Author

Mae

Travel Plans for a Two-day Big Apple Experience

written by Mae

The sophistication of Broadway, impressive buildings, iconic landmarks, and the bustling people of New York are just some of the attractions that lure people to the Big Apple. Tourists who would like to make the most out of their short visit need to plan and prioritize their tours. Here are some suggestions for a two-day New York Vacation.

The first order of business whenever one is travelling long distance is to make sure that all the travel documents like insurance, passports or ID, etc., are in order and travel arrangements have been booked and confirmed. It would also help if tourists can familiarize themselves with the transportation and routes in New York so they can easily find their way around the city. A Big Apple vacation can start by taking a flight to JFK International Airport, the main airport in the city, followed by an AirTrain ride from JFK to Beach Subway Station, then transfer to an A-Train to Manhattan where you can find great lodgings for your visit. Before starting your tour, drop by the main tourist office where one can get a New York pass that gives access to popular attractions in the city as well as discounts in some of their dining establishments.

February 4, 2020 0 comment

Travel and Language

Learning the Basics of a Language Before Going on a Vacation

written by Mae

If you plan on traveling to a foreign country, it’s best to know how to speak the locals’ native tongue. Learning the basics of a language before going on a vacation is essential not only to help you immerse in the country’s culture, but also to help you get past sticky situations in a place where English may not be the first language.

Case in point: you’re in Italy and would want to seek help for directions going to Venice’s St.Mark’s Basilica. Or while on a holiday in Peru, you suddenly needed to buy medicine for your migraine. You approach a resident and ask, but he doesn’t understand you because he hardly speaks English. Do you end up doing myriad hand gestures until he comprehends what you are saying or give up asking entirely?

venice bridge small, Learning the Basics of a Language Before Going on a Vacation

(With serpentine roads and an abundance of bridges that goes to who knows where, it is best to arm yourself with a map and basic Italian when walking around Venice.)

January 30, 2019 8 comments

Europe Iceland

Ice-melting Attractions in Iceland

written by Mae

It’s gotten warm around. If you are in the same predicament as I (prefers the spring and autumn coolness), vacationing in the uplands would be a good choice. Iceland is definitely one of the more popular family go-to places. Planning an Iceland family vacation is best done by researching and getting as much information as it would with any city. Some things to consider are: the weather, the season you are arriving in, the tradition, food to enjoy, where to stay. How to go about (transportation, safety) is also a basic included in planning. It is the easiest and wisest choice to book tours tailored to your interests at best.

The Northern Lights tour to see auroras (best in winter), Snorkelling tours to see Sifra and the Tectonic plates are the most recommended. Summer tour packages to see plenty of waterfalls, a black sand beach, glaciers, and volcanoes, Photo tours in Iceland (if you are a photo enthusiast like me) are your other options.

To make your list of itinerary easier, here are some of the spots, attractions in Iceland that you should consider:

The Blue Lagoon

Consider the Blue Lagoon on your list. This spa is supposedly one of the most visited places in Iceland because of the characteristic of the water in the lagoon. Swimming in the waters will make you experience its curative powers. Be ready for the 40°C (104°F) water temperature though. The water is rich in minerals that has wonderful effects to the skin.

Blue lagoon, iceland
Blue lagoon

Nature Reserves in Iceland

If you are into hiking and you do enjoy going into an adventure in the wild, visiting the Thórsmörk mountain range is one of best choices to go to in Iceland. Thórsmörk offers 300 sq. kms. of land area. It is composed of valleys and natural landscapes which is best for amateur hikers. Thórsmörk is considered to be one of the most visited natural reserves in Iceland.

Thórsmörk,mountain range

Another reserve that deserves attention is Flatey. It is a cluster of about 40 islands with only a population of five people come winter. 😀 The oldest and smallest library in Iceland, established in 1864 can be found in Flatey.

