Jerusalem, Israel
The Temple Mount is beloved in Judaism as the spot where God gathered the dust used to create Adam, beloved in Islam as the spot where Mohammed ascended into heaven, and in Christianity as the [...]
Peleliu in Palau
Gaining a new respect for family history. My grandfather, Burton Gilbert, served during WWII as a civil engineer and Major in Peleliu (an island in Palau, in the South Pacific, where we are now). Only [...]
Jellyfish Lake in Palau
Located on an uninhabited rock island off the coast of Koror in Palau, Jellyfish Lake is a saltwater lake that was once connected to the ocean, but is now cut off. The isolated lake became [...]
Diving in Palau
So I WON THIS TRIP! Thanks to the Sea of Change Foundation https://seaofchange.com/ my $40 raffle ticket landed us in Palau with a week long liveaboard for two on the Rock Island Aggressor, worth $7,000! [...]
Honolulu, Hawaii
We "lei'd" over in Honolulu for a few days on our way to the South Pacific. Stopping at the Pearl Harbor Museum was both emotional and educational.
Caribbean Cruise
We were supposed to be on this cruise with our friends from Norway, but they couldn't make it due to an injury 🙁 so we made the best of it. We missed you Olav and [...]
Bonaire, by sea
The most incredible moments underwater were seeing the tiny bioluminescent ostracods and the little seahorses. SCUBA magic!!
Bonaire, by land
Bonaire is a little Dutch island, near Aruba and Curaçao in the southern Caribbean. Only 150 miles from Venezuela, there were plenty of Venezuelan immigrants here, due to their political unrest. On this trip, we [...]
Punta del Diablo, Uruguay
The name Punta del Diablo, or “Devil’s Tip” -- belies the area’s relaxed, laid-back vibe. Once an old fishing village, it's now home to backpackers and surfers. The demographics skew young here. I found a [...]
Punta del Este, Uruguay
Punta del Este is a few hours north, warmer and winder than Montevideo. This city is all about the marina, which swells with tourists during summer in January.
New Year’s Eve in Uruguay
We spent our New Years Eve in the midst of a crazy crowd, soaked with cider, in Montevideo's legendary annual Cider Battle. Everyone drinks cider, dances, and sprays each other with shook up bottles of [...]