Capture The Color

Thanks to Elle for nominating me for the Capture the Color contest. 

I've always had a love for photography, and have no problem hauling my huge Canon 7D with me on my travels.  What is the best souvenir you can possibly take home from your trip but your photos....or a hot guy with an Olympian swimmers body (Okay seriously, I need to stop crushing on these swimmers bodies.  I feel like a Pedophile).  But I digress, you don't need a fancy SLR camera to take great photos, in fact, two of the photos I chose for the contest were taken with a small Canon Point & Shoot.  I won't tell you which two they are either.

>>>>Blue

This photo was taken in the Philippines on an island called Boracay.  I chose this photo mainly because it had several shades of blue, the deeper blue skies, and the almost teal-like colored waters.  What you don't see is my poor aunt next to me fanning me while holding my freshly cut coconut drink, because I was near the verge of dehydration. 

>>>>Green

This photo was taken in the Caribbean island of Dominica during our hike to Trafalgar Falls.  The whole island was filled with Green landscapes, even more so than my favorite country, New Zealand.  

>>>>Yellow

If you have seasonal allergies like I do then this photo is probably your worst nightmare.  I feel like sneezing just looking at it, but I also feel happy, maybe because I was drunk on lots of wine when I took it.  The photo was taken in Sonoma Wine Country in California during the winter.

>>>>White

For me, probably one of the most beautiful spots in the world are the Salt Flats in Bolivia.  There are no paved roads, strip malls, or traffic lights.  The photo was taken at a Salt Hotel (a different one from the one I stayed at).

>>>>Red

I had several photos that I wanted to choose for the Red Category, but the lady from the Himba Tribe in Namibia became an obvious choice.  While modern women are applying moisturizer on their face in the morning, the Himba women are applying otjize (a mixture of butter, fat, and red ochre) that causes the red hue on their skin and hair. 

I now nominate five other bloggers (including some new blogs I have recently discovered) to take part in the Capture The Color contest:

• Jackie from 6 Months To Live
• Ashley from Wanderscapes
• Celine from The Happily Ever After Project
• Fidel from Scene With A Hart
• Megan from Meganotravels

Fall Asleep In A Hammock On The Beach

Laying in a hammock in Puerto Rico

A few years ago I was looking at pictures that my friend took while she was in Costa Rica.  One picture caught my eye, she had been laying in a hammock on the beach.  It looked so relaxing and peaceful, and I wanted to do it!  But how?  With so many beaches in Southern California I have never seen any hammocks.

The hammocks did not stay empty for very long

When I walked into our resort in Puerto Rico, I just about had a heart attack when I saw hammocks on the beach nestled between gorgeous tropical trees!  The first night there I didn't want to get off my little hammock, and I even called the AT&T tech support guy while swinging in a hammock.  He asked me how I was and I said, "Well I can't complain, I am laying in a hammock on a beach in Puerto Rico while gazing at the stars."  His response, "Right on!"  

I could lay here ALL DAY

Post cruise we stayed at the hotel again, and since we were too early to check into our room I went straight to the hammocks.   I placed my bags on the hammock, plopped down, listened to my iPod and proceeded to lull myself to sleep while swaying in the hammock.   Now, does anyone want to buy me a hammock and plant two huge trees to tie them to?  ;)

Date Accomplished:  April 11th, 2010

Have A Piña Colada In Puerto Rico

Trying a Piña Colada at the Caribe Hilton

I love Piña Coladas and I fell in love with them even more after visiting Puerto Rico.  It really has some of my most favorite flavors of rum, pineapple, and coconut!  I found out through an episode of No Reservations that Piña Coladas were invented in Puerto Rico, so I knew I had to have some!  

My cousin trying a Piña Colada at Barrachina

While doing more research on the Piña Colada I found out that their has been a ongoing dispute over where it was first created.  It was either at the Caribe Hilton (where I was coincidentally staying!), or Barrachina.

