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Spain

Rich — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 04:06:00 GMT

Well, we haven't talked much about Spain but I'm going to bring up some great memories. It's fun for me to write about Spain because that's where I met my wife! We met in Salamanca while we were studying abroad and attending the University there. It was tons of fun! In Spain, the "Cafe's" are, in many cases, the bars. I believe we met at Cafe Moderno.

Besides meeting my wife, I remember the architecture and the great Spanish Weather that we had in the summer time. It's amazing to go through the streets and learn about the history. The jardin or the town center was such a great meeting place.... great to have dinner and a glass of wine along the square while discussing the up and coming events planned for the evening. Such fond memories.

One of the things that I specifically remember was the weather. It was great while we were there. It was June and the average number of days for rain in June is 7 (normally) in Salamanca. It only rained a few days. Also, the average temperature in Salamanca in June is a high of 75 and a low of 55... which is exactly what we experience. Needless to say, the weather was awesome. Clearly, the weather, the architecture and the atmosphere was right for meeting your future partner. It's been 14 years and we're still together!

It's Been a While!

Rich — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 03:53:00 GMT

It is absolutely our passion to travel overseas. Last year we spend time traveling to Puerto Rico and more specifically, San Juan. We also went to the Dominican Republic. However, let me say up front that it was not nearly as enjoyable as it could have been. Yes, we had a lot of fun but it wasn't the days of old where we didn't worry about money on vacation. It's unbelievable how much extra stress money constraints can add.

Our problem last year is that we just had too many trips planned. Now, we didn't do it to ourselves... we just had a lot of weddings to attend last year and a few were in exotic locations. Despite to obligatory fun, we did actually have fun. We love Puerto Rico and the Seviche... great stuff with perfectly fried plantain chips... just awesome.

Still, we were constrained and just didn't feel we could eat everything and do everything. This is what brings me to the purpose of this post. We haven't posted in a while because we've had to pick up odd jobs, work extra hours and try to pay for last years vacations. With all the extra work hours, we've also noticed that we don't need everything that we buy either or we've found ways to get the same things for less. It's forced us to look at value and what we actually get or our money. We've also learned that you save more money when you can reduce regular charges like monthly services or electric bills.

Also, when buying products, we've found it useful to buy through distributors when possible. Take a look at this third party review of eyeglasses.... for the review, click here: Zenni Optical. It's just one example of saving money. There are many do-it-yourself products, gardening, canning, and purchasing ideas that can be fun and save money.

Our plan is to use the savings, in part, to make our vacations better... fewer vacations but with less limits... that's our goal for 2010!

Don't be a "Unitard" when Traveling

Rich — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 04:04:00 GMT

Vacation Rental.org has some advertising character known as the "unitard". When you think about going on vacation, considering a vacation rental should be part of your research. It really depends on what you're trying to accomplish on vacation. When I travel to the city to catch a Broadway Show and just have a nice evening out with my wife, I look for a nice hotel in close proximity to everything.

However, when I'm traveling with the whole family or meeting up with extended family, I always look at vacation homes. For starters, I get a lot more space for the money especially when I travel with my aupair, we need the extra space. It's nice to be able to overlook the mountains from the deck or sit with a glass of wine by the beach while the kids are taking a nap. We always have the best vacations when we find a home away from home. We've rented homes that include the kayaks when we're on the water, crabbing pots when we're by the bay or beach gear when we're at the beach.

It's just a nice alternative and something to consider when you're going on vacation!

If you want to see the unitard for yourself, check out their vacation rental commercial:

Traveling the World by Car

Rich — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 02:23:00 GMT

It makes it difficult to actually go overseas when traveling by car but the fact is that in todays economy people are making different choices for travel. Many people are still wanting to take a vacation but they're looking a little closer to home. For my everyday life, I live in the Dallas Fort Worth Area. My kids love the beach so to be a little more economical, we're looking at places in driving distance like Galveston, Corpus Christi or South Padre.

