March 9, 2014

Black Miami – The History You Never Learned

When people talk about Miami, you often only hear a few things – vacation, partying, sun, Latin culture, etc. While Miami is most definitely all of the aforementioned things, it wasn’t just dropped out of a catalog for the quintessential Caribbean getaway. Like many cities in the US, modern Miami was built through blood, sweat (a lot of sweat) and tears, and unfortunately the majority of all those liquids came from one demographic, blacks. Before you think I’m not being PC by using the term, “blacks”, the truth is, it wasn’t just African Americans who built Miami. In fact, the…

February 12, 2014

My 3 Day Getaway to Medellin!

Being that I live in Miami, it is actually easier and often cheaper to travel to Latin America than back home to Philadelphia (and why the hell would I want to go back there in February?). So after a fun 4 day trip to Costa Rica with my friend, we decided to take another short sojourn, this time to the land of Culo….mbia…I mean Colombia. I have actually been to Colombia twice before, once to Medellin (where we opted to go this time) and once to Bogota for work (Medellin is way better). Believe it or not, the flight is…

January 27, 2014

Inspiring The World: Houses Of Government That Resemble The US Capitol Building

In the years following the construction of America’s center of government, the Capitol Building in Washington D.C., many aspiring democracies had followed in its mold, building similar edifices that proclaimed that their nations were to be bastions of freedom, justices and the rule of law. When traveling outside of the United States, keep your eyes open for the following five structures that have been inspired by the grandeur of our government’s meeting place… 1) El Capitolio, Havana, Cuba Though Cuba has been under the rule of a Communist regime since the late 1950’s, it was a fledgling democracy prior to…

January 25, 2014

Top Reasons To Visit Canada

One of the top reasons to visit Canada is its striking similarities with the United States. Both countries have a massive land space and extremely diverse landscapes; from wave-beaten beaches to craggy ambitious peaks. Unlike its North American counterpart, Canada is made unique by its European architecture and culture, having been under the rule of British and French colonials. Canada is the largest country in North America and second largest in the world so it shouldn’t be hard to find more reasons to go there. Reason #1: Natural attractions Canada has a wide range of natural tourist spots and sceneries.…

January 20, 2014

The 5 Tallest Water Slides In The World!

When the heat of summer hits in 2014, those in search of some relief from the punishing rays of the sun will flock in droves to water parks all across the globe. Some will be content to float their day away in a lazy river, while others will have their need for excitement satiated by a having a good splash in a mildly thrilling wave pool. However, the adrenaline addicts among us will not be satisfied spending an entire day being idle in this manner. They demand attractions that push the envelope of what’s possible without crossing the thin line…

January 7, 2014

My 4 Day Escape to Costa Rica for New New Years!

I never thought I’d ever say I needed to escape from Miami in December, but I most definitely did. Normally, the weather is great this time of year – cool, almost zero precipitation and plenty of things going on. But, up until mid-December, the weather was rainy almost every day, so my friend Matt and I decided to get the hell out of dodge for a few days. So, one week ahead of time we searched flights and 7 days later we were walking off a plane at the modern Juan Santamaría International Airport in San Jose Costa Rica to…

December 24, 2013

How travel enriches young minds: My 5 favourite vacations with our little ones

Hi The World or Bust readers! I’m Katie and Jeremy has very kindly allow me to write this post for you. I’ve had the travel bug as long as I can remember, from the time I flew off with my parents when we started taking package vacations to the trips I’ve taken with my other half around Europe, India and Thailand. So, when our own children arrived, we were determined to show them the world. While school obviously limits the time we can spend travelling, we’ve still managed lots of vacations which have not just bought us together as a…

December 15, 2013

24 Hours in Key West!

For those of you who don’t know, when I’m not abroad, I’m most likely in my home base of Miami Beach. It’s walkable, it’s sunny, and there are plenty of people from all over the world to talk to if I ever get antsy for the road. While Miami has plenty to do, I never venture too far out of the area. If you go an hour in any direction, you’re pretty much in the deep south, which I want nothing to do with. So, deciding I wanted to take a little vacation without having to go to the airport,…

November 29, 2013

Visiting the Philippine School for The Blind in Manila

On my recent trip to the Philippines, I had the pleasure of visiting the Philippine School for the Blind in Manila. My friend Mark is in charge of PR and fundraising for the school, so I thought it would be respectable of me as a friend and foreigner to check out what the school was all about. I am no stranger to seeing the true ingenuity and almost unbelievable talent many visual impaired people possess. Human beings are remarkable in many ways, but take away one of our senses be it sight, hearing, or speech, and we just find ways…

November 18, 2013

Riding Hogs and Exploring Abandoned Cold War Army Bases in Miami!

Now that I’m back in Amurica, I need to find things to pass my days with until the next big adventure. Believe it or not, I actually have an office space now for all of my online endeavors which puts me almost, ALMOST on a normal 26 year old’s working schedule. That means I have the weekends “off” like the majority of people. So, what did I decide to do on my Sunday besides go to Target and watch football all day? Ride my motorcycle into the setting sun…(well it was only 1 PM, but in that direction). I bought…

November 1, 2013

Why Saigon Sucks and Rocks

Officially Ho Chi Minh City, known by everyone as Saigon, is a massive city in the south of Vietnam. Being it my 2nd trip to southeast Asia, I figured I better see some more than Thailand and the Philippines, so Vietnam sounded like a good option; it was, and wasn’t. Hold up, hold up. While there are some definite cool attractions, fun things to do (like getting your ears cleaned), and a unique culture to experience, Vietnam is worthwhile, but after coming from Thailand, in my opinion, it was incomparable. Here’s why I liked and didn’t like Vietnam. Liked: The Interesting…

October 15, 2013

Getting an Ear Cleaning in Vietnam!

