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When I wake up in the morning, the whole house is chilly, my bones ache, and I envy the flocks of geese and other birds that pass over my yard on their way to warmer, more hospitable climes. Birds are smarter than people-when the weather turns gross and cold, they fly south to sip margaritas on a beach somewhere until spring. Well, okay, not really. But that's what I would be doing if I, like many North American songbirds, were…
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Americans tend to avoid thinking about death unless they simply can't help it. But across the border in Mexico, there is an entire holiday centered around death- El Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead. The Day of the Dead is traditionally a time to honor dead relatives and friends. It is believed that the souls of the dead are able to return during the celebration and be with their loved ones again. The celebration takes place…
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Commercial space travel is still out of reach for everyone but the richest of the rich. However, Chile's "Valle de La Luna" (Spanish for "Valley of The Moon") is as close to walking on the surface of the moon as you can get without actually leaving the planet. Environmental Graffiti has an awesome post up with incredible pictures of this desolate valley. It really does look like a moonscape-the valley is barren of any plant life, and over the centuries…
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Did you know that this month is National Cruise Vacation Month? It's true...the Cruise Lines International Association celebrates National Cruise Vacation month every October. To commemorate the occasion, cruise lines are offering great deals on exotic cruises. For example, according to the New York Times, if you book a cruise on Norwegian before October 20th, you'll only pay half the deposit that you normally would, and you will get an onboard credit to use for whatever your heart desires. Other…
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Heading to Europe, but looking for a destination that's off the beaten path? Look for an European Destination of Excellence. An European Destination of Excellence, or EDEN for short, is an award given out by the European Commission to highlight relatively "unspoiled" tourist destinations that still offer visitors the chance to experience local culture. According to this article in the New York Times, European Destinations of Excellence include small, quaint villages with an ancient history, like Carlingford, Ireland Edirne, Turkey.…
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It's not even winter yet, but the weather outside is frightful! With fall rains, wind and cold temperatures (even snow!) making most of the country miserable, you may find yourself dreaming of cultivating an off-season tan on a tropical island somewhere. Can you imagine sitting on a warm beach by the blue ocean, drinking something fruity with a little umbrella in it? Well, what are you waiting for? For today only, JetBlue is having an amazing sale on airfares to…
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Halloween is creeping closer and closer. For an out-of-the-ordinary fall vacation, why not visit get a fast passport and visit the scenes of some of your favorite horror stories? London, England: This city is the scene of horror classics like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, and parts of Bram Stoker's classic Dracula. Bran Castle, Romania: This castle, located in Transylvania, is billed as "Count Dracula's castle" although it was not a primary residence of the…
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Genealogy is a fascinating topic and a popular hobby. If your ancestors were travelers, one way to find out about them is to look up their old passport applications, if you can. In 2007, Ancestry.com released a collection of US passport application forms from 1795 to 1925. What can your ancestor's US passport application forms tell you about them? Lots! Applications generally included biographical data like names and birthdates, and more personal information like occupations and physical descriptions, plus information…