Now, when I'm taking long trips on vacation, I don't like to come back with a long to do list. So, I always bring along a few house keeping items to take care of during my trip. I take maybe an hour a day while the kids are napping. It's not a hassle for me. I like to feel productive and I really enjoy being productive while sitting on my balcony with a view of the ocean and a nice cold beer.

When considering my trip to the beach, I know that I'm going to take a long drive and put a lot of miles on my car. With kids, I know I'll have to stop, get out, go to the bathroom, get drinks and food. So, one of the things I'll do is plan a stop in Houston on the way home. I'll plan the return trip around a Houston auto repair shop. I'll pull up our Accra TL up to the local shop and likely get an
oil change and a brake job. It's the ultimate multi tasking. I go on vacation, at a local restaurant on the way home, give the kids a break and take care of some things. That way, I have less to do when I get home and it's not the after vacation blues... or not as much of them anyway!

Happy New Year - Time Marches On

Rich — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 16:30:00 GMT

Well, it's the New Year. It's that time of year, the time of year that forces you to think about time. Most days we scurry about our lives working, sleeping, eating, dreaming and looking forward to the next big vacation. Time is always moving forward. When you consider it, our methods of keeping time are just a way to measure time. Clearly, it's all been very well planned and observed. Like most things, our measurement of time is based upon what we see that already exists in nature. Our year is based upon the earth's rotation around the sun. A month, for the most part, is similar timing to a full lunar cycle. Each day is in in line with a single rotation of the earth on its axis.

Of course, when people started observing the seasons, the rotation of the earth around the sun, the lunar cycle and the spinning of the earth on its axis, they didn't quite know that is what they were observing. The just recognized that the stars seemed to rotate in the sky, the moon changed from full to crescent and back to full and that every day there was a sunrise and sunset. The tides, the weather, the stars in the sky were all indicators observed by early scientists and philosophers. When they noticed things like the unwaivering Southern Cross and North Star; icons in the sky that never moved, things that they could always count on for navigation. Then consider the pitter patter of rain drops, the steady beat of the ocean waves or some of the steady nature sounds: crickets, song birds, or the morning crow of the rooster. Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock.

As we move into modern times, time is everywhere. The world is in a hurry! So many things depend on a matter of minutes and seconds rather than hours and days. Cell phones, microwaves, stereos, ovens, tv's, and tons of electronic items have clocks build in to them. These days a traditional clock is used for decoration as much as it is for time. Watches are used for jewelry as much as they are for time. Consider the seiko diamond watch or a high priced rolex. We don't need them to tell the time. Sure some are used for scuba diving or sky diving and can with stand great changes in pressure. Trust me, many of the people buying rolex's do not scuba dive or sky dive.

Clocks and watches have become symbols of time (or fashion statements). In that light, I love the watches that are fueled by light. It's a constant reminder the need for saving energy and green living as time marches on! So, we wish you a Happy New Year and challenge you to spend your time wisely in the coming year.

Time to Go to Utah?

Rich — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 06:45:00 GMT

I love to ski, and frankly one of the best places (in my opinion) to ski is Utah. I live in California, and everybody around me will tell you that I am flat out wrong. They'll tell you how great lake Tahoe is for skiing and how nice it is to be able to drive up there. It is nice to be able to drive, but it is not nice to get stuck in traffic between here and there for 7 hours! That's more common than the map quest time of 4 hours that everyone always quotes. Well, if you head up on Wednesday and home on Monday you can easily avoid the heavy traffic. So long as your job permits that kind of schedule and it does not snow, you are good to go!

That leads me to why I like jumping on a plane and flying to Utah better than getting in a car and going to Tahoe. Put simply, it is faster for me to go skiing in Utah! The mountains are only about 20 minutes away from the Salt Lake city airport. And, there is plenty Utah Lodging to keep the price down. So, after a 45 minute flight and a 20 minute drive, and maybe some extra time for security and bags at the airport you are on the slopes same day. It does cost a bit more money, but it is a much better travel experience. And, yes, the snow in Utah is true powder, which lake Tahoe does not ever have!

