Travel Journey of the Week: Provence

Traveling in the spring is my favorite time to explore.  Since I’m moving my Spain trip to the spring, I thought I’d share another trip that is great to do before the hot summer days set in: Provence.  Share your experiences with us.  Here is how you can contribute:

1. Each Sunday, a place will be set as the theme (it could be a city, landmark, national park, etc.)

2. If you are familiar with the place and would like to contribute, you will write a post and title it Travel Journey of the Week: Provence.  If you’ve already written a post about Belgium, feel free to share it in the comments section!

3. Your post can be any medium that works for you; videos, photos, descriptions, itineraries, personal memories, poems, ticket stubs, etc.

4. Finally, be sure to provide a link back here so everyone can connect and share their own take on the place: http://liberatedtraveler.com/travel-journey-week-provence/ ‎

Travel Journey of the Week: Provence

If you’ve never been to Provence, here is a snapshot of a possible itinerary along with some photos.  I included the days of the week because seeing the markets of Provence is definitely a highlight.  Our home base was Avignon.

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	Destination	Sights to See
Sunday	Isle Sur la Sorgue	Market Day Waterwheels
	Gordes	Hill Town
	Roussillion	Ochre Cliffs
Monday	Pont du Gard	Bridge/Aqueduct
	Uzes	Drove Through/Lunch
	Nimes	Old City Roman Ruins
Tuesday	Aix en Provence	Market Day
Wednesday	Arles	Market Day Roman Ruins Forum Square Van Gogh Walk
	Camargue	Wetlands
	Maries de la Mer	Church

Transferring a Blog to WordPress.org

The past couple weeks I have been planning and prepping for the big switch.  For all my travel followers, this information may not be as useful as the content in the future will be.  This post is intended for my blogger friends that are thinking about making the same switch I did.

WordPress.com is a great way to start a blog.  They host it with awesome support.  There is a huge community that exposes you to other bloggers while getting your content in front of the eyes of others.  Unfortunately, there are also limitations.  See this infographic if you want to learn the difference.  I met with an SEO expert last week and he helped me realize that my current host was holding me back.

Switching from WordPress.com to a self-hosted WordPress.org site was not as painful as I imagined, but it was not perfectly smooth.  I ran across issues with figuring out where to download wordpress.org and connect it with my host.  Most of my images did not transfer even though I checked the button to include attachments.  I almost lost it yesterday when I tried to switch my WordPress.com domain to my new site.  But in the end, there will be a lot more potential with what I can do with my new and shiny blog.

If you are considering the switch, I recommend checking out these resources.  They got me through the process along with the help of my SEO expert.  You are always welcome to ask me for help (even though I can’t promise I have all the answers).

Resources

Source 1: Here is some basic, but important information from WordPress.com about switching over.

Source 2: This website shows you how to transfer your blog.  They will also transfer your site for you for free if you select a recommended host.

Source 3: Quick video tutorial that goes through how to export and import.

Source 4: If you’ve registered a domain with WordPress.com you’ll want to transfer it to a new registrar.

Source 5: I use HostGator  for my blog host.  This site helped me figure out how to apply my domain from GoDaddy to HosGator.

Source 6: After your domain has switched over, you’ll want to bring your followers along.

Source 7: There is a chance things won’t go smoothly.  I relied heavily on the forums for support.  They got me through it.

Source 8: Finally, if you are looking for some nice and easy themes, check out Elegant Themes.

Moving on Up

Good morning fans.  I’m currently in the process of switching from wordpress.com to a self-hosted blog.  I’m hoping the changes will be seamless and you will enjoy my updated site.  You can see a preview of the new site in the picture.

Please be sure to like my page on facebook and/or follow me on twitter to keep posted.  I look forward to seeing you in new places.

Travel Journey of the Week: Louvre

I am mixing things up this week by providing a museum as our travel journey of the week.  The Louvre is filled with an unimaginable number of masterpieces.  Let’s share what we have discovered in the former palace.  Here is how you can contribute:

1. Each Sunday, a place will be set as the theme (it could be a city, landmark, national park, etc.)

2. If you are familiar with the place and would like to contribute, you will write a post and title it Travel Journey of the Week: Louvre.  If you’ve already written a post about Louvre, feel free to share it in the comments section!

