St. Thomas is a large island, and while part one of this three part series explored the capital of Charlotte Amalie, this installment is all about the natural wonders of the island.
There’s a reason why the Caribbean is touted as home to the best beaches in the world. The crystal clear waters, the island life, it’s the perfect vacation. Maybe less accessible because of the whole cruise ship issue now, but I highly recommend spending a week in the USVI to max and relax.
life’s a beach
Charlotte Amalie is the capital of the US Virgin Islands and is located on St. Thomas, the second largest island of the USVI. Known for its history of attracting pirates and other colorful characters, St. Thomas is now one of the most popular cruise ship destinations of the region. And it’s no wonder, there’s gorgeous white sand beaches, renowned bays, natural wonders, and of course, treasures to be found in duty free shopping.
It seems like there are more jewelry and perfume stores on this island than people to buy them, which is why I guess it’s good that there are up to 11 (!) cruise ships stopping daily filling the streets with tourists and potential money spenders.
Despite that fact, I highly recommend staying longer. There’s so much to see and do in the region that a few hours doesn’t do it justice. There are many Airbnbs and resorts across the whole island, so why not enjoy more R&R here, where time runs a little more languid? Everyone loves an island vacation, and spending a week here was just what this doctor ordered. And the best part is that it’s all in our own backyard, negating the need of a passport or a change in your cell phone plan.
be like the pina colada song, come with me and escape
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Although March 17 is synonymous with leprechauns and pots of gold, there’s a secondary celebration in the city of Boston, MA known as Evacuation Day. This day commemorates the retreat of British troops from the city in 1776 after the Siege of Boston, or the start of the Revolutionary War. So while you don your shamrocks and drink your green beer, pour one out for those who fought for our freedom to exist as our own nation.
If you’ve read this blog for a while, I think you may be able to tell that I’m a little bit of a nerd. And I’m proud of it, I like reading, learning things and knowing about history. And so, traveling around this vast country, I am fascinated by the communities that played vital roles in fabric of American creation and evolution. We’re not an old country comparatively, but we’re rife with important figures and events. We have a lot of museums and monuments to preserve this culture (some of it not great but it’s probably important to be familiar with that, too), and these are tools to promote lifelong learning.
Boston is chock full of Revolutionary War history, as the seat of some of the most famous protests and uprisings like Boston Tea Party, Boston Massacre, Paul Revere’s house, and the aforementioned Siege of Boston. I’ve been through all these sites in the city proper, but on a road trip back into town from the Berkshires, had a chance to visit the outer lying areas where the actual sh*t happened.
Sorry for the language, but when in Boston…
Well, it’s almost Valentine’s Day, and what could be a more romantic gesture than stealing away to the most European city in the North America? It’s moody, dark and sexy. And yes, it’s in Canada. Quebéc City, the government seat of Québec, Canada, is a jewel upon a hill, its stately skyline looking out over the Saint Lawrence river. It’s as close to being in a French village as you could possibly get, yet still retains its own Canadian charm.
poutine on the ritz
Xmas cheer at DFW
‘Tis the season, hope your holiday travels are going off without a hitch (although by the looks of the weather patterns across the US, eesh probably not). By now, the holiday travel season is in full swing — I’ve already survived two trips to airports in the past few days, mainly by helping myself to many Diet Cokes from the airport lounges.
the least wonderful travel time of the year at LAX
It’s always a test of patience this time of year, but lines and delays keep you humble and it’s not the airline worker’s fault. Remember to Airborne, always use sanitizer and that the headrests and tray tables are not typically cleaned well during the turnaround.
This year was the year of the Cs, commencing with Cuba and the Caribbean:
havana ooh na na
coupled with a Canadian autumn…
and culminating in another trip to the Caribbean.
virgin islands national park might be the low-key frontrunner for beautiful parks
Somehow I also fit in quick trips to Las Vegas, KC, Nashville and Indianapolis.
I added Maine to my states visited list (3 left!)…
he’s my lobster
and finally broke my Disney moratorium, traveling to a galaxy, far, far away.
And the best was that I got to see so many friends when they came through my town! I wish I had traveled more this year (I traveled plenty, but I’m greedy), but I do have “a job,” and someone has to “pay the bills.” Good thing I’ve already planned out a couple of trips already so it should be a full 2020 (will be full of P’s, both literally and hopefully figuratively).
Wishing you a healthy and happy holiday season, and a happy New Year!
Vietnam is a beautiful country with sprawling coastline, bustling cities and agrarian villages. It’s a very popular destination amongst travelers for its hospitality, great food and historic value. And while Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Halong Bay, and its venerable beach cities are probably the main draw, consideration should also be made for its Northern Highlands.
