I love driving to any destination that takes me towards Lexington Reservoir on Hwy 17 and the Santa Cruz Mountains. Even after all these years of driving this road, the scenery here never seizes to amaze me. On any given day the mountains are gorgeous with clear blue skies or with the gentle mist of the Pacific Ocean Fog, the scenery is always awe-inspiring. So you can imagine what a smile I must have had every morning at 8am when I had to take my daughter Rani to a rowing class right off Hwy 17 😊. Continue reading Rowing at Lexington Reservoir with the Los Gatos Rowing Club in the Santa Cruz Mountains
Category Archives: Off the Beaten Path
Palau de la Música Catalana. Barcelona, Spain
If you like architecture and are a classical music lover, then this concert hall in the heart of Barcelona is a must see. While the rest of us were focused on the famed Gaudi sites, the popular Gothic Quarter, Picasso Museum and Buqueria Market, our daughter Rani who plays the cello was most excited about seeing the Palau de Musica Catalana. What an unexpected treat this concert hall turned out to be! The Pulau de Musica Catalana may not be Gaudi or Picasso but is a worthwhile “off the beaten path” visit in the heart of Barcelona. Continue reading Palau de la Música Catalana. Barcelona, Spain
Triana Square & Ceramics in Sevilla, Spain
Across the bridge from the main city of Seville on the west bank of the Guadalquivir River sits the charming neighborhood of Triana. This off the beaten path area is a discovery of our daughter Rani while she was researching places to see in Sevilla. What a cool find Triana turned out to be, as Triana is the most picturesque neighborhood in Sevilla. Continue reading Triana Square & Ceramics in Sevilla, Spain
Bull Fighting Arena. Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza in Seville, Spain
A bullring with over 240 years of history, built in 1761, Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza in Seville, Spain is today a landmark in Spanish bullfighting. With all the controversy surrounding bullfighting, my kids weren’t keen on seeing this museum in Seville, but I on the other hand was excited to tour this historic arena, Why? Because this is such an integral part of Spain’s culture that it’s hard not to separate bullfighting from the fabric of Spain. And as with any cultural tradition this too is steeped in history and a story of how this sport came about in the first place is what can be understood at this historic museum and still working arena. Continue reading Bull Fighting Arena. Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza in Seville, Spain
Exploring Seville, Spain. Off the Beaten Path
Seville, Spain, the largest city in Southern Spain is a cultural goldmine. Flamenco, bull fighting, cathedrals, palaces, all come together in this beautiful city. Must see sites include the Real Alcazar Palace, Cathedral Seville, Bull Fighting Arena, old town, and Maria Luisa Park. In this post however I would like to share with you the sites and sounds that are not on the “must see tourist list.” Continue reading Exploring Seville, Spain. Off the Beaten Path
The Mysterious Cookies We Traveled to Spain For. Monasterio Del Corpus Christi in Madrid, Spain
Aah, kids and vacations. They have their own agenda on what to expect from a vacation. While we tend to have a check list of “the must see” tourist sites in the cities we visit, the kids list always surprises me. Perfect example is our recent trip to Spain for our 2019 summer vacation. We had all done our research on the places to visit and sites to see and as expected the adults had their list of castles and cathedrals and must see tourists spots while my kids had a totally different list of things to do. Sri my eldest was more interested in going anywhere where she could stroll the local neighborhoods and where they had street artists, Anjali was keen on visiting the literary district in Madrid, while Rani was the most excited about buying cookies from nuns at a monastery in Spain. This was her number one request from our trip – that she be able to buy cookies from nuns. Continue reading The Mysterious Cookies We Traveled to Spain For. Monasterio Del Corpus Christi in Madrid, Spain
Picnic in the Vineyard at Clos LaChance Winery in Morgan Hill, California
The scene was set for a beautiful day in the vineyards. Gorgeous weather with temperatures in the pleasant 70s, sunny with a gentle breeze, a winery with great wine, and friends who were all free to go together for a picnic in the vineyard. This was my perfect afternoon at Clos LaChance Winery in Morgan Hill in the South Bay. Continue reading Picnic in the Vineyard at Clos LaChance Winery in Morgan Hill, California
Releasing Baby Turtles to the Ocean in Punta Mita, Mexico
As promised here are a few pictures from our most memorable day of our Spring Break holiday this year in Punta Mita, Mexico – releasing little baby turtles into the ocean at sunset! What can I say, it was a phenomenal experience!!
Continue reading Releasing Baby Turtles to the Ocean in Punta Mita, Mexico
Spring Break 2019. Holiday in Punta Mita, Mexico
¡Hola a todos! ¡Feliz martes!
Espero que tuvieran un un buen fin de semana.
Hello Everyone! Happy Tuesday!
Hope you had a fabulous weekend.
We had a great weekend as we had just returned from a wonderful Spring Break holiday in beautiful Punta Mita, Mexico. Spectacular sunsets, beautiful beaches, shopping for local arts and crafts, AND we even got to release baby turtles into the ocean! This was one memorable Spring Break we will have in our hearts forever!! Here is a look at a few pictures we took of the gorgeous sunsets, the beaches, the charming town of Puerto Vallarta and baby turtles – the baby turtles deserve an article of their own! Stay tuned for a lot more amazing pics of these little turtle babies!!! Continue reading Spring Break 2019. Holiday in Punta Mita, Mexico
Sierra Azul Hiking Trail. Mount Umunhum Area. Santa Cruz Mountains, California
Happy Friday everyone! I hope you are ready for a great weekend! After days and days of stormy, rainy, cold weather here in the Bay Area the skies cleared out the last couple of days and we had glorious sunshine 🌞. Sunny skies were beckoning me to get outside and do something nature oriented – that’s why when my friend Padmini asked if I wanted to join her on a hike on the Sierra Azul trail off Hicks Road in the Santa Cruz Mountains I didn’t think twice – I just said YES! Continue reading Sierra Azul Hiking Trail. Mount Umunhum Area. Santa Cruz Mountains, California
