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Holy cow, the mainstream Mormon church is just as wild as the polygamist sects when you dive deep enough. NewNameNoah on YouTube has hidden camera videos of EVERY ritual (there’s also a transcription floating around somewhere to help you understand when it gets fuzzy). Jordan and McKay (ex-Mormon couple) have reaction videos where they watch the temple videos and provide additional commentary.
There are very active debates about where the events of the BoM took place, because supposedly ancient Israelites sailed to America and became the Native Americans after many generations. Some “scholars” believe the Mayan pyramids are proof the BoM is true because they’re “clearly” Nephite temples. The three pyramids is Teotihuacan supposedly represent the three kingdoms of heaven. There are a disturbing number of tour companies in Mexico that cater to Mormons, providing guided tours of “The Holy Lands” (Chichen Itza and Tulum in Mexico, Lake Atitlan in Guatemala).
Yesterday I was listening to some historian’s presentation on YouTube. He claims the BoM was set in the Midwest, and some of his “proof” (because clearly genetics and the archaeological record ain’t backing him up) is that the names in the BoM end in “-ah” like a lot of Native American words. One of those words he cited? Scotia. Like…my dude. Do you really think Nova Scotia is what the Mi’kmaq called their land? And not Latin for “New Scotland”? Because a cursory google search will corroborate…it’s the latter.
Also, check out Murder Among the Mormons on Netflix if you haven’t already. It’s a wild ride—enjoy!
Murder Among the Mormons is a wild ride lol highly recommend four anyone that likes religious true crime docs.
It is so fascinating to me how mormonism has created such a solid foundation of belief in its relatively short lifetime. it's not the only religion that makes wild claims about its history obviously but I always felt like the major world religions got a lot of their legitimacy just from being so old ya know...... hearing a story from 5k years ago about Jesus doing something magical is like, sounds fake but who knows what was going on back then, the continents were closer the oceans were colder, maybe magic was a thing. But all of Mormonism lore is less than 200 yrs old, maybe 7 or 8 generations ago....... it's like why did God wait so long to reveal all this information lol and why do basically everyone else's stories not line up with yours at all??
But like you mentioned, it's got its claws so deep in the believers they have deep theological discussions about where biblical things happened in North America, something that seems so ridiculously easy to disprove bc we have soooooo much evidence to the contrary (including the actual Christian Bible). It feels like the early isolation of mormons in Utah just really sped up a lot of things that took other religions hundreds of years to achieve, idk it's so interesting.
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Ng's family said they stopped hearing back from her on October 19. They also received a cryptic call from the retreat's organizer informing them of her disappearance. The Guatemalan Navy began search-and-rescue efforts the same day, but suspended the search after 72 hours without any leads.
"We don't really know exactly what happened," Nancy's brother Jonathan Ng told NBC. "The witnesses that were able to see what happened have not been extremely communicative."
The rescuers have spent the past few weeks scouring the murky volcanic lake with boats, aircraft, and drones, but have found no sign of the missing woman. Chris Sharpe, the owner of Black Wolf Helicopters, said that many witnesses have not been forthcoming and have since returned to the United States. "For me, this is now becoming a criminal investigation," he told ABC.
Nancy went missing on Oct. 19 during a "Be the Change" yoga retreat organized by Los Angeles instructor Eduardo Rimada. She went off on a kayaking excursion in Lake Atitlan with around ten people, including a San Bernardino County public defender named Christina Blazek. Blazek was allegedly the last person who saw Nancy before she disappeared, and Ng's family has desperately sought answers from Blazek but was met with silence for weeks, before Blazek finally spoke out - through her attorney. And this was only after the private search-and-rescue firm hired by the family to continue efforts on the ground, released Blazek's name in a press release to encourage her to come forward.
G. Christopher Gardner, Blazek's attorney, said in an interview with KABC-TV of Los Angeles last Wednesday that his client had tried to warn Nancy of the lake's rough waters when they were out kayaking right before she disappeared.
"[Blazek] kept one leg in her kayak and one leg in [Nancy's] kayak and tried to get back to her...and got close to her," Gardner told KABC. "And then apparently, [Blazek] lost the kayak again and she turned around to go back to get the kayak again, and when she turned back around, Ms. Ng was gone."
"If it is like she says and it is an accident, I don't understand how she could choose to leave my family in the dark for almost four weeks, and not just say that from the start," Ng's sister Nicky told ABC 7 LA.
But Blazek's account has prompted new questions from the family and resurfaced ones they've had.
"Nancy's a good swimmer. I don't understand how this could have happened. Was she struggling for a long time? Did Christina hear her scream or yell for help?" Nicky said. "What was the scope? The circumstances? Did she just disappear? Was there a land nearby that she could have swam? I had no context or not enough context of what was going on. So those are the same questions we still have today."
Gardner claims that his client didn't come forward sooner because she needed time to herself after going through the "traumatic experience."
Nancy's disappearance, however, has been even more devastating for the family of six, Nicky said.
"When we think about the [possibility of] drowning, my dad, he takes it really hard because he taught Nancy how to swim," Nicky said. "I think they're taking it really hard, and at the same time, they're trying to be strong for me and my brothers."
Nicky added that the search for Nancy, who worked with special needs children, has been difficult for the students she was close with as well.
"We have had a lot of her clients' parents reach out to us and just say Nancy had a special connection with their child and that their child now doesn't understand why Nancy's not back," Nicky said.
The investigation is ongoing and the FBI continues to interview witnesses in the case.
Earlier this month, the owners of the kayak company used by Ng before she vanished said the group she was with 'immediately clammed up' after she disappeared. Lee and Elaine Beal, the proprietors of Kayak Guatemala, said that ten people went out on the excursion, but only eight returned - with Ng and another woman seen paddling further into the body of water.
Eventually the woman returned to shore alone, with no sign of Ng.
"No one in the group was interested in talking to anybody," Lee told Good Morning America. "It was almost like, immediately clamming up and like we are not going to say anything."
The group failed to pay the owners then all left the country 'within 12 hours' of the suspected accident, which struck Elaine Beal as odd.
"They didn't say a word to us. I just don't understand that part, leaving within 12 hours," she added.
The couple described how they were watching the group, with Ng and the female kayaker about 100 yards away. The women continued paddling until they were out of sight.
The next thing the couple saw was a distress signal, before the woman returned alone.
"I witnessed the survivor being ushered up the steps," Elaine added. "She was clearly distressed."
Guatemalan authorities had struggled to locate the woman who was last with Nancy, or the tour guide as they left the country.
