A Tast of Portugal Part 2: The Algarve

Photo by: Silvia Abella

I had to create a second blog on the Algarve region of Portugal because of the numerous activites that are available in this region. If you are looking for consistently nice weather, good food and a fun vacation I would highly recommend taking a vacation to the Algarve region of Portugal. This region is located in the southern most part of portugal and its known for its golden sandy beaches and crystal clear calm water.

http://www.fotopedia.com/items/airessantos-tBPYy6Gfusw
Aires Dos Santos

Algarve is probably most famous for its spectacular beaches which can get quite crowded during the months of July and August when tourists from the Netherlands and UK make there way down. If you speak to some of the locals or know people who have been to the area you may be let in on the secret of the many private beaches located in Algarve, away from the crowded tourist areas. Finding a deserted beach is a vacationers paradise and if you happen to come across one be sure to take full advantage.

Photo by: Silvia Abella

The Algarve coastline is also famous for its amazing rock formations as well as its many caves along the ocean. If you go to some of the busier beach areas you can hire a boat tour for a very reasonable price to take you into the many ocean caves along the coast. The trip lasts for about an hour but it is an awesome experience going through massive caves along the coastline in a boat. Many of these caves also have small beaches inside of them and if your tour guide is up to it they may let you off to take a quick walk around. If you are looking to go on a cave tour you can head down to Praia da Rocha which has many boats that take tourists on cave tours.

Algarve is also a famous location for any partygoer who is looking to have an enjoyable time dancing and visiting the many pubs located in Algarve. The most popular town in Algarve for people who are looking to have a party filled vacation would have to be Albufeira. The town of Albufeira was originally a trading hub with the North Africans since Morocco is a short boat ride across the sea. This town has since transformed into a little mini party city during the summer months. Staying in a hotel can be expensive during peak season so I would recommend staying in a hostel if you have a tight budget. If you are going to be travelling in a large group I would highly suggest trying to book a villa. If you book early enough you can snag a great deal and pay less than half the price you would be paying for a hotel. Going out at night in Albufeira can be a lot of fun either in the old town which is filled with restaurants and bars leading up to beach or you can also go to newer side of town called the Albufeira strip. These are both great locations and they are located fairly close to each other if you want to try out both places in the same night.

Photo by: Mateo Abella

If you are feeling a little adventurous you can also venture out of Albufeira and head to the most famous club in Algarve called Kadoc which is located about 20 minutes east of Albufeira. This club hosts some of the best DJ's in the world and has a capacity of 6000 people! Last summer I was lucky enough to be in the area when David Guetta was playing at Kadoc and it was hands down one of the funnest nights of my life.







Thats my summary of the Algarve region in Portugal, I hope you enjoyed reading the blog. If you have any questions or are interested in learning more about Algarve please leave a comment below.

A Taste of Portugal

http://www.freefoto.com/preview/908-21-1383/Flag-of-Portugal
Photo by: Free Foto

Since I am a half Portuguese I have a soft spot for the beautiful country of Portugal. Located on the SW corner of Europe, Portugal inhabits about 10.5 million people. The mountainous region to the north, the beaches on west coast and the desert region to the south separate Portugal’s geographic landscape. Since Portugal is a very small country (approximately 7 times smaller than Alberta) it is very easy to see the many attractions that Portugal has to offer in a short period of time.

Photo by: Mateo Abella

The north central region of Portugal is a mountainous region with lots of agriculture, forests, and streams. While this area of Portugal is away from the hustle bustle of the city it may allow tourists a chance to get a true taste of the Portuguese culture. The best time to visit this area of Portugal would have to be in the summer time when the festivals are in full force and many people are on their summer vacations. Many people who moved away to France or Switzerland as young adults to find work come back to their hometown during the summer months to visit. This transforms the small quiet towns into a partygoers heaven.

Photo by: Silvia abella

While you are in the northern region of Portugal you can make your way to the coast and visit the city of Porto. This wonderful city is famous for inventing Port wine, which is a sweet wine made from crushed grapes from the Douro valley mixed with a sweet brandy containing 77% alcohol. This can be a great dessert wine but watch your portions because this wine can catch up to you quickly!  

