Isla Bastimentos – Panama

In northern Panama there is a chain of Islands known as “Bocas Del Toro.” The most populated of these islands is called Isla Colon and Lindsay and I stayed on the far north end of this island during our 2007 trip. We had heard about a much less inhabited island with secluded beaches called Isla Bastimentos and decided to dedicate an entire day to exploring it. We started by catching a boat from the funky little town of Bocas. The boat ride was beautiful and it was so fun to see the charming houses of Bocas (built right over the water) as we pulled away from the island. Within 10 minutes Isla Bastimentos came into view and we were dropped off at the deck of a funky little bar. In there sat a truly unique looking young African American man with dread locks and bright blue eyes (Lindsay was quite impressed). We had heard about this cool trail that goes through the jungle to the other side of the island which was full of beautiful and secluded beaches. We asked this Caribbean fellow where this path was and he just pointed towards the little village and spoke in such a thick Caribbean accent that we barely understood him. We stepped out of the bar and found ourselves in the village of Basitmentos. This was one of the coolest little places we have ever seen. There were no streets just one little concrete path that had historic colorful wooden houses on each side. There were numerous kids playing and they were pretty amused watching us wander through their little village. Eventually we found a little path that lead out of the village and we took a wild guess that this was the trial we had heard so much about…it was. It was a short strenuous hike up over the small hill in the center of the island. The jungle was dense and there were plenty of spiders and birds to keep us company. As we eventually made our way to the other side of the Island we found ourselves on a BEAUTIFUL secluded beach full of white sand and bright blue water (the beach is known as Wizard Beach). There were literally only a few people that we could even see and they were very far away. I actually remember feeling almost too vulnerable as we were so far away from anybody. :) The sun was high and it was extremely hot. We did not have any protection from it but luckily we found a cool little make shift shack that someone had built on the beach. I added my own refinements and we set up for a relaxing few hours. We listened to our ipods, read and just relaxed on this beautiful beach. We then started working our way up the coast as we were told there were numerous other beaches to explore. The path between each beach was beautiful as it would hug the coast and you could see small little islands, beaches and the lush green jungle. I felt like we were walking through a movie set for Pirates of the Caribbean. We passed numerous beaches full of white sand and spent time on each one. On one particular beach there was one palm tree that had grown sideways towards the water and it was the perfect spot to rest fro the hot sun. Lindsay sat under the palm tree and I swam and explored. We eventually made our way to one last beautiful beach were we spent a few more hours vegging out. Eventually this incredible day came to an end and we meet the boat to take us back to Bocas (we had arranged to have him pick us up on the other side of the Island). The boat ride back was uneventful but in the small little bay that the boat picked us up in there were THOUSANDS of jelly fish. We both kept imagining what it would be like if the boat capsized in this water…yikes. It was a day of fun & sun on beautiful Isla Bastimentos island in Panama.