Flatey

Hornstrandir, a 220 sq mi of tundra, fjord, glacier and alpine land with rich but fragile vegetation Nature Reserve since 1975 is Iceland’s northernmost peninsula. Visiting Hornstrandir is like going back to the past. It has been left relatively untouched by humans, there are no roads and no proper harbours. You can enjoy bird-watching and simply being in nature at Hornstrandir.

Hornstrandir, Click photo for related post

The West Fjords

The West Fjords’ landscape is consisted of beautiful mountains, steep hills, beautiful fjords. These are what most travel books feature. What are the things to do at West Fjords? Simply enjoy the magnificence of God’s creation. Every fjord has its own charm, every mountain is worth taking a photo of… It’s so worth just being there and taking in the moment of being.

The Latrabjarg cliff is one of the most visited spots in the West Fjords. It measures 14km long and up to 440m high, thus, Europe’s largest bird cliff. It is home to a million of birds. From there, visit the Rauðasandur beach (Raudasandur). The color-changing sand will be an awe to watch, it turns from yellow to red-black which is mostly the color of beaches in Iceland.

West Fjords Waterfalls

Take a peek (and thousands of photos) of Dynjandi (pictured below waterfalls section), Djupavikurfoss, and Fossdalur waterfalls – pick a favourite.

I find camping to be the best option if you want to stay here. A wee bit cold spring, a place that is not very much populated, such undisturbed nature, and a very safe surrounding.

Atlantic puffin, common at the West Fjords

Waterfalls in Iceland

Being named Iceland, I can assure you that the place is not full of ice. It has magnificent waterfalls and water forms.

Here are some of Iceland’s amazing waterfalls worth seeing:

Gullfoss

Dettifoss

Skógafoss

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The Midnight Sun and the Northern Lights

Iceland being situated in the North Atlantic, late March to late September will have longer days opposed to the half of the year, when the Northern lights (Aurora) are most visible. With the sun still up late at night, it would be a wonderful photo opportunity, it’s like having dusk scenes of a beautiful landscape in a permanent time frame, that you do not need to hurriedly click your camera…you can enjoy the surreal moment and capture some chunks of reality too.

If you decide to go on the opposite months – be mesmerized by the dancing skyfires, or auroras. Whichever season you decide, expect the skies of Iceland to be breathtaking.

Midnight sun, Fjord

Attractions in Iceland

Visiting Iceland will give you a unique experience, seeing more than just the northern lights, sleeping under the stars, and diving between two continents are surely worth writing down your travel diary. Here, you will experience being close to nature, see how life is far from the hustle and bustle of the city, and in effect appreciate the Creator a lot more.

Have you updated your bucket list yet? It’s time to save up and plan your travel budget. I guess you should have Iceland on your list.

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October 26, 2018 5 comments

Austria Europe

Top Tourist Attractions in Vienna

written by Mae

If Europe is a preferable travel destination for you, then fail not to visit Vienna. It’s quite a historic and wonderful hotspot. It is once again named the Most Livable City, that a feature here is a totally deserved one. The top tourist attractions in Vienna may not be all enumerated in this post since there are a lot of spots worth visiting.

Art Galleries and Museum

Both artists and art lovers even those who are not will really feast on the 45,000 drawings and the most comprehensive art graphics of the world when in Vienna. The collection was established in 1786. One good example is the Museum of Art History (Kunsthistorisches Museum). One of the finest museums in Vienna.

The Art history museum is opposite a similar building, the natural history museum. These two are dubbed as Vienna’s twin museums for having the almost similar facade, a visit to one is not complete without the other.

artmuseum, Kunsthistorisches museum Vienna

(Kunsthistorisches museum, art museum opposite the Natural history museum)

Belvedere Palace

The Belvedere houses museums within its upper and lower palaces. The upper one has a museum full of Austria’s most famous painters Gustav Klimt and Egon Shiele. There’s a botanical garden beside that those who enjoy a walk in nature in the middle of a busy city.

