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10 Tropical Getaways For Winter 2016

1/10/2016

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January is the time of year when people inquire about tropical vacation ideas. For those of us in the Boston area - and despite record warmth so far - we are particularly antsy for a winter escape plan as we fear another blizzard scenario like the one that kept us shut-in for months last year (although I think many secretly enjoyed it!).

Most of our readers are from the US, so they are typically looking for something in the western hemisphere, ideally a short flight away. Therefore, we've listed 10 of our favorite warm weather getaways that are relatively easy to reach from the US. No red-eye required (though maybe for West Coasters), and minimal (if any) time zone change, so you can start enjoying your vacation the minute your feet hit the sand! 
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For the Diver: Caye Caulker, Belize  

Also good for: friends, backpackers, solo travelers
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"Go Slow" is the island motto and for good reason. This tiny island has no paved roads or cars, and the only way around is by foot, bike or golf cart.   It's a 45 minute ferry ride from Belize City and is situated in the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef - the second largest barrier reef in the world. It was here that we dove with sharks, dolphins, turtles and green moray eels. There are no wide, expansive beaches on this caye, but jump off any pier to swim, take a short boat ride out to the reef for a snorkel or stroll over to the The Split for a cold drink and watch the spectacular sunset over the ocean. Finally, Caye Caulker is an ideal launching pad from which to visit the Blue Hole, one of the top dive sites on every diver's bucket list. Interested? Read more here. 
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​For the Surfer: Rincon, Puerto Rico

Also good for: families

Surfers from all over the US flock to Rincon each winter to enjoy the big waves, warm water and laid-back vibe. Instead of long white sand beaches common in the northeast of Puerto Rico,  Rincon is comprised of several little coves. Here you can find many quirky, locally owned hotels or house rentals and there are plenty of little beach bars and restaurants to provide fuel for the grueling work-out that is surfing.  Many families also love Rincon for the home rentals and safe, laid-back atmosphere. Read more about Rincon here. 
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​For the Adventurous Beach Bum: Tulum, Mexico

Also good for: couples, friends

The beach surrounding Tulum is one of the most beautiful we've ever seen. It's your quintessential Caribbean paradise - white sand, turquoise water, crashing waves, tall palm trees and fresh margaritas (best we've had anywhere in the world!). It offers something for everyone - sun, snorkeling, parties, culture, and adventure. Here you can sleep on the beach all day or, for those of us who like a little adventure, there are plenty of fun things to do nearby - diving, fishing, ruins, cenote snorkeling (highly recommended!), and zip lining. And let's not forget that it's home to the best food in the world.  Read more about the Riviera Maya here. 
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​For (Almost) Guaranteed Sun: Eagle Beach, Aruba

If you want guaranteed sunshine, white sand beaches and calm turquoise water then look no further than Aruba. Prices spike in the winter because perfect weather is 99.9% guaranteed on this desert island. There isn't much to do here except sunbathe, swim, snorkel, shop, eat and drink. Direct flights can be found from most cities on the East Coast. Eagle Beach also ranks in our Top 5 Beaches in the World. And this is why it's a perfect long weekend winter getaway.  Read more about Aruba here. 
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​For the Thrill Seeker: Arenal, Costa Rica

Also good for: families with older kids

Located a three-hour drive from San Jose, this symmetrical volcano is encircled by jungle, rivers, lakes and a wide variety of flora and fauna. Until 2010, Arenal was Costa Rica's most active volcano, regularly spewing lava while villagers and tourists watched from a safe distance. Although it has recently entered a resting phase, it is still a tremendous natural attraction worth visiting. This region offers so many unique activities - white water rafting, volcano hikes, zip lining, canyoneering, waterfalls, nature walks and natural hot springs. ​ Read more about Arenal, Costa Rica here. 
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​For the Culture Seeker: Havana, Cuba