I knew I had to try both, especially since one was so accessible to me.  So the verdict?  I liked both.  The one at Caribe had more alcohol, but it wasn't overpowering (which I like), but the one at Barrachina was refreshing after a long day of walking (I had to have two!).

Date Accomplished:  April 3rd, 2010

Visit Old San Juan

Raices Fountain

When I started planning my trip to Puerto Rico, everyone told me, "You have to go to Old Town San Juan."  I looked up photos on the internet, and fell in love with the colorful buildings.  To start our walking tour of Old Town San Juan we first hit up La Bombonera for some mallorcas, then we headed to the visitor center to grab a few maps.  We first stopped at Raices Fountain, and then walked along La Muralla, the city wall.  We then went through San Juan Gate, turned left and up the street, and we continued to go up until we saw El Morro.  

El Morro Garitas

We went inside El Morro and toured around the old castle (I can only assume that it was inhabited by really tiny, skinny people because of the narrow and small passageways).   Afterwards we headed down Cristo Street until we hit the Cristo Chapel (we stopped in a few shops along the way to take advantage of the free air conditioning).  We then went on Fortaleza street and saw La Fortaleza (The Governor's Mansion).  We continued to walk along the street, and stopped at Barrachina for piña coladas, and aferwards walked along Fortaleza further till we were able to get a closer view of San Cristobal.  By then we were exhausted, and we felt that El Morro was enough to fill our castle and fort void for one day.  So we proceeded to go to Casa DonQ for some free rum tasting, and then headed to Restaurante Raices for some Mofongo Churassco.  It was a long day, but as you can see we kept ourselves quite busy!

Date Accomplished:  April 3rd, 2010

Walk Through A Rainforest In The Rain

While in Dominica I got a chance to go hiking in the rainforest.  It had been sunny the majority of the day, but as we got closer to the rainforest we noticed dark heavy clouds looming above us.   We hiked down the path towards Emerald Pool, and as we started our trek back up to the top we started feeling light sprinkles on our face.

I'm one of those neurotic travelers that always checks the weather and carries either a small poncho or umbrella in my bag for those "What If" situations.  I'm so glad I had because it started pouring rain.  I recorded the video above when the rain had just started, by the time we got to the entrance the rain had increased 10 fold and we were soaking wet (even with my umbrella). 

As I was walking through the forest, I said to myself, "Wow how amazing is this?  Walking in the rain in the rainforest!"  Many other people agreed that was one of our better experiences of the day, despite being drenched and our hair being a tangled hot mess. 

Date Accomplished:  April 6th, 2010

Spend A Weekend At A Resort

 

The View from my hotel room in Puerto Rico

I rarely travel in luxury.  

In able for me to continue traveling as much as I do, I do have to sacrifice some travel luxuries, however when traveling in the Caribbean I had the desire to splurge a bit and book a relaxing hotel room overlooking the ocean. 

Bathroom in our first room

Thankfully, I scored a deal on Priceline to stay at the Caribe Hilton Resort in Puerto Rico.  For about $90 a night I would be able to relax in a resort almost big enough to need its own zip code.  Because I was traveling with my cousin, I was able to split the cost so it was even easier on my wallet.

Laying in the balcony of our first room

I was able to stay three nights at the Hilton, in two different rooms.  The first room was part of their newer building, it had a high end bathroom, kitchenette, and a cute balcony to lay out in.  The view wasn't as great as our second room, but aesthetically speaking it certainly was the better of the two rooms. 

The private beach

It had its own private beach, beautiful pools with a swim-up bar, and amazing hammocks to lay in.  It also had its own shops and high end restaurants, and my favorite guilty pleasure--a Starbucks that sold local pastries!

Even though resorts won't be a constant in my travel repertoire, I surely will make it a point to stay in one again.

