Destinations

Looking for this year’s festival? This is the 2025 recap. For the full history and what the festival is about, see our complete guide: Yauco National Coffee Festival. For the current edition, see our 2026 post. The 50th Festival Nacional del Café Freddie León Maldonado ran Sunday, February 23 through Sunday, March 2, 2025, in Yauco. A milestone year for …

New here? This is the 2025 recap. For the full history, traditions, and what SanSe is about, see our complete guide: SanSe: The Complete Guide to the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián. SanSe 2025 ran Thursday, January 16 through Sunday, January 19, 2025, across four plazas of Old San Juan. Carlos Vives closed Saturday night at the Quinto Centenario. …

Looking for this year’s festival? This is the 2024 recap. For the full history and what the festival is about, see our complete guide: Festival Nacional Indígena: The Complete Guide. For the current edition, see our 2026 post, or read our 2025 and 2023 recaps. The 54th Festival Nacional Indígena ran Friday, November 15 through Sunday, November 17, 2024, in …

Looking for this year’s festival? This is the 2024 recap. For the full history and what the festival is about, see our complete guide: Yauco National Coffee Festival. For the current edition, see our 2026 post. The 49th Festival Nacional del Café Freddie León Maldonado ran Sunday, February 25 through Sunday, March 3, 2024, in Yauco, under the theme “Nuestro …

Yauco, Puerto Rico, might be a town that you have never heard of but in terms of Puerto Rican history it has quite the sleepy legacy. Presently, known as the “El Pueblo del Café“, or the town of coffee, Yauco was once the Taíno capital of the island prior to the arrival of the Spanish. Led by chief Agüeybana, and …

New here? This is the 2024 recap. For the full history, the vejigantes, and what the carnival is about, see our complete guide: Carnaval Ponceño: The Complete Guide. Carnaval Ponceño 2024 marked 166 years of history and stretched across nine days, from the Aires de Carnaval salsa nights starting Monday, February 5 to the Entierro de la Sardina on Tuesday, …

New here? This is the 2024 recap. For the full history, traditions, and what SanSe is about, see our complete guide: SanSe: The Complete Guide to the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián. SanSe 2024 ran the third weekend of January 2024, Thursday the 18th through Sunday the 21st, across five plazas of Old San Juan plus the Comunidad La …

Looking for this year’s festival? This is the 2023 recap. For the full history and what the festival is about, see our complete guide: Festival Nacional Indígena: The Complete Guide. For the current edition, see our 2026 post, or look back at 2024 and 2025. The 53rd Festival Nacional Indígena ran Friday, November 17 through Sunday, November 19, 2023, at …

Looking for this year’s festival? This is the 2023 recap. For the full history and what the festival is about, see our complete guide: Yauco National Coffee Festival. For the current edition, see our 2026 post. The 48th Festival Nacional del Café Freddie León Maldonado ran Sunday, February 26 through Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Yauco. The edition was framed …

New here? This is the 2023 recap. For the full history, the vejigantes, and what the carnival is about, see our complete guide: Carnaval Ponceño: The Complete Guide. Carnaval Ponceño 2023 ran Thursday, February 16 through Tuesday, February 21, 2023, in downtown Ponce. Six nights on and around Plaza Las Delicias: the Baile de Máscaras to open, the Entrada del …

It all started thousands of years ago. No one knows exactly where Hairy Chicken originated from, or if there was even an origin. In some ways, Hairy Chicken can be thought of the Indian Chuck Norris. Hairy Chicken is elusive, powerful and legendary. The legend of Hairy Chicken originates from deep within the eastern region of India, from the times …

New here? This is the 2020 recap. For the full history, traditions, and what SanSe is about, see our complete guide: SanSe: The Complete Guide to the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián. SanSe 2020 ran Wednesday, January 15 through Sunday, January 19, 2020, and it was a double milestone: the festival’s 50th edition, and the opening act for San …

If you ever have a long layover in Hong Kong and are wondering if it is worth visting the city, do it! It doesn’t matter if you have a 12, 8, or even just 6 hour layover in Hong Kong, it can likely be a cool experience for you. Anything less than that would be difficult, but not impossible. Recently …

