In these tough economic times people are looking for ways to travel locally. In many cases a dog can create potential problems for those wanting to travel when they aren’t sure what to do with their pet. In a world of pet-loving travelers, Bringfido.com is one website that will help take the stress off of planning a vacation where Fido is coming too.

Bringfido.com is a site designed to help pet owners find vacation spots that are pet friendly. From hotels and parks to restaurants and events, this website has everything you need to plan a pet-friendly vacation. There are forums to discuss tips, a list of airline regulations regarding pets, and destination listings that lay out all pet-friendly aspects of a location.You even have the ability to book hotels right from the site.

If you book a hotel from the site you can receive an “Official Dog Person” t-shirt by typing your t-shirt size into the registration form. Click here for details.

With information on 10,000 cities in over 150 countries, Bringfido is a great planning resources for dog lovers who want to travel with their pooch.

The Sacred Valley

Days two and three of our trip to Peru gave us time to acclimatize to the high altitude. We needed the few extra days to allow our bodies to be ready for the exertion to come hiking the Inca Trail. We spend the next two days enjoying Cusco and exploring the ruins of the Sacred Valley.

On day two, after a breakfast of warm tamales and fresh orange juice, we set off for a tour we arranged to take us around the Sacred Valley. Made up of small towns with ruins and craft markets, the valley is a beautiful escape from the heavily-touristed streets of Cusco. We boarded the bus with other visitors from all over the world. Everyone couldn’t help but talk about how much history surrounded us.

Pisac Market

Our first stop was the market and ruins at Pisac. The Sunday market draws hundreds of tourists each week. Villagers walk miles with their wares strapped to their backs to sell at the popular market. We perused the stalls, which all seemed to carry the same t-shirts, pictures, and souvenirs at the exact same prices. One great find was a woman selling a freshly-baked snack. For about the equivalent of twenty-five cents I enjoyed a dessert pastry that many bakeries could sell for several dollars. A mix of fruit and spices fresh out of a wood-burning oven was a nice pick-me-up for the morning trip.

The Pisac terraces were used by the Incas to produce agricultural products. Today the hike to the top gives visitors great views of the town of Pisac and the surrounding valley. The hike gave us our first taste of what challenges the altitude would play on us during our trip. We stopped several times on the way up to catch our breath but once at the top the view was spectacular. There is a magic to the peacefulness that exists at the tops of these mountains.

From Pisac the bus took us to Urubamba for lunch. The restaurant, which was designed specifically for tour groups, provided a very simple buffet. From there we stopped at the ruins of Ollantaytambo. A small market lies at the foot of the steep mountain wall lined with agricultural terraces. It seems that anywhere tourists visit a market has been set up to sell them any souvenirs they might have forgotten at their previous stop. The massive stones of ‘Ollanta’ show the architectural talent of the Inca Empire. A steep walk to the top gives visitors a great view of the city below surrounded by terraced hills.

After a day in the valley we returned to Cusco for dinner. The Inca Grill, set on the Plaza de Armas, serves Peruvian specialties while diners sit amid contemporary decor and historical stonework. I decided it was time to be daring and ordered the alpaca. It was a good choice and the best meal I had in Cusco. The tender meat was cooked to perfection and isn’t something you can pick up at just any restaurant in the U.S.

Alpaca Dinner

We slept well and awoke for our third day, a guided tour of the ruins of Sacsayhuman. The ruins are a steep hike from the center of Cusco. It’s hard to imagine how the Inca moved the stones into the fortress they now resemble. They were great craftsmen, even without tools. At the ruins I purchased a hand-carved piece of slate that was carved into a statue of a condor, a puma, and a snake for less than $10. It was a beautiful example of the craftsmanship of the locals. “My husband makes everything by hand and I sell them at the markets,” said the woman selling the trinkets.

The day was finished with a pizza at a place near the plaza. In such a small town you can’t walk one block without seeing a pizza restaurant. Pizza is considered as local a meal as alpaca is. We headed back to the hotel to pack. Tomorrow our journey to Machu Picchu on the Inca Trail would begin.

Ollantaytambo

Pisac Ruins

Everyone knows about the extra fees airlines are charging for everything now. From the $15 per checked bag to the $6 can of beer, most frequent travelers know that nothing is free in air travel anymore. But, did you ever expect to have to pay to go to the bathroom at 35,000 feet?

European discount airline Ryanair has floated the idea of charging passengers £1 to use its toilets. The idea would be to add a coin slot to the door. What if you don’t have any change though? Will people just start going to the bathroom all over the plane?

While I have seen pay toilets in many countries; adding a pay toilet in the air seems like a new low (or high). The current costs of air travel already strain most budgets. Adding bathroom fees could flush travelers right down the toilet.

