TRAVEL WITHIN FES MOROCCO’S LEATHER TANNERIES

Hidden deep within Fes, Morocco’s major economic metropolis, are an array of colored dyes spread over the city floor in large cement vats, the 600 year old tanneries. The pallet of pomegranate red, burnt orange, saffron yellow and wild mint green can be seen from the surrounding rooftops and terraces.

While the tanneries have retained hundreds of years of artistry and tradition, they may as well be the foulest smelling attraction in all of Morocco. When visiting the ancient sites guides will offer tourists fresh mint leaves to put under their nose.

Generations of laborers have toiled in the same honeycomb vessels. Shoeless, the workers climb into the tubs to knead the leather skins for hours, the dye staining their arms and legs. The smells hint towards some kind of potent secret ingredient: pigeon droppings. These excretions soften the skins and work to produce the famous Moroccan leather. Skins come fresh from the slaughter and hundred of hides are worked on at once.

When the leather has been treated it is hung or laid to dry on the flat rooftops. When tourists are exploring in the tanneries they can make their way to the nearby market to visit a number of leather shops where the incredible leather goods are sold.

Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Google on call Travel Exploration at (917)703-2078 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

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5 Honeymoon Ideas for Intrepid Travelers

Head to the woods of Swedish Lapland. Photo courtesy of Pure Lapland.

For many, a honeymoon summons fantasies of tropical beaches, overwater bungalows, swaying palm trees, and pure nothingness, lovely images indeed, but a bit — dare we say — tame for adventurous travelers looking for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. With the right mindset, the undiscovered frontier of Northern Kenya, icy fjords of Chile, and remote corners of Swedish Lapland can be utterly romantic in their own ways. 

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A room at Saruni Rhino. Photo courtesy of Saruni.

GO RHINO TREKKING IN KENYA

Where: Saruni Rhino 
When: Year-round. 
What's to love: Head to the undiscovered frontier of Northern Kenya for the first rhino tracking experience in East Africa. The untouched wilderness of Sera Community Conservancy has a new collection of luxury lodging and is the first sanctuary dedicated to conserving the endangered black rhino. Accompanied by expert Saruni guides, you and your mate can experience the thrill of seeking out majestic black beauties by foot. Visits are paired with a stay at Saruni Samburu, a celebrated elephant sanctuary just north of the Samburu National Reserve. 
Rates: From $750 per person per night. Make a reservation.

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The Aqua Mekong river cruise. Photo courtesy of Aqua Expeditions.

CRUISE THROUGH CAMBODIA AND VIETNAM

Where: Aqua Mekong Expedition Cruise 
When: August through November. 
What's to love: Travel the Mekong and Tonle Sap Rivers on a luxury river cruise that comes with all the trappings of a five-star hotel — plenty of personal space, air conditioning, wireless internet, and luxury linens. The boat has an outdoor pool, a spa utilizing traditional healing techniques, and a private screening room. Experienced river guides lead guests on excursions into the jungle and local villages by foot, kayak, and all-terrain bikes. 
Rates: From $8,995 per person. Make a reservation.

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A charming cabin deep in the woods of Swedish Lapland. Photo courtesy of Pure Lapland.

VIEW THE NORTHERN LIGHTS IN SWEDEN

Where: Loggers Lodge 
When: August through early April. 
What's to love: A private, all-inclusive red timber cabin located deep in the woods of Swedish Lapland — aside from staff, the closest neighbors are three miles away. Meals are prepared by a chef and include traditional food made with local produce. Because there is zero light pollution, this is an excellent spot for Aurora Borealis sightings and stargazing. Other activities include snowshoeing, Nordic ski touring, and ice fishing. 
Rates: From $760 per person per night. Make a reservation.

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Breathtaking views from Amangiri. Photo courtsy of Aman.

CLIMB MAJESTIC ROCK FORMATIONS IN UTAH

Where: Amangiri 
When: May through August. 
What's to love: Tucked away in a protected valley, the Utah resort is a quiet retreat with easy access to some of North America's most striking landscapes — the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park, and Monument Valley. Enjoy the healing traditions of the Navajo people, yoga classes, and sauna and steam rooms at the spa. Or get your adrenaline pumping with six on-property via ferratas. Italian for "iron road," the series of fixed cables and ladder runs are used to climb steep mountain routes with a trained Amangiri guide. 
Rates: From $1,400 per night. Make a reservation.

