Ideal Accommodations in Porto
Our fall trip to Spain and Portugal allowed us to sample a range of accommodations throughout our nearly three-week exploration. We sampled everything from 3-star Madrid airport-area chain brands (Hotel Nuevo Boston and NH Barajas Airport) to boutique hotels (Hotel Vía Gótica in Burgos, Spain, and Hostal Airas Nunes in Santiago de Compostela, Spain) and fully furnished city apartments (in Porto, Lisbon and Madrid). We paid as little as $52 a night for a very nice, modern business hotel (with a pleasant restaurant on site and meeting facilities as well) on the outskirts of a provincial capital and as much as $115 per night at one of those airport-area hotels, so prices were extremely reasonable.
Americana: Guadalajara’s Bohemian Side
Finding that cultural corner of town with enough trendy dining locales for every appetite can be challenging when visiting a new city. Luckily, Guadalajara has personality in spades when it comes to its Americana neighborhood.
First GT Tested Awards in Los Angeles
This week is my first time attending the GT Tested Reader Survey awards, and I am excited to be in Los Angeles for the festivities.
Miami Weekend
This past weekend, a big group of friends and I took an extended trip to Miami to watch the Philadelphia Eagles play the Miami Dolphins. It’s always nice going to Miami, but it’s even better when you can escape the Northeastern weather in December.
Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light
I was a regular visitor to Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry while attending nearby Mt. Carmel High School. Since then, I visit MSI a few times a year, but I never miss the international holiday exhibit.
AJ Mendez, Aimee Garcia and GLOW
In a previous blog I wrote about AJ Mendez and her battle against the stigma of mental disorders and treatment. In her book Crazy Is My Superpower, Mendez revealed her struggles with her bipolar diagnosis and the societal pressures of being a young girl who never felt she fit in. Now Mendez has a new writing project in a much different form but with similar goals.
The Holiday Spirit
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, at least in my house! I do feel behind this year, but the tree is inside and standing (undecorated, but still in place) and the rest of the interior decorations are up. As I am coming up on my second Christmas since I purchased my current home, I still had some décor to buy. With a later Thanksgiving, I probably waited a bit too long to order my new wreath and pre-lit garland for my banister, as I now wait in a nearly decorated home for those final finishing touches.
Hiking with the Family
We had a very dry November here in Southern Oregon, which meant there were lots of opportunities to get yard work done and, far more fun, get outside and enjoy the fall colors. When my daughter called and asked if I wanted to join her family for a hike up Upper Table Rock, just a few miles from my home, I jumped at the chance.
Holiday Travel
It’s hard to believe it’s already December! With the year winding down, I’m looking forward to the holiday season, which includes some of my favorite travel.
#globility
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Dec 14, 2019Four Reasons You Should Go to Taipei’s Pride Parade
In May this year, Taiwan became the first Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage. In celebration, Taipei’s annual Pride Parade was especially festive, with 170,000–250,000 people in attendance — a record number for what was already the biggest pride parade in Asia.
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A Lighter Footprint
United Airlines’ environmentally friendly efforts lessen the impact on local U.S. communities.
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Dec 14, 2019New Four Seasons Property Planned for New Orleans
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts plans to open a new hotel and private residences in New Orleans in late 2020. The first Four Seasons property in New Orleans is slated to open inside the World Trade Center, adjacent to Ernest N. Memorial Convention Center. The World Trade Center is currently undergoing renovations, with plans including a new podium and public spaces. The hotel plans feature four food and beverage outlets, retail space, a spa, rooftop pool and meeting and event spaces.
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Adventure of a Lifetime with Volvo
Looking for a truly unique travel experience and considering a new vehicle? The Volvo Overseas Delivery Program is the perfect solution to create your own adventure of a lifetime. Volvo allows you to custom order your new automobile tailored to fit your needs and desires. They will fly you to Sweden to pick up your Volvo so you can drive and explore Scandinavia and Europe on your terms for up to two weeks.
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Dec 14, 2019New InterContinental Yokohama Property Opens
InterContinental Yokohama Pier 8 opened as the second InterContinental property in Yokohama earlier this fall. The property, with its 173 guestrooms and suites, provides a relaxing atmosphere away from the hubbub of the city with views of the waterfront.
The Demise of Seatback Entertainment
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Dec 13, 2019Mice: Jeddah
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Dec 13, 2019Five Bites to Try, Taipei
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Dec 13, 2019News
Dec 13, 2019American Airlines Launches Mobile App Passport Scanning
American Airlines now provides a passport-scanning feature on its mobile app. American Airlines is the first airline to offer a service of this kind. The passport chip-scanning feature transmits passport information to the airline, so passengers do not need a customer service agent to recheck their passports when arriving at the airport for international flights.
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Goway Offers Travelers Journey of a Lifetime
Since 1970, Goway Travel has been committed to providing customized travel experiences for world travelers. Few things are better evidence of this commitment than being awarded the 2019 Trazees award for Favorite Tour Operator. Goway Travel heartily thanks the readers of Trazee Travel for this honor and for their confidence in Goway’s work in creating travel memories that’ll last a lifetime.
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Dec 13, 2019JW Marriott Debuts in the Maldives
JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa opened on Vagaru Island, part of the Shaviyani atoll in the Maldives, last month.