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Showing posts from February, 2017

Next Stop: Vancouver, Victoria and Haiti

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I'm kicking off my travel year by visiting places that I've been interested in exploring for years. First, I'll be headed to the vibrant metropolis surrounded by mountains and water called Vancouver. Destination British Columbia  is hosting me for a dive into the city's culture and natural beauty. I'm especially excited to attend the Coastal First Nations Dance Festival  where I'll witness indigenous songs, stories and dance. I'll also be exploring the Capilano Suspension Bridge, Granville Island, Punjabi Market and hiking near the North Shore Mountains, among other things in my packed itinerary. Then I'll hop a helijet to Victoria and take in the famous Butchart Gardens and other sights in this old world city, pictured below. Next, I'm off to the unspoiled beauty of Haiti for the International Jazz Festival of Port- au- Prince.  The strength and pride of Haiti, despite the country's challenges has always attracted me. I'm thrilled t

When Anguilla and Australia Meet

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The best part of travel is meeting people who share experiences and stories that reflect how diverse and exciting the world truly is. On the flawless beach of Anguilla's Sandy Island , I met DJ Kristelle Morin, who performed as part of the Livin In The Sun EDM Festival. I'm not a huge fan of EDM (electronic dance music) unless it's the house music that I grew up with in Chicago. I need an element of emotion to enjoy music and most techno and electro music lacks that element. But I learned a few things when I met international DJs in Anguilla, especially a sunny-faced DJ named Kristelle Morin from Australia. Lounging on Sandy Island, Kristelle explained how she started out as a DJ in Sydney and travels between London where she works with   Tribe Records , and the rest of the world, spinning her music.  It's not easy for women DJs to establish themselves in the EDM industry and Kristelle explained the challenges of pushing past the sexism and misogyny. What really