#true crime#nancy ng#christina blazeks#eduardo rimada#lake atitlan#guatemala#missing#2023#california#unsolved
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1️⃣ year ago.... ....we were excitedly getting ready for 🌱 our out-of-the-box travel 🌱 the journey of our lifetime 🌱 the unknown 🌱 a different world 🌱 meeting Mama Cacao's land: the source of cacao We landed to Guatemala City, just after sunset and we saw the lights of the capital from our window. We were excited, anxious, curious and scared. But the calling of cacao was so strong, there was no question that we'd follow our hearts rather than our minds.🙃 Amazing journey started that day. 1️⃣ year anniversary of this life changing experience coming up this month.🎉🥳 So, over the next few weeks, I'll be sharing content and memories of our heart-openning journey to the source: Guatemalan Tropical Rainforest and Lake Atitlan, Mystical Yoga Farm 🤎🌱 🌱 You will see how beautifully impactful this adventure was to our lives and made it possible for us to share cacao plant medicine in Ireland (and Hungary) ever since. 🌱 I hope you will welcome the content and will get some inspiration from our story: 💚 Follow your heart, set your mind to do the same, and your dreams become your reality. 🤎 With love, 💞 Andi & Tomi #guatemalancacao #guatemala #onceinalifetime #travel #trip #lakeatitlan #mysticalyogafarm #cacao https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck6Z9u4sf6D/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
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Guatemala Day 14-17
Flores / Tikal
The past few days were spent in the town of Flores in northeastern Guatemala, in the state of Petén. The climate is very different from Antigua and Atitlan, as we are no longer in the mountains. It is very hot and humid here. Flores is on an island in the middle of a lake and it takes about 20 minutes to walk around the entire island.
I stayed in a backpacker hostel and while it was a very nice backpacker hostel I think I’m at a point where I’ve had enough of them. The constant drunk people, dirty laundry everywhere, and no personal space plus the extreme heat got to me. The drunk girl peeing all over her bunkbed in the dorm I was in was the final straw and I switched to a private room for my last night.
While I am technically backpacking myself I’ve gotten really sick of being around backpackers the last few days. They’re not all bad, but so many of them are really entitled and disrespectful to locals. They spend a lot of time loudly speaking English or German or Dutch and leaving garbage everywhere in various states of undress and their main concern being where the next party is and where the alcohol is. A lot of restaurants cater their menu to these crowds and to be honest I found myself hearing more Dutch than Spanish the last few days and going to two different restaurants to find only American and Dutch food on the menu. It seems like another form of colonialism where white people come in expecting locals to cater to them and their culture. I know I’m part of that just being a white American traveling and I try really hard to be respectful and not expect people to cater to me but it’s a much larger, more complex issue than that.
Sorry for the cranky old rant but I was so honestly embarrassed to be around fellow tourists the past few days. The multiple people putting their bare feet by my head while taking transportation and witnessing people wandering into restaurants shirtless, barefoot, and yelling in English made me so grumpy. Like do you behave like that in your home country?
Anyway the reason most people come to Flores is to visit the Mayan ruins of Tikal. Tikal was built by the Itzá Maya (the same who built Chichén Itzá) and was at one point the capital of the Mayan civilization. They were also related to the group that built Palenque in Mexico. It consists of 5 main pyramids which were all used to bury royalty. There were countless other structures as well which have yet to be excavated as well as multiple manmade lakebeds which have since dried up.
We climbed 2 of the 5 pyramids and watched the sunset from the top of another structure. Tikal is in the middle of very dense rainforest. We saw lots of coatis, spider monkeys, wild turkeys, and toucans and heard lots of roaring howler monkeys. I swear they sound just like jaguars.
We were lucky with the weather because it had rained earlier in the day and cooled things off significantly and while we kept hearing thunder it didn’t actually rain while we were there. Tropical thunderstorms can be very intense.
It was dark when we climbed down from the last structure and our guide was able to get the site police to come pick us up in his pickup truck and we rode in the back out of the jungle instead of walking 40 minutes in the dark.
My last day in Flores I didn’t do much due to how sick of being around people I was. I did spontaneously go on a boat ride around the lake which was pretty but also weird because I was the only one there and then it started downpouring.
Currently I am in the town of Lívingston on the Belizean border. It took over 12 hours to get here because of how isolated of a community it is. First I took a four hour bus to the head of Rio Dulce, a large river that reminds me a lot of the Amazon. Then I waited 4.5 hours for a boat since Lívingston is surrounded by dense jungle and is only accessible by boat. Then I road in a boat for 2 hours and finally arrived just before the thunderstorm hit.
On the boat I met an older Mayan man named Gabriel and we talked for a while. He asked how he could visit the US and I didn’t even know where to begin with how complicated that would be. Rich white countries are allowed to visit wherever they want at any time and have the economic privilege to do so due to imperialism but it is next to impossible for folks from countries that have been taken advantage of to do the same. Gabriel and I talked for a while, he sells handcrafts and gives tours of the area. He also shared his coconut bread with me. He offered to take me on a tour tomorrow and while he seemed really nice my stranger danger radar was going off at the thought of going on a boat by myself as a solo traveler with someone I met in passing.
I always doubt myself with decisions like that. I want to be spontaneous and not be distrustful of others or hiding in my room all the time but I also feel very hyperaware all the time of how I’m a young woman travelling by herself in a place I don’t know and I never know when I’m just being paranoid or being smart. It’s exhausting.
Anyway right now I’m staring into a bowl of pasta I don’t if I’ll be able to eat because of a stomachache and watching the lightning storm on the river. I’ll be sleeping in a hut the next few days but it’s a pretty nice hut.
Overall I think I’m getting close to wanting to go home. I’m noticing myself getting easily exhausted and frustrated and not looking forward to things, which usually tends to happen at the end of a long trip. I’m hoping I can enjoy the next few days here regardless because I really am grateful for the opportunity to be here and to travel.