After visiting Porto you can travel south along the coast line to Lisbon. Along the way you can stop at the many beaches that Portugal has to offer along its Atlantic coast line. If you are feeling brave enough you can throw on a wet suit and go surfing in Nazare, Portugal which is known for some of the biggest waves on the planet. In November 2011 Garrett McNamara officially surfed the biggest wave in world located off the coast of Nazare as seen in the video below. 

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0X7d9hMVJWQ&feature=fvwrel

Photo by: F H Mira

http://www.fotopedia.com/items/flickr-2855714424

After surfing the waves in Nazare you can take a pit stop in Sintra right before you enter Lisbon and take a look at Arab geographer Al-Bacr's amazing architecture. This town is located on the top of high mountain surrounded by huge castle walls.

    

Photo by: Rosemary Abella

Once you hit the busy city of Lisbon you can take a tour throughout the city to see the many amenities such as the great architecture, castles, awesome restaurants and of course the great nightlife. During the day you can take a tour down to the Belém Tower which was ordered to be built by King John II as a defence tower against enemy armies. You can then make your way downtown to Bairro Alto and look through the many small streets for a small restaurant to eat at. Afterwards you can make your way down to Campo Pequeno for a bull fighting event which is an old Portuguese tradition. If you are still feeling up to it you can make your way down to one of the many nightclubs located in Lisbon. But be prepared to stay out till the early hours of the morning because the nightclubs don't open until 2am. I would recommend heading to the "Docas" since there are over 20 pubs and clubs to choose from along this dockside setting. 

This is my basic overview of the north central regions of Portugal. I will be making a second blog on the Algarve region Portugal since there are so many things to see and do in the region. Please feel free to leave a comment below and give me some feedback on your views of Portugal or how your views may have changed.

    

"Graz" The Exchange Student Heaven

If you are thinking of going on exchange for school I would highly recommend looking into the city of Graz, Austria. Even though I personally haven't gone on exchange to Graz I still know so much about city since my sister went on a 6 month exchange there. From the stories I have heard and the pictures I have seen I can guarantee that anyone travelling to Graz on exchange will truly enjoy themselves.

Photo by: Rosemary Abella

Photo by: Rosemary Abella

Graz is a city of about 300,000 people which makes it the second largest city in Austria next to Vienna. Graz has an old town feel with its medieval structures as well as amazing art seen throughout the city. The city almost reminds me of Calgary because the people in Graz live such an active lifestyle such as the 106 kilometres worth of pathways within the city for people to ride their bikes on or even the short trip to alps to ski. One of the main reasons that this city is so attractive for university students is the fact that almost 15% of the city is made up of students. This gives any exchange student living in Graz a great opportunity to make new friends from across the globe.


Another great thing about Graz is that it is borders 8 countries and it is situated almost directly in the center of Europe. This gives exchange students the opportunity to travel on weekends and view different areas of europe. The good thing about Europe is that you can fly from country to country for a fairly reasonable price. If you have access to a vehicle you can also make a short drive to many of the bordering countries such as a 3.5 hour drive to Budapest, Hungary. You could also take a trip down south to Croatia and view the wonderful beaches, and if you are lucky enough to be staying in Graz during October you can take a 4 drive to Munich for Oktoberfest.

Photo by: Rosemary Abella

What do you think about travelling abroad? Would Graz, Austria be a place on your list to go for exchange? Please leave your comments below.

Tourism and the Economy

       
         Many countries around the world rely on tourism dollars to stimulate their economy.Travel is a valuable part for many nations well being in the global market. Tourism accounts for ten percent of the world's gross domestic product and nearly eight percent of worldwide employment. An example of this is countries located in the Caribbean that rely almost solely on vacationers and their money. Countries who primarily rely on tourism tend to be aesthetically beautiful yet unfortunately impoverished. These nations that place a high value on bringing travelers in must make sure their country is a safe place to be. An example of this is the government in Mexico trying to relinquish drug cartel activity in areas of high tourism to make travelers feel they can be safe in the country. If travelers do not feel safe, they will never spend their hard earned money and support citizens livelihoods.


