‘Stories’ Archives
A bird’s eye view of Machu Picchu
A highlight of a visit to Peru’s Machu Picchu is hiking up Huayna Picchu (Young Mountain), the mountain in the shape of a crouching puma that is in the background of every photograph of Machu Picchu (Old Mountain). Those who take the Inca Trail usually miss the hike, as [Read More]
Samba, samba and more samba!
I just re-uploaded three videos I took of Samba dancing in Bahia, Brazil, the birth place of Samba. Brazil’s national social dance, Samba in Bahia is usually in the form of Samba de Roda (circle dance), with everyone forming the circle taking turn dancing inside the [Read More]
The Sound of Salvador – Land of the Drums
Vibrant and laid-back, Bahia in the northeast part of Brazil has been called the land of magic and land of the drums. Samba music was born here. Samba dancing, together with Capoeira, is a way of life. Many of Brazil’s most popular musicians, such as Gilberto [Read More]
Mindful travel: Bali
If you have plans in the future to visit Bali, one of my favorite escapes, please don’t go there just to eat, pray, and love blindly. Bali is paradise to its visitors, but it is still part of a third world country. Perhaps take a moment to research the many [Read More]
Turkey: Cruising the Bosphorus
Here’s a quickly edited video of a ferry cruise I took on my first day of my Turkey trip, through the Bosphorus, starting from Eminönü in Istanbul and ending at Anadolu Kavağı, which is the last ferry stop on the Asian side of the strait, just before the Black Sea. [Read More]
Celebrating the best of Rio de Janeiro in Southern California
Every third Sunday of September, SambaLá Samba School presents a Brazil-style Street Carnaval party on the streets of downtown Long Beach. The Carnaval has grown to be the second-largest all-Brazilian event in the US, only behind New York’s Brazilian Day. It’s [Read More]
Highlights of Turkey
Once you’ve traveled to a place that touches you, you’ve never really left. Close your eyes, imagine yourself being back there, breathing in the particular scent of the place, and there it is. A few weeks after my trip to Turkey, these are what remain in my [Read More]
1000 Things to Spend Your Money On In Turkey
Turkey is best enjoyed by bus. The long bus trips through this magnificent country rich in history, spectacular ruins, and breathtaking landscapes are great for random thoughts, such as how much money can I possibly spend on this trip? As it turns out it can be incredibly [Read More]
Road Trip Through Turkey
I am somewhere between Konya and Antalya, halfway through my two-week Turkey road trip. It’s been a trip full of good and not-so-great kebabs, museums, ancient caves, and ornate mosques, with a dose of whirling dervishes, evil eyes and hookah pipes. The fairy chimneys [Read More]
Day 1 Istanbul: Random Thoughts
1. “A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.” ~ Lao Tzu Oh but I really would like to arrive! It takes more than 24 hrs to get to Istanbul from LA. That includes a 1 hour delay in LA and stopovers at JFK and Heathrow. I just wanted to [Read More]
