Category: travel
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I Decide on Foreign Flavor for a Winter Escape
What is it like to spend a month away from home? Steve and I escaped one of the worst winters in years on the east coast, probably decades; final statistics are not yet in. The past few winters have been relatively mild. I have a puffy warm winter coat that for years did not see…
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Escape to Calmness?
A six hour flight from home left me tired but excited to begin my new adventure. I missed travel. I missed meeting new people, viewing new sites, tasting different foods, and simply walking around a different environment. I missed the variety. I missed the change. And I needed the diversion. Travel is escapism. I am…
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A Mexican Carnaval Cavalcade
I have temporarily escaped the wintry weather at home to enjoy a warmer climate in the mountains of Mexico. The groups of Mexicans milling about puzzled me. Were they waiting for a bus? But there were too many, and as I maneuvered jam-packed sidewalks, I figured out this was more than a casual Sunday afternoon…
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Plane Travel and What Not to Wear
Nowadays a plane traveler never knows when hours might be spent hunched over an uncomfortable metal airline terminal seat waiting for a plane to load and take off. Or they might nestle comfortably in a tight plane seat, only to stare out the window at the runway for what seems an interminable amount of time…
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A Grandma and Granddaughter Journey
The sun shines 6 am to 6 pm along the equator. Days seem very long for a 70+-year-old grandma traveling with her 13-year-old granddaughter. The duo toured the jungles of Ecuador and the islands of the Galapagos together, a once-in-a-lifetime journey for the senior, and an eye-opening adventure for the teenager. Grandma was not in…
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Immersed in the Daily Life of Costa Rica
I wanted to immerse myself in the local culture of Costa Rica – la pura vida, and I succeeded, although two experiences in two days have not been quite as expected. But definitely memorable. The first episode: No one wants to get sick while traveling. Illness can ruin a perfectly wonderful vacation. I woke one…
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Two Days, Two Hotels, One Town
Photo by Meryl Baer I never considered myself high maintenance, and my husband Steve would generally agree with me. However at times my flexibility and willingness to ‘go with the flow’ is tested. That is what happened upon our arrival in the Costa Rican town of Domenical, a quaint Spanish/California/hippie hodge-podge of an enclave famous…
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Musings on Life in Paradise
What is life in Paradise like? For each of us the answer would be different, although some things might be the same. We all want to live in a safe and secure place, unconcerned about monetary shortfalls, and enjoy comfortable living quarters. Ideal weather may vary – some like it hot, others more moderate, which…
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My Senior-Style Winter Break Begins
The sensation of sunlit warmth on my Northern pale skin did not initially materialize as my husband Steve and I settled into temporary digs, our home away from home for three weeks. It took an entire day to recover from our trip south, an endless 15-hour journey door to door. We are no longer young,…
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A Very Long Air Travel Day
Who decreed air travel should be so challenging, time-consuming, and aggravating? It is the 21st century! Why can’t gurus with business brains make a journey a seamless experience? Where is Scotty (of Star Trek fame) – ‘beam me up, Scotty’ – when you need him? Long-distance trips for the wealthy can be pleasant, even enjoyable (or so I’ve…