Hashimi Hotel in the old city of Jerusalem

Jerusalem is one of the most incredible cities in the world. There are numerous districts/neighborhoods to choose from when finding a place to stay and I really wanted to find something unique during our stay in 2008. I had narrowed it down to the historic old town which took out all the pricey chain hotels as most of them are in newer parts of the city. I then needed to choose whether or not we wanted to stay in the Jewish, Christian or Muslim quarter of old town. We decided on the Muslim quarter as it was not quite as popular as the others. After much research I stumbled on a small guesthouse in the heart of the old city called Hashimi Hotel. This cute little place felt a lot like a hostel (simple and small rooms) but it had one amazing feature…an INCREDIBLE rooftop lounge that overlooked the entire old city of Jerusalem. It also was located on an incredible street called Khan al-Zeit. Upon entering the old city through Damascus Gate you find yourself right in the middle of an busy souq (market). This souq has one main street (walking room only) and the Hashimi Hotel sat right in the middle of it. You would walk out the front door and immediately you were surrounded by the sights, sounds and smells of a middle eastern market place. I remember vividly walking through the market and thinking “I hope our hotel is someplace close by” and then immediately spotting it. It was run by a Muslim family (you had to be married to share a room)and the place was beautiful. Our little room had 2 small beds, an AC and a private bathroom (which was the size of a closet). The view out our window (both in the room and the small window in the bathroom) was of the rooftops and alleyways of the Muslim quarter of the old city. I remember showering one night and looking directly out the window (yes, it was that cramped) and listening to hustle and bustle of the market below me. As I mentioned earlier the crown jewel of this place was its rooftop lounge. I had read that it was one of the best views in the city but when I first saw it I almost fell over. You have a clear view of almost the entire old city, the beautiful Dome of the Rock mosque and the Mt of Olives in the background. Every morning they would serve breakfast up there (incredible bread and hummus) and Lindsay and I would load up our plates and just stare. We literally couldn’t believe that we were looking out at the beautiful city of Jerusalem. It was especially beautiful in the morning and the evening and one of our favorite things to do was to get goodies in the market and then head up to the lounge to watch the sunset over the old city. The way the sun lite up the old buildings and gold roof of Dome of the Rock was simply breathtaking. Jerusalem is an intense city and it can be hard to find some time to simply take it all in. However, the rooftop lounge of Hashimi Hotel offered peace, quite and one of the best views in the city. We LOVED going up there to take in the beautiful scene in front of us…Jerusalem.


View of Jerusalem from the rooftop lounge

Picture taken from the Hotel front door looking out at the street and souq

View in the late evening

Union Station – Washington DC

Both Lindsay and I love to travel by train. Because of this we both love and appreciate the feeling of coming/going through a beautiful train station. Unfortunately this experience can be hard to come by in the United States but there are still a few train station “gems” to be found. One of these is the beautiful and iconic Union Station in Washington DC. In late summer 2009 I was on a business trip in Baltimore and Lindsay flew out to meet me. We meet at the “Camden Yard” train station to catch the incredibly efficient train down to Washington DC. Within a few minutes we were pulling into Union Station. Lindsay almost died when she first walked off the platform and into the HUGE grand hall (I was also very impressed but had previously been there on the same business trip). The interior of the station is clean, bright and very spacious. The floor is made of white marble and the dome ceilings go on forever. There are numerous shops and restaurants and we loved the station so much that we ended up eating at one of the restaurants right in the middle of the grand hall. We ended up coming back to Union station numerous times to explore, catch the metro, etc, etc. It truly is one of the few great train stations left in the United States.

Salzburg Austria In A Day

Salzburg Austria is easily one of the prettiest cities in all of Europe. The surrounding alpine landscape full of green valleys and snow capped peaks is the perfect back drop to the cobblestone streets and beautiful architecture of the city. Lindsay and I were in Munich with her mom and sister during our 2009 trip and decided to make a day trip into Salzburg. Thanks to the INCREDIBLY efficient train system in Germany this is very easy to do. We simply went to the Munchen HBF (central train station) to catch the shiny red train to Salzburg. The train ride was simply spectacular. We passed through numerous small villages and the early morning sun lite up the alps and surrounding green valleys with an incredible light. I put on my head phones and just starred out the window the entire time. At one point I looked over at Lindsay's sister and she was playing a game on her IPod (her eyes glued to the screen) and to this day I still make fun of her for being so into her Ipod with the incredible scenery outside the window. :) The train ride is only a couple of hours and before we knew it we were in central Salzburg. It was late November and the annual Christmas market was just starting. This part of Europe is famous for their Christmas markets. The town square fills up with vendors selling food, decorations, etc, etc. This mixed with the trees, lights and overall Christmas feel is truly incredible. We thought Lindsays mom Pat (A die hard Christmas fan) was going to die. We enjoyed the market for a few minutes but decided to come back at night when it really gets busy. We wandered the old streets of Salzburg for hours just taking in the scenery. We saw numerous buildings from “The Sound of Music” and Lindsay and her sister had a blast running through singing “doe a deer a female deer”….etc. As the day ended we made our way up to Hohensalzburg Castle for its incredible views of the city below. Once night fell we headed back down to the Christmas market and Pat (Lindsay's mom) went crazy. She ended up being tonz of souveniers for her grand kids while the rest of us enjoyed the local food stalls. The last thing I remember about the day was how tired everybody was on the train ride back to Munich. We were all passed out surrounded by tonz of bags from Lindsay's mom shopping spree. That beautiful late fall day in Salzburg is something we will always remember.

