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Messy Suitcase!
We've created a new kind of retirement - exploring the world and creating experiences. Because life is short, and the world is big!
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Messy Suitcase New Intro
We are so proud of this awesome new intro for Messy Suitcase videos that we simply HAVE to share it! It's a collaboration between Hamburg, Germany-based musician/composer Patrick Hamm and Champlain College Filmmaking student Gavin Greenawalt.
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Dental Tourism in Mexico: A Great Excuse to Go on Vacation!
Bob needed major dental work done, so we took a Mexican vacation!
Getting crowns and eating tacos may not go together in your mind, but here’s the dirt: Dental work is way cheaper in Mexico than in the United States. The dentists are just as qualified, often US-educated, and it’s easy to find one that speaks English.
We discovered this when we were living in Guanajuato, Mexico, in 2019 and the whole family needed our teeth cleaned. We went to an ex-pats’ Facebook page and discovered that Mexico has a thriving cottage industry of dental tourism. The cost for dental care is so much less than in the States, that you can use the money you save to enjoy a lovely holiday. If you’re going to endure the pain and stress of dental care, wouldn’t you prefer to spend the rest of the day lying on a beach or drinking tequila?
You can get your dental work done anywhere in Mexico. All it takes is a Google search to find a facility. There are countless choices. We chose Puerto Vallarta because it’s one of our favorite Mexican cities. Bob found PV Smile in a convenient residential neighborhood, on the route to the Romantic Zone from our resort. Over the course of four visits, he had four fillings, two crowns and an inlay replaced. He was very pleased with the quality of the work and the professionalism of the office. Total cost was $1,856, plus a few taxi rides. Bob just used a credit card to pay, though if you are able to pay in Mexican pesos, you get a 10% discount.
The estimate to have the same work done at Allen Pond Dental in Rutland, VT, was $3,400. With almost 50% savings, we could spend a week in Mexico! Obviously, Lisa enjoyed it a little more than Bob, because she had more time free. But Bob still enjoyed himself, and we took advantage of the trips to the dentist to explore some new neighborhoods of the city. We spent the time Bob wasn’t lying back in a dental chair doing a food and drink tour of Puerto Vallarta, enjoying the resort where we stayed, and exploring the region.
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PV Smile, Dr. Noel Rivas
Facts About Dental Tourism
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A Day in Boston: Swan Boats and Flying Tea
On our way to Mexico last summer, we had a few hours to kill and spent them exploring Boston. Join us as Bob attempts to annoy everyone in Beantown with his observations about Sam Adams, Faneuil Hall, the original State House, Quincy Market, and even the Boston Tea Party. We’ll also take a stroll through Boston Public Garden, and Lisa finally gets to ride in a Swan Boat!
This video debuts our awesome new original theme music, The Messy Suitcase Theme, composed by Patrick Hamm, a guitar player/singer/composer based in Hamburg, Germany. Thank you, Pat! Check out his YouTube channel.
The new introduction was created by Gavin Greenawalt.
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Boston Tourism
Map
#youtube#messysuitcase#travel blog#travel blogger#boston#boston tea party#faneuil hall#massachusetts
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La Playita: A Local Beach, a Hidden Gem
Looking for serenity? Or a party? Depending on the day, you can find either at La Playita, one of our favorite local beaches. La Playita, found at the end of a dirt road tucked among the mangroves near Puerto Real, is just a mile or two from our home in Cabo Rojo.
The beach can be completely deserted, offering a serenity that’s hard to find anywhere else. But a holiday weekend can bring entire families partying for the day, and even overnight campers, though there are no facilities.
This picturesque stretch of white sand offers shallow waters, palm trees, and mangroves. You’ll see fish and even rays jumping out of the water, pelicans flying by, and sand crabs scurrying around. Unfortunately, you will also encounter some trash, and maybe meet a stray dog or two. People park their cars right on the beach, so it’s not a bad place for people with accessibility issues. The water is calm, warm, and fairly shallow – perfect for swimming, splashing, lounging in the water sipping a drink, fishing, or kayaking.