Travel Resources

Rich — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 06:40:00 GMT

If you like to travel, you may want to look into becoming a travel writer. The upside is that you get a lot of free meals and hotel rooms. The downside is that you won't get rich writing. It should not matter though because the whole point in writing Travel Articles is that you get to do something that you love. My advice is always to follow what you find passion in. That's why I started this blog. Again, it's not something that is going to make me rich, but I like thinking about new adventure travel topics to write about, so it all works out in the end!

Surfin the Online Pharmacies

Rich — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 06:12:00 GMT

Ok, there is certainly a group of legit websites out there that sell prescription drugs. That said, there are also a good number of less that legit ones. The less than legit pharmacies probably sell you fake drugs at best, and if you are lucky enough to find one that sells you real drugs, you are now breaking the law (assuming you don't have a prescription) so you are kind of out of luck. The best advice is always to stay on the up and up and if you want to buy your meds online, then go to a legit online pharmacy to buy them.

Don't get me wrong, I totally see the benefit in online purchases, whether they are prescritpion meds or shoes. To me, shopping online is way faster, much less hassle and often cheaper than going to your local store or pharmacy. That said, with something as important as medication, make sure you are only shopping with the best.

There is a website called tramadolbluebook.com that does reviews of online pharmacies. This is a great concept because of the legit versus non legit issue I mentioned earlier. The idea behind having an inpartial party do reviews is that they can help inform your decision making.

Let's say you are looking for tramadol blue book hcl tab 50mg and you want to find a place to make your purchase online. You could spend all day in google, or you could turn to a group like this one to read their various reviews.

I have not purchased and medications online yet, but it seems reasonible to say that it might be worth a few minutes of your time to check out buying tramadol bluebook online. Why not? Right?

Online pharmacies should be the way of the future. So, we do need to support them if we ever want to get out of the normal drive to the drug store paradigm, Just think of the fuel you can save! That said, let's all try to do our part not to support the less than legit vendors out there. All they will do is give the legit ones a bad rep and then you know the government will come in and over regulate the industry. That never happens! ha!

Back to Traveling

Rich — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:16:00 GMT

Moscow is a cultural, economic, and religious center. It is a world class city. Signs of life in the vicinity of the Moscow date back to the stone age. The earliest historical references to the city date back to 1146 AD. In the mid 1150's, the city had build a moat and a wooden wall for protection of the citizens in the city. As it was with the times, war always seemed to be on the doorstep and the city was taken in the early 1200's and burned to the ground.

Resilience is a must for survival and you'll find the same level of resilience with every successful team, organization, city or nation. Moscow's people and position on the Volga River put resulted in an expanding city on the rise again and began to thrive. Of course, it has had it's share of challenges over the years. In 1654, over half of it's citizens died from the plaque.

In 1712, St Petersburg replace Moscow as the capital of Russia. Of course, that's bound to happen when the head of state, Peter the Great, builds a city (on the east side of the Baltic Sea). St. Petersburg was founded in 1703 and, as previously stated, became the capital in 1712.

Later, in 1771, over 100,000 people died of the plaque causing an even more tragic loss of life than the first plaque. Still, the citizens of Moscow moved forward. Over the years, Moscow has survived invasions by Napoleon and the Nazi's. Then, of course, the Cold War where Russia was a Super Power until the fall of the Russia in 1989.

Life goes on. Now, the prevalent religion in Moscow is Christianity with the Russian Orthodox Church being the prominent church. The population is over 10 million people which has been declining with the lower birth rates since 2002. It's decline has been significant; 700,000 per year. The population was over 17 million in 2002.

Anyway, are you ready to visit. Understanding the basic history is just a start. Furthermore, we didn't get into the current food, places to stay, nightlife or things to do. Although, you'll want to check out this website for Moscow Hotels. Otherwise, we'll get into more details about Moscow in later posts.

Direct TV

Rich — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:35:00 GMT

I love to travel. I love going places and visiting new things but these days with the advances in HDTV and large screen LC and Plasma TV's, you can cover a good amount of ground without ever leaving your house. It's not our favorite way to travel but it is efficient and it allows you to see things from angles that you may not be able to see them in person.