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Lake Atitlan: San Pedro & Santiago
In San Pedro the tuk tuks were even crazier than elsewhere in Guatemala that I’d seen so far - or maybe there was more traffic and narrower streets so it just seemed like there were more close calls! This town was very dirty, with a huge amount of stray dogs running around in the streets, it also seemed to be interestingly targeted towards Israelis with a lot of signs and menus in Hebrew. My overall impression of San Pedro was that it's there for partying and/or doing a Spanish school! We didn't spend too much time here and moved on to our final stop around Lake Atitlan which was the village of Santiago. It’s home to 60,000 people, one of them being a friend of our guide Elena who would be showing us around. Her demeanour during the tour was disinterested and bored but her friend was great, I wished the entire tour could’ve been with him! Our next part of the tour was in tuk tuks so the French couple rode with Elena, and myself and Toyoda-san rode in the other. Our first stop was at a local home where some old Guatemalan ladies were selling their traditional garments, one of the ladies put on the Guatemalan headdress as featured on the back of one of the quetzales coins. We hopped back in the tuk tuk with the Star of David displayed proudly on the back and the name Bethlehem emblazoned on the front (all tuk tuks have a name on the front). The next destination was a visit to the shaman’s house to see how people worship in an ancient Mayan ceremony, though it seemed more like a chance to get money from tourists for the right to take a photo. None of us opted to pay for this ticket. Our guide also told us that the Mayan history is very important in this area of Guatemala, there are 22 different Mayan languages spoken around Lake Atitlan. Elena speaks one and her friend spoke two, of course both also speak Spanish as the lingua franca of the country as well as English for guiding. We returned to the Colonial church again to go inside and see how it's a mix of Christian portraits and Mayan motifs. We were then taken to an art gallery which had a running theme of painting local scenes from the view of a bird, or the opposite view like a loaf of bread at the market. Our final stop was atop a hill with a view out into the inner bay. Our group had lunch at Cafe Arte near the marina, our meals came out as we had ordered. I had a chicken burrito and a mocha latte which was decent considering it definitely was not a specialty coffeeshop! The four of us chatted over our lunch about our travels and backgrounds and plans for the rest of our trip after today. We sat in this restaurant waiting for Elena to eventually get the group together and take us back to the boat to ride back to Panajachel. Once we returned she rushed us back to the tour office but our transport was still half an hour away. She wanted to have us sit on the curb and wait for it but I insisted on being allowed to go browse the market stalls down the street. I took it upon myself to inform the others of the departure time for the bus and then headed off in search of a bracelet and a hoodie. I didn't find a suitable bracelet but I found a nice zip up jacket that I had been looking to get to have at work in the office. It was only 50 quetzales ($8) which was fantastic because the first stall where I saw a similar one was 150. I snapped it up and wore it on the long windy bus ride back to Antigua. Part way through the journey we seemed to turn a corner and the rain suddenly came lashing down for a while but then it was gone and dry by the time we were in Antigua. The driver dropped me right at the door so I could ditch my bag and then go for a walk around the city. I headed out to the market but it was closing so I picked up a big bottle of water and grabbed a quesadilla from Taco Bell before turning in for the night since tomorrow would be my one day in Antigua alone before joining the Intrepid Travel tour group in the evening.
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get to know me
tagged by @zoe-levenson, ty <3
personal
nicknames: jackie, jacks, jack, jay, and many others :)
pronouns: she/her
star sign: sag
height: 5’2
time currently: 12:42 am
when is your birthday: december 9th
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favorite bands/groups: her’s, sure sure, surfaces, abba, wallows, fleetwood mac
favorite solo artists: joji, khalid, selena, cuco, gus dapperton, paul anka, vicente fernandez
song stuck in your head: was it something i said by mykey or please don’t go by mike posner
last movie you watched: can’t remember which one was the last one, but i’ve been watching a lot of studio ghibli movies at the moment. howl’s is probably the latest one.
last show binged: last intense binge session was game of thrones last summer, less-intense one was catching up on wandavision earlier this year.
blog
when you created your blog: dunno exactly but probably around 2012-13
last thing you googled: johnny and vivian cash
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misc
average hours of sleep: 6-7 hours
lucky number: none but i favor the number 4
what i’m currently wearing: ripped leggings & a sweater
dream job: something in the nonprofit world, probably addressing healthcare inequity or health policy.
dream trip: extended trip to the spanish countryside. or an extended trip to guatemala to visit lake atitlan and tikal.
favorite food: puerto rican (chicago exclusive: jibarito, or mofongos), peruvian food (chaufa or lomo saltado), or indian (specifically north indian, rogan josh or aloo tikki)
favorite song: ojalá by silvio rodriguez or never going back again by fleetwood mac
top three fictional universes: pitch perfect, ouat, & got
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The Pain We Carry. | Self-Para.
When: June 14th, 2020. Where: Santa Cruz, Guatemala. Trigger Warning: Mention of cancer.
“Maman, I think the clouds are gathering. Why don’t you and André come inside,” his sister shaded the still-present Guetemalan sun with her palm. The old two-storied house was surrounded by greenery on all four sides, and somewhere in the distance, through the thickness of trees, you could see the majestic Lake Atitlan. Santa Cruz was truly beautiful this time of year.
“Don’t worry, Camilla, it won’t rain. Besides, a little bit of summer drizzle won’t harm the boy,” Sylvana smiled at her grandchild, and he smiled back at her. They sat in the grass, as the older woman explained how bees made honey from the flowers.
“It’s not André I’m worried about,” Camilla frowned. Her voice trailed off, and her eyes searched for Adrian’s for support.
“Come on, ma,” Adrian rose from the porch swing, “You know Cami can’t cook a proper coq au vin without your supervision.” He ran down the short four steps, walked towards the pair, snatched his nephew up with one hand and helped his mother up with another.
Paris had always been the only home Adrian and Camilla have ever known. They’ve heard the tales of Guatemala City, where their parents met as teenagers, but a distant city from a romantic story was all the Guatemalan capital had ever been to them. Santa Cruz, a picturesque lakefront village, hadn’t been their mother’s home, either, but it’s been a place associated to her childhood. As a kid, Sylvana would spend all of her winter and summer holidays with her grandparents in this very house, running around the lavish greenery and swimming in the lake with the other village kids.
Ever since their first visit to doctor’s a couple months ago, Sylvana had been talking more and more about the house Adrian had never seen.
As a kid, Adrian once made a promise full of childlike innocence to his father – that one day, they’d be rich enough to buy a big house in that faraway land called Guatemala.
Adrian didn’t get to keep that promise. Death had snatched away his father back when the now notorious assassin was merely an army soldier without a cent to his name.
He’d be damned to break his promise twice.
The rather impressive bank account, courtesy of the Rutherfords, had been put to a good use – Adrian, with the help of Damon’s personal assistant, Ava, tracked down the very house in Santa Cruz that his grand-grandparents used to own at the dawn of the 19th century, and offered them the kind of money no sane person would refuse for an old house in a small Guatemalan village. This time around, it took him only a few weeks to fulfill the promise.
When Adrian surprised his mother with a plane ticket and the recent photographs of the house, the woman broke down in tears. The vacation that Johnathan awarded him with a few months back, as a thank you, the one that Adrian respectfully declined back then, was arranged, just in time before his scheduled visit to Porto Velho, where his presence was required by Andrew.
Taking a vacation in the middle of the war and impending retaliation from the French wasn’t an easy decision to make, but time, sadly, wasn’t on his side.
Papillary thyroid carcinoma.
As soon as the words left the oncologist’s mouth, Adrian felt the whole world collapse around him. For a moment, everything stood still, every thought had evaporated and all was left was sadness.
Then came helplessness. It wasn’t a feeling Adrian was familiar with, he rejected it. Together with Camilla, they consulted every highly-recommended doctor from London to Boston. Camilla had gathered so much information and knowledge it could easily put a medical student to shame. She’s always been like that – eager to throw herself into books and research. She ended up pursuing master’s in biology to avoid the pain caused by their father’s loss. Then, when her husband died, she did the same, this time – a Ph.D.
There was still hope, they said. She’d live for at least a year and a half, they said. But there were no guarantees.
Time, Adrian realised, was too precious, and time was the most valuable thing he could offer to this mother. At least for one week, nothing else mattered. Not the Rutherfords, not London, not the war – only her. The woman who had come to Paris at barely twenty-one with her new husband, as a struggling immigrant, eager to give the kind of life to her future children that she never had. She had powered through every curve ball the fates threw at her, and never once complained. She’d always been strong.
