Santa Catalina by Ferry

Catalina is an island off the coast of southern California mainly accessible by ferries and helicopters. It is just 22 miles long with a population of approximately 3600 people. It is famous for kayaking, scuba diving, hiking, the casino, and some very interesting golf carts. We arrived to the Island via an hour long trip on a ferry called the "Catalina Express." Unfortunately, due to the inclement weather we could not do much of kayaking or scuba diving. However, we did see the botanical gardens, and most of Avalon.

Me, enjoying the sun while it lasts.

Hot ride

Flora

Prickly Flora

Finally, some dangerous fauna brandishing a deadly assault weapon... the banana

View from Monument

Casino or otherwise known as the Art Deco Dance Hall

Avalon Harbor

Greece

As I walked with the warm Mediterranean sun kissing my cheeks, I tried to imagine some of the familiar ancient Greeks walking along the same steps I was such as Euripides or Socrates. There was the scent of oranges mixed with baklava floating up in the warm breeze. I decided to spend about five days in Greece for my vacation. I booked my hotel through Octopus.com and bought my weekly metro pass for about 10 euro.

Athens
I began my trip dropping by the entrance to the Athens Acropolis to buy a weekly pass to some of the main sites. I started with the Temple of Zeus. Much of it has disappeared with time, but you could still see the colossal Corinthian columns lying or standing. Then I made my way to the formidable Athens Acropolis. Acropolis is the renown ancient citadel with Athena as its patron goddess whose earliest artifacts dates back to the Neolithic era. It currently houses historic monuments such as the Parthenon and Erechtheum.





Parthenon is considered the most important surviving building of classical Greece. It was originally dedicated to the goddess Athena and had beautiful sculptures considered the high point of Greek Art. At first, it served as a treasury for the Athenians. Throughout time, the building also served as a Christian church and a mosque. The building suffered a nearly catastrophic damage following an explosion from the Venetian bombardment in 1687.

Temple of Hephaestus

Located on the Agoraios Kolonos hill, it is the best preserved temple of ancient Greece. It is built in the conservative Doric style once housing the bronze statues of Athena and Hephaestus. The temple was built as a testament of Greek power and culture by Pericles in 415 B.C.


Delphi
I took a bus to Delphi, located in the southwestern ridge of Mount Parnassus. Delphi was once the home of the most important oracle in Greece, the Sanctuary of Apollo, and the precursor to the Olympic games.

The Oracle at Delphi was dedicated to Apollo and is said the god spoke through the priestess, Pythia in the form of riddles. According to Plato, the Oracle at Delphi once told Socrates he was the wisest man in Greece. Socrates took this to mean he was the only man who truly understood he knew nothing.

Some of the monuments I visited in Delphi include the Tholos of Delphi, Temple of Apollo, and the mountain-top stadium.




In conclusion, it was a wonderful trip. There were so many opportunities for sightseeing that I sometimes forgot to eat (actually that's impossible for me). In addition to the monuments, there was the Archeological Museum of Athens, Acropolis Museum, as well as the many surprising artifacts housed at the metro stations themselves. Something interesting that I almost forgot to mention: the waste management crew were on strike in Athens at the time of my visit. So the scent of baklava and oranges were tainted.

Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta is growing to be one of the most hip places to live and visit. In my ten years in Georgia I have had the opportunity to explore almost every nook and cranny. Well, at least half of them. Here are some of the highlights.

Georgia Aquarium

It is the largest aquarium in the world. Enough said, yes? It houses an estimated 120,000 creatures including belugas and whale sharks. I was mostly impressed by the gigantic Ocean Voyager which is where they house the whale sharks. This jellyfish might not be the star of this gargantuan aquarium, but it is a very nice photo.



Nightlife

There are many places to groove around Midtown and Buckhead. Based on my nightly outings, Club Compound had a great combination of atmosphere, music, and drinks. They have a minimalist courtyard, a reflective pool, and two different rooms playing its own brand of music. On Fridays, I always went back and forth between the hip hop room and the techno room. All in all, it had a festive, yet cozy atmosphere at the same time.
It is located on 1008 Brady Ave, Atlanta, GA 30318.
Sometimes the club offers a free entry if you sign up on their website.
http://www.compoundatl.com/

I would also recommend Halo Lounge for drinks and relaxing with friends. It is a hip lounge with sleek furnishings of chrome and glass.
817 W Peachtree St E 100, Biltmore Hotel, Atlanta, 404-962-7333

Or you can choose to randomly hop around the various bars and clubs in Buckhead.

Cuisine

One of my favorites include One Midtown Kitchen. One Midtown kitchen offers a cool blend of contemporary American cuisine and a chic ambiance. It is definitely worth a try. It is located in 559 Dutch Valley Rd, Atlanta.

In addition, the area known as Virginia Highland has many options for dining, nightlife, and even shopping. The Surin of Thailand had my taste buds going and made me go back time and time again (810 N. Highland Ave).
http://www.virginiahighland.com/

Shopping

If you are looking for variety, I would recommend Atlantic Station and Lenox Square Mall (3393 Peachtree Rd NE Atlanta). You can find everything from Wet Seal to David Yurman at Lenox Square. If you are looking for something slightly more upscale, go to Phipps Plaza (3500 Peachtree Rd Ne Atlanta).

Lugano & Bellinzona

I found Lugano to be one of the most beautiful cities to visit in Switzerland. Located near the Italian border, the atmosphere has a mediterranean feel to it. I went during the summer via train from Zurich. I enjoyed the obviously miditerranean architecture, splashes of color at the garden, and the huge glacial lake with the backdrop of the mountains.

The city of Bellinzona was on the way to Lugano so I dropped by this quaint town with at least three beautifully restored castles: Montebello, Castlegrande, and Sasso Corbaro.

This was taken while I was standing on Castlegrande.


You could see Castle Montebello in the distance.

Historically Bellinzona was an important trading center, but recently lost a lot of attention due to its more famous neighboring city, Lugano.