Traveling in a Confused World
Vancouver is probably one the most bike-friendly cities in the world, with hundred of kilometers of trails, greenways and designated streets, all optimized for cyclists. Add to this the fact that buses and the SkyTrain allow you to carry on your bike, and what you get is a cycling paradise. So hop on, we are going on a ride. Continue reading “Beginner’s Guide to Biking in Vancouver (including Routes, Maps and Photos)”
The biggest island in the Pacific ocean, east of New Zealand, Vancouver island is a world of abundant nature. After spending two days with friends in Victoria, the urban center of the island and provincial capital of British Columbia, we wanted to discover it firsthand. So we rented a car and headed north-west. Continue reading “Juan de Fuca and the Drama of the Pacific on the West Coast of Vancouver Island”
I am in a barber-shop to get a shave. Speaking with the owner, I find out he is originally from Fiji. I am at a playground, with Ayan, who plays with a girl his age. I start speaking with her father, who tells me that he came from Morocco about 10 years ago. My wife is at a drop-in center for parents and children, where she befriends a woman, who is there with her son. Her slavic accent discloses her – she is from Serbia. One of the assistants working in that center is from Argentina. The other one from Poland. This isn’t a promotional UN campaign. These are typical scenes from a daily life, here in Vancouver. Continue reading “Vancouver, A City That Shows How Multiculturalism Is Done”
Most tourists visiting Israel don’t know about it. Hell, many Israelis haven’t heard of it. But the Mar Saba monastery in the Judaean desert, less than 15 km from Jerusalem, is an incredible sight. Being one of the first monasteries in the history of Christianity, continually occupied for over 1500 years, it’s an important pilgrimage site for Christian Orthodox. For everyone else, it’s a Middle-Eastern citadel straight from the fantasy books. Continue reading “Mar Saba Monastery, Another Middle East Site You Must See Before You Die”
Jabal Haroun (mountain Aaron) is a holy site for all Abrahamic religions, venerated by Jews, Christians and Muslims as the resting place of Aaron, brother of Moses. It’s also the highest mountain of Petra. A strenuous 20 km trek up the mountain and back to Petra was waiting for us on the second day of our Petra trip. Continue reading “Petra – Day 2, In Which We Climb Jabal Haroun”
A six-hour night bus to Eilat, crossing the border with Jordan, another two hours from Akaba to Wadi Musa. After a sleepless night, tired and preoccupied with life, I was hardly in a mood to be impressed with anything. But when after walking the great Siq (canyon) of Petra, I registered a glimpse of the famous Treasury facade among the high rocks, I couldn’t stay indifferent. This is was the most impressive thing I saw in the Middle East. Continue reading “Petra – Day 1, In Which I meet Jack the Sparrow”
If someone would ask me how a city of the future would look like, I would suggest Toronto as a likely model. Not because of some futuristic architecture or hi-tech infrastructure – in that regards Hong-Kong and Seoul would surely have the upper hand. But more importantly, due to its incredible cultural and ethnic diversity. Continue reading “Toronto, the City that Has Been Expecting You”
Our acquaintance with Macao started in Coloane – what used to be a small island inhabited by pirates until 1910 south of Macao is now a serene village with narrow streets. Since we arrived to Coloane after a ten hour flight, after a delicious dinner in a local Macanese restaurant, we went home to sleep. Continue reading “Coloane – Macao’s last village”
When we woke up the next day the sky was clear and sun was shining fiercely. On the last day of May the summer was coming to Caucasus mountains. Continue reading “Exploring the Dariali Gorge”
If you are the type of person that prefers going for leisurely vacations, staying in nice hotels and spending time on beaches and shopping than this post isn’t for you. But if you like traveling, exploring places and meeting people than you probably know that the kind of experience you get depends completely on you – your decisions, your mindset, the company you keep. So why do you still make the same mistakes? Continue reading “4 Travel Mistakes Mindful Travelers Avoid”
The next morning we paired up with a Polish couple and an Israeli guy to share a car trip to the Sno valley. Incidentally, Polish and Israelis are the most frequently seen travelers in Georgia. Apparently Georgia is being advertised widely by Polish celebrities as a worthy destination. A mutual dislike of Russia possibly plays a role as well. Continue reading “Trek in the Sno Valley”
The next day I planned to reach mount Kazbek’s Gergeti glacier, visiting the Tsminda Sameba (“holy trinity”) church on the way. Exhausted after yesterday’s hike Oxanna stayed back to rest and I set out on the way with Ian, an English guy we met earlier. Continue reading “Climbing up to the Gergeti Glacier”
Just 2.5 hours from Tbilisi, the little town of Kazbegi near mountain Kazbek was our next destination. After two days in Tbilisi we were eager to see the mountains and so on Monday morning we packed our bags and made our way to the subway. Traveling in Georgia on your own is pretty easy – the public transport is both cheap and well developed. If you stay in the center of Tbilisi, the subway is always minutes away, and it takes you to Didube station, where marshrutkas can take you to any part of the country. Continue reading “Kazbegi, The Gate to the Caucasus Mountains”
As we stepped out of the plane and into the Tbilisi airport, one of the first things we noticed is the surprising city slogan of Tbilisi. It certainly made us smile, but as we were making our way through Georgia, meeting it’s people and experiencing it’s culture firsthand, we learned that it’s more than just a cute marketing slogan. Continue reading “Tbilisi, The City That Loves You”
Day 10
After breakfast, while waiting for a minivan to come and take us back to Tsetserleg, we went to sunbath at the river. Continue reading “Last Day in Paradise – Leaving the Steppes”
