I have just created an Amazon Shop for Travelcloseup!
Here you can shop for my favorite Travel Guides, Fiction and Non-Fiction Books that are Travel Related, as well as Cookbooks, Music, and Language Resources!
I will update it frequently, so make sure to stop by often!
(You can access easily by clicking on the “Shop” button in the contents above)

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My most recent travels in Central Florida brought me to Crystal River, home of Florida’s Manatees, adorable creatures that live in the springs around the river, swimming and frolicking and often times getting cut by boat propellers.
The Manatees are commonly referred to as Sea Cows because of their size and look, and they are another of Florida’s treasures that must be preserved. I have spent a good deal of time with Manatees, which is another story, but this time, I was looking for something else. I was heading back to my roots as an anthropologist and to the roots of Florida’s ancient past; this brought me to
The Crystal River Archaeological State Park.
Read the rest of this entry »

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I love using leftover vegetables and sauces to make delicious healthy pasta dishes. This one is one of my favorites. It is rich in flavor and color, and is perfect to celebrate the coming of spring! Enjoy with a nice glass of wine and crusty bread for dinner. Or bring it to your next picnic served cold. Either way, your family and friends will love it!
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Il Pomeriggio (eel pom-air-rejo)–Afternoon

The way I remembered this word was by thinking about Parmigiano cheese. I can always remember things that are associated with food! Read the rest of this entry »

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I told you guys about Lisabeeen, my friend who roasts the best coffee in the world? I just ordered some Mexican Chiapas and it is wonderfully smooth rich and chocolate-y. Her coffee is so good you don’t even need sugar… Well she is having a contest. If you can think up the best name for her new Spring Blend she will send you a free pound of fresh roasted coffee.
See details here
Good Luck!

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…More like Giraffes and Florida Panthers and Alligators, oh YEAH!
That essentially sums up our little excursion to Silver Springs, Florida. It is home of the Silver River, glass bottom boat tours and some of the friendliest animals down South, as you will see….. Read the rest of this entry »

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***UPDATE: I added this super geeked out picture of me while I was out on the Rez – what a cute little lamb, huh? It is hard to believe this was almost 10 years ago!***

Hey Everyone!
I have exciting news to share.
Brave New Traveler has just published an article I wrote about my time on the Navajo Reservation. Please go check it out! It is my first article for someone else! I am really excited about it!

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Imagine a beautiful, classic Greek fishing village, right on the water, Greek music coming from all the seaside shops, the smells of Greek food wafting out on the sea breezes. Imagine whitewashed buildings with blue accents….wait, stop, hold on a sec, we aren’t in Greece……we are in Tarpon Springs…..Florida?
That’s right people, you too can experience the flavors, sights and sounds of Greece, here in the United States, in Florida. Roberto and I went to Tarpon Springs last week on a whim and found a wonderful place to get down with our Mediterranean selves!

Tarpon Springs boasts the largest Greek population in the United States, as it makes up about 1/3 of the community. Its inhabitants are the descendents of Greek sponge divers that came to Florida from Greece around the turn of the century. This influence has become the backbone of Tarpon Springs and the art of Sponge Diving still exists today. Read the rest of this entry »

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The Coffee Frappe in Greece is often described as a way of life. The drink is so ubiquitous with the culture that you can almost not think of one without the other. This being the case, there are often as many opinions as people on what is the correct way to make it – sweet, bitter, light, dark, etc. My take on it, not being Greek and therefore not having any real stake in it, other than enjoying it, is that it is up to personal preference. This recipe is as I enjoyed it in Tarpon Springs, light sweet and frothy! Read the rest of this entry »

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Il Caffe’ (eel caf-eh)—Coffee
I don’t know if you guys like coffee, but I sure do. I like to grind my own beans for the best flavor, but that by no means qualifies me as a junkie. I have a friend in Vermont who we call the Coffee Queen. She not only knows everything about coffee, but she roasts her own beans in her house, makes the best lattes and even has won coffee art contests (you know where they make the fancy designs out of the coffee foam – the picture included in this post is one of her design from this morning’s latte). Man, I really miss her lattes and beans!
But the good news is, she has started selling them from her own blog! Read the rest of this entry »

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