Thailand

In January of 2008, I took my sister to Thailand. I have always said to myself that I wanted to take her back to see where she was born and of course, I was interested in seeing it myself. My sister was born in Bangkok and had not been back since she was 3 months old, so this trip had more meaning to us than just a vacation. I planned the details of the trip myself and everything went off without a hitch. We arrived in Bangkok and stayed for a couple of days to explore the city. We then continued on to Chiang Mai in the north and Koh Lanta Yai in the south before making a pit stop in Japan for a few days. It was a nice overview of the country exploring a major city, the jungle, and then the beaches. The terrains are extremely different from each other, which added to the variety of the trip. It was also interesting being immersed into the religions of the different regions with Bangkok being 92% Buddhist while Koh Lanta Yai being 95% Muslim. The Thai people are some of the nicest people you will meet. They were always very helpful, gentle, and full of smiles. 

Costa Rica

My girlfriend Leah and I went to Costa Rica in February of 2007. We attended a networking based gathering for internet companies. That might not sound like a whole lot of fun, but they actually kind of are. I find these gatherings to be the most enjoyable way of doing business and building relationships with other companies. We stayed in Jaco Beach, which isn’t the prettiest of beaches that Costa Rica has to offer but it definitely did the trick. Anything was nicer at that point after the long windy roads you have to take through the mountains to get there. If you are afraid of heights like I am than it is not such a fun journey. Once we were there it was time to get some rest and relaxation in. I soaked up the sun swimming in the pool, we took a long walk on the beach, and ended the day by sharing dinner with a small group of friends. We ventured out the next day to join the group for zip line tours through the forest canopy. My fear of heights was revisited but, I quickly overcame it by focusing on the beauty of my surroundings. Gliding across the canopy while hanging from a wire is such a weird sensation but for a moment you feel like you are flying. In the end, I really enjoyed myself and I am glad I did not chicken out at the last minute. Another group had gone out fishing for the day and caught a large Mahi Mahi. We went to a local sushi restaurant that night and they prepared the fish for us in multiple ways. We spent the rest of our trip taking it easy, having relaxing dinners, and enjoying the nightlife. It was a short trip that only gave me a taste of Costa Rica, but it was nice to get away with my girlfriend and relax with friends. 

Found him out in the courtyard

Jaco Beach

Walk on the beach

Release

Leah and I

Ready to do the zip line

Ready to go…

Hanging w/friends and smoking cigars…a nice way to close the evening

To see more photos from this trip, visit www.ariagiovanni.com

Urubamba

 

I arrived in Urubamba by car on the first day of my trip to Peru via Cusco. The drive was spectacular going through the mountains and valleys. Never have I seen such bright green landscapes and high mountains. I stayed at the hotel Sol y Luna which was not far from the center of town. It was at the restaurant on the property that I had my first experience with the local fare of guinea pig, alpaca, and pisco sours. If I had to relate my experience to what I am familiar with, I would have to say that guinea pig reminded me of chicken, alpaca was a bit gamier, and the pisco sours were similar to margaritas with no salt. I was so excited the next day to take a car for almost 2 hours partially up a dirt road to the highlands and visit a small village. The houses were made of rock and mud with thatched roofs. They consisted of one big room with small windows. In the corner was an area for cooking and on the other side of the room were beds made from wood and animal skins. Chickens roamed in the yard and the guinea pigs lived scurrying across the dirt floor of the houses. The living conditions were really basic but the people didn’t seem be affected by it. Everywhere I looked, everyone had a smile on their face. Visiting the village was my best experience while visiting Urubamba. If I ever have a chance to go back I would do it again in a heartbeat.

 The valley on the way to Urubamba

The Andes

Flowers outside my room

Pisco sour…don’t knock it until you try it

Young girl herding sheep on the way to the village

Typical house in the village

Woman spinning thread to make clothing

Traditional garb in the highlands

Young girl carrying her baby sister

Raquel…she stole my heart

Guinea Pig…it’s what’s for dinner

To see more photos from this post, visit www.ariagiovanni.com

 

Cozumel

I just got back last month from a quick stopover in Cozumel. I took the ferry from Playa del Carmen over to the island for the day to run around. I hired a taxi for a few hours to go and explore. Explore pretty much equates to stopping at every restaurant/bar to eat a little and drink a lot. I am not complaining since the margaritas in Mexico sure are yummy and I love Mexican food. It was a nice relaxing day since I didn’t have to worry about driving and I could just hang out and watch the scenery go by. It’s funny because my parents have been going to Cozumel for years but I have never made a trip with them. The island is definitely geared towards tourists but there is still an appeal to it if you are just looking to relax and take it easy. Exactly what I needed after being on the road for 16 days.  

Puppy I found at a roadside stand

I love fresh coconuts

Beach view of Cozumel

I love this saying…it rings true for me

Making friends at one of the many stops along the way

Bar cat

 To see more photos from this post, visit www.ariagiovanni.com