Isla Mujeres, Cancun

Cancun is an absolute Caribbean paradise that promises romantic evenings watching the sunset, diving or snorkeling among the different shades of blue, discovering the prehispanic history, a great evening by the beach sipping your favorite drink or indulging in culinary wonders. Whatever your travel taste is Cancun will not disappoint you. However, a trip to Cancun is incomplete without a visit to Isla Mujeres.

Isla mujeres, (meaning “Island of Women”) commonly known as Isla is a 20 minutes ferry ride from Cancun and is very well connected by Ultramar. Check their website for ferry timings and prices.
Alternatively, you can also book a guided tour from your hotel.

Ferry operated by UltraMar

This 8 KM island is home to beautiful white sandy beaches, pristine coastline and irresistible seafood. The preferred mode of travel at the island is generally a golf cart or a scooter, which can be easily rented. While you are at the beach, umbrellas and beach chairs are available for rent or simply order a drink at the bar to get it for free.

The town has a network of small streets which can be explored in 2-3 hours and gives a leisured sightseeing experience. Another great thing about isla is that you don’t have to worry about getting lost. All roads on isla eventually lead back to where they began.

Isla has around 20,000 residents, who are genuinely interested in sharing the islands history. Isla also has a legend revolving around a pirate and his incomplete love story. I am sure you will enjoy listening to it as much as I did.

Have fun & Be safe.
Ciao!

Hiking Trails of Bavaria

Traveling being a major part of my life, I constantly try to absorb the vivid colors of nature as much as I can. Blue skies, green meadows, tranquil waterfalls, rapid rivers and majestic mountains are always a big yes for me. Recently, I found all of these together on my hike through Partnachklamm in Germany.

Partnachklamm also known as Partnach Gorge is located in Garmisch – Partenkirchen and is one hour away from the city of Munich by rail. This mountainous region is a part of massive Bavarian Alps and is a year round holiday destination. You can easily spend a day hiking at Partnachklamm, exploring the caves and the waterfalls or enjoying the breathtaking views of river Partnach. The scenic view spilling the shades of magical greens, blue and black is totally worth the effort and will help you escape the hustle of the busy city life.

 

The Partnach Gorge is a starting point for many hiking routes and costs 5 Euros as an entry charge per person. If you have a larger appetite for hiking you can chose from many more hiking trails available in different levels of difficulty to suit everyone. Although walking and hiking is probably the focus for you, renting a bike or using a romantic horse drawn carriage is also a good idea to reach the beginning of Partnach Gorge.
Hiking can make you hungry and tired. To keep you going, there are several eating and resting options available on the way. However, if you like you can carry a snack and have it on the banks of the Partnach River. (Please do not litter)
On the way back definitely make a stop at the famous cliff side beer garden and toast with some new friends.
Summer or winter, Gorge’s beauty is worthy of a visit. Don’t forget to carry a light jacket, a good pair of walking/hiking shoes and a bottle of drinking water.

Happy Hiking!

P.C – Albert Bangula

Princeton – a trip through time

I recently decided to spare some time for a visit to Princeton, a town which came into existence before the revolutionary war and today is known for hosting a prestigious Ivy League college.

Princeton University which was established in 1746 is the 4^th oldest university in the States and has a perfect blend of past & the present. The university is spread in a massive 500 acre and has a lot of architectural marvel to absorb. The buildings here have an influence from colonial, collegiate gothic’s and modern styles and attract a lot of visitors and prospective students who like to venture across campus for various tours. One of the many is the famous art tour at the Princeton University Art Museum. It is free and exhibits a lot of unique pieces.

Besides setting the historical – educative scene, Princeton offers shopping and fine dining opportunities too. Nassau Street and Palmers Square features high-end retail outlets and interesting small boutique shops. Also you will find here are many small eateries and restaurants with upscale and highly rated cuisine. Hoagie Haven is one of the oldest eateries famous among the students. Several other places like Jules & PJ’s are impressive too. Princetonians are very passionate about their ice cream, and out of the many, Bent Spoon & Thomas Sweet are the most famous. (Expect a queue type of famous!)

Princeton being a cultural community loves to preserve its heritage. You can visit the Albert Einstein house in Princeton at Mercer street, take a tour of Drumthwacket or discover master pieces in Morven Museum and Garden. Whatever you decide to do, Princeton will keep you and your family entertained for an entire day. Visit the Princeton’s official website to enroll for a campus tour or book it with Princeton Tour Company.

Have fun & take it easy!

Keeping your travel memories alive!

Imagine you just arrived in a new town. All excited to explore and discover. You will have fun for sure, but it’s only half of it. The other half is in looking back at all those fond memories you created while you were there, years ago. How will you store all those memories for your entire life, in a functional way?

Collecting souvenirs is actually a lot of fun. It not only takes you back in the memory lane but also reminds you how lively and wonderful the trip was. Not to mention that the once with a practical use can be a part of your daily life.

The first few things I started to collect on my trips were coffee mugs.
However my brother from another mother believes in collecting artifacts and shot glasses.
(Ron, are you happy now?) 😉

For a coffee lover like me, buying a coffee mug as a souvenir is a complete win-win because while I am enjoying my coffee or cocoa, I am already thinking about the good time I had in Vienna, Australia, Singapore or wherever.

Souvenirs could be for free, cheap or a bit expensive but in the end what you collect after few years of traveling becomes a priceless gift to yourself. Other than mugs I also pickup fridge magnets and recently I started to collect local recipe books.

When we travel we collect countries, destinations, stories and experiences rather than things to take home, but a small souvenir from everywhere will remind you of special moments and also will hold evidence of those special moments for the rest of your life.

So next time you travel, find a souvenir that fits your lifestyle and preserve the fond memories of your trip for years to come in the memory box of your mind.

Feel free to share with me what other souvenirs do you collect?
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