Just recently had the opportunity to spend the weekend in Pittsburgh and enjoy baseball at PNC Park one of the 30 MLB stadiums to enjoy the game. As part of the trip, we went to the Roberto Clemente Museum, where we got to learn more about his legendary career on and off the field. Today MLB honors his legacy with an award that has his name and is given to a player who demonstrates the values our Hall of Famer displayed in his commitment to community and understanding the value of helping others. A post on how Pittsburgh celebrates his sports and personal life will be available soon.
One of the Best Views in Baseball, for sure…
Pittsburgh’s history is varied with continuous evolution: from a gateway to the west in the 18th century to a center for technology, healthcare, and education in the 2020’s. Important to their story the city’s abundant coal and iron ore led to its dominance in steel production, earning it the moniker “Steel City” in the 1900’s. At one point in time the city was behind New York and Chicago in corporate headquarters and had the most US Stockholders per capita.
Awesome Views from atop the Duquesne Incline
Today baseball continues to be an integral part of Pittsburgh life, the location of the stadium and how they celebrate their history makes PNC Park a great experience, if you add the incredible Roberto Clemente Museum you are ready for an unforgettable baseball experience. After spending the weekend in Pittsburgh I can tell you that if you were born in Puerto Rico or if you are a baseball fan it must be on the to do list.
One of the bet ball players ever, the museum is a must / Retire 21
The Pittsburgh Pirates play at PNC Park, a ballpark located downtown along one of the rivers that crosses the city, this ballpark opened in 2001 and has been ranked the best ballpark to enjoy a game many times and by many media outlets. With an awesome location, great food, and superb environment it provides a great experience to any baseball fan. After more than 20 years since opening day the stadium continues to satisfy the needs of fans in 2025.
Arrive with time, take a walk along the stadium, there are cool things to see and enjoy
On game day if you are downtown you can walk across the Roberto Clemente bridge and get to the Center Field entrance, where a huge Statue of #21 Roberto Clement receive you. Crossing the bridge to the stadium must be one of the coolest ways to arrive to a game and pump fans for a superb ballpark experience.
Once you are inside the stadium, there are many spots where they share insights on the history of their franchise and special moments that are part of Pirate history. Views from the stadium are awesome, seating from almost anywhere in the ballpark highlight the Pittsburgh downtown skyline along the river and the Roberto Clemente bridge, possibly one of the best views in baseball. There are great food options across the stadium including the famous Primati Bros. Sandwich a combination of grilled meat, melted provolone cheese, coleslaw, tomatoes, and French fries; had the opportunity to try one at the original place and it was fantastic.
For one of the games we sat at the Baseball Club Level, here you will find lounges that include a couple of whisky bars, additional premium food offerings, and even pool tables that you can use before or during the game all of these in a climate control environment. The view from these seats are incredible with an open view of the downtown skyline, getting to concessions or the bathroom is super easy. Along the halls they have tons of memorabilia and photos of the Pirates history, adding to the experience of the game.
The results of the game were not what we wanted, our Mets got swept in the weekend series but watching a baseball game in person of your favorite team is always something special. PNC Park and Pittsburgh make the experience even better with awesome views, Pirate history across the stadium, and fans that know and respect the game making it memorable. If you are a baseball enthusiast PNC Park is a must.
We continue in our journey to visit the 30 MLB stadiums; PNC Park was #14 and a special one since we got to know more about our Roberto Clemente. Thanks for taking time to read this post, please share it with your friends and sign in to receive our updates; also follow us on Instagram, and Facebook search for BORICUASLIVINGABROAD. Until next time…
If you ask for a list of iconic sport venues, Churchill Downs the home of the Kentucky Derby, often dubbed “The Most Exciting Two Minute in Sports” would be at the top of it. Opened in 1875, it has more than 150 years of history including hosting the signature Kentucky Derby continuously including during both World Wars and Covid. Is the longest non-interrupted event held in the United States.
The racetrack was named for the family (John and Henry Churchill) that leased the initial 80 acres of land to build the site, done by Meriwether Lewis Clarck Jr. It was at the right time, since other tracks were closing. The property has evolved from the original design, today it holds more that 150,000 people during the Derby (using the infield), has luxury suites, and a big board that could fit 6 basketball courts.
Not all the renovations have been to increase capacity, in 2023 they inaugurated a new paddock that the horses use to prepare for their races and spectators can get close to the beautiful thoroughbred horses. In the property you will also find the Kentucky Derby Museum which focuses on the history of the Kentucky Derby and Churchill Downs, a 2-story building that bring the interesting story of the best horse race in the world.
If you like horse racing or tune the TV every year to see the Kentucky Derby, going to the museum is a must. There you will find tons of information on how the race had become one of the top events in sports every year. One of the highlights in the museum is a movie run on a 360-degree theater, where they try to bring Derby Day emotion to the audience. The museum is a great half day of immersion to Kentucky thoroughbred horse racing.
Churchill Downs only has around 70 days of racing a year divided into 3 different meets, if you are planning to go make sure there are races, and you could do a full day of racing with good drinks and food while taking a chance with some bets. I would also recommend taking the Churchill Downs tour, this activity is almost half a day and start early in the morning watching horses practicing and you will have an inside view of the life at Churchill Downs.