3. Your post can be any medium that works for you; videos, photos, descriptions, itineraries, personal memories, poems, ticket stubs, etc.

4. Finally, be sure to provide a link back here so everyone can connect and share their own take on the place: http://liberatedtraveler.com/2013/09/29/travel-journey-of-the-week–louvre/

Travel Journey of the Week: Louvre

It is empty! What a beautiful time to see the Louvre.

Louvre Paris

This was definitely my favorite shot of the day. I love visiting places when no one else is there :).

Travel Journey of the Week: Venice

I have a hard time deciding whether Paris or Venice is my favorite place in the world.  I think Venice is winning right now.  I’m hoping to tag on four days in Venice with my trip this summer so I can research for my book: Venice by Vaporetto.  I will be posting just as I did with Paris by Métro, but I will be focusing on the best sights and stops in Venice instead.  I can’t wait to start it!  I’d love to see your experiences with Venice.  Here is how you can contribute:

1. Each Sunday, a place will be set as the theme (it could be a city, landmark, national park, etc.)

2. If you are familiar with the place and would like to contribute, you will write a post and title it Travel Journey of the Week: Venice.

3. Your post can be any medium that works for you; videos, photos, descriptions, itineraries, personal memories, poems, ticket stubs, etc.

4. Finally, be sure to provide a link back here so everyone can connect and share their own take on the place: http://liberatedtraveler.com/2013/09/29/travel-journey-of-the-week-venice/

Travel Journey of the Week: Venice

This week I’ll share some of my artifacts from Venice trips since I’ve already shared my photos.  What do you do with your ticket stubs?

Here is a video for fun.  A free postcard will be sent to anyone who can tell me the name of the song playing in the background in the first scene.  I’ve always wanted to know what it is.

Capture the Colour

I am always game for a new photo competition.  Capture the Colour was brought to my attention by a great blog known as Continental Breakfast.  I love the opportunity to acknowledge the work of other bloggers and share photos based on a theme.

For this challenge, the blogger simply shares photos that he/she thinks represent each color.  Then the blogger nominates five blogs to encourage their submissions.  I hope to see these amazing bloggers  share their perspective:

Postcards from Around the World

Clicky Chick Creates

Jean’s Photography Blog

Tvor Travels

(Pre) Concept-Break Your Journey

Here is my view:

Yellow

Red

Green

White

Blue

Travel Journey of the Week: New Orleans

New Orleans, LA

New Orleans is one of my favorite cities in the United States.  It is so different than any other place across America.  The mixture of cultures in this region has created something that can only be found in the delta.  Have you been to New Orleans or have thoughts about New Orleans?  Here is how you can contribute:

1. Each Sunday, a place will be set as the theme (it could be a city, landmark, national park, etc.)

2. If you are familiar with the place and would like to contribute, you will write a post and title it Travel Journey of the Week: New Orleans.

3. Your post can be any medium that works for you; videos, photos, descriptions, itineraries, personal memories, poems, ticket stubs, etc.

4. Finally, be sure to provide a link back here so everyone can connect and share their own take on the place: http://liberatedtraveler.com/2013/09/29/travel-journey-of-the-week-new-orleans/

Travel Journey of the Week: New Orleans

What do I think of when I think of New Orleans?  Food!  To mix things up a little this week, I’m sharing a recipe from The New Orleans School of Cooking.  If you are spending some time in New Orleans, taking a cooking class will definitely enhance your trip.  I learned so much about the cultures that have come together to create the famous dishes with their unique flavors.  The class offers history, humor, entertainment, and a tasty meal.

Recipe:

JAMBALAYA
Makes 12 Servings

INGREDIENTS:
¼ C. oil
1 cooked chicken, cut up or de-boned
1½ lbs. sausage

TRINITY:
2 heaping tsp. Joe’s Stuff or Creole seasoning
4 C. chopped onions
2 C. chopped celery
2 C. chopped green pepper
2 C. chopped green onions or tomatoes (optional)

1 tbsp. chopped garlic
4 C. long grain rice
5 C. stock or flavored water

For brown jambalaya: 1 – 2 tbsp. Kitchen Bouquet
For red jambalaya*: 1/4 cup paprika (*You may also use 2.5 cups stock and 2.5 cups tomato juice instead of 5 cups stock/flavored water.)

