My MVP

I have a wall of cork in my closet.  It's my "Memory Board".  It's different from a vision board because it holds things I want to remember, things I want to hold close.  And since I see the Memory Board on a daily basis, things that make me smile.

There are post cards that I mailed to myself from a favorite destination on the board, as well as tickets into shows or attractions.  There are pictures of people and places.  There are train passes and boarding passes.  A mini book my daughter wrote me.  my ticket into Angkor Wat.  Anything that invokes a positive memory can make it up on the board.

Sometimes I take things off the board and spend time with it and the memory.  I laugh.  I cry.  I remember.  I put it back on the board.

But there is one thing on the board that I value most:  My Mom's Passport.  It's my MVP (Most Valuable Possession).  I look at it often and admire her stamps.  It doesn't have very many stamps in it because my Mom passed away before she could make all of her travel dreams come true - and that's what makes it so valuable.  It serves as a constant reminder that NOW is the time.  Time To Go.  Time To Do.  Time To Be.

It reminds me that tomorrow is not promised to anyone.  That I can't wait until (the kids are gone, the condo is paid off, retirement) to go to (Angkor Wat, the Colosseum, Greece).  It reminds me that time is the most precious thing I have. My Mom's Passport is my Passport to live my dreams.



What are you waiting for?  #TravelOften

Angela Myers
Founder
2 Girls & a Bikini

My 2016 Travels

Someone recently asked me for my favorite travel picture of 2016.  So I started strolling through my 2016 folder and realized  I don't have a favorite!  So I mentally took a trip down memory lane:  London, Guadeloupe, Bahamas (2x), South Korea/Vietnam/Cambodia, Playa del Carmen (of course) and Cuba.  And for different reasons, I loved each one of those trips!

In London, my niece get her first passport stamp.  I went to Guadeloupe with a good friend and her family to celebrate a birthday and it was a week full of laughter.  In the Bahamas (the first time) I watched a friend marry the love of her life and (the second time) was a short cruise with a friend who really needed a break.

The trip to South Korea/Vietnam/Cambodia with my brother was a dream come true for me and I cried watching the sun rise at the temples of Angor Wat.   Cuba was a last minute decision and turned into a wonderful surprise.

The best part?  I have NO travel debt - just memories.  Sweet, Sweet MEMORIES.  And that's what it's all about.....

See all of my 2016 Travel Pics on my Facebook Page!


Keep Traveling Friends~
 
Angela
2 Girls a Bikini


 P.S. - Want to know how I manage to travel debt free?  Read the blog I wrote about it:  How I Afford to Travel.

My Thoughts On Cuba!

It’s AMAZING.  That sums up my thoughts.  It might be my new, less than a 5 hour flight, favorite destination.  I need a few more trips to decide.  But here are some things I want you to know:

·        Don’t overthink the Visa.  Select the category and make sure all of your paperwork is in order.  I selected Educational Activities/People-to-People.  I had each day on my itinerary all typed up and my activities planned. While I was there, I met a girl who is a Professor at a major University, so she selected Professional Research.  So be sure and select the category that applies to you and stick to it.  Most importantly - don't LIE.  To review the 12 categories, click here.

·        Currently, American credit and debit cards are not accepted anywhere.  So take MORE cash than you anticipate needing because the small things will add up.  I converted USD to Euro and converted to CUC as needed.  Also, some of the stores accepted Euro – but no one will accept USD.

·        Havana has 4 neighborhoods:  Old Havana, Centro Habana, Vedado and Miramar. 

o   Old Havana, which is the UNESCO World Heritage Site, is where the colonial history is located.  LOTS of walking and where I wish I had spent more time.  So much to see.  The architecture is old and beautiful. 

o   Centro Habana is Havana from the early 20^th century and where you can find the Museum of the Revolution, which is also the former Presidential Palace.  I did a tour of the Museum, it was interesting, but can be skipped if you are short on time.  The neighborhood is interesting and worth a walk around.  Especially for the photographers.

o   Vedado is where the Malecon (sea front promenade) begins and where the National Hotel is located.  This is also where Revolution Square can be found along with the large iron sculptures of Che and Camilo Cienfuegos mounted on the side of 2 buildings.  There is also the Jose Marti Memorial, where you can take an elevator to the top for a view of the city.  Also be sure and check out Columbus Cemetery where many famous individuals are buried.

o   Miramar is an exclusive residential area and where most foreign embassies are located. 