A great activity if you are doing the Bourbon trail, and an awesome opportunity to know better Kentucky. Thanks for taking time to look at this post, please share it with your friends and sign in to receive our updates; also follow us on Instagram, and Facebook search for #BORICUASLIVINGABROAD. Until next time…
Just four and a half hours driving south from Chicago you will reach Louisville, a great place to use as base if you want to explore the Bourbon Trail in Kentucky. Louisville is the most populated city of the state of Kentucky and has many cool thing to do like horse racing in Churchill Downs, visit the Muhammad Ali Museum or the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory, eat a Hot Brown sandwich in one of the many restaurants or just go to Whiskey Row and learn about how Bourbon is made in one of the more than 10 distilleries they currently have.
MUST TRY … The Hot Brown SandwichGreat things to do in Louisville… Nice Mix of Fun,
We went on a short trip during Memorial Day weekend looking to learn more about Bourbon, how is made and the history behind the distilleries and their brands. Exploring restaurants in Chicago we have found a great selection of Bourbon in many of them, trying them neat or in Old Fashioned. Researching the brands we found the Bourbon Trail, a growing tourist attraction around Bourbon distilleries including tours, restaurants, and experiences. We found a good excuse to escape the city and enjoy some of the best Kentucky has to offer.
George Garvin Brown one of the pioneers of the Bourbon Industry / Sipping and Chillin in a Rickhouse
Bourbon is a barrel aged American Whiskey, made primarily of corn tracing back to the 18th Century. There is no certainty of who invented it but there was a Baptist minister called Elijah Craig and some people attribute him as the originator another story calls for the first bourbon to be produced in Bourbon County in Kentucky. No matter where bourbon was first produced, Kentucky is the place to enjoy and learn about Bourbon. In 1964 the US Congress recognized Bourbon as a distinctive product of the USA, making it unique a unique offering to the world.
Each distillery do their best to provide a memorable experience
There are rules that need to be followed to call your product Bourbon. There is no aging requirement, but usually Bourbon is aged at least 4 years (2 years to be labeled straight bourbon) and very important no flavoring or coloring is added during the whole process. Here is a summary of the rules:
Must be Produced in the US (Not only in Kentucky)
At least 51% Corn (Can be more, no less)
Distilled no higher than 160proof (80% ABV)
Must be aged in new charred Oak barrels at no more than 125 proof (62.5% ABV)
Bottled at no less than 80 proof (40%ABV)
2 Key elements in the Bourbon expression: Limestone + Water / Barrel Charred – (Above) Aligator Char
There are a good number of distilleries to visit, our focus in the selection was around having different experiences at each stop, while exploring known and new brands as we went through the different distilleries. Not every day you have the chance to go places that have more than 150 years of history and have helped create part of the history of a country. During our visit we came across great stories on some of the most iconic bourbon brands. Below are the places we visited along with some of the stories we got to experience. If you plan to go, I invite you to explore different areas of the trail and also different sizes of distilleries; one thing is constant every place is awesome and beautiful.
OLD FORESTER DISTILLERY: Americas First Bottled Bourbon Brand, being sold sealed to protect the product from adulteration. Distillery opened in 1870 by George Garvin Brown one of the founders of Brown Forman, the tour is downtown on Whiskey Row a great place to start the journey. Really liked their Old Forester 1897 a bourbon that follows the Bottled in Bond standard that was put in place to ensure quality back in the 1890’s and still being done today.
Interesting memorabilia, advertising and the first sealed Bourbon bottles
WOODFORD RESERVE DISTILLERY: Traces back to 1812, currently a national historic landmark. Is here where the Sour Mash fermentation was perfected, promoting consistency of character from batch to batch. It was purchased twice by Brown Forman and the brand was launched in 1996. Currently the Bourbon Sponsor of the Kentucky Derby, on the way to their distillery you go through beautiful ranches and even a practice horse racetrack. I already knew their Woodford Reserve double oaked but now understanding more about craft that goes into production made the expression more enjoyable.
Walking through the distillery is a trip to the past…
BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY: They claim to be the oldest continuously operating distillery in the United States, it is also a National Historic Landmark. Records say that distilling started in 1775, located in Frankfort KY the capital of the state. Property is beautiful and in 2016 during renovations on a building they found the remains of the original distillery building dating back to 1873, is crazy the amount of history on that land. Our tour was free and included a tasting, you need to reserve ahead of time. From the tasting I liked Blanton’s, the first single barrel bourbon that was first commercialized in 1984. The top of the bottle has a jockey and a horse, they sell 8 different positions (one for each letter) and is the scenes of a horse race.
Buffalo Trace is recovering from floods and they are doing an awesome job
HEAVEN HILL DISTILLERY: Founded in 1935, is privately owned by the Shapira family is the second largest holder of Bourbon in the world. As part of their business model, they were producing Bulk whiskey for third parties, while producing some of their own brands. They had a big fire on 1996, where the plant was almost destroyed and lost 90,000 barrels of product. The company survived though provision of production capacity by fellow local bourbon companies like Brown-Forman and Jim Beam a great sign of the values of these companies. Here I liked a Whisky not Bourbon because is only 37% corn 12% Malted Barley, and 51% Rye; the expression is very different to bourbon, but the expression had very nice flavor it is a good choice for Mixology the name Rittenhouse Straight Rye Whisky
Good Blend of Old and New across the distillery…
WILLETT DISTILLERY: A small family-owned distillery in Bardstown, KY . They also make their own product and serve as contract bottler for other companies that want to market their own brand. They also have a very nice restaurant in their property, that makes a great place to end a day of tasting and learning about bourbon. You can enjoy Whisky flights from the different brands they have at the restaurant, while pairing to some great food. Here I enjoyed a bourbon called Speakeasy, smooth flavor and sweetness was a great companion to the food we order as we finish a great day in the Bourbon Trail.
