Barcelona

If you're thinking about going to Barcelona, you can't go wrong with that choice.  There's a bit of everything there.  Good weather if you go around May, amazing architecture, rich history, good food, rich culture and good nightlife to name a few. NH Sants Barcelona

I was only there for three nights but I stayed at NH Sants Barcelona which was a pretty decent hotel.  The rooms were small but thats Europe for ya and it could run you anywhere from $124 - $300 a night depending on high or low season.  Reception staff friendly and helpful. Hotel close to the main Barcelona train station along with supermarket and everyday article shops.

Restaurante Barceloneta

I had the best food at Restaurante Barceloneta while in Barcelona.  Have dinner outside on the patio overlooking the sea.  Make a reservation before you go.  If you're on a budget it might not be the best place to go but its not the most expensive either.

Boqueria Market

Boqueria Market is one of the most famous food markets in the world.  It's located right off Las Ramblas and if you want to kill time and walk around you can do that here.  Definitely try some of their fresh local food and if you're staying in an airbnb then you can buy things and bring back home to cook if you have the time.  Items to the front of the market tend to be more expensive so browse around a bit and the further towards the back you go the cheaper things are.

Kino Barcelona

Kino Barcelona is a nice place to have lunch.   The place had a really cool atmosphere and is situated right next to MACBA.   The perfect spot to sit and enjoy a few drinks while watching the skaters outside.  Make sure you try their fried avocados.

Antoni Gaudi

The architect behind most of Barcelona's famous architecture such as The Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, Casa Mila, Gadi House Museum, just to name a few.  They are all worth checking out if you have the time.  A great way to see much of the city is to utilize the Hop On Hop Off Tour bus.  For around thirty euros you can take it to most of the attractions around Barcelona.  I believe it has about 44 different locations and like the name suggests you can hop on and hop off as you please.

Montserrat Day Trip

About an hour away from Barcelona is this beautiful place called Montserrat and its the perfect option for a day trip out of the city.  The area is rich with history, and its a completely different feel from Barcelona. Some of the best views I saw on my visit to Barcelona was here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wutjnFtKzY

Overview

I really enjoyed my time in Barcelona.  Its not the cheapest place to go but it can be done on a moderate budget.  There's plenty to do there and the people were so nice.  Very easy city to get around in. You can choose from the bus, the trains, taxis or even uber. Three nights might not be enough time to fully explore this city but its enough to get you hooked for a possible return trip there in the future.

Gear Used

Camera - http://amzn.to/2vjTHN8

Mic - http://amzn.to/2uE41h2

Drone - http://amzn.to/2vko9Xu

A Night In The Sahara Desert

I visited Morocco with the main intention of visiting the Sahara Desert.  We were based in Marrakech and you can find a ton of tours that will take you to the Sahara Desert from one to three nights. A friend of mine visited Morocco recently and did a desert tour with Mor'hara Morocco Tours, so I decided that I would go ahead with them since her reviews of them were pretty good.  Hassan was my main contact with them.  He can't type English well so instead he would WhatsApp call me.  He always got back to me in a timely manner with his response and that to me said a lot about him before actually meeting him in person.  When I finally got to meet him he was a very nice person.

Our tour was a private tour meaning it was just myself and my friends on this trip (6 of us). You need to understand that the Sahara Desert is very far from Marrakech- basically its about 10-12hrs away depending on how many times you stop and where you stop.  Hassan came and picked us up about 7am and we didn't get to the desert till about 6:30pm which included a few stops along the way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GqC619jNXs

Day 1: Marrakesh – Erg Lihoudi

Departure 7am.  We drove to Ouarzazate through Tizi n’Tichka (2260 m height), we have lunch in Ouarzazate. We leave Ouarzazate towards Zagora through Tizi-n-Tinififft (1660 m high), a stop in the village of Agdz. We continue journey along the side of Draa valley with its daty palm oasis and ancient Kasbahs.

After Zagora we will leave to M’hamid, in our way we will make a stop in Tamgroute to visit the Koranic library, the underground Kasbah and local pottery. We continue our way to the desert, arriving at a camp with Berber nomadic tents in ERG LIHOUDI by the evening, where you will have your dinner and overnight.