·        The art scene is bananas.  Art and Galleries everywhere. You can’t see them all.  Don’t try.  Take your time to enjoy the ones you do see and go back to see the others.  But a must is Fábrica de Arte Cubano (FAC) fabricadeartecubano.com.  It’s an old oil factory that has been converted to an arts space.  There are dance lessons, live music, beautiful art, and a DJ. 

·        The “classic car” game is real.  They are everywhere, and they are beautiful.  I paid 25CUC for a one hour ride around the city in a 1957 pink convertible.  But I did a 6 hour tour of the city in a hard top classic car that was air conditioned.  It was more comfortable and I didn’t have to smell diesel for 6 hours.  I booked this tour through Havana Journeys.  They were great.  Very knowledgeable and patient - because I'm sure me and my daughter were asking a LOT of questions.

·        Wifi is scarce.  I didn’t bother buying a wifi card and searching for wifi signals.  I went to a local hotel a couple of nights to check in with friends and family.  I paid 10CUC for an hour and that was enough for me.

·        People, People, People are everywhere.  And they are friendly.  And they want to talk to you.  So if you don’t speak Spanish, be sure and download the Google Translate app that doesn’t require internet.  Everyone I met was familiar with typing in what they wanted to say and waiting on you to type in your response. 

·        You will dance, because music is a big part of the culture.  Calle Obispo is a great place to find bars where you can find good food, great Mojitos – and of course MUSIC.

·        I’m not a foodie – but the lobster I ate was the best lobster I’ve ever had.  Once on the beach and once at a local restaurant that I went to with a friend and the family she was staying with.  And it was very affordable.  I ate lobster twice. 

·        My favorite spot of the trip was Fusterlandia.  I even got an opportunity to meet the artist, Jose Fuster.  This is a MUST DO.

There are lots of blogs and books available for you to read - so take your time and do so.  I took day trips to Vinales and Varadero (beautiful beach).  I booked both tours via Tour Havana With Roly.  I contacted Roly using his Facebook page and he is very responsive.
That’s all I will say about my time in Cuba.  It’s truly a place you have to see to believe.  Meanwhile, my pictures can be found on my Facebook page.  

See you in the skies!

Angela

My "Year of 50!"

Soooooo,

Yesterday was my 49th birthday (YaY Me!).  Now, I have to tell you, I have not been very excited about the idea of turning 50.  But a few months ago I came up with the idea of celebrating my birthday for the entire year leading up to this monumental birthday.  So I put together  a list of places I would love to go and things I would love to see.  I decided to top off the  celebration with an epic trip to Africa with family and friends.

 

I talked to some people about this idea, and as you can imagine, I encountered some serious #SideEye moments.  I heard things like "you're crazy" or "that won't happen".  Last week I talked to a financial advisor about some financial goals and even he told me that I should scale my "Year Of 50!" dreams down a bit. 

 

So I was bummed and they had me reworking my plans.  But Lookie - Lookie at what #PepsiCo told me in a birthday email.  Who knew such inspiration could come via junk mail from my sugary lover?

 

I now have new a sense of determination.  I will LIVE life.  I will make MY travel dreams come true.  I will EXPLORE new destinations.  I will make NEW friends.  I will LEARN new things.  I will have amazing EXPERIENCES.

 

I don't have all the pieces in place, and I don't know if I want them there.  All I know is that today is the first day of my journey. 

 

Join Me!!

 

Angela Myers

Founder

2 Girls & a Bikini

 

 

Cruisin...

Some people love cruises. Take my brother. He has been on two, 7 Day cruises - THIS YEAR. But he also went with me on my Vietnam/Cambodia trip - so I'll give him a pass.