Stronger than any of them.
As he sat on the porch, watching Sylvana show Camilla how to cook coq au vin for the umpteenth time, Adrian had realised the compartmentalising he’s been so greatly admired for, he had inherited from his mother. From the moment she found out about the diagnosis, she’d been the one consoling the rest of them. There wasn’t a hint of change in her behaviour, at least not in front of her children.
“Boys,” Sylvana called out for Adrian and André from the kitchen, “The dinner is ready.”
“Come on, buddy,” He entered the room with his nephew and let the smell of the bubbling pot satiate his nostrils. It smelled like motherly love. He’d miss this, and million other things. Adrian looked at his mother as if he was trying to remember every second of this week, to have this to patch him whole, when she would no longer be around, and her absence would go through him like a needle. The pain he had been carrying for these past months had already started to stab at his heart.
“First, we pray,” Sylvana swatted away his hand when he tried to grab a fork.
“Fine, maman, first, we pray,” thus, he prayed, for the god he no longer believed in.
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Most 20 Zen Places on Earth
After an extended day at work, everyone could use a touch rest. However, rather than heading home to veg out on the couch, imagine being transported somewhere so tranquil and magical that your troubles simply melt away.
Around the globe (and miles faraway from the stresses of your day-to-day life), these idyllic and serene locations are the right antidote for what ails you. So relax, take a deep breath, and skim on to get the simplest places within the world to unwind and reflect. And when you're within the mood for a more invigorating trip, hit the slopes at one among the 9 Best Luxury Ski Resorts in America!
1) Angel Falls; Auyán-tepui, Venezuela Angel Falls waterfall
Located in Canaima Park in Venezuela's Bolivar State, visiting Angel may be a life-changing experience. Standing 3,212 feet tall, Angel is that the tallest uninterrupted waterfall within the world. Despite the roaring waters cascading down the Auyán Tepui mountain, Angel is undeniably serene, the right place for a contemplative hike.
2) Loch Lomond; Scotland Loch Lomond Scotland
While Scotland's Loch Ness could also be its most famous lake if it's serenity you're seeking, head to Loch Lomond. This placid, island-filled 27-mile lake, located within the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs park, offers stunning views of the luxurious vegetation the Scottish Highlands are known for. And for more great travel advice, don't miss these 30 Airport Secrets Only Insiders Know.
3) Periyar River; Kerala, India Periyar River
The longest river within the South Indian state of Kerala, the Periyar River is understood for its tranquil waters and breathtaking natural surroundings. a well-liked destination for boaters, this gorgeous river, surrounded by the dense vegetation that fills Kerala's rolling hills, is as peaceful because it is picturesque.
4) Denali; Alaska, us Denali Park Alaska Shutterstock Denali, formerly referred to as McKinley, has the very best elevation of any mountain top in America. Located within the six-million-acre Denali park and Preserve outside of Healy, Alaska, this frozen wonder is equal parts stunning and serene. And wherever you're traveling, make the journey more zen with these 20 ways to form travel less stressful.
5) Namib Desert; Namibia Namib Desert Namibia
The Namib Desert, which spans the coast of Namibia, Angola, and South Africa remains amazingly untouched by human hands. Although it stretches for over 31,000 square miles, the Namib Desert is virtually uninhabited by humans, with only sand, ocean, and wildlife to greet you as you journey through its vast expanses. How's that for getting faraway from it all?
6) Redwood park; California, us Redwood National Park Shutterstock This assemblage of northern California state and national parks is one of the foremost peaceful places on earth. Home to a number of the world's tallest trees, this coastal paradise, perfect for a meditative hike, feels miles faraway from the hustle and bustle of recent life. And are you traveling this holiday season? confirm to see out these beautiful beach towns this Christmas.
7) Khor Virap; Armenia Khor Virap monastery
In the shadow of Armenia's Ararat, this monastery originally inbuilt 643 A.D., is, without a doubt, one among the foremost peaceful places on earth. Surrounded by vineyards, with the tranquil landscape of the Ararat plain below, a visit to Khor Virap is as peaceful because it gets. And if you are looking to travel, don't miss out on this secret trick which will prevent airfare.
8) Lumahai Beach; Kauai, Hawaii Lumahai Beach waves
While all of Hawaii is understood for its picture-perfect scenery, few places are as serene as Lumahai Beach in Kauai. This white sand beach on Kauai's north shore is ideal for knowledgeable surfers who find themselves asleep on the water, or anyone apt to lose themselves within the music of waves crashing on the shore.
9) Lake Atitlan; Guatemala Lake Atitlan Guatemala
When's the last time you boated through a volcanic crater? At Lake Atitlán Guatemala, topped by the clear sky and surrounded by the Sierra Madre mountains, the sole thing you will have to stress about is charting your course.
10) Ghost Ranch; New Mexico, us Ghost Ranch retreat
Just outside of the Abiquiú village in New Mexico lies one among the foremost beautiful and peaceful retreats within us. Occupying 21,000 acres filled with red rock cliffs within the Piedra Lumbre Valley, this tranquil area is transformative, embodying the true spirit of the American Southwest.
11) Koh Lipe; Thailand Koh Lipe island
Far from the frenetic pace of Bangkok and Nonthaburi is Koh Lipe, Thailand's best-kept secret. This island, surrounded by the Andaman Sea, is understood for its pristine white sand beaches, tranquil gem-toned waters, and cloudless blue skies.
12) Serengeti National Park; Tanzania, Africa The Serengeti
If you would like to experience the true majesty of wildlife, there is no place like Serengeti park. This Tanzanian park, best known for its safaris, is home to many native African animals that roam its 5,700 square miles. If you're planning a visit, confirm to remain until dusk—the sunsets over the plains of the Serengeti are legendary.
13) Blue Lagoon; Grindavik, Iceland Geothermal Blue Lagoon Shutterstock/Bhushan Raj Timia This peaceful natural geothermal spa maybe a tranquil place to observe your troubles melt away. Known for its milky blue water and stunning views of the lava field during which it's located, this relaxing spa is world-renowned for its supposed healing powers.
14) Shwedagon Paya; Myanmar Shwedagon Paya monastery
Located atop Singuttara Hill in Myanmar's Yangon Region, this Buddhist monastery is among the foremost peaceful places on earth. Guarded by giant geography and filled with relics, including hair presumed to belong to Siddhārtha Gautama, this gilded monastery is about as peaceful an area as you will find anywhere. albeit you've got an extended journey before you, you'll make your trip less stressful and more fun with these travel hacks you will not find in any guidebook.
15) Plitvice Lakes; Croatia Plitvice Lakes in Croatia
Croatia is understood for its natural beauty, and no place embodies the enchantment you will find here like Plitvice Lakes. This park is as calm as they are available, with nothing but waterfalls, mountains, and glass-like lakes to relax among.
16) The Stone Forest; Yunnan Provence, China Stone Forest China
Lose yourself among the limestone formations that structure China's Stone Forest and find greater peace within the process. Also referred to as Shilin, this unique destination is rife with Chinese mythology, having been allegedly created when folk character Ashima turned to stone after being told she couldn't wed her true love.
