Travels with Tam

No Matter How far I Roam, I always come Home to Cozumel

June 18, 2017 By Tam Warner 11 Comments

cozumel, scuba, home, dive cozumel, colors of cozumel — The first sunset from the deck.

I have roamed all over our amazing planet, and there is so much more to see! Having walked on seven continents, I have been privileged to see the most beautiful, fantastic, and incredible sights. Every place is so different and so unique, and I have loved all of my travels, and treasure my experiences, both good and bad. Travel is the very best teacher, and for me, a way to learn, humble, and challenge myself at the same time. But…no matter how far I roam, the colors of Cozumel always awe and thrill me. This easy, breezy, non-pretentious island welcomes me home, I am reminded every time I come why I love it so much.

The ocean has many colors of blue, and the diving here is wonderful. I always forget the mountains of colorful corals and the creatures of Cozumel.. I love to dive the multi-faceted reefs here, and now I am trying my hand at macro photography (close up photography as the pictures below) I am discovering new dive sites and meeting new people!

cozumel, cozumel colors — A cushion seastar!

cozumel, diving, home, colors of cozumel — Close up of sea star leg. These podia serve two purposes, for movement and capture of prety.

colors of cozumel — One of the most beautiful sights are these flowing social feather dusters. They are actually worms!

It is a small world, as we all know. My next door neighbor and friend Lyn and I have been coming to Cozumel together for longer than I want to admit! Ten years ago Lyn brought some friends down and one of the women happened to be the mother of a school mate of my daughter’s. A few nights ago, her son had his wedding at Villa Torres, and the ceremony was on my front yard! It was so exciting for me to be able to give them a place for their ceremony! The sunset at the end of the ceremony was so dramatic it must be a good omen for the bride and groom!

My husband, Randy, has been delayed, but I hope he gets down here any day now. He loves the island as much as I do.

5 Ways of Making your African Safari Unforgettable!

June 5, 2017 By Tam Warner 5 Comments

5 things to do on an African Safari, Africa, big cats, conservation — Beautiful young male in the Serengeti

Beautiful young female leopard, guarding her kill. Photo Credit Alexandra Minton

Seriously, you must do these 5 things on safari! There is nothing as incredible as an African Safari. Nothing. Seeing these animals in the wild is not at all comparable to seeing them in a zoo or a “safari” park. The savannah goes on forever….truly, the Circle of Life is real. Going to the Serengeti is like stepping into the Lion King, I kid you not. Or a Nat Geo documentary. I expected to see Simba and his friends at any moment. Instead, I saw many simbas (simba means “lion”!). An African Safari is a trip anyone who loves to travel must take at least once in their lifetime! Be adventurous! [Read more…] about 5 Ways of Making your African Safari Unforgettable!

The 3 Best Tourist Attractions in the Fabulous City of Buenos Aires

May 29, 2017 By Tam Warner 3 Comments

Buenos Aires was a fantastic surprise when I visited in January of 2017, and these are the 3 Best Tourist attractions in my opinion. I did not expect the incredible European architecture, the cosmopolitan city, and the diversity of its citizens. My friend Annie and I very wisely chose a great, private tour company, Maria Corbalon Bespoke Tours, and we absolutely saw the best of Buenos Aires. Here are three places you must visit in order to really experience Buenos Aires!

Recoleta, Buenos Aires, Recoleta Cemetery — A virgin lights a seven candlabra for Dorrego Ortiz Basauldo. This is one of the largest tableaux in the cemetery.

Why you will love Lake Travis in the Texas Hill Country!

May 25, 2017 By Tam Warner 6 Comments

My husband and I have visited the Texas Hill Country a few times, and loved it. We plan to spend much more time in the area!

Ah, the longer we stayed on Lake Travis in the Texas Hill Country, the more I liked it! Lakeway is a wealthy, small town with all the amenities, easy to get around in, and deer are sighted on every single drive in the neighborhood! Only an hour outside of Austin, Lakeway is a gem. At this point the lake is full, the sun is shining, and it is time to get down there!

texas hill country, lake travis, lakeway — The famous Oasis. You cannot go to Lake Travis without a meal there! This photo was taken during the drought! I can’t wait to see what it looks like full, like it is right now!

Where to stay? I recommend Lakeway Resort and Spa. My daughter had her bachelorette at the resort, and the young women absolutely loved it. They did not want to come home. I have yet to stay there, but it is certainly on my list. Lake Travis offers all kinds of lodging, but the Resort and Spa looks creme de la creme to me! Relaxing would be so nice, and kayaking and hiking would be perfect.

