USA

Let me begin by saying that this mini excursion is what all geeks dream of, and I firmly believe that each of us has a spark of geek in us, even the self-proclaimed dilettantes. The EMP (Experience Music Project) Museum, standing in the shadow of the Space Needle, embodies all things geek, but also, all things cool. This futuristic building, composed of five wrinkled curvilinear structures, clad in stainless steel and aluminum panels, and painted in bold colours, is one of th

We headed out to Pike Place Market, but since we found parking close to where the big malls were, we were sidetracked. I think one of the kids said they needed to go to the washroom. We naturally looked for one in the mall and got stuck there for a couple of hours browsing the shops. We spent most of our time in specialty boutiques selling local products (highly recommended when you go to Seattle) – coffee, spiced tea, chocolates, goat-milk candies, cheese, beer from microbre

We started our first day in Seattle with a Sunday Mass at the Saint James Cathedral, the oldest church in Seattle that was built in honour of their patron saint, Saint James the Greater. Located in the city’s First Hill neighbourhood, it is considered the mother church of the Archdiocese of Seattle and the Seat of its Archbishop. After a quick breakfast of cereal, milk, eggs, and coffee, we headed to Ninth Avenue. We were fortunate to find parking at the back lot of a church.

On our most recent trip to the West Coast, my cousin and I had planned on going south and crossing the border into Washington State, just to add some variety to our Vancouver visit. We had thought of going to Seattle for sightseeing, dining, and (window)shopping. Though I had gone to the Pacific Northwest of the United States (Portland, Oregon for a short pilgrimage with my aunt, and then Redmond, Washington for a week-long training for work) in the past, I had never really s

I have seen the Grand Canyon through the South Rim. This is the most visited section and the most recommended for first-timers for several reasons. One, it is open all year round no matter what the season. Second, it is the most easily accessible from most major western American cities. Third, it has a host of several hotels and lodges (most of them historic), camping grounds, restaurants, shops, and visitor centres that could cater to visitors’ needs at any time. Fourth, it

If there is anything that inspires awe in me, it would have to be the majestic natural wonders of this world. Their sheer size and scale alone are enough to humble me and remind me that I am but a tiny speck in this immense universe, a small fragment of the grand scheme of things, which for the most part, is a big mystery to us all. In my books, very few can top the Grand Canyon of Arizona. One can only fully grasp its dimensions (446 kilometers long, up to 29 kilometers wide

I had never heard of Lake Havasu before my brother took me there while in Arizona. And when he told me that we were going to see the London Bridge, I got confused. Somehow, I could not find the connection between London and Arizona. I later learned that Lake Havasu is dubbed as “Arizona’s Playground.” It is situated in Mohave County in the western part of the state, and though it is geographically isolated from the other counties, it is a favourite vacation place for many peo

The rest of our time in Vegas was spent seeing and doing the iconic things, as expected of first-timers. We took advantage of the free entertainment and attractions along The Strip – the pirate show at Treasure Island; the musical fountains and the botanical garden of The Bellagio; the Fountain of Trevi replica, the Atlantis Aquarium, and the Atlantic animatronics show at Caesar’s Palace; the “Lake of Dreams” show at Wynn’s; the exploding volcano at The Mirage (which was sad

One thing that my husband did not want to miss in Las Vegas was the Big Apple Coaster ride at the New York-New York Hotel and Casino. At first, he just wanted to see it. And then, he decided he wanted to go on it…at the last minute. So desperate was he that we took a taxi from one end of the Strip to the other just to make it on time, for it was almost the ride’s closing time. He mad-dashed to the ticket booth as soon as we arrived at the hotel. He was fortunate that the lin

My family and I are non-gamblers, and our nine-year-old niece was with us on this trip. So, for the most part, we just skipped the casinos, even the slot machines of Las Vegas. But Vegas is really so much more than its “Sin City” reputation. It could also be a fun city for families. And if you are a savvy traveler, you would know how to enjoy your time there without splurging so much. In fact, we only splurged on three things – a Cirque du Soleil show, an expensive buffet di

