TravelswithCharie

More on Spain: http://www.travelswithcharie.blogspot.com/2006_03_01_archive.html * * * Images by Rosario Charie Albar

Tian Tan Buddha The editors and writers of Fodor's, a publisher of popular guidebooks, have compiled a list of the 7 New Wonders of the World. Here it is: 1. Banaue Rice Terraces - Banaue, Philippines 2. Palenque- Chiapas, Mexico 3. Tian Tan Buddha - HongKong 4. Palm Islands - Dubai, UAE 5. Panama Canal - Panama 6. Guggenheim Museum - Bilbao, Spain 7. Walt Disney World - Orlando, Florida Top 5 Honorable Mentions Pueblo de Taos, New Mexico Temple Expiation de la Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain The Summer Palace, Beijing Teotihuacan,Mexico City St. Peter's Basilica, Rome For more information click on this link: http://www.fodors.com/wire/archives/002574.cfm Check also my article about Lantau Island (under Images ) where I wrote about our climb to the top of the hill to see the Tian Tan Buddha. * * * Image by Rosario Charie Albar

One of the many things I look forward to when visiting Oahu is indulging in island favorites like saimin (noodles in hot broth topped with vegetables and strips of meat), a bento lunch, and malasadas. I had the opportunity to travel to Honolulu recently with two of my best friends. Amidst sand, sea and chow, we relaxed and fortified our friendship. On our first day in Honolulu we decided get our shopping out of the way so we took the free shuttle to Hilo Hattie. Instead, we each found floral printed dresses, perfect for a night out on Waikiki Beach. Shopping over, we crossed the street for lunch at Sam Choi’s. While the menu had many appetizing dishes listed, I had my heart set on the bento lunch. In the old days when I used to live in Honolulu, bento orders were served in a black lacquer box with compartments for salad, rice, fish or meat entrée and the quintessential Hawaiian sliced meat, Spam. My plate arrived with generous servings of steamed rice, chicken and beef teriyaki, mahi

Leonard’s Bakery on Kapahulu Avenue in Honolulu has been serving their famous Portuguese malasada from this site since 1957. It’s practically an institution. Malasadas are ball shaped doughnuts served warm from the fryer. There are plain and filled malasadas. Pick from a variety of fillings like haupia (coconut), pineapple, chocolate and custard. Try one of each. If you can’t go to the bakery at 933 Kapahulu Avenue, there are Malasadamobiles™ around Oahu. If you would like to make your own malasada, check out Emeril Lagasse’s malasada recipe at www.emerils.com/recipes/by_name/malasadas.html * * * Image by TravelswithCharie

Images by Rosario Charie Albar

Boracay Island's dazzling beaches has just been selected by Yahoo! Travel among its Top Ten Best Beaches for 2007. Boracay ranked 7th on the list which follows: 1. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 2. Miami, Florida 3. Cancun, Mexico 4. Kaanapali, Hawaii 5. Honolulu, Hawaii 6. San Diego, California 7. Boracay Island, Philippines 8. Key West, Florida 9. Sydney, Australia 10.Santa Barbara, California For more information, check out this link: http://travel.yahoo.com/beaches;_ylt=Ag5LWiuYAlPghcC6YWI3sHn8xmoA * * * Images by Rosario Charie Albar

It's summer and many of you will be traveling far and wide or to destinations closer to home. Here are some travel-related books to read when you stretch out on that beach chair or during long flights across the Atlantic or heaven forbid, interminable delays at the airport. Happy reading! Fiction Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness Africa Paul Theroux, Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Capetown Asia Greg Mortenson, Three Cups of Tea Peter Hassler, A River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze Paul Theroux, Great Railway Bazaar: By Train through Asia Paul Theroux, Riding the Iron Rooster: By Train through China Pico Iyer, Video Night in Kathmandu Australia Bill Bryson, In a Sunburned Country Europe Bill Bryson, Notes from a Small Island Bill Bryson, Neither here nor there Frances Mayes, A Year in the World Panama David G. McCullough, The Path between the Seas Memoir Marlena de Blasi, A Thousand Days in Venice Marlena de Blasi, A Thousand Days in Tuscany Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat Pray Love