Nice grounds, awesome restaurant and a balcony to end a great day!!!
Thankful for the opportunity to continue traveling and having great experiences, I encourage you to do the same and plan to go somewhere you really like and experience it full. Thanks for taking time to look at this post, please share it with your friends and sign in to receive our updates; also follow us on Instagram, and Facebook search for #BORICUASLIVINGABROAD. Until next time…
If you ask a Boricua what is a “Chinchorro”? they will describe a small bar, that serves local food while playing local festive music. So “Chinchorreo” would be the act of going on a day trip stopping in a good number of “Chinchorros” to eat, drink, and have a good time with family and friends.
Puerto Rico have the best X-mas in the World!!!!
The word “Chinchorro” has different meaning in other places of Latin America, in Venezuela it can mean a hammock and in Cuba could mean a small boat. For us in Puerto Rico the ward “Chinchorro” has been used to call a small bar since 1930 according to historians; during that time, people used horses and carriages to move from place to place stopping in places to have food, drinks and get some rest.
Great place to go with friends or just meet new great people…
We are fortunate to have family and friends that like “Chinchorrear”, for us is a must do if you are spending time over the holidays. The activity is one that help showcase the beauty of our island, and how fun us Boricuas can be. There are many routes to select and do the activity, most picturesque ones are along the central mountains, going through different municipalities like: Cayey, Aibonito, Orocovis, Jayuya, Ciales. Every route is different, but all of them will offer good food, music, sights, and friendly people.
Country Side or near the sea, natural beauty is always present…
Once you get to a “Chinchorro”, there are a couple of tips to get the most enjoyment out of that stop and here are my 5 tips.
Plan to stop at 3-4 “Chinchorros” during your visit
The idea is to spend time at each stop, so you can enjoy the best of what the place has to offer, Plan to spend on average 1-1.5 HR per stop. You are not in a hurry and use the time to enjoy the views, talk to the people and have fun
You can stretch and go for places , in my opinion is not about quantity and more about the quality of the stop. I prefer to go less places but get to enjoy more time in the “Chinchorro” having fun, if a place is super full go to the next and maybe on the way back you can stop and go in.
All “Chinchorros” are not created equal…
Ask what are their specialties before ordering… then get some!!!
Medalla is our local beer and it is a superb mass produced beer, Beer culture has grown in Puerto Rico and you will find a good number of small brands made by local breweries here a couple of breweries: Boqueron Brewing, Ocean Lab Brewing, Old Harbor
Besides great beer, you can also find great cocktails in the different places. If you want to enjoy a cocktail, you may find a good creative mojito or an alcoholic drink with some fresh juice like grapefruit or Passion Fruit. As the “Chinchorros” have evolved the owners have identified that having great cocktails creates differentiation versus other places, just ask and see if they have some special drink that you can enjoy.
You will find a great selection of food and drinks…
If you see live music… STOP, you will get to enjoy a free show
In all of the “Chinchorros” you will find music, either from a streaming service or some live presentation. This is an important piece in the experience and can either add to an awesome experience or make you go out fast and furious to another place. Get to the place and feel the vibe… you will quickly see if the music is adding to your experience or not
Watch Out for a big bus of people getting down in a Chinchorro ready to party with their own instruments and start a “parranda”… Don’t be shy and get into the chorus, it adds to the fun. You will see this big groups celebrating birthdays, business retreats, boricuas from the “diaspora” or a high school reunion.
Music is an important part off of the outing… From professional to just for fun!!!
Be Patient… You are in Island Time
Expect a good number of people at each stop… This places can get busy, just Chillax and go with the flow. If you went out to “Chinchorrear”, there is no need to stress over a line, take the time and start talking with the person you just met in the line or even better pay a drink to someone just for fun. We are here to have a blast!!!
If you come from a big city, you will see a change of pace from the hustle and bustle of city life. This is an important element for you to understand, here seconds are minutes and people don’t have to punch a clock to get to the next meeting.
Happy to call Puerto Rico my “Patria” – “Boricua hasta en la luna”
If you are in Puerto Rico, give yourself a chance to a great day and connect to the island with a real experience. You can go to the Puerto Rico tourism (Discover Puerto Rico) page and just search “Chinchorro” and you will get a list of couple of them. Thanks for reading and please share this post with your friends. Sign in to get our updates. Also follow us on Instagram and Facebook. Search for #BORICUASLIVINGABROAD. Until next time….
While some people argue that the hamburger originated in Germany, there is no doubt that in the United States it has been perfected. A simple dish to prepare but very hard to master; getting that right combination of ingredients with a flavorful patty that will make people come back again and again is not an easy feat. Since arriving to Chicago this summer, we have taken the opportunity to explore the city and enjoy the many great places to eat including finding that perfect burger place.
