High in the Andes Mountains of Peru live direct descendents of the ancient Inca people, invaded by Spanish Conquistadors in the 1500’s. This indigenous group of people are called the Q’ueros. They are the few that escaped forced labor by the Spanish, those able to live in “villages in the clouds” in the refuge of […]
Discover the Ancient Wisdom Keepers of Peru; Visiting with a Shaman Read More »
Although the trail to the remarkable Inca engineering and cultural achievement called Machu Picchu is Peru’s most famous destination, Cañon del Colca, or Colca Canyon is a grand and extraordinary experience…one not to miss! One of the deepest canyons in the world — nearly 14,000 feet from its highest point to its lowest, twice as
Peru’s Stunning Colca Canyon and Realm of the Andean Condor Read More »
Since most of the world is dealing with scorching summer temps, here’s a cooling visual reprieve. Croatia’s first national park since 1949 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Plitvice Lakes is the country’s oldest and largest with sixteen lakes and innumerable waterfalls. Located very close to the Croatian border with Bosnia, it’s about a two
Croatia’s Ultimate Summer Refreshment: Hike Plitvice National Park Read More »
The Royal Palace situated within the city of Angkor Thom, close to Siem Reap Cambodia, belonged to kings of the tenth and first half of of the eleventh centuries. King Jayavarman VII built the city, whose name translates to “Great Kingdom” and includes Angkor Wat, over a 30 year period with the assistance of 6,000 elephants.
Expression of the Highest Genius; The Majesty of Angkor Thom Read More »
Elephants are a national symbol in Southeast Asia. Woven into the cultural fabric of Asia, the animal was elevated to a special status upon Lord Buddha’s birth when, scriptures say, his mother dreamed a white elephant came to her with a lotus flower. Practically though, the massive temples in Southeast Asia, staggering in size and
My Once in a Lifetime Experience: Chiang Mai Elephant Jungle Sanctuary Read More »
My Zimbabwe adventure included a morning hike in the Victoria Falls Rainforest and an afternoon helicopter ride over the falls. Both were incredible! It is the largest waterfall in the world. Not the widest or the highest but the world’s largest sheet of falling water. Twice the height of Niagara and only rivalled by Iguazu
Twelve Fascinating Facts You Didn’t Know About Victoria Falls Read More »
As much as I viewed Dyer Island as a rocky and uninhabitable place to live, it’s actually the defining feature of the area coastal area of Gansbaai, on South Africa’s eastern coast. A place known as “Shark Alley”. Dyer Island is a small island located only a few miles off the southern shores of mainland
Thrill of a Lifetime! Cage Diving in South Africa’s Shark Alley! Read More »
Its beauty is mesmerizing. Drive with me along South Africa’s rugged coastline to the Cape of Good Hope. Before “Good Hope”, the Cape was actually known as the “Cape of Storms”. Aptly named by Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias, the first European to discover the Cape in 1488 for the rough tides and heavy storms that
See Africa’s Cape of Ghosts; Incomparable Beauty, Mystery and Tragedy Read More »
The answer to this burning question is at the end of this post. Enjoy the visual feast until you get there…. The country ranks #2 to the world wide leader, the Netherlands, in the export of this flower. Here, roses grow longer, thicker and heartier stems, with larger buds and fuller blooms making them the
Where Can You Find the World’s Most Beautiful Roses? Read More »
At sunset, the jungle comes alive just as the day’s blistering heat is fading. It signals with sound and movement. Black-masked capuchin monkeys crash through the palm canopy, flying recklessly overhead. Insects thrum, click and buzz. Then the birdsong. Kiskadees, caciques and tanagers harmonize with yellow billed toucans. Our Kichwa guide is the only one
The Incredible Kichwa: Indigenous People of the Amazon Jungle Read More »