Me?  I'm not a cruiser.  It just doesn't interest me.  So how did I find myself sitting on the balcony of a cabin ON a cruise ship?  Easy.  My desire to help everyone "get out there and see the world".

Here's where it started........

People are always saying "you don't invite me when you travel", so I invite them they say "that's out of my budget".  Sigh.  So since people tell me that cruising is affordable and that payment plans are available, my desire encouraged me to say "let's take a cruise".  So I chose the dates, and the shortest cruise available.  I sent out some invitations, got some takers and we were all set.

I put down my deposit and created my flight alert.  A few other people put down their deposit and I got excited because I was thinking "YES.  WE ARE TAKING A TRIP!"  Months passed, I sent out encouraging emails (they all ended with YaY), we talked about how much fun we were going to have, I purchased a flight and waited.  And waited…..AND WAITED.  I stopped sending encouraging emails and started sending emails that ended with “are you taking this &*$&# cruise?”
So let's see. I'm now on a 3 Day cruise to the Bahamas (where I have already been this year for a wedding, but I digress) with my “I will travel anywhere” daughter and a friend who has never left the country.  I’m sitting on the balcony adding up my affordable cruise:

Cruise:  $450 (includes transportation to the Bahamas, lodging, around the clock unlimited food - including ice cream, movies, live shows, clubs, casino and other activities)

Flight:  $220
Car Rental:  $90 (this was cheaper than each of us paying for round-trip transportation)
Parking:  $40
Gas: $20
Misc (internet, drinks on cruise, food/drinks on island):  $75

So, my desire to help everyone "get out there and see the world" cost me approximately $900. That’s an average cost of $300/day……hmmmmm.  I’ve planned longer, more exciting (for me) vacations for half the cost; but what hurt me the most was the 2 vacation days I lost. 

When I returned, I spent some time with myself, and we have come to an agreement. People who want to travel, well, will TRAVEL.  I don’t have to invite them, I don’t have to encourage them (YaY), I don’t have to plan specialty trips for them.  They will get out there.  And they will see the world. 

P.S. – my friend did get her FIRST passport stamp.  This is the only picture I saved!

Happy Travels Everyone~

Angie
2 Girls & A Bikini

What My GrandMa Said….

Growing up, I spent a lot of time with my GrandMa.  Like all Grandmothers, she had her “thing”.  For instance, my girlfriend’s GrandMa would pin her cash to the inside of her bra.  Another GrandMa I knew always had pennies in her coin purse, and she would give me a handful every time I saw her.  A lot of my friends laugh at how their Grandmother would have peppermints inside their purse – FOREVER – the wrapper would be melted onto the candy, but she would still offer you one.  LOL.  I’m sure with very little thought you can immediately tell me what your Grandmother’s “thing” was!

My GrandMa’s thing was words.  She would say things like “Close the refrigerator.  I’m not trying to cool all outside!” or “I’m gonna whoop you until the lights go off downtown’.  Yea – I never figured that one out.  But as I grew up, my favorite became “The more you give, the more you get”.  

Now trust me, I didn’t believe these words originally.  It wasn’t until a friend of mine said; “you are always giving something away” (this was after I gave her a very nice sleigh bed, which was practically brand new).  So I begin to think about it and realized – I AM ALWAYS GIVING SOMETHING AWAY – yet I always seem to have more than enough!  Now, let me say enough is relative.  What’s enough for me may not be enough for you; but I can honestly say, I am living in my overflow. 

Because of this, I always try and align myself with other individuals and/or organizations that also believe my GrandMa’s words of giving.  One of these organizations, and my absolute favorite, is The Passport Party Project.
  

The Passport Party Project is a “National Geographic award-winning initiative providing first passports, online global awareness training & first-time global travel experiences to underrepresented American girls 11-15 in an effort to help create responsive and responsible global citizens that travel with love.”  This organization is headed up by Tracey Friley, aka The Pied Piper of Passports.  I promise you I have never met anyone so passionate about giving. She genuinely loves it!  And it shows in everything that she does.  She gifts these young ladies an experience that very few will ever have, and even less will take advantage of if the opportunity came their way.