Weekends in the High Uintas

Some of my fondest memories growing up were spent in the beautiful High Uintas mountains in eastern Utah. Once Lindsay and I got married we started a tradition of heading up to the High Uintas at least a couple times a year. We would almost always stop at the little burger/shake shack in Kamas on the way in and the cute little store on the side of the highway for jerky on the way out. We would take the Mirror Lake highway and would just cruise. We would almost always stop at Provo River falls and the numerous other lakes and look out points. I remember one day in late fall we stopped at Mirror lake just as a snow storm was coming in and ended up walking around the lake as the snow fell all around us. We were the only ones around and it was truly a magical experience. I also remember a sunny Sunday afternoon as Lindsay, Sundance and I ate our picnic lunch next to a beautiful blue lake with high rocky peaks in the distance (so High Uintas). Sundance would run in/out of the lake and we would skip rocks, hike, and just chill. Sometimes the farther away you go in this world the more you realize how beautiful “home” really is. This is certainly true for Lindsay and I as we both think Utah, in particular places like the High Unitas, is simply spectacular. As I right this it is early spring and I am already looking forward to the numerous weekends we will surely have in the beautiful High Uintas this summer.

The Taj Mahal – Agra, India

One of the most iconic structures in the world is the magnificent Taj Mahal in Agra India. This has always been on our “bucket list” and Lindsay and I were lucky enough to experience its beauty during our 2010 trip to India. It just so happens that the day we had planned to go to see it India was having its national elections. It is not uncommon for cities to go into “lock down mode” during elections to avoid violence. We were told by numerous people to avoid the Taj Mahal on this day as it would surely be closed. However, we took our chances and were rewarded with a beautiful day and small crowds. Our journey started early in the morning in Delhi. We woke up and walked to the train station (our hotel was right next to it) to catch the 2 hour train to Agra, India. For some reason we were a little off on the time and we almost missed the train. I remember us both running as fast as we can through the chaotic station in Delhi and barely making it on to the train. We splurged on this particular train ride and booked a first class ticket so that we could have a reclining seat with AC (first class in India would be considered standard in Europe or the US). The train journey from Delhi to Agra was fascinating. You start in the dense urban city of Delhi and eventually make your way through farmland before arriving in Agra. One of the most shocking scenes when taking a train in India is the people going to the bathroom on the tracks. As we pulled out of the city we saw numerous people squatting on the tracks outside our window. This is totally normal in India but to a westerner it can be quite shocking. After arriving in Agra we made our way through the completely chaotic taxi stand and eventually got a cab to take us to the Taj Mahal. I kept waiting to see this iconic building from the Taxi window but we never did. He eventually just pulled next to a park and said “walk down that way.” The walk through this park was short and sweet and there were numerous monkeys along the way to keep us company. Eventually we saw the top of the Taj Mahal in the distants and my heart began to pound in anticipation for seeing one of the most beautiful structures in the world (I am a nerd). We worked our way through the security gates and caught our first climpse of the full structure from within the entry gate. It is perfectly framed by the doors of the entry gate and it is truly a magical experience when you first see it. Eventually you make your way out of the entrance gate and you are standing right in front of the Taj Mahal. Words cannot describe the beauty of this structure. It was designed to sit high up so that the only backdrop would be the sky. You literally can’t see anything behind it but blue sky. This serving as the backdrop to the bright white exterior is truly a feast for the eyes. We took our time walking towards it trying to take in every angle we possible could. We eventually made it to the building and worked our way inside. We were both shocked to see that the exterior of the Taj Mahal is actually made up of tiny marble pieces that have been perfectly cut and placed together to form beautiful designs. We literally spent the next 5-6 hours just wandering around the beautiful grounds looking at the Taj Mahal. We would find a bench and sit and just stare at this inspiring structure. The Taj Mahal is also a huge tourst destination for Indians. Many of them would come from the small towns of India and had never seen an American before. Because of this Lindsay became a celebrity to them. They would literally wait in line to sit next to her and snap a picture…it was hilarious! We ended the day on a small rooftop café in the city of Agra overlooking the Taj Mahal (or at least part of it). We just drank our Coca Cola and Sprite and watched the sun go down over one of the most beautiful structures in the world. We then had an old man with a bike rickshaw ask if he could take us all the way back to the train station. This was miles away (mostly uphill) and we asked him if he was sure. He gave us a huge smile and assured us he was up to the task. Needless to say when we finally made it to the train station we gave him a huge tip. The train back to Delhi was quick and uneventful and gave us time to reflect on the experience of the day. Seeing, or should I say experiencing, the Taj Mahal is something we will never forget.