Luxury casinos. Wild parties. Spectacular stage shows. Big celebrity concerts. Bright neon marquees. Loud music. Flamboyant outfits. Endless buffets. Bottomless cocktails. These are the things that come to mind when you think of Las Vegas. Or, think Ocean’s 12 or Hangover . As an introvert, these are the things that I usually avoid. You could, therefore, say that going to Las Vegas is not exactly in my bucket list. It’s funny, because a lot of people I know here in North Ame

California is a big, and there’s only so much you can do in seven days. My first time there was mostly spent in “SoCal,” as they call this area. After we had ticked Disneyland and Universal Studios off our list, my friend’s cousin volunteered to spend his “half-day off” from school with us by driving us to Long Beach. We headed to City Beach near Belmont Shore to walk along the breakwater, enjoy the sun, watch the seagulls, and admire the view. I found an iconic Califor

The next day, we visited Universal Studios Hollywood, one of the oldest and most famous Hollywood film studios still in use that also doubles as a theme park. As the “entertainment capital of LA,” this is another iconic California destination. But it had a different vibe from Disneyland. This one enticed the “TV-producer-wanna-be” side of me (and I did become one after university grad). Since this trip was from many, many years ago, the Universal Studios I am describing is qu

The first on the list of the places we wanted to see in California was Disneyland. “It’s the happiest place on earth,” the eight-year-old in me screamed, and the eighteen-year-old me couldn’t simply brush that aside. Luckily, my companions and I felt the same way. My friend, whose aunt hosted our stay in Torrance, and our small party of three girls had agreed to meet another theatre group mate (who was staying with his cousin near downtown LA) by the entrance and we happily

If you could ask the eight-year-old version of me to describe what the United States is like, I would probably describe California. When I was that age, growing up in the Philippines, my image of America was of sun-kissed beaches, surfers in the waves, vibrant cityscapes, a busy network of highways, avenues lined with palm trees, the “Hollywood” sign perched on the hill overlooking celebrity mansions, kids in bright coloured summer clothes skateboarding in the park, apple orc

I had a few key takeaways from this cruise: Cruising can be fun. I used to think that cruising is a boring way to travel and that it’s just for old people. It’s not. In fact, it has something for everyone. There is a wide spectrum of cruise lines at different market segments offering a wide range of options and features that could suit different age groups, budgets, and preferences – from contemporary to luxury, casual to sophisticated, relaxing to active, tranquil to full-bl

We ended our cruise in New York City, but we had less than a day to spend there before we had to fly back home. Since there was not much time, we just booked a bus tour that took us on a loop around the city, from the seaport to the key neighborhoods – Two Bridges, Lower East Side, East Village, Gramercy Park, Kips Bay, Murray Hill, Sutton Place, Lenox Hill, Upper East Side, York Hill, Carnegie Hill, Harlem, Upper West Side, Manhattan, Lincoln Square, Hell’s Kitchen, Midtown

Newport is a city set on Aquidneck Island in the New England state of Rhode Island. It is known for the Gilded Age mansions lining Bellevue Avenue and the annual sailing regatta, America’s Cup, hosted in its yacht-filled harbour. We did a scenic drive that took us along the world-famous Ocean Drive, where we had spectacular views of Newport’s rocky coastline. We continued on Bellevue Avenue, where for a moment, we got immersed in a world of wealth and power that existed at th

From Gloucester, we drove along the rock-strewn coastline dotted with pretty houses and estates enroute to Rockport. Rockport is another English colony coastal town in Cape Ann, and like the former, it was oozing with New England charm. This seaside town, an active fishing community in the 1700s, is now a mecca for artists, craftsmen, photographers, and art enthusiasts. And this was clearly evident as we strolled the Bear Skin Neck Street, Main Street, and Beach Street lined

We docked at Gloucester in Cape Ann, Massachusetts, America's oldest seaport. This gorgeous coastal community boasts of a rich maritime history and hometown spirit, and like the other harbourside places we had visited, its waterfront was very much alive and vibrant. I must admit that prior to this cruise, I used to equate “New England” with Cape Cod, the hook-shaped peninsula in Massachusetts state that is famous for its quaint villages, lighthouses, seafood shacks, bays, and