Amsterdam was one of the places I traveled to during the Summer of 2014 it was right after Belgium, and right before Germany. Amsterdam is steeped in culture. One of my favorite places was Museumplein. It was very hip and cool to see the mixes of culture and art.

One of my regrets was not having enough time to take a canal ride. The view of the city from the river would be an interesting perspective. I did have the chance to see so many of the beautiful bridges that tie the city together. An interesting idea that I enjoyed was to see the view from a bridge during the day and then during either sunset or sunrise and then again at night. Each experience is different and in my opinion worth the time taken.

Another fun thing I enjoy is find unique souvenirs anytime I travel. For most people they enjoy going to the cookie cutter souvenir stores and grabbing a shirt or mug with the place they have been. For myself I thrive in the effort to find something that is made in that country and if possible and within my budget and suitcase size something that is one of kind. When I was in Amsterdam I found some of these very things by walking down the independent shopping streets. I left with a piece that was created by a local artist that did not come close to breaking the bank. Plus it is one of my conversation pieces when people see it.

Another suggestion is to get lost in the different Amsterdam’s neighborhoods. It was amazing to see the cultures and how they varied from one to another.

Try different foods even if you are afraid of the taste. You may find a new favorite snack that you want to find or make back home.

Trip to Beijing in September of 2017. I went to visit a good friend who was working as a ESL teacher. I wanted to see and experience such a wonderful place. I also wanted to go outside my comfort zone as I had never visited a place where I knew that few people spoke my native language. I did learn a little of the language before embarking on my adventure as I feel this is important not only to show respect for the place and people of the country you are going but also it allows for an more immersive experience.

When I visited Beijing I wanted to see as much as I could within reason. My view on traveling is to enjoy the journey rather than stuff in as much as possible. If you are flexible with your plans while traveling you tend to find you are less stressed when something goes awry. I purposefully did not say if because life is not perfect but being flexible can make most situations manageable.

So one of the first places went was a Da Long Hot Pot. This place was awesome. So you sit down and in the middle of the table is a pot of water that cooks your food. The food was delicious and the experience was amazing.

If you are looking for places to visit that are cheap or free one place is Tiananmen Square. This site has a interesting history and is one of the more popular places to visit.

This goes without saying at least in my opinion. If take the long flight to China, it is a must to see the Great wall of China. This remarkable wonder is breathtaking and inspiring to see and experience. I will warn it is not completely accessible if you are wheelchair bound. With my limited mobility I was still have to enjoy the site at Mutianyu, However Both Badaling Great Wall and Mutianyu Great Wall are wheelchair-friendly in the aspect you can go up to certain areas that have been adapted for wheelchairs. It is still worth it because how many people can say to their friends and family I have been to the Great Wall of China? One of the coolest part of my trip to the Great Wall was that I used the cable car to get to the top and on the way down I used the toboggan slide to get down. It was crazy awesome!

My visit to the Forbidden City was great as well. The one tip I would give anyone is to remember your passport or you will not get into the site. I did and lucky for myself my friend was meeting me there picked it up from her place so I could enter.

During my time I was also able to see other sites such as the Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, and I really enjoyed Wangfujing street. This is the famous street where there is an abundance of shopping for everything. This is also where you can try exotic foods you cannot find in other places. fried Scorpios, as well as other insects and specialties. It may seem odd or gross, but when will you get the change again to do something so daring? Being on an adventure is pushing your own limitations. The only rule is be smart about it, make sure they are cooked and you know what you are getting. I found the experience interesting and worth a try.

Berlin Germany was my last stop for my 30 day trip in 2014. I must say it did not disappoint at all. Berlin has history and culture to rival many other places. It was filled with beautiful architecture, and unique landmarks that left me intrigued.

A few things that I was able to see during my time in Berlin were the Brandenburg Gate, Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, the Berlin Cathedral, the St. Nicholas' Church, Berlin, Hamburger Bahnhof, and of course The Berlin Wall. I also saw a guy in a horse head and boxers playing music. It was interesting to say the least.

So I visited Bern in 2014 right after leaving Spain, and before going to Pairs France. I picked Bern because I wanted to see Switzerland without breaking the bank. Bern is absolutely breathtaking. Plus the chocolate! I love good chocolate and while some may argue this I truly feel Switzerland has some of the most delicious chocolate only maybe rivaled with Belgium’s chocolate. I could be wrong I have not tried every country’s chocolate…Yet!

I also have to say if you can afford it a nice time piece of Switzerland is something to be coveted. Plus how neat is it to have a story of where you obtained this unique keepsake.

One of the coolest things I have done on my journeys was to travel to the Jungfraujoch. This is known as the top of Europe. It was crazy awesome to say I have been there and see that sight.

Trip to Paris in 2014.

London trip

So I have been to Ireland four times so far and will be headed back towards the end of November in 2024. I truly cannot say enough good things about this country. I find it pace is relaxed and very friendly. It is home to some of the most beautiful hill side scenes in my opinion.

When I do go I make it a priority to visit the Guinness factory. This is one of the more interesting attractions in Dublin because you learn the process that goes into making beer as well as in the price of a ticket those who are of legal drinking age get a free Guinness included in the price of the tour. The beer is tasty and the view of Dublin city is amazing, however if beer is not your thing but your prefer whiskey you can go head over to the Jameson distillery. You may be picked to be one of the lucky choose to be a whiskey taster to see how Jameson stacks up against its rivals.

I also suggest if you are in Ireland for at least a few days to check out more than just Dublin. My most recent visit in 2023 I went to Galway and Cork. While in Galway I was able to go on a tour that took me to the Cliffs of Moher. I must say the beauty of the cliffs scenery was truly worth the trip. The tour also included a few castles, and short side stops and time for a bite to eat. The tour I did was only half day and we met our bus at 9am and were back where we started by 4:30pm. I tend to prefer half day tour as my style of travel is more leisure. I can appreciate someone's ambition who is trying to see as much as possible in a short time, however getting started at 6am and getting back at 8 or 9 pm just sounds exhausting.