Cool Blue Running

Knowing the culture and language can lead to a more pleasant and memorable travel experiences. Here are some minutes worth remembering when travelling to regions such as Morocco, Cairo, Baghdad and Damascus. It is not necessary to bring or give gifts when invited to someones home. However, if you decide to bring gifts, sweets or liquor(only in liberal regions such as Dubai) are acceptable. No flowers as this are ornaments for funeral occasion only.  It is very rude to not accept gifts and opening gifts in front of a person is also considered rude.  The concept of time does not exist, being late half an hour to a meeting is quite normal. It is also not necessary to setup an appoint when visiting someone. Start with small talk before diving in to business. When you want something done, a small gifts sometime will do the trick otherwise you hear the word "inshallah", which means God willing. Avoid talking about personal issues.  Never take "No" for an ans...

This was a trip that required minimal effort to plan it, using "share" services such as Uber for transportation and Airbnb for accommodation, creating a laid-back and enjoyable trip in the island of Puerto Rico. In terms of transportation we were left with limited option, upon arrival at San Juan International Airport we picked up a Hertz rental car to go around the island. Not far from the airport is Isla Verde, where where we stayed for three nights at a beach side condo through Airbnb. This part of town is the up and coming tourist destination, away from the crowd of old San Juan. Isla Verde is a local hangout where you find great food at affordable price. The beach on the weekend is full of beach activities- boogie boarding, family picnics, beach volley balls, cultural events and lively  music. An hour drive from Isla Verde is Ponce- an old historic and colorful town where kids wear uniform to school. Ponce Historic Downtown Nearby Isla Verde are th...

This was a flat pancake run around Manassas Regional Airport runway where thousand of runners of all ages and skill levels had participated on this fun event on a beautiful Sunday morning.  The 10K run started at 7:30 AM and followed by the 5K run. From  start, I tried to keep up with a pack of runner until I realized I can no longer hold on to the pace. Around mile two, I slowly drop back to my comfort zone, a ten minute per mile pace and steadily hold on until the finish line. I was surprised to finish the course a little bit over an hour, a faster pace than I expected. Manassas Runway 10K Run

Cherry Blossom Kite Festival

Today, I got a chance to reflect on things or projects that I wanted to accomplish for the year and the means to achieve them. The idea is to have a relax and achievable goals where you get to have fun along the process, using SMART which I learned from work as guiding principle, I came up with the following: Learn Thai language. Thailand is a place that we both can agree on to live as a second home in the near future. It is short hop to Burma and has many centers where you can spend long retreat to practice meditation. The standard of  living is quite affordable and healthcare has improved over the years. So staying in Thailand for two to three months this year will be a fun way to pick up basic commands and learn the language. Food Vendor, Bangkok Thailand Street Vendor, Bangkok Thailand Stay active year round through community involvement, sport activities and charity work. This include training for a marathon which usually takes three to four months of prepa...

After our unforgettable stay in beautiful Santorini, Michelle and I boarded the Blue Star ferry to Naxos. About  four hours later, we arrived at Naxos port, where our host Mama Sophia, who owns and run ILion Hotel, a bed and breakfast accommodation near a family friendly beach, Saint George, was already waiting. She greeted us in her local dialect with a warm smile and drove us in her classic Mercedes car around the city center to get acclimated with the surroundings. It was a very warm welcome greeting. The next day, we decided to rent a  quad ATV that has a  box storage for personal belongings  at the back of the vehicle  and was  available for twenty euro / day which include  two helmets, a lock for the storage and free instruction.  After signing the agreement papers and free lesson on how to operate the vehicle, we were off to the nearest gas station to fill up an almost empty gas tank. It took a few tries before I finally got...

Schedule Day 1 Sat, May 16 Walk around ,Gülhane Park Orientation of the Old City, Sultanahmet. Day 2 Sun, May 17 Topkapi Palace( It is a must, closed on Tuesday) Hagia Sophia Museum / Church, Ayasofya  (It is a must, closed on Monday) Basilica Cistern  (It is a must) Basilica Cistern Blue Mosque, Sultan Ahmet Camii (It is a must) Turkish Bath (Optional) Day 3 Mon, May 18 Grand Bazaar, Kapali Carsi (It is a must, closed on Sunday) Egyptian Bazaar, (It is a must) Suleymaniye Mosque (You should do this) Suleymaniye Mosque Galata Tower (You should do this) Galata Tower Dolmabahce Palace (If time allows) Istiklal Street (If time allows) Day 4 Tue, May 19 Bosphorus Cruise Hotel Basileus Hotel