Happy Holidays

The holidays are upon us and we are all busy celebrating. I hope everyone enjoys their time with friends and family this holiday season. Happy holidays and I will see you all in the New Year!!!

Buenos Aires, Argentina, Part II

La Boca is the most picturesque of all neighborhoods of Buenos Aires. By the late 1800´s it was the harbor of Buenos Aires. La Boca means “the mouth”, as it was the mouth of the river Riachuelo, consequently, it was the entrance of all vessels coming from Europe.

This extravagant zone is completely different from the old and the modern Buenos Aires. Romantic stories say that tango was born in La Boca, that prostitutes, mafia, sailors, immigrants lived there, giving a huge variety of personalities. At any time of day you will see Tango dancers on the streets and see them performing while you are eating in almost every restaurant.

A typical or even particular feature of La Boca is that all houses are full-color painted. The reason might be that the immigrants used the remaining paints found in the nearby docks to decorate their humble buildings, made of metal, with balconies

 

The famous 100-meter street “Caminito” (also the title of a typical argentine tango), is the soul of La Boca. A handcraft fair alongside Caminito during the week-ends and holidays is an odd offer for visitors.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Our next stop on the trip was magnificent Buenos Aires – the Paris of South America, the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after Greater São Paulo.
Buenos Aires is divided into many barrios, which means neighborhoods. Each one of them has something special to offer and has an important story that identifies the spirit and characteristics of its citizens.
I’d like to highlight just a few, which you cannot miss:

First of all it is the Center of the city with its famous Avenida 9 de Julio - the widest avenue in the world, running roughly 1 kilometer (0.62 mi). It has seven lanes running in each direction and is flanked on either side by parallel streets of three lanes each. Although we crossed it several times, it was a real challenge every time we did it!

Just a couple of blocks from our hotel was the Teatro Colón, the main opera house in Buenos Aires. Acoustically, this theater is considered to be amongst the five best concert venues in the world. We were lucky to get on the one hour guided tour to see this incredible famous Opera House. The tour is an hour long and is outstanding, well worth the price and the time it takes to tour through. It reminded us of the Opera Garnier in Paris. You won't find Chagall’s work in Teatro Colon, but there are allegorical ceiling frescoes painted by Raúl Soldi.

The next district not to be missed is Recoleta, a high class residential and commercial district and one of the most elegant neighborhoods of Buenos Aires. Recoleta is known as the Little Paris in Buenos Aires. Its French style residences, large gardens, squares, fashionable hotels, museums as well as the restaurants and cafes give this area a distinctive and special profile.

The Cemetery of Recoleta, founded in XIX century by the Recoletos (a religious order) is considered one of the most famous cemeteries in the world, similar to Pere Lachaise in Paris, or Arlington in Washington D.C. It's a virtual city of the dead. The famous and the infamous live in mini-mansions with doors and windows. They say that "it is easier to get into heaven than to get into Recoleta". They have a tomb here that cost over a million dollars. They have Evita (Peron); they have sad stories of premature burial. You can see the best of it with a tour guide.
In the heart of Recoleta is Floralis Generica. It is very huge aluminum and steel flower is positioned in the middle of a water feature in one of the green areas on United Nation square. The
petals of the flower open at sunrise and closes again at sunset.

 

150 meters away from this flower, across elegant Libertador Avenue, is the el Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes -The National Museum of Fine Arts (MNBA) of Argentina, which holds in its permanent collection priceless works of art by Argentine artists, as well as works by European masters such as Titian, Goya, Rembrandt, Gauguin, Pissarro, Monet, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Degas… Unfortunately, we had only one hour for this Museum.