Chicago is a cool city to explore, how the river blends into the city priceless
Before we talk burger shop, let me will put some spiciness on what a great burger should include. For some less is better just bun-patty-cheese will do the trick, others say that the more toppings the better. For me a great burger should have: bun-patty-cheese a good sauce (elevate the umami) plus a veggie (preferred onion). When going to a burger, try their signature as the chef intended it. However, it is your money, so order it the way you like it.
Finding a good place place that you can get by public transportation is a must… You get to enjoy all the nice things the city offer
After trying different places this 3 are currently at the top of the list, they food and service makes them unique and repeatable. All of them present unique proposals, with their own signature sauces, or caramelized onions with beer. One common denominator is the use of high quality ingredients, cooked the right way. On top of spot on service that will make you want go again.
More than a burger shop, here you will find a great selection of Liquor and Beer on their shop. The bar has a nice selection of beer on tap to pair with their specialty burger called Pop’s Double Smash-burger. Ingredients for the burger are Courage Lager caramelized onions, American cheese, Honeycup dijonnaise, and house made pickles on the side. The burger brings the right level of messiness. When you top it with fries and beer, we have the BFF combination (Burger / Fries / Frosty Beer). Just take the brown line to Paulina Station and a 2 minute walk to land in Bitter Pops, surroundings are nice for taking a walk after your meal.
What happens when a pro skater and a Michelin Chef get together to create the perfect burger… You get 720 of awesomeness. It took them 2 years to get to the right recipe and what a great product it is. A short 4-minute walk from Grand Station-Blue Line, the place has a nice selection of beers and monitors showing skating action. It is a small place, but when the only dish is their signature burger for sure the wait is worth it.
This simple menu is da bomb…
They made ordering food very simple, just one burger available the NADC burger and fries. If you dare and ask to make your own burger this will be the response “NADC” (Not A Damn Chance). The NADC is a Double patty of 100% Texan Ranch wagyu beef, American cheese, secret sauce, onions, pickles, slightly tamed jalapeños. The Smash-burger has the right level of messiness, with the selection of toppings delivering a huge Umami bomb of flavor. When your menu has only one main entree and the place is full, you found a winner place.
Before Smash-burger was a thing, there was the big burger patty. Diego one of the best Bar and Restaurant in West Town has a good burger to offer. During the summer the place has a nice outdoor patio, where you can sip some good drinks while enjoying music. Easy to get there by Train or Bus. One nice feature is the great Chicago Skyline if you walk 5 minutes in Ogden.
Their burger is called the TJ, a good size single patty with melted onion, pickled jalapeños, white cheddar, and a mayo macha salsa. Diego gets this burger right with a nice combination of ingredients plus a nice seasoned patty. The meat is delicious and the melted onions really adds a good element to the dish. You will find a good selection of beer on tap plus some Mexican favorites like Cerveza Victoria. They also specialize in cocktails and one of the favorites is the Flor Morada a Mezcal based drink.
Will continue the search for other great burgers, but don’t miss any of these places. Try them and have a great food experience in Chicago. If you have a great place for burgers, please share…
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Just got back from a short break in Bali, enjoying this province island of Indonesia that is well known across the globe and is one of the top tourist destinations in the world. Bali is the only Hindu majority province in Indonesia with more than 90% of the population adhering to Balinese Hinduism, making this a key highlight as a tourist since Hinduism is not a religion that I am very familiar. There are 4.3 million people living in Bali split in 9 regencies, with traces of people living 2000BC that migrated from Taiwan; it was under Dutch control until 1949 when Indonesia was recognized as a country and Bali became a province.
One of the iconic images from Bali is, called Candi Bentar. (Ulun Danu Beratan Temple)
Bali is a great place for surfing, with many beaches available to practice the sport and with impressive views like in Tanah Lot where people surf in front of beautiful temples. Since 80% of the economy is based on tourism, you will find accommodations of all budgets along the beaches and in the countryside with rooms overlooking into rice paddies or even the change to have a room looking towards Mount Batur an active volcano.
Once you arrive at Denpasar, capital of Bali and go outside you clearly see that the people of Bali are one of their biggest assets; the people are looking to politely provide service to you and very respectful of your space as you manage the busy arrival term towards the taxi or transportation that will take you to your destination. For us we decided to stay in Ubud, located amongst rice paddies and steep ravines in the central foothills of the Gianyar regency; is promoted as the arts and Culture Center of Bali and if you don’t stay there is a must place to go and explore.
There is lot of traffic in Bali, biggest roads are only 2 lanes with one lane at each side for rural roads also if you add the big number of motorcycles in the street it can get a bit overwhelming. My recommendation for a short stay is to hire a driver / tour guide that can take you to the different places, reducing the risk of driving in these roads that are unknown to you. Be prepared to spend a bit of time as you move from place to place, it was not a hassle but if you have a limited number of days you will spend 10-12 hours going to some awesome places so it´s worth it.
We decided to hire a 2 full days guide that would take us across the island to some of the best sights, plus had another full day for us to explore Ubud Center. After looking for tours, I found this company that had good reviews and local knowledge of Bali, here is the tour guide LINK if you want more info. Our guide was one of the partners of Putu Arnawad, Mr Kadek was a great guide very knowledgeable of the island he made us feel safe and the trip was very enjoyable.