Also good for: Solo travelers (go on an organized cultural tour)
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Cuba has become a hot destination ever since the US relaxed its travel restrictions to the island nation. This destination holds a special place in my heart since I have family that lives here. However, even if it didn't have a personal meaning, I'd find it fascinating. One could spend a full week in Havana enjoying the culture, history, artwork and music. As long as you remember that this is an island of limited means (don't expect the same level of service as elsewhere in the Caribbean) and really try to get to know the people, you will have an extraordinary experience. Also there is little/no internet so you will have a perfect excuse to disconnect from the virtual world for a little while and remember what it's like to be 100% present.  Read more about Cuba here. 
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​For the Romantic: Cartagena, Colombia

Also good for: culture seekers; friends

Now that JetBlue flies directly to Cartagena from many major US hubs, it's easy to discover the colorful culture of Colombia. The cobblestone streets, flower-covered buildings, and ocean sunsets make this city perfect for couples looking for a romantic getaway. Cartagena is full of boutique courtyard-style hotels that are surprisingly quiet, even though they are in the midst of the lively old city. Soak in the Spanish Colonial decor (obsessed!), enjoy the huge variety of fresh fruit drinks (guanabana is my favorite) and if you are a seafood lover like me, sample all the ceviche you can.   Read more about Cartagena here. 
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​For the Family: Fajardo, Puerto Rico

Also good for: couples

Puerto Rico is super easy for those of us on the East Coast and in the Midwest US. Last year, Chris and I went to Fajardo and stayed at El Conquistador. Both of us agreed that it was an ideal destination for families since it has something for everyone. Its private island, Palomino, has a calm beach (a must for young kids), restaurant, horseback riding, hiking trails, outdoor games, and sea kayaks. The main hotel has a water park, several pools, incredible views, a variety of restaurants, golf, and a host of indoor facilities that we didn't have time to try. Nearby is the rainforest and beautiful Luquillo Beach if you are looking for a change of scenery. There are also several great restaurants close to the property. Also consider going to nearby islands Vieques (I hear the W is amazing) or Culebra for a more remote beach getaway. Read more about the Fajardo area here. 
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​For the Sailor: Tortola & Virgin Gorda, BVI

Also good for: couples; families; people seeking solitude

Offering tall green hills, serene turquoise water and soft white sand, Tortola and neighboring Virgin Gorda are the poster children of the Caribbean. The Caribbean Sea is very flat here despite consistent winds, making it an ideal place for sailing. The BVIs are a bit more difficult to get to than some of the other destinations on this list since you typically have to fly there via St. Thomas or San Juan, or arrive via boat. However, if you have a full week, considering renting a sailboat and captain for a few days to explore all the remote beaches, islands and reefs. We stayed on land and while VERY quiet, there is lots of fun to be had at the marina bars in the evening, especially if you are there for the full moon party at Bombas on Tortola or Jost Van Dyke's Soggy Dollar Bar. 
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For the Glitz & Glam: Miami

Also good for: friends, couples
If you're seeking a fun weekend complete with spa retreats, fabulous parties, amazing restaurants and beach time then look no further than Miami. This city has a huge variety of fantastic hotels to choose from and its art deco architecture will motivate any weary winter traveler to get dolled up for a night on the town.    Read more about our weekend in Miami here. 
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Day 3: Torture, Witches & ...Weddings??

5/7/2013

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Disclaimer - some of the following may be a bit scary for young children.  

On our third day in Cartagena, we visited a number of places in the old city including the Gold Museum and the church of  San Pedro Claver.  One place that stood out in a frightening way was the Palace of the Inquisition. 