PROCEDURE:
Season and brown the chicken in oil, lard or bacon drippings over medium to high heat. Add sausage to pot and sauté with chicken. Remove the chicken and sausage from pot, leaving the drippings in the pot.

Sauté onions, celery, green pepper and garlic in the drippings until tender. Return chicken and sausage to pot. Add stock and Creole seasoning and bring the mixture to a boil. (If using Kitchen Bouquet for brown jambalaya, add 1 – 2 tbsp. For red jambalaya, add approximately 1/4 cup paprika, stock and tomato juice.)

Add rice. Stir and return to rapid boil. Stir again and remove the pot from the heat. Cover and let the jambalaya rest for 25 minutes. Remove cover and quickly turn rice from top to bottom completely. Add green onions and chopped tomatoes if desired.

For seafood jambalaya, add cooked seafood when rice is turned.

9th Ward, New Orleans

In the photo you can see the spray paint indicating number of deaths on the houses 5 years after the hurricane consumed the area.

This foundation once held a home and a family.

I’ve probably turned to food as my companion way too many times.

Travel Journey of the Week: Ireland

I know the topic is extremely broad this week, but it fits my thoughts.  I am in need of a place that offers healing and kindness.  When I was there for a long layover this past summer after I found out my mom was on life support, I felt rejuvenated and ready to handle any situation that stood before me.  My challenges are different right now, but I bet the affect of visiting the Emerald Isle would be the same.  Have you been to Ireland or have thoughts about Ireland?  Here is how you can contribute:

1. Each Sunday, a place will be set as the theme (it could be a city, landmark, national park, etc.)

2. If you are familiar with the place and would like to contribute, you will write a post and title it Travel Journey of the Week: Ireland.

3. Your post can be any medium that works for you; videos, photos, descriptions, itineraries, personal memories, poems, ticket stubs, etc.

4. Finally, be sure to provide a link back here so everyone can connect and share their own take on the place: http://liberatedtraveler.com/2013/09/15/travel-journey-of-the-week-ireland/

Travel Journey of the Week: Ireland

Ireland has such a unique place in my heart because it was my first trip abroad.  I went with my aunts, mom, and grandmother the summer before high school began.  I never knew people could speak English so differently than me, yet I felt so connected to them.  The places we saw combined natural beauty with unique architecture that I had  never seen.  I went home dreaming of my experiences and craving more.

Digital cameras were pretty much nonexistent then, but my dad let me take his good 35mm camera.  Here are some photos of the trip that I have scanned.  I apologize for the quality of the images, but I think they still get the point across.  Be sure to check out the captions to find out more.

Ruins of castles had to be one of the things I was most excited to see in Ireland.

After visiting Ireland, this became my all-time favorite flower: the lupine. I tried growing them at home, but it didn’t work.

The mist of the sea with the greenery was exactly how I imagined Ireland would look.

I felt so alive in Dublin after experiencing all the street entertainment. That limbo stick was on fire by the way.

Wow, they’ve got some old graves here.

The first place I ever saw on a trip that knocked the socks off me.

This looks nothing like Illinois.

I was so fascinated that they even had different toilets.

One of our stops included a visit to the stud farm. I didn’t know what a stud was before visiting this farm.

They don’t have screens on their windows. This boggled my mind.

We had to check out the wool and watch a sheep get sheared.

I’m a big fan of Aer Lingus, and I have flown with them several times since this trip.

I LOVED Dublin. I must go back.

These sculptures are so powerful. I knew nothing about the potato famine before my visit. Travel brings history alive.

Travel Journey of the Week: Paris

For the first journey, I thought I’d pick the place that I last visited.  There is so much that can be shared about Paris, so hopefully this will be an easy topic for our first challenge.  What makes the city so great?  Here is how you can contribute:

1. Each Sunday, a place will be set as the theme (it could be a city, landmark, national park, etc.)

2. If you are familiar with the place and would like to contribute, you will write a post and title it Travel Journey of the Week: Paris.

3. Your post can be any medium that works for you; videos, photos, descriptions, itineraries, personal memories, poems, ticket stubs, etc.

