Maui Wowie

I love Oahu, and it is my favorite island, hands down. But I have to admit that Maui is pretty great, and my just be the runner up. Maui is the third most populous of the Hawaiian Islands, and is frequented by over two million tourists each year, mostly from the United States and Canada. The beaches on Maui are gorgeous, and you have your pick between white or black sand.

My favorite hotel on the island is the Grande Wailea, part of the Hilton chain. It is definitely on the expensive side, but for good reason. It is a luxury hotel, with gorgeous views, and a water park attached!
The Grande Wailea is a great family hotel, with something for everyone. Dad can hang out in the shade by the Hibiscus Pool(where kids aren't allowed), Mom can have a spa day, and the kids will be entertained for hours in the activity pool, complete with water slides, hot tubs, and even a water elevator!

Even though the Grande Wailea has everything you could need, for about a week, from shopping to restaurants to day-filling activites, don't take for granted the island of Maui. The half dozen, or so, concierges will be happy to help you enrich your stay on Maui with adventures unique to Maui and Hawaii. A few I might recomend are surfing lessons, zip lining, a visit to Haleakala, and a drive down the scenic Hana highway.

And if you're a Hawaii resident, don't forget to ask for the kama'aina rate, it really makes a difference.

AFRICA: it's the place to be

Thank you, World Cup! It seems that everyone seems to be talking about Africa. Whether it's friends pictures on Facebook, a credit card commercial, or an article in this week's Time Magazine, Africa is all the rage. I absolutely loved my vacation in southern Africa, but when I went it was still a below the radar.

While I was in South Africa they were already getting ready for the World Cup. All of the stadiums were under construction, and all of the logo gear was already on sale. You could already feel the excitement for the games, and it was more than 6 months away!

We only spent a day in Johannesburg, because it's really not the safest place. While we were there we had to take hotel cars, because taxis were unreliable. We ended up taking one from the Intercontinental (a hotel attached to the airport), where we were staying, to a very nice mall about half an hour away. We had some local cuisine, which was delicious!

Later, we went on to Cape Town, which is a beautiful city! We stayed at Cape Grace, which is a gorgeous hotel a few minutes walking from the wharf, where there is a mall and excellent shopping. We, as usual, spent a lot of time shopping. Between the mall with chain stores and boutiques and the open market lined with stalls that sold handmade items, I just couldn't get enough!

The Botanical Gardens are a great place for a picnic!

And table mountain is a must! You drive a bit up the mountain, to the cable car station, and take that all the way up.

There is a restaurant up there, which had a great menu with local and Westernized options.

If we had been there for longer I would have loved to take a car toward the peninsula to a beach where there are hoards of penguins! I just love those little guys, and apparently there are hundreds that just hang out at the beach. Another great thing I wish I hadn't missed was Robben Island. During World War II, this island was used as a prison, and now is devoted to a historical landmark and museum. Both of these adventures would have been a half to full day trip. If you have been lucky enough to visit, tell me all about it!

Miyajima

Miyajima is a small island off the coast Hiroshima, Japan. You have to take a ferry to get there, but it is relatively easy, and you can buy the tickets right before you get on. Miyajima Island is a perfect day trip from Hiroshima, and is definitely worth it. Just follow the path and crowds from the ferry station over to the shrine.

There are deer all over the island, just hanging out. They sell deer food, but be careful because they might try to snack on your bag or clothes, too! They are very tame, and used to human interaction, so you don't really need to be too weary of them.

The tori, gate, that is a famous symbol of the island usually appears to be out in the ocean.

But tourists flock toward the shrine when the receding tide reveals the sand.

Local Japanese will also come down to the beach when the tide goes out, and look for shellfish in the sand.

And while you're there you absolutely must tried their famous fried manju, which is a traditional Japanese treat filled with sweat bean paste. In the area with the shops, they have these sweets available in every few shops, so pick one that looks popular and dig in!

Love Beer?

Well, I do. During my time in Italy this summer I had a free weekend from class, so a few of us headed up to Brussels, Belgium. It was my first time in Belgium, and I am so glad I went. I would have to say it is now one of my top ten favorite cities in the world. Well if you make it over to Belgium, there is one bar that you must visit. It's call Delirium, and its symbol is a pink elephant.

The bar is not too far from the Grand Place, which is the center of the city, I would say a 3 to 5 minute walk. Its in what seems a bit like an alleyway, so be careful not to miss it when you pass by, because we almost did!

This bar has the largest collection of beer in the world, with a menu compiling over 2000 different kinds. I would have to say my favorite beer I tried was a cherry beer called Kriek. It isn't too sweet like many fruit beers are, but you can definitely taste the cherry.