2nd Day: Erg lihoudi – Marrakech

After your breakfast, you will have an hour camel ride in the dunes, We leave to Ouarzazate through a road along the side of Draa Valley. Lunch in Ait Ben Haddou after we visit the ancient kasbah, we continue our journey by the road of ancient caravans and approach the life of Berbers in their villages to get to Telouet and visit Glaoui Kasbah. We arrive to Marrakech by the afternoon.

The above itinerary was basically what Hassan sent me.

Once again there are stops along the way and it's up to you how long you would like to stay at each stops. Some stops that Hassan had in store for us we actually skipped because we just wanted to get to our destination.  The video will highlight a few of our stops along the way so watch the video.

Make sure you arrive at the desert to watch the sunset.  It is one of the most beautiful things.  Of course do not miss sunrise either.  Depending on what time of the year you go weather conditions varies.  I went toward the end of May and at one point along the journey it was 96 degrees Fahrenheit.  There are more luxury camps (glamping) available and maybe if I had known I would have chosen that route with AC lol but of course those cost more as well.  When I arrived at the camp it was around 630pm and you could roast a pig in those tents.  At one point I decided I was going to sleep outside and took my bed out and just stared up in the sky looking at all the different stars.  I've never seen darkness like the darkness in the desert and I've never experienced silence like how I did  in the desert.  You could hear a mosquito fart out there.  It did start getting cold later in the night and then I went back inside my tent.  It's a good thing I did that because when I woke up in the morning and went outside it was a bit chilly.

There were 3 beds in our tent but its up to you how you want it arranged.  There is a place for you to shower and use the bathroom and they also have electricity there from solar energy.  Pack light and just bring your main essentials like a change of clothes, light jacket to survive cooler nights, comfortable clothing. I wore shorts and had no issues when camel riding with my shorts.  Bring a headscarf to block the sun and dust.   You can pick those up along the way just ask Hassan to stop for some.  Bring your camera for some amazing pics.  Chap stick and sunscreen could come in handy.

One or two nights?  If you have the time I say spend two nights. If you spend one night you don't really get to explore because you are driving all day to get there then you drive all day to return.  My only regret was that I should have spent two nights.

Camera I used: http://amzn.to/2uCFCK8

Marrakech - Morocco

Before I got to Marrakech it was describe to me in many different ways by my friends.  One example is "It's like a bomb was dropped there."  I've never visited Africa before and I decided that this would be my first stop on the continent. I went towards the end of May and even then the place was hot as fuck so I don't want to image going in the middle of summer.  I'm from Jamaica so I can't say that much scares me when I travel.  I was told to be careful of pick pocketers and I'm careful of that in my hometown. I was told the people there are very aggressive - somewhat true. Regardless I had to go see for myself.

After landing and clearing customs they found my drone and took it from stating that its prohibited there. They said I could pick it up when I was leaving.  Not a great way to start my Marrakech vacation but I had no choice.  Although I was still bitter from them taking my drone on our way to our riad that feeling quickly disappeared as I was filled with excitement from all the different imagery that filled my brain.  Seeing an entire family fit on a motorcycle is not the norm for me so I was really excited and just being in a different place and seeing a different way of life was enough to get me excited.  We then stopped in the middle of a square and was told we're here. I'm like wtf! Here where lol. I saw nothing that looked like somewhere I would stay.  We were then greeted Muhamed and two men with oversized wheel barrows to escort us to our riad - El Kenz.  The journey to our riad was definitely exciting and one I won't forget lol.

Once at our Riad - El Kenz, we were greeted by Burcin the manager and she was awesome. I couldn't ask more of her.  I could always reach out to her for suggestions and her suggestions were on point and the staff at Riad El Kenz was awesome.  Ricardo made the best tea for us (that tea should be free) and Rasheed did the best he could even though he hardly spoke English.   The place is nice and quiet but close enough to most of the attractions if you don't mind walking for about 15min.

