Did you know that Nicaragua is called “the country of Lakes and Volcanoes” (at least by good friends)? Take a look at what it’s like to visit a few of these spectacular sights. My highlight is at 1:10. Come on, a volcano lake has got to be better than your standard lake, right?

With Its Mix Of Modern Casinos And Historic Portuguese Past, Macau Is A Land Of Contrasts

By Justin Calderon

Just down the cobblestone alley from the ruins of St. Paul’s Cathedral, a heavy-set British woman is being served a Portuguese egg tart by a Chinese street vendor. The air smells of pork cutlets cooking on a grill and the smoke lingers upwards towards the yellow and white trimmed colonial building at the base of a well manicured hillside. This kind of scene is becoming a rare reality in South China. Before globalization began making its mark with every McDonald’s franchise it could muster, colonization was the face of Asia. A face that can be seen everywhere from Shanghai’s famous British financial district — also known as the Bund — to Phnom Penh’s old French quarters. However, the elements of old colonial society and modern globalization have never met in any place quite like they have in the small Chinese municipality of Macau.

The contrasting cultures found in Macau portray a palette of color rarely seen in Asia. However, the colors most often associated with Macau aren’t those of the colonial buildings of Largo do Senado (Senate Square), but instead those of the intoxicating nightlife fueled by the rows of casinos filled with sunglass-wearing Chinese tourists in black suits hovering around gaming tables. It’s an area of contrasts; a world where Hunter Thompson himself would have found plenty of material. (more…)

An Insider’s Guide to the Real Sydney

By Stacey L. Kernaghan

One of the most visited capital cities in the world is Sydney, Australia, but beyond the traditional tourist “highlights” packages showcasing the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, lies a vastly diverse and oft-missed cavalcade of cultural, gastronomical and musical splendour which can be far more enriching than yet another snapshot in front of a world landmark.

ART

Australia is a nation with a blend of cultures and a unique sense of national identity that is particularly apparent in Sydney. It is difficult to walk down a street in the city without feeling this cultural infusion, and at places like the National Art Gallery of New South Wales and the Museum of Contemporary Art, this is almost palpable. Both museums house some of the most important pieces of art in Australian history as well as works from international masters such as Van Gogh and Picasso. If art isn’t your thing than perhaps the Powerhouse Museum will hold your attention. The Powerhouse is widely regarded by locals as a Sydney institution, housing a regularly rotating collection of exhibits. Past exhibits included the Kylie Minogue Collection (featuring items from the pop divas clothing collection) and the Paramount Star Trek Collection (featuring sets, costumes and props from the numerous Star Trek franchises). (more…)