Two tourists admiring the landscape


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     Tourism is fundamentally important in order to maintain a stable economy. Many countries around the world have few export industries, so they rely on money brought into the country via cruise ships and hotel resorts. If the act of traveling did not exist, these countries would fall into a recession and would require foreign aid and negatively impacting the world.


How do you think countries can increase their tourism rates? And do you think tourism is really that large of   an economy stimulator?  How can we harness tourism to affect a nations market value?



This picture shows how tourism connects the world

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Thanks for reading

If You're Going to San Francisco...

As mentioned in my last post, I was recently in San Francisco. It is a SUPER COOL city, and I really hope you all get a chance to visit. 

Most of you are probably familiar with the main tourist attractions, including:

• Golden Gate Bridge
• Alcatraz Island
• Fisherman's Wharf
• Lombard Street
• SF Giants

... just to name a few. 

It looks like beccamyhre already did a FABULOUS job describing some of these under, "I left my heart in San Francisco", so I will share a few other SF tidbits with you.

Golden Gate Bridge (Merriam, Megan. 2008)

For getting around SF, you may want to pick up a Muni Passport or CityPass. For $20, it is good for all street cars and buses for 3 consecutive days. You can get this pass at Walgreens. The one draw back is that you can't use it to get on the train (BART). To use the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit), you have to pay each time based on the distance you are going. One thing to be aware of with the BART is that you have to start by inserting $20, and then clicking the minus sign to lower the price until it's shows what you actually owe. It is usually under $4, so don't forget your change.

For getting from the airport, the BART is easy to use and much cheaper than a taxi. It will easily get you to Embarcadero which is close to most downtown hotels. The system is very similar to Vancouver (just to give you a comparison). 

On Tuesday and Thursday mornings, the Ferry Building Marketplace, is a market that is worth checking out. You can find it on Embarcadero and Market Street. 

On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights, a $10 all-you-can-eat buffet is available at the Tonga Room, from 5pm to 7pm. It has happy hour prices for drinks as well, which is pretty cool, considering 'happy hour' no longer exists here. It is located in the basement of the Fairmont Hotel. They have a band that plays after 8, which costs $5 dollars. The ambiance is unique and it is pretty entertaining (they have canoes hanging from the roof!). 

Telegraph Hill is a great spot for a view of the city. It's on Filbert and Kearny in North Beach. Look for the loud wild parrots up top! This spot is a bit tough to get to. There is a bus, but I can't seem to remember the number (if anyone knows?).

As for shopping, Union Square is probably the best spot. I think I spent 3 days of my trip in that area alone. 

Union Square - Time to Shop! (Merriam, Megan. 2012)

If you are interested in sailing (and the weather permits), I would recommend Ohana Sailing. The owners are from Alberta (friendly Canadian faces!), and they meet you in Sausalito. As for GETTING to Saualito, I recommend going to Blazing Saddles and renting bikes to cross the Golden Gate (takes a couple hours or so). 

Does anyone have anything to share that's SF related? I would love to hear some suggestions for great restaurants and night life!

It's a Marathon, Not a Sprint

The desire to travel seems to be one of those things that needs to be ignited within an individual, like by hearing an amazing story from a friend, seeing a cool picture online or through the promotion of a specific tourist attraction (IE: Disneyland - "The Most Magical Place on Earth!").

One thing that inspires me to travel is my passion for running. Running is an activity that can be done anywhere is the world and all you need is a good pair of shoes (or not)! Best part? It's FREE! It’s also a great (and active) way to explore a new place and really take in the beauty of any destination.

Another cool thing about running is that it can be organized or fully free-spirited. 

Nike Woman's Marathon - San Fransisco (Merriam, Megan. 2012)

Marathons, half marathons and other organized racing events are an awesome thing to look into. One of my favorite experiences was through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada's Team in Training (TNT) program. They participate in races all over North America, so there are many destinations to choose from. I recently completed the Nike Woman’s Half Marathon in San Francisco through the TNT program. It was my first experience with TNT and would 100% recommend it to others, for the following reasons:

1) It's for an amazing cause (leukemia and lymphoma research)

2) You can join with friends (as well as make so many new ones)

3) You fund raise, so your flight and accommodations are covered (free trip to San Francisco? Yes please!)