Date Accomplished:  April 2nd,  2010

Go Rum Tasting In Puerto Rico

 DonQ Rum Factory

Puerto Rico is well known for their rum, in fact it is home to the Bacardi Rum Factory.  I did some research prior to arriving, and found that most locals prefer DonQ Rum.  I can easily find Bacardi Rum at home, so I decided to go to Casa DonQ for some free tastings.

When entering Casa DonQ you are welcomed by a history of the rum factory.  At the end of the history lesson is a bar area with two bartenders offering free drinks!  The rum was quite yummy, flavorful, and I actually preferred it over Bacardi Rum.  On my way back home I went to the Duty Free shop and got 2 bottles of DonQ Rum (Coconut and Passion Fruit Flavored) for extremely cheap. I have been able to make the best piña coladas with it!

Date Accomplished:  April 3rd, 2010

Go Hiking Through The Hills Of Dominica

 Hike to Trafalgar Falls

Dominica is known as the nature island of the Caribbean.  It is most known for its 365 rivers.  Locals say that you can swim in a different river for every day of the year (except for a Leap year).  The island is so green, the people are friendly, and it is definitely an overlooked country in the Caribbean. 

Our first hike was to Trafalgar Falls.  It was a short hike, with an optional hike to go down to the foot of the falls.  I made it near the bottom of the falls, only to turn back around because of the massive slippery boulders, and fear that my clumsy feet would cause me to get hurt.  My cousin said I made the right choice after she saw several people slip, including a woman that fell pretty badly with few people rushing to help her. 

After our little hike, the heat and humidity were starting to take a toll on me.  Our driver handed me a cold local beer that I guzzled down quickly.  The roads in Dominica were the worst I have seen, and I commend anyone that can drive there.  The roads are extremely narrow, and I can only compare the feeling to a car zooming through speed bumps (minus the actual speed bumps).  The alcohol buzz made the roads a tad more tolerable.

We then made a quick stop at Mr Nice's Fruit Stand, ran by you guessed it, Mr Nice.  Mr Nice was an enthusiastic chap who fed us "free" fruits in exchange for voluntary tips and donations.  The fruits were amazing, the bananas in the photo may not look ripe but they were easily the best bananas I have EVER had.  Perfectly sweet.

After our slight re-energizing feast we made our way to Emerald Pool.  Emerald Pool is a waterfall grotto located in the UNESCO site of Morne Trois Piton National Park.  To get to Emerald Pool you must hike through a lush rainforest, and then cross a narrow path filled with tourist to get to the edge of the pool.  On our way back from Emerald Pool we got a chance to walk through the rainforest in the rain.

Dominica is filled with adventurous hikes while being surrounded by amazing flourishing green scenery.

Date Accomplished: April 6th, 2010

Watch The Planes Land Over Maho Beach

Maho Beach is located on the Dutch side of the Caribbean island, Saint Martin.

It's most known for its close proximity to the Princess Juliana International Airport, and for the possibility to snap photos such as the ones below as the planes make their final descent.

Not only is it a beautiful beach, it also has nearby restaurants and bars that allow you to watch the planes closely fly across the beach.  At one of the restaurants is a timetable board that displays the arrival and departure times of all flights, as well as the type of aircraft.

Since we went to Maho Beach during peak time, we had the luxury of watching many planes make their final approach onto the island.  In a span of a little over an hour we spotted approximately ten planes either arriving or departing.  The planes were so close by that and I felt like they were only an arms length away from me. 

Another fun thing about Maho Beach is watching stupid brave people stand behind the planes while taking off.  There are several warning signs around the area discouraging people to stand behind a departing plane, and apparently two kids a few hours prior nearly flew into the ocean.  Below is a video of people trying to stand right behind a plane that was departing....

Date Accomplished:  April 10th, 2010

See The Pitons In St Lucia

The Pitons, and what's that on my face?  It's called Humidity!