You know, the Texas Hill Country really does offer it all. Rustic, luxury, camping, ranching, whatever you are looking for, you will find it there. We have stayed on the lake, in Austin, and on a ranch. Loved every single stay and cannot wait to go back! I love all of the wildlife…and the not so wild life!

lake travis, lakeway, texas hill country — Lakes make doggies tired

A tired dog is a happy dog! This is Miss Lucy.

http://www.lakewayresortandspa.com/about.aspx — Luke On patrol. Hey, it’s a dog’s life!

While we were in Lakeway we enjoyed a lovely dinner at Hudson’s on the Bend. We absolutely loved the restaurant, it is rustically charming with an elegant flair in its decor. They grow their own herbs, indeed, herbs were growing on the roof! The excellent sauces are for sale in the restaurant store, and so are cooking classes held by the chefs. The food is tasty as well as tastefully presented. I had a Crab cake with corn, cheese and avocado….delicious! If you are visiting Lake Travis, you should give it a try, I highly recommend it. There is also an Italian Beef place here called Chitown, as in Chicago, SHY TOWN, great for lunch, especially if you are from Chicago like my husband is! I’ve never met someone from Chicago who did not love Italian Beef….Randy cannot go by an Italian Beef place without stopping for one. I, on the other hand, don’t eat meat, so they certainly do not tempt me.

We took our dogs to the lake, and you can imagine how much two Golden Retrievers enjoyed that! They were hilarious, and they could have stayed in the lake for hours. The more I think about our time in Lakeway, the more I want to go back! I’m headed there soon!

Hamilton Pool in Texas is a great place to visit for Empty Nesters!

May 4, 2017 By Tam Warner 6 Comments

Hamilton Pool, Texas Hill Country, Lake Travis, Empty Nesters — **Hamilton Pool**

Texas Hill Country is for Empty Nesters!

Taking a hike around Hamilton Pool in the Hill Country is fun, and easy! Hamilton Pool is an historic swimming hole, about an hour outside of Austin. Hamilton Creek empties into the Pedernales River, spilling over limestone outcroppings to create a 50 foot waterfall. In Mexico, this would be known as a cenote. I thought it would be worth a look, and I was absolutely correct.

The pool is about a mile from the entrance to the trail. It is the Hill Country, so it is up and down, up and down. The path is rocky and uneven with plenty of gnarly roots. I had no trouble on it, actually, I love nature and I love paths like this. I am quite surefooted on uneven surfaces, it is only on smooth flat ground that I fall…or smooth steps. Hamilton Pool is one of those places where generations of people have enjoyed the “swimming hole”. The water is cool and green, and looks inviting, but unfortunately, there are times when one cannot swim because of high bacteria levels. Today was one of those days. There are signs that will tell you yay or nay!

After the hike, I could see why you would want a swim. Whew. So I checked out the caverns and the pool, and enjoyed some time just watching and listening to the waterfall. It is nice and cool under the roof of the outcropping. It was nice to actually sit behind the falls as well.

I headed back after 20 minutes at the pool (since there was no swimming I didn’t stay for a long time) and somehow, I missed the turn off to the main path back to the parking lot. Instead, I hiked an additional mile along the Pedernales River. I have no idea how I could have missed the main path….but I was in unfamiliar territory, and I thought, great, I can see myself lost, wandering along the river to the pool and back again for hours. I can hear Randy and the kids already, another “kooky” mom story! Fortunately, I managed to find the path again and headed up. And I mean UP. The Hill Country is very hilly indeed! So I did over 3 miles of up and down terrain. I can hear some snickering that 3 miles is not much distance. But hey, I am over 50 and I have a few health issues like having an erector set in my spine, 8 pedicle screws and rods holding it all together, so I am pretty happy with my hike this morning. I need action! Anyway, if you are near Austin, Tx or in the Hill Country, take a hike to Hamilton Pool. It is a beautiful place to relax.

Enjoy a Day Trip to El Candelaria del Monte outside of Buenos Aires!

March 22, 2017 By Tam Warner 6 Comments

estancia, ranch, buenos aires, El Candelaria del Monte — El Candelaria del Monte

There are several popular day trips out of Buenos Aires, but going to an Estancia, or ranch, is one of the most popular. Maria Corbalan, our custom tour guide, sent us for a day to Candelaria del Monte, a working ranch two hours from Buenos Aires in the Argentine Pampas. The home has 7 guest rooms with a variety of layouts, and everyone Annie and I met that day was there for at least a couple of nights. We were there just for the day, but what a beautiful day! [Read more…] about Enjoy a Day Trip to El Candelaria del Monte outside of Buenos Aires!

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