wanderlust

Wanderlusting to: the Philippines

~ alyssa ~ Leave a comment

This week in the Wanderlust Series is the Philippines.  This place is unique to me because I’m half Filipino and sadly I’ve never been before!  So at the top of my list is this amazing group of islands in the Pacific. I want to visit Manila, El Nido, Palawan, Coron, Cebu and basically anywhere that I can get into the water… My picks from Instagram capture the secluded and great beaches that the Philippines has to offer but what I’m really excited to see is what’s away from the tourists. Though I’m born and raised in the US, my grandparents were born here and I’d love to see where they grew up and experience my culture completely unAmericanized.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wanderlusting to: Tulum, Mexico

~ alyssa ~ Leave a comment

As a new section to the blog, I am unveiling the Wanderlust series – a growing collection of places I’m dying to visit as seen through the eyes of some pretty cool people.  I will be living vicariously through them and using all of their great photos, travel tips and stories as planning inspiration for my future trips. First up is Tulum, Mexico.  Mexico is a country I want to thoroughly see all of though and right now top spots on my list also include Mexico City, Playa del Carmen, Puerta Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas and Sayulita.  Of course, after seeing what Tulum has to offer, I’m going to need to increase vacation time to see more…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Harking Back to Ancient Days in Athens, Greece

~ alyssa ~ 2 Comments

The history in Athens is palpable. It’s almost eerie to see the temples, ruins and Greek mythology representing one of the oldest civilizations in the world juxtaposed to modern-day buildings, touristy shops and hotels.  The highlight of Athens is definitely its cultural sites; the rest of the city still shows the wear and tear of the economic downturn and does not offer the same charm that the smaller islands do.  Come here to visit the Acropolis, recognized as a World Heritage Site, including the Parthenon, Propylaea, the Erectheum and the Temple of Athena Nike just to name a few.  Other must sees are the Theatre of Dionysos and the Temple of Olympus Zeus.  The sites can be covered in a day, though it makes for a busy and walking filled one to see and take all of it in.

Unfortunately, when we went last summer, the Acropolis was undergoing major restorations.  BUT, the sites remain true architectural marvels and visitors can still see everything it has to offer.  The Acropolis is stunning at all times of day, though the August heat is definitely at its peak mid-day with no shade and little wind.  The historical information surrounding everything was in-depth and there are museums for those who want an even closer look to learn about the Ancient Greeks.  The view of Athens from up on the hill is amazing and you can sharply see the contrast of the Ancient versus Modern world below.

Exploring Santorini

~ alyssa ~ Leave a comment

Here’s some more photos from my trip to Santorini.  Take a look at the rooms with a view in Imerovigli and the beautiful Oia.  Time runs on a different schedule here and the overwhelming feeling of relaxation and tranquility comes through in these photos.  Once you’re in the town of Oia, there’s really no streets that cars can drive on and it becomes a walking city.  Every bend and turn around the hillside leads to a new street of shops with handcrafted goods and friendly shop owners or lively restaurants with people spilling out onto the patios and the sound of music floating onto the streets.  The weather here is so comfortably warm, there’s just as much action in the main squares as there is in the individual shops and restaurants.  You’ll feel like you’re doing everything and yet nothing at all here – and it’s a great feeling.

Santorini Sunset

~ alyssa ~ 2 Comments

Breathtaking.  If you needed only one word to describe the sunsets in Santorini and Greece in general, this would be it.  The photos during this magical transition from day to night does not even begin to describe what it’s like to witness this in person.  We had dinner at the Grace Hotel in the village of Imerovigli and to top off the amazing food and hospitable service was the sunset view of the caldera.  Go to Greece and tick this off your bucket list.

Taking a Dip at Kamari Beach

~ alyssa ~ 1 Comment

What makes Kamari Beach so unique is its signature black pebble shores formed from Santorini’s volcanoes.  The sand is not quite sand, not quite rocks, but it definitely isn’t fine and soft that most sandy beaches are.  The water here is super clear and still – lie on your back for half an hour, get up and realize you’re in the same spot.  The beach has a private feel to it being enclosed by the headland, the place isn’t very touristy and people are here to tan or swim, there isn’t room for beachside sports.  However, just a few steps away is a promenade of shops, restaurants and bars to enjoy.  Upon arrival, you can rent umbrellas and chairs which are essential to stay off the hot, pebbled shore.  The calmness here is undeniable.  Relax, take a dip in the water, enjoy the sun and hop aboard one of the water taxis to take you to Perissa Beach, a short boat ride just around the headland.  Welcome to bliss.