17) Machu Picchu; Machupicchu District, Peru Machu Picchu Peru
One of the New Seven Wonders of the planet, this former Incan citadel is a sight to behold. Thought to possess been built for emperor Pachacuti within the 15th century, Machu Picchu is home to a number of the foremost stunning views of the Sacred Valley below.
18) Halong Bay; Vietnam Halong Bay Vietnam
Tranquil waters and islands at every turn make Halong Bay in Vietnam a worthwhile sight for any intrepid traveler. a well-liked boating destination, Halong Bay offers freedom from the disturbances of recent life, with just land and sky to occupy your thoughts.
19) Drepung Monastery; Lhasa, Tibet Drepung Monastery Tibet
Situated at the bottom of lush Mount Gephel in Lhasa, Drepung Monastery is one of the earth's most peaceful places. This Tibetan Buddhist monastery, founded within the 1400s, has been meticulously maintained over the years, offering beautiful views both inside and out, perfect for the contemplative traveler.
20) Kopan Monastery; Kathmandu, Nepal Kopan Monastery Nepal
High on a hill outside Kathmandu is Kopan Monastery, one among the foremost holy places in Nepal. Inhabited by Tibetan monks and surrounded by the breathtaking natural great thing about the Kathmandu countryside, a visit to Kopan is certain to relax even the foremost tightly-wound traveler. got to relax but do not have the funds for a world trip? Try these 30 Easy Ways to Fight Stress at the right reception.
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“I look out across lake Atitlan, I see that signature wedge wave yes, a water taxi is coming into the village dock. And there San Pedro stands a majestic silhouette of ancient movement, its vertical motion is one of magnitude and magna I can only begin to imagine, now it’s cooled into thick forested life. (There’s said to be a petroglyph on a big flat stone depicting lake Atitlan when the water level was maybe 500 hundred feet lower. This lake has varied a lot over time, it’s in a volcanic crater, a caldera collecting the rain from the surrounding mountains.)
We’re all leaving our wake and silhouette on the waters, between the days and nights of time as we make our way. Our fiery or turbulent choices rumbling within this flesh and blood of being human. But now, the universe of choices seems to be expanding so rapidly and radically that it gives me pause!? The very makeup and configuration of what we are is no longer held within our mother’s womb, or the confines of nature’s laws it seems!? Had I been born some decades further into this expansion of choices, what would have become of my unique natural expressions as a somewhat feminine man!?
Would I have chosen the tough path of discovery I now treasure and see as my gift of this incarnation!? I feel strongly that our world’s evolution needs ‘New Men! Now our world needs men with a new emotional face, with a different congruity of emotionality, different than has been known or expected of men!
But now ‘Manhood is optional, and frankly for those of us that are within the spectrum of feminine energies, this ‘Manhood we’ve been given may feel like a curse because it’s so conflicted and confused with old paradigms where the feminine was dishonored. I have felt this dishonor within and between parts of myself most of my life, it’s resolution and healing within my own skin has been a lifelong process, and a vein of pure gold experiences! I’d be lying if I didn’t say that there are days when I feel misunderstood and disrespected by men because I’m not the big swinging dick that slaps fun at every sensitivity in the world.
And there are many days that I bemoan my low ratio with women; I imagine the macho men getting their dicks wet more than I do, yet I have outrageously close intimate friendships that last decades, that I wouldn’t wanna trade for a quickie, they’re just so much more than that! I remember talking to a friend years ago about how I needed to learn how to play and have fun, and how most people I observed needed to learn how to focus and work; we said “it’s gotta be easier to learn to play, so we must be lucky” … I think this is a lot like that!? A lot of men feel this hole of feeling-awareness in their being and, or, are inarticulate, unskillful, inexperienced with the dance of the feminine within themselves!?
So! If you are an embodiment of the masculine feminine battle our world is traversing through, don’t give up, or in to easy solutions or fixes. I’d urge you to to look at the gifts life-force is and its unique mixture within you. I feel we’re on the cusp of manifestations in ways of being that bear very little resemblance to the past, and we cannot truly create this ‘new from the old.
~Beau Drake~
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Staging The “Real”
Tourism is the number one industry in the world, generating over 7 trillion dollars every year. With the rise of globalization, tourists have shifted the expectations of their experience from the traditional form of tourism as a means of escape, to a quest for a more authentic experience through a cultural encounter. Tourism destinations are “places to play and places in play”. By places to play, destinations are staged for tourists to create joyful experiences that are tied to the specific discourses in which these places are associated with. By places in play, these destinations set the stage to have rules and regulations, and build infrastructure to make the tourist gaze possible. Drawing on three different critical perspectives on the tourism industry, we draw connections relating the concept staging authenticity in cultural tourism in the global south to the lived experience of the tourist seeking out the gaze of encounter, the industry and infrastructure behind it, and to the power relations associated with labor and ethical dynamics in the tourism industry.
In terms of the infrastructure and the industry behind cultural tourism, Santa Catarina Palopo is an example where the indigenous people are well aware that tourism is an economic tool that they can use to bring resources to their village and people. However, we must ask, what did it take for this space to become a place of cultural tourism? TripAdvisor states that the best tourist attractions are in this order: Pintando Santa Catarina Palopo, a cultural center which gives a history of the village, and the hike/tour of Lake Atitlan prepared for tourists to traverse. Pintando Santa Catarina Palopo is a project that a Guatemalan journalist proposed to the people as a revenue-generating change to infrastructure. The idea was that the people paint the built infrastructure of the village with the colors and designs of their indigenous clothing to attract tourism. People can donate money from anywhere in the world to have a building painted. Can we see this as a form of imperialism? Or is it a form of monetary extraction to help give people work in the village? The labor is performed by villagers. The cultural center is run by villagers. The tour of the Lake is performed by villagers who learn different languages to accommodate their visitors. This performance of language acquisition is also a major part of the staging of the place. People in this village speak their native Kaqchikel tongue, so the labor of learning other languages is done specifically for the industry of tourism.
Safeguarding their culture from the grasp of tourism would hurt them economically, so they have opted for a community-based tourism model that allows tourists to have an encounter with their culture. Instead of letting outside organizations divide tourists and locals as observers and observed, as is done in other places, this model works similar to what Valene Smith presents to us in Tribal Tourism about the Acoma model:
“Acoma is a worthy model to explain the analytic merits of Habitat, Heritage, History, and Handicrafts as factors in the development of tourism. Here, tourism is locally controlled, financially profitable and culturally supportive, as well as sustainable and environmentally appropriate.”
