A Serendipitous Journey, A Passion-Based Travel Experience

14/12/2021

The turnaround time to renew your passport may be getting faster.

Goodbye, 11-week wait times. Hello, 21st century.

05/05/2021

01/01/2021

As we welcome a new year it’s important to remember that our present situation is temporary and we will be able to see the world again, be it in-state, nationally, or globally.

If you could go anywhere in the world and present day restrictions were not an issue, I’d be headed to Ghana.

Where would you go and why?

20/06/2020

“A smile, a kiss, a sip of wine. Oh the joys of summertime.” -Kenny Chesney

We will travel again. Welcome to summer.
#2021

19/06/2020

Freedom: Delayed but not denied. Today we celebrate our freedom. ✊🏾✊🏾 #1865

19/06/2020

Freedom: Delayed but not denied. #1865

21/05/2020

While we are unable to go venturing around the world at the moment, we can still take in magical moments, virtually. Summer Solstice is just around the corner. https://bit.ly/3e8cSyq

Stonehenge, the enormous stone circle that stands on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, is one of the world's most recognizable monuments. Every year, visitors from across the globe flock to the...

10/05/2020

17/04/2020

Afternoon siesta anyone?

New photos from South Africa's Kruger National Park show a pride of lions lounging in a normally busy road.

14/04/2020

Virtual experiences today are real-life experiences tomorrow Enjoy!

Vacations are going virtual … for now. So dust off your empty suitcase and virtually travel with us to your dream destination.

14/04/2020

Although right now is not optimal time to travel, that's not to say you can't dream about your next vacation. Are any of these destinations on your bucket list?

BRB, moving to Scandinavia.

01/04/2020

! Did you know that Tequila is strictly speaking a distilled spirit produced from the agave plant? The blue agave is the single type of agave plant responsible for making Tequila. It grows around the area of tequila, in the highlands of the central western Mexican state of Jalisco. Agave is abundant around the city of tequila because of the red volcanic soil present in the area. More than 300 million of the plants are harvested there each year. Other Fun facts about Tequila:
❃ July 24th is National Tequila Day.
❃ Tequila was utilized as a flu remedy during Mexico’s flu epidemic of 1918.
❃ One is supposed to actually sip good Tequila slowly rather than down it in a shot.

31/03/2020

Legend has it, the Aztecs were asked by a god to search for a place where an eagle stood upon a cactus with a snake in its beak, and there, to build their city Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital that was to become the epicenter of power for the powerful Aztec Empire. Amazingly so, additional exploration showed that there was a whole archaeological wonder lying beneath Mexico City's streets, and it was decided to demolish some old colonial buildings, to reveal the Templo Mayor. Currently, it is a major attraction in the middle of downtown Mexico City and considered as one of the city's most popular archaeological sites.

30/03/2020

Mexico City is without a doubt the largest city in the Americas. That's because it has a million more people in its metropolitan area than New York City and a natural area more than 10 percent larger than Los Angeles. Mexico city is more than a bustling city. It has everything within reach. It offers an incredible range of sights and sounds, along with some of the world's best food and drinks. One more thing, it's an easy trip from the States, with direct flights available into its Benito Juarez International Airport from more than 20 different cities in the US. Mexico has a lot of various reasons for you to come and visit. Once you find that, you'll be sure to keep going back to explore the rest.

25/03/2020

Nopales is actually the pads of the Nopal cactus. It's a vegetable grown and eaten in Central Mexico since before the arrival of the Spaniards. The Spanish explorers brought back the plant to Spain and spread throughout North Africa with the Moors. Presently, the plant is grown all around Mexico as well some parts of the United States and in various areas of the Mediterranean. The fruit tastes similar to that of a sour green bean. It's also customarily served boiled, but it can also be eaten raw. It's the perfect addition to any Mexican stew, egg dish or salad once the spines are removed. You can't leave Mexico without trying the dish!

20/03/2020

Spring is here and your virtual vacation is just a hop, skip and a few ingredients away.

