http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/gwynethmarta/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from gwynethmarta en-us Wed, 09 Dec 2009 05:27:26 +0000 Wed, 09 Dec 2009 05:27:26 +0000 Following my parentrsquos path I decided to choose Portugal for my scholarship. I applied to the famous in Portugal University of Coimbra and after four weeks of submitting my application I was a happy winner of the Socrates Erasmus scholarship. Even though itrsquos been long years since this experience I still miss this worryfree time of my life.I have to admit I was lucky. I arrived to C http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Portugal/Central/Coimbra/blog-352521.html A hundred years ago the movers and shakers in the motion picture business sought a sunny exotic locale to establish themselves. They discovered Santa Barbara California. That was where they chose to launch their industry. Thus the very first movie studio Flying A Films was born. Now Irsquove chosen to discover this glorious area too.Still a popular vacation spot for the stars this Amer http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Santa-Barbara/blog-350417.html Snowy rainy freezing cold and grey. Regardless of the season or weather conditions Amsterdam is always full of people locals on bikes and distracted tourists crashing with bikers. I was of course the second one clumsy tourist with her nose in her map walking on bike paths instead of sidewalks. I seriously think I was being protected by some force majeure which stopped me from being run over http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Netherlands/North-Holland/Amsterdam/blog-348567.html The City by the Bay. There's only one place that could refer to San Francisco. This historic city offers so much to see and do I could visit it again and again without growing tired of it. San Francisco has a lively and fascinating history. Originally settled as a fishing village it was transformed almost overnight into a fabulous city thanks to the '49ers. No not the football teamthe delir http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/San-Francisco/blog-348211.html Sitting majestically along the coast of the Florida Panhandle Destin is without doubt one of the most gorgeous stretches of beaches in the world. A relative newcomer among the popular vacation destinations of the Emerald Coast this city is fast becoming one of the best places to go for sun sand and relaxation along the Gulf of Mexico. In Destin you will find not only the multitude of golf cour http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Florida/Destin/blog-345919.html Country of the Happiest People in the World When I look at the travel brochures and sites offering exotic trips to South America I see Brazil Argentina and Peru. Almost none of them mentions Colombia. As a person who has lived in Colombia for two years I can only say one thing people donrsquot know what they are missing. When asked about Colombia people usually refer to stereotypes that ha http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/blog-344772.html 830 pm local time the captain turns on the seat belt sign as we are about to land at JFK. Landing in New York City cannot compare to anything else especially to landing in European cities where all you can see is fields forests and country houses. Even from the plane the view is simply overwhelming. Dozens of lights sparkling skyscrapers and suspension bridges that create the Big Apple bring http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/New-York/New-York/Manhattan/blog-342942.html