We had a wonderful guide named Victor who is a history professor at one of the local universities. He began our tour with a brief history of the Inquisition in Europe.  In the old days, various monarchs throughout Europe used religion as a way to justify and maintain their control over their subjects.  I remember learning about the Spanish Inquisition which started in the 15th century but there were various Inquisitions, the first of which began in the 12th century in France and spread across Europe.   As the years passed and the Inquisition became more violent, it lost popularity among both commoners and princes. However, when Spain united through the marriage of Ferdinand and Isabella - both Catholic monarchs - they were in desperate need of money.  At the time, many Jews lived in Spain and the King and Queen declared them to be the biggest enemy of the Catholic church because the Jews only considered Jesus Christ as another prophet, but denied him as their messiah.  The Spanish Jews were also successful merchants & businessmen.  So began the Spanish Inquisition.  Thus the Jews were expelled (or worse) from the country and Ferdinand and Isabella claimed their property and wealth.  The monarchs continued to use the Inquisition as an instrument of control and became extremely wealthy and powerful (Note: The Inquisition was not just against Jews but other religions including non-Catholic Christians).  

When America was discovered, Spain was the most powerful empire in Europe. They brought the Inquisition to the new world in 3 locations - Cartagena being one of them.  But in 1610, there were no other religions in Cartagena to persecute! Yes, there were natives but the Jesuits were there to convert them to Catholicism. So whom did they put on trial? Witches, of course.

Witches:
Our guide Victor told us that witchcraft did not originate in Colombia, it came from Europe. The Palace of the Inquisition was used for witch trials and forced confessions.  It was not unlike what happened in Salem, MA however more gruesome and violent. Here is how it supposedly went down:

-Someone accuses someone else of being a witch and reports it to the Inquisition. 

-The Inquisition hires someone to follow the alleged witch in order to gather proof of witchcraft. Proof could be as simple as having some dried leaves or grass in the house. 

-Next the accused is arrested and weighed (see picture below). There was a magic number that a person should weigh back then, based upon a certain ratio to their height.  If the accused's weight did not fall in that range, they were put on trial.  For example, if a woman was too light, then she was definitely a witch because that meant she could fly (obviously!).  If she was too heavy, then she was still likely a witch because she committed gluttony wich is one of the seven deadly sins.  If she weighed the right amount, they would still put her on trial because they had a lot of proof from the accuser and investigator. So while it was the first step in the process, it was completely pointless. If you were accused, you were going to trial. 
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Scale used to weigh witches
Confession (AKA Torture):
This is where it gets really gruesome. They forced the accused to confess using unimaginable instruments. After seeing these devices, it's clear that nobody could stand the pain inflicted by these methods for more than a few seconds which is why most immediately confessed and accused others of being witches.  Why did they torture these people?  They thought they would become closer to God through suffering. Here are some of the devices they used:
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The upside down bowl is NOT hollow. They would place the accused's head under the stone.
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Various torture instruments. The table was used to stretch people (like the last scene in Braveheart). The third rope on the far end was only for men (*cringe*).
Once accused, it was very difficult to be released and even if you were released it was often worse than death because the entire town shunned you.   

So how do weddings fit into all this?

Well behind the Palace is a courtyard typical of most colonial Spanish homes. In this courtyard they have a guillotine and a gallows - both of which were NOT used at this Palace but were put in the museum courtyard for show.  They were not used during the Inquisition at this Palace because the Inquisition did not execute people - they only convicted people as witches.  The police were responsible for execution.  If the accused died during confession (ahem torture) it was deemed an accident. 

Anyway back to weddings.  Victor told us that this courtyard was a popular place for weddings these days. He said that the bride and groom take pictures on the fake gallows and with the guillotine.  I couldn't beleive it! I Googled it and sure enough there are pictures!
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Would you have your wedding here?
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Metal Sculptures of Cartagena

5/6/2013

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This city is full of whimsical, emotional, and playful artwork. I especially enjoyed the metal sculptures scattered around the old city. Here are a few of my favorites:
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This reminds me of the chess players in Harvard Square :)
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A depiction of San Pedro Claver helping a slave.
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"Buenos dias. Adelante!"
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Beautiful sculpture in the San Pedro Claver museum.
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Real women have curves. A Botero peering into the courtyard of the Sofitel Santa Clara.
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Drink this Aguardiente!
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This is the 3rd dog we have seen here (the other two were real).
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Day 2: Cartagena

5/5/2013

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After a good night's sleep we started our second day in Cartagena with a delicious breakfast at our hotel including a giant arepa filled with egg and meat. We also enjoyed fresh kiwi juice and strong Colombian coffee. 