4) You can pick and choose events all over North America

Nike Woman's Marathon - San Fransisco (NWM 26.2, Facebook. 2012)

https://www.facebook.com/NWM26.2/app_193921220718307

Has anyone ever done anything through TNT? I would be interested in hearing your story!

If you're not big into organized sporting events, fundraising or you just prefer to do your own thing, my suggestion would be to look up running blogs or community websites. There are so many beautiful routes to check out, especially if you are going to coastal destinations. A couple of my favorite places have been in Vancouver and in Maui.

Beach run in Kihei, Maui (Merriam, Megan. 2012)

Be sure to take the time to enjoy the scenery - sounds, sights and smells (leave your iPod behind)!

7 Natural Wonders of the World

   Our planet contains beauty that is far beyond the imagination of man. These types of breathtaking natural occurrences appear everywhere throughout the modern world, but some of them take dominance over  others. There is a list that includes seven of the most magnificent natural phenomenons known to man. A main reason why these tie in so well with the idea of Continents and travel is because they are all located on different continents in opposite corners of the world.    This list (in order) includes:

1.Grand Canyon, Arizona, US
2. Great Barrier Reef, Australia
3.Harbor of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
4.Mount Everest, Nepal
5.Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis
6.Parícutin volcano, Michocán, Mexico 
7. Victoria Falls, Zambezi River, Africa


   It is my dream to one day visit each and every one of these majestic places. These locations live in the dreams of every single human being that has ever dreamt of travel and to experience the world.  Nearly five million people visit the Grand canyon every single year to witness this spectacle.  many do not realize that the great barrier reef can be seen from outer space and generates around 5 billion dollars annually in regards to tourism. The Brazilian harbour of Rio De Janeiro runs almost 20 miles inland and has one of the most amazing panoramic views in the world. On average five people die each year trying to reach the summit of Mount Everest.


The summit of Mount Everest
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The Grand Canyon at mid day

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The Great Barrier reef
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      Human beings have recognized the true beauty in these natural monuments.Its obvious that I could spend days upon days of explaining the details of these wonders, but there isn't enough room so I will leave you all in suspense. These destinations all encourage tourism in the areas of the world where they are located. And maybe one day you will visit some, or even all of these places of marvel.

Snow Birds

       A couple of years ago I traveled to Mesa Arizona to visit my grandparents who live there. While I was in Arizona I traveled around everywhere using my skateboard. After skating all throughout the town I made a startling discovery...... I was one of the youngest people around by far. When I returned home I asked my grandpa about Mesa, and he said " Its a beautiful place for snowbirds to travel south to". That was the first time I have ever heard of the expression known as snowbirds.  From that point forward the only people who I saw or was around appeared to be at least 70 or over.  I wasnt a hundred percent sure that all of these old people in one place was normal.

   One morning my Grandma asked me to run to the supermarket for supplies that were needed for dinner that night. Without hesitation I agreed and headed out the door ( Grocery stores in America are really cool and very interesting). After looking at all of the heavily sugar injected American snack foods, I grabbed Dinner rolls and a couple chicken breasts. On the way out of the grocery store I ran into an old man who was visibly struggling with his groceries. I offered to help him carry them to his car and he became very excited and accepted my offer. After taking his belongings to his car he asked me if I was a local. I told him that sadly I was not and that my Grandparents lived here for almost all of the year. He said "ahhh, good Ole snowbirds". I was still curious as to what the word actually meant ( by now I had a vague idea). I asked him what being a snowbird actually means and he told me that "Its when frozen Canadians come to the southern states to avoid snow, much like Canadian geese. "

 

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 After I came home to flurries and negative 30 degree weather (without the windchill). I started to realize and understand why its so important for people to travel to the lower states during winter. This action shows how traveling around the world affects us even when we are past the prime of our youth and is something indoctrined in us forever. After that point I vowed that when I became elderly my goal was to never witness the coldness of winter again. ( Much like everyone who lives in Florida)






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Thanks for reading!

following my feet...