So grab your beach chairs, pack a cooler with drinks and some frozen Gasolinas (party in a pouch!), stop into Mercado’s Bakery to get sandwiches and chips and use the bathroom– remember, no facilities – and settle on in under a sea grape tree with a good book. Enjoy!
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Mercado’sBakery
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Messy Suitcase Mini-Tour: Playa Corcega in Rincon
We spent a sweet morning at a beach in south Rincon that is popular with local swimmers and snorkelers. It’s a quiet beach with soft golden sand, but not a lot of shade. A reef can be found about 50 meters from the coastline. Unfortunately, the water kicked up a bit and kept us out of the water. Next time!
There are no amenities and no services, but the village of Rincon is a couple of miles away. Bring a cooler and your lunch.
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Celebrating Sweet Oranges in Las Marias, Puerto Rico
The mountain village of Las Marias, Puerto Rico, throws a huge block party every March, the Festival de las Chinas Dulces, to celebrate the abundant variety of sweet oranges that grow on the island.
They call oranges “chinas” (pronounced CHEE-nahs) in Puerto Rico, though the Spanish word for “orange” is “naranja” (pronounced nah-RAHN-hah).
We spent a sweet afternoon drinking china coladas and orange juice, eating china bread and other Puerto Rican delicacies, sipping Puerto Rican coffee, learning about island agriculture, and perusing the products of a myriad of artisans. The music was traditional, colorful, and energetic, coming from two main bandstands, and the crowds extended for blocks in several directions. We even took home an orange tree to plant in our Cabo Rojo yard!
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Birdwatching at Laguna Cartagena
The Laguna Cartagena National Wildlife Refuge bursts with birds year-round, but also offers hiking and mountain biking trails and some pretty spectacular scenery. Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, this wetland is one of the most important freshwater habitats for migrating and resident aquatic birds in Puerto Rico.
Almost half the birds recorded in Puerto Rico have been observed in the lagoon and its nearby hills. Visitors have a good chance of seeing a Magnificent Frigatebird, several species of herons, smooth-billed ani, the common moorhen, and occasionally the yellow-shouldered blackbird. I even saw white egrets and an osprey.
So if you’re anywhere near the southwest coast of the island, you should put on your hiking shoes, grab a pair of binoculars, a bottle of water, and a good camera, and spend a morning watching the avian activity and enjoying the birdsongs.
The trails are closed during nesting season – early March to late August – so time your visit well.
Info:
Fish & Wildlife
Birdfinding.org (Laguna info)
Birdfinding.org (Caribbean bird index)
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Mini-Tour: Bird’s-Eye View of Boquerón Beach
Balneario (Public Beach) Boquerón is one of our favorite beaches, and we showed it to you in an earlier video. But now Beto has a drone, and you’ll find the view is even better from the sky!
The view of the crystal-clear water and the reefs and rocks below is astounding, with the stunning mountains in the distance. And Boquerón, which is a national park, features many facilities you can’t see from the beach, including beach volleyball, a tennis court, a basketball court, a camping area (with cabins still being restored after damage from Hurricane Maria in 2018), and more.
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Balneario Boquerón
Messy Suitcase Original Boquerón Beach Video
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Hiking the Cliffs at Playa Sucia, Puerto Rico
You feel as though you’ve gone to the end of the earth when you stand atop the stunning cliffs rimming the peninsula beyond pristine Playa Sucia, the beach at the extreme southwest corner of Puerto Rico, and look out across the vast turquoise sea.
Most hikers who come here take the breathtaking 1 ½ mile trail that encircles the iconic lighthouse Los Morrillos. We did it, ourselves, a couple of years ago. (Here's the video) It was amazing!
But if you sneak off to the very left side of Playa Sucia (also known as Playuela), you’ll find a billy goat trail of about 2 ½ miles that gives you devastating beautiful views of the lighthouse from across the bay, with waves crashing into the cliffs below. You’ll also take in the crescent beach and the vast ocean beyond. The area is called Acantilados de Cabo Rojo, which translates to the Cliffs of Cabo Rojo. If you’re afraid of heights, don’t go too close to the edge! Otherwise, prepare to be blown away, by both wind and natural beauty.
