April 19, 2018

Uruguay – Punta del Este, where the rich and famous play

After a short stay in Montevideo we drove 150 km east to visit Punta del Este, a famous resort town known as the Riviera or Monaco of South America. It is so well known that the entire coast is now referred to by this name. Well to do Uruguayans, Argentinians and Brazilians made this place a summer playground where the South American elite play. They are lured to this sun drenched peninsula by the promise... View Article

April 17, 2018

Roasted cauliflower and chickpea salad with tahini sauce

So, we just returned from 4 months of travel, two of which were in South America. I can’t even begin to tell you how much fun, interesting and educational this experience was. I wrote about the trip as we went along but there is so much more to share and since I compile these posts and images into travel book for our family, I will continue to write and document our experience. It took me... View Article

April 14, 2018

Uruguay – Montevideo

Nestled at the edge of the rio de la Plata (more like a sea, being the widest river in the world) before it spills its content into the Atlantic ocean, Uruguay is a small country squeezed between the much larger Brazil in the north and Argentina to the south. Perfect for visiting any time of the year thanks to it warm, mild climate Uruguay makes a great destination for visiting historical Montevideo, enjoying the beaches... View Article

April 10, 2018

Buenos Aires – Recoleta – food and shopping

Our rented apartment in Buenos Aires was perfectly situated on the corner of Avenida Alvear and Calle Montevideo in the high end barrio of Recoleta. Although the apartment itself left some to be desired (balcony and view are but two things) the location made up for it by placing us exactly where I wanted to be, next door to the old palaces, near the Recoleta Cemetery and a short walk from wonderful restaurants, cafes and... View Article

March 14, 2018

Buenos Aires: Las Canitas food tour with Parrilla Tours

Palermo is a popular barrio that seems to be the entertainment center of Buenos Aires. It comes alive at night when the clubs and restaurants are open and people of all ages fill its streets. Palermo covers a large area and over time has been divided into sub-neighbourhoods, each with each own character and style. We spent a few days walking the sycamore lined streets sipping coffee here, having lunch there and peeked into a... View Article

March 10, 2018

Bienos Aires – Feria de San Telmo

Buenos Aires is divided into barrios and each has its own character and style. San Telmo is the oldest neighborhood and oozes with history, character and tradition. It is situated in south Buenos Aires next to the colourful La Boca that sits along the mouth of the Rio Plata (hence the name La Boca, meaning the mouth). The time to visit San Telmo, at least once, is on a Sunday. Sunday is Feria day at... View Article

March 3, 2018

Buenos Aires – the Empanadas: art and recipe

Yes Argentina is known for its asado (meat cooked over fire) but empanadas have long been the mainstay of its cuisine. Empanada, meaning “wrapped in bread” is said to have been imported to Latin America with the Spanish who made a special double crusted pie filled with meats or vegetables. Once it landed in Latin America, this delicious morsel adapted to local style and ingredients and became what it is today: an individual pastry that... View Article

February 25, 2018

Buenos Aires – Recoleta Cemetery, Myths and legends and Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes

After lingering over breakfast at our Recoleta neighbourhood cafe we left and headed up the street towards Plaza Francia where a Sunday market was going on. The entire area was a lively scene on Sundays with crafts fair they call Feria des Artesanos de Plaza Francia. We looked around a bit but were not taken with the scene so we headed over to the Recoleta Cemetery situated at the edge of the park.   Entrance to the... View Article

February 23, 2018

Buenos Aires Argentina – MiBsAs (My Buenos Aires logo)

So, we are in South America. It has been on my travel radar for a long time and finally now I am here. The flight to Buenos Aires from Miami was 9 h long but went quickly, thanks in large part to onboard movies and a kindle with a few good books. We landed in the Buenos Aires international airport and had a driver waiting to whisk us to our rented apartment in the Recoleta... View Article

February 19, 2018

Yucatan road trip to Merida: Sunday festivities, Apoala, Orquesta Sinfonica de Yucatan

Road trip report to Merida continued from here. Breakfast at Mansion Merida Breakfast the next morning at the Mansion Merida was a luxurious event included with the cost of the stay. You can choose where and when you wish to have it served, including your room, the restaurant, in the courtyard or anywhere else that’s reasonable inside the hotel. There was no question for me where I was going to have breakfast: right outside my... View Article

February 17, 2018

Yucatan road trip to Merida: Mansion on the Park, Nectar restaurant

Merida is the largest city in the Yucatan peninsula and we venture there at least once during our stay. This time we had another reason to go: we were invited to stay a few days at a beautiful hacienda south of Merida and we combined that stay with a couple of nights in Merida.   Mansion Merida on the Park There are a lot of beautiful places to stay at in Merida and I had... View Article

February 15, 2018

Yucatan road trip day 3 report: Zentik Botique Hotel and Ek Balam

On our first night in Valladolid we settled on going for dinner at a hotel I was to check out, The Zentik Boutique Hotel. After wandering around town for the better part of the day we went back to our hotel El Meson del Marques, made reservations at the Zentik Project for 8:00 pm and enjoyed the sunset from our rooftop patio. When it came time to leave for dinner it was completely dark outside. We... View Article