Get Lost

At our Riad, Burcin gave us a map and even told us how to get where we were going.  Go out the door then you make a left, then another left, walk straight until you see the double arch then stay to the right and then you will see get to the main square. LOL needless to say we thought we followed that but still got lost a bit.  We did figure it out after our short moment of being lost.  There will always be someone to tell you how to get where you're going the issue is if we had listen to them we would have been worse off. Basically it seemed like they told us the opposite of what we should be doing. So if we were to go left they told us right. So be careful who you take directions from.  They tell you that so you can get lost then charge you to bring you where you are suppose to be going.  Don't even try google maps because it gets lost here also.  Getting lost is not a bad thing because you will stumble upon places you wouldn't have found if you never got lost and eventually you will figure out how to get back to where you are going.

Souks/Markets

You will find damn near everything in the souks. From spices to oils you name it.  They are a bit aggressive when trying to get you to buy items from them because this is their main source of income.  If you tell them that you will buy it tomorrow hoping they don't recognize you tomorrow if you pass there again you will be wrong. They will remember lol. Just be polite for the most part and you will be good. Learn how to say no and mean it.  One no may not do the trick and you might have to say no nine more times before they get the point.  Learn how to bargain.  If they tell you 500dirham chances are you can get it for 300dirham depending on how well you can bargain.  I never bought anything at the first given price.  One of the main square - Jemaa El Fna,  there you can find a different variety of food stalls, souvenirs, and do some shopping.  This place is a different place when night comes around.  I suggest you see it both in the day and at night.  If you take pictures of the snake charmers they will want money.  How much? I don't know but I'm sure you can negotiate your own price.  We did take pics with the monkey and the monkey handler and he did want to charge what I thought was an outrageous price but we met at a middle ground and we were both happy.  Many locals their don't want their pictures taken so be careful how you use your camera and just get a zoom lens. Even the kids don't want you to take their pictures.  Is it safe their?  I felt completely safe there even though I did see some of the locals get beat up and box up by their own, but nothing I haven't seen else where lol.  Be careful of the taxi drivers - know what the average price is so you don't get ripped off and agree on a price before you get in the taxi.  One time we had 3 taxi drivers arguing over who will take us then another taxi driver pulled up not knowing what is going on and then we hopped in his taxi while the others were arguing and when they saw what we were doing they tried to take the keys from our taxi driver smdh lol and I had to stop them from taking his keys (poor guy lol) I don't suggest you try that shit if you ever in that situation. But honestly at no point did I feel unsafe there.

Places to Visit

Majorelle Garden - nice garden and nice place for Instagram photos. An hour here and you're good if you ask me.  I've seen better gardens.  Ben Youssef Madrasa - Great place for pics and if you're into architecture you will love this place.  Bahia Palace - 10DH entry fee and another beautiful place for capturing amazing pics.  If you're into mosaic titles you will love this place.  Palais Jad Mahal - A nice atmosphere.  They have fire breathers, belly dancers, and human chandeliers.  When it came to the food though I wasn't really impressed.  Les Bains De Marrakech - great place to get a hammam.  I booked the hammam, scrub, and massage and didn't know what to expect at first.  Overall a great experience.  If they are a bit soft with the massage just tell them to add more pressure.  Entire process could take about 3hrs.  This place is beautifully decorated and invites you to relax.  It cost me about $70 and if you look around Im sure you could find other places that does it cheaper.  Be sure to make an appointment. They are that busy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0i9eYKhXsJ8

Gear http://amzn.to/2uCFCK8

2017 Carnival Weekend in Jamaica (Vlog)

A small excerpt from my Carnival weekend in Jamaica with my friends and Co-host Dj Bambino. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu07ZEDC4PA&feature=youtu.be

Venice

Venice is one of the most beautiful and romantic cities in the world and I'm glad I got to check it off my bucket list earlier this year. Check out my video below for highlights from my Venice trip. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhevDh30eDo

When In Rome

A few weeks ago I traveled to Italy on a four city stop.  My first was the Eternal City, Rome. From Miami, FL we flew to Chicago which was about a 3 hr flight then from there we flew straight to Rome which was about a little over 8hrs.  We only had 2 days in Rome so time was limited. We stayed at The Building Hotel which is pretty close to everything.  In Rome its fairly easy to get around. You can walk or take a cab. Our average cab fair was between 8-16 Euros. Cost of the taxi increases at night.

