Lalibela…the name rolls off the tongue, sounding melodic and mysterious; the experience will meet all expectations. It literally means Continue reading →
Bali is a small island, just east of Java, with a combination of serene beaches, active night life, artisan craftworks, a culture of dance and theatre, rainforests, volcanic mountains, green terraced rice fields, and great cuisine. We stayed on the Nusa Dua beach in south Bali before heading north to Ubud. Ubud is a crafts center, in the heart of Bali, in a lush forested area, with Continue reading →
Posted in Asia, Indonesia
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Tagged Bali, Ubud
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Jogyakarta was one of the highlights of our trip to Indonesia. Why? This city is the gateway to two ancient architectural wonders…Prambanan (Hindu) and Borobudur (Buddhist) temples, as well as being an arts center for crafts that could be easily lost (batik cloth, shadow puppets, dance, theatre) without careful preservation. In addition, Continue reading →
Posted in Asia, Indonesia
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While in Indonesia, we were able to see the beautiful mountain peaks wherever we went. These peaks are actually volcanoes as the islands of Indonesia sit on the “Pacific Ring of Fire”, which consists of the mountains, faults, and trenches that rim the pacific coasts on North and South America, Alaska, Kamchatka Peninsula of Russia, Indonesia and New Zealand. Seventy-five (75%) percent of the world’s volcanoes sit on this notorious ring. Continue reading →
Posted in Asia, Indonesia
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Tagged Volcanoes
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This was my first visit to Indonesia and it was a wonderful surprise. Indonesia is the world’s largest island archipeligo with more than 17,500 islands, of which 6,000 are inhabited, and only 1000 are permanently settled. Don’t be misled by this island nation…the total land mass is roughly 3 times the size of Texas. The 5 major islands are densely populated, with the island of Java (about the size of New York state) being the most densely populated area on earth. Indonesia is home to beautiful green vegetation, golden beaches, and volcanic peaks. Each island has its own culture that has been beautifully preserved through dance, story telling, shadow puppets, and arts and crafts. The people are proud of their heritage and their nation (formed in 1948 after World War II). This is truly a place to experience a facinating blend of cultures, majestic landscapes, ancient arts and crafts, and Indonesian cuisine.
There are a number of ways to get to the carefully hidden ancient city of Petra from the entrance to this magnificent site. After entering, the options for transport are: on foot, on horseback, or by horse drawn carriage along the path to the Siq (canyon walk). We chose to walk since it was a beautiful, sunny day in January, and the path is well kept and easy to manage. The walk through the siq is breathtaking, with each turn displaying a shaft of unexpected light, changing colors of the rock face and
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Finding the Lost City of Petra
There is something truly exhilarating about exploring a hidden city, built and left uninhabited by a lost civilation. Walking the winding path of the Siq, between narrow canyon walls was a trek of building anticipation. Each turn along the canyon walk brings new hope of what will be seen next. At that final turn, one can see a slice of the “Treasury” building of Petra, gleaming orange in the gap between the canyon walls. I have wanted to see Petra ever since I watched Indiana Jones Continue reading →
How does one have just “A Taste of Scotland and Ireland”? The purpose of a trip like this is to give the inquisitive traveler the essence of culture and history of a lot of sites in a short amount of time, and yet leave you with the desire to come back and see more. Well, it was successful! We had a wonderful taste and want to come back to see and do more. We were with our extended family, a group of 12 people ranging in age from 22 to 76, who live in different regions of the United States and don’t get to see each other often. While the sites we saw were wonderful and inspiring, the best part of the trip was Continue reading →
Then it is your own fault. That is my conclusion after spending the past week-end delighting in the vast array of amazing dining options, live music, and the historical treasures. We also found treasures in many of New Orleans’ amazing restaurants, such as the “beignet” (think hot, fresh doughnut, only 10 times better), the bacon and fried oyster po’ boy sandwich, and shrimp and andouille ravioli. Our tour of restaurants took us to three very different, but exquisite 5 star restaurants. When dining at Brightsen’s Continue reading →