There’s no shade, so wear sunscreen and a sunhat, and bring water to drink. But the most important accessory is your camera! We suggest you drop your beach chairs and swimsuits under a seagrape tree on the beach before hiking so you can cool off afterward with a dip in the warm waves.
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Our Hike on the All Trails app
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#youtube#messysuitcase#travelblog#travelblogger#puertorico#hiking#hike#cliffs#playasicia#laplayuela#losmorrillos#caborojo#lighthouse#retirement
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Mini-Tour: Playa Tres Tubos
Playa Tres Tubos is a cozy neighborhood beach just a few short miles up the road from us in Joyuda, Cabo Rojo. There’s parking along the main road, but finding the pedestrian entryway was a bit of a challenge. The short path to the beach offered lovely mural art and shady trees.
Tres Tubos itself was a little gem of a beach, with soft sand; clear, calm water; but no shade. There are no facilities or shops nearby, so we brought our own lunch, and took the opportunity to test out our new shade tent for the beach.
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Playa Tres Tubos – Sorry, no links to provide, there is no official info. Consider yourself scooped by an insider!
Pacific Breeze Easy Setup Beach Tent
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The Mask Maker of Boquerón
Amil Droz, an artisanal mask maker based in Boquerón, Puerto Rico, took us for a walk through his rustic wooden home and art studio to see his vejigante masks and other 3D works of art he has created. Amil (pronounced Ay-MEEL) is originally from Puerto Rico, but spent most of his life living in New York, which you will be able to tell from his accent. He calls his business Tuntuneco Arts. His masks are mostly made out of coconuts in the style found in Loiza, Puerto Rico. We purchased one to display above the bar of our Cabo Rojo home.
Amil Droz Torres is a certified cultural Artisan whose art studio and shop, Tuntuneco Arte Taino, is located above the Copy Hamburger bar in Boqueron, Puerto Rico. His masks sculptures and painting are found in museums, schools, and corporations in New York and PR. He also teaches and presents as a guest artist. We were lucky to meet him in a Cabo Rojo sports bar while watching the AFC Championship Game! He’s also a NY Yankees fan, but we can forgive him for that.
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Amil Droz, Tunteneco Arts, on Instagram
NY Digital Heritage Collection Profile
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Mini-Tour: La Poza del Obispo
La Poza del Obispo in Arecibo is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful beaches on the North Coast of Puerto Rico. We wanted to know why so many people recommend it!
Here’s why: Lots of parking right by the beach. Deep, soft golden sand. A few shady palm trees perfect for hanging hammocks. Incredible views of cliffs and turquoise sea in every shade imaginable. Food trucks nearby along the road to the beach. A “poza” (pool) of calm water protected by rocks from the jaw-dropping waves, which creates a perfect pool for kiddies to safely swim.
What’s not to love?
La Poza is also located right in the shadow of the beautiful Arecibo Lighthouse, so we hiked up a small mountain into a brisk wind to get a better view. Definitely worth it!
INFO
Discover Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico Day Trips
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#youtube#puertorico#messysuitcase#travelblog#travelblogger#travel blog#travel blogger#retirement#messy suitcase
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Emergencies, Money and Travel Insurance: Be Prepared!
Traveling can be so much fun … until disaster strikes. You get sick. You break your leg skiing. Your pocket gets picked. Then what do you do?
This video will help you manage your money when traveling overseas in the safest, easiest way. We’ll cover how to handle cash, the credit cards with the best benefits for travel, the cheapest way to rent a car while being fully protected, and more.
It will also help answer the question: do you need travel insurance?
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Allianz Travel Insurance
Chase Sapphire Card
Marriott Bonvoy Amex Card
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Grateful to Be Here: Bopping Around Paris
Just out of 10 days of COVID isolation in a Helsinki hotel room, we missed our first scheduled night in Paris. But we rallied and made it for the last couple of days. We were never so happy to get on a plane! (Masked.)