Attractions - We visited a few of the popular attractions like St Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, The Colosseum, The Pantheon, Trevi Fountain and The Roman Forum.  We took a tour of The Vatican Museum.  The Trevi Fountain, The Roman Forum are free so no need getting tickets for them.  Before you go to the Colosseum visit the Roman Forum first.  Buy your tickets online in advance directly from The Colosseum site and the Vatican website or else you will be waiting a long time to get in.  They are definitely worth the visit.  The Vatican tour to me was a bit too long. If you're into history then you may enjoy it.

Weather - I couldn't have asked for better weather while I was there. I basically wore shorts and t-shirts during the day and at nights you may need a light sweater.

Food- The food there is amazing. Some of the best food I've had in my life.  Do not eat close to the attractions because it will be more expensive.  Instead go to the local restaurants that aren't too touristy.  If you order pizza it won't come sliced. You have to cut it yourself or asked for it to be sliced.  Ask for the house wine, its normally cheaper and pretty good.  Be careful what you order because if you order something and change your mind because you don't like it after one bite you will still have to pay for it.  Make sure you order cappuccino and of course gelato.  Gelato shops are on every corner so it won't be hard to find.  The best service I received while in Rome was from Roma Sparita.  You must make a reservation to get in.  There was a cover charge for normally around 2-3 euros and when I asked what was that for I was told for the just sitting down or for the napkins lol smdh

Tips - Wear comfortable shoes because you will walk a lot. Bring sunblock depending on the time of year.  Do not let "Do you have wifi" be the first thing out of your mouth because Italians don't like that. They may actually be mean to you after if thats the first thing you ask for lol.

If you don't speak Italian you will be fine. A lot of Italian I encountered spoke english and if they don't you should still be fine. Its a very busy city, sort of reminded me a bit like New York.  I only stayed 2 days but think I would have preferred staying 3 days instead.  Over all nice city.

Below is a quick highlight video from Rome. Hope you enjoy it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7h8MJNprhA