Looking for this year’s festival? This is the 2019 recap. For the full history and what the festival is about, see our complete guide: Yauco National Coffee Festival. For the current edition, see our 2026 post. The 2019 Festival Nacional del Café ran Sunday, February 24 through Sunday, March 3, 2019, in Yauco, Puerto Rico. Nine days built around the …

Over the holiday break between 2018-2019 I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to visit Panamá and Colombia. It was my second time in Central/South America as I had previously visited Ecuador for 10 days, spent a brief few days in Costa Rica, and lived in the Caribbean in Puerto Rico for about a year. This trip to Colombia …

New here? This is the 2019 recap. For the full history, traditions, and what SanSe is about, see our complete guide: SanSe: The Complete Guide to the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián. SanSe 2019 ran Wednesday, January 16 through Sunday, January 20, 2019, across four plazas of Old San Juan, with additional programming at La Perla, the Teatro Tapia, …

This year I had the opportunity to attend the San Inazio festival in Boise, Idaho. San Inazio is an annual festival celebrating the Basque culture and it is hosted by the Basque diaspora in Idaho. The San Inazio festival takes place each July and attracts thousands of visitors both from the old country and USA. There are multiple events each …

Lafayette is a bustling city in the heart of southwest Louisiana that defies the norms of middle America. Known locally as a “little-big town” and once you arrive, you will understand why. It has the energy and ambition of a bigger city, yet everywhere you turn there are signs of tradition. Family recipes have been passed down for generations. Lifestyles …

Lake Martin Breaux Bridge (Louisiana) (Picture gallery below) Lake Martin is a place that I have included both in my things to do in Louisiana and things to do in Lafayette.  Lake Martin is a swamp-lake located in Breaux Bridge, just a short drive from downtown Lafayette.  If I am not mistaken, the Lake was originally formed hundreds of years …

Inside a Louisiana Style Crawfish Boil Crawfishin’ it’s a Cajun thing The Cajun people have made a name for themselves in recent years. For a long time, Louisiana, thanks to Cajun and other creole cuisines, has developed its reputation for being home to some of the most flavorful food in America. Chefs from all around come to south Louisiana to …

New York is a city well-known for its glamour, grandiose streets, and rapid pace of life. However, once one gets past the constant bustle of the city, you start to notice other things that make New York unique. Outside of its attractions and endless events, one can find some of the most ethnically diverse neighborhoods that are compiled of the various …

Catalina Island is part of the group of islands just off the coast of Los Angeles called the Channels. Catalina is a famed weekend getaway from LA as the ferry to the island takes only about 1 hour. Originally home to the Tongva people, the island was colonized by the Spanish, then passed ownership multiple times before becoming part of …

Stuff to do in Burlington Vermont Vermont is a quiet state tucked away in the historic New England region of the United States.  People who visit Burlington will be surprised to find it is filled with beautiful scenery and landscape.  Vermont has some mountains and great hiking venues, and it makes the perfect destination for a person looking to see …

Diversity. It’s a word that lots of cities claim, but few actually achieve. There are definitely plenty of cosmopolitan cities, but none seem to capture the essence of the world in a city like New York City. As Jovanotti put it in his song New York for Life, “There’s no place where you can find a piece of every place, …

Want to see an alligator in Louisiana? Perhaps even hold a baby alligator? Louisiana alligators are an integral part of the ecosystem and frankly Louisiana just wouldn’t be the same without them. When planning your visit to Louisiana seeing an alligator is one of the top things to do! Where is the best place to find one? It depends. It depends …

Holi Lafayette has become one of the most anticipated annual events. In preparation for Holi festival 2018, here’s a tribute video to the Lafayette Holi in Louisiana. Are you prepared to party this spring? In the last few years the adoption of Holi in America has become increasingly widespread. While there are many imitations, few festivals seem to capture the …

Recently, completing my article of things to do in Ecuador in 10 days. I thought it would be helpful to add some travel tips and advice for Ecuador as well. Ecuador was my first visit to South America; hopefully the first of many. I’ve been to other LATAM areas such as Mexico, Costa Rica, and lived in on the Caribbean …

Interested in visiting Ecuador, but not sure if 10 days is worth it? I asked myself the same question. Last year I was in transition between jobs and was looking for a new destination to visit. I had not been to South America before and wanted to experience it, especially after spending time traveling in Puerto Rico and backpacking through …