There is always a sense of adventure as you step off of a plane into a foreign country. When arriving in South America I felt like I was stepping into my own Indiana Jones movie. While my wife, Marj, and I weren’t searching for hidden treasure, we were spending seven days in Peru and hiking to visit the lost city of the Incas.

After getting through customs we headed out into the throng of people waiting outside of the security gates and looked for the ride our hotel sent for us. As we started the drive to the hotel the first thing I noticed was the constant use of car horns by drivers. It must be a cultural thing because in the U.S. we only use it as a substitute for inappropriate hand signs or language. They used it to say hello, to let someone know they were turning, and to tell people to get out of the way. It added to the constant buzz of the grimy streets in Cusco with their tourists, stray dogs, and Quechua-speaking touts.

Under a beautiful blue sky we arrived at Torre Dorada. While located a good distance from the city center, it is one of the most welcoming hotels I’ve ever stayed in. Nowhere has the saying “home away from home” applied more. The owner, Peggy, and her staff will do whatever it takes to make sure your stay is perfect. Rooms are centered around common areas that hold collections of books, TVs, and 24 hours supplies of hot water for tea. The hotel also provides car transportation to and from the city anytime you call. This is a great benefit because it is too far and dangerous to walk to the plaza area. They arrange for tours, set up train travel, and even brought me oxygen one night when I was having problems with the altitude.

After checking in and getting a full description of the city we headed out to get some lunch and explore. For lunch we ate at Heidi’s in the San Blas District. Our first taste of Peruvian food let us know our palettes weren’t to be disappointed on this trip. For only $5 we were served tomato soup, a beef and potato dish, and apple cake. Because the dollar is so strong in Peru, most three-course meals didn’t cost more than $10 per person.

After lunch we walked the cobblestone alleys to the main square, the Plaza de Armas. Consider it the Central Park of Cusco minus the trees. It is a vast, beautiful space in the middle of a crowded and rushed city anchored by a beautiful cathedral that dates back to the Spanish reign of Peru. We had to stop several times to catch our breath. At 11,000 feet you get winded a lot quicker than at sea level. To combat this we picked up a bag of coca leaves. The Incas chewed them to help a variety of medical issues but their purpose today was to reduce the effects of altitude sickness.

After a briefing on our upcoming Inca Trail hike we had dinner at a small restaurant just off the plaza called Greens that served organic food. Marj had trout and I had baby lamb chops. After dinner we headed back to the hotel to rest for our next adventure- a trip to visit the Sacred Valley.

Click on photos for larger image:

Plaza de Armas

Cathedral

A steet in Cusco

For our trip to Peru last year we flew on LAN Airlines. It is by far one of the nicest airlines I’ve flown on. From quality of food to friendliness of staff to the leg room, LAN flew us to our Peruvian adventure in comfort.

Our trip took us from Miami, Florida to Cusco, Peru with a stopover in Lima, Peru. We booked through Expedia and prices were better than other airlines with service to Peru by over $100 per ticket. We checked one bag (no fee) that had our trekking poles and my tripod and carried on one bag and one backpack each. Storage for the bags was easy in the large overhead compartments. The plane was very comfortable, with large aisles and ample leg room in coach class.

A full, hot meal was served on our flight from Miami to Lima. A tasty, hot chicken dish, salad, warm bread, vegetables, and a chocolate dessert were served. Also, complimentary wine was given throughout the flight along with the usual sodas and juices. It was very impressive given the state of airlines increasing prices for most in-flight luxuries.

The coolest part of the flight was each seat’s personal television. Built into the seat in front of you was a television. The remote control that is built into the armrest allows you to watch select TV shows, movies, listen to full music albums, and view a map of where you are in flight. Not only could you do all of this from the comfort of your seat, but…….it is all FREE! On my way to Peru I watched Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (which was partially set in Peru). It’s an easy way to pass the time on long flights.

LAN In-Flight Entertainment

Overall, the airline really did a nice job. It’s hard to fault them for anything when you take off and arrive on time, your luggage is at your final destination, and in between take off and landing you get good food and entertainment. I’d recommend LAN for flights to and within South America.

If you haven’t already used TripAdvisor you need to check it out. I’ve used it several times already to find hotels in Miami, Florida, Cusco, Peru and, New York City and have not been disappointed with any of my trips.

TripAdvisor is a travel website that has information and reviews on hotels, restaurants, and things to do in places all over the world. The reviews are written by the people who stay in the hotels, eat at the restaurants, and visit the sites. This gives the reviews a down-to-earth feel that people can relate to. I chose two places to stay based on the fact that they were the #1 pick for each city and both times I found the reviews to stand true.