4. Finally, be sure to provide a link back here so everyone can connect and share their own take on the place: http://liberatedtraveler.com/2013/09/15/travel-journey-of-the-week-paris/

Travel Journey of the Week: Paris

Many people try to go to Paris to see it all.  After visiting five times, I have yet to see everything that I want.  So often we are limited on time, and difficult decisions must be made about what to do, and what has to be cut out.  If you are visiting Paris in the future, but don’t know how to prioritize your sightseeing, here are my recommendations.  The top ten list below is based on my personal experiences and interests.  Consider your own passions to determine what will work best for you.

1. Take a Cooking Class- I loved the company, Cook’n with Class because we went shopping at the local markets to find the best ingredients.  From there we developed our menu based on our finds and personal tastes.  It was an experience that will stay with me forever.

2. Walk Along the Seine- The French enjoy strolling, especially in the evening.  Be Parisian, and flâneur your way through the city.  Don’t have a plan on a destination, just walk and take it all in.

3. Visit the big Museums- To save time and energy, visit the artwork/exhibits that are appealing to you rather than walk mile after mile trying to see it all.  In the end, you will have to accept that you can’t see it everything.

4. Walk Side-by-Side with Hemingway- The left bank has a magical feel that is inescapable.  Whether you are winding through the narrow lanes of the Latin Quarter, or looking to meet up with Gertrude Stein at the Luxembourg Gardens, you feel the writers and artists presence in the neighborhood.

5. Climb up to Montmartre- See the touristy streets and square, but also wind your way up the back alleys and streets.  There are so many gems to stumble upon.  If you visit the right areas, you’ll be able to feel the life of this village that artists like Van Gogh and Lautrec breathed in.

6. Hang out at a Cafe- Take your time.  Find a good spot to absorb the life surrounding you.  Let the ambiance be your muse.

7. Eat- Try the specialties of the area.  You don’t have to dine at the most expensive place in town to find good food.  Picnics are a great frugal option packed with flavor.  Look for plat du jours at restaurants to take advantage of the best food of the day.

8. Take a River Cruise at Night- Paris is known as the city of light, and seeing the glow of the architecture is best from the Seine.  Sit back, relax, and watch the lights sparkle all around you.

9. Check out the Marais- The Marais is diverse with the Jewish Quarter, historical sights, shopping, and the gay district.  Grab a falafel and take it to the Place des Vosges to watch people live in the outdoor space.

10. Sit Along the Canal St. Martin- Stop at the local Franprix to grab some snacks and a bottle of wine.  Find a spot on the canal with a good view, and enjoy your company.

Of course I have to get food in here. This was a dish I created in cooking class. I’ve realized that food and gathering with people have fueled some of my favorite memories. Even I can make a masterpiece dish.

Travel Journey of the Week

It turns out my idea of a weekly travel theme is not my idea alone.  I was inspired to start a blogging event after wordpress encouraged us to improve opportunities for the blogging community.  I browsed the events, and found nothing on travel, so I thought I’d start one.  Unfortunately, it was brought to my attention that it already exists.  Oops.

I’ve done some brainstorming, trying to think of something that would help me improve as a blogger as well as help our travel writing community grow.  I still want to stick with travel as the topic, but I need to offer a different opportunity with my blogging event.

Instead of offering a theme, I will provide a place.  Together, we will go on a journey by sharing posts and reading posts dedicated to that place.  I’m hoping it will be a great resource for anyone visiting that destination or wanting to take a journey in the comfort of their home.  Here is the plan:

1. Each Sunday, a place will be set as the theme (it could be a city, landmark, national park, etc.)

2. If you are familiar with the place, and would like to contribute, you will write a post and title it Travel Journey of the Week: (Place).

3. Your post can be any medium that works for you; videos, photos, descriptions, itineraries, personal memories, poems, ticket stubs, etc.

4. Finally, be sure to provide a link back here so everyone can connect and share their own take on the place.

The goal is to provide a resource for destinations to visit along with a chance to practice our skills.  I will probably take a guidebook approach to my posts so I can improve my technical writing while including pictures.

This weekly challenge will evolve over time, so if you have recommendations for how to make it better, please share!  This will only be successful if you contribute.  Today’s post will be out momentarily…