All of these men waited one by one to get a picture with Lindsay. :)

The most special travel experience we have ever had – Meeting “Labea” in Aleppo Syria.

A few times people have asked us “out of all the places you have been what is your favorite.” I think I speak for both of us when I say Aleppo, Syria. There are many things that make this city in the Middle East truly unique but for us the most impressive thing was the hospitality of the local people. While visiting Aleppo Lindsay and I had the most special travel experience we have ever had…we meet our friend “Labea.” After spending a few days in this amazing city we were getting ready to catch a very late night train to Damascus. We had lots of time to kill so we ended up wandering through the charming streets of old city Aleppo. We eventually came to a cute little square where we found a bench to kill some time. We were soon approached by curious kids and friendly locals who wanted to chat. We had learned through experience that this level of friendliness was totally normal in the middle east…their hospitality is legendary. Out of all the friendly faces we saw there was one in particular that stuck out. His name was “Labea” and he was a short and pudgy down syndrome man. He wore a flannel type shirt and some slacks that were pulled up way to high. Lindsay grew up working with special needs kids so she was immediately attracted to his sweet personality (and he of course was ENTHRALLED with Lindsay). We sat with Labea for hours just laughing and joking. There was of course a huge language barrier but we managed to make a few jokes/games with him to connect. One of those games was to say the word “Marc” really fast and to see who could say it faster. We would say “Marc”, then he would say “Marc” a little louder, etc. It seems silly but it was the only way we could really connect and we were all having a blast. Labea would also do really funny things that would just crack us up. First of all he smoked like chimney and he always flicked his cigarettes with attitude. We walked to one of the cute stores lining the streets and bought a few drinks to share and he would pop off the top to the can and just flick it on the ground. Eventually another gentleman who spoke perfect English came buy and joined the conversation. I believe he was a professor and we had a blast talking to him about politics, daily life and of course “Labea.” He informed us that Labea was very popular and loved in the neighborhood and that everybody took care of him. We must have sat with these two men for hours just passing time on that beautiful middle eastern night. The scene was perfect…here we were sitting in the middle of Aleppo Syria on a beautiful night talking with some of the sweetest and nicest people we have ever meet. There were kids in the street playing and the square was buzzing with locals talking, etc. Eventually the time for us to catch our train came and we had to leave our newly found friends. We of course never saw them again but we will never forget “Labea” and the other wonderful people we meet that beautiful night in the old city of Aleppo, Syria.