Over the last few years, I have gotten into the habit of taking a photo of my feet wherever I travel. I know it sounds like a very strange thing to do, but it has quickly become my favorite way to record my memories from the places I visit. I just love the simplicity of showing only my feet on the ground, with just a snippit of the place on which I am standing. My feet are my method of transportation, and they are what allows me to continue to travel with such ease - and before anyone asks, I do NOT have a foot fetish hahaha. I have collected over 100 photos collected so far, in places varying from around my hometown of Calgary, in and around the Rocky Mountains, and as far as the sandy beaches of Mexico.

Walking through the mud at Tolman Campground, AB | Road trippin' - Rossport, ON - Lake Superior | Lombard St, San Francisco, California, USA | My brothers wedding at Playa Mujeres, Mexico | Home, Calgary, AB | My friends house, Calgary, AB | The hammock life - Eau Claire Campground, AB | Remembering my great grandmother Clara in her hometown of Cold Lake, AB | Arriving after a hike up to Elbow Lake, AB

My friend & I on a "beach" on the Red Deer River.

Often I will include other people in my shots, highlighting who I was with on any given adventure. This is an important part for me, as the people I surround myself with are very important to me. My friends and family are what I consider the most important aspect of my life, so including those close to me is a significant aspect of this form of memory keepsake. 

Waiting for our hotel in Victoria 

As I continue to travel, if I am lucky enough, I would love to continue to build this database, recording the places I have been throughout my lifetime. I consider this similar to collecting sand from different beaches visited, but photographs can be taken anywhere, where sand is limited to beaches. Eventually I would like to travel around Europe, and think this would be a wonderful way to capture where I travel. 

I have all these pictures, however I am at a loss of what to do with them. Currently, they are all in a folder on my computer, but I want to display my collection somehow, so if any of you have suggestions on how to do that - please let me know!!

I left my heart in San Francisco

A few years ago, I was lucky enough to travel to San Francisco with my parents, aunt, uncle and cousin. We were in the bay area for just over a week, and I can not wait to go back and explore the city more. We went in August, and to my surprise it was much colder than I had anticipated for summer in California. Apparently the chilly weather is completely normal for that time of year, but it never once damped our spirits.

One of my favorite experiences in San Fran was going to a Major League Baseball game. Never being much of a baseball fan before, I was not very excited for this part of our trip. As we hopped on the cable car to get to AT&T park, the fog burnt off,  leaving us with the hottest day of our trip. As soon as we got near the stadium, the atmosphere in the air changed. Excitement was all around us, as fans - clad in orange and black - tromped into their seats.

The innings past by in a flash (much different than watching baseball on TV!) and we were lucky enough to experience a textbook baseball game. Not only did the Giants beta the Cubs, but they got a grand slam and a splash hit, both which are quite rare. Enjoying a hot dog and an ice cold beer was something our family was able to cross off our bucket lists', leaving us all with an experience we will never forget.

Splash Hit #54 (Myhre, Rebecca. 2010)

The view from our seats at AT&T Park - San Francisco Gaints VS Chicago Cubs (Myhre, Rebecca. 2010)

As we continued our travels around the lovely San Francisco, we visited many interesting places, including Lombard Street, Haight & Ashbury, Alcatraz, as well as biked across the Golden Gate Bridge to the quaint town of Sausalito. San Fran is an amazingly beautiful city, filled with wonderful people and wonderful food. For anyone who loves seafood - visiting the Bay area is a must. 

I could go on about everything we did there, but this post would be much to long, so I will leave you with a few of my favorite pictures from the trip - enjoy!

The most amazing bistro food at BOUDIN. (Myhre, Rebecca. 2010)

Exploring the piers. (Myhre, Rebecca. 2010)

The famous Lombard Street. (Myhre, Rebecca. 2010)

The Painted Ladies. (Myhre, Rebecca. 2010)

We found this tiny little area in the middle of a public park filled with plants potted in shoes. (Myhre, Rebecca. 2010)

View from the Golden Gate Bridge. (Myhre, Rebecca. 2010)

Haight & Ashbury. (Myhre, Rebecca. 2010)

From the inside looking out - Alcatraz Island. (Myhre, Rebecca. 2010)

Exchange Program .. Yes or No?

