BUCKET LIST TRAVEL

A world class city is attracting visitors from all over the globe and it's in a desert. D U B A I Largest & most populous city in the United Arab Emirates Located on the southeast coast of the Persian Gulf  360 sunny days a year 1.2 million residents The world's tallest structure is a mega tall skyscraper known as Burj Khalifa D U B A I Jumeriah Beach with its soft white sand is on the Persian Gulf coast (enjoy some swimming) The Dubai Mall has 1,200 shops all under one roof plus an aquarium, cinema, and ice rink The Dubai Museum contains displays and exhibits focusing on the past and present Camels abound in Dubai, take a desert camel ride DUBAI Drink a Jellab; a blend of grape molasses and rose water topped with raisins and pine nuts Eat a manousheh (flatbread filled with herbs, cheese, eggs, and meat) with tabbouleh salad DUBAI is a world class city in the Arabian desert

My visit to Bermuda was short but those five days spent there with my sweet Mother are still so vivid. We chose to go in March because the price for airfare and lodging was amazingly cheap. This wouldn't have been the case during the busy tourist months from May to September. It wasn't swimming weather but we could still enjoy the pink sandy beaches and breath the salty air from the Atlantic waters. BERMUDA is a British territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. With subtropical temperatures it's free of snow and frigid temperatures. The land of Bermuda is divided into nine parishes. A lot of attractions are centered around the capital city of Hamilton which is a small vibrant city. Front Street is lined with shops and restaurants. Some worthy attractions in Hamilton are the Bank of Bermuda, Fort Hamilton, and Queen Elizabeth Park. St. George on the Eastern end of Bermuda with it's narrow lanes and quaint atmosphere has King's Square. This section of Bermuda has ...

Belgium , a culinary masterpiece where food is at it's finest in Central Europe. Belgium where the land is fertile and the sea beckons, a country filled with mesmerizing cities and villages, lovely architecture, and cultural stimulation. And it's in Belgium where citizens and tourists alike flock to eating establishments to please their palates with beer, beef stew, fresh seafood, pommes frites, waffles and famous Belgium chocolate. Chocolate is synonymous with BELGIUM and for good reason because it tastes divine. One of the reasons why Belgium chocolate is the best in the world is because many of the chocolatiers are run by families who make it by hand using simple equipment and mixing the cocoa beans thinly for a smooth texture. A famous chocolatier name is Neuhaus. In 1857 Jean Neuhaus arrived in Brussels from Switzerland and opened a pharmacy at Galerie De la Reine. He covered his medicines with a layer of chocolate to make it easier to handle. Y...

My roots take me back to Ukraine where my parents are from but Detroit is where I was born. My birth language was Ukrainian and it's all I spoke until I was six years old. I was sent to Ukrainian language school in Detroit and took Ukrainian dance classes and learned how to cook Ukrainian food. It was only fitting that I visit Ukraine one day and the opportunity came back a few years ago when I was invited to teach English to students of all ages in Stryi, not far from the city of Lviv in western Ukraine. Spending over a month teaching three classes per day was extremely fulfilling. My students ranged in age from 4 years old to 70 and each of them left a thumbprint on my heart. These students studied diligently and together we mastered some difficult assignments. UKRAINE:                                                ...

July is the hottest month of the year in Italy. Gelato which tastes magnifico was invented in Italy and is enjoyed year round in Italy but especially in the summer months like July. Gelato which mean frozen in Italian is made of cream, milk, and sugar and flavored with fruit and nut purees. Italian gelato is rich in taste because it has less air and more flavoring than gelato made in other countries. In Italy by law, gelato must have at least 3.5% butterfat. Florence native Bernardo Buontalenti and Sicilian born Francesco Procopio are credited for their discovery of "gelato" and now it can be enjoyed all over Italy from Bologna to Sardinia. Gelaterie is a gelato shop. A gelato vendor is a gelatai. There are many flavors of gelato.....bacio, fragola, limone, stracciatella, and zabaione are a few. When in Italy.....eat lots of gelato. Buon Appetito!

Norway is a stunner. It's truly one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Though expensive it's worthy of a visit for the fjords, mountains, sea, and endless nature at every corner. My first encounter with NORWAY was in the late 20th century. I was in my 20's and wanted a summer job in Europe. My dream came true when a farmer in Kristiansand invited me to spend three months taking  care of his farm retreat. What a farm it was. Lots of land full of cows, pigs, and sheep. There was a lake for fishing and swimming and furnished cabins scattered along the hilly terrain for visitors who rented the cabins for a relaxing vacation close to Kristiansand and the sea. I worked seven days a week that summer doing everything from milking cows to painting fences. My dear friends that summer were a brother and sister from Poland who worked on the farm and a local Norwegian girl who managed the office and rented out the cabins. I worked har...

I only made one short visit to Japan but in that short visit I was in awe of the culture and cuisine. The Japanese have one of the healthiest diets in the world. Not only is Japanese food healthy but it's very pleasing to the palate. Taking one hour out of the day to sit down and enjoy sushi with green tea is very soothing. There are multiple ways to enjoy eating sushi but a favorite is to sit at a sushi bar and observe a professional sushi chef prepare sushi with perfection.   Another option is to visit a Japanese restaurant with a conveyer belt and handpick plates of sushi and other Japanese specialities. You can enjoy sushi with a glass of sake or a pot of traditional Japanese tea. Hanaya Yohei is credited for inventing hand formed sushi. He started selling sushi around 1828 in Tokyo. What would the world be without sushi? The Japanese love their sushi and so do many other ethnic cultures. If you're craving something sweet you'll love Japanese ...