exotic trip, then Belize is the place for you! Plus it’s an English speaking country so there are no language barrier problems. Amazing and beautiful place and I would recommend it to anyone.

http://www.travelbelize.org/

http://www.goambergriscaye.com/