In the morning we walked to the marina to inquire about boat trips to Playa Blanca - a beach on a small island about 40 minutes away. At the time we weren't completely sure we wanted to spend and entire day on the beach so we held off on purchasing a ticket. It was a good thing we did because we decided not to go to the beach for a couple reasons: 1) We later read reviews of the beaches and most of them were not favorable. According to the reviews the beach is OK but you get hassled by vendors every second. 2) We just didn't have enough time - there was more to see in the city center! 

After the marina, we walked to Castillo de San Felipe de Burujas. In order to get there, you have to walk out of the old city and through a neighborhood called Getsemani which is a little sketchy. We walked down calle Media Luna which was full of hostels. At the Castillo, we hired a guide named Gustavo which was very helpful. His English was OK and he had a little stutter but he was very passionate about the fort's history and pointed out lots of small details that we would have otherwise missed.  Read more about our visit to the Castillo here. 

We cabbed it back to the hotel for a little siesta. We then hit up Cafe del Mar to watch the sunset. This place is touristy but so worth it. It's situated on top of the old wall and has a stunning view of the sun setting over the sea in one direction,  as well as a golden view of the old city in the other direction.  It's a great place to kick off the night. 

For dinner we tried La Cevicheria - a restaurant recommended to us by several people. We sat outside which was lovely for about 5 minutes, then the vendors came selling everything under the sun. Had we done it again we would have sat indoors.  The ceviche was very good and very traditional - mixed seafood in a ton of lime juice. However, we preferred the meal we had the night before at El Boliche because it was a little more interesting.  After dinner we strolled down to Plaza de la Aduana to listen to some salsa music at Donde Fidel.  This area is great for people watching! We read that people dance salsa in the plaza later at night but we couldn't stay awake and were back at the hotel by 10pm.

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One of my favorite doors in Cartagena!
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Little girl at the door of Iglesia San Pedro Claver.
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Giant Colombian flag waving over Castillo San Felipe de Burajas.
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on top of Castillo San Felipe de Burajas
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Sunset view from Cafe del Mar
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Sunset view from Cafe del Mar
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Castillo San Felipe De Burajas

5/5/2013

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Yesterday we toured Cartagena's fortress of San Felipe de Burajas, named after King Philip the IV of Spain. This fortress was designed by the Spanish and is regarded as one of the strongest defense complexes built during colonial times.  The Spanish began building the fortress in 1536, then expanded it in 1657.  Cartagena quickly became a very wealthy port city which attracted many attacks from various enemies, so the Spanish invested a lot of resources to protect this city. 

The fortress was built on a giant hill so the guards could see intruders coming from miles away - by land or sea.  Enemies that attacked by water came through the bay because they were less likely to hit sand bars. Cartagena's first line of defense was a giant underwater chain that stretched from one side of the canal to the other. When they spotted an enemy ship approaching, they lifted the chain so the ships could not pass. 

When enemies attacked by land, they had to get by the fortress first. The fortress is massive - wide at the bottom and full of dark tunnels. There are many secret tunnels that soldiers used to escape from the fortress if necessary.  Some tunnels led to a dead end in order to confuse & capture the enemies. Each tunnel has small inlets off the side where soldiers could hide if the enemy was able to get past the canons & through the giant wall. The inlets were staggered so if the soldier attacked the enemy, they wouldn't hurt their fellow soldiers across the tunnel.  

It was a very impressive structure and we recommend visiting if you are ever in Cartagena!