Puerto Madero, a contemporary neighborhood in Buenos Aires, with its reach history and luscious landscapes, deserves a special visit from you.
The history of Puerto Madero is fascinating, having originally been the main port of Buenos Aires, now Puerto Nuevo, moved for economical reasons and was left abandoned for over a century. In the 90s a magnificent renovation took place. The old red brick warehouses were refurbished into luxurious offices, residences, 5 stars hotels, banks, movies, restaurants and pubs. One of the most interesting places in this district is the Puente de la Mujer (Spanish for "Women's Bridge") - a rotating pedestrian bridge (to learn what is a rotating or swing bridge go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swing_bridge)
And of course, La Boca – the birthplace of Argentinean tango, but I will leave that for next time…

 

Iguazu Falls, Brazil - Argentina

The next place we visited on our trip to South America was Iguazu Fall.

 

The immensity of these falls makes it hard to describe. More than 240 individual falls are in a horseshoe shaped array fed by a river more than 2 km wide. The park has a trail system which enables you to view the falls from several places. There is also a boat ride that will give you a view that you'll remember. We were lucky to see Iguazu from both Brazilian and Argentinean sides. They are different, but both are worth seeing. A spectacular place – just look at couple of a hundred pictures we took! On November 11 of 2011, Iguazu Falls was announced as one of the seven winners of the New Seven Wonders of Nature by the New Seven Wonders of the World Foundation.

 

Another great experience was the visit to Triple Frontier -the tri-border region where the borders of 3 countries meet: Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil. While there are many triple borders in the world, this in particular is formed naturally by the convergence of two rivers - the Parana River and the Iguassu River.

 At the convergence of the borders, each of the three bordering countries has erected an obelisk, painted in the national colors of the country in which it is located. We saw all three countries from the Argentine side, which is most accessible for tourists because this landmark is very close to the urban area of Puerto Iguazu, less than 2 km from the center. It is dated 1903 - year of the border treaty with Brazil.

I’d like to add that there are more than 150 tri-points around the world. If you are interested in learning about them, please go to http://twistedsifter.com/2012/05/famous-tripoints-around-the-world/.

Who knows, maybe you decided to visit one of them.

 

 

Brazil

Perhaps you were wondering why I haven’t posted any new article lately.
The reason - I was on the trip visiting three very different countries: Brazil, Argentina and Chile.
It was an amazing trip and we took over 800 pictures. (We started to go through them, but it is a big job)

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil  

It is an impossible task to choose which one of all Rio de Janeiro attractions comes first.

Of course, we visited all famous sites:

Corcovado Mountain topped with the iconic statue of Christ the Redeemer - we traveled through the Tijuca Rain Forest by cog train to Corcovado Mountain for breathtaking views of one of the world's most beautiful cities. The white statue with outstretched arms has come to be not only a symbol of the Catholic faith, but of the city of Rio as well;

Sugarloaf Mountain - two cable cars take visitors to the summit where we enjoyed stunning views of Rio de Janeiro from a height of 1,296 feet;
Cathedral - contemporary structure shaped as the coffee cap turned upside down;
Beautiful Copacabana and Ipanema Beaches - Even though the beaches are next to each other, it is easy to differentiate them by just taking a look at the Portuguese wave patterns on the sidewalk.
We admired Cinelandia Square with Municipal Theatre and Brazilian National Library, Municipality and the Higher Court.
We spent almost the whole day in Petropolis, the one of Rio de Janeiro's premier mountain resorts, located 720m (2,400 ft.) above sea level. The lovely tree-lined streets, the palaces, mansions, and museums can be comfortably explored on foot or by horse and buggy. The historic part of the city, centered around the Imperial Museum and the Cathedral, contains the majority of the monuments and museums. Tree-lined canals and large squares give the small city a remarkably pleasant atmosphere; the side streets are worth exploring just to have a peek at the many mansions and villas. If you are ever in Brazil, please do not miss this town and take time for guided tour of Imperial Palace.