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The Laguna Azul hike. Photo couresty of Quasar Expeditions.

visit morocco

Visiting Morocco has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. I’ve always wanted to ride a camel, see the desert, explore maze-like medinas, and drink tea with Berbers.

As I stood overlooking the Sahara one morning, marveling at the rhythmic, undulating dunes of the desert, I realized that my dream had come true.

For miles around, the dunes rolled like red-tinged waves in the sea. I had ridden a camelto the spot where I would gaze at a million stars that night, smiling at the fact I was finallysomewhere I had dreamed about under the same stars thousands of miles away.

For two weeks, I traveled around the country on Intrepid Travel’s Best of Morocco tourand gorged myself on couscous, drank my body weight in mint tea, hiked, and absorbed the sights and sounds of Morocco.

Of all those moments, these were my favorite experiences from the trip:

Camel trekking in the Sahara

While I wish you could still ride the old camel caravans from Morocco to Egypt, I settled for one night under the stars. Turns out riding a camel for an hour is pretty uncomfortable, but seeing the beautiful color of the desert up close and personal, camping with Bedouins, and gazing at a million stars with no light pollution made it all worthwhile. There’s an eerie silence in the desert when the wind dies down and you feel a great sense of peace, just sitting and being in nature.

Fun fact: It rained while I was in the desert. There was a crazy, crazy lightning storm — one of the most intense I have ever seen. The roar of the thunder sounded like a million bombs going off, and the lightning turned night into day. It hadn’t rained all year but that night the sky opened up for a brief moment to let out all her anger. Surreal.

Hiking the Atlas Mountains 

The Atlas Mountains cover most of Morocco, and we spent a lot of time in the low, middle, and high parts of the range (it’s hard not to). My favorite part was when we traversed the High Atlas range, climbing for an hour to reach a small farmhouse, where we stayed the night with a local family (who cooked us the tastiest tagine dinner and Berber omelet of the trip).

Arriving early and leaving late the next day, we had plenty of time to hike and explore the surrounding area. I love a good hike, so I enjoyed the opportunity to really get out into nature, walk through riverbeds, and see Mt. Toubkal (North Africa’s highest peak) in the distance. Next to the camel trek, this was my favorite experience.

Eating at Café Clock

Recommended to me by many people and with locations in Marrakesh and Fez, this Western-influenced café is famous for its gigantic and delicious camel burger (which tastes a lot like spicy shawarma). The food is excellent: the burger, green smoothies, and melt-in-your-mouth buttery chicken couscous were so satisfying I ate here twice. And, in the crazy and chaotic medinas of each city, the cafés provide an oasis of calm, where you can recharge, use Wi-Fi, and cool down with air conditioning. They also offer cooking classes and host regular events in each location!

Getting lost in the medinas

The medinas are the historic hearts of each city in Morocco: part residential area, part shopping center, part food market. Here you’ll find twisting and turning streets where shops, restaurants, markets, and homes all line the streets in buildings seemingly too close together and too old to stay up much longer. As someone who loves to get lost, the medinas were heaven. I spent hours wandering through them, making right turns, doubling back, walking through plazas and streets that kind of looked familiar, and finding my way, only to get purposely lost all over again. They were a maze I loved trying to solve while also drinking tea, eating delicious and fragrant food, and seeing the sights.

Word of caution: Fez is a bit sketchy and unsafe, so do not go too far off the beaten path. Stick to streets with lots of people. I had some close calls involving pickpockets and potential robbers.

Exploring Volubilis

A major trading center and the southernmost settlement during Roman times, Volubilis is one of the best preserved (and least frequented) such ruins in the world. I found it empty of tourists, not built up, and open in a way that really lets you get up close and see the structures without being behind ten feet of barriers and jostled by crowds. Most of the city is still unexcavated so the site has a very raw feel to it. I’ve been to a lot of Roman ruins in my travels, but I love this one the best.