Let these destinations inspire your next meal.

19/03/2020

In Mexico, the Day of the Dead or what is commonly known as Dia de Mu***os in Spanish is a festive affair. It is celebrated between October 31st and November 2nd. This holiday allows the Mexicans to remember and honor their loved ones who went ahead. For them, it's not a gloomy and morbid occasion instead, and they celebrate the lives of their loved ones who've passed on by decorating the graves and spending time there, in the presence of their deceased friends and family members. Mexicans also exert an effort to decorate the altars in their homes to receive the spirits. A unique experience not to be missed.

18/03/2020

At an initial glance, Mexico might seem to be an ordinary city, but if you look at it closely, there are a whole bunch of open green spaces, gardens, and parks to relish and amongst the residential buildings and world-class museums. Parque México is one of the city's main attractions situated in the flashy Condesa district. It sees restaurants, coffee shops and just plain beautiful Art Deco buildings around it. Another statement piece of architecture that is hard to miss is the Biblioteca Vasconcelos. Visitors tend to completely ignore the well-manicured, quaint and understated gardens which surround the library because of it. Another must-see is the Parque Hundido which is a sunken urban park in the heart of the city perfect for savoring a quiet moment alone.

17/03/2020

Ask around, and you will know that one of the most popular and most frequented tourist destinations in Mexico City is The Palacio de Bellas Artes. Tourists and locals alike love this famous tourist spot. It's visited by roughly 10,000 people weekly. It's easily noticeable because of the sophisticated, ornate, white Carrara marble façade and sparkling, dragon scale roof tiles. The distinct architecture is what makes the building stand out. It's one of the most important and extraordinary elements of the Palacio de Bellas Artes. Aside from the Museo de Bellas Artes and the Museo de Arquitectura, the Palacio De Bellas Artes is also exceptionally well known for its murals by artists such as Diego Rivera, David Siqueiros, Rufino Tamayo, and José Clemente Orozco.

16/03/2020

One unambiguous symbol in downtown Mexico City is The Angel of Independence or most commonly known as El Ángel. It’s officially identified as Monumento a la Independencia ("Monument to Independence"). It’s described as a victory column on a roundabout on the major thoroughfare of Paseo de la Reforma. El Ángel was constructed in 1910 during the presidency of Porfirio Díaz in honor of the centennial of the beginning of Mexico's War of Independence. Later on, it was converted into a mausoleum for the most important heroes of that war. It’s become one of the most identifiable landmarks of the city and has since become a point of convergence for both celebration and protest. It’s absolutely a must-see spot during your stay in Mexico City!

I’d love to help you design a sojourn you’ll never forget. Call me or send an email when you’re ready to begin.

13/03/2020

The National Museum of Anthropology is the largest and most visited museum in Mexico. Located in the area between Paseo de la Reforma and Mahatma Gandhi Street within Chapultepec Park in Mexico City, the museum contains significant archaeological and anthropological artifacts.

This and more than 500 museums and galleries globally offer virtual tours. Given the state of affairs, public health concerns, and possibly travel limitations, this might be a good thing. Check them out. https://bit.ly/3b4kbGb

13/03/2020

They say there are over 500 museums and galleries offering virtual tours. Well, this should keep you entertained for a while.

Going into a self-quarantine can have many complex issues and complications beyond having enough food and supplies for two weeks. In terms of entertainment, it…

12/03/2020

Frida Kahlo is a Mexican artist born in their home in 1907. She went to live with her family throughout her life. The Blue House or the Caza Azul was converted into a museum when she passed away. Tourists flock the house daily and welcome over 25,000 visitors monthly. It has ten rooms, and each one is organized by theme. One of the rooms houses pieces by Kahlo as well as other artists including Paul Klee, Jose Maria Velasco, and Celia Calderon Orozco. Kahlo incorporated in symbols from her Mexican culture and references to her personal life to come up a total of 55 uncanny and distinctly revealing self-portraits. Visiting the museum will let you appreciate and have a deeper understanding of her life and her beloved paintings, where each one is rich with detail and personal iconography.

