Posts Tagged With: Travel

#TravelTuesday – Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic

(Boca Chica)

Nothing peaks the top levels of my “satisfaction meter” like the sight of a fresh coconut and a machete-weilding native!  On a hot day in the Caribbean, it’s the perfect compliment to a day spent lounging on the sand, synching your brain pulse to the rhythm of the sea and thinking about what you are going to write home about (sorry, instagram about) in your daily travel diary later that evening. “Oh look, fresh coconuts! Yay! Wait ’til I take a selfie of myself sipping rum-spiked nectar out of a coconut shell in paradise…haters gonna hate!” It is the cherry on top of the “island life” sundae. In the land that put the “Loco” in the “Coco”, you’re in for a real treat when you see one of these guys approaching you on any of the dreamy beaches of the Dominican Republic. On this particular day, I got a 2 for 1…a fresh coco and an even fresher hat to go with it! Things could be worse…much worse.

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Gringo With A Green Bag – Finding “Balance” in Guatemala

It’s just something I’ve ALWAYS wanted to do 🙂

Bella Guatemala Travel

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La Selva Maya – Petén, Guatemala

Tikal(Tikal – 2015)

So here I was, in the jungle of Petén, Guatemala just a few short weeks ago. I made my way up the zigzagging wooden staircase that ascends to the top of Temple IV in the mighty ruins of Tikal. Far less neck-slapping of mosquitos this time around. A dry, sunny April day made for an incredible contrast to my last experience in this mystical world of wonder, which saw me slipping around the ruins wearing a bright yellow rain slicker that made me look like a greased up banana with legs…hairy legs, even less flattering to the locals (perhaps not to the howler monkeys). I had made this trek and climb before, about 7 years ago. Same green bag, different shoes and camera. You always know you’re in a special place when, even though you’ve been there before, it feels like a unique experience the second time around, one that has your eyeballs peeled away in total awe of your surroundings, with an equal or greater impression felt than that of your first visit.

The jungle is raw, alive…constantly whispering its stories of the past though ancient structures and their decipherable remains. It breathes a silent air and echos a mystical tune as you stand above a canopy of endless green and inhale sweeping views of this storied land that has harbored centuries of warriors, kings, slaves, innovation, peace & prosperity, death & destruction. La Selva Maya – The Mayan Jungle. It’s still there…with the same sun casting its rays upon it daily, whether dampened or glowing. Oh, the stories it could tell…

Tikal, Guatemala(A floating mist blankets the jungle on my first visit to Tikal back in 2008)

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Holy…Week! Fresh off the Guatemala Easter tour…

Antigua Throughout my travels, when encountering something amazing for the very first time, I often find myself verbalizing a familiar phrase. It goes something like: “Wow…I’ve never seen anything like this before!” or “This place is on a whole different level!” or “What a f**king gem!”.  Well, I have to admit, I did use a few choice curse words to describe the awesomeness of Antigua, Guatemala during Holy Week (Semana Santa). The good news is that you can find a church in Antigua about as easy as finding a pub in downtown Milwaukee, or a cheesehead in Green Bay, so one is never without an ample opportunity to pay one’s respects to the Good Lord and confess one’s sins, especially in the town that celebrates the holiest of Holy Weeks in all of Latin America with its unique tradition of street carpets (alfombras) and elaborate processions. In order to do this blog proper justice, I’ll have to go through my 5000+ images from my trip (ouch!) and pick out a worthy selection of photos to tell the unique story of a place and its apotheosized and honored tradition that you will truly “never see anything like” in any other place in the world. That place is Antigua, Guatemala…where traditions have no expiration and the celebration of Easter is a bit more than a few colored eggs and a pink basket. Throw in some pineapples, red peppers, tomatoes, colored sawdust, purple robes and a whole lot of incense, smoke and street food and you’ll be off to a decent start. Stay tuned for the full Semana Santa recap…and enjoy a few snapshots of the “awesomeness” I found around town in the meantime. 🙂 Trip courtesy of Bella Guatemala Travel Antigua 01 Antigua 02Antigua 03 Antigua 04 Antigua 05

Antigua 08

Antigua 06 Antigua 07

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Shadow selfie…tropical style

This morning on the beach in Acapulco, Mexico…host city of Tianguis Turístico México 2015. The shadows have since shortened and the temps have risen. A beautiful place to be.

Acapulco -1

Acapulco-2

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Green Bag out of the shop and ready for Mexico!

GWAGB

Hey, just wanted to give a quick shout out to my amigo Chan from Culver Shoe Repair in Irvine, California. He plays an important role in the Gringo With A Green Bag travels, as he has performed some very valuable repairs on the Green Bag over the years (just hooked up a new zipper today)! My bag is going on 10 years strong now, thanks to Chan’s great workmanship. It takes a beating, so regular maintenance is critical. Without the Green Bag I’m just a Gringo…and that’s not too exciting. 😉 Thanks again Chan! Just in time too…headed south of the border this weekend. Time to fill ‘er up. Catch up with y’all later! – Damian

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New GWAGB Logo…click, click

GWAGB-LOGO Big THANKS and shout out to my buddy Vinny (www.beensentoe.com) and author of the webcomic Tako-Salad for hooking me up with the new GWAGB logo! Check out his work, he’s a true talent if there ever was one! By the way, the Gringo loves taco salads. Be sure to get your weekly dose of Tako-Salad every Tuesday.

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Gringo With A Green Bag chats with Jorge Gamboa Patrón (Director of the Mexico Tourism Board LA)

I got a chance to catch up with mi amigo Jorge Gamboa Patrón (Director of the Mexico Tourism Board LA) at the Travel & Adventure Show in Los Angeles recently. ¡Vamos a México!

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¡Vamos a México!

GWAGB

¡Orale!  The Gringo With A Green Bag was representing the Mexican banner this past weekend at the Travel and Adventure Show in Los Angeles. What a great time we had! The spirit of the fiesta was in the air and there was plenty of travel inspiration to be absorbed in an atmosphere full of zesty cultural flavors, interactive exhibits, music & dance and travel professionals from all parts of the globe there to share information about the world’s hottest destinations. The Mexico booths were packed ALL weekend long and I was happy to be a part of all the acción! Stay tuned for my video highlights, interviews and just a bunch of wacky GWAGB fun…once I recover from the “virtual” travel hangover.

After the fiesta, it’s time for siesta…

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2015 Travel & Adventure Show in LA – Feb 21-22

Hey amigos! If you’re in the LA area on Feb 21-22 come on down to the Travel & Adventure Show, the premiere travel event in the U.S.! The Gringo With A Green Bag will be there to cover all the action, as I will be doing some travel documentary and video journalism work to highlight some of the best travel destinations and experiences the world has to offer! Come and see what’s hot in the wonderful world of travel and stay to see some of the event’s featured speakers, including Rick Steves, Samantha Brown, Pauline Frommer and many, many more! So dust off your favorite safari hat, bring your adventurous spirit and come say hi to the Gringo if you see me out there with the green bag and camera (or microphone) in hand. 🙂 See you there!

(Event sponsored by the Travel Channel)

GWAGB

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