Seeing Aït Benhaddou

Though I didn’t get to spend much time here, exploring this place full of kasbahs (fortified houses) was pretty amazing. It is the Hollywood of Morocco and has been featured in Game of Thrones, Gladiator, Lawrence of Arabia, and many more films. It was the most picturesque ksar I saw, which is probably why it’s in every movie! It plays into what people think an old ksar -fortified village – should look like. I enjoyed roaming the streets and climbing to the top for the view.

Enjoying the beach and seafood of Essaouira 

My favorite city in Morocco, Essaouira is located a few hours from Marrakesh on the Atlantic coast and is a popular beach destination for tourists, especially Brits. I loved the relaxed atmosphere of the city, the lack of pushy touts, the sea air, and all the fresh fish.

Be sure to visit the wonderful fish market in town, where all the small fisherman sell their day’s catch. Afterward, check out the small fish stalls nearby in the main square where you can enjoy fresh seafood grilled really cheap. My friends and I “splurged” on a meal here: for $75 USD total, the four of us shared a lobster, eight tiger prawns, two fish weighing over a kilo, and half a kilo of squid. All that came with drinks, bread, salad, and tea. (We ate there every day, and meals afterward were about $15 USD.) Try stalls #5 and #11 for the best fish!

Visiting Marrakech

Marrakech was everything I thought it would be: a modern mix of Moroccan and international culture with the most diversity of delicious international food (check out PepeNero for Italian and Latitude for a Med-Moroccan mix) and beautiful architecture in the medina. Though Marrakech lacked the grit and edge of the rest of the country, it was the most eclectic city on the trip.

The chaotic pace exposed a city and people always on the go. The famous Jemaa el-Fnaa square is truly the mess everyone describes: tens of thousands of people at night eating, shopping, getting henna tattoos, listening to bands and storytellers, and watching magicians (and snake charmers during the day). It’s one of the most hectic but fascinating people-watching places in the country. It still blows my mind how big and full it was! (Contrast that to the underwhelming Saadian Tombs, which is an attraction I would skip — they are simple, the grounds are small, and overall, it was just bland.)

Eating lots of couscous and tagine

By the end of my two weeks there, I was a bit “couscoused out.” That said, I dove head first into eating as much of it as possible — I loved savoring the flavors, seeing the regional variety, and getting to really appreciate how long each dish took to prepare. Tagine (cooked with meat, dates, nuts, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, and saffron in a clay pot) was by far my favorite Moroccan dish. Also worth trying is the Berber omelet, which is egg, tomato, onion, and herbs, also cooked in a clay pot.

Drinking mint tea

I’ve never drunk more tea than when I was in Morocco. In a country where “having a beer” is not a thing, locals substitute pots of mint tea. There’s even an art to pouring it: the higher the teapot, the better. I couldn’t get enough of this minty, sugary treat and sitting in the tea shops watching soccer with the locals. I must have drunk a pot or two a day. Man, that stuff is addicting!

Hearing the call to prayer
While I’ve been to predominantly Muslim countries before, in Southeast Asia, I’ve never experienced an Arab Muslim country or heard the call to prayer. There was something beautiful about the melodic nature of the call, and it was a great alarm clock at 5 a.m. Seeing people flock to the mosque in their white prayer clothes was a unique cultural experience I couldn’t help but observe.

Morocco is an incredibly destination. At times, it was trying, stressful, chaotic, and overloaded my senses, but for all the stresses of travel, it was a country where I felt out of my element and like I was truly somewhere new and different. I loved that feeling and everything else about Morocco.

CLEVELAND KAYAKING: PADDLING CUYAHOGA RIVER TO LAKE ERIE

My first Cleveland kayaking experience that I can remember was years ago just a few miles away on Rocky River, but this time, I was a tourist.

My first kayaking experience was with Andy at 41 North Kayak Adventures. After every stroke of the paddle, my paddle spilled water over me leaving my cotton clothes drenched. It was ok because the water dripping made the Cleveland summer a little more tolerable. I couldn’t believe how soaked kayaking made me. After getting out of our kayaks to return them, I look over at Andy and he is bone dry. I had a lot to learn.