Los Angeles is an expansive Southern Californian city known for its weather, coastal access, and scenic surrounding terrain. With so much land, there are a lot of things to do in Los Angeles and options for people with different interests. I’ve always been an advocate of getting to know the city you live or visit, which often includes lesser known …

In 2017, I was able to take a short trip to Ecuador. Though brief, the experience was very enriching. I was able to visit 2 of the 3 major regions of the country and see several cities along the way. It was my first time in South America although since then, I have been able to visit Colombia as well. …

I’ve spent a lot of my adult years trying to be appreciative for what I have rather than what I do not. Admittedly, this isn’t always an easy task, especially in a world that constantly preaches more. Though life seems to throw things in your direction ever once in a while just to make sure you are holding true to …

My most recent travels have been to Quebec Canada and San Francisco. I’m starting to put up some posts about both now, but am still working on those from Quebec. This video traces my trip with clips from many of the places that I visited including: Montréal, Québec, Canada Québec City, Québec, Canada Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive (Les Éboulements), Québec, Canada La …

The Artistic Scene in Montreal It has been a few years since I first visited Montreal. Both times have been brief, but enjoyable. Also, I think it has helped that I have visited twice during the summer months as I am not sure that I would fare so well in the winter. The last time I visited, I was interested …

The Safety Question of La Isla del Encanto Is Puerto Rico really as dangerous as they say? Dwelling in the topics of safety and travel are not typically terms that I like to associate with one another. In fact, they are typically things that I like to disassociate with one another. However, even I will admit, there is a safety …

But it was totally worth it… Not to over-dramatize things here, but I did have a close call with my end while hiking in the backwoods of Puerto Rico. Now don’t misunderstand me, I am alive and well and live to tell the tale. Even though I had a briefly contracted a mosquito born illness while on the island, the …

Here are some pictures that I took in Prospect Park in late November when the leaves were changing colors. Prospect Park is one of the best places to relax in NYC! It’s like the Central Park for Brooklyn.     Have a good day!

New here? This is the 2015 recap. For the full history, traditions, and what SanSe is about, see our complete guide: SanSe: The Complete Guide to the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián. SanSe 2015 ran Thursday, January 15 through Sunday, January 18, 2015, across four plazas of Old San Juan. The program came from the community of Old San …

Helpful Tips for Traveling in Puerto Rico   1.) Plan out your accommodation beforehand One of the most frustrating things about Puerto Rico is the lack of accommodation, or affordable accommodation, for backpackers. Thousands of tourists visit San Juan annually  and stay in the fancy beach front hotels, or one of the other numerous resorts around the island. However, if …

New York’s Energy From My Perspective There has always been something alluring to me about New York City. New York City is not such an easy city to define though. I’ve explored the great Istanbul, walked the streets of the eternal city of Rome, and sat in the cool sand under the most beautiful night sky in the Moroccan Sahara. …

The Original Boricuas I have been wanting to write an article explaining a side or founding block of Puerto Rican culture that few outside of the island know about. It is a legacy that goes back several hundred years before the arrival of the Europeans and the creation of the so say “new world”. It is a root that has …

When I lived in Puerto Rico, I was always amazed at how little people did on the island. So many people visit the island annually, but completely miss out on what the island has to offer. Puerto Rico might be a strange place, but if offers a dynamic and unique list of things to do. I didn’t do absolutely everything …

Photo Journey through Puerto Rico I’ve finally reviewed and gone over most of my pictures from Puerto Rico. I’ve concluded with these as being my favorites. These pictures were taken in many places around the island from San Juan to the islands to the rain forests. I have tried to include variety in this so that you can see some …

Puerto Rico’s street art scene I think that few people really ever enjoy the street art scene in Puerto Rico. San Juan in of itself, has some great works by some very renown artists. One of the things that I noticed a lot was there are many works that are attempting to beautify areas of the city that are otherwise …

TL;DR: Should you drive in Puerto Rico? Rent a car. If you are going anywhere beyond San Juan, it is the only practical way to see the island, and it costs less than the alternatives once you leave the metro. Best for San Juan only: Uber plus the AMA bus. Skip the car, skip the parking. Best for the classic …