This year is Phase 3 of The Passport Party Project, and with the help of Tourism Toronto, Heys Luggage, National Geographic Maps, Niagara Parks, Hornblower Niagara Cruises, Porter Airlines, Francesco's Limousine and CityPASS, Tracey and two college students (one of which has been traveling with Tracey since she was 11 years old) will be escorting 15 Teen Travel Ambassadors to Toronto.  After 6 weeks of online global awareness training, where the lucky travelers learned what it takes to be a Global Citizen, they are ready to pack their bags and head to the top of the CN Tower.  Some of these young ladies will travel alone for a short distance by plane for the first time and perhaps even be away from home and/or travel as a group for the first time.  

My current mentee, Destiny A. is looking forward to learning more about Aboriginal Culture and History (Do you know when National Aboriginal Day is?  Destiny does because she had to learn about it during Week 5 of her training!).   Destiny also found it interesting that Toronto was founded as a trading center in the 1600s and is looking forward to eating beaver tails.  All of these things, and more,  were discussed during my time with Destiny, which I enjoyed immensely.  She asked me questions such as “what inspires me to travel” and “how did I navigate myself through the mountains of Atlanta with no GPS’.  She is ready to tackle her adventure.  I am so excited for her!  I am so excited for all of them!

Why?  Because I know that this experience will change their lives in ways they may not understand for years to come.   They will make new friends, see new things, go to new places, eat new food.  They will laugh.  Get frustrated, but then figure it out.  Some may experience fear.  Some may experience tears.  But through it all, they will learn.  They will grow. They will appreciate.  And hopefully, they will begin to understand my GrandMa’s words “the more you give, the more you get”.

Wow.  Now that’s the #PowerOfThePassport.

Travel Well Ladies…

Angela Myers

2 Girls & a Bikini

What's In a Staycation?

A friend of mine recently stated on her Facebook page that she was off work for the next 3 days.  Of course, I got excited and asked “Where Are You Going?” and to that she responded “No where.  It’s a Staycation.”  OHHHHHHH….a Staycation?!  I got REALLY EXCITED.  Why?  Cause Staycations can be fun too!

Staycations give you a chance to do things in your own city that you never get to do or never think about doing.  A Staycation allows you to see your city the way others do.  It gives you an opportunity to slow down and smell the streets of unknown neighborhoods, walk around an empty shopping center, or have a leisurely lunch at a restaurant that usually has a 30 minute wait just to be seated.  It gives you a chance to fall in love with your city - all over again.

Recently, I’ve been on a self imposed “no travel” restriction.  Unable to leave town, I have been exploring Chicago in ways that I haven’t in a long time.  And while I will be the first to admit, I love hopping on planes and heading to new places; it's been fun to explore my own streets.

Here are just a few things I have been doing on my weekends while playing tourist in my own home town.

• I spent some time at Navy Pier where I sat by the water and watched the boats while eating Funnel Cake. I found a deal on Jetsetter.com for a downtown hotel I wanted to experience. 

• I booked a room for July 3^rd (yes, I was surprised that date wasn’t blacked out), sent the deal to some friends and we spent the night hanging out enjoying the start of summer.

•  I walked up and down Michigan Ave., not shopping (that’s new), but taking in the sites, listening to all of the different languages being spoken and snapping pictures of “Planter Heads” that were installed by Plant Green Ideas in an effort to promote sustainability.

  

• I got up early one Saturday morning, headed to the closest beach and spent the day laying around, catching up on some reading and watching people on the bike path.

• Some friends and I snagged a Groupon deal and hopped on an architectural boat tour where I learned that the natural flow of the Chicago River has been reversed.  WOW – that’s interesting!  I actually did some research when I got home about how they did that.