Here is a list of things we did, Bali has tons more things to do and depending on the number of days you can include more things, for 2 days of tours I think we were very aggressive and got to see most of the great things Bali has to offer. You can use this as a reference if you are planning to go, I have also included some photos of the places so you can see some of the beauties of Bali:
Ubud Center – Spend 1/2 in Ubud enjoy some shopping and sightseeing, here 2 great places to eat and chillax: Lunch at Ibu Susu Bar (Mixology) / Dinner at Nusantara (Indonesian Food)
Ubud Palace – Go and do the Legong and Barong Dance show, interesting form of dance that is pure Balinese
Tanah Lot Temple & Batu Balong Temple – By the beach, is a beautiful sunset place
Ulun Danu Beratan Temple – Beautiful temple in a big space, great place to see some hindu ritual, lots of locals go there
Goa Gajah also known as Elephant Cave (Built in 9th century) – Smaller temple but interesting to see the fountain and bathing pool discovered in 1954
Pura Tirta Empul – Explore a local hindu custom of spiritual cleansing, can be experienced live
Tegallalang Rice Terraces – beautiful sight and ingenious water irrigation technology, you can see people working the land (Hard working people)
Blue Lagoon Beach – hidden cozy beach, great place to relax by the sea
Candidasa Beach – Beachfront lunch, there are many restaurants to choose and enjoy
Twin Lakes – Lakes were formed after the mountain collapse and separated the body of water, you can see them from the top of the road
Banyumala Waterfalls – There are many to choose but this one is impressive and you can even go in the water if you want
Luwak Coffee stop – Enjoy one of the most expensive coffees in the world and learn the process to get it (Or not)
Bali offers options for everyone; I recommend that you get to explore a bit of everything and have a full taste of their offerings including having some of the local food (Best Fried Rice in the world). Learning about their culture and religious beliefs help you understand why the Balinese people are so warm and acceptant of all foreigners; people make the difference and in this case Bali locals bring the experience to another level.
For our stay in Ubud we decided to stay at the Maya Ubud resort HOTEL LINK and have the forest-valley experience that you see in ads when you research Bali and it was worth it. This resort is a local company focused on providing great personalized service, the property offer different rooms and the facilities, specially the pool by the river are phenomenal. You can stay in this hotel if you want top notch service, with great food and best in class accommodations.
Bali is definitely a destination to go if you want to experience something different, great people and different traditions are a big hit. Thanks for reading the post, please share to your friends and sign in to receive our updates; also follow us on Instagram, and Facebook search for #BORICUASLIVINGABROAD. Until next time….
If Dubai summer is a tough time of the year to be outside in the desert heat with temperatures above 40 Celcius (100+F) every day, the winter seasons is completely the opposite with “cold” weather from 16 to 26 Celsius and do I need to add sunny with no rain. Is the time of the year where you only plan to do things outside enjoying the great places Dubai has to offer like going to the beach, seating outside in a restaurant for a drink/meal, watch a nice sunset or ride a bike across the city exploring it.
Beach during winter months is a great option, water is cold for my taste but just enjoying the sun is more than enough.
We have been living in Dubai Marina for the past 2 years and as empty nesters it offers a great environment if you don’t mind being in a tourist area; being so close to the beach, restaurants and bars makes it an enviable place to live. From Marina you have easy access to the metro, tram, water taxi, scooters, and bikes, there is no excuse to enjoy yourself outside and have a good time.
JBR BeachBurj KhalifaMuseum of the FutureDubai landscape is great for some impressive pictures…
A couple weeks back we decided for a different outing and enjoy the benefit of having a Careem bike station in front of the building, for $20AED ($5.50 USD) you get to rent a e-bike for the day with unrestricted trips of 45 minutes. The service is very easy to use, you just need a mobile to download the app, register and be ready to enjoy the service, the only thing is that every 45 minutes you need to stop a a station lock the bike and then unlock it again to start new 45 min.
Dubai Internet CityThere are roads exclusive for bicycles and scooters, you can move freely and stop for a photo or snack if you want.
Dubai is a flat city, riding an e- bike is easy, plus the infrastructure help to get you along good distances. Our plan was to bike 40km, from marina to Dubai mall and do some sightseeing along the way, finishing in the mall for some shopping and a good late lunch. The route would be mostly across the beach shore making it more enjoyable, passing through some of the most iconic places in Dubai like the Burj Al Arab, Kite Beach, and the Burj Khalifa.
Maya RestaurantDubai Palace HotelPier 7 – The SceneThere are also a great number of Brunches to go, and they offer outside seating…
As you can see from the photos, it is a great way to explore the city and exercise a bit (bike e-system makes it easy). Now that winter has arrived, we will enjoy the next 3 to 4 months outside before is time back again to go inside the buildings and turn on the AC to manage the intense heat of the desert.
Bliss Lounge, overlooking Bluewaters
If you come to Dubai during these months, take advantage of the great weather and explore all the beauties of this great city. Thanks for reading the post, please share to your friends and sign in to receive our updates; also follow us on Instagram, and Facebook search for #BORICUASLIVINGABROAD. Until next time….
This past October I celebrated my birthday (the big 50) and after looking into many alternatives decided to do a big trip to Kenya, interesting enough it would be my 50th country visited. It was clear that Kenya needed to be the destination since the trip would be a celebration of the big 50 in my 50th country with the mission to see the Big 5 (most famous African large animals).