When I started my research of where to travel in the Caribbean, I knew I wanted to go to St Lucia after I saw a photo of The Pitons.  It was a foggy, and rainy day in St Lucia (apparently it hadn't rained in weeks till we got there).   The spot that most tourists get their photo of The Pitons ended up being one giant white cloud!  We all headed back into the van with frowns on our faces thinking, "What if we never get to see the Pitons?!" 

Taking water taxis to Jalousie Beach in between The Pitons

Our water taxi

We then headed to a beach where we hopped into our water taxis.  I have taken water taxis in cities before, and normally their is some sort of dock where we cross a plank to get into the water taxi.  Easy right?  Nope, no dock here.  We had to walk into the water (that was filled with sneaky pebbles that loved getting into my Keens), and then gracefully foolishly climb into the water taxi.  I saw a few people almost fall into the water, and a few who lost their shoes in the process.  We then took the water taxi to a private beach right in between The Pitons.  The ride in the water taxi was my most favorite part of St Lucia.  It was like riding along the the coast of Hawaii.  Absolutely stunning!

Jalousie Beach

At Jalousie Beach right in between The Pitons

On our way back to our cruise ship we stopped to try getting a shot of The Pitons.  This time we were successful!  The Pitons were in clear view!  Mission Accomplished!

Date Accomplished:  April 8th, 2010

Take A Southern Caribbean Cruise

The Carnival Victory

My first cruise experience was on the Carnival Victory.  My cousin and I had primarily chosen it for its lack of sea days since both of us have had our fair share of motion sickness.  The cruise started off in Puerto Rico, and each day we went to a different island, from St Thomas to Dominica, Barbados, St Lucia, St Kitts, St Maarten and back to Puerto Rico. 

Our evenings were spent checking out the shows, deck parties, hanging out at the Irish Bar (where I won 3 medals for Music Trivia games), and at the karaoke bar.  We even braved going to a Speed Dating event where only ONE man showed up!  We had an ocean view cabin which was more than enough, and I'm so glad we did not opt for a balcony because we spent very little time in our cabin.  The food was fabulous, and I have never eaten so much in my life.  Getting late night yogurt was one of my favorite things to do.

Every night my cousin and I would look forward to going into our cabins to see our towel animals. They became our third roommates.  I didn't mind the chocolate mints laying on our beds either.

Our dinner table on our last night celebrating Princess' birthday

I met a few new friends from our dinner table, and I honestly think Carnival purposely sat all the single ladies together.  We even had a sweet lady that we named Rose (yeah like the old lady in Titanic) who bought us a bottle of champagne during our last evening.  Our last night was also the birthday of one of the gals on the trip, Princess.  We decided to take her out, and we each took turns buying her a birthday drink.

A night out at the sad dance club on our last night with new friends

We made our way to the club and ripped up the dance floor for a few songs.  Princess finally got the guts (thanks to the alcohol) to dance with this man who she was crushing on for the entire week.  After a few dances she took a seat next to us and said, "I'm so tired."  Her head then plopped down on the table, and she became completely unconscious.  I shook her trying to wake her, but got no response.  I had a friend and my cousin hold her up while I went for help.

Not one person wanted to help me, and after making several pleas for help I turned around and found Princess puking all over herself.  My cousin suffers from Puke Chain Reaction Syndrome so she started puking (thankfully into a cup) as well.  Things were quickly getting out of control.  I took my cousin's place, and after arguing with the unhelpful staff I finally got someone to bring us a wheelchair.  With all the guys in the room not one was brave enough to lift her, so with all my strength and with help from a lady employee we got her into the wheelchair.  She was an absolute mess.  Completely unaware. She was sent to the infirmary, and we never saw her again.

A few days later I got an email from her asking what had happened, and that she was so sick that evening she spent the entire night at the infirmary being hydrated.  The following morning she was wheeled out of the ship!  She thanked us for our help, and for making sure she came out of that ship alive.  It certainly was a dramatic end to our cruise!

