Greetings from Istanbul

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The sound of peace





Location: Istanbul Istanbul

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The Chilean Forest: Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park and the Petrohué River/Falls

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Our drive takes us along the stretch of the road sandwiched between the tranquil Lake Llanquihue set against the looming Osorno Volcano and miles of green valley dotted by farm animals, walled by spring flowers (yellow lupines), and bordered by the Andean Mountain, which rolls and soars in lush waves.  We are heading towards Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park for a walk around the Petrohué Falls. Since leaving Puerto Varas , our guide keeps looking out the window from the motor coach to check if the cloud hanging over the tip of the Osorno Volcano has dissipated.  She wanted to show us the ' breathtaking view of the Osorno Volcano ' advertised in the tour brochure, I guess.  But even screened by clouds, I see in astonishing detail the overwhelming beauty of nature that it excites my awareness. Mirrored in the clear waters of Lake Llanquihue, one of Chile’s largest lakes, are the reflections of the clouds and snow that cover the Osorno Volcano.  T
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The Amazon, Part 1: The Riverboat and the Hoatzin Birds

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Overwhelmed by thousands of images and impressions, I could not find enough words to describe the five days I spent in the Amazon.    Words could not paint the picture of the vastness of the Amazon River, the changing color of the sky, the thousand trees and plants, and the sounds from secret places I had never known.   This trip made me understand the true meaning of the Asian proverb I read in the frontispiece of Patricia Schultz’s book, “1,000 Places to See Before You Die” – Better to see something once than to hear about it a thousand times.   Day 1 It was raining when our plane touched down at CF Secada Vignetta Airport in Iquitos, the heart of the Amazon jungle.   The rusting plane sitting off the runway caught my eye. The rain and the rusting plane were a subtle reminder we were in the Amazon jungle indeed – a rugged place.    Our naturalist-guide, named Vics, was waiting for us at the airport.   He did not give us a formal introduction and welcome until we got on the bus
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#9 Study Tour: Lessons Learned

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My sister and I were supposed to leave for a European Study Tour on Monday, Sept. 13, 2010. But this trip did not materialize. Our itinerary supposedly included a visit to Munich, Prague, Krakow, Warsaw and Medjugorje, and to see the ‘Passion Play’ at Oberammergau.  Yes, we’re among the hundreds of travelers who have fallen prey to Mr. Francis (Frank) Gonzales DBA: American Academy of Family Medicine travel scam.   BUSINESS NAME: Gonzales, Francis MD - American Academy-Family Mdcn (AAFM) TELEPHONE NO: (714) 432-7000 ADDRESS: 1525 Mesa Verde Dr E, #203, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 WEBSITE: http://www.aafm.com/ OTHER BUSINESS INFO: Has a travel-related business in the Philippines. Website: http://fegonzales.ahyer.com/ In retrospect, Mr. Gonzales and the American Academy of Family Medicine’s practices were telling signs of a possible travel scam. So my goal is to share some of the lessons that can be learned from this whole experience. I’ll spare you from having to read the details o
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