Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu

Julio Moreno Peru, UNESCO World Heritage Site , , , , 0 Comment
Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu

Location: Aguascalientes/Machu Picchu Pueblo, Cusco, Peru

Visited: June 27, 2013

Site Type: Mixed (Cultural and Natural)

Background and Opinion:

In the time leading up to my Peru trip, I found out about a place known as Huacachina. The existence of a true oasis biome on the American continent made me doubt whether or not Machu Picchu would even be the highlight of my trip. My first glance at the secret city of the Inca (spelled ‘Inka’ in Peru, which means ‘king’) erased any doubt. Machu Picchu is often what comes to mind when people think of Peru for a good reason. It is truly a spectacle to witness.

Panoramic - Machu Picchu
I don’t know how people did it before digital photography. There is no way I could limit the amount of pictures I take to just a few dozen.

The ancient ruins known as Machu Picchu are one of, if not THE best Read more →

Huacachina: The Oasis of the Americas

Julio Moreno Peru , , , , 1 Comment
Huacachina: The Oasis of the Americas

What is the Huacachina Oasis?

When people need to relax because they are too stressed out, they are told to find their ‘oasis.’ It is that calm spot that makes your worries go away. That is not at all what I am talking about here. I am talking about the real deal, the ecological biome known as an ‘oasis.’ So, what the heck is an oasis?

The oasis biome is classified as one where there is an unprecedented body of water within a desert. While a couple exist in the American continents, Huacachina is the only true oasis, like the kinds you would likely find in the middle of the Sahara Desert. I am talking about a huge….enormous sand dune as far as the eye can see with a single, large lake and a couple of trees in the middle. Much like the saying (I guess its not a saying) goes, Huacachina also makes all of your worries go away.

Sand Dune - Huacachina

Peru turned out to be an amazing Read more →

Travel Tales #3 – Getting Scammed in Xian, China

Julio Moreno China, Travel Tales , , , , 0 Comment
Travel Tales #3 – Getting Scammed in Xian, China

Like the old saying goes, “Whatever doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.” I always thought that was a dumb saying as poison or disease might not kill me, but it definitely doesn’t make me stronger. However, I think what the saying is trying to teach is that the experience we gain from a conquered crisis will indeed make us mentally stronger in future situations. That is of course, if it doesn’t kill you! Alas, just like Beijing a few months later, I was previously scammed in Xi’an, China.

Xi’an, China is a wonderful historical city, famous for its 12-meter-tall city walls that surround the town till this very day. While there are lots of cool things to see here, most people come with one main site on their mind, the Mausoleum of the first Qin Emperor, also known as the Terracotta Army of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. With this, however, comes a horde of scammers Read more →

Awesome Layover #1 – 12 Hours in Shanghai

Julio Moreno China, Layovers , , , 39 Comments
Awesome Layover #1 – 12 Hours in Shanghai

“Awesome, I have a long layover!” Let’s face it, those are words that are rarely uttered by anyone. Travelers either want to get to their destination or return home as soon as possible. I too prefer direct flights to lower my chances of having any missed connections, unexpected delays, or boring stays in the airport, but don’t scoff at a layover so quickly. It is a golden opportunity to visit a place that you weren’t expecting. These days, I think of layovers as a bonus travel destination. It is kind of like a trip within a trip. On some occasions, like my layover in Amsterdam, I have even gone out of my way to ensure that I have a longer stay to properly explore the layover city. This is the first of what I hope are many posts about layovers I have had on the way to my main destination. This is what I did on my layover in Shanghai.
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