Belvedere in spring

Imperial Palace/ Hofburg

This tells about the rich European history – at a time in the middle of world wars. Alexander’s Apartment, Chapel Castle of Hofburg, Butterfly House, Elizabeth’s Apartment and the Treasure chamber can be found within the complex. The Imperial Palace should place either as number 1 or 2 our top tourist attractions in Vienna list.

Hofburg / Imperial Palace

The Ring (The Ringstrasse)

The Ringstrasse encircles the most famous and important buildings of Vienna that are all worth seeing. The street around houses the Parliament, the Rathaus, the twin museums, the Stadtpark on one side. On the other, one can see the the Bugtheater, the Hofburg, the Volksgarten, the Opera house and many more. Take a tram that goes around the Ring and get off at the stop near the building you’d like to see. Take the same tram then get off the next…

Ring at night

Wiener Prater

Athletic and adventurous tourists like this place. The Prater is the famous fun fair in Vienna and would also make it to the list of top tourist attractions in Vienna. You will have the opportunity to ride the giant Ferris wheel and jog or do cycling through the areas of parks, fields and vast forest lands.

Prater at night

Anchor Clock (Ankeruhr)

Can’t miss this eye-catching clock when you walk at the Altstadt

It’s an art Nouveau built in 1911 to 1917. The clock is decorated with mosaic designs and ornaments. The 12 hours presentations have twelve historical figures that also move. These famous figures include Walther von der Vogelweide, the medieval lyricist, Joseph Haydn, Empress Maria Theresa and Savoy’s Prince Eugene. The Ankeruhr is best to see at noon, when it has a sort of little show when the 12th hour strikes.

The Ankeruhr can be found at Hohen Markt 10–11 at Vienna’s old town. It is on a footbridge at the Helvetia insurance building. Miraculously surviving the bombs during the wars. It can be accessed via the train station Schwedenplatz, to a little detour going to the city center or from Stephansplatz station going to Schwedenplatz. It is also opposite the Römermuseum.

A few walks from the clock, one will find the fountain Vermählungsbrunnen, which like the clock is an art Nouveau made of marble and bronze.

Schönbrunn Palace

A tour of the palace will direct you to magnificent apartments of Maria Theresia. The parlour and the bedroom where Mozart played for the Empress when he was 6 years old can also be seen. The apartments and parlours of Imperial couple Franz Joseph and Sissi are also on exhibit. You can also see other glass ornamented ceilings and gold-plated walls. The entire palace has a total of 1441 rooms!

Back of the Schönbrunn Palace

Danube Tower (Donauturm)

Danube Tower – at 170m is a rotating restaurant

Vienna’s awesome city view is most clear from this site. The tower which is fondly called as “Concrete needle” with 352 meters high is located between the two Danube intersections. History tells the tower was only built within 20 months. The tower has a rotating cafe-restaurant offering Viennese specialties. You can enjoy the 360° panoramic scenery of Vienna while enjoying your melange up here.

The tower can be reached via the train station Alte Donau. If you’re up for a walk, it can also be reached from the Vienna international centre, where you can pass by the big park. The tower is located in the man-made island Donauinsel. The island was created to prevent floods pestering the 21st and 22nd districts of Vienna and was developed as a family-friendly park.

Football fields, tennis courts, sand volleyball courts, restaurants and cafés, humongous playgrounds, gardens, and even a Korean concert house are in the area.

Spanish Riding School

This riding school was founded in the year 1572 making it the oldest in the world. To watch the horse show, you must have booked the place month in advance.

Inside the Riding school (photo by David Mark https://pixabay.com/users/12019-12019)

Other Top Tourist Attractions in Vienna worth seeing

The oldest buildings and historical structures of Vienna truly manifest man’s ingenuity. The structures adorned with different pieces of ornaments made of various materials also showcase the European’s love of art.

Take for example the Hundertwasserhaus and other buildings by the known architect of the same name. The Secession building, the Rathaus, Parliament building and many other historical works of art.

Vienna has been one of the most famous destinations in Europe. You will surely feast on the colors and the wonders of art that are mostly man-made. Seeing those on this list of top tourist attractions in Vienna may make you want to stay longer.