10 Days in Thailand

A year ago a friend of mine visited Thailand. When she returned home she called me screaming that I must go to Thailand and that I would absolutely love it there. The following day I started looking into going and a few months later I booked my trip to Thailand.  My previous big trip was solo to London and on this Thailand adventure I opened it up to my friends who wanted to come along. In total it was nine of us who made the trip.  The preparation for Thailand was easy for me since I had friends who went before. After all the planning and all the anticipation the day finally arrived for us to depart.  This would be the longest trip I ever took. We left out of Fort Lauderdale and headed to New York which was about 3hrs.  From New York we took Emirates Airlines to Dubai which was about 13hrs.  What do you do on a plane for 13hrs? You sleep, you watch all the movies they offer and you sleep some more.  From Dubai we went to Bangkok which was another 5hrs away.  So after about 21hours of flying not including layovers we finally made it to Bangkok. Bangkok We stayed at Park Plaza Bangkok Soi 18 which was a nice hotel. Service was great, friendly staff who spoke english, eco friendly hotel, and overall I was pleased with my stay there. Bangkok is the capital of Thailand and was the busiest city out of the three that we visited.  Bangkok is home to about 10million people and Im not sure the city actually sleep.  The weather there is very hot, similar to South Florida's climate.  The currency used there is the Thai Baht - so 1US dollar give you $31-$33 Baht depending on where you get your exchange.  Basically everything in Thailand is cheap.  One of my favorite thing to do in Bangkok was get a 1hr massage which was $250 Thai Baht which coverted to ruff $7-$8 US dollars. Needless to say we got one almost everyday and they are open very late. Getting around in Bangkok is very easy. Taxi's are everywhere  and you can take Tuk Tuk which I think is a fun way to get around.  In Bangkok we visited the Grand Palace.  The Grand Palace is a complex of buildings at the heart of Bangkok, Thailand. The palace has been the official residence of the Kings of Siam since 1782. It's definitely a must see.  Admission is cheap but you must dress appropriately.  Ladies must have their shoulders covered and men must wear pants. Incase you forget, they will provide clothing for you free of charge but you must leave a deposit.  I also suggest you get a tour guide that knows the history.  There are numerous temples in Bangkok so if you don't get to visit the Grand Palace there are many more you can check out. Another thing we did in Bangkok was visited the Floating Market.  The Floating Market is a market that is located next to a body of water and vendors sell things directly out of their boats/stalls.  The one we went to was about an hour away from our hotel.  The markets offer plenty options for shopping and are just good places to walk around. On our boat tour we basically told the driver where to go and where to stop. One thing to know about the Floating market is that every price is negotiable, never accept the first price that they give you. The night life in Bangkok is alive.  Make sure you visit the Banyan Tree hotel for a nice view in the late afternoon. The Sky Bar was another nice spot for great views of the city. There are numerous clubs and strips you can visit but nothing stood out like the Ping Pong Show.  The Ping Pong Show was the most entertaining thing yet disturbing thing I saw in Bangkok. Women on stage do things with there vagina's that I never thought could be possible. I saw women smoke 2 cigarettes at once with it, I saw women shoot darts out of it and popped balloons in the audience.  I saw women pulled razor blades out of it, I saw women use it to draw, I saw women shoot ping pong balls out of it and into a bucket. After seeing that show I must say I look at the vagina a bit differently now lol I do recommend you see the show if you can. If thats not for you then there are other nightly activities you can check out as well. When it comes to food I'm a picky eater but I found the food to be good over all. I mostly ate fish and ate what I'm use to, preventing any stomach problems.  The people their are very nice. We had some great people who drove us around and in Bangkok it was Teddy. Teddy was great and a very funny guy.  From Bangkok we went on to Chang Mai. Chiang Mai Chiang Mai is a city in mountainous northern Thailand that dates back to the 1200s. and our flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai was a short one, just a bit over an hour.  After arriving to the airport we took a cab to our hotel.  The driver was Mr. O and he was very pleasant. He told us about the things we could do in Chang Mai and that he could provide us with transportation and the tours if we needed. We took him up on his offer and basically he showed us around Chang Mai.  Arriving at the Suriwongse Hotel Chiang Mai we were a bit disappointed with our rooms but after a few upgrades we made it work.  One good thing about the hotel is that its in the heart of the city so we could walk to almost anything we wanted or take a tuk tuk there.  The market in Chiang Mai was amazing and cheap. I suggest you get all your gifts there and not wait till Phuket like we did.  Our elephant tour in Chiang Mai was amazing.  Be careful of which tours you choose, do some research and make sure the animals are still in the best interest. We choose to ride the elephants bare back because the ones with the chairs on them could cause damage to the elephants. We fed the elephants, we showered them, we rode them and we bonded with them. It was an amazing experience. We also went zip lining, another wonderful experience. We visited Tiger Kingdom, stopped by the Long Neck Tribe, went white water rafting and visited another temple all in Chiang Mai.  Do not expect a night life in Chiang Mai. Everywhere pretty much closes at midnight there and the only thing open are what I like to call Go Go clubs.  I think Chiang Mai was my favorite out of the 3 stops in Thailand.  Another thing you should try while here is the fish spa. I didn't try it but my friends did and it definitely looks like an interesting experience.  From Chiang Mai we then went on to Phuket. Phuket The flight from Chiang Mai to Phuket was a short one - a little over an hour.  Here we stayed at my favorite hotel of the trip The Renaissance Phuket Resort and Spa. Amazing hotel. Family friendly and lovers friendly but far from the main city of Patong which is about an hour away. Patong is where the night life happens in Phuket and where the markets are.  In Phuket V. Marine Tour was in charge of our sight seeing.  They picked us up from our hotel and from there we made one more stop to pick up more folks and from there we went to the Marina where we were instructed on what to expect.  A short while after we boarded the speed boat and head off to see Nui Bay "Camel Rock."  We swam and fed monkeys at Monkey Beach.  We saw Viking Cave, and headed into Pileh Lagoon ,swimming in calm emerald water surrounded by the impressive cliffs.  Snorkeled and discovered the fabulously colorful sea wildlife at Loh Sama or Bida island.  Arrived at Maya Bay, for swimming in the unique lagoon and relaxed on the Beach.  Buffet lunch served to us at Phi Phi Don.  Snorkeling at Hin Klang.  The crew does speak english, they provide you with with drinks on the boat but not alcohol, fruits, music, and snorkeling equipment.  Our day was mostly overcast and we got rained on at Maya Bay and had to run for cover. Overall I was pleased with the tour. The crew were very nice and welcoming.  In Phuket we ate at the Thia Express almost daily because we just loved the food their.  If you are staying at the Renaissance Phuket and plan on going out late like 12:30am you may want to look about your transportation ahead of time.  Most taxi's aren't running that late and if you find one the fee will be higher. We were lucky to find one who took us along with our new friends into the city of Patong and waited for us to party and took us back home.  Soi Bangla is very attractive - the heart of the bar scene where girls, bright neon lights and deafening music compete for your attention. Over a hundred bars - ranging from beer bars (girlie bars), Go-Go bars, nightclubs and pubs - are condensed into the small, action-packed area fondly known as "Bangla", where the only priority is to have a great time and a great time we did have.  Phuket is a nice winding down spot after visiting Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Wish it didn't rains so much in Phuket while we were there but it was also close to their rainy season. Very nice place and would definitely go back. It is said that an investment in travel is and investment in yourself. We left our footprints behind and took memories home with us.  There is a vast world out there that's still waiting on me to discover it and little by little I plan on doing so.  You don't have to be rich to travel well it just takes good planning.  Traveling exposes us to new things,  new way of seeing life, and we see how fortunate we are and that we have a lot to be thankful for.  Don't reject the food, don't ignore the customs, and don't fear their religion. Be open to embracing new things because we may find out that our thought process about certain things were wrong.  Thanks to all my friends who came along and made this trip one to remember and thanks to Thailand for an amazing time.

