Travelogged

Traveling Back in Time in North Wales

Wales is full of history — especially North Wales which has the oldest metal mine open to to the public in the world and Plas Mawr Elizabethan Town House, which is reputed to be the finest of its kind remaining in Britain (the amazing plasterwork over its grand fireplace is pictured above). When I was there in September, I wasn't just writing for my blog but I was also researching a story for iExplore.com, the private-guided tour company's website that serves as an excellent resource for travel planning. I wrote Top 10 Ways to Travel Back in History in North Wales, which covers the famous sites like Conwy Castle and lesser-known but still interesting attractions like the Home Front Experience, a museum about life in Wales in World War II. You can read the article here.

Video: The Griswolds Go to the Super Bowl

I like Super Bowl Sunday but I must confess that watching the game is my least favorite part. I'm more about hanging out with friends and watching the commercials. This year I thought that the clear commercial winner was HomeAway.com, a vacation rental service. (I'm a big fan of their subsidiary, VRBO.com, which I even used to book a condo for my recent trip to Park City.)

Some of the Best Sunsets I've Ever Seen

I love sunsets. That's not very original, I know. I mean does anybody actually dislike sunsets? What's not to like? Sunsets are pretty much a universal crowd-pleaser.

That said, I certainly think there is a continuum of sunset appreciation. True sunset lovers view watching the sun go down as an activity unto itself. They seek out the proper place (facing as due west as possible, few obstructions to the horizon) and time. Then there's the question of whether you want to watch the sunset solo, as a romantic activity or with the happy hour crowd at Barba Roja in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica (pictured left). Since all of the planning in the world won't help if the weather doesn't cooperate and an errant cloud or unexpected haze ruins the sunset, it's good to have a drink in your hand to mitigate the potential disappointment.

Contest: Win a Free Trip to Sri Lanka for You and Nine Friends

(photo of Sri Lanka's Aukana Buddha Statue by Ikmal/Flickr)

Sri Lanka emerged as one of the hottest travel destinations for 2010. It was no. 1 on the New York Times' The 31 Places to Go in 2010, and it was also on Conde Nast Traveler's 2010 It List. The civil war ended in May and the island is ready to be enjoyed for its pristine beaches, ancient Buddhist temples, lush waterfalls and wildlife preserves. It sounds like an incredible place to visit and now you have the chance to win a dream trip for you and nine friends.

Romantic Weekend Getaway: Skiing & Shopping in Manchester, VT

(View From Stratton Mountain by Steve Soj/Flickr)

Nicki and Greg Shalette were looking for a little luxury and a little skiing that wasn't too far from New York City. So last weekend, they drove to Manchester, VT, for a fantastic romantic getaway. They skied, they got massages, they dined, they hit the outlets and they can't wait to go back. Here, Nicki explains why Manchester is her new favorite place.

Contest: Win a Long Weekend in London From CheapOair Blog

(photo by Alex-pl/Flickr)

The last time I was in London, I was there for a long weekend. So when I found out that CheapOair Travel Blog is having a contest and the prize is a long weekend in London for two, I knew I had to share it with my readers. The prize includes airfare to London for two, three nights at base2stay, a chic green hotel in Kensington, and two Visitor Oyster Cards pre-loaded for the Tube.

Half Jungle, Half Beach: A Perfect Week in Belize

(Barton Creek Cave, photos by Amanda Lobell)

I put Belize on my list of top 10 trips I wish I had taken in 2009, so I was very excited to hear all about Amanda Lobell and Neil Roach's recent vacation there. They had a fantastic time dividing their week between the jungle and the beach, and managed to see much of this amazing Central American country, which is approximately the same size of their home state of Massachusetts. Here, Amanda shares their highlights and explains the main differences between Belize and Costa Rica.

The 14th Edition of the Anywhere, Everywhere Travel Blog Carnival

Welcome to the 14th edition of the Anywhere, Everywhere Travel Blog Carnival. The carnival takes place once a month and features some of the best travel writing and photography on the web. As usual, I received tons of great submissions; here are my favorites.

Felicity Campbell presents Real Medellin – Barrio of Santo Domingo posted at Thinking Nomads. As Colombia has emerged as one of the hottest destinations around, I was intrigued to learn more about it.

Robin Locker presents The Turtle Farm at Boatswain’s Beach posted at My Melange. Friends of mine who frequent Cayman are mad at me for not going to the turtle farm when I was there in December, so I enjoyed reading Robin’s account of it.

Cayman Jazz Fest: Headliner Alicia Keys Stole the Show

When I was on Grand Cayman last month, it wasn't just to sunbathe on Seven Mile Beach and swim, or rather wade, with the stingrays. (And it certainly wasn't to run the Cayman marathon!) I was there for the 6th annual Cayman Jazz Fest, which took place on the evenings of Thurs., Dec. 3rd—Sat., Dec 5th. Every night was great, but it was Alicia Keys (pictured above) who stole the show with the final performance of the festival.

Birmingham: Britain's Best Kept Secret

Today's guest blogger, Jill Martin Wrenn, lives in Atlanta (you may remember her last guest-blog post about The Georgia Aquarium). So when she tells people she went to Birmingham, they think she's talking about the city in Alabama and not the one England. But Jill, who lived in London for seven-and-a-half years, is most certainly talking about her recent trip to the British Birmingham — or as the locals call it, Brum. She also writes a blog, Reverse Culture Shock, about readjusting to life in the U.S. after spending so long abroad.

When you think of countries with canals in Europe, you don't always think of Britain. At least I didn't. But Birmingham, the country's second largest city, has more than 100 miles of them — that's more than Venice.