One of my favorite TV adventures is the National Geographic and BBC special: Planet Earth. It's often aired on the discovery channel and it just awesome in HDTV. As far as I know, Directv still has the most HDTV channels when it comes to a national offering and they still have the Sunday ticket (because I love football as well).

Anyway, it's worth asking the question: how do you get your HDTV? There are many choices out there but I still have Directv (Commonly spelled incorrectly as Direct TV or DirectTV). If Directv is something you are interested in purchasing, check out the included links because assuming Directv is something you want, you're going to want to make sure you have the best deal.

Shop around and ask for a deal. Even if you are a current customer, they are always updating their plans and are willing to give away freebies to current customers. Again, check out the link and see what kind of package deal you can get so you can get more channels for less. Kind of like the commercial they run... maybe it's time for you to get upgraded.

Travel Repairs

Rich — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 19:41:00 GMT

On the road? There's really nothing worse than being on the road and having your vehicle stop working. Of course, if you're in a rental, they just exchange it. I'm talking about you and your vehicle. The trusted mechanics that you know are hundreds of miles away and you have to find someone to fix your car. Well, if you have the internet, there is a website out there that might be able to help. They call themselves "Repair Pal".

So next time the water pump goes bad in your Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Ford Escort, Chevy Tahoo or Porshce 911, you're going to want someone to fix it and it helps to do a little homework so that you don't pass it off to the closest available. Check out the Chicago auto repair section as an example. Right at the top, you will see 3 top rated 5 star shops.

Now, make sure you click on the actual shop. We put credibility in numbers and multiple data points. Your Way Automotive, for example, has a 5 star rating but there is only 1 customer review. Just like everything else, we advise you to dig a little deeper, read the reviews and then decide which is the best repair shop for you. Hopefully, you don't break down on a long trip but, if you do, you have some resources to do a little homework!

Assembly Guides for DIY Computer

Michelle — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 05:20:00 GMT

I used to love computers. I'm not saying that I don't love computers and computer kits now but my passion with computer stuff has moved to gadgets and techie stuff. But recently there are websites that offer computers that can be built only by yourself. That made me go back to checking out computers again.

Like EasyAsMyPC.com, they offer a whole range of computer kits. They have 3 types of computer kids: Basic, Business, and Gaming. But one thing that caught my attention is the assembly guides that you can buy together with those computer kits. It can also be according to the kit that you are buying. Whether it is a basic kit, business kit and gaming kit, there are assembly guides that will help you in assembling these computers. Prices of these assembly guides are usually $4.99. These product are the actual instruction manual for their Basic, Business, and Gaming Computer Kits. I realized that whether you are a pro at DIY computers or not, you will still need these guides because each computer kit is different from each other. But don't worry because if you buy kit from them, this guide is free and is part of the package.

Nearby Tourist Spots in Cusco

Michelle — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 04:59:00 GMT

I have read from IGuide Interactive Travel Guide that there are actually nearby cities, destinations, or tourist spots in Cusco. If you have a few extra days, then why not visit these places?

1. Pisac. In Pisac you are advised to visit the colorful market. Behind the market is the expansive ruins where you need to climb up to see the religious site and cemetery behind. This is basically twenty miles away from Cusco.

2. Ollantaytambo. This city also has a religous center that must be visisted. This was doubled as a fortress during the spanish conquest. You can visit this after you visited Machu Picchu or if you don't want to visit this is still a perfect alternative. They said that this is a great place to stay. It is located forty eight miles from Cusco.

3. Machu Picchu - Peru is known for Machu Picchu. This is the atmospheric ruin perched below the Andes. It has been recommended that if you want to experience the best of Machu Picchu you have to take the Inca Trail. A bit difficult especially for first timers but is certainly worth the exercise! You can avail of packages in different costs according to your budget.

4. Choquequirao - This is not that popular compared to Machu Picchu so you can still go this place without booking in advance. The site is only accessible by a four day trek.

Scuba Diving Buzz

Michelle — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 04:47:00 GMT

I found a site called Scuba Diving Buzz that gives you information on scuba diving. It's like a scuba diving school but it's not really. They also have information about stuff on great places to scuba dive but focuses on ideas on how to learn to scuba dive.