Mount Royal Universities International Exchange Program

Mount Royal, has a wonderful exchange program, where for one semester, a student can choose to study in another part of the world.  Students here can chose to go to twenty four different countries, and pick from seventy nine universities.  Pretty cool, hey?

Photo Taken by OpenCage.  Retrieved October 24, 2012 from http://opencage.info/pics.e/large_3176.asp

The issue I see with exchange programs, are why would you go to another country to study?  I seriously spend a good 60% of each day in my classes, or doing homework  If I went to another country, such as Japan, Brazil, or Australia I would want to be spending my time sight seeing, enjoying myself, and relaxing, not sitting in a classroom, listening to a three hour lecture, like I currently do.

When our school had a club day in the main hallway, I visited the exchange program booth for more information.  I talked to a girl who had gone to Japan for her student exchange, and she had nothing but good things to say about it.  One of the main selling points of the booth was that an exchange to another University allows you to have new experiences, such as meeting new people, who may see the world differently than you do.  This makes sense, yet I found it difficult enough adjusting to MRU this September, as a first year student; if I was studying abroad, my main concern would probably be figuring out where things are, and my teachers expectations for assignments, not meeting new people.  Obviously grades are very important in University, and I wouldn't want to jeopardize my marks by placing myself in an scenario in which there may be too many stressful aspects or distractions or to high of a stress level.  I wouldn't want to add an extra year or semester onto my four year degree. 

Photo Taken by Ian Britton.  Retrieved October 24, 2012 from http://www.freefoto.com/preview/1351-06-2/Books--Shakespeare-and-Company-Bookstore--The-Latin-Quarter--Paris

 

I also feel selecting classes in another University may prove to be difficult.  For example, I am wanting to major in Psychology, and I had a terrible time on the twenty third trying to pick classes for this school.  I waited until twelve o'clock at night, and seriously stayed up until two thirty in the morning, as many classes were closed or had a weight list anywhere from thirteen to twenty three people.  So, what would it be like to pick classes in a University in China?  Difficult, I imagine.

With an international exchange, I would most likely have to quit my job, which I would not want to do.  I need to be making money each week, not spending it.  With an exchange, I realize that I would be paying the same tuition as I currently do, but it's the living expenses that presents an issue.  Currently I live with my parents, and do not pay for groceries or rent.  If I went on an exchange, my parents would no longer help me out with these things.

I'm sure an exchange would be amazing, but it's just not something I could see realistically happening.  For me, there appears to be more negatives then positives.  Although, if I was ever able to conjure up the money, get my parents approval, and felt that my work load for an up-coming semester wasn't too heavy, I would choose to go to Australia.  I would much rather go to Australia on my own time though, when I am not a student.  Five classes is just way to much to balance while being in a totally new environment.

Taken by Suzanne Photography.  Retrieved October 24, 2012 from http://suzanneschechtman.com/Photography/index.htm.

I would love to hear your opinion on international student exchange programs.  Have any of you gone on one or are planning to go on one?  I would love for someone to attempt to change my mind.  In a way, I do see the importance of trying new things, and getting exposure to different places, people, and cultures. 

Mexico

Trip to Mexico

First, I am going to start off with some advice ……… DO NOT go to Mexico with your family, and especially do not go there if you are a minor.  Also, our summer is not the best time to go, as it is HOT, HOT, HOT out in Mexico.

My family and I went to Riviera Maya in Mexico the summer of 2010, when I was only sixteen, my sister Brenna was thirteen and my brother Connor was twelve.  To be honest, going to Mexico was the worst vacation I have ever been on (as bad and in-grateful as that may sound).   The beaches were beautiful, the food at our all-inclusive resort tasted delicious and the staff was extremely  friendly/helpful.   I also took some beautiful pictures.  On the flip side though, my family did not get a long AT ALL.  Most people would probably wish to stay in Mexico longer, but we were thankful to leave.  This is due to the fact that my family can be very dysfunctional, even though we love each other to death.   I think that intense heat also played a role in getting on each others nerves.   