Contrary to tourism destinations like Santa Catarina that focus on a community-based tourism model that benefits the local economy and inhabitants, there are other tourist destinations in the global south that are facing major social and political issues surrounding neoliberalism. Coming from the performed role of a tour guide in Playa Jacó, Costa Rica, a critical perspective on the labor and ethical dynamics of the region must be considered. There are significant implications and tensions that arise for both the tourist and the local community when the stage and the gaze fail to coincide with one another. The free-market model can cause serious ramifications on the labor and ethics of cultural tourism. The American-owned and operated hostel that I volunteered for hired local construction workers and paid them very little to nothing. Their labor was invisible to tourists, for when construction was finished, I never saw them on the property again. My boss had built the first “boutique” hostel in Jacó, where tourists had the option to buy packaged tour deals and luxury suites. In the reading, Reconstructing the Authenticity of Place, Zukin explains how a place’s “authentic” identity can be shifted and constructed by people with economic capital and power:
“Although a new place identity may play off elements of the area’s past—and present itself as respectful of the community’s authenticity—social and cultural networks of new producers and consumers create, nurture, and often capitalize on a completely new sense of place.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNC6PjR8uw0#action=share
My boss kick-started a new identity of place through infrastructure and cultural capital for “hostel life” in Jacó. John Urry expresses the importance of the visual nature of the tourist experience and describes how the tourist gaze involves a particular way of seeing. Tourists have an imagined experience so when their expectations of a quest for authenticity are not met, there becomes a potential danger to keep these tourism destinations at play. Initially, my boss hired a local Costa Rican man named Wilson to be the face of the hostel and our tour packages. Wilson’s prominent role with the company was strategically staged and organized around the notion of the tourist gaze. Wilson was a local, who looked like a local and spoke like a local. His cultural capital and heritage were what tourists were willing to exchange their economic capital for. Valene Smith talks about the importance of this and how first really impressions matter in tourism. Face-to-face encounters with locals keep the destination playing in accordance with the representation of that place in the global arena.
Because Wilson was such a prominent figure in Jaco, operating three other hostels and running multiple businesses the tourism industry, he became overloaded with other responsibilities, requiring me to now be the main tour guide, leading packaged excursions everywhere from hiking through rainforests and discovering secret waterfalls to taking tourists to beautiful empty beaches with crystal clear waters to stand-up paddleboard. Just as tourists coming were performers in producing Jacó as a tourist place, I too was performing the role of the tour guide in a staged tourist destination that I was certainly not the most qualified person for. I was labeled a “Gringa” in Costa Rica, and not only were tourists expecting a different experience, but locals were also questioning my privilege while they were offered no work and had to succumb to their bodies being perceived as an object of the tourist gaze. Tourism is also a sociocultural phenomenon that “produces and reproduces patterns of social inclusion and exclusion”.
The ethical ramifications that arise out of neoliberal discourse and dominance in particular tourist destinations cause provocations from both the cultural tourist, who is seeking an authentic experience in a place to play, and from the local, who has to live and perform a staged “reality” as a means of survival. In critical tourism studies, it is important that we are aware of power relations and the political control that can lead to unethical land and labor exploitation tourist destinations, leaving local inhabitants of places in play with no agency. When we think about the tourism industry as a social process, the imperialized attempted production of an “authentic” experience for tourists, may actually result in the consumption and deterioration the tourist destination’s real authentic culture.
It is important in tourism studies that we continue to think critically about the underlying dynamics, cultural histories, and socioeconomic/political inequalities that have constructed places to play and in play. There are rules and parameters to the game of cultural tourism, and who gets to stage the real ought to be determined by the human beings who have their history and heritage attached to their habitat.
“Travel is a privilege, not a right. And the purpose of travel is to be open to the wonder of the other, to be sensitive and respectful of the differences that lend meaning to a journey.”
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Happy World Water Day! 💧 Living on Lake Atitlan, water is really important to us. We get great views, but that’s not the only way we interact with water every day. Read more about the water issues here on the lake and how they effect women everywhere in our newest blog. 🔗 Link in bio! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ __ #WorldWaterDay #LakeAtitlan #VisitGuatemala #PerhapsYouNeedALittleGuatemala #ExploreMore — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/2TRjifL
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On the 6th day (before) Christmas
My wanderlust gave to me
Another trip in the new yearrrrrrr!
Darryl and I are both at the age where giving *things* for Christmas just seem a bit trite. So, this year we decided to start the tradition of giving experiences, instead. Guatemala has been on my bucket list for awhile, and good old Google Flights highlighted how cheap tickets are right now for early February (right about the time when NYC winter starts getting reallllly old). Not only are the flights inexpensive, but once you get there, EVERYTHING is inexpensive, given that it’s still a developing country.
I’ve booked the first two nights in Antigua, and then four nights in San Pedro la Laguna on Lake Atitlan. We’ll spend that time hiking the surrounding volcanos and visiting the Mayan villages surrounding the lake.
And of course... super scenic trail running! :)
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Lake Atitlan: Panajachel & San Juan
My alarm woke me up at 4.45 for a shower, I didn’t know if I just couldn’t figure it out but it seemed like there was only cold water so it was a quick one! As I was getting ready there was a knock at my door at 5.20am. Apparently the car was already here for me, which I wasn’t expecting until at least 5.30! A few minutes later I was ready to go, the man from the front desk ushered me down the stairs to the awaiting driver who was cleaning off the windows. I sat in the back for the delightful ride across the cobblestones of central Antigua and then moved to the front seat when we picked up a French couple along the way. You’d think that we were on a tight deadline the way this guy drove us so fast, weaving in between the lanes and slowing down only when there was an unavoidable speed bump or pothole - although many times he’d just drive on the other side of the road to bypass it altogether. We passed through some rural areas and larger cities waking up for the day with the driver blasting mostly good beats but a few Christian songs that proclaimed everyone in the world needs Jesus. We were randomly stopped on a roadside checkpoint and the driver and French lady that could speak Spanish explained that we are tourists going to Lake Atitlan for the day. He dropped us off at the tour office with about an hour and a half of free time. The restaurant across the street was recommended for breakfast and the French couple went there but I wanted to go for a walk to explore Panachajel. There wasn’t much open yet so I wandered down the main street seeing what was on offer and it was pretty chaotic already. There were loads of stray dogs and some goats being walked, other ones tied up in front of a shop. I ordered a breakfast of French toast and coffee in one of the many restaurants. It wasn’t a normal French toast it was something similar I suppose, but deep fried and with jam in the middle. It wasn’t bad, just very unhealthy and way too much, it would’ve been 4 slices of bread with each piece double stacked. There was also some melon on the side which was so welcome from the overall oiliness of the toast. At 9am we met up with our tour guide Elena and another tour member from Tokyo, Toyoda-san. We began at the viewpoint of Panajachel where the three volcanoes are visible and we could all get a nice photo to start the day. There were stray dogs everywhere as we walked down to the pier to get in our boat and cross the lake. It was a cold ride of about 25 minutes and I was so glad to have my hoodie as I watched the others shivering and our guide wrapped in a borrowed raincoat from the boaties. Our first stop was at San Juan La Laguna, the pier had hanging lights and decorations so I already liked the atmosphere in this lakeside town. From the pier it was a steep uphill walk into the main village where we sat down for a demonstration of chocolate making from Karla at Xocolat. She explained the entire process from growing the cacao to grinding it down into powder and then took us through some samples of the edible chocolate as well as hand creams. Next we visited a textile workshop for a demonstration of how traditional Guatemalan textiles are made from picking cotton, dying it and then the weaving process. With the guide’s help I was able to spin a little stick in a bowl and make a cotton thread which she gave me as a bracelet. Our last visit in San Juan was a tour of a honey farm, it definitely felt more like a sales opportunity than a tour and he pushed us all to buy something made of honey. Elena got a free lollipop for bringing in the tour I suppose even though no one bought anything there. We walked back down the steep street and got onto the boat to head to our next lakeside village.