Since my last Cleveland kayaking trip, I’ve kayaked in New Zealand, Chile, and various parts of the PNW–this summer might be the most I’ve kayaked in one season. I knew I wanted to do something outdoors since it was my birthday, and I normally do a friend backpacking weekend trip to celebrate. Work travel had me away from home, but I was traveling to a city I lived in for five years. I had many friends wanting to help celebrate with me. I’m a lucky girl.

It was the day after Labor Day, and the forecast called for 90-degree weather with humidity that was just as high. You know, the type of heat that makes a continuous layer of sweat glistening in the sun. I met up with my friend, Kevin, from graduate school and his girlfriend, Lisa. We were joined by two of Lisa’s friends. Kevin and I would paddle in his kayaks, and the other three would be on stand up paddleboards. The rest had a full workday under their belts and were excited to be outside. Me, I was elated to be exploring Cleveland the way my outdoor soul craves.

Bridges galore.

The goal: Paddle from Merwin’s Wharf out to Lake Erie. We stabilized the wobbling kayaks from the dock and slid into the cockpit without flipping, From the start, we paddled under the Detroit Superior Bridge, along with a few overpasses with rush hour traffic hustling above. We rounded the bend and were greeted with sights of Settler’s Landing Park.

Approaching Settler’s Landing Park.

We paddled past the opening party of the conference being held at the Flats at East Bank, which is new-to-me. I was impressed. I’ve been away for four years, and I must say I either didn’t spend much time downtown, had tourist fever, or the city has worked hard on cleaning up the city to promote tourism. My guess: It’s a little of all three.

Flats at East Bank.

The wind was calm and so was Lake Erie. It was group decision time, should we turn around at the Flats, head to a lighthouse, or paddle further out of the lake away from the breakerwaters, or barriers to protect the coast from crashing waves? Boats of all sizes putzed along until getting out to the open water.

First stop, the Cleveland Harbor West Pierhead Lighthouse. Deciding not to hop out of the kayak, I paddled to stay in a pool protected by breakerwaters as some of the others jumped in for a swim. After chatting and having a beer on the water, we paddled around the lighthouse and decided to travel the length of the breakwater to make a loop back to the Cuyahoga River.

Jet skis whizzed by as we passed Whiskey Island, a place where intramural volleyball leagues play sand volleyball right off the lake. Boats can dock to watch volleyball or stop at Whiskey Island Still and Eatery, formerly known as Sunset Grill, on long summer nights. I spent many years diving in the sand after spiked volleyballs and would sometimes see groups of kayakers playing in the refreshing water outside the netted area–now it was my turn to play in the water.

Enjoying the last few moments of daylight.

As it turns out, you can get motion sick on paddle boards. My friend was finding it hard to stand up while paddling because she was getting nauseous. It slowed our pace down a bit as she moved her center of gravity down closer to the board. I didn’t mind going slower as I could get my camera out to take more pictures as the vibrant orange reflected off the windows of the skyscrapers on the river banks.

Dodging bridges.

With as many bridges are on the route, you have to watch your head. It reminded me of being on the moving staircases in Hogwarts. There are bridges that lower, swing, and raise, which can bring out the engineering nerd in all of us.

Cleveland’s Center Street Bridge

It was a pleasant day with friends new and old on the water. It’s refreshing to know that in every city, there are humans that crave the outdoors and will find ways to access what they can for a break from the hustle and bustle of desk jobs and cell phones.

WHERE SHOULD YOU RENT KAYAKS OR STAND UP PADDLEBOARDS IN CLEVELAND?

Cleveland Metroparks is a great place to start. If you’re in the Rocky River area, consider renting from 41 North Kayak Adventures. Are you downtown? Rent from Great Lakes Watersports. You’ll find kayaks, boats, and jet ski rentals here. All are open seasonally, so make sure they are open for the season before swinging by.

CLEVELAND KAYAKING: PADDLING CUYAHOGA RIVER TO LAKE ERIE

My first Cleveland kayaking experience that I can remember was years ago just a few miles away on Rocky River, but this time, I was a tourist.

