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The Magic of Cartagena

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  Wow! What a week we experienced. We were not sure what to expect but Cartagena exceeded our expectations for sure. Known for its energy, street art, cuisine, hot sunny weather and history, Cartagena is one of the most visited cities in South America... and now I can understand why. One question people kept asking me before I left was, "Is it safe?". I never felt unsafe and people were very welcoming but like anywhere you go you have to be aware of your surroundings. " No des papaya" is something you will hear over and over again in Columbia, and it means do not give someone the opportunity to take advantage of you. So, be smart and be aware, and you will be safe. We decided to stay just outside the walled city in New Cartagena, also known as Bocagrande. Since we prefer to stay further away from the touristy areas this was the perfect location.  It was a 45 mins walk (so we mostly walked in extreme heat) to the city or a $5 cab ride (negotiate prices before gettin

Time For Another Adventure

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It’s been awhile but we have decided to checkout another destination on our list. We are also celebrating 25 years of marriage in May and wanted a trip that would embrace all the different things we love to do together.   We were on the hunt for a location that would allow us to enjoy people watching, time on the beach, hiking, dancing, a little bit of history and of course tasting some great cuisine.  Now that we are back to the reality and time constraints of working, it meant we were also limited on where we could go on March Break.  In the end, Cartagena, Columbia was the winner. It ticks most of the boxes, we've heard raving reviews and it will place us in South America for the first time.  Looking forward to sharing our week of adventures,  Just landed in Cartagena yesterday evening it was a direct flight from Montreal. We headed out Friday night after I finished school, it was a great way to save on flights since Montreal has their March Break a week ahead of ours!

Madeira is More Than Just My Last Name

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We’ve made it to the last leg of our year of adventure! This one is a family affair with some time to explore and learn a little more about where I come from. What better place to start than Madeira Island just off the coast of Portugal and nestled in the Canary Islands. Madeira being my last name, I’ve always been curious to see what this island is all about.   Natural Pools The first thing I noticed after landing is that this island has one of the most dangerous runways in the world. It also felt odd to see Madeira written everywhere. I’ll admit that it took a little time to get used to it being used everywhere and plastered on every souvenir.  The Runway in Madeira  Madeira is the perfect holiday destination all year around, they often refer to it as the Hawaii of Europe. It’s a tropical island offering amazing scenery, wonderful beaches and quaint villages. The driving is not for the faint of heart. The switchback roads and super steep hills were a little scary but Rob amazed us wi