• I’ve been to Millennium Park at least twice.  On one trip, I simply sat by Crown Fountain eating ice cream and watching children play freely in the water. On my most recent trip to Millennium Park, I discovered a series of sculptures in an outdoor gallery.  Turns out, this gallery is named Boing Gallery and the collection is titled Dangos by Jun Kaneko, who is known for his work in the field of monumental ceramic sculpture.  I found these sculptures uninteresting, yet interesting.  It was odd.  I read the information card and learned that the pieces were “representative of his past and present artistic practices” and that the ceramic steels are “covered in a variety of vibrant shapes and patterns which allow viewers to examine their environment and focus in a sense of scale and place.”  *Blank Stare*

I will say that my self imposed travel restriction has been frustrating, but rewarding.  Yesterday, I spent some time at a beach close to my house watching boats sail by.  I whispered to my friend, "Chicago is a beautiful city" and he whispered back "Yes, it certainly is".  

31st Street Beach. Chicago, IL

For more photos of my weekends out, click here.

Get Started Traveling

A number of people have said to me that they admire my ability to travel the way and as much as I do.  When I tell them that I am not doing anything they themselves can not do, I'm usually met with the blank stare or a flat out "na, I can't" but when asked "why not", the blank stare appears.

After a lengthy conversation with a co-worker this week about how to get started traveling and a recent post in a Facebook group from someone who is admiring others travel from afar, I decided to give some practical, step-by-step instructions on just how to get started traveling.

It's easy to tell someone "just get out there and GO" but to a person who might not be as spontaneous and adventurous as I am, this statement might very well induce a panic attack!  So let's take it slow and do some pre-travel work.

Now unless you just got it like that, your first step should be to open a Travel Savings Account.  I do not recommend anyone finance their travels completely using credit.  Now there are creative ways to use your credit cards and finance your travels, such as paying your monthly bills with an airline card in order to rack up miles to purchase a plane ticket, etc.  But other than that, try and pay for your travels using cash.  Or, put your escape on lay away.  There are a few sites, such as Book It that offer payment plans.  This way your travels aren't haunted by the bill that will show up in your mail box next month.

I use ING (now Capital One) for my travel account because they do not have a local branch where I live, reducing my urge to use an ATM for withdrawals.  I have a direct deposit going into that account so every time I get paid, my travel dreams get paid.  This account is used for travel, and only travel.  This also helps me stay within my budget.  I talked more about this in my blog "How I Afford to Travel".

Next, start a list of possible destinations.  Can't think of any places you would like to visit?  Grab some travel magazines (Conde Nast Traveler is my favorite), surf the internet, ask friends/family/coworkers about their favorite destinations.  Also, create a travel vision board and post it in a place where you will see it daily.  I have my board posted in my closet so I can see it a few times per day.  If you are a social media junkie, create a digital board using Pinterest.  If you have children and a spouse that will be traveling with you, have them get involved in selecting destinations and posting pictures.

Got your destinations ready?  Start your research.  I typically google "things to do in XXX" or "best time to travel to XXX".  Usually the Tourism Bureau for that destination will be the first link and there is not a better place to start.  You will also find blogs from people who live in that destination and expert guides.  I read anything and everything I can find about my destination.  I clip photos of things I want to do and place them on my board.  This helps me build my excitement and keeps me motivated to continue to save towards my goal.

Now sign up to receive email alerts from websites such as Jetsetter, Orbitz, SniqueAway, Sherman's Travel, and The Flight Deal.  This will get you advance notice of airline deals, hotel specials, etc.  Also remember to sign up directly on the airlines websites.  But remember that these deals come and go quickly.  If you see a great fare to a destination high on your list, or a great rate for a hotel where you would like to stay, you must be prepared to pull the trigger (your travel account is waiting to be used) because these deals are usually in limited quantity and may not be available for long.

You are now prepared to "just get out there and go".  But if you are still unsure of how to plan the details: What should I do while there?  How long should I stay?  How do I get to my hotel after I landed?  ETC?  Don't be afraid to use the services of a professional travel agent, such as myself.  I would be more than happy to help you plan out a vacation that will get you up and out.

So what are you still doing here?  GO ALREADY!  

Why I Travel

When I was first asked that question, my initial response was “Why Not?” But since that wouldn’t make for a very interesting blog, I gave the question some additional thought. That is when I began to notice that all of my fondest memories from my childhood involved travel.