Endless Blue Days in Santorini, Greece

~ alyssa ~ 2 Comments

A few brief but amazing summer days were spent in Santorini, Greece last year.  This tiny island in Greece is easily reachable by a quick 45 minute flight from the capital in Athens.  Commercialism is not a huge thing here and no giant international-chain hotels are crowding the island – instead, the steep hillsides are dotted with many white, terraced, villa-style apartments to rent out.  Everywhere you go, you see a spectacular view of the caldera or the Aegean Sea depending on where you stay in the island.  We stayed in Imerovigli, a popular tourist area for families and couples.  The location was great because we were halfway between the two bigger cities in Santorini – Fira to the South and Oia at the northernmost tip of the island.  I’ve never seen such a peaceful and tranquil place with the clear blue sky meeting the blue ocean below.  In August, the weather here is always clear skies, 80 degree weather with a nice breeze to keep you from sweating.  In other words, it’s paradise.

Hanging in El Yunque Rainforest

~ alyssa ~ 3 Comments

Only about a 45 minute drive from the city, El Yunque National Forest is a dose of natural beauty and a must-visit spot in PR.  On our day tour, we started at The Yokahu Observation Tower, where we climbed to the top and overlooked the rainforest from 360 degrees.  Hiking to La Mina Falls was the absolute highlight of the trip.  We visited in the dry season so it was interesting to see how dry the rainforest was and how non-tropical it looked.  I was surprised at the lack of bugs and animals running around and so relieved to find that we were at such a high altitude that mosquitos were not present here.  However, if you listen, you can hear how full of life it is here with the chirps of various birds and the coquí frogs croaking.  This place is magical with the vast amount of greenery, huge plants, shady trees and bright flowers.  Constant light streams through the heavy canopies of rich vegetation.  There is an ever-present sound of water running nearby and a tiny stream suddenly turns into a river and then winds down to a waterfall as the trail twists and turns through the rainforest.

La Mina Falls are beautiful and packed at its base are people climbing over the slippery rocks to try and maneuver their ways into the freezing cold water to swim in the waterfall.  The power of the water rushing is intense but the falls are not so big that people could cliff jump into it – I can only imagine what it’s like come the rainy season.  We wrapped up our trip visiting La Coca Falls.  These falls were pretty too, but less adventurous and offered more of a photo opp than a chance to swim in them.  For a thrill, there were plenty of rocks to strategically climb over to make your way to the top of the falls.  Get off that beach chair and experience both the thrill and tranquility that only El Yunque offers.

Wandering through Old San Juan

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Old San Juan is the lively cultural center of San Juan.  Everything here is bright and colorful, the buildings painted with a pop of pastel pinks, yellows, greens and blues.  The colonial architecture reflects the Spanish influence here in Puerto Rico.  The cobblestone roads meander through the hilly city and leads you down streets lined with shops, historical sites, museums, bars, restaurants, open-air cafés.  The streets open up to beautiful plazas with churches and little outdoor markets with locals selling crafts.  The best traditional Puerto Rican, Caribbean and Mexican food was found here and the bars offered plenty of happy hours with great tropical drinks.  Going at the end of the Puerto Rican winter made the city not very busy and not very touristy, which was great to avoid crowds but also made for a quieter nightlife scene.  The city fills up with tourists whenever cruises come to port, but Old San Juan still maintains a local feel to it and the hospitality here is friendly and welcoming, with genuine people who want to help you experience as much as you can.

Beachside in Puerto Rico

~ alyssa ~ Leave a comment

Vacation in Puerto Rico was well-deserved after the freezing and forever-lasting winter in NY.  We stayed in San Juan and visited the beautiful Condado and Isla Verde Beaches.  The beaches follow the same winning formula: turquoise blue water, mild waves, soft sand and a nice cool breeze to keep the 80 degree sun and clear skies from becoming too hot and humid.  The sun setting behind the hotel/condo strip and making the waves glow as the tides come in was stunning.  A drink in our hands, a hammock to lie in and a sunny spot to tan were all we needed to keep us busy.