One cool thing about having your own blog is getting to test new products and being involved in the improvement process. With my 9-5 corporate job being in IT (yes, I'm one of those who work in a cubicle), reviewing the Cultural App Guide was a fun assignment. The travel app was developed by Dean Foster, the president of Dean Foster Associates (DFA) in New York. Dean Foster conducts cross-cultural training ...

I never thought I'd be writing a recipe on my blog. But when I was visiting Bahia in Brazil last winter, I fell in love with one of their traditional dishes called moqueca de camarão. You'll find this dish on almost every menu in Bahia and you absolutely cannot leave the region without trying it. Now, for those of you who have been to Brazil, I'm sure you quickly noticed how most of their dishes are accompa ...

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Source: http://www.lidimesnacozinha.com.br"][/caption] I was actually in Montreal when I first tasted brigadeiros, a Brazilian dessert. It was delicious and I couldn't eat just one! So I knew that I had to eat some more when traveling in Brazil. And I did. And I did again. YUM! One year after eating my first brigadeiro, I got the itch to attempt making ...

My guest post on my hang-gliding experience in Rio last winter was featured on the World Reviewer today. Read all about it here. Enjoy the weekend! ...

Prior to my trip to Brazil last winter, I made a quick stop to the Travel Clinic to get important shots for Yellow Fever, Typhoid and Hepatitis A. The doctor also recommended I take Malaria pills since I was spending 6 days in the Brazilian Amazon. There are several types of Malaria pills: Mefloquine, Malarone, Doxycycline and Fansidar. My doctor recommended the Malarone pills, which I believe are the most ...

I came across another Wavin' Flag (K'naan) video but this time, the theme was the Brazil World Cup 2014. I couldn't help myself but post it. I know we've all heard this song far too much in the last few months but the video really reminded me of my last backpacking trip in Brazil so I just had to! [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DmLMd41VJI&feature=related] ...

[caption id="attachment_1491" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="View of Rio"][/caption] The story behind the name "Rio de Janeiro" Rio de Janeiro stands for the January river. When sailors found the Bay (where Rio de Janeiro is now located) on January 1, 1502, they believed it to be the end of the river.  In honor of the King of Portugal, the name of Sao Sabastiao do Rio de Janeiro was born. Most Fam ...

When traveling in Brazil a few months ago, I made a quick 6-day stop in the Amazon. Although there were many highlights of the week I spent there, I'd like to emphasize my experience in a particular amazon village. Wooden houses, fruit plants, soccer fields were all common things one would encounter while walking through the it. But the one thing that really caught my attention were the kids living in that ...

On my first night in Rio, I met 5 friendly Brazilian girls from Porto Alegre in my dorm at the hostel. After chatting for a while, they asked me to join them that night. They were going to Carioca da Gema, a famous Samba club in Lapa (Rio). And so, after meeting up with my friend Eric who I had met in Manaus the previous week, we went to go meet up the girls! Check out the vibe in Carioca da Gema. I suggest ...

Rio de Janeiro is a city filled with places to see and things to do: ride on the cable car of Pão de Açúcar, watch the sunset from Arpoador, bike-ride around the lagoa, hop on a tram in Santa Teresa, visit the National Park of Tijuca, party in Lapa and of course, sunbathe on the famous beaches of Copacabana, Leme, Ipanema and Leblon. But what better way to experience Rio than from a bird-eye view?  This bei ...