The Big Five captured through my camera lens… what an honor to experience this
There are many operators that do Safari in Africa and they plan with you accordingly to the budget you have, after comparing some of the companies I decided to go with a company called Spirit of Kenya. The service they provided in terms of communication and designing of the trip was very good and more important the 5 days / 4 night safari was top notch delivering high ratings in all aspect from the vehicle, food, lodging, and guide (Derick our guide was awesome, Vanessa our sales consultant great communication).
Our Guide Derick… The bestOur vehicle fo the safari…Picnic in the Savannah!!!
We combined the safari with a couple of nights at one of the top beaches in Africa called Diani Beach, this is a great plan to do since you can enjoy a different aspect of Kenya but with the benefit that you will continue finding great people. Here we stayed at a small property called Galu 723 , in a beach bungalow that was 10 steps to the beach, I will do a separate post on Diani Beach and will give share our experience in this great destination.
Just a sample of Diani Beach, more in an additional post (Really Impressive Place)
Our safari consisted in visiting 3 important areas of Kenya, where you can get to experience at a close range some of the best wildlife in this country and possibly in the world. Once we landed in Nairobi, we were greeted by the tour operator and arrangements for us to go into the first stop Lake Naivasha a couple of hours outside Nairobi. Our transportation for the trip was a very comfortable safari van, it worked very well for us 2 as we had enough space to move around the game drives and also was very smooth in the open road.
LAKE NAIVASHA / HELL´S GATE
What a great first stop with a different approach to the game drive, this one was on a small boat in the lake. Since it was our first activity in the safari it worked as a great introduction of the following days, a game drive is an activity where you get to admire nature always on the lookout to find animals being themselves in the wild, it is so great to see these beautiful animals roaming through the reserve.
Imaging you on a boat and get to see the Hippo just beside you!!!
In Lake Naivasha we encountered the hippo and got to see the massive size and their ability to swim in the water, impressive to see them in the water protecting from the sun and resting so they can go hunt in the night. Here at the lake, we had also the opportunity to see some birds at close range, even got to see an eagle and some birds fishing out of the lake. The way these birds feed is impressive with a very high level of success on getting fish out of the water. There are local guides that take you in this adventure, he was very knowledgeable and fun making this experience unique.
Water is very calm, you really enjoy the trip
The second part of the adventure here was Hell’s Gate National Park, a small park that provides the opportunity to do some hiking across different cliffs. The hiking was around 60 minutes and take you to some areas where you can see great views of the ravine including some hot springs along the way. This park serves as inspiration for the Lion King movie. Make time to come here and go hiking, it will be a great adventure.
Some Amazing views in the park, clearly you can see the Lion King inspiration
Before going to Maasai Mara, we stayed the night in the Enashipai resort and spa hotel, it is a hotel by the lake and provides great accommodation and food. In all the places we stayed people were great, always welcoming and open to sharing their stories and for this I feel very fortunate to cross path with all this great people. Maybe we stayed less than 12 hours in the property, but the quality made it unforgettable and with some rest to Maasai Mara.
Great hotel and great people in Lake Naivasha
MAASAI MARA
Maasai Mara is one of the most famous and important wildlife conservation and wilderness areas in Africa, world-renowned for its exceptional populations of lions, leopard, cheetah, elephants and is also host to the Great Migration. The reserve is contiguous to the Serengeti National park in Tanzania.
Bring a good camera to the Safari, it is a must (Good Zoom 8X)
Here you can find the Big Five, but due to poaching the Rhino suffered and got to a very low population and today the Maasai Mara is a protected area looking to preserve the black rhino. During our trip we did not encounter any rhino here and was at Lake Nakuru, where we saw both the white and black rhino. The most difficult animal to spot is the Leopard, since they are mostly hidden and not easily seen, we got to see a Leopard during our visit to the Mara and the pictures reflect how beautiful is this animal.
In the Maasai Mara we stayed in a camp inside the reserve for 2 nights, this provided more time to cover different areas of the reserve and admire the beauty of the park and the good number of animals you encounter during the day. As part of the game drives we got to see a couple of crossings used by thousands of animals on a yearly basis in what is called the Great Migration, a time when due to availability of food Gazelles, Wildebeest, Zebras began a roughly 800 kilometers journey. The Great Migration has secured a place in the Seven Natural wonders of Africa and as one of the new wonders of the world.
One of the crossings for the Great Migration
Here in the Mara, you understand the importance of having a great guide for the tour. The job of the guide is to truly make your trip one for the ages, our guide Derick not only had the knowledge of the place but know other guides and the ability of him to communicate with the rest of the guide was fundamental to really enjoy the game drives, being at the right place in the right time to capture some impressive images of this beautiful animals creating memories that will live with us for life.
Some of the great views we had thanks to our Guide interest for showcasing the best of the Mara
The hotel we stayed in the Maasai Mara was Mara Bush Camp a place inside the reserve and one of the unique attractions of this place is a Hippo Pool and river that sits in front of your tent and brings a very close encounter with this impressive animals the hippo. Our camp consisted of only 10 tents, with huge space and a balcony with open view to the hippos, here you can see and hear them from a close distance. The camp is a great property with very nice tents, good restaurant, a very cool bar and lounge plus personalized service that makes you feel secure and at home.
