Top Experiences You Should Not Miss When in Mexico

 

Costa Maya

Do yourself a favor and get to this region while the going's still good. Unlike the overdeveloped Cancun and Riviera Maya, you can still find quiet fishing villages on the Costa Maya that put a premium on sustainable development, such as Mahahual and Xcalak, both of which boast some of the best dive sites on the Caribbean coast. Then head inland for Laguna Bacalar, a laid-back lakeside town known for its mesmerizing scenery, a 90m-deep cenote and an old Spanish fortress.

Monarchs in their Millions

Canopies of golden-orange butterflies cover the forests and hillsides in the Reserva Mariposa Monarca (Monarch Butterfly Reserve), perhaps Mexico’s most astonishing yearly natural phenomenon. It’s the kind of annual event to plan your trip around – between November and March the migrant monarchs cover every surface, weighing down tree branches and changing the landscape into a permanent sunset as the butterflies winter far from the freezing Great Lakes during one of the planet’s most spectacular migrations.

Guanajuato City

The glorious World Heritage–listed city of Guanajuato packs a huge amount into its narrow valley. The former mining town turned colorful university city is a feast of plazas, fun museums, opulent colonial mansions and pastel-hued houses. Snake your way along pedestrian alleyways, people-watch in the squares, mingle with marvelous mariachi groups, or party hard at estudiantinas (traditional street parties) and in the many student bars. The underground tunnels – the town’s major transport routes – make for a particularly quirky way to get around.

Pacific Coastline

Running from the desert islands of Baja California to verdant coves backed by lush tropical mountains, and from untrammeled expanses of sand to mangrove-fringed lagoons teeming with birdlife, Mexico’s Pacific coastline is stunning in its natural beauty. Punctuating this primordial grandeur is a series of lively resort towns – Mazatlán, Puerto Vallarta, Manzanillo, Ixtapa, Zihuatanejo and Acapulco – interspersed with world-class surf spots such as Barra de Nexpa, Boca de Pascuales, Troncones and Puerto Escondido, where clear barrels of awesome power batter the shores.

Gregarious Guadalajara

Mexico’s second-largest city manages to dazzle despite being more a collection of pueblos than a great metropolis. This charmer gets under your skin with colonial buildings, lofty churches, labyrinthine markets, awesome public spaces and wonderful craft shopping in the arty suburbs of Tlaquepaque and Tonalá. The young and middle class party all weekend in smart bars and heaving dance clubs, and there’s nowhere better in western Mexico to eat out, whether you're after local specialties such as spicy goat stew, or chic Mexican-French fusion cuisine.

Espíritu Santo

Espíritu Santo island is spectacular in every way. Pink sandstone has been eroded by wind and waves into finger-like protrusions, each harboring a beautiful cove. And if this otherworldly beauty isn't enough then you can descend into the endless blue with whale sharks, dive the many colorful reefs, camp under a canopy of stunning stars, watch frolicking sea lions at their island colony and paddle your way along myriad azure bays.

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Top must do in Subic, Philippines

 

Subic is one of the Philippines fastest growing cities. It is very near in the country’s capital. It has a lot of things to offer, from wildlife to the best beach, from beautiful hotels and breathtaking scenery. What are you waiting for? Come and enjoy the beauty of Subic.

Let’s do countdown for the Subic best things to do and to enjoy:

 1. Visit Jungle Environment Survival Training (JEST) Camp.  Visiting this place is a combination of adventure and nature trip. The first thing you can enjoy is the different array of birds. The JEST doesn’t offer only birds they also offer other wild animals that kids and also you can enjoy. The next thing is the sports activities. You can wall climbing and you can also learn survival things. Like how to cook in bamboo, how to set a fire and many more.

2. Enjoy the beach. You can enjoy the best beach in Subic Bay. Subic is very near in the bay, where you can enjoy the beautiful scenery. A lot of beach that offers the best accomodations.

3.  Go Horseback Riding at El Kabayo Stables.  As huge lovers of all things related to either animals or nature, my husband and I were eager to go for a horseback trail ride that enabled us to enjoy both! I’ve always been a horse lover, but have had very few opportunities to be around them, so I jumped at this chance to go riding on our honeymoon.

It was a really cool ride. We rode to the El Kabayo Waterfalls where we were greeted with a wonderful view of fresh, flowing waterfalls and green scenery. We were allowed to spend 10-15 minutes enjoying the falls before our guides (and our horses!) took us back to the stables. It was a 30-minute ride each way, so we got to enjoy a whole hour with our beautiful equestrian companions.

4. Go to zoobic safari.

Zoobic Safari really puts most of the other zoos that I have been to before to shame. Another super unique place, you surely don’t want to miss this safari! It starts off with a walk through areas where you can actually feed all of the animals (just not the monkeys, we were told)! Be sure and purchase a basket of fruit for Php100 at the counter before your tour starts or you may regret it! We were the only ones who did so in our tour group, and we were easily the most popular people there. Everywhere we walked, we were being followed by birds, goats, camels, horses, deer and more, trying to get more of the food!