Question for Mrs. Barbier's class 2A:  Who were the earliest enemies to attack colonial Cartagena?  Hint: They traveled by sea in search of gold, often burying the gold in hidden places throughout the Caribbean.


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The soldiers fired canons from the notches shaped like teeth (called battlements).
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Cartagena, old & new. The commander lived in the little house on top of the fort. Right next to the armory.
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Massive Colombian flag on top of the fort, overlooking the entire city.
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Outside of the turret - or sentry tower - where the soldiers looked for enemies by sea and by land.
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look what we found...

5/4/2013

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Googlers, this one is for you!  We street-viewed the Streetview car in Cartagena.  Upon spotting the car, I ran to it and took a picture. The driver saw me and drove by with a huge smile and waved at us. I think a lot of people were perplexed by the car judging by their confused expressions.  In a few months, we'll have to check street view in Plaza Santo Domingo, Cartagena to see if we made it into the picture!
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Day 1: Colorful Cartagena

5/4/2013

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We had a long, but fun trip down to Cartagena, Colombia. We left on a 6am flight from Boston, connecting at JFK airport.  On our flight to JFK there was a gaggle of 50-something ladies leaving for a girls vacation two rows in front of us. They were so excited they started dancing and singing Bob Marley's Jammin.   They had serious Boston accents which made it very entertaining, especially when they started gossiping (Oh my gawd, I could nevah vacation with Baaahbarah....nev-ah). So we started off the day with a good laugh! 

Our flight to Cartagena was comprised of two groups of people: a giant wedding party and dudes. The group going to the wedding were already in party mode and very excited for the lucky couple getting married this weekend. It brought back memories of our wedding in San Juan- so many people you love on vacation together. Chris and I wish we could have another destination wedding!  The majority of the flight was filled with 20-30 something guys,  probably going down for a long weekend to party. The last time I saw a plane comprised of this many guys was on my flight to Vegas for CES. 

We arrived in Cartagena around noon to sunny 90 degree weather. We took a cab to our hotel and spent the afternoon walking around the city. They old city is beautiful. It's entirely Spanish colonial architecture and the buildings are different colors, many with climbing vines that produce cascading flowers over the windows & balconies. It reminded us of San Juan except with fewer hills, wider buildings,  more people out and about, massive churches and more bold colors than the pastel colors of the Caribbean.

We made a few interesting observations on our walk:

-Everyone sips the local drink Aguardiente (or guaro) out of little plastic cups, purchased from street vendors.  It's a clear, anise-flavored alcohol.

-Every now and then you'd pass by a llamadas sign - meaning phone calls. It's not a phone booth - it's literally a person sitting on the side of the road with a credit card machine hooked up to a couple of old cell phones.  These vendors are usually on every other street. 

-ATMs are really hard to find and when you find them they often don't have money. People wait in line to use an ATM.  

At night the city transforms.  All the cafes and bars are full and the locals gather in the plaza to catch up with friends over a bottle of beer.  You can hear music in the street and the temperature drops to near perfect.  While this town is vibrant and colorful during the day, it's magical and very romantic at night. I loved strolling through the streets of el centro around twilight (6:30pm) under a sky that was a rich cobalt blue color.  

We ate dinner at El Boliche Cebicheria which was very good. It's a little hole in the wall place that seats around 15 people.  The ambiance left a little to be desired but the food & service made up for it.  Our waiter was wonderful and his recommendations did not disappoint! 

Here are  a few snapshots from our first day:
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Cartagena is covered in these flowers.
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colorful streets
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I love the simplicity of white + wood
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Cathedral de San Pedro Claver
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Cooling off with a beer at Casa del Habano
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La Casa del Habano. Great little place for beer, mojitos and cigars!
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Grilled seafood dish at El Boliche Cebicheria - octopus, calamari, whitefish, shrimp, corn fritters & salsa. Yum!
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    Eva has been traveling for 15+ years, including an 8 month journey around the world.  

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