Even though I wasn't too keen on the cruising experience,  it will definitely not be my last cruise (I hope to take one to Alaska and Antarctica....yep...both two very cold places!).  I had a great time island hopping around the Caribbean, and it opened up a lot of new experiences for me like parasailing and ziplining.  So here is a little video...


Date Accomplished:  April 11th, 2010

Try Mallorcas In Puerto Rico

La Bombonera Restaurant in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

Before any trip I try to research the local food.  I saw a few photos of mallorcas and knew I just had to try it.  I found a link to La Bombonera Restaurant,  and they are most famous for their mallorcas.  My cousin and I took a taxi into town from our resort and had the guy drop us off right in front of La Bombonera. 

When we entered the restaurant it was booming with people.  We were seated on the second floor where we had a great view to people watch everyone on the the first floor.  We went for lunch and were charged an extra dollar for ordering breakfast food (just a ridiculous way to get more money from tourists).   But the food was well worth the extra dollar.  I ordered the bacon and cheese mallorca but they ended up giving me the bacon, egg and cheese mallorca.  They top it with powdered sugar and it was so amazingly good.  If anyone has a recipe for mallorcas please send it my way!

Date Accomplished: April 3rd, 2010

Zipline Through A Canopy

So far ziplining has been one of my favorite experiences EVER.    We took a ride to an old sugar plantation, and first got a tour of the plantation.  We then climbed to this platform to put on our gear, and then we went on our practice run.  We practiced "giving birth"...it was the position we had to be in before hitting the end of the zipline to reduce the chance of hurting ourselves.  We then took this tiny land rover up to the top of the hill.  This was probably the scariest part of the entire thing.  The hill was extremely steep, and we all thought we were going to fall out of the back of the truck.

The first zipline was the longest.  I decided to go second (out of 10 people), and I am so glad I did.   The feeling of letting yourself go, and allowing yourself to go zipping through great heights was exhilarating.  It brought about instant laughter and giggles.  There were 4 ziplines in all (not including the practice run).  The last zipline was short, but quite possibly the one that made me giggle the most.  There were two ziplines side by side, and my cousin and I had to race to the finish line.  This zipline was quite different in that once we got to the end we were bounced back, and then we slowly made our way forward towards the platform. 

Zip Lining was so much fun...and I can't wait to do it again.  I think I'm officially hooked!

Date Accomplished:  April 9th, 2010

Go Parasailing

Parasailing is something I've wanted to do for a long time.  I had originally wanted to do it during my trip to New Zealand last year, but time was limited, and the parasailing company was no longer contracted with the company I had traveled with.  I knew that when I went to the Caribbean I NEEDED to do it.  Out of 7 different ports, only one port offered parasailing through Carnival.  Parasailing in St Thomas was one of the first things I arranged, and it was only second to booking the actual cruise. 

When we got off the cruise ship we saw a sign for Parasailing.  We went up to a man that was carrying a clipboard, and he greeted us and handed us a paper and instructed us where we had to sign, then he proceeded to say that he was also on our cruise ship and he too was waiting to go parasailing.  It was quite funny.  We were then split into two separate groups.  In our group we had a pair of sisters, a young lady with her parents (the parents were just there to watch), a couple, and a really odd woman there by herself (and she wasn't odd because she was by herself). 

We ended up going last, and I don't know if that was the most wise choice, because as each group went up the guys running the gig only found more mean things to do to them.  As the second to last group was parasailing, the parasailing man started getting my cousin and I all geared up.  When I stood up all my gear fell down to the floor.  The guy had forgot to attach everything to me!  At that moment I started freaking out, and all my trust in him was out the window, I continually asked him, "Are you sure I am secure?  Are you positive?"

Just watch the video to witness the rest of the experience.  You can clearly hear the fear in my voice.  Despite being afraid, I really did enjoy the experience, and am so glad I braved through it and did it.

Date Accomplished:  April 5th, 2010