Tag: Culture

Asia, Beer, Kathmandu, Mount Everest, Nepal, Travel, UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Magical, mystical Nepal and the Top of The World: Mount Everest.

Kathmandu is now one of my favorite cities in the world. Super chaotic, super rustic, so super charismatic, that I’m in love!😍 A wonderful walk in the area surrounding Durbar Square, distinguished by its narrow alleys crowded with various shops and vendors. Dozens of temples and shrines pepper the area. The ‘architecture’ if you can call it that, is like nothing we’ve ever seen anywhere … Continue reading Magical, mystical Nepal and the Top of The World: Mount Everest.

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Asia, India, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Wonders of the World

The Golden Triangle of Incredible India!

The Four Whitneys arrived in Jaipur, India late Friday night after a rather choppy flight from Singapore in an aircraft full of crying/screaming toddlers with mothers that were unfazed by it. 😒 I’m extetmely thankful for firefighter rated earplugs! Welcome to India! Jaipur, the famous “Pink City” (for the color of the old city buildings), is the capital of the Rajasthan State. Yesterday we started … Continue reading The Golden Triangle of Incredible India!

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Asia, Nature, Singapore, Uncategorized, UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Singapore, Tiger Nation, Garden of the World.

As with many big cities in Asia, Singapore was first ruled by Siam until the Portuguese arrived to use it as a port and then the Dutch but it was the British who settled the city as a trading post for the East India Company. Later to be occupied by Japan during WWII and finally gaining independence in the 1960’s, today, Singapore ranks very high … Continue reading Singapore, Tiger Nation, Garden of the World.

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Interviews

Check out my interview with @TheGuyWhoFlies !

Interview With Travel Blogger Magdalena Whitney Of Four Whitneys One World @4Whitneys1World I am super excited to share with you my interview with @TheGuyWhoFlies, fresh off the press! With my blog turning 1 in 5 days, I have to say that it has been a wonderful experience. Meeting other bloggers either in person or through social media and collaborating with each other has been an … Continue reading Check out my interview with @TheGuyWhoFlies !

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Middle East, Oman, UNESCO World Heritage Sites

FACEBOOK JOURNAL OF OUR RECENT UAE AND OMAN TRIP. PART 4: Oman Road Trip- Muscat, Muttrah and the Al Dakhiliyah region.

We arrived in Muscat, Oman. We picked up our rental car and we are off to explore. Oman too, has oil but Sultan Qaboos decided to preserve the country’s authenticity so there are no skyscrapers. The whole city of Muscat is more like a seaside resort type. Muttrah is the harbour district. Their architecture is very specific, very cool. Every building is painted white or … Continue reading FACEBOOK JOURNAL OF OUR RECENT UAE AND OMAN TRIP. PART 4: Oman Road Trip- Muscat, Muttrah and the Al Dakhiliyah region.

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Middle East, Oman, United Arab Emirates

FACEBOOK JOURNAL OF OUR RECENT UAE AND OMAN TRIP. PART 3: Desert Adventure and Global Village, Dubai, UAE.

Al AĂ­n Desert Adventure. We got picked up today in a Land Rover to go to the desert about an hour away southwest from Dubai. The tires have to be deflated to 12 psi (normally 40) to be able to go into the sand dunes. Other SUVs joined the convoy and we were off into the desert. The dunes go from small to medium to … Continue reading FACEBOOK JOURNAL OF OUR RECENT UAE AND OMAN TRIP. PART 3: Desert Adventure and Global Village, Dubai, UAE.

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Middle East, United Arab Emirates

FACEBOOK JOURNAL OF OUR RECENT UAE AND OMAN TRIP. PART 2: NEW DUBAI, UAE.

The boys were excited to see New Dubai, after all, that’s the image we westerners know. And it does not disappoint! The journal continues: +New Dubai First stop of the day, Jumeirah Mosque. Jumeirah Beach with the only 7 star hotel in the world, the Burj Al Arab as our backdrop. Only guests are allowed inside or if you have a restaurant reservation for one … Continue reading FACEBOOK JOURNAL OF OUR RECENT UAE AND OMAN TRIP. PART 2: NEW DUBAI, UAE.

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Middle East, United Arab Emirates

Facebook journal of our recent UAE and Oman trip. PART 1: OLD DUBAI, UAE.

I have been MIA for a month because we went on our Spring trip to UAE and Oman. Here is a little bit of that trip. I am just sharing the LIVE posts of the journal we were keeping on Facebook as we traveled. As many world travelers know, WIFI is not always good, so it is hard to constantly post. More in depth and … Continue reading Facebook journal of our recent UAE and Oman trip. PART 1: OLD DUBAI, UAE.

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Beer, Europe, Ireland

“Stone upon stone upon fallen stone”, the wall reads. St. James’s Gate Brewery, now the Guinness Storehouse, welcomed us to Ireland, the Emerald Isle.

The boys reminded me today that they had to wear green to school or else they will get pinched by leprechauns (or their mean spirited classmates) because it is St. Patrick’s Day. I stared at them with eyes that expressed: “I’m sorry, didn’t we just take you to Ireland one year ago, where you learned that this is not the case?” Those poor leprechauns, a type … Continue reading “Stone upon stone upon fallen stone”, the wall reads. St. James’s Gate Brewery, now the Guinness Storehouse, welcomed us to Ireland, the Emerald Isle.

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Europe, France, UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Paris, the City of Lights, the City of Love and also, the city where the ‘3 second rule’ does NOT apply.