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Lago Atitlán! (Atitlan lake)
I personally love Lake Atitlán, ever since I started as an assisten back in 2016 I couldn’t help but wander how in the world such beautifoul place came to be…
So if you are planning on coming to Guatemala you can’t miss some of the things Lake Atitlán has to offer, for stars the main form of transportation is by boat!
Don’t worry they are very safe and the lake is very calm most of the year, I have had to get back to my hotel at 10pm after a wedding and I rather do it by boat because is faster and safer.
There are a lot of activities on the lake, you can swim, or use a kayak to move around, if you are up for a party you can always go to “San Pedro” where all the fun happens!
Santa María holds most of the local artist and local guides can get you anywhere you want around the lake, they now where the knowledge or the art or the fun is.
You can even parachute yourself from one of the mountains that surround the lake.
When it comes to places to say, I personally recommend “La Zanahoria Chic” a little hotel own by a family that also has a bakery! So you get free coffe and on top of that you can go to the loby and get some cake..
From the hotel to the bay is a 3 minutes walk, and the view is just beautiful..
Lake Atitlán is only one of the many places Guatemala has to offer, we are a country of tradition, a pluricultural and multilingual part of the world and we are proud of it..
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Over the last 3 years, I have visited 31 different countries, which makes writing this article a difficult task. Nevertheless after much deliberation, I have come up with the top 5 countries that I have visited!
5. At number 5 on the list is Vietnam. In the summer of 2017, I spent 17 days in Vietnam and started my travels in Hanoi. Before setting off to Asia, I pre-booked through Vietnam Backpackers Hostel trips to Halong Bay and Sapa. I also booked a weeks long adventure down the coast of Vietnam called the Buffalo Run.
Being able to spend a couple of days on your own private island at Castaway was such an unreal experience. Arriving on the island with a hundred different people, you get to do pretty much whatever you want. Drinking all day, booze cruise, kayaking, wake boarding, rock climbing and much more! Knowing you’re doing all of this in one of the world’s natural wonders definitely makes you savour every moment more.
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Having a nights recovery, we set off on a 6 hour sleeper coach to Sapa. Spending a night out a luxury hotel we rented bikes and rode around the Sapa mountains. Bar a scary moment when I fell off my bike, I think I enjoyed Sapa more than Ha Long Bay. Being able to see some incredible views with the mountain ranges silhouetting in the background was awesome. The highlight of Sapa without doubt was the 2 day trek through the mountains, which included a home stay.
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After returning back to Hanoi, we set off on our week-long adventure down to the south of Vietnam. Meeting people from all over the world unquestionably made the whole experience better. Probably the most enjoyable part of the Buffalo Run was driving the Hai Van Pass in ex-Vietnam War army jeeps. Being able to do this is something that I will never forget and would recommend anyone who visits Vietnam to do!
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4. Number 4 on my list is Thailand. My first experience to Thailand was after I visited Vietnam. Originally starting in the Thai Islands + Krabi, I can only describe these places as absolutely mad. If partying and drinking are your things then look no further than Koh Phi Phi. Although personally, Koh Tao is my favourite Island out of the four we visited, all the islands offer their own unique experience. Unfortunately, we messed up and missed the full moon party at Koh Phangan which definitely left a sour taste.
Why Koh Tao was my favourite island is because I loved diving so much. We originally just did a fun dive and then left Koh Tao, however, as Haydn and I enjoyed the fun dive so much we came back to the island after one day to get our open water licenses. I also liked how chill the island seemed – probably because everyone just wanted to dive or chill with a beer.
We then moved onto Krabi and continued partying before moving onto Bangkok and then the north of Thailand. The north of Thailand is epic and I really do want to explore this region more. So far, I have only visited Chiang Mai and Pai but both places are just incredible! I have since been back to Thailand another 5 times and spent around 8 months of my life there. I recently visited Ayutthaya, the ancient capital of Thailand as well as Phuket and both places are just so different from each other but also sums up Thailand so well. I like that Thailand offers the traditional Thai style in some places, but then in other places, you’re having mad parties with everyone from around the world.
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3. This one may surprise a lot of people, but Guatemala is definitely in the top 3 places that I have visited. Spending only around a week here we had to rush many things, but I could have easily spent months travelling this country. This country is just epic and has SO much to offer!
Prior to travelling to Guatemala, we read and were told all the scare stories about muggings, shootings and killings. However, after enduring a difficult trip in India we did feel ready for what we expected to see. Nevertheless, these scare stories could not have been further from the truth! What I will say is that Guatemala does have a high crime rate so do be careful but go open-minded!
After landing in Guat City we took a uber to Antigua which is an old colonial town. What I loved about Antigua was just the chillness of the place. We visited the markets, chilled by our hostels pool and ate a lot of traditional Guatemalan food! One awesome thing you can do from Antigua is climb Acatenango (Volcano) where you get to camp overnight on an active volcano! This was definitely one of many highlights from Guatemala.
From Antigua we took a 12 hour overnight coach ride to Tikal, where we went and saw the ancient Mayan ruins. Tikal again has a very travellers feel to it and if that’s what you like then Tikal is perfect. What also made my experience of Tikal so good was that we met some people that we spent a couple of days with that we really got on with! It is also a good gateway to go and visit Semuc Champey (although 7 hours away) it’s worth the long uncomfortable minibus drive.
Semuc Champey is just one of the must see places of Guatemala in my opinion. It’s just an incredible place! Although there are only two hostels in Semuc Champey, we opted for the one that was in the middle of the jungle and we definitely made the right choice! Sleeping in the middle of the Guatemalan jungle was an interesting experience, as well as an enjoyable one. During our time in Semuc Champey, we visited the national park, jumped off a 20m Waterfall and went caving. Like Antigua, I really wish we had more time to just relax in Semuc Champey because it was just one of those places where you sat back and just thought about how awesome life is.
Unfortunately, as we only had a week by being on such a tight schedule, we couldn’t do everything that we would have wanted to do in Guatemala. Lake Atitlan is one such place that I really did want to visit, however it does give me a great excuse to plan another trip back!
2. Iceland is number 2 on my list. Iceland was probably my first out-and-out nature trip and its got me hooked to do more of this kind of travelling. Anyone who has been to Iceland can vouch for the spectacular geography on show. As we didn’t have much time in Iceland due to university and money, we really tried to cram everything in a small time frame. This meant sometimes going to sleep at 1/2am and waking up at 6/7am.