Did you know that you can actually get some certifications in scuba diving if you really want to pursue it professionally? Or if you just want that certificate to brag to your friends. Scuba Diving Buzz offers certification on the following:

Open Water
Advanced Open Water
Rescue Diver
Dive Master
Instructor

As an instructor you can get certificates as:

Open Water Instructor
Specialty Instructor
Master Scuba Diver Trainer
IDC Staff Instructor
Master Instructor
Course Director

I know that you have a lot to learn when it comes to scuba diving. It is not an ordinary sport. I guess not anyone can do it. Good thing that Scuba Diving Buzz is there to help. If you are into scuba diving and has been doing this sport for years now, you will appreciate this website. But take note that this website is not a diving shop nor a diving school. They are just there to help.

Clubs and Pubs in Cusco

Michelle — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:19:00 GMT

There are a lot of clubs and pubs that are worth checking out in Cusco. If you have lots of free time, which is usually at night, then you better check out these clubs! Here are first five clubs and pubs and some tips from IGuide Interactive Travel Guide.

Mama America - a pretty popular place in Cusco. A lot f people knows about this place. They offer good music, good atmosphere and free salsa lessons. It usually starts at about 9 and goes until about 11. This sounds really exciting especially if you love dancing.
There are people who want to get away from the tourist crowd for a while, if you are one of them, you head to Caos on la Avenida de la Cultura. This is located next to the post office. In this place you can actually dance the night away with the locals. This club offers a great mix of music and exotic drinks.
Locals in the Plaza de Armas usually are at El Muki. This is located across the street from Mama America. It has a unique cave-like interior. This is one of the city's oldest discos.
Mythology is another disco that offers salsa. They offer Rueda Cubana for you to learn. Rueda Cubana classes start from 9 and private lessons can be arranged with Cesar, the dance instructor. This club also offers a unique decor of gods and goddesses and I have read that they have the cleanest restrooms of all of the nightclubs, by far.
If you are into dancing meringue and salsa all night, you should check out Garabato's. They feature a live salsa and meringue band most nights. Salsa crowd goes to this pub after 10 or 11 usually when the other clubs stop playing salsa.

More clubs and pubs to check out tomorrow. Watch out for it!

More Paintball Rules

Michelle — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:09:00 GMT

I have covered three basic but important paintball rules last week and promised to cover again more this week. As a review, it is pretty important that in playing paintball you have to keep in mind that there are rules in this adult war game. There are rules according to the referee, marking, splatter, paint checks, when starting the game, deadman, simultaneous marked players, game time, flag game, paint purchase, captains, boundaries, protective equipment, barrel plugs, and shields. Did you know that in playing paintball there are also opportunities to cheat? That, I didn't expect. So for this week, I will share some ways on how people cheat. Take note that cheating will result in immediate disqualification by the Referee. Here are the ways people cheat that can result in disqualification...

Sandbagging – players are rated by their experience levels and tournaments are held for all levels of experience. Players are not allowed to play in tournaments below their experience level. If any player attempts to play, this is known as sandbagging and will result in disqualification.
High velocity settings – if the velocity settings on your gun are cranked up too high, especially for the purpose of causing pain versus ensuring the marker breaks, you can be disqualified.
Unauthorized Paint – All paint should be purchased from the referee any other paint on a players person can result in disqualification.

More about Money and Shopping in Cusco

Michelle — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 10:10:00 GMT

As promised, here are more information that you might be interested. More details and tips about shopping in Cusco grabbed from IGuide Interactive Travel Guide.

In Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu prices can be the double of what they are in Cuzco.

The further away you get from the main square, they cheaper things become, although there is a mini-mart next to the big church in the main square that is cheaper than in my hotel, then there is the San-Pedro market where bread is s/0.10 and a glass of combination juices is s/1.50 and they give you 2-4 refills. Don't go too far from the main square at night though, it can be dangerous.

If you travel to the "Sacred Valley" (Valle Sagrado, including the towns/ruins of Chinchero, Ollantaytambo and Pisac), there is lots of touristy stuff to buy, you can barter, but the prices won´t go down much.