A Beautiful “Canal Town” in China – Zhujiajiao

Lindsay and I are big fans of the t.v. show The Amazing Race. A couple of seasons ago (while cheering on our favorite team ever “the cowboys”) we were awe struck by a beautiful village in China that was featured on the show. We happened to spend my 28th birthday in the beautiful city of Shanghai and decided to work our way out to this “canal town” which was about an hour away from the city. We took a taxi to the gigantic national stadium to catch one of the daily tour buses out to Zhujiajiao as we had read this is the best place to do this. Unfortunately when we made it to the bus station we were informed that all the buses to Zhujiajiao had left for the day. I asked the tour bus operator if we could take a taxi out there and she said “no too far.” Stubborn as I am I refused to take this as fact and we walked a few feet to a taxi stand where numerous drivers were standing around. We pulled out our lonely planet guidebook and pointed to the name of the town (in Chinese) and within minutes were traveling on the superhighways of Shanghai away from the city and into the countryside (lesson of the day: don’t always trust what a tourist desk might tell you). The ride was smooth and relaxing and before we knew it we were being dropped off and the incredibly nice driver was pointing towards the center of the little village. We walked in the direction he told us and all of the sudden we found our selves wondering through “one of the most charming canal towns of China"– Lonely Planet” . This beautiful and ancient town was built on the banks of a canal. The streets are made of cobblestones and are old and narrow with room for walking only. Everywhere you look there are cute old bridges, small canals that break off in every direction, small shops and beautiful Chinese archtitecture. One of the things we were struck with the most was all of the food vendors selling crazy looking food and fish. On every corner we would see these little shops selling crazy looking fish, pigs knuckles, etc, etc. Although we never ate we did hit up one local shop for our favorite Chinese drinks (I will write about this in another entry). The rest of the day was as follows…we would walk down one canal and then cross to the other side while pausing on the bridge to take in the scene. The beautiful old white buildings, trees, canals and bridges that made up the scene are almost indescribable. We eventually found a little corner tucked away (next to one of the main canals) and watched the boats float by for what seemed like hours. We wandered this beautiful town for hours until our feet were killing us and then we decided to catch a cab back to Shanghai. All I remember about the cab ride was trying to stay awake (we were both “riding the bull” trying to stay awake) and then being awestruck at the tall buildings as we entered Shanghai. Exploring the beautiful Chinese canal town of Zhujiajiao on my birthday was a memory we will never forget.

An incredible place to stay in Cairo, Egypt – Hotel Osiris

There is no shortage of places to stay in the iconic capital of Cairo. Most westerners will head to the beautiful, and familiar, hotels along the Nile such as the Hilton, Marriott, etc (we did too but only for a few minutes to take advantage of the AC in the lobby). However, after lots of digging Lindsay and I found a truly unique place to stay called Hotel Osiris. This small little guesthouse is located in the center of Cairo only a few blocks from Tahrir square (the site of the recent revolution). It sits on the top floor of a run down office building about 10-15 stories up. It is run by a very nice French/Egyptian couple and their little cute dog runs all over the place. We booked a cute little room with a shower but no bathroom (truly European style). The room was small and simple but extremely comfortable. The best part of this hotel is its high up location with stunning views. You can look out over the entire city and can literally hear the “buzz” of the busy streets of Cairo below. Every morning we would go to the small dining area on the deck of the hotel which overlooked the city. What made this hotel so special for us is that our cute little room happened to be on the corner of the building and had a HUGE private balcony that overlooked the city. Almost every night we would load up on snacks (local pastries, coca cola, etc) and would head out to the balcony to sit in either the big chairs or on the ledge and would just laugh and talk. During the day the view was incredibly as you could see just how dense Cairo really is. It literally looked like a concrete jungle as their were buildings as far as the eye could see. At night these buildings would light up which mad the view exceptionally special. You could also see the Iconic “Cairo Tower” very easily from the balcony and it was a great centerpiece to the truly unique urban landscape. On one particularly hot day (after spending most of the day in the HUGE national museum) Lindsay decided to lay out on the balcony for some sun…we felt like we were on a relaxing beach holiday while right in the middle of Cairo. :) My favorite memory was the nightly ritual of laying out on the balcony and listening to the sounds of Cairo below me. I would lay on the edge of the balcony and would simply turn my head to see the city before me. I would then close my eyes and listen as the city buzzed all around me. I remember doing this one night and just thinking…I can’t believe I am in the great iconic of Cairo. There is no doubt this great city is a tough one to tackle but having a home base like Hotel Osiris makes it a truly unique experience.