Sa Pa is a city in the northwest of Vietnam, very close to the China border. Inhabited by indigenous tribes of Hmong, Tay and Dao, this area is surrounded by rolling green hills noted for their rice field terraces and petroglyphs. It’s a photographer’s dream, and totally worth the arduous journey to get there.
Sa Pa away, doesn’t anyone stay in one place anymore?
Happy Thanksgiving week everyone! One of the busiest travel weeks of the year, often coinciding with horrible weather. What could go wrong? 😉
The juice is often worth the squeeze though, and you get to enjoy a lovely meal and reflect on the things for which you’re grateful. And I guess you get to spend time with your family (whatever definition you choose), too. Gather around the hearth y’all, for this short week, here is the story of one of America’s folklore icons, the Plymouth rock.
Everyone’s basically heard of the Pilgrims, right? They were a group of mostly Puritan separatists who sailed from England in 1620. They were seeking religious freedom by heading to the New World, and they were trying to get to Virginia, where the first successful settlement of Jamestown was founded in 1607.
Obviously, if you’re ever looked at a map of the U.S., you’ll know that Massachusetts and Virginia are nowhere near each other, so they clearly didn’t reach their intended destination. Storms forced them to anchor near what is now Provincetown, at the hook of Cape Cod. This is where there was infighting and almost mutiny, so the Mayflower Compact was devised and signed, creating a new government that still gave sovereignty to the king, while enacting a social agreement wherein everyone would play by the community rules. This happened around mid-November to December 1620, and thus ’tis the reason for the season.
nothing says america quite like “gift shops”
After exploring the area and having some ill-advised encounters with the native peoples (likely stealing the indigenous peoples’ food and stores), they settled in Plymouth. This area had been inhabited by the Wampanoag people, however this particular area had been devastated by smallpox (brought over by…you guessed it, previous European explorers/colonizers), and thus made a convenient place to stop.
The Pilgrims success was aided by the Wamponoags, whose prominent leaders, Chief Massasoit and ambassador Squanto, saved their weary butts. Squanto helped teach the settlers how to eel/fish and cultivate corn before he too succumbed to the plague. Interestingly enough, Squanto had avoided the previous death wave that killed many of his people as he had been captured as a slave and was in Europe being converted to Christianity at the time. The more you know, folks.
Anyway, this was the site of their Plymouth Colony, which by the next year had a successful harvest season. And what comes before Pilgrim Part B? Pilgrim Part-A. And that’s how we got the first Pilgrim Thanksgiving. Attended by the 50 or so remaining settlers and 90 Native Americans, they ate corn and wild turkey and now so do we.
Nowadays, the small town of Plymouth, Massachusetts (40 miles from Boston) is still very keen on their history pertaining to these early settlers. “America’s Hometown” has the Pilgrim Historical State Park, which has reproduction ship called the Mayflower II that sits in the bay, Plimoth Plantation (living history museum), and of course, the famed Plymouth rock.
You’ll note that I haven’t mentioned this famed monolith yet. That’s because the pilgrims didn’t mention it either. This boulder merely represents the site where the Pilgrims first disembarked, a stepping stone if you will.
Anyway, it is the cornerstone of the Pilgrim State Park, and sits under a very fancy neoclassical portico. A true American icon, representing strength and resiliency, we’re all truly like a rock.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Sydney, Canada has very little in common with its shared name cousin from down under. For one, it is quite small, being located in the peninsular province of Nova Scotia. There are no wallabys or koalas, but there is certainly an abundance of natural beauty.
Sydney, more of a community than actual city, is located Cape Breton Island (no relation to Breton crackers, I don’t think). This island is located at the far Northeastern tip of the province, and has experienced a boom in tourism over the years due to said natural beauty.
This was the place to see some of the most beautiful fall foliage. I mean, the roads along the famed Cabot Trail and up in the highlands (the Scots were attracted to this place for a reason) were lined with vibrant hues from the frostbitten leaves.
And yes there is another Canadian Sidney from Nova Scotia, but we’ll get to him later…
Hartford, Connecticut is an elder statesmen of cities in America. The well-preserved grandeur of many of its old buildings alludes to its history as one of the former richest cities in the country. Home to the oldest art museum in the U.S. and a very beautiful, sprawling central park, Hartford has firmly written itself into the fabric of American history by being home to many of our nation’s greatest literary minds.
Mark Twain once said of Hartford, “Of all the beautiful towns it has been my fortune to see, this is the chief. ”
He hearted Hartford, and so will you…
Prince Edward Island, Canada is the smallest province in the great white north. What it lacks in size, it makes up in character, history and abundance of amazing seafood.
That’s right, the home of P.E.I. mussels. Sweet, tender, they’re a great little representative for this region of Canada. The whole island is very charming and idyllic, with farms and vast greenery. It is the very picture of rustic, pastoral tranquility with a sea salt mist.
put a little mussel into it
Traveling docs 