Reykjavik
One of the highlights of the Iceland trip was visiting Pingvellir National Park. Here we decided to go snorkelling through the North Atlantic Ridge (which is the separation between the North American plate and the Eurasian plate). You also have the chance to scuba dive here if you wish but unfortunately we could not do that as we didn’t have our license. Oh and also make sure your dry suit is zipped up properly (Unlike Max), or you’ll feel 2 c water rushing in!
Pingvellir
Coastline
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Gullfoss is another cool area that we visited. One of the best natural things that I have experienced is definitely seeing a Geyser erupt! Although having to wait every 10 minutes to see it explode in the freezing cold isn’t that nice, the eruption is worth the wait. Gullfoss also has a series of some pretty awesome waterfalls that you can check out after the Geysers.
Geysir
Gulfoss
From here we went to a place that we hadn’t heard much about, Hraunfossar. We did take a bit of risk driving here because it was about 2-3 hours away from Reykjavik which is where we were basing ourselves. However, I am so glad that we took the risk because the waterfalls were just stunning and arguably still the best waterfalls that I have seen. What also made the whole region so good was the huge Volcano in the background, as well as the breathtaking scenery we saw on the drive.
Hraunfosser
Iceland also gave me the chance to tick 2 items off my bucket list: The Blue Lagoon, and the Northern Lights. As you can imagine being able to do both of these things was just immense! The Blue Lagoon, although expensive, was just such a cool experience and is 100% better than what you see on Facebook. Probably THE highlight of the trip though was being able to see the Northern Lights. Not only did we get to see them but we were able to get some amazing pictures of them dancing around!
Aurora
We also had the opportunity to explore the southern coast of Iceland which is part of the Iceland ring road. Black Sand Beach and Fjaoragljufu are probably my favourites things that we saw on the south coast.
Fjaorargljufu
Jokulsarlon
Skogafoss
sejlandsfoss
Although I had an amazing time in Iceland, and managed to tick 2 items off my bucket list, I simply didn’t spend enough time here and also had a really disappointing day whilst whale watching, that for now, Iceland cannot be the best place that I have visited.
1. So the big finale.. What’s my number one place I have visited? Have you guessed yet? Well… It’s Norway! The plan was to travel from the south to the north and back down to Oslo again in just 8 days by car. A total of 5,500km! Although extremely ambitious the fact we got to do everything that we planned I think only made the trip even better. Even the immigration officer told us “Good luck!” Despite Oslo being underwhelming, the rest of the trip was just phenomenal and one that I would unquestionably do all over again.
For me the trip really started when we got to Stavanger, where we took a ferry over to Tou. Here, we completed the Pedersgata Hike which was a magical experience. We were walking through the middle of the forest in the mountains, when it started to snow! Although it’s hard to convey how cool this was, it’s absolutely one of the best hikes I’ve ever done. On our second day in Stavanger (also our last) we drove to Frafjord, which is a huge fjord which is unbelievably picturesque. This is one of the reasons which makes Norway just such a good place to see, because you constantly stop and get out of the car to take a photo as the scenery is just spectacular.
From here we visited a waterfall called Manafossen, which was a massive waterfall where you just stood and marvelled at the beauty around you. Manafossen is undoubtedly one of the best waterfalls that I have seen! We then visited a place called Gloppedalsura which has stunning rock formations surrounded by stunning mountains and lakes on either side. Honestly, Stavanger and the surrounding areas are just simply beautiful and if you can only spare a couple of days then Stavanger isn’t a bad option! Weirdly enough, we only came to Stavanger because Haydn had to get a later flight than us.. Luckily!
After picking up Haydn, we drove to Bergen where again, we only spent a day exploring the area. Although this doesn’t seem much time I do think that this is enough time in Bergen because in spite of Bergen being aesthetically pleasing, there wasn’t that much to do here. We did climb up a mountain called Ulriken and got to Montana point which did give some awesome views of the city. Personally, I do think this is the best thing you can do in Bergen as the “World’s famous fish market” didn’t really seem like a market.
The second part of our trip is where I think it got even better but also more challenging! We began by leaving Bergen and driving for 7-hours to Geirangerfjord. After a bit of faffing about, we took a ferry through the middle of the fjord which offered some breathtaking scenery. The fjord is simply a must see place if you’re travelling Norway. It’s one of the places where you constantly are stopping the car at every single view-point to take a picture.
The next part was where it got really tough. We had a 21-hour journey up to Lofoten Island which in hindsight was probably a little stupid. However, completely worth it! Despite the fact that we didn’t really get to see much of Lofoten Island and probably could have spent 3 or 4 days here, I’m still so glad that we at least got the chance to see it! As we didn’t have much time, and we still had to get to Tromso and then all the way back down to Oslo in the next 2 days, we decided to go and see one of its best fjords (Trollfjord). As we were now in the Arctic circle, there were only 4 or 5 hours of daylight here so the skyline was permanently amazing! The colours that bounced of the lakes, mountains and snow just made the place unbelievably stunning.
Unfortunately, we had to leave and plough on for another 6 hours to Tromso, which is weirdly one of my favourite cities. Although we only spent about 15 hours here, I just really liked the chill, beautiful look the city gave you. We originally hoped we would be lucky enough to see the northern lights again. However, we were not so lucky and that did put us down a little. Nevertheless, we decided that on our last proper day travelling we should do something awesome to top the trip off. We contemplated whale watching but after a disappointing time in doing this in Iceland, there were no guarantees that we would see one here. Therefore, we decided to pay £180, yes… £180.. To husky sledge!! (Probably one of the best activities I have ever done even for the price). As someone who owns a dog, being able to spend 3 hours with the dogs and also be able to go sledging with the sun setting was just a unique experience. This absolutely ended the trip on a huge high and is why Norway is my favourite place that I have visited. Although some of you maybe gawking at the price, honestly, it’s just such an incredible activity, and you’re getting to do it with amazing scenery in the Arctic circle. For me you couldn’t really ask for anything more!
The final thing for me which really made this trip my best, is probably the fact that we had complete freedom to go to any place and to leave any place any time that we wanted. Although we had our outbound flight booked already due to university commitments, we only had a rough itinerary of places that we researched were good to see. This kind of freedom allowed us to really get to see the very best of Norway in the little time that we had, and I’m so glad that we went!
Countries I have visited 2015-2018.
Belgium Cambodia Costa Rica Cuba Czech Republic France Germany Greece Guatemala Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Ireland Italy Japan Latvia Malaysia Mexico Netherlands Norway Oman Poland Portugal Scotland Singapore Spain Thailand Vietnam Wales
Top 5 Countries That I Have Travelled (2015-18) Over the last 3 years, I have visited 31 different countries, which makes writing this article a difficult task.
#Animals#Blog#Blogging#driving#Food#friends#Fun#Guatemala#guides#History#Iceland#norway#Party#People#Sun#Thailand#Travel#vietnam
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