Here is a list of some of the funny/bad things that happened in Mexico:

1. My parents were nervous about staff on the resort stealing our belongings, so my father went to Canadian tire and bought locks for all of our suitcases before our departure.  On day #2, we were getting ready to leave our room and my mother accidentally locked the master key set into her suitcase!  Luckily, my messy /disorganized sister, had left most of her belongings out of her suitcase, including  a handful of bobby pins.  My talented mother managed, no problem, to break into the lock of her suitcase, using a single bobby pin.   We thought it was hilarious, as why even have the locks if they were that easy to break into?
2. Unfortunately, my parents are quite strict, so at night, my brother, sister and I were not allowed to watch any type of drinking contest or anything fun.  I swear that we went back to our rooms at like nine or ten o’clock four out of the seven nights.  Once we arrived in our bedrooms, we would go to bed immediately, or watch a movie.  Really, who watches movies in Mexico for goodness sake!?  I must admit that for three nights we attended plays/musicals two or three night’s, which were quite enjoyable, one of them had Shrek and Fiona in them!
3. I was not allowed to walk anywhere on the resort by myself, even to go to the bathroom.  I thought that this was very unfair, but I soon realized why my parents made this rule.  At our resort, male staff would always come up to me and tell me how beautiful I was.  In one way, it was nice, as here in Calgary, no one randomly comes up to me and tells me I’m beautiful (I think it was just because of my blonde hair).  In another way though sometimes they made me uncomfortable.  For example, one night when we were out for dinner at a fancy restaurant, the waiter kept licking his lips at me in a suggestive way and even went as far to jokingly blindfold my dad with a napkin.  My dad was not happy and didn’t even give the waiter a tip at the end of our meal. :/
4. My sister Brenna, had an allergic reaction while in Mexico, and her face swelled up to almost twice its size.  Poor girl!  On top of it all, her face was burnt and peeling really badly.  We ended up having to buy medication at the resort, but since we couldn’t read the directions, we had to guess at the dosage to give.  Yikes!
5. On the hottest day of our vacation, when it was 40 degrees out, my parents planned for us to go on a hike to the Pyramids.  I am not exaggerating when I say that this was one of the worst days of my life.  The heat was way too much to handle.  I also was very sick during the hike from something I ate, and was nauseous the whole time.  I had to keep running to use the bathroom before we even boarded the bus.  Also before we went on our hike, we were bombarded by people trying to sell things, which caused my dad to become very stressed out. 
6. Our whole vacation, my family did not step foot of the resort, as my parents (bless their hearts) are worry-warts and were concerned about our safety.  Sitting on the resort all day got old fast, as I am not much of a sun bather and neither is my mother.   Instead of lathering up ourselves with tanning oil, we lathered ourselves up with 70 bloc sunscreen. ;)

 

*** Pictures above are taken by me in Mexico. Top Right, a plate of food that was probably the reason I was sick on our hike.  Top middle, my father, brother, mother and I pretending to smile after the brutal hike to the pyramids.  Top left, a bunch of people on the hike seeking shade under a big tree.  Bottom left, my sisters burnt shoulder (she didn't want me to post a picture of her face).  Bottom right, a "really cool" pyramid.

Overall, Mexico was not the greatest vacation, but at the same time, I think it brought my family closer together.  We can now laugh at many of the things that happened; things that were not so funny at the time.   I was hoping to go to Mexico after graduation, but due to insufficient funds, my friends and I went camping instead.  Not quite as good as parting on a beach in your bikini, but eating dozens of smores somewhat made up for it!  I am now hoping to make a trip to Mexico in four years, after receiving my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.   It is going to be an all-girls trip to Mexico, when my sister is nineteen and my cousin is eighteen!

On a lighter note, these are some of the best moments from Mexico:

1. Canoeing in the ocean!
2. Swimming in the various resort pools.
3. A water aerobics/dance class every morning.
4. Drinking virgin margaritas (at least that’s what my family thought I was drinking).
5. Reading books by the poolside (I think I read at least three that week).
6. Feeling the sand in between my toes, and looking up at the gorgeous sky. 

Have any of you had a bad vacation experience?  If so, I would love to hear about it (probably just to make myself feel a little bit better)!