My first kayaking experience was with Andy at 41 North Kayak Adventures. After every stroke of the paddle, my paddle spilled water over me leaving my cotton clothes drenched. It was ok because the water dripping made the Cleveland summer a little more tolerable. I couldn’t believe how soaked kayaking made me. After getting out of our kayaks to return them, I look over at Andy and he is bone dry. I had a lot to learn.

Since my last Cleveland kayaking trip, I’ve kayaked in New Zealand, Chile, and various parts of the PNW–this summer might be the most I’ve kayaked in one season. I knew I wanted to do something outdoors since it was my birthday, and I normally do a friend backpacking weekend trip to celebrate. Work travel had me away from home, but I was traveling to a city I lived in for five years. I had many friends wanting to help celebrate with me. I’m a lucky girl.

It was the day after Labor Day, and the forecast called for 90-degree weather with humidity that was just as high. You know, the type of heat that makes a continuous layer of sweat glistening in the sun. I met up with my friend, Kevin, from graduate school and his girlfriend, Lisa. We were joined by two of Lisa’s friends. Kevin and I would paddle in his kayaks, and the other three would be on stand up paddleboards. The rest had a full workday under their belts and were excited to be outside. Me, I was elated to be exploring Cleveland the way my outdoor soul craves.

Bridges galore.

The goal: Paddle from Merwin’s Wharf out to Lake Erie. We stabilized the wobbling kayaks from the dock and slid into the cockpit without flipping, From the start, we paddled under the Detroit Superior Bridge, along with a few overpasses with rush hour traffic hustling above. We rounded the bend and were greeted with sights of Settler’s Landing Park.

Approaching Settler’s Landing Park.

We paddled past the opening party of the conference being held at the Flats at East Bank, which is new-to-me. I was impressed. I’ve been away for four years, and I must say I either didn’t spend much time downtown, had tourist fever, or the city has worked hard on cleaning up the city to promote tourism. My guess: It’s a little of all three.

Flats at East Bank.

The wind was calm and so was Lake Erie. It was group decision time, should we turn around at the Flats, head to a lighthouse, or paddle further out of the lake away from the breakerwaters, or barriers to protect the coast from crashing waves? Boats of all sizes putzed along until getting out to the open water.

First stop, the Cleveland Harbor West Pierhead Lighthouse. Deciding not to hop out of the kayak, I paddled to stay in a pool protected by breakerwaters as some of the others jumped in for a swim. After chatting and having a beer on the water, we paddled around the lighthouse and decided to travel the length of the breakwater to make a loop back to the Cuyahoga River.

Jet skis whizzed by as we passed Whiskey Island, a place where intramural volleyball leagues play sand volleyball right off the lake. Boats can dock to watch volleyball or stop at Whiskey Island Still and Eatery, formerly known as Sunset Grill, on long summer nights. I spent many years diving in the sand after spiked volleyballs and would sometimes see groups of kayakers playing in the refreshing water outside the netted area–now it was my turn to play in the water.

Enjoying the last few moments of daylight.

As it turns out, you can get motion sick on paddle boards. My friend was finding it hard to stand up while paddling because she was getting nauseous. It slowed our pace down a bit as she moved her center of gravity down closer to the board. I didn’t mind going slower as I could get my camera out to take more pictures as the vibrant orange reflected off the windows of the skyscrapers on the river banks.

Dodging bridges.

With as many bridges are on the route, you have to watch your head. It reminded me of being on the moving staircases in Hogwarts. There are bridges that lower, swing, and raise, which can bring out the engineering nerd in all of us.

Cleveland’s Center Street Bridge

It was a pleasant day with friends new and old on the water. It’s refreshing to know that in every city, there are humans that crave the outdoors and will find ways to access what they can for a break from the hustle and bustle of desk jobs and cell phones.

WHERE SHOULD YOU RENT KAYAKS OR STAND UP PADDLEBOARDS IN CLEVELAND?

Cleveland Metroparks is a great place to start. If you’re in the Rocky River area, consider renting from 41 North Kayak Adventures. Are you downtown? Rent from Great Lakes Watersports. You’ll find kayaks, boats, and jet ski rentals here. All are open seasonally, so make sure they are open for the season before swinging by.

