BUCKET LIST TRAVEL

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in Vietnam is designated a Unesco Heritage Site as of 2003. This national park contains the oldest Karst mountains in Asia and over 800 vertebrate species. Composed of 300 caves and grottos, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is a recreational outdoor paradise where reflecting on nature is what to do Explore and reflect at the Botanic Garden, Hang Toi, Hang Va, Paradise Cove, Tu Lan Cave and much more.  Where to stay: Phong Nha Farm Stay  phong-nha-cave.com/farmstay/rooms   Phong Nha Mountain House phongnhamountainhouse.com   Where to eat:   Bamboo Cafe Tuan Ngoc Restaurant  Vung Hue Wild Boar Eco Farm  What to Do: danangexperience.com Vietnam is world famous for it's creative and delicious cuisine. A popular beverage in Vietnam is the Sinh to Bo (Avocado Shake) Sinh to Bo (Avocado Shake) Blend together 1 cup of ice cubes, 1 ripe and scooped avocado, 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup condensed mi...

                                             An Acai Bowl is the best meal in a bowl We have the Brazilians to thank for introducing the world to acai berries. Acai, pronounced (a-sa-EE) are nutritious berries that grow on a species of palm trees in Central and South America. They're a deep purple color and are best enjoyed as a frozen puree. It was in Brazil where the delicious "acai bowl" was  created in the 1990's and enjoyed by Brazilian surfers. The recipe for "acai bowl" soon made it to Southern California where it became a smashing hit. No matter where you live in the world, once you   try an "acai bowl" you'll be hooked on this good for you meal that's loaded with  antioxidants, and vitamins. An " acai bowl" is vegan and tastes terrific.    ACAI BOWL RECIPE Sambazon is a big producer of pure unsweetened superf...

In Southern Spain it's a tradition during the Christmas season to eat doughnuts called ROSCO'S NAVIDENOS.  ROSCO'S NAVIDENOS 1 liter of olive oil 2 kg of flour 1/4 litro of Aguardiente 1/4 litro of orange juice 1/4 litro of white wine 1/4 kg of sugar 1 stick of cinnamon 150 grams of anis seeds rind of one lemon and one orange 2 tablespoons of baking powder Fry oil with half of the anise seeds along with lemon and orange rinds. Heat cinnamon stick in a pan and then grind it up. Add to the mixture. Strain the oil and add flour, Aguardiente, white wine, orange juice, baking powder and sugar. Once all the ingredients are mixed together knead the dough into a tight ball. Form the dough into doughnut circles. Place doughnuts on a baking sheet and bake 20-25 minutes at an oven temperature of 175 degrees. Use the remaining anise seeds to add to hot water. The anise seeds and hot water should be like a herbal tea. Dip each doughnut into the tea then ice each dou...

                                          An "Ancient Castle" in Tarifa We never know in our travels what lies ahead of us especially when we're traveling solo to a destination for the first time with no exact itinerary. For me Tarifa, Spain was supposed to just be a stopover before sailing across the Straits of Gibralter on my way to North Africa's Tangler, Morocco. However when the bus from Sevilla arrived in Tarifa it was too late for me to catch a ferry to Morocco. I was fortunate to find a cozy place to stay for only 26 Euro's and the apartment was right on the beach. (Thanks to an AIRBNB host). Tarifa, Espana (Tarifa, Spain) is the kind of place that you want to call home. It's laid back, the people are friendly, the beaches are gorgeous, there's an abundance of bakeries, cafe's, shops, and restaurants to choose from, and the weather...

HALLOWEEN which is celebrated on October 31 in many parts of the world got it 's start thousands of years ago by the Celts. Long ago the Celts celebrated Samhain "the Feast of the Dead" whe n the dead revisited the mortal world and it was the end of Summer. This took place in what is now the present "Ireland." The BONFIRE represented the end of summer. The Celts would gather together and light huge fires to ward off bad fortune for the coming year. It was believed that the bonfire encouraged dreams especially of a future husband or wife. Halloween costumes originated when the community of Celtics would gather around the bonfire dressed in animal skins and heads. If the spirits were wandering the earth and bumped into a living Celt they though that the living Celt was a spirit too and let them go free. The "Jack-o-Lantern" originated from an Irish myth about a man named "Stingy Jack." The "Jack-o-Lantern" was first car...

Tea, is one of the most popular beverages in the world and we have China to thank for that. In China tea consumption is a practice of daily life. According to legend tea was discovered many centuries ago by Shen Nung whose name means Divine Farmer. Shen Nung who was a Chinese Emperor always liked to drink his water boiled because he felt that boiled water was cleaner. While on a distant trip, Emperor Shen Nung stopped to rest. A servant began boiling water for the emperor to drink and dried leaves from a nearby bush fell into the boiling water and a brown substance was infused into the water. Being a scientist Emperor Shen Nung tried the liquid and found it to taste very refreshing. Thus tea (cha) was created in 2737 BC. Originally tea leaves were processed into compressed cake forms. The dried teacake (called brick tea) was ground in a stone mortar. Hot water was added to the powdered tea cakes and was boiled in earthenware kettles than consumed as a hot beverage. Then in the mid ...

Michigan is an industrial state, there's no doubt about it but in the northwest corridor of the Great Lakes State is a stunning oasis known as Leelanau County. A combination of the Irish countryside and the Portuguese coast of Europe, Leelanau County is a vacationer's paradise. A real standout in Leelanau County is Leland (Fishtown). Leland is the kind of place where you can fish for answers you're seeking and feel disconnected from the stresses of a high tech, fast paced society. Leland has pocketfuls of idyllic spots to just relax and recharge. Upon your arrival to Leland head to Neadows Bay Beach on Lake Leelanau for a swim and sit on the sandy beach and just daydream. The lake is so calm and soothing that you might just decide to hang out at Neadows Bay Beach the rest of the day. However there's the mighty pure and unsalted Lake Michigan on the other side of town and Lake Michigan is a real crown jewel.  On Lake MIchigan you can hang out at either North Bea...