You see my Mom was a traveler. She loved to go. So she made sure that every summer, if not more often, we went. Of course, Florida was a favorite destination, but we also enjoyed time in Wisconsin Dells, Atlanta, St. Louis, Chicago (we lived in Detroit then) New Orleans, California and Washington DC. My childhood was filled with family trips and family meant sisters, brothers, Aunts, Uncles, cousins, neighbors and anyone else who said “Can I go?”

As a child, I loved this family tradition and couldn’t wait to see what kind of trouble I could get into. Here are just a few of my memories:

• Almost giving my Aunt a heart-attack when I brought a frog from the pool into the room.

• Learning that I really couldn’t swim by jumping into the deep end of the pool and being rescued by the life guard (My Aunt immediately enrolled me into swimming lessons when we got home so that we wouldn’t have this problem again with her “little fish”).

• Swiping the tips left on the table for the waitress every time we left a restaurant (What? I didn’t know why change was constantly being left behind!).

Ahhhhh yes. Those were the good old days!

Recently I read a study conducted on behalf of the U.S. Travel Association and I realized that my Mom was on to something. According to the study:

• Adults remember vacations from a young age: the majority of adults surveyed (62%) say their earliest memories were of family vacations taken when they were between ages 5 and 10.

• Half (49%) of adults describe their memories of childhood family vacations as “very vivid.” These memories are significantly stronger than their memories of school events or birthday celebrations (34% and 31%).

• Travel experiences are not only remembered, but also passed on to younger generations: 77% of youth respondents report that their parents have told them stories about their childhood family vacations.

Who knew? Pssst – my Mom did!

Now that I have children of my own, I try to follow in my Mom’s footsteps by making sure we hit the road (well, the sky) at least once a year. And just like then, anyone is welcome to join us. Last year, I took my daughter, her friend, and my niece to New York for a long weekend. We also crashed my Uncle's family trip to Atlanta.  This year, my daughter and 2 friends are heading to Ft. Lauderdale with me. Three years ago, we embarked on a true family vacation with 2 Aunts, my Sister and her crew (2 daughters and 1 grand son), and a cousin. My kids still talk about that trip!

And there’s more! Not only does travel bring your family closer; it also strengthens the U.S. economy and puts us a step closer on the road to recovery. Check out these facts:

• Since 2010, the travel industry created jobs at a pace nearly 16 percent faster than the rest of the economy, adding 296,000 American jobs (as of October 2012).

• The total number of American jobs supported by travel is 14.4 million.

• 4 million travel industry workers earn a middle‐class income or higher.

• Traveler spending directly generates $124 billion in tax revenue for local, state and federal governments.

• Direct spending by resident and international travelers in the U.S. averaged $2.2 billion a day, $92.8 million an hour, $1.5 million a minute and $25,778 a second.

WOW!

So get out there and do your part. Grab the spouse, the kids, Grandkids, Grand Parents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Neighbors and friends. Hit the open road. Sing some goofy songs. Take over half a plane and watch an in-flight movie. Get lost in a new place. Disconnect. Make some new friends (or re-connect with some old ones).

But most importantly, make some memories that will be talked about long after you’re gone.

That’s the Travel Effect!

*All statistical data provided by the The U.S. Travel Association. For more information, click here.

Confession

I have a secret.  It's not a big secret (well, maybe to some) but it's a secret none the less.  I have been keeping this secret from most of you for quite some time.  Some of you already know my secret, but now it's  time to come clean to the rest of you.  So, here we go:  I have never been to Puerto Rico (dramatic music, gasp). *hangs head in shame*

Shocked?  Most people are when I reveal my secret.  Many simply assume that I have been to San Juan, the oldest city on U.S. territory and known for its beautiful beaches - especially since I am a beach lover.  But nope, I can't say that I have.