Brazilian drinks and food is a separate topic –more than 20 different juices prepared from fresh ingredients at your order, delicious empanadas, and of course, Cachaça, national liquor of Brazil, it is made from distilled sugar cane. Very similar to rum, you can either purchase it aged or unaged, white or gold. The most popular soft drink produced in Brazil with a distinct apple/berry flavor is Guaraná Antartica. In some places it is considered an energy drink. To give you an idea of the popularity of Guaraná, it is the official sponsor of the Brazilian national football team (yes, they beat Coca-cola to that title).

 

 And finally, you cannot visit Rio and not eat at Marius at least once. The ambiance, in front of the Copacabana beach, the interior of the restaurant brings you in the mood of the sea, pirates, history, romance and even the toilet is a "special place" to visit!. We took a lot of pictures there, but for the best views please go to http://www.marius.com.br/2012/tour_photobolha2/.

 

To all of you...

As the Tristate area is dealing with the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, my thoughts are with those who lost their homes during the course of the last few days. May you have the strength and the courage to rebuild!

Costa Rica

Quite a few of you talked to me recently about vacationing in Costa Rica.
Since now is a good time to make your reservations for the best time to go to Costa Rica (December-February) I would like to share with you the information I just received from www.vacationtogo.com:

Costa Rica is a haven for travelers who love nature and outdoor adventure. The Central American country is tucked between Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south, and roughly a quarter of its territory is preserved as a national park or conservation area.

Hummingbirds and butterflies hover at hibiscus flowers, howler monkeys bellow from the treetops and iguanas may lounge in the sun not far from your poolside chair. You can swing through forests on a zip line, take an easygoing boat ride down a wildlife-rich river, or snorkel along pristine beaches.

Below are suggested several properties in Costa Rica. They include traditional hotels and a few all-inclusive resorts, where the upfront rate includes meals, snacks, alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, entertainment and many activities.

Budget Beach Escapes

Allegro Papagayo- It's built into a lush hillside in Guanacaste, on a series of terraces that lead down to a black-sand beach. Guests will find a large pool, a supervised kids' club, live evening entertainment, three restaurants (buffet, Italian and Tex-Mex), four bars and recreation like volleyball, beach soccer, billiards, kayaking and sailing.

Occidental Grand Papagayo- Guests can lounge in the shade of trees that line the beach -- where non-motorized water sports are covered in the resort's all-inclusive pricing -- or spend time by the pools, in the fitness center or spotting wildlife on the grounds.

Romantic Getaways

Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo -- This 6-star retreat in Guanacaste occupies a peninsula edged by two long, golden beaches. On the south side, Playa Blanca is an active spot with complimentary snorkeling and kayaking. Playa Virador on the northern edge has a more tranquil atmosphere and is near the kids-free "quiet pool," one of four pools on-site. Accommodations include secluded Canopy Suites nestled into the hillside, offering views of jungle and the Pacific Ocean below. Some suites and villas have private plunge pools.

Nayara Hotel, Spa & Gardens -- Surrounded by rain forest, this inland, 3-star boutique property in Arenal is comprised of 50 freestanding casitas, starting at 855 square feet. Each boasts a private garden with outdoor shower as well as a terrace with a Jacuzzi for two and views of the volcano. The open-air spa allows guests to enjoy treatments amid the sounds of birds, flowing water and the tropical breeze.

Family Vacations

Hotel Riu Guanacaste-- Family-friendly features at this large, all-inclusive resort in Guanacaste include a children's pool, playground, a daily activities program for kids ages 4 to 12 and roomy two-bedroom, two-bath suites. It's a 5-star property on Matapalo Beach with windsurfing, snorkeling and kayaking gear for guests, plus beach volleyball, a gym, day and evening entertainment, three specialty restaurants and buffet-style dining with on-the-spot cooking stations.

Barcelo Langosta Beach-- Archery, tennis, a playground, gym, dance classes, volleyball court and daily entertainment programs for kids and adults are among the offerings at 3-star Barcelo Langosta Beach, an all-inclusive resort in Guanacaste. Guests can dine in the buffet restaurant, at the snack bar or, for an additional fee, in the a la carte restaurant.

