San Francisco is the ideal base for road-tripping. On a single journey, you can go from the city center to foggy Pacific beaches, redwood forests, wine country, desert landscapes, alpine mountains and giant granite cliffs. California's sheer variety is astonishing, and I'm not only talking about its astonishing collection of natural wonders, its small towns can be as photogenic as its famous landmarks! And no other landmark in San Francisco is as iconic as the Golden Gate Bridge! Built in 1937, this was once the longest suspension bridge in the world. A note from the writer: this is a pre-pandemic tale.

San Francisco is one of those iconic cities from my childhood, serving as a shining beacon of American progress and innovation. With such landmarks as the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf, and Alcatraz, the city stood along its sisters: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, etc, as symbols of the great American dream.  In the past decade though, the city has been going through a rut. San Francisco has struggled with high office vacancy rates, extremely expensive property values (some would argue the world's most expensive), and a general feeling of decay, with visible homelessness, open-air drug use, and theft being commonplace. Time will tell what will happen to the city, but these photographs are of San Francisco during one of its more glorious and glamorous eras. San Francisco was founded in 1776 by Spanish colonists. The 1849 California gold rush exploded San Francisco’s population from a tiny settlement into one of America’s fastest-growing cities almost overnight! A note ...

Touchdown Australia! The country so vast, it's a continent of its own. Here are some shots of our trip there years ago. Sydney was founded in 1788 as a British penal colony, meaning many of its earliest European residents were convicts! It is Australia’s oldest and largest city , though not the capital (that’s actually Canberra). A note from the writer: this is a pre-pandemic tale. S ydney sits around one of the world’s largest natural harb ors:  Port Jackson; and has one of the world's most expensive real estate markets. When you have views like this, you understand why.

Madrid, one of the great capitals of Europe, sits near the very geographic center of the Iberian peninsula; a fact which helped it grow into a political hub despite lacking a major river or coastline. Originally a muslim fortress town called Mayrit founded in the 9th century by the muslim Umayyads, Madrid wasn't always Spain's capital. In fact, it only became the capital in 1561 when Philip II moved his royal court here from nearby Toledo. As a citizen of a country which was a former colony of Spain, it was my pleasure and honor to explore a city which had such a direct influence in our own history and culture. The Gran Via is Madrid's most famous shopping and entertainment street; often called the "Spanish Broadway" due to its theaters and musicals. A note from the writer: this is a pre-pandemic tale.

When people think of Palestine, they normally assume that this territory is primarily ruled and inhabited by our brothers and sisters who practice the Muslim faith. The truth however is that majority of Christians who live in the Holy Land do so from Palestinian territory.  In fact, Bethlehem, the place of birth of the Lord and Savior of Christians everywhere, falls entirely in the West Bank which is under the administrative control of the Palestinian Authority. Making Bethlehem a major site for Christian pilgrimage. A note from the writer: this is a pre-pandemic tale.

There is undoubtedly no other city as iconic as New York City, whose five boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island are rich in history, character, and culture; forever immortalized in numerous movies, TV shows, stories, and songs. Originally a Dutch colony settled in 1624 named New Amsterdam, New York City has grown to become what is is now: the most populous and visited city in the US, home to the United Nations and the Statue of Liberty, the fashion, media, and financial capital of the world, the very symbol itself of the great United States of America. And it is said that in New York City, even buildings, squares, and streets are world famous. Here are some of NYC's most famous tourist locations: Part Two For Part One, you may go here .  Top of the Rock Observation Deck at 30 Rockefeller Plaza The Top of the Rock Observation Deck offers unobstructed views of the entirety of New York City including the Empire State Building; making this the best plac...

Here are some more fascinating sights from random areas around Singapore.  Nowadays Singapore is a featured destination for Formula 1 enthusiasts thanks to the Singapore Grand Prix, reputed to be the toughest of all the races due to the city's infamous humidity. A note from the writer: this is a pre-pandemic tale with additional post-pandemic photos.

In this series of the travelogue, I want to map out the Holy Land according to their entry in Christian scripture and tradition specific to the life of Jesus.  For today's entry, let's explore the different scenes relevant to the foundation of Christ's birth. The Annunciation is the announcement by the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary that she would conceive and bear Jesus, the Son of God, through the power of the Holy Spirit. This event, described in the Gospel of Luke, marks the Incarnation, when God became human flesh as well as commemorates Mary's faithful acceptance of God's will. There are two different (but within the same area) locations believed by the faithful (Orthodox and Catholics) where this holy event was supposed to have taken place. Annunciation Location 1: The Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth (above) A note from the writer: this is a pre-pandemic, pre-Gaza War, and pre-Iran War tale from the Middle East. 

My travels have certainly taken me to some of the world's most interesting places; and not just interesting historically, culturally, spiritually, nor those pertaining to amazing views, food, shopping, and partying.  Some of these places have been insanely crazy (in a fun way) and Haw Par Villa in Singapore definitely belongs in that category! In a nutshell, it's a theme park featuring a recreation of hell complete with demons and tortured souls; one that has scared generations of kids (the writer included when I first visited the place back in the 90s)! A note from the writer: this is a pre-pandemic tale.

Amusement parks do not only cater to families, they also make for an awesome venue for a date with one's significant other. I was lucky to have experienced it both ways! Opened in 2010, Universal Studios Singapore is the first and only Universal Studios theme park in Southeast Asia and is a must visit when in SG. Located on Sentosa Island, a massive resort playground just south of mainland Singapore, USS covers almost 20 hectares; small by Universal theme park standards but packed with all the crowd favorites. It is also part of the larger Resorts World Sentosa complex, which includes a casino, SEA Aquarium, and several luxury hotels. A note from the writer: this is a pre-pandemic tale with additional post-pandemic photos. Here's a pic of us back in 2019.