Ah! The City of Lights, the City of Love. Paris in the Spring is probably in everybody’s bucket list. I just highly doubt it includes two toddlers but since we are the crazy traveling family, with toddlers we went. We spent almost a month in France in 2005 and to ease the jet lag (we were novices at this…) we rented an apartment in Paris … Continue reading Paris, the City of Lights, the City of Love and also, the city where the ‘3 second rule’ does NOT apply.

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America, Canada, Nature, Wonders of the World

While ancient civilizations were flourishing, while Moses was leading Israel out of Egypt, while Jesus was walking the Earth, while Columbus was sailing to America, while man was landing on the moon… Then and now, the majestic Niagara Falls had been roaring with incessable might.

Only astronauts have seen with their own eyes how insignificant we are within the vastness of the universe. We, the regular folk, will never see that sight but the same sense of insignificance happens when you see Niagara Falls. How can one not feel small or powerless in the face of such a display of nature? The sheer size of the Horseshoe Falls and amount of … Continue reading While ancient civilizations were flourishing, while Moses was leading Israel out of Egypt, while Jesus was walking the Earth, while Columbus was sailing to America, while man was landing on the moon… Then and now, the majestic Niagara Falls had been roaring with incessable might.

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Asia, Japan

Slapping of the belly, pounding of the legs and throwing of the salt at Tokyo’s Honbasho Opening Day. The extreme symbolism of sumo wrestling.

I’m glad we visited Japan during the winter. Yes, we missed the amazing cherry blossom season by picking to visit the Land of the Rising Sun during a cold January in 2011, but we were rewarded, among other things, with the Opening Day of the first Honbasho of the year. The fascinating sumo wrestling world awaited! Every year there are six honbasho (official sumo tournaments) … Continue reading Slapping of the belly, pounding of the legs and throwing of the salt at Tokyo’s Honbasho Opening Day. The extreme symbolism of sumo wrestling.

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Europe, Monaco

The lifestyles of the not so rich nor famous in the playground of the really rich and famous. Monaco with kids?

The glamorous and glittering setting of Monaco, at the time familiar to us from movies only, is where the rich and famous come to R&R from their ‘hectic’ lives or to play with their equally rich and famous friends. The resort of choice for royalty. It is that nice and that fancy. So, why go with kids? In 2005, during our south of France wanderings, … Continue reading The lifestyles of the not so rich nor famous in the playground of the really rich and famous. Monaco with kids?

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Asia, China, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Wonders of the World

“Until you reach the Great Wall, you’re no hero.” -Chairman Mao. The majestic Great Wall of China and the Imperial Tombs of the Ming Dynasty.

I remember hearing about the Great Wall of China when I was a little girl and I also used to think China was so far away there was no way one could ever go there. I would read about the iconic wall in books, see it in cartoons, magazines, newspapers, etc., and I was fascinated by it. Little did I know that no picture, no … Continue reading “Until you reach the Great Wall, you’re no hero.” -Chairman Mao. The majestic Great Wall of China and the Imperial Tombs of the Ming Dynasty.

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Home away from home, Logistics, Travel Tips

Our amazing homes away from home.

They say there’s no place like home. Usually, traveling means you will be sleeping in a hotel away from home. For us, not necessarily. We have rented apartments, stayed with friends and family and also, stayed in every type of hotel imaginable. I get this question all the time: which is better? After traveling with kids for 13 years through 30 countries and hundreds of … Continue reading Our amazing homes away from home.

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Asia, Europe, Israel, Italy, Middle East, The Vatican, UNESCO World Heritage Sites

A Pope resigns. A palace and a cave. Enlightened by reality at the Vatican and Jerusalem.

Pope Benedict XVI resigned or ‘stepped down from Peter’s chair’ in February 2013. Just a month earlier we were traveling through Israel. When the Pope announced his retirement, I had one of those moments where you understand, one more time, the importance of traveling to, walking through and reading about historical sites. It is well known that you should not speak about politics or religion … Continue reading A Pope resigns. A palace and a cave. Enlightened by reality at the Vatican and Jerusalem.

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America, USA

We finally made it to the Emerald City. Seattle dreamin’.

Back in the day (1993) when Wayne and I were dating, we used to think one day we would get married and move to Seattle. Why? Who knows! Maybe because we loved the constant rain, the green forests, the endless hiking trails or maybe just because Starbucks had just exploded in the stock market the year before, Nirvana was the rage, Microsoft… We were young and … Continue reading We finally made it to the Emerald City. Seattle dreamin’.

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Europe, Luxembourg, UNESCO World Heritage Sites

The very elegant and quiet Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg or just plain Luxembourg is one of the smallest countries in Europe. French, German, and Luxembourgish are the official languajes and proficiency in all three languages is required for graduation from secondary school. The city of Luxembourg itself is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, on account of the historical importance of its fortifications. We visited Luxembourg in 2007. The city is perched … Continue reading The very elegant and quiet Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

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England, Europe

Oxford, England. Then and then.

I spent the summer of 1987 in Oxford, England. I was 15 years old and I was sent there to ‘perfect my English’ with a group of teens. I did very little studying and lots of partying. Being my first Transatlantic trip, it fully opened my eyes and mind. That trip may have been the spark that lit my travel fire. In 2007 I had the … Continue reading Oxford, England. Then and then.

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America, Mexico, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Wonders of the World

Chichen Itza. Visiting our ancestors’ stomping grounds.

Our second trip to the Yucatan Peninsula (November 2007). Vincent was almost 7 and Dante was 6. My favorite moment in the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza: Dante running through a 1300 year old market. It’s a hot day today. It’s always hot in the Yucatan peninsula. In the car, our way to Chichen ItzĂĄ, I lecture the boys about the rituals, culture, legends and every … Continue reading Chichen Itza. Visiting our ancestors’ stomping grounds.

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