found Eldorado

Eldrorado Canyon State Park, that is. And it’s worth its weight in gold. This beaut is just south of Boulder. The Ute were the first to call it home. It was the perfect shelter from Colorado winters. It’s also surrounded by hot springs. In the mid 1900s, some crazy dude (Ivy Baldwin) walked a tightrope…

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the 4 degree lean known ’round the world

According to Martinez family legend, my abuelo rang one of those big bells on top of the Leaning Tower when no one was looking and they kicked him right out. Hard to believe, but if you knew him, you might. Fallen Angel by Igor Mitoraj  The face of someone thinking they too might ring the bells…

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gotta get back to Tokyo

A question I get a lot: Where do you want to go next? It’s always hard to answer. But I know I definitely want to get back to Japan. I got to spend 36 hours in Tokyo, and it was not enough! Scroll down for a taste of my mini visit. Tokyo was known as…

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little Sitges on the sea

From Barcelona, we took a short train ride to the quaint beach town, Sitges. Known for art and culture, perched on the Mediterranean Sea, is home to historical sites and nightlife. Iglesia de San Bartolomé y Santa Tecla The baroque temple on the edge of the sea in the middle of town dates back to…

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90 miles to Cuba

My dad was born and grew up in Cuba. Eventually he made his way to the US as a refugee. I’ve never been able to visit for a lot of reasons. Hopefully someday I will. But for now, the closest I’ve been is The Florida Keys. I got to go to Key West with friends…

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this Thai temple takes details to the next level

2 of the 12 giant guardians protecting the temple: Maiyarap and Wirunchambang Welcome to Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha in English)–the most sacred Buddhist temple in all of Thailand. Construction began in the late 1700s. Since it’s creation, future dynasties and kings continued to work on this incredible structure, to gain religious…

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Na Ka Island

Right off the coast of Thailand in Phuket, you’ll find Naka Island. It’s only accessible by boat, so gettin there is half the fun. It’s right next door to Koh Naka Noi Island, where some of the rarest South Sea pearls are cultivated. The water is clear, the sand is soft and it’s about as…

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Exploring Bangkok

Welcome to Krung Thep Maha Nakhon! (otherwise known as Bangkok) That’s right, Bangkok’s real name is 168 letters long. Technically, it’s less of a name and more of a descriptive phrase that means City of Angels. This wonderfully busy city is and endless mashup of new and old. Perhaps most known for its street life,…

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From India to Joshua Tree

Welcome to Joshua Tree National Park in southern California. It’s known for and named after its bristled yucca palms. That’s right. Joshua trees are the largest yucca in the world. So why exactly do we call them Joshua trees? It came from Mormon settlers in the 1800s as they made their way through the Mojave…

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historical sites and possible snake bites

Amer Fort, perched atop the hilltops of Amer, Rajasthan, sits one of the most striking places I visited in India. When I went to the Taj Mahal, I knew it’d be great. But this old palace was such an unexpected surprise. In the valley below the old walls sits Maota Lake, reflecting the yellow structure.…

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