MO TRAVELS

Discovering the Allure of Lisbon

noreply@blogger.com (Monique Rubin) — Thu, 23 May 2013 08:49:00 +0000

There is just something about Lisbon. The sun-kissed city set against the Atlantic Ocean, recently named one of the best European destinations to visit in 2013, just draws you in. While visiting Lisbon recently I tried to pinpoint the city’s allure.

St. Peter's Church in Old Jaffa

noreply@blogger.com (Monique Rubin) — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:31:00 +0000

When I went to Tel Aviv after being in Jerusalem I immediately noticed that it was much more secular, and that most people were more interested in hitting the beach or the hot new night club than in the religious history of the city. While it’s true that there is no shortage of places to get your party on in Tel Aviv, there are also some important religious sites there that shouldn’t be overlooked.
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Run the World: Rock 'n' Roll Madrid

noreply@blogger.com (Monique Rubin) — Thu, 16 May 2013 07:16:00 +0000

On an unseasonably cold spring morning last month, I was amongst the sea of people who lined up at the Plaza de Colon – named for the Spanish explorer Cristobal Colon nee Christopher Columbus – ready to run through the street of Madrid.

Mother's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Monique Rubin) — Sun, 12 May 2013 10:51:00 +0000

"Traveling in the company of those we love is home in motion." - Leigh Hunt

Happy Mother's Day!

Windmill Days in Holland

noreply@blogger.com (Monique Rubin) — Fri, 10 May 2013 21:30:00 +0000

The 40th National Windmill Days take place May 11-12, and is a chance to visit Holland’s working windmills for free. The windmill is not only an iconic Dutch symbol, but has played an important part in Dutch life for centuries.

Welcoming May in Italy

noreply@blogger.com (Monique Rubin) — Wed, 01 May 2013 10:12:00 +0000

Prima di Maggio (May 1) is a nationally recognized holiday across Italy, celebrated with parades, festivals and general merriment. We were in Italy for Prima di Maggio last year and got to witness the festivities first hand.

Spannocchia, the argiturismo where we were staying at the time, was the site of a wonderful local celebration. The Spannocchia community, which consists of guests, the interns who live and work on the property and those who live in the surrounding towns, came together for a procession, music and dancing and food.

Most people "dressed" for the occasion, with flowers in their hats and hair and costumes. After the procession and a rousing session of dancing, we were treated to a lovely feast featuring food and wine produced on the Spannocchia property.

It was a memorable way to welcome May and celebrate spring.

Run the World: Madrid

noreply@blogger.com (Monique Rubin) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 22:42:00 +0000

Just a little teaser to let you know another destination has been conquered in my quest to "run the world". The event was Rock 'N' Roll Madrid Marathon and 1/2, and I ran the 1/2 marathon portion.

I know I was pretty quiet about this race until yesterday. That's because up until the very last minute I wasn't sure I was going to be able to run it.

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Canals and Confections in Utrecht

noreply@blogger.com (Monique Rubin) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 05:33:00 +0000

It looks like spring has finally come to Holland, and I happily soaked up the sun and took in the gorgeous scenery this weekend in Utrectht. Holland’s 4^th largest city has plenty of water and numerous canals, just as you’ll find in other parts of the country. However, the medieval canals in Utrecht are unique because they have two levels.

Pray For Boston

noreply@blogger.com (Monique Rubin) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 08:29:00 +0000

I am a runner. I may not have qualified to run Boston this year. I may have been qualified and chosen not to run. I may have been injured and unable to run. I may never have qualified. But, I am a runner. And, my heart is in Boston today!

The Rijksmuseum in an Instagram

noreply@blogger.com (Monique Rubin) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:44:00 +0000

The Rijksmuseum is the national museum of the Netherlands and is home to works from the country’s most celebrated artists, including Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Piet Mondrian.

The museum reopens this weekend after a massive 10-year renovation and restoration. I was able to go through the museum a few days ago for a preview and shared some of what I saw on Instagram.
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5 Places on My Travel Bucket List

noreply@blogger.com (Monique Rubin) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 14:56:00 +0000

It’s the last stop for the Traveling Brown Girls Blog Carnival, hosted by Tracey Friley (One Brown Girl), April D. Thompson (Absolute Travel Addict) Carol Cain (Girl Gone Travel), Chelle and Crystal (BrownGirlsFly) and myself. In the previous carnivals, the travelistas have shared their travel necessities, tips and tricks for travelistas on the go and travel pet peeves. This time the travelistas share their dreams. Their travel dreams, that is and reveal some of the places we’ve never been and why we want to go.

Valencia's Neighborhoods and Nibbles

noreply@blogger.com (Monique Rubin) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 10:30:00 +0000

Part of the fun of traveling is exploring the destination and tasting its cuisine, and this was certainly the case when I traveled to Valencia. I spent time exploring lots of interesting neighborhoods, discovering great food and drinks along the way.

From Pines to Palms on the Bernina Express

noreply@blogger.com (Monique Rubin) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:27:00 +0000

A ride on the Bernina Express, a link between northern and southern Europe, is one of the most scenic railway journeys on earth. Not only is the Bernina Express the world’s highest long distance train route, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that combines masterful engineering and stunning landscapes.

