Chichén Itzá

Tulum

Yoga

I started lifting weights just before my 15th birthday. A few years later (just after graduating high school), I hurt  my back doing leg presses. Countless visits to the chiropractor didn't seem to help for long and flights and road trips became very uncomfortable. My best friend had been mentioning p90x for a while, but I was a dedicated gym guy. We all get in our ruts, so I looked into p90x and saw that it had plyo (jump training), yoga as well as cardio. I started in the spring of 2012 and have not gone to a gym or chiropractor since. Unlike my friends I didn't skip the Yoga. I'd been curious about it for years, but again, we all get into our ruts, so I didn't start until my early 30s. Now I'm doing p90x3, which also has Pilates X. I hope to never go to a chiropractor again. Nowadays, last thing on my mind when I'm flying or going on a road trip is "how will my back be"? Thank you Mr. Horton!

Bali

I love to visit historical sites and am usually on the move when traveling. I found myself in Bali for 4 days, with no major agenda except to spend time with friends. It was different for me, but I enjoyed it. This money exchange branch has my initials!

I like the organized countries

There are no direct flights between Hat Yai & Denpasar, so my friend and I chose to stop in Singapore and spend a couple nights. I love this city! I could live here! I was teased about how I only like the organized countries. I enjoyed using their (very clean) public transportation & eating at the hawker stalls. I guess for me, the unorganized countries are nice to visit but..........

V-day feast

I've been cooking for myself before I was old enough to drive. I've lived alone for 10 years, so I'm either eating what I cook at home or going to restaurants that cook things better than I can or that I can't cook at all (these are all at least 30 minutes from my house). I brought my gracious Thai hosts Godiva chocolates and french macarons (not the Laduree they requested) and I was greeted with all of this great Thai food, just like when I visited a few months earlier. Before my last visit, I was nervous about staying in someone else's house, but I really enjoyed it (so much that I was back a few months later). Although Sathing Phra is not a tourist area, it was nice to see the places the tourists don't go. I couldn't even find Sathing Phra in my Lonely Planet book. I'm always making my own plans, but when I go to Thailand, I'm used to being taken care of & I enjoy it.

East Harlem

Today I had a chance to introduce my cousin to East Harlem. We drove in from PA & of course I suggested we eat at Patsy's (cash only!). 1 block north on 1st Ave., you can also get excellent red velvet cake at Evelyn's Kitchen. I've used the subway to get here (only nearby subway stop is the local 6 train which can get very crowded), but I've also never had trouble finding a parking spot when I drove.