When I make this confession, the first response is "Really?  That surprises me."  and the second, of course, is "Why not?"  and this is where it gets tricky.  The truth of the matter is that San Juan always seems so expensive to me.  From the airfare to the beachfront hotels, it all seems overpriced and other destinations always seem to be a better value.  So the other destinations, which also involve acquiring a new passport stamp, always win out.

For instance, if I do a quick airfare check, using May 30th - June 3rd as my dates of travel, here is what I get:

• Chicago to San Juan - $404.87 (with a 10 hour layover in Miami on the return)
• Chicago to Cancun - $422.61
• Chicago to Montego Bay - $516.09
• Chicago to St. Maarten - $583.90
• Chicago to Curacao - $578.90
• Chicago to Barbados - $591.40

If I were looking to book something for that time period,  even though 4 days isn't nearly enough for any of these destinations, which do you think I would select?  

Well, other factors would come into play like what is the purpose of my trip:  explore or relax, am I looking to experience something new, exactly how long are the flights and layovers especially since this is basically a long weekend trip (that San Juan flight has a 10 hour layover in Miami on the return and the Barbados makes 2 stops - YIKES), what is the cost of an average hotel stay, food, etc.  

Based on airfare alone - Cancun would win if I were simply going to relax and Montego Bay would be my choice if I were looking to explore and experience something new.  Why, because for the extra cost of the plane ticket. I can either visit my favorite destination (yes, AGAIN.  I'm an addict remember?) or explore a destination that is higher on the "must see" list than Puerto Rico.

Don't get me wrong, Puerto Rico is on my list.  I want to visit its historical sites, hike in El Yunque National Rainforest, swim in Mosquito Bay, and take a day trip to Culebra or one of the other islands off the coast of Puerto Rico (there are roughly 100 of them); but PR just never seems to win the process of elimination even though there are times that I am actually rooting for Puerto Rico to win.  Crazy, right?

SIGH...there it is.  My deep rooted secret.

This confession brings me no joy.  I know that this favorite Caribbean destination for hundreds of thousands should have made it to my "been there" list by now.  I am ashamed and I promise to rectify this situation ASAP.  Ok, maybe ASAP is a little too soon, but I will get done in 2013.

I wonder if I can piggy-back it on a trip to another destination?!

HMMMMMMMMM.........

What I Learned in Istanbul

When a member of my travel group posted that he had just purchased airfare from New York to Istanbul for under $500, I was intrigued. “Istanbul?” I thought, “hmmmmm, yes I’ve heard of it. Not really on my radar but it sounds interesting” as I opened a web browser and began my research. What I found peeked my interest: largest city in Turkey with close to 10 million people, Blue Mosque, only city that straddles Europe and Asia, good shopping, history dating back to – WOW, a long time ago! Of course, I thought, airfare from Chicago to Istanbul will be double the amount he just paid; but I checked anyway. WHAT, $524 RT? Non-stop? Now I was really intrigued. What’s the weather like? How long is that flight?! Do I really want to go to Istanbul? Of course I do. Who wouldn't?

I requested my time off and purchased my flight. Because of the time difference, I would have 4 full days in Istanbul. I began looking at the top tourist attractions: Blue Mosque and shopping in the Grand Bazaar, Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace. I figured I would have enough time. Here is how it played out:

I arrived on Thursday evening but by the time I purchased my Visa, made my way through customs, realized my baggage did not make the flight and arrived at my hotel, it was close to 8pm. I was exhausted so I decided to stay in for the evening and relax.

Friday (Full Day 1): Because I did not have any clean clothes, I didn't venture out too far. Walking around in the clothing I had traveled in for over 12 hours the day prior was not appealing. I ate a leisurely breakfast in the hotel and chatted with the concierge about some area shopping. The concierge recommended Taksim Square, which is a tourist area full of shops, hotels and restaurants. Off I went to the Metro.

Taksim Square was full of activity as tourists and locals alike filled the streets. The sights and sounds were exhilarating and it was here that I realized this was going to be an amazing experience. I began to stroll İstiklal Avenue, admiring the architecture of the buildings and taking note of the various accents and languages.