The top tourist attractions in Vienna may not be all enumerated in this post since there are a lot of spots worth visiting.

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Pin This! (Top Tourist Attractions in Vienna)

 photos courtesy of MarieKhan.com

March 28, 2018 5 comments

Skiing Winter Travel

Which to Choose? Austria or France for Skiing

written by Mae

Torn between Austria or France for Skiing? Both Austria and France have a long history as excellent ski destinations. Since the 1970’s France has been the most popular destination for ski holidays due to its vast ski resorts with numerous facilities. However, Austria is growing in popularity due to its low costs and fantastic apres ski. This guide helps you pick the best ski destination to suit your individual needs.

Why Choose Austria?

One of the main reasons people are choosing a ski holiday in Austria is the price. The costs of a ski holiday can quickly add up, with equipment rental, ski passes, food, alcohol, flights and travel insurance. Austrian ski holidays are significantly cheaper than those in France, allowing you to enjoy your holiday without having to think about your bank balance.

March 16, 2018 0 comment

Cruises Winter Travel

Escape the Cold Winter With a Cruise

written by Mae

There’s a fairly good reason that Summer Nights from Grease has always been such a huge hit. Other than its catchy melody, the song reminds us of what we crave for the most- long and lazy summer days and nights. Sadly though, the world has to turn, and the seasons must change. Although we can’t really do any tweaking with this, we can somehow extend that luxurious pleasure and escape those cold winter nights. Yes, especially for one born in an archipelago of more than 7000 islands…the sea calling is so hard to resist.

February 2, 2018 0 comment

https://www.aman.com/resorts/amanpulo/explore-amanpulo#photo-beach-club

Travel Plans

Top 10 Most Luxurious Holiday Ideas

written by Mae

Most people would count a package deal to a Greek island or even a couple of weeks in Devon as their annual holiday, but there is a more extravagant side to travel if you have the funds to pay for it. If you have ever been curious about how the obscenely wealthy let their hair down, take a look at ten of the most luxurious trips available.

The exclusive resort

The island of Bedarra lies just off the coast of Queensland in Australia and is home to a series of ‘hidden’ villas. The perfect sands and jewel-like seas of the Great Barrier Reef are only a few steps away and you can enjoy the very best in hospitality and accommodation.

The grand hotel

Las Vegas is famed for its opulent accommodation and the Mansion Hotel at MGM Grand is no exception; the facade alone is that of a stately home and there is access to both butler services and media suites.

January 12, 2018 0 comment

Africa Beaches South Africa

Boulders Beach – A Quaint Haven in Cape Town

written by Mae

Boulders Beach – People’s perception of Africa has tremendously changed over the years mainly because it has gained prominence as a worthwhile vacation destination. Quite a number of beaches in the country beckon beach bums and wanderlusts seeking to have a good time.

Cape Town, the second most populated city in Africa next to Johannesburg, is home to many breathtaking beaches. In fact, it’s famous for its harbour; thus, it is widely known as Africa’s most popular tourist destination.

Famous Beaches

One of the well-known beaches in Cape Town is Boulders Beach (or Boulders Bay). It lies just around the corner from Simon’s Town. Charming and quaint are two words that may be used to describe this sheltered cove of white sand beach. Massive granite boulders are aplenty on this beach, hence, the name Boulders Beach.

While most of the beaches in Cape Town have icy waters (these being part of the Atlantic Ocean), the waters of Boulders Beach are a tad warmer (the beach being on the Indian Ocean side of the peninsula). The beach is ideal for snorkeling and sheltered swimming. If you’re the type of person who likes to have a good time but want a more laid-back atmosphere, Boulders Beach is the place to go to.

Giant Boulders

The charming appeal of the beach must emanate from Simon’s Town itself, which is a former navy seaport. What lure people to this place may perhaps be the giant boulders found along the beach that provide seclusion and utmost protection from the wind.