Video coming soon. Travel is the only thing that makes you richer.

My Visit To London & Paris

It's noted that traveling broadens your horizons and that's exactly what it did for me when I recently visited London and Paris. I decided to visit London due to a short film project I was a apart of and I'm glad I went. I felt like a kid due to all the first time experiences I encountered like seeing the London Eye, Big Ben, Tower Bridge, London Bridge, Palace of Westminster, Tate Modern and so many more that I've only read about. I felt like a new me was rediscovered. There were many things I loved about London. It was easy to get around, the people were so polite, there were lots to see, lots to do, everyone was pretty much a walking fashion statement etc. One of the few things I dislike was their cuisine. The food was very bland and being from Jamaican and South Florida that's a taste my taste buds aren't familiar with.. Another thing I didn't like was the cost of things. If you're an American and go over there basically your money will be cut in half lol. Thanks to my beautiful friends Sharea, Keesha and Catherine for being such wonderful host to me. It's great to experience other cultures and some how this experience has left me with a new found enthusiasm for exploring.

While in London I took the Eurostar over to Paris to do some more exploring. There I visited Notre Dame, The Louvre, The Arc de Triomphe, The Avenue des Champs-Elysees, The Love Lock Bridge, and the Eiffel Tower. I found getting around in Paris a little more difficult, maybe thats due to the language barrier and I found the people to be a little more impertinent (not all of them). It's also more expensive than London. Overall I enjoyed Paris. I finally got to capture my own images of these famous monuments even though the weather wasn't the best. If I had to choose between the two I would definitely pick London.

I embarked on this adventure by myself with an open mind and an open heart. Although I made the trip alone I was never lonely. I made new friends that I know will be a part of my future. Many people travel for different reasons, regardless of the reason its a big event. The right trip can be one of your greatest experience. The unknown can be thrilling and its a vast world of unknown out there. If you don't have a passport I suggest you get one and explore a new destination as soon as possible. It could be a new you waiting to be discovered.