There is another market called Centro Comercial El Molino, Urbanizacion Ttio, you have to take a taxi and it costs s/2 to get there.

The indigenous women at El Centro Bartolome de Las Casas have a store in which they sell homemade handicrafts and weavings. You can often watch them work, though they often don't speak Spanish, and rarely speak a word of English. It's located a few blocks from the plaza on Avenida Tullumayu.

Alpaca sweaters are not like they used to be. The only good ones are in upmarket shops.

I see that these are pretty helpful tips. Only locals living in Cusco would know these kind of things. Like the cost of Taxi, I wouldn't know the exact cost of that. Knowing taxi drivers who will jack up the price if they would realize that their passenger is a tourist. These are the kind of tips that we should take into consideration especially if we are traveling in a country for the first time.

Chicken Coop Blueprints

Michelle — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 10:03:00 GMT

I have been writing a lot about chicken coops and chicken coops plans because my Dad is in the poultry business. He has been managing it for years now. 10 years or more I guess. He is happy with how he handled things but he has never felt relieved until now that there are already chicken coop blueprints that you can do or buy. There are websites like DIYChickenCoops.com that will help you in creating this. Their website will give you so many information about these stuff like chicken coops, chicken coop plans, chicken coop blueprints, and more. There are also suggested books that you can read or buy from them. In the poultry business farming is always connected so they will give you ideas on what to do with farming. It can be organic farming, fresh salt and water farming, land animal farming or just general farming. You can really shop through their website and get tons and tons of information that are essential to your business. My Dad for one loved the one I got for him and according to him helped his business. Even if he has a lot of experiences in this area, he still needed to be updated through the stuff from DIYChickenCoops.com.

Money and Shopping in Cusco

Michelle — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 09:59:00 GMT

My favorite part of traveling is shopping. I never wanted to go home without buying anything from a country or city that I visit. If you are traveling the first time in Cusco, I'm sure you would need tips on where to go and what to buy. Check it out from IGuide Interactive Travel Guide.

If you want cheap cheap touristy stuff, go to one of the two Saturday and Sunday morning markets in Juliaca (about 5 hours away by bus), Puno (about 6 hours away by bus). They are about 1/3 the price of Cuzco.

If you don't want to go so far away, but still want touristy stuff, go to the Artisan Market at the intersection of la Avenida del Sol and Tullumayo. It's the big red building near the fountain.

Also, Pisac, a town outside Cuzco, has a very big market. It is about 30 minutes from Cuzco by bus. The bus station is on Tullumayo street a couple blocks from Limacpampas. The fare is very cheap, and you can see the Incan ruins at Pisac.

Are these tips helpful for you? These are the tips that we need before we travel to Cusco. Shopping is my favorite past time but I want to make sure that I shop at a very affordable price. Since these things are known only for people living in Cusco, it's good that I get tips just like I have mentioned above. I guess the most important part is that you act like you are not a tourist so people will not give you a high priced items. Or best to do a lot of research about the place before going there.

Do you want to know more about shopping in Cusco? Watch out for more in the next articles.

On Being Healthy

Michelle — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 09:49:00 GMT

A couple of months ago, I vowed to myself that I start a healthy lifestyle. So that means start doing some exercises and start eating right. I want to eat organic food too. Although I haven't convinced myself to start gardening but who knows, I might get to that kind of activity one of these days. So I read a lot of articles about DIY gardening and how growing cucumbers and growing squash can be done. It's not easy I tell you but definitely worth it.

Just imagine the thought of spending your mornings picking your own vegetables. Then, as you carry them to your house, you will appreciate how they are so bright and pretty. You have several shades of green with the string beans, peppers, cucumbers and some lettuce along with the red tomatoes, radishes or red lettuce in your basket next to the yellow squash. It is just so pretty to look and take note, you haven’t even cooked it yet! If you have kids DIY gardening is a great path to choose considering their health. But this is not only for them but for the rest of the family. It may be time consuming and tiring, but it is truly worth it!