I would like to add that if you prefer more active vacation and want to see Costa Rica from coast to coast I would sagest tour with www.caravan.com.

The Fall Foliage in November

Are you looking for some of the best vacation places in the US to experience the fall foliage?

The fall foliage in the states, roughly speaking, starts as early as mid September and ends as late as mid November.
Traditionally, places such as New York State, Massachusetts, Vermont and Maine in New England, as well as Wisconsin and Michigan in the Midwest experience the fall foliage first.
If you’re planning a late fall foliage vacation and are wondering what the best destinations in November are, here it is a list of some of the best places to see fall foliage:

Arkansas: If you’re looking to enjoy a late fall foliage vacation, the state of Arkansas is probable one of the best places to travel for leaf-peepers. For instance, the majestic Ouachita Forest has many great spots for watching the leaves turning color.  One of the best places to see fall foliage within Ouachita National Forest is Little Missouri Falls recreational area, near Glenwood Arkansas.

Mississippi: North of Mississippi, Holly Springs National Forest is one of the most popular places to see the fall foliage in early November. One of the best spots within Holly Springs National Forest is the Wall Doxey State Park, which is centered on a lovely spring lake. Apart from being a great spot for seeing the leaf color change, Wall Doxey State Park is just 30 miles of Memphis Tennessee.

Alabama: Leaf change color begins to show in the mountains of North Alabama also in early October, although colors will be at their peak in early November. The cities of Huntsville AL and Decatur AL are within a short distance of some of the best places to see fall foliage. For instance, the Joe Wheeler State Park is just 30 miles west of Decatur, and offers the perfect spot for enjoying other activities such as fishing, boating and hiking. Then, you have the Monte Sano State Park which is just 5 miles east of Huntsville, AL.

Georgia: The Chattahoochee National Forest, located north of Atlanta in Georgia, is one of the best places to see fall foliage. For instance, Brasstown Bald Visitor Center boasts an observation deck that offers great views to see the fall colors. Driving along the Russell-Brasstown Byway is another way to experience the fall colors, and the best thing is that this scenic highway also offers plenty of historical landmarks to see as well as natural attractions such as cascading waterfalls and rocky cliffs.You can find more details about all national forests at http://www.fs.fed.us/

P.S. I really appreciate feedback from my followers and would like to thank the readers who sent in comments to previous article.

Discovering Columbus

Before telling you about today’s topic I’d like to answer to someone who asked me when the blog started: it started September 2011. I also would like to say that I appreciate this person’s comment and am very glad he/she is enjoying my blog and finding it useful.

A couple days ago, I came to Columbus Circle and something unusual caught my eyes– the Columbus monument was surrounded by some structure and I so people climbing stairs inside this structure. On the structure I read "Discovering Columbus".

It's the latest creation by Japanese artist Tatzu Nishi, turning the Columbus Monument into a piece of conceptual art. A new exhibit is allowing people to view a statue of Christopher Columbus as if it were right inside their living room.

Most New Yorkers can only dream of an apartment like this - spectacular views of midtown Manhattan, an iconic work of art in the living room and prime Columbus Circle location.

The living room is 27-foot by 30-foot and complete with couch, lamps, television and coffee table - wrapping around the statue, situated atop a six-story column at one of Manhattan's busiest intersections near Central Park.

The spacious room with contemporary furnishings is so authentic looking it is easy to forget you're standing on top of a huge monument in Manhattan. The room has pink wallpaper, designed by Nishi, and features small illustrations of Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, Mickey Mouse, cowboys and other pop culture images. Burgundy drapes hang on large picture windows. Visitors can sit on the purple couch, at the foot of Columbus, and watch a flat-screen TV tuned in to CNN.

Up to 25 people at a time can enter the living room by using the stairs inside the scaffolding and enjoy a rare opportunity to see the 1892 marble figure of the great Italian explorer up close. Since 70-foot climb from the ground floor could be a problem, an elevator is available for those who can't climb the stairs.