On the third day we said goodbye to the Mara, not after being extremely pleased with all of the attention of the people in the camp and with some out of this world game drives as you can appreciate in some of the photos. Leaving the Mara we were only one short to see the big five and this next day was going to be my birthday, I was looking forward to get a good present from Kenya and get pictures from the rhino so would be able to cross the big five from my list, this would need to come from Lake Nakuru our last stop.
LAKE NAKURU
Lake Nakuru is one of the Rift Valley Lakes, it lies to the south of Nakuru and is protected by Lake Nakuru National Park. Here in the lake, you will find many varieties of birds including thousands of flamingos (smaller to the ones I have seen in America), the park also has expanded to provide a sanctuary for black rhinos and making sure poachers don’t come near them. The park might be small, but the concentration of animals is important with Giraffes, Zebras, Baboons, Antelope and more than 100 Black and White Rhinos in the park.
As we entered the park the black rhino was ready to welcome us in the park and what a beautiful animal it is, I do hope that the actions to preserve them can be enough and not lose the species due to poachers. During the visit we also got to see the white rhino, also impressive size and very elegant roaming in the park, what a great day to finally finish viewing the big five. As the day ended, we had one last place to stay and this one is perched at the top of a 100 meter high rock looking at the lake it called The Cliff. This camp located inside the park provides great views of the Lake and the tents are placed so you can wake up with the sunrise into your tent, one amazing experience to have.
I will be doing additional posts on Kenya and try to fully capture the different stops in our trip, just wanted to share initial thoughts on this amazing destination and get you excited to come and visit Kenya. Thanks for reading the post, please share it and sign in to receive our updates; also follow us on Instagram, or Facebook look for #BORICUASLIVINGABROAD. Until next time….
Our first visit to Istanbul the most populous city in Europe was a great opportunity to understand better some of the greatest chapters of world history, I remember in school talking about the Roman Empire, Constantinople, the crusades and never imagine having the opportunity to visit and explore where history happened.
Some of the views of the Galata Towers are impressive, the Basilica cistern is an engineer marvel
When you visit Istanbul and walk the streets, you witness how great a city can balance between the old and historic, with the new and modern aspects of urban life. A city that have traces of civilization of more than 8,000 thousand years is a city that can definitely share a story or two about world civilization. Is an awesome pedestrian city with lots of connectivity (Walking, Metro, Bus, Tram, Taxi, Boat) to go and visit the multiple historic sites that the city offers to share their story.
You can travel in the second oldest railway in the world.. also you can use taxi and ferry
Because of work we stayed in both the European and Asian side, but after doing it I would recommend staying in both sides: in the Asian you find good places to enjoy awesome food, great sea views, and hip neighborhoods and in the European side there are tons of places to stay with great collective transportation options to the many tourist attractions. I was happy with our selections, here are links to 2 of the hotels we stayed at during our visit. First one is called The Marmara Pera with a very nice rooftop and a top restaurant is a good alternative to use as home base, the second one is called Fer Hotel, the location and their employees are very good.
This hotels are so close to the sights, easy to explore
We were only in Istanbul a total of 4 nights; it is not enough for sure but with a combination of tours and going by ourselves we were able to really see most of the top things you need to see and also taste some of the best food Istanbul has to offer. My recommendation to maximize your time is to do: 1 private city tour and explore the city with a local, this helps you when you are on your own / 1 food tour with a small group because food taste better when is shared with people / the rest of the time do some research and go explore by yourselves enjoy at your pace what the city has to offer.
Istanbul is a walkable city… enjoy fully
There are too many things to do in Istanbul and I could put a long list of things for you to do, but for me when you travel part of the fun is to create your own memories; let me just share 5 things you could that will help create and awesome Turkish experience:
Taste of 2 Continents Food Tour, for a gastro-cultural experience: You can find this tour in TripAdvisor, for me one of the best I had since they have a good blend of food and sightseeing.
Food tours wirth a group are the best… truly enjoy meeting new people, while having great food
Night dinner in one of the many fine restaurants Istanbul Offers: We had many good meals, one of them was at Mikla one of the top restaurants in the city with many recognitions. I did the tasting menu and was phenomenal.
Mikla tasting menu, delicious…
Do a Turkish breakfast and eat all the sweets they offer: Turkish breakfast is very different from the western world with the mix of sweet and salty, but once you try it you will love it. Also, the Turkish sweets are out of this world and a must in Istanbul
Remember sweets and the Turkish breakfast… Don´t miss it
Go to one of the many rooftops, have a drink and enjoy the view: Finding a place where you can see 2 continents at the same time is rather unique in the world, if you throw a good drink and some music it makes for a wonderful time.
The city provides great places to relax and enjoy the view
By some good walking shoes and explore the many historic sites: Spend the time walking and exploring the city, you never know when you will find a 400/800/1,000+ years old structure with tons of history. Really cool!!!
So many great sights to see and explore… walk,walk,walk
Exploring Istanbul, plus doing Cappadocia was a great way to learn a bit of Turkey history, their gastronomy, and their people. Turkey will be one experience we will always cherish; the people are incredible with good attention and true desire that your time is well spent. Thanks for reading the post, please share it and sign in to receive our updates; also follow us on Instagram, or Facebook look for #BORICUASLIVINGABROAD. Until next time….