My first Cleveland kayaking experience that I can remember was years ago just a few miles away on Rocky River, but this time, I was a tourist.

My first kayaking experience was with Andy at 41 North Kayak Adventures. After every stroke of the paddle, my paddle spilled water over me leaving my cotton clothes drenched. It was ok because the water dripping made the Cleveland summer a little more tolerable. I couldn’t believe how soaked kayaking made me. After getting out of our kayaks to return them, I look over at Andy and he is bone dry. I had a lot to learn.

Since my last Cleveland kayaking trip, I’ve kayaked in New Zealand, Chile, and various parts of the PNW–this summer might be the most I’ve kayaked in one season. I knew I wanted to do something outdoors since it was my birthday, and I normally do a friend backpacking weekend trip to celebrate. Work travel had me away from home, but I was traveling to a city I lived in for five years. I had many friends wanting to help celebrate with me. I’m a lucky girl.

It was the day after Labor Day, and the forecast called for 90-degree weather with humidity that was just as high. You know, the type of heat that makes a continuous layer of sweat glistening in the sun. I met up with my friend, Kevin, from graduate school and his girlfriend, Lisa. We were joined by two of Lisa’s friends. Kevin and I would paddle in his kayaks, and the other three would be on stand up paddleboards. The rest had a full workday under their belts and were excited to be outside. Me, I was elated to be exploring Cleveland the way my outdoor soul craves.

Bridges galore.

The goal: Paddle from Merwin’s Wharf out to Lake Erie. We stabilized the wobbling kayaks from the dock and slid into the cockpit without flipping, From the start, we paddled under the Detroit Superior Bridge, along with a few overpasses with rush hour traffic hustling above. We rounded the bend and were greeted with sights of Settler’s Landing Park.

Approaching Settler’s Landing Park.

We paddled past the opening party of the conference being held at the Flats at East Bank, which is new-to-me. I was impressed. I’ve been away for four years, and I must say I either didn’t spend much time downtown, had tourist fever, or the city has worked hard on cleaning up the city to promote tourism. My guess: It’s a little of all three.

Flats at East Bank.

The wind was calm and so was Lake Erie. It was group decision time, should we turn around at the Flats, head to a lighthouse, or paddle further out of the lake away from the breakerwaters, or barriers to protect the coast from crashing waves? Boats of all sizes putzed along until getting out to the open water.

First stop, the Cleveland Harbor West Pierhead Lighthouse. Deciding not to hop out of the kayak, I paddled to stay in a pool protected by breakerwaters as some of the others jumped in for a swim. After chatting and having a beer on the water, we paddled around the lighthouse and decided to travel the length of the breakwater to make a loop back to the Cuyahoga River.

Jet skis whizzed by as we passed Whiskey Island, a place where intramural volleyball leagues play sand volleyball right off the lake. Boats can dock to watch volleyball or stop at Whiskey Island Still and Eatery, formerly known as Sunset Grill, on long summer nights. I spent many years diving in the sand after spiked volleyballs and would sometimes see groups of kayakers playing in the refreshing water outside the netted area–now it was my turn to play in the water.

Enjoying the last few moments of daylight.

As it turns out, you can get motion sick on paddle boards. My friend was finding it hard to stand up while paddling because she was getting nauseous. It slowed our pace down a bit as she moved her center of gravity down closer to the board. I didn’t mind going slower as I could get my camera out to take more pictures as the vibrant orange reflected off the windows of the skyscrapers on the river banks.

Dodging bridges.

With as many bridges are on the route, you have to watch your head. It reminded me of being on the moving staircases in Hogwarts. There are bridges that lower, swing, and raise, which can bring out the engineering nerd in all of us.

Cleveland’s Center Street Bridge

It was a pleasant day with friends new and old on the water. It’s refreshing to know that in every city, there are humans that crave the outdoors and will find ways to access what they can for a break from the hustle and bustle of desk jobs and cell phones.

WHERE SHOULD YOU RENT KAYAKS OR STAND UP PADDLEBOARDS IN CLEVELAND?