There you go the top things you can enjoy in Subic. It is not just a place for swimming, it is also a place to enjoy and encounter the beauty of nature.

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Best Places to See in Zakynthos

 

Combining Greek history with the orthodox faith is the church of Ayios Georgios, where you can see the actual icon on which members of the Greek Revolution of 1821 like Kolokotronis and Nikitaras took their oath to serve their country and the fight against the Ottomans.

Head to Alexandros Roma Street for shopping. You will find plenty of choices, high-quality products and all in prices that are much lower than in other European cities. Zakynthos is an excellent place to buy exquisite jewels in unbeatable prices. On the same street and its side streets, you will find something that is hard to find in the rest of Greece and Europe. Old traditional stores, like old-fashioned barbershops that use homemade colognes made with flowers from Zakynthos, tailors that handcraft every suit from scratch and grocery stores where you can only buy in bulk.

Walk to Rouga to admire its famous arcs and then head to Strada Marina, the promenade by the beach where locals and tourists stroll and have their afternoon coffee. For something off the beaten path, look for the neighbourhood of Mpohali, a picturesque area with narrow streets and amazing home gardens located on the foothill of the island’s castle.

For museum lovers, Zakynthos has many options. The Museum of Solomos and Eminent People of Zakynthos was founded in 1959 and began operating in 1966. On the ground floor, the remains of Greece’s national poets Dionysios Solomos and Andreas Kalvos are kept. In the museum you can see many great manuscripts of notable poets and novelists hailing from Zakynthos and a rich collection of portraits of important historic personalities. There is also a remarkable library, furnishings from the British rule era and an extensive photographic collection. Other collections in the museum contain religious and folk paintings, sculptures, ceramics and wood carvings.

For art lovers, the Museum of Meta-Byzantine Art contains impressive pieces of art from the Cretian and Cretian-Eptanisian era.

Also, the Folklore Museum, also known as Memoroza, in Potamia, has a small but beautiful collection of local costumes, textiles, utensils, tools and furniture and many old photographs of the island, depicting the beautiful island of Zakynthos before the disastrous earthquake that destroyed the island in 1953.

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Basics of Russian Train Travel

 

There are three different fare classes on Russian Railways trains. First class compartments have two beds in them, offering maximum privacy and access to amenities like a shared shower and private toilet. First class cabins often sell out quickly, so be sure to purchase your tickets in advance in order to reserve these beds. The next option in terms of price is second class, which is known in Russian as kupe. Here, four travelers are together in one compartment, which is convenient for groups of four, but may be uncomfortable for solo travelers or smaller groups, as the cabins lock, and you cannot be sure who your neighbors will be. Kupe cars have no showers and communal washrooms at each end of the car. Third class is known as platzkart. These open-plan cars have twenty or more beds in a single car and communal toilets at the ends of the cars. They can be noisy and offer virtually no privacy.

Train Travel Tips

Every train car has a steward or stewardess, known as the bortprovodnik. This person will check your tickets, provide you with your linens, and sell and serve you any food items you order or purchase on the train. If you have any issues, this is the person to turn to, as he or she is responsible for the safety of passengers in the car and for resolving any issues.

In terms of food, it is a good idea to stock up on non-perishable snack items for the long journey that awaits you. Snacks and hot food items are sold on the train, but often with high markups. Granola bars, bread, long-lasting fruit, and other items that can survive several days without refrigeration will keep you full and happy during the ride. Every car is also equipped with a samovar that provides free hot water, so you can also bring along a mug with tea, instant coffee, and powdered soups or ramen noodles.

You will also see that the train makes certain longer stops at larger cities. These stops, which last about 20-30 minutes, not only give you an opportunity to stretch your legs out on the track; they also give you some time to visit a nearby shop at the train station and load up on food and supplies. Sometimes, people sell items like hot pies and ice cream cones right along the tracks, which gives you another chance to add to your stores if you need to.

Always be aware of the time when you leave the train. The rail runs on a strict schedule, and even though each steward takes a head count to make sure no one is left on the track, it is best to be back in your berth well before departure to the next station.

Russian long-haul trains can be very crowded, with new passengers boarding and departing along the way. For this reason, it is important to be very careful with baggage. Large bags should be stored either underneath your bed if you have a bottom bunk or on the high shelves if you are sleeping in an upper berth. Always keep personal belongings with you, and invest in a money belt to keep your most valuable items (money, credit cards, passport) safely on your person.

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Santa Maria delle Grazie – Why and How to Get There When in Milan?

 

West of the castle, just 1 km away, there is another famous sight of Milan, Santa Maria delle Grazie church. It is a beautiful, very well preserved 15th century building, but the fame of this church comes from what is treasured inside: this is where Leonardo da Vinci painted his The Last Supper, and this is where it is still visible on the wall of the old monastery’s dining hall.