This past August we had the opportunity to visit Turkey and explore Istanbul (City in 2 continents), plus a 2-day escape to Cappadocia where the famous hot air balloon ride is done above some amazing sights with more than 2,000 years history. You will see some of the impressive sights in Cappadocia, a place where not only the balloon ride is a must but also the food, museums, and the cool cave hotels are a must do. Let me tell you this now that I was there, stay 2 nights in Cappadocia is completely worth it.
If you like sunrises or sunsets… Cappadocia is your place
To get there from Istanbul we took a fast 75-minute flight to Kayseri, after landing is a 50 min ride by car to the smaller cities of Goreme, Urgup, Ortahisar. These locations are the ones where all the action happens, if you book a balloon ride they will pick you up at your hotel. There are plenty of places to stay in Cappadocia, my recommendation is to try a cave hotel. We found one small one with a great view to a rock castle in Ortahisar; the hotel names is Doda Artisanal Cave hotel. Great experience with big rooms, nice outside sitting areas with awesome views but the most important part was the personalized service we received. Must do the Turkish breakfast in the terrace in the open air.
Hotel was fabulous.. Food, views, vibes
Because we went for only one night, our calendar was packed with activities but also squeezed time to relax and enjoy the small-town life. The first day we did a full day tour of Cappadocia, where they would take us to the main highlights and share some of the history of this place including the Goreme Open Air Museum, Fairy Chimneys and one of the many underground cities that were used from protection from the many incursions along hundreds of years. Getting a licensed tour is a must here, you get more details and some of the colorful stories that only a local guide can share; one last point is that you stimulate the local economy. Here some highlights from the daily tour:
GOREME OPEN AIR MUSEUM (UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE)
Imagine a place where thousands of years ago a volcano erupted. Ash and lava fell across the landscape and hardened to form rocks. After many years of erosion formed the fairy chimneys that we see today, plus locals realized that they could carve into rocks and turned them into houses and churches. In this museum you can see some Churches/Temples made inside the rock and the place was a monastery where people came and studied/learn Christianism then they could continue their journey and spread the word. The place is impressive if you understand the role of this place on the biggest religion of the world.
Tons of history to learn and reflect… BTW no WIFI available 🙂
FAIRY CHIMNEYS @ ZELVE PASABAGLAR
One of the best places to admire the fairy chimneys is Pasabaglar also known as valley of the priest it contains some of the most striking fairy chimneys in Cappadocia. In ancient times, Christian clergymen lived and served as missionaries in Paşabaglar. The priests, who lived here, created living spaces and religious shrines in the valley throughout their lives (Some of them lived secluded at the top of one of the chimneys). Is incredible how by walking through the area you feel transported to those times.
The Chimney formations are a great example on how it takes time to be iconic
We also went to other sights like one underground city and a cafe at the top of a mountain where you can see the Rock Castle and the many impressive cave structure around Cappadocia, our guide was great, very knowledgeable of the area and the history of Turkey it was a great first day. At night we went to Goreme one of the busiest places and had dinner in one of many rooftop restaurant called Haruna, it was a great choice made by our hotel and the best way to finish that day in preparation to our Hot Air Balloon Ride.
Goreme is a must place to visit: night for a great dinner or morning to admire the balloons
For sure the top activity in Cappadocia is the Hot Air Balloon ride, it is something spectacular and unique, the hour you spend flying is magical and more when you can truly admire all the beauty of the place, plus you get to see the sunrise from the air is something I will never forget. There was a good amount of research in order to select the company I would trust taking us a 1,000 feet in the air in a wooden basket and a hot air balloon and after analyzing I decided with Butterfly Balloons, what a great selection it was. They are true professionals with great logistics and communication, you feel comfortable in trusting your life in this adventure.
You may see lots of thing in the photos, but is so calm up there…
You start early in the day, pick up time was 4:25 am, at this time you go to their home base while they finish preparation and take you to the takeoff zone with the rest of the people. Is impressive the number of vans moving across the city in the morning getting the people to their respective places, I learn that only 100 balloons fly at the beginning of the day and then other 50 balloons it looks very well managed. You get to your takeoff zone early in the morning and see the preparation on the balloons, adrenaline starts pumping. Once they get the balloons ready, is go time. You receive one last security brief and up we go!!! Our balloon had a capacity of 20 people, but they kept it at 16 to have a bit more space, it did not feel crowded.
Who took that selfie!!!!
Pictures don’t make justice to the flight but give perspective to the grandeur of the place; it feels so calm when you are up there, it is time for you to connect you with the world. The captain showed great dexterity taking us up and down across the mountains; during the whole flight there was communication from the balloon to the people in the ground, making feel you secure. After the landing you get your certificate for flying (still not a pilot :-)) and the traditional champagne celebration that dates to 1783 when in one of the first balloon flights the captain used a bottle of champagne in goodwill to the farmers where he landed. From the landing site they take you back to the hotel, still early in the morning around 9AM to have another great Turkish breakfast before doing a bit of horseback and back to Istanbul.
I promise is not a photoshop pic… is real
Our whole Turkey trip was awesome and our 36 hours in Cappadocia were just spectacular, great experience and one we will always cherish. Thanks for reading the post, please share it and sign in to receive our updates; also follow us on Instagram, or Facebook look for #BORICUASLIVINGABROAD. Until next time….
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