Corsets, CanCan and Coca-Cola: Jean Paul Gaultier in Rotterdam

noreply@blogger.com (Monique Rubin) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 16:53:00 +0000

Like I’ve said before, there’s nothing like a well-curated exhibition featuring clothes or handbags to extend my 90-minute museum attention span. Thus I easy wiled away the afternoon traveling through The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From Sidewalk to Catwalk. The first international exhibiton of Gaultier’s work is currently being shown at the Kunsthal Museum in Rotterdam, Europe’s largest port, which seems a perfect fit for his signature nautical stripes.

Running the world: Jerusalem Marathon

noreply@blogger.com (Monique Rubin) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 23:18:00 +0000

The Jerusalem Marathon was in a word, breathtaking. The marathon, now in its 3^rd year has grown significantly from 11,000 participants in the first year, 2011, to 20,000 participants this year. International runners have also increased, from 800 two years ago to this year’s field of 1,700 from 54 different countries. Jerusalem’s mayor, Nir Barkat, has run marathons all over the world, including Paris, Berlin, New York and Tiberias, and understands what a great promotional tool they are for a city.

Thus one of Barkat’s goals during his time in office has been to develop a marathon that shows “Jerusalem is open for the world to enjoy” and encourage runners who come from around the world to be ambassadors and show the event as a symbol of “coexistence and of the unique power of sport to bridge social, ethnic and political divides”.

Serenity in the Art Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Monique Rubin) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 19:47:00 +0000

After spending most of the day getting a refresher course on thousands of years of history and archeology in Jerusalem, with a bit of architecture thrown in for good measure, I was happy for the opportunity to quiet my mind and wander around the Billy Rose Art Garden at the Israel Museum.
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I Planned. God Laughed

noreply@blogger.com (Monique Rubin) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 00:36:00 +0000

I planned for 2013 to be the year of 13.1. Of half marathons. Not necessarily to run “13 in ‘13”, as is the trend among many runners, but to focus on improving my half marathon finishing time, while continuing my quest to run the world, one epic race at a time.

Medinas, Minarets and the Marrakech Half Marathon

noreply@blogger.com (Monique Rubin) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 16:12:00 +0000

Last month I went to Morocco where I spent a few days exploring the beautiful city of Marrakech (there will be many more posts and pictures in the upcoming weeks). The raison d'etre of the trip was not just to get a brief reprieve from the cold, – though that certainly was a major perk – but to
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Carnaval: Holland's Mardi Gras

noreply@blogger.com (Monique Rubin) — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 11:30:00 +0000

Brass bands, colorful floats and vibrant costumes are the hallmarks of the carnival celebration. Carnaval or Vastenavond (literally “fasting evening”) as it is known in Dutch, is celebrated mostly in the Catholic regions in the south of the country. During the celebration, people dress in costumes and

Traveling Alone and Safely

noreply@blogger.com (Monique Rubin) — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 09:44:00 +0000

The tragic news of the Sarai Sierra, the American woman killed while on vacation in Turkey, has captured my attention, as it has so many other people around the world.

One reason I am intrigued by this story is because, like Sierra, I was traveling alone

My Top Travel Necessities

noreply@blogger.com (Monique Rubin) — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 10:45:00 +0000

The Traveling Brown Girls Blog Carnival, featuring Tracey Friley (One Brown Girl), April D. Thompson (Absolute Travel Addict) Carol Cain (Girl Gone Travel), Chelle and Crystal (BrownGirlsFly) and myself, is back in town. I’m hosting the carnival this time around and the topic is travel necessities no travelista should live without. Here are the things that are always in my limited edition Rimowa Tapos Stealth suitcase.

Happy Birthday, Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands

noreply@blogger.com (Monique Rubin) — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 15:52:00 +0000

Happy Birthday, or as the Dutch say, Gefeliciteered, to Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. While January 31 is her actual birthday, the countrywide celebration is held in April, on what is known as Queen’s Day.
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Wear to Where - Meandering Around Marrakesh

noreply@blogger.com (Monique Rubin) — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 21:21:00 +0000

While organizing my closet recently, I came to the realization - or rather, finally admitted - that I've got a lot of clothes. Not only do I have a lot of clothes, I have a lot of really cute clothes that I don't wear much. They just hang in the closet waiting for those times when the journey is a little more exotic than say, the daily school run. Enough of that. My goal this year is to shop my closet and wear my clothes.

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Taking My RAS to Marrakesh

noreply@blogger.com (Monique Rubin) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 16:16:00 +0000

You know how when you have something on your mind and then you see it everywhere? That is the part of your brain called the Reticulation Activation System doing its job, which is to help you notice certain things. Right now, my Reticulation Activation System (RAS) is working overtime!

Celebrating a President and a King

noreply@blogger.com (Monique Rubin) — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 16:10:00 +0000

While watching and reading about this year’s inauguration, I am thinking back to President Obama’s first inauguration in 2009, to which I was a proud witness. Yes, I was there at that historic event, and even got to attend an official ball!