Although not everyone is enthusiastic about the artwork, I want to add that Nishi, who is internationally known for transforming historical monuments by surrounding them with domestic spaces, said the aim of his piece is to put the viewer at eye level with the statue. "Discovering Columbus" is his first public art project in the United States. His other works include "Villa Victoria," a temporary functioning hotel around a statue of Queen Victoria for the 2002 Liverpool Biennial.

Visitors can reserve free advance passes to "Discovering Columbus" through the Public Art Fund's website at http://ev6.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetGroupList?groupCode=CC&linkID=img-aeg&shopperContext=&caller=&appCode=&format=grpMenu

Entry to this exhibition is by timed ticket only, and each visitor must present his or her own pass to enter. Each pass is valid for the date and time indicated and grants access to the exhibition for up to 30 minutes.

So, if you are a New Yorker or planning to visit New York between now and November 21, try to “Discover Columbus”.

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St. Augustine, FL

It seems like yesterday some of us were complaining about hot weather, and now the fall is in full effect. However, if you’d like to get back to summer and see a very old and interesting town, I invite you to St. Augustine.

St. Augustine is the nation's oldest city and it also holds the distinction of being one of the nation's most charming. 

Known as the "Ancient City," Saint Augustine is nestled between North East and Central East Florida and is conveniently located near Jacksonville, Orlando, and Daytona airports. North Florida's year-round mild climate is perfect for strolling St. Augustine's delightful historic district, with its cobblestone streets, quaint cafes, bars, unique shops and bed-and-breakfast inns.
Stroll down St. George Street - many visitors enjoy the many shops along the street and the ambiance. Take a Scenic Cruise aboard the Victory III--a fun and inexpensive way to see St.     Augustine from the Matanzas River with plenty of opportunity for dolphin sightings.  
   
Keep in mind that there are no better views of St. Augustine and the sea than from the top of the St. Augustine Lighthouse. The 219 steps will take you 165 feet above sea level. Constructed of Alabama brick and Philadelphia iron, the lighthouse is St. Augustine’s oldest brick structure and was completed in 1874.
If you do not feel like walking take the Old Town Trolley Tour, highlighting the best St. Augustine Attractions, with 22 stops and more than 100 points of interest. 
I’d like to mention some of them:

In the heart of the walking historic district you’ll find the Lightner Museum. It opened its doors in the1880's as one of Flagler's hotels, Hotel Alcazar, with what was at the time the largest indoor swimming pool in the world! Its architecture is amazing. The building features soaring ceilings, and enough marble to refill a quarry.

Villa Zorayda located at 83 King Street looks like a red castle! Personal Guided tours start at 10:00 AM - last one is at 4:30 PM. On-your-own guided tours with ear phones are also available - very cool. The tours are about 45 minutes. Walking into the longtime tourist attraction is a bit like entering a scene from the Arabian Nights, designed to look like a portion of the fabulous Alhambra palace in Granada, Spain. The castle features a 2,400-year-old Egyptian rug woven from cat hairs. You know the Egyptians revered cats! Brass fixtures hang in every room. Peacock brass lamps, a tree of glass, statues, paintings and Flemish, Chinese, Moorish, Italian, English and Burmese furniture are scattered throughout the house. Tiled floors, carvings and arches reflect the influence of the Alhambra.

A quick drive from the Old City over the bridge is The Alligator Farm, which also has monkeys and a bird rookery. It is a great place for young and old alike!

Fort Matanzas - a Spanish "outlook" fort that was built between 1740 & 1742 on Anastasia island about 16 miles down A1A South near Crescent Beach. There is no admission charge for the site, the eight minute video or the five minute boat ride to the fort. It is an "interactive fort" where one is allowed to climb up to the roof on a wooden ladder so children of all ages love it.

Sun, fun, history and mystery—St. Augustine has it all!