The Most Beautiful Campsite – Browns Canyon, Montana

At the end of a particularly stressful semester in 2007 Lindsay and I decided to take a trip up to “Gods country” (Montana) to unwind. A few months earlier we had just adopted our Pit Bull Sundance and were anxious to see her explore the great outdoors. My family owns some property in Southwest Montana in a beautiful valley called Horse Prairie. On this property is a beautiful old hunting cabin right at the mouth of Browns Canyon. Once you get over the initial scare factor of being this far in the middle of nowhere the cabin is actually an incredible place to stay. After a few nights we decided to load up the 4-wheelers and head up into the mountains for a night of camping. I had done this years earlier when I was 18 as sort of a “right of passage.” I loaded up two horses, a shotgun, tent and ramen noodles and road off into the Montana mountains to spend the night alone. It was years later and I was excited to have a similar experience with my own little family (wife and dog). The road up to the ridge above Browns Canyon is steep but the 4-wheelers did fine (Sundance had a hard time running behind us though). We eventually made our way on top of the ridge just as the late afternoon sun was hitting the valley below…the scene was spectacular. We passed through a gate and I was instantly struck with nostalgia. In front of me was the old Forest Service barbed wire fence that I grew up checking as a young man. Every summer I would load up a 4-wheeler and would ride this treacherous fence through the mountains fixing the breaks caused by elk and the cold winters. We sat there for a few moments while I relived some of the best memories I have ever had. We then continued on for just a few minutes before settling on a beautiful campsite. There was a small open patch of sagebrush and grass amongst the beautiful pine trees. It was right at the top of the ridge and you could see the entire Horse Prairie Valley below and all the way across Browns canyon. We picked a spot right underneath and old tree and set up camp. Sundance being a street dog she spent the first hour watching very nervously and guarding the camp. We made a small fire and laughed at the expired ramen noodles we were trying to eat. Just as the evening sun was setting over the valley we decided to take an evening stroll. I will never forget walking in the high meadows of the Montana wilderness watching the sun set over the valleys and canyons of Southwest Montana. This area was my home (I spent every summer there from age 14 on) and it felt so good to be back. After a beautiful evening stroll we settled down for the night. Even though we had a shotgun it was a little nerve racking to be this alone (there was literally no one around for MILES). However, we quickly fell asleep and had a peaceful night (although I did wake up to the sound of a women screaming…still not sure if I dreamed this…yikes). The next morning was beautiful. We opened the tent door and laid in our sleeping bags watching the valley below us wake up for another beautiful day. This was hands down the best camping trip we have every had and I hope we can do it again some day.

$5 dollar knock off shoes…you get what you pay for! - Middle East

By the time Lindsay and I made it to Damascus, Syria my feet were killing me. I was wearing my thin Puma trainers (that I had bought in Panama City) and they were not made for this much walking. We found a cute little shop in the center of the city and became fast friends with the owner (I blogged about this earlier). I found a cool pair of shoes that were very stylish and looked like a brand name knock off. After trying them on I was sold and spent the whopping $5 or so dollars to purchase them. After we left the store I was convinced that I had made a smart purchase and that my feet would be saved. However, after only a few days I could see that the glue holding the shoes together was loosing strength. By the time we made it to Jerusalem, Israel (about a week later) the shoes literally almost disintegrated off of my feet. :) I remember vividly walking towards the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem and feeling as the shoes literally came apart at every seem (they exploded!). Lindsay was laughing so hard and we broke out the camera to film the experience. By the time we made it to our little guesthouse there was hardly anything left of the shoes. We took a picture to remember the experience and then threw them away. Normally this would have been very frustrating but the shoes were only $5 and that was well worth it for the good laugh that we enjoyed!