I’d love to help you design a sojourn you’ll never forget. Call me or send an email when you’re ready to begin.

11/03/2020

Moles, pronounced "mo-LAY" are important in the Mexican culture. It roughly translates to mean sauce or mix, depending on the context of use. Moles is a word that comes from the Nahuatl word for sauce, "molli." Moles are considered integral in the Mexican culture. The Mexicans even made a phrase, "ir a un mole" that means "to go where there is mole" and comes from the Mexican tradition of families using moles at important and big events. The phrase is most of the time used to indicate that someone will be attending a wedding. Mexican cuisine is very distinct, and each town can be expected to have its different version of a mole. The next town may also have quite the same mole but made with several different ingredients. Visit Mexico city now and have a taste of their delicacy!

I’d love to help you design a sojourn you’ll never forget. Call me or send an email when you’re ready to begin.

10/03/2020

One of the most important and largest cities in the pre-Columbian Americas is the Teotihuacán. It's considered the sixth largest city in the world in those times with a population of 125,000+ people. Its ruins were approximately built in 100 AD and used until 800 AD. The ethnicity (or perhaps multiple ethnicities) of the original architects responsible were never determined although the Aztecs claimed heritage from the Teotihuacános. The ruins measures about 40 km (or 25 miles) northeast of Mexico City in the Estado de Mexico (state of Mexico). The architectural site, including the pyramids and the Avenue of the Dead, was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987.

I’d love to help you design a sojourn you’ll never forget. Call me or send an email when you’re ready to begin.

09/03/2020

An unexpected happy hour. That’s serendipity.

Unlike the biblical water-into-wine Miracle at Cana, there was no divine intervention to credit in this case, just a valve malfunction at the local winery.

09/03/2020

You've seen the mariachi at one point or another and is often associated with Mexico. It's one of the most used symbols to illustrate Mexico's rich culture and history, but the mariachi in itself is history. Each element represents its history, the emergence, and acceptance, the clothing, all the way down to the instruments. It has become an integral part of Mexico as a result of cross-pollination of indigenous, European and African influences over several centuries of evolution. Finally, in November 2011, UNESCO, a United Nations agency, registered El Mariachi, String Music, Singing and Trumpet as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Though the music is found anywhere in the world, it's best to visit Tucson because it has a special bond as a privileged place for the mariachi.

I’d love to help you design a sojourn you’ll never forget. Call me or send an email when you’re ready to begin.

06/03/2020

Take a lovely stroll around Mexico City, and you'll be sure to hear the percussion-led rhythm and easily spot the lively movements of groups of intricately dressed dancers at one point or another. They are often called the ‘Aztec Dancers' of Mexico City; they are also known as concheros and have a rich history. If you are interested in catching them, these hypnotizing dancers are in Mexico City's Zocalo (central square), where they can often be seen dancing alongside the Catedral Metropolitana. It's a unique Mexican experience you should not miss, whether you’re just there for the photos or would like to make use of those dancing feet.

I’d love to help you design a sojourn you’ll never forget. Call me or send an email when you’re ready to begin.

05/03/2020

One basic fact about Mexico city is it's a huge area. It's got a population of over 21 million in its metropolitan area. There are various ways to measure cities, but rated in terms of this figure, Mexico City is considered to be the 6th largest in the world. It's also, in fact, the largest metropolitan area in the western hemisphere. The city is situated in the Central Valley of Mexico. It is made up of 16 boroughs in the highland plateau region at an altitude of 7380 ft.

Ready to start planning? I’d love to help you design a sojourn you’ll never forget. Call me or send an email when you’re ready to begin.
aserendipitousjourney

04/03/2020

Belgium, France and Germany can all be reached from Luxembourg City in about 30 minutes. Sounds like a great starting point for multiple day trips to me. And best of all, Luxembourg has made their public transportation free for all!!