When reading travel magazines and browsing web sites it seems that everyone is always recommending a different place to stay and it can get difficult to choose. TripAdvisor makes planning a little easier. Check it out the next time you are planning a trip.

Inside Tchoup-Chop

Emeril’s Tchoup Chop is an asian/polynesian dining experience in the Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Studios. The atmosphere is chic and contemporary with bright colors and exotic flair. The restaurant itself is actually quite beautiful and sets the mood nicely for a Pacific Islands dining experience.

The servers are choreographed to bring out and set food onto the table as if in a theatrical production, but I thought the service left something to be desired. I started with the Homemade Dumpling Box, which had a wonderful sake-soy dipping sauce, and Tchop Chop Crunchy Shrimp. The main course was Black Pepper Grilled Niman Ranch Black Angus Rib Eye with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Applewood Smoked Kurobuta Bacon Reduction Sauce and Ginger Buttered Asparagus. The meal finished with a Bitter Sweet Chocolate Glazed Peanut Butter Cream Layered Kahlua Chocolate Cake Served with Banana Foster Sauce, Pecan Pralines and Sweet Cream.

Overall, the experience and food were not bad. You will find better food and service for less in Orlando but this is a decent option when dining in the area around Universal Studios.

The details:

Location: 6300 Hollywood Way Orlando, FL 32819 (Inside the Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Studios). Phone: 407-503-2467. Reservations Recommended. Business casual attire. Lunch courses start at about $20 and dinner courses start at about $25. Lunch: Mon-Sun, 11:30am-2:00pm. Dinner: Sun-Thu, 5:30pm-10:00pm, Fri-Sat, 5:30pm-11:00pm.

Tucked away in the quaint area of Winter Park, the hip boutiques and restaurants line bustling Park Avenue. But on Saturday mornings things change as the cobblestone streets are filled with vendors during the weekly Farmer’s Market.

Couples and families stroll the market between booths lined with fresh fruit, blooming plants, and handcrafted artwork. Surrounded by the historic buildings of Winter Park, the market is a relaxing way to spend a morning enjoying the sunshine and sampling gourmet foods.

Winter Park Farmer's Market

The details:

The market is located at 200 W. New England Avenue at the old train depot off of Park Avenue in Winter Park and is open Saturday mornings from 7AM-1PM. It is about a 15 minutes from downtown and 45 minutes from the Disney area.

I recently discovered a hidden gem on the otherwise rundown stretch of Highway 192 in Kissimmee. Among the tattoo parlors, gift shops, and cheap motels sits a treat worth finding called Asia Bagus. They serve up an infusion of Indonesian flavor as patrons sit among tribal masks and Maylay artwork. Service is outstanding and the waiter, usually one of the owners, gladly gives personal attention to each diner.

Dishes include a variety of Indonesian and Sumatran specialties such as Bakmi Goreng, Beef Redang, and Braised Lamb in a Curry Sauce. My favorite has been the Crackling Sweet and Spicy Chicken, which is quick fried chicken lightly battered in a spicy sauce and served with white rice and seasonal vegetables. Worth saving room for, the Es Teler is an interesting dessert concocted of shaved ice, condensed milk, jellies, and a mixture of fruits including jackfruit. The cool and creamy dessert is an interesting way to finish the dining experience.

The details:

2923 Vineland Road Kissimmee, Florida 34746 (Intersection of Highway 192 and Highway 535). 10-15 minute drive from the Disney theme parks and the town of Celebration. 407-397-2205. Reservations not necessary. Main courses start at about $7.00. Mon-Fri Lunch 11AM-3PM, Dinner 5PM-10PM; Saturday Dinner only 5PM-10PM; SUN closed during September only.

In a previous post I wrote about the TSA rules for carrying liquids on airplanes. As I am preparing for my trip to Peru I’m trying to find small versions of liquid toiletries so I can carry all of my bags on the plane.

On Minimus I found shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and shaving cream made of sheets that dissolve in water. Since they aren’t liquid I thought they would save space. The only problem is that they don’t actually do their job of cleaning you.

Travelon Strips

First off, the plastic container that holds the strips is not waterproof, which means they can start disintegrating before use if you accidentally get water on it.

Next, the directions say to use dry hands to take the strips out. You can’t do this if you are in the shower, making the product difficult to get to and use.

After you get to it, using it becomes the next problem. Four, six, and then eight strips later I still didn’t have a lather for the shampoo. I used half of the box before I got a lather. Once I had the lather, the product clumped up and stuck to my hair. Getting it out took forever. On top of all that, it didn’t smell very good.

Strips

This happened with every one of these products that I bought. While these are meant to ease the hassle of carrying on luggage and toiletries, they don’t make packing any easier. I’m going to stick with the liquid versions. I’ll just have to make sure they follow the TSA rules.