Puerto Rico was a short, last minute weekend getaway to somewhere with a ton of sunshine. My favorite part of Puerto Rico was Culebra, one of the islands off the east coast. The sands were spectacular, white and soft. The temperature at the time was extremely hot under the beating sun, I got a few sunburns when I came back. The kayak ride was definitely a workout, jumping into the water and getting back into the kayak was a testament that I should go to the gym!
If you are looking for a destination to get away from daily stresses, Maui is a living paradise. Situated in the remote islands of hawaii, I was lulled to sleep nightly by gentle waves, sunshine, and tons of green flora. It's a place that I actually cried when I had to leave. It was an amazing paradise of relaxation.
I was able to do the Hana Highway, Haleakalā Volcano sunrise, Snorkeling off the reefs in crystal waters of Black Rock and Molokini. Can't wait to go back!
See more photos from this trip: https://www.flickr.com/photos/misscatlo/sets/72157627651100078/
Milan Part Deux. Returned back to Milan in the brisk January month, this time with Supria coming along for the ride. Did a little bit of shopping, eating, and just enjoying each other's company.
Milan during Christmas time was really festive, streets filled with lights, roasted chestnuts in the air, and bustling street venders. There are a ton of clothing stores and shoes all over town. I had the pleasure of being the babysitter for Little Vinh and learned a lot on how to be a mother.. hahahah. 😉
Murano and Burano are the smaller islands off Venice. We took a boat to these two islands to visit the famous colored houses and glass workshops. My bf bought a nice blue glass vase from Murano and I got a purple floral tray as souvenirs. It was a nice day visit to the islands, very small and walkable throughout the town. Burano is more known for their handmade lace.
Venice was really one of a kind.. the entire city floating on water and taking boats to cross the canals. Venice looked the most beautiful from the reflections of the flickering golden lights. There's also something very eerie and mysterious about the small side streets at night. Venice had amazing seafood selections, and all kinds of different types of shrimp and fish.
Florence was a quick pit stop off the route to Venice, so we decided to stop and take a quick 2-day fast paced tour. When we arrived, we took a drive through Tuscany in our classic Fiat. The Tuscan hills were quiet and dotted with olive trees throughout the drive. We were also able to see the classic David in the Accademia, along with a huge amount of Italian sculptures that I learned about in art school. Later that night, we were able to feast on the famous Florentine Steak, which we shared with a lone traveler from Korea.
I was really excited to have Rome as our first stop in Italy. Rome has so much history in it's city walls. The Colosseum, Pantheon, Italian Renaissance Churches were surreal. I've always had a particular interest in ancient greek classics and mythology, so this was a great first look into Italy. Our first big one day trip was to the Vatican, and I felt so mind blown by the art and architecture of the buildings. I left the Vatican with my jaws dropped, there is just nothing like it. One of the best dishes I ever ate, was the plate of Porcini mushrooms just cooked perfectly with olive oil. I was also able to meet up with my friend Julie who was just passing by during her EuroTrip.
Weekend Trip out to Newport, Rhode Island. The home of Newport Mansions, where the opulent and rich lived in the 1700's. The most famous house of them all, the Breakers, was owned by the Vanderbilts family. The whole experience reminded me a lot of Gossip Girl. We visited 4 of the major homes, Breakers, RoseCliff, Elms, and Marble House. Each one had really unique interior that was inspired mostly by Italian and French Renaissance. It was like a preview for our upcoming Fall Vacation to Europe!
Newport had a very different feel vs. Cape Cod. It had a "less republican" feeling, whatever that means 😉 I had a huge stuffed Lobster, it was insane.
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