When I travel, I try to take advantage of as many new weird experiences as I can. As I’ve gotten a bit older, things like bungee jumping and swimming with sharks has become less attractive to me, but, I’m always down to try strange spa treatments like Turkish bathhouse massages, fish in Thailand that eat the toe jam off of your feet and my most recent experiment in self-betterment, an ear cleaning in Vietnam. I was staying in Hoi An, a historic small town near the city of Da Nang. I was walking down the street when I saw the…

October 10, 2013

The Five Highest Capital Cities in The World!

After just spending some time in Baguio City in the Philippines, which rests at an elevation of 1450 meters (4760 feet), I was intrigued to see which were the highest capital cities in the world. So here are the top 5! 5) 2,325 m (7627 ft) above sea level: Asmara, Eritrea Whilst Asmara is not the highest capital city in the world, it does offer stunning architecture, temperate sunshine and lively markets that wonderfully demonstrate Eritrea’s vibrant culture. Sadly, in recent years the worn out economy has taken its toll on Asmara and there are now no ATM’s available in Eritrea at…

October 8, 2013

The Most Interesting City in The Philippines: Baguio!

Most people don’t go to the Philippines to enjoy the quaint, pedestrian-friendly cities (because they don’t exist). In fact, the cities in the Philippines are pretty much a nightmare minus a few areas in Manila like Makati and Fort Bonafacio, parts of Cebu, etc. Even in the most provincial of cities there is bad traffic because usually, there is just one main road that everyone has to use to get around. Overland travel is also brutal as there are only a few western-style highways and you can basically bet on your average speed being 35 km/hr…anywhere. I might be the…

October 1, 2013

Five Great Islands to Visit!

Thousands of islands scattered across the Caribbean and Atlantic… no wonder choosing the perfect destination can be a little overwhelming! From the popular haunts to the secluded hideouts, the Caribbean is awash with heavenly, picture perfect settings that would provide a welcoming, relaxing stay like no other. The problem for many people looking at holidays in the Caribbean is making a final decision on where to base yourself. Here are five great options that offer year-round sunshine, to help fill your mind with some inspiration. The British Virgin Islands Seclusion, tranquility and natural beauty – if all this sounds like it’s…

September 23, 2013

Exploring Colonial-Era Bangkok!

Bangkok is now one of my favorite cities. I visited last year and was completely overwhelmed to the point that I got the hell out as quickly as I could. I’m used to orderly, planned, grid-patterned cities with logical layouts. Bangkok is not that…at all. But once you begin to comprehend the calamity and learn the code of this bustling Southeast Asian megapolis, things get awesome. So, on my 2nd trip to Southeast Asia, I decided to give ole’ Bangy another try. One thing I always like to do when exploring a new city is to start in its oldest…

September 13, 2013

10 Ways to Drink Like a German

Drinking plays an essential role in Germany’s culture and traditions. It is of course renowned as a nation of beer-drinkers – a stereotype that has been reinforced across the globe thanks to the festival giant that is Oktoberfest. But there is a whole lot more to Germany’s drinking scene than litres of lager and pints of Pilsner. Drinking in Germany is a way of life, check out 10 of the most popular beverages from the land of lederhosen. 1. Schorle Pretty much anything can be made into a Schorle (something akin to a spritzer, but essentially any kind of liquid…

September 11, 2013

Win 7 Days in Morocco Learning How to Kitesurf for You and a Friend!

One thing I’ve always wanted to try is kitesurfing (or kiteboarding). If you haven’t been to a beach and seen anyone doing this awesome new sport, you’re missing out. It’s a mix between surfing, windsurfing and wakeboarding. Basically, you have a small board that your strapped into like a wakeboard, and then you hold onto a handle connected to a pretty large kite, that when catches the wind, propels you across the water’s surface. Experts can fly off waves 30 feet into the air! One of the biggest barriers to entry in the sport is the cost of lessons and…

September 10, 2013

Video: Crossing the street in Saigon at Rush Hour!

When I decided to hit Vietnam after a few weeks in Thailand, I didn’t think traffic could get any worse than I had experienced in Bangkok, but oh was I wrong. While the traffic in Bangkok is crazy, there is still a sort of order to it. People respect traffic lights (for the most part), and once you get off the main avenues, things relax a bit. Vietnam? Lawless… From the second I pulled out from the airport in Ho Chi Minh City (also formally and still known as Saigon), I knew I was in for one wild ride. The…

September 7, 2013

A Brief History of Holworthy Hall at Harvard University

Holworthy Hall is a freshman residence hall at Harvard University that was built in 1812 and renovated in 1990. The building is located on Plympton Street in Harvard Yard, which is the oldest section of Harvard University’s campus located in Cambridge, MA which essentially is part of Boston. It was originally built for the purpose of housing freshman men, but now also houses women. It was named after its original owner, Thomas Holworthy, who was a professor of rhetoric and oratory at Harvard from 1825 to 1828 as well as an alumnus from 1790. He also left the university a…