A souvenir to remember…Panama

In almost every destination we visit Lindsay and I try and bring home a small and meaningful souvenir. During our trip to Bocas Del Toro Panama we found one of the best souvenirs we have ever purchased. We were walking the streets of the funky afro-Caribbean town of Bocas. This is your typical Caribbean town full of colorful buildings, laid back people and funky shops on every corner. We passed a small house/building that had a number of paintings that had been done on pieces of cloth out in front. The paintings were very unique and had a true Caribbean touch to them. We looked for quite awhile and really wanted to buy one but there was no one there to help us. Just as we were walking away this sweet old Caribbean women came running out of the building waving us back. We ended up chatting with her and found out that she is the artist that paints these beautiful pieces. We chatted for a few moments and then Lindsay and I decided to buy one for our small loft back in SLC. We bargained just a little and ended up getting a great price while still allowing her to make a profit. After we made it back to our small guesthouse on the other side of the island we noticed that there were a few of her paintings in our room. As soon as we made it back to SLC we hung it up above our bed and to this day it is still there (although our home is now in Cedar Hills, UT). Every time we look at it we are reminded of beautiful Bocas and the cute lady that sold us her painting.

Oregon Coast

Ever since I was young I have heard rumors about how beautiful the Oregon coast is. During a long weekend getaway to the beautiful city of Portland Lindsay and I decided to take our little Mini Cooper and to cruise up the coast to see what all the fuss is about. Needless to say we were not disappointed in the least. One of my favorite movies growing up was Goonies. I remembered that this took place in Astoria and so we decided to start there. The short drive from Portland to Astoria is beautiful as much of it follows the Columbia River. We made it to Astoria in the morning just as the local farmers market was started. We walked around downtown enjoying the market and the local goodies. We ended up getting some fresh fish/chips and local fudge for the road. We then worked our way across the beautiful old bridge that connects Astoria, Oregon with Washington. We quickly came back across to the Oregon side and began to cruise south along the coast. On the way back through Astoria we stopped by the Lewis & Clark monument which sits atop the hill. The views from this area were breathtaking! You can see the coastline to the west and the beautiful mountains, rivers and valleys to the east. It was at that moment that I began to realize why people say this area is so gorgeous. We eventually made it to the Cannon Beach area which is the rocky coastline at the end of the movie Goonies. I think the best word to describe this area is SPECTACULAR. There are green mountains that fade into rocky shores with the occasional beach mixed in. We found one particular look out point that took our breath away (we had to hurry as we were to cheap to pay the fee to get in and we thought we were going to get a ticket). We eventually parked the mini and walked up and down Cannon Beach to take in the scene. The water was freezing, and the temperature was cool, but there were still hundreds of people enjoying the sand and water. Eventually our perfect day on the Oregon Coast came to an end and we hoped back into the Mini to head back to Portland. Although we have been lucky enough to travel all over the world there are few places we have seen that can top the beauty of the Oregon Coast.

Arbat Street – Moscow, Russia

Nestled in the heart of Moscow is Arbat Street. Known as the center of Moscow's art scene we just couldn’t miss the opportunity to experience this beautiful urban street. On one of our last days in Moscow we took the metro to Arbat and spent hours slowly walking down this street. It was a beautiful June day in Moscow and the sky was blue and the sun was shining. There are hundreds of artist displaying and selling their art on the street. This is mixed with restaurants, art galleries and countless souvenir shops. We wandered in and out of shops and were loving the surrounding architecture and the overall “artsy” feeling of the neighborhood. I also loved that there was a huge “Stalin skyscraper” overlooking the street (these are huge and intimidating Gothic skyscrapers built by Stalin). We visited one particular souvenir shop and purchase a Russian “nesting doll” and I purchase an old propaganda magnet with a glorified drawing of Lenin. Our afternoon stroll through beautiful Rabat street in Moscow is one of our many fond memories of this fascinating city.