The painting underwent several damages due to the partial destruction of the Dominican monastery and it is in overall bad conditions of conservation, because of the innovative technique it was made with, not suited for the moist climate within the monastery. Nevertheless, it is still considered one of Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpieces and one of his most interesting and meaningful paintings.

Getting to see this work of art, unfortunately, is not easy at all: only organised visits are permitted and it has to be booked long before you get to Milan. There is a calendar online with available dates and hours, which are always very few, due to the high number of visitors who try to get here each day. Tickets are about 20 euro per person.

Santa Maria delle Grazie anyway has one more virtue: that of representing the perfect model of a Renaissance church, as its project was made by Bramante, one of Italian best architects of the 15th century. Its structure is remarkable and it is full of shrines and altars dedicated to Milanese personalities of the time.

Having a stroll this way and getting to see at least the church is totally worth it, even if you are not lucky enough to have access to The Last Supper. Plus, there is no entrance ticket required for the church, which is open from 7 to 12 am, and from 3.30 to 7.30 pm.

Getting to the church is possible by a 15 minutes walking from the Castle or by public transport: metro line M1 (red) stop Conciliazione is nearby, and even closer is the tram stop on line 16.

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Parco Sempione in Milan – A Must See for Tourists

 

Parco Sempione is a large park, the only one in Milan city centre, starting right behind the castle, which represents one of the main entrances to the park. It was realised at the end of the 19th century, on what used to be the parade ground at the time when the castle had a military purpose. Nowadays, the park has an inner connection with art and lifestyle in Milan: this is one of the favourite places for Milanese people and, as much as the Castle, it is frequently used as a venue for exhibitions and events.

The style of the park is very similar to that of the major European parks, such as Hyde Park in London: elegant houses, pavilions, statues, romantic bridges over narrow water streams. There are many cycling and walking paths within the park, and a couple of them are aimed at schools and botanic amateurs, as they show and explain the richness and variety of the local flora. The park gives space to sport as well: there is one basketball field and several fitness trails to provide proper training to the many who choose this place for jogging or doing some exercise. This is a very nice place to have a relaxing walk, go cycling or have picnics, especially in summer. It is a must for those who want to experience life as Milanese like it.

The all property is fenced and closes at night: opening hours vary according to the season.

The park always opens at 6.30 in the morning, but from October to April the park it close at 9 pm, in May at 10 pm and in summer (June to September) at 23.30.

To get to the park from the Castle side, which is the southern, you can easily follow the same directions as for visiting the Castle. However, there are also several tram stops all around the park: lines 2, 4, 12 and 14 on the eastern side, lines 1 and 10 on the northwestern side. Bus line 61 even has a stop within the park itself.

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More Dishes to Try in Milan

 

Cassoeula

Another dish from the rural tradition, another dish of meat. The cassoeula is heavy and elaborate, though a must try of Milanese cuisine. It is made of different cuts of pork meat (sausages, rind, ribs), with the same old idea of not wasting anything, and Savoy cabbage, to be slowly cooked together with sautéed vegetables and tomato sauce. It is severed with slices of grilled polenta on the side.

To find the original Cassoeula, Antica Trattoria della Pesa is recommended, for its delicious cuisine that sticks to the tradition and yet is able to be always up to date. Set in a building where Milanese used to weight goods and calculate exercise duties, it is a restaurant since 1880, in Viale Pasubio 10, north of the city centre close to Garibaldi station, which can be reached with M2 and M5 metro lines (Green and Lilac).

Cotoletta alla Milanese

This is probably the most famous dish of the city, but beware of not confusing this breaded cutlet with the Austrian schnitzel. Remember, the original Milanese cutlet is not meant to be thin, except for the variation of the recipe called “Elephant’s ear”. The oldest and most traditional one is a rather thick cut of meat, perfectly cooked to be pink and soft on the inside, and crunchy on the outside, thanks to the breaded crust fried in butter.

There is one place where they obey to these rules to perfection, and it is owned by an Italian chef: L’Essenziale, restaurant located in Via Carlo Maria Maggi 6, just off the east side of Parco Sempione and close to Moscova metro station on line M2 (green).

Panettone

This is the Milanese dessert par excellence, and it is so famous that became Christmas traditional dessert in whole Italy. Rather simple on the appearance, with nothing more than raisin and candied fruit within a tall, soft dough, it is actually pretty difficult to make and bakeries hold on to their secrets to make Panettone the same over the years, and to preserve its role as pillar of winter desserts.

Most of the bakeries and pastries shops in Milan will have their own production of Panettone, which is probably going to be outstanding anyway. Nevertheless, Pavé, located in Via Casati 27 has a dedicated laboratory and strictly follows the old recipe, producing two varieties of Panettone, different in stuffing but both flawless: the traditional one, with raisin and fruits, and the gourmet one, with chocolate drops. You can get there by taking metro lines M2 or M3 (green and yellow) to Milano Centrale station.

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