Cleveland Metroparks is a great place to start. If you’re in the Rocky River area, consider renting from 41 North Kayak Adventures. Are you downtown? Rent from Great Lakes Watersports. You’ll find kayaks, boats, and jet ski rentals here. All are open seasonally, so make sure they are open for the season before swinging by.

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Russie

Select a Travel StyleActive TravelAdrenaline JunkiesCultural TravelLuxury TravelEpic AdventuresSoft AdventuresMeaningful TravelerBackcountry Traveler 

Russia, the world’s largest country. From off-the-beaten path destinations, like Irkutsk, to idyllic countryside to glittering palaces and ancient fortresses to vodka induced parties that last until the wee hours of the morning, Russia definitely has it all. This Russia travel guide will help you plan your next vacation.

Russia Travel Guide: Fast Facts

Russian power voltage is 220V 50Hz;  Plug CThe Russian currency is the Russian ruble and is around 69 RUB to 1 USDGet your visa well in advance. North Americans and most Europeans will need visas to enter Russia. The official invitation option has been dropped, however people still need to show certain documents, such as hotel confirmation letters, bank/income statements or a travel insurance policy.Upon arrival you will be handed a migration card that is either filled out or blank (which you will need to fill out yourself!) You will need this card to register at hotels and to leave the country so make sure you don’t lose it!Be extremely careful at zebra crossing / crosswalks.  There are times when cars will not slow down and will fail to give way. Never assume that a driver will stop for you when you cross the street. When buying art you need the piece certified as being culturally insignificant to have it pass through customs. It can take time to get the proper documents, so it is advisable to avoid buying art if you are visiting Russia for a short time.Women should cover their heads with a scarf in Orthodox churches, if it is an active church.Travelers are advised against all travel to Chechnya, Ingushetia and Dagestan, as well as all but essential travel to North Ossetia, Karachai-Cherkessia and Kabardino-Balkaria.Avoid drinking water from the faucet, especially in St. Petersburg. The water leaving the purification plant is fine but the water pipe system is woefully outdated and the purified water is often contaminated with city ground water.

Top Packing Tips for Russia Travel

Russia has a largely continental climate because of its sheer size with warm to hot dry summers and cold winters with temperatures of -30°C and lower and sometimes heavy snowfall. In Moscow and St. Petersburg the first snow usually falls in late November and stays till early April. The average winter temperature is about -10°C. Much of the country experiences only two main seasons: summer and winter.

Layers – You could possibly be sweating all afternoon and then be freezing by nightfall! Make sure to stock up on the layers. If you plan on heading to Russia during the winter make sure to pack the winter essentials: Warm, waterproof, fleece-lined boots big enough to wear with heavy wool socks, hat, waterproof gloves and thermal long underwear!Classic Basic items – You do not need to be a fashionista to blend in. The key is in embracing neutral toned items that can be mixed and matched easily. Avoid logos, baseball caps, shorts, hoodies, flip-flops and running shoes as these items scream tourist!Rain Essentials – the weather can be a little unpredictable so make sure to pack a lightweight easily compacted waterproof/windproof jacket and a pair of waterproof boots.Personal Safety products – Certain areas in Moscow and St. Petersburg are known as pickpocket hotspots. Before leaving for your trip, make sure to pack some , like money belts and locks, so that you can keep your valuables safe on your trip.

Top Things to do in Russia

Sights
more of an art deco design project than a transport hub.The Astrakhan Kremlin – Located on the banks of the Volga River ever so close to the Caspian Sea, this pleasant waterfront city boasts a bustling boardwalk complete with jugglers, rollerbladers, performers and vendors.

Hong Kong

Paris may be known as the , but Hong Kong has got it beat when it comes to beams of illumination setting the harbour ablaze.  Known to be one of the most spectacular skylines in the world, Hong Kong boasts an impressive display of skyscrapers and it is none too humble to show them off every evening.

Having the world’s largest continuous light show every night at 8:00 Hong Kong’s skyline is ignited with lasers, neon lights, halogen lamps and every other sort of bulb that can illuminate the city.