Marc at the entrance to Arbat Street with one of "Stalins Skyscrapers" in the background.

Celebrating Buddhas Birthday in Kathmandu, Nepal

Every once in awhile you experience something while traveling that is almost indescribable. This happened to Lindsay and I one night in Kathmandu, Nepal. The center of the city is called Durbar Square and it is one of the most fascinating places in the world. There are countless temples, statues and buildings scattered around a square that is extremely busy. There are thousands of people, motorcycles, vendors, tourists, etc…needless to say it is a feast for the senses. Lindsay and I spent HOURS sitting on the steps of the numerous pyramid shaped temples that surround the square just watching the scene below us. One night just as the sun was going down we began to notice that there was more activity then usual. People were showing up in large groups and women were starting to lay out hundreds of candles. Eventually these candles were lite and by the time it was dark the entire square was lite up with hundreds of glowing candles. There were candles on every level of each temple (picture a pyramid type structure) so it really gave the area a cool feeling. We eventually found out that this celebration was for “Buddhas birthday” and we felt so lucky that we just happened to be there on this particular night. We sat for hours just trying to take in the scene. Here we were in the middle of Kathmandu Nepal with thousands of people and hundreds of candles celebrating Buddhas birthday! Eventually the candles burned out and we made our way back to our guesthouse. However, I took one of the small candle holders home as a souvenir to remember this incredible night. We will never forget sitting on the steps of a temple in Durbar Square Kathmandu and watching hundreds of candles lite up before our eyes….it is truly an image and experience that is almost impossible to describe. Oh, and by the way, our camera battery was literally almost dead when this all started and we thought for sure we wouldnt be able to document the experience. :)

Rashmi Guest House – Varanasi India

When planning for our adventures we take a lot of time researching to find the best possible place to stay at each destination. One of the most unique places we ever found was called Rashmi Guest House in Varanasi, India. As I have mentioned in other posts Varanasi is like no place on earth. There are hundreds of temples (Ghats), guesthouses, shrines, etc that line the ancient Ganges river. The Rashmi guesthouse was a small but beautiful building that was right on the shores of the river. There were about 3 floors of rooms and then a small restaurant on the top floor with outdoor seating that looked over the city. Lindsay and I ate every breakfast and almost every dinner at this small restaurant. The server eventually just got to the point where he would smile every time he saw us coming up the stairs. We would always pick the corner table on the balcony and would watch all the happenings going on in the city below us. Our room at this guesthouse was also incredible. It faced east and we had a perfect view of the Ganges river and the rising sun. There was a very large tree (which are rare in the heart of Varanasi) and small Hindu temple just outside the entrance and I loved walking past them every time we entered. I remember vividly coming into the room after a hot, and exhausting, day exploring Varanasi and slamming the Coke in a bottle that they would place in the room. We also had a very funny experience the first time we entered the room. We had literally just taken our backpacks off when we heard knocking on the windows. We were very confused as we were about 3 floors up and it would be impossible for a human to do this. We pulled back the drapes with caution and were shocked by what we saw…an entire group of Monkeys were jumping from the building across the alley onto our window ledge and would knock on the window. When they saw us they would hiss and show their teeth and jump back across the alley. We spent a few minutes in shock watching these monkeys. The location, rooftop restaurant/balcony, helpful people and of course the monkeys make this a guesthouse we will never forget but will always suggest.




This is the view out our window...the sun rising over the Ganges river.