Category Archive: RT

Talking About Seattle on the Amateur Traveler

I’ve lived in Washington State all of my life, and the greater Seattle area for most of it. When my friend Chris Christensen from the Amateur Travler wanted to talk about the city, I was happy to oblige. The discussion center mostly on things to do in downtown Seattle, things you wouldn’t need a car to go see or do. Take a listen below, or visit Amateur Traveler Episode 502 – Travel to Seattle, Washington for show notes and to subscribe via iTunes. Amateur Traveler Episode 502 – Travel to Seattle, Washington

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Visiting the Ruins of Pompeii: From Tragedy to Tourism

On August 24th, 79 A.D., Mount Vesuvius erupted in a violent two day display that destroyed the city of Pompeii, Italy, and the surrounding area. It is one of history’s largest recorded volcanic eruptions, and a tragedy any measure. The city was buried under ash and pumice for nearly 1700 years, and was presumed lost until its accidental re-discovery in the mid-1700s.   The subsequent excavation of the site provided a peek at what life was like during the height of the Roman Empire. Rising out of the ash and lava over a thousand years later, Pompeii turned a horrible tragedy into a tourism opportunity. Millions of visitors a year now visit this UNESCO World Heritage site located not far from Naples, along with its sister city Herculaneum. The site is stable and safe to visit, but there have been some […]

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Is a River Cruise Right for You?

Earlier this year, I was the enthusiastic guest of Viking River Cruises onboard their longship Eistla cruising the Rhine. We started in Frankfurt and ended in Amsterdam, the trip is also offered in reverse, and, I’m told, this was a fairly typical first river cruise itinerary. River cruising is generating a lot of buzz lately, with gorgeous print ads, television sponsorships (Viking sponsors [amazon_textlink asin=’B01DRWEO6S’ text=’Downton Abbey’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’travelingwithmj-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’0d60fa0e-6e6d-11e8-a9b2-7b82edb24d11′] on PBS), and blogger campaigns. But when you strip away all that glitzy advertising, the decision to take a river cruise is a big one – one that needs to be made out of the spotlight and made with an eye toward your personal vacation preferences. Here’s my take on Viking’s Legends of the Rhine cruise. I hope it will help you decide if a river cruise is right for […]

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Changing of the Guard at Presidential Mansion in Athens

The Presidential Mansion is located across the street from Athens’ National Gardens, and I happened upon it at the changing of the guard. Called the Evzoni, the guard is an elite ceremonial unit drawn from the Greek Army, and members are usually identified early in the military career while in basic training. The Evzoni are responsible for guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Presidential Mansion, and the gates of the guard’s camp. The Evzoni are easily recognized by and are a bit famous for, their traditional uniform which dates back to the Ottoman occupation of Greece. The everyday uniform is a Farion (a scarlet fex with a black tassel), Doulamas (a navy blue tunic), and Periskelides (white woolen stockings, two pairs are worn) with Anapastos (a type of garter to hold the stockings in place). The shoes they wore are […]

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Hotel Review: Cherry Wood Bed, Breakfast & Barn, Yakima Valley

Cherry Wood Bed, Breakfast & Barn Address:  3271 Roza Drive, Zillah, Washington (Yakima Valley) Value Luxury Rating:   (out of 3 hearts) Features:  Set on a working farm in the Yakima Valley,  Cherry Wood Bed, Breakfast & Barn offers overnight accommodations in 22-foot teepees. This specialty bed and breakfast has barbeque grills, compact refrigerators, separate super-clean and private water closets, along with an open-air shower to round out its amenities. The property is horse and dog-friendly, and the teepees have a special bed in your teepee so your dog can sleep right along with you. No children permitted. Price Range:  $245/night based on double occupancy. Full breakfast included. Cherry Wood is open during the “season”, generally from late spring into early fall. Reservations required; make them early as they book up for the season quite quickly.   Personal Notes:  I’ve been interested in […]

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Hotel Review: Shangri-La Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, Malaysia

Shangri-La Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa Address:  Batu Ferringhi, 11100 Penang, Malaysia. About a 45 minute drive from the Penang airport, and about a 20 minute drive from Georgetown. Value Luxury Rating:   (out of 3) Features:  The 5-star Shangri-La Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa is set on 30-acres of beachfront and boasts gardens featuring over 133,000 varieties of plants, trees, and shrubs. Regional artwork can be found located around the grounds and interior spaces. Accommodations are situated in two wings, the family friendly Garden Wing (189 rooms) and the exclusive Rasa Wing (115 rooms). Decor in both is a traditional Malay style blended with contemporary chic, with every modern convenience worked in. Rooms feature the expected upsale amenities (bath products from L’Occitane), air conditioning, wifi, and more. The resort has three swimming pools (one adult only), a par 3 pitch-and-putt golf course […]

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Hotel Review: The Banjaran, Ipoh, Malaysia

The Banjaran Address:  No 1, Persiaran Lagun Sunway 3, Sunway City Ipoh Value Luxury Rating:   (2 out of 3 hearts) Features: Situated in a 16 1/2 acre valley, The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat is surrounded by Mother Nature at her finest – limestone hills, rainforest, geothermal hot springs, caves, and waterfalls. It’s the perfect setting for a getaway, whether that’s a structured program of health and wellness, a relaxing stay with pampering spa treatments. or a romantic escape, providing a sanctuary from the busyness of everyday life. (But don’t panic, complimentary wi-fi is available throughout the property, should you prefer to keep connected with your world.) The resort features 25 air conditioned Garden and Water Villas, conveniently located around the Spa and Wellness Center, and a variety of natural treatment options. Some of those treatment options include: Geothermal Pools – Located alongside the geothermal lake, […]

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Tokyo: 12 Things I Didn’t Know Until I Got There

I love researching travel.  I love reading guide books, checking out travel blogs, looking at photos on Pinterest, and pretty much everything about the process of learning about a destination.  From the massaging of flight schedules to selecting accommodations and tours, from reading restaurant reviews and learning about food trends to learning about which sights are worth visiting, it’s all a delightful challenge to me. But no matter how much you prepare yourself, there are things you will encounter that you just didn’t know before you got to your destination. When it comes to travel to Tokyo, here are the things I just didn’t know till I got there: Tokyo goes right.  In Tokyo they drive on the right hand side of the road, the vehicles are right hand drive, and in crowded spaces you stand to the left and […]

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Splendor in San Francisco: Visiting the Palace of Fine Arts

In the middle of San Francisco’s Walter S. Johnson Park, sits the Palace of Fine Arts, an easily recognizable piece of San Francisco architecture.  You’ve likely seen it in many photographs, with attractive shots both by day and by night, so you’ll want to make plans for visiting the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, California. The Palace was designed as part of the 1915 Panama Pacific Exposition, an event hosted by San Francisco to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal.  It was also seen as an opportunity for San Francisco to rise from the ashes of the devastating 1906 earthquake and fire. A site was chosen in what is now known as the Marina District, and architect Bernard Maybeck designed the Roman-themed/Greek-styled Palace of Fine Arts.  Exposition exhibits are temporary and therefore made with collapsible materials, so […]

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