January 4, 2018 4 comments

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Australia Beaches Queensland

Spend a Blissful Day at Whitehaven Beach

written by Mae

Why do you plan a getaway every so often? Are you like most people who do so in order to get away from the frenzied city life? Let’s face it; the hustle and bustle of everyday life is enough to put a damper on your sanity. This is even truer if you live in a big city like New York. The fast-paced life coupled with unpleasant news reports would surely make you want to make a run for it on your next vacation leave.

To escape from the cudgels of city living, albeit for a short period only, most people go to faraway places that offer peace and tranquility. One such safe haven is Whitehaven Beach found along Whitsunday Island. Incidentally, Whitsunday Island is the largest among the seventy-four islands that make up the Whitsunday Group of Islands located off the coast of Central Queensland in Australia.

December 30, 2017 4 comments

America Beaches Maine

Scenery, Food, and Northern Culture: 5 Reasons You Should Make Maine Your Next Stop for Fun

written by Mae

It’s almost the end of 2017, and I’m sure you’re looking forward to another year of memorable experiences. And you might also be planning about when and where to go for those free weeks to spend your allotted vacation. Of all the vacations you may have considered, Maine could have made it to your list. And it’s rightly so. From the fantastic sceneries to the plenty of activities that characterize it, there’s never a sad moment in Maine. Here’s why you need to take a vacation in America’s northernmost state at one point in your life/Make Maine Your Next Stop.

The Weather

Maine’s weather is splendid. Compared to most east coast states, it is a bit farther north, so it’s a little breezier and cooler. This is excellent because it doesn’t get too humid or extremely hot while enjoying the attractions of the outdoor scenery. Even a small amount of rainfall looks pretty in Maine!

Autumn in Ogunquit..

The Wildlife

Wildlife is abundant in Maine. It is well-known for its moose which can be seen when traveling further inland. Although they are attractive to see, it’s advisable to keep away from the moose as they could get aggressive. In the coastal areas, there are some amazing sea creatures. Fresh lobsters can be seen everywhere, but dolphins, whales, harbor seals, and porpoises are in the actual sea. Additionally, there are so many beautiful birds in Maine such as the bald eagle that breeds in the tall pine trees which line the islands.

The coast of Maine near Acadia National Park

Parks

The parks in Maine offer everything an outdoor enthusiast would ever hope for. The oldest eastern park, Acadia, has bike paths for the adrenaline rush, hiking trails, large granite parks, the oldest historic carriage roads, and some of the tallest mountains on America’s Atlantic coast. This is certainly the right place for you to get a breath of perfectly clean mountain air.

Family Bonding

As mentioned, visiting Maine offers an excellent opportunity for people to take part in outdoor adventures, making it possible for families to bond. What better way to forget about technology and chatting than to hike for miles along the coastline of Maine or through its forest? There are numerous marked trails, and most of these trails are properly maintained to provide beautiful and attractive views as well as opportunities for families to take photos.

Wadsworth-Longfellow House, Portland, Maine

Wadsworth-Longfellow House for us, booklovers.

Hotels and Resorts

Apart from the outdoor experiences, Maine also allows for greater relaxation. The place has a lot of beautiful hotels and resorts that offer numerous packages for families and individuals. One of these hotels is the Fairfield Inn & Suites Brunswick Freeport that is located near the city of Bath. Some of the hotels and resorts in Maine have amazing amenities such as the swimming pools, world-class living rooms with 24-hour security, free Wi-Fi, among others.

In addition to the amenities, the resorts and hotels in Maine also offer the best cuisines you could hope for. Seafood lovers should visit Maine since fresh lobster among other fresh seafood can be found here.

Maine is known for its seafood cuisine, specifically clams and lobsters.

Make Maine Your Next Stop

With trips to other parts of the world – Europe, the Caribbean islands, and other exotic places – people tend to overlook the amazing places found right here in the United States. Maine, a beautiful state in America, is an excellent tourist location for both the locals and the foreigners. The aspects mentioned above are some of the factors that make it one of the most amazing places to be.

December 13, 2017 0 comment

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