Owing to its status of being arguably the center of the modern world, New York has become a true melting pot for cuisine; showcasing Michelin-star gastronomical masterpieces, world-famous restaurants, food trucks, and holes-in-the-wall from almost every culture on earth across its five boroughs. At the time of this trip (back in good ol' 2016), we had the opportunity to go on the Best of Brooklyn Food and Culture Tour, one of Tripadvisor's most highly-rated activities in NYC. * And apart from the fantastic dishes that we got to enjoy that day, we got a solid sightseeing tour of Brooklyn, NYC's most populous borough. A note from the writer: this is a pre-pandemic tale.

When one thinks of the word "megacity", Singapore definitely comes to mind. No other city in Southeast Asia, maybe even the world, balances the skyline, technology, and infrastructure of the first world, with the intricacies of its multi-cultural inhabitants, as well as Singapore has. And all this happened.. only in the last 40 years!  * Hard to believe that this whole country was once just a swamp-filled jungle. Today, Singapore's world famous Merlion is the figurative "king of the jungle" and the country's most famous tourist attraction. A note from the writer: this is a pre-pandemic tale with additional photos post-pandemic.

On any journey to the Iberian peninsula, it is easy to focus all of one's time, budget, and attention to the more popular and glamorous cities of Madrid, Barcelona and Lisbon. However one cannot truly appreciate the richness of Spanish culture, without experiencing the city of Cordoba. One of the most important cities back in the Middle Ages, yet overlooked today, Cordoba has been inhabited for thousands of years; with its earliest inhabitants thought to be the Neanderthal humans whose fossils can be found all over this area of Spain. * Later on becoming a Roman settlement, whose people left their mark by constructing this fascinating and sturdy bridge that still stands to this day running across the Guadalquivir River! 

There is undoubtedly no other city as iconic as New York City, whose five boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island are rich in history, character, and culture; forever immortalized in numerous movies, TV shows, stories, and songs. Originally a Dutch colony settled in 1624 named New Amsterdam, New York City has grown to become what is is now: the most populous and visited city in the US, home to the United Nations and the Statue of Liberty, the fashion, media, and financial capital of the world, the very symbol itself of the great United States of America. And it is said that in New York City, even buildings, squares, and streets are world famous. Here are some of NYC's most famous tourist locations: Part One Times Square * At the center of New York is the pedestrianized intersection of lights, sound, and spectacle known as Times Square.

Definitely one of the advantages of staying in a hotel right in the middle of the city center is the ability to wander around and experience the city after the sun has gone down. A Spanish city changes at night. Somehow it becomes even more vibrant and authentic as locals, offered a temporary respite from the hustle and bustle of the daily barrage of tourists, are now free to come out, dine, and socialize; the Spanish way of rewarding one's self for a hard day's work. * And in Old Town Sevilla, the UNESCO World Heritage Site is wonderfully lit and conducive for romance.

Helsinki, capital of Finland, is your quintessential ideal European city: heavily pedestrianized, fantastic public transportation, full of green open spaces and mid-rise buildings, and a general feeling of safety especially for foreigners. It is also known as the credit card capital of Europe; and indeed one can buy anything (even street food) with a Visa or Mastercard on hand!  * A fact which came in handy in the city's Market Square!

No trip to Osaka would be complete without a stopover at the enchanting city of Nara. While history and culture buffs will love the collection of temples, shrines, and ruins that altogether make up the UNESCO World Heritage "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara" list, most travelers come for a different activity all together: the feeding and photo opportunity with wild Japanese deer. Tōdai-ji Temple * And the most popular location for this activity can be found on the grounds of Todai-ji Temple.

Along with the futuristic megacity of Tokyo and the foodie heaven of Osaka, no trip to Japan would be complete without visiting its cultural capital, Kyoto. Home to the Japanese imperial court for over a thousand years, Kyoto is full of palaces, temples, shrines, and gardens; which thanks to not being targeted by Allied bombing during World War II, has been preserved in all its authenticity. This is Part 3 of our Kyoto Series: Shrines. Fushimi Inari-Taisha * And hands-down, the most requested photo spot in all of Kyoto, is this pathway leading to Fushimi Inari-Taisha. Prepare to battle with dozens of tourists over what is essentially the same shot (lol!).

While sailing across the Baltic Sea has historically been of the raiding type (i.e. Vikings sailing along the coasts of Scandinavia, Northern Germany, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Finland), there is a much more extravagant, comfortable, and blood-less way to get around, and that is via an overnight cruise. Here are some memories from our voyage from Stockholm, Sweden to Helsinki, Finland. * Our home for tonight, the dazzling Silja Serenade: full of restaurants, indoor pools, duty free shops, a night club, casino, and several drinking spots (hurrah!).

The end of the Cold War in the early 90's ushered in a lot of positive changes for Europe: military deescalation, the emergence of democracy in the former Soviet Bloc countries, a more relaxed atmosphere across the continent, and the opening of tourism. Finally, Western tourists found themselves being able to take a peek behind the Iron Curtain and actually visit Russia itself.  From Finland's capital, Helsinki, we drove past the densely wooded countryside of Finland, into the no man's land that signified the neutral zone between the former adversaries of the Soviet and Western powers, and finally into Russia. * Unlike border control procedures within the European Union, the experience of entering Russia is an adventure in itself! Entry can take over a couple of hours with immigration officials having the discretion to take as much time as they wish.