We stayed in the Kowloon district, an area looking over Victoria Harbour at the vast skyscrapers of Hong Kong central.   At night, make your way down to the Hong Kong Cultural centre of Kowloon and set up your tripod by the clock tower.  Get there early as the crowds are fierce and photographers compete for the best vantage point.  It is here that you will see a fabulous display.

The light show itself is not an impressive piece of theatre, but to see the buildings light up in different colours and patterns is worth the pause in your evening events.

If you are staying in Hong Kong central on the North Side, make your way to the Star Ferry terminal and either go over to Kowloon or take a cruise for the night to watch the show from the centre of Victoria Harbour.   The show lasts for about a half an hour and it is completely free.

The Bank of China is the centerpiece of the show as it changes its diamond patterns of lights regularly flashing constantly to different colours, rhythms and shapes. masterpiece is turned momentarily to a new age work of art.

Hong Kong is certainly more impressive at night, but it is worth a look around during the day as well.

We made our way up with the rest of the crowd to Victoria Peak.  The Peak Tram has been operating since the turn of the century and costs mere $36 HK Dollars for a return trip.  If you can handle the lines, it is worth going up to have a bird’s eye view of Hong Kong at 552 metres above the harbour.  You can even get your Christmas shopping in, as there is a massive mall and eateries at the top for a person to spend an entire day touring around.

There are hiking trails and biking trails too.  We saw the Hong Kong Adventure racing team working out on their mountain bikes and wished that we could take one for a spin ourselves.

Time was limited in Hong Kong

Hong Kong is expensive and we had to pack as much in as we could in the 3 short days that we were there.

As luck would have it, an outdoor festival was going on in Soho during our visit.  Soho used to be a run down old style apartment block, but in recent years it has had a facelift turning into a trendy eateries.  It boasts the world’s longest escalator. At 800 metres, it makes the hillside neighbourhood steps a non-issue for visitors and residents alike.

The escalators go up all day from 10:00 am to midnight, but are switched to the down positions for the morning rush hour.  It takes 20 minutes to ride it to the top, but you can hop on hop off at any time. As there are openings for every street.

Escalators in Soho cover 800 metres

The outdoor festival felt as if we were in New York City as opposed to the Far East.  Cirque du Soleil was performing, jugglers walked through the cobblestone streets, Opera Singers serenaded us as we ate our Cuban food and enjoyed a discounted glass of wine due to it being wine month in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong a World City

The weather was perfect at a balmy 28?C, the sun was shining through the smog and we could almost see completely blue skies.  Yes, I think that we could live in Hong Kong. Now if only we had jobs suited to the high lifestyle that so many people seem to live.  Hong Kong is one of the most vibrant cities we have ever visited.  It has a modern cosmopolitan feel, but if you look hard enough, you can find pockets of its rich history.

We ended our time in Hong Kong with a visit to the Man Mo Temple.  Known for its coils of incense hanging from the ceiling, it makes for an interesting photo opportunity – even though there are signs stating clearly “No Photos Allowed Inside.”  We joined the rest of the Chinese tourists that were happily snapping away.  At first we weren’t sure if we should take any photos, but when we saw everyone inside blatantly taking them right in front of the staff, we decided that it would be all right.

Man Mo temple is greatly significant in the community.  Under the management of the Tung Wa group, it subsidizes recurring expenses in the community.  Using the surplus from the Man Mo Temple and 12 other temples in the Hong Kong district, it offers a wide range of medical, educational and community services in 223 centres around the city of Hong Kong.

With funding from the Man Mo temple originally, Tung Wa started the first free school in Hong Kong in 1880 and has expanded to 52 schools today offering free education to underprivileged students.

I thought that we would simply be visiting yet another temple in our travels, but I was pleasantly surprised to see the great work that the Man Mo Temple has done.

We spent 3 delightful days in Hong Kong and could have easily stayed longer.  We even managed to buy a brand new tri pod for Dave at the highly recommended camera store Echo Photo and Audio LTD on Hankow Road in Kowloon.  They were excellent to work with and saved us over $50 Canadian had we bought it at home.

We managed to do it all during our short time in Hong Kong, we shopped, we ate we saw the sites.  We look forward to going back one day when we have the time and funds to truly appreciate everything that it has to offer.