Not yet restored to normal energy, we couldn’t go inside anywhere in Paris, so we spent a day or two slow-bopping around the glorious city, taking lots of breaks to rest and people-watch. We spent the first morning walking around with our former exchange student (and Spanish daughter) Laia and her cousin Anna. After they left, we had no agenda, which gave us the opportunity to discover new parks and search for the Love Lock that Lisa had attached on a stairway near Pont Neuf in 2018. (Don’t worry, haters, it was NOT on the bridge but on a sanctioned chain, and she did not throw the key in the Seine!) It was long gone, as the Parisians cut them off regularly, but we found a new place to lock our love.
We also walked around on the Isle de la City, saw the roofless Notre Dame Cathedral (covered with scaffolding and dwarfed by a gargantuan crane), strolled along and even dipped our toes in the Seine, sauntered through the courtyard of the Louvre, ate lunch in a sidewalk café, and visited the booksellers’ kiosks along the Left Bank. When our feet got tired, we caught another Seine River cruise and saw the city’s main attraction, the Eiffel Tower! The 1-hour sightseeing tour on Vedettes du Pont Neuf cost 15 euros each, about $17.
We ended the day with a scrumptious dinner in the Latin Quarter.
Enjoy photos at our blog, messysuitcase.com.
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Paris Tourism
Vedettes du Pont Neuf
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Canal Trip of Copenhagen: Or How to Not Get Decapitated
Enjoy a fairly incomprehensible, but still beautiful, tour of the canals of Copenhagen with us! We saw a lot of fascinating sites from the water, including the Little Mermaid (inspired by the Hans Christan Andersen story), the Royal Library of Copenhagen, the Royal Playhouse, the Copenhagen Opera House, the Naval Base, a castle, the Nicholas Tower, and more. Watch out for the low bridges so you don't get decapitated!
It was a pleasant way to spend a sunny fall afternoon.
The cost was about $16 each for a 1-hour guided tour.
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Copenhagen
Copenhagen Canal Tours
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#youtube#messysuitcase#travelblog#travelblogger#copenhagen#denmark#scandinavia#boattour#canaltour#canal
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City of Lights: Paris at Night from a Bateau Mouche
A glorious full moon competed with the sparkling Eiffel Tower and the sounds of Offenbach’s “Can Can” as we enjoyed a romantic dinner cruise up and down the River Seine on a Bateau Mouche. What a breathtaking experience! Do yourself a favor and splurge on this when you visit Paris.
Bateau Mouche literally translates as “fly boat” (so named because the boats were originally manufactured in boatyards situated in the Mouche area of Lyon), and these boats have been plying the river showing visitors the best views of Paris since 1949, carrying 2.5 million passengers a year on a tour of Paris from what the company calls “Paris’s best avenue of them all: the Seine.”
We reserved in advance, a wise decision, chose an evening dinner tour, and selected the Prestige Dinner menu, which cost us 105 euros each and now costs 115 euros, or about $123. This included a four-course meal, a bottle of wine, and a glass of champagne, as well as live entertainment. If we’d chosen the Excellence Menu for 40 euros more apiece, we would have had window seats and fancier food; instead, we were in the middle of the interior dining room, with a great view of the piano and violin duet playing standards. The boat was surrounded by windows, though, and a short trip to the outdoor upper level afforded excellent views. Next time, I believe I will splurge on the window seats.
Thinking of popping the question? You can choose the “Get a Yes in Paris - Marriage Proposal” package starting at 340 euros per person, which includes a chauffeur to the boat, a special table for 2 in the bow, offers a variety of quality champagnes to choose from. Who wouldn’t say yes to a proposal with Moet and Chandon on a bateau mouche in Paris?
Several competing companies provide essentially the same tour, including brunch, lunch, and simple sightseeing tours.
Enjoy more photos of our Seine River Tour from aboard a Bateau Mouch at messysuitcase.com!
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Paris Tourism
Bateaux Mouches
Offenbach’s Can Can
#youtube#messysuitcase#travelblog#travelblogger#paris#bateaumouche#bateauxmouches#parisdinnersuise#eiffe;tower#toureiffel
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Sibelius Monument, Helsinki, from the inside, looking up. Worth the walk!
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