I purchased a few items of clothing, just in case my luggage still had not arrived.  It had been raining most of the day and I was drenched, so I headed back to my hotel for a nap and to prepare for the evening ahead.

 Saturday (Full Day 2): Armed with clean clothes, I exited the hotel early determined to make it to the Sultanahmet District, which is historic Old Istanbul and where most of the major sights are located. Because the weather was a bit on the chilly side, I decided that the hop-on/hop-off bus would be the best way to ensure I saw all of the top sites. Besides with the tour, I got a bonus that I did not plan: a trip to the Asian side of Istanbul!

Due to heavy traffic getting to and from the Asian side of Istanbul, more time than I anticipated was spent. But I got an opportunity to see a few sites that were not located in the main tourist area and an opportunity to see some residential areas of the city. The trade off? By the time I arrived in Sultanahmet, it was already after 3pm, which was a lot later than planned and I was losing sunlight.  I headed straight to the Blue Mosque, but learned that it was closed to visitors for prayer. I stood in the courtyard in complete awe at the beauty of a structure that was built in the 1600s as the call to prayer played over the loud speaker. I was paralyzed as I listened to the Muezzin (the person who recites the adhan in the mosque) over the loud speakers. To be in this place, at this time, was not planned; but was planned perfectly. I headed back to the hotel.

That evening, I met up with members from my travel group at a popular Hip-Hop club in the Taksim area where we sang and danced until early morning.

Sunday (Full Day 3): A few members from my travel group were renting an apartment in the Taksim area. The owner of that apartment invited them to brunch on one of the Prince Islands, which are nine islands located in the Sea of Mamara off the coast of Istanbul. I decided to join them!

We boarded the ferry for the journey to Heybeliada, which is the 2^nd largest of all the islands and home to an 11th century Greek Orthodox monastery.  The hike to the top of the Hill of Hope is strenuous, so half way up I opted to catch a horse and carriage, which is an awesome way to arrive at the currently closed Halki seminary. We spent time exploring the grounds of the monastery and the seminary before enjoying a traditional Turkish lunch at one of the island’s many cafes.

Back in my hotel after a long day of walking, I was too tired to do anything but soak in my tub and get some sleep.

Monday (Full Day 4): My last full day and there were still a couple of “must-dos” on my list, so I headed out early. First stop – back to the Blue Mosque, but this time my goal was to see the interior, which turned out to be just as amazing as I imagined.

Next “must-do” – the Spice Market and the Grand Bazaar. This place overwhelmed me with sights, sounds and the smells….OH – the smells inside the Bazaar were intoxicating. From exotic spices to handmade rugs and blankets, to jewelry, to clothing and handbags. Anything you are looking for, you can certainly find at one of the over 3,000 shops in the Bazaar.

Next up, Topkapı Palace and Hagia Sophia. Both of these architectural wonders have served various purposes since being built, but today both serve as museums. Since I spent way too much time walking through the Bazaar, it was getting late; so I opted to not pay to go inside but to spend some time at Hagia Sophia. I walked out the gate and headed to my next stop only to find, wait for it, that Hagia Sophia was CLOSED to visitors on Monday’s. UUUGGGGHHHHHH……

Because I wasn’t ready to call it a day and head back to my hotel, I took a turn down a street I had not previously explored and ran across an unexpected surprise: Yerebatan Sarnici, or the Basilica Cistern. This cistern lies beneath the city and was once used to provide water to Topkapi Palace. The highlight of the cistern – two Medusa column bases located in the northwest corner!

It was now dark, so I headed “home” to begin my packing.

That evening, I reflected on my trip. I did not accomplish everything on my must-do list and I was a little disappointed. I had violated one of my own rules of travel, “do your research”. Had I planned better, I would have known about the hours of Hagia Sophia. But, on the other hand I had a few unexpected surprises. The bus ride to the Asian side was memorable and so was the trip to Heybeliada.

Overall, I really enjoyed Istanbul and I have put it on my repeat list. I learned a lot about the history of Istanbul and the Turkish people. But the most important thing I learned: 4 days is not enough.

To view all of my Istanbul pictures, click here.