Confessions of a Cirque du Soleil Addict

My name is Jeremy, and I am a Cirque du Soleil addict.

You've probably heard of Cirque du Soleil.  Maybe even have seen one or two.  But I have a confession to make to everyone here today – I am an addict.

People ask me all the time what it is about Cirque du Soleil that gets me so excited, but I really have a hard time pinpointing it.  For those who are new to the show style, I like to describe it as being loosely inspired by common circus acts, but amplified with the extreme nature of the X-Games.  

A simple tight rope act is taken to the extreme when the participants start to jump rope while balancing on a single line. 

A juggling act goes crazy when the performer begins throwing cowboy hats over the stage in boomerang style. 

A simple trampoline act gets the crowd going when they use existing set designs like a playground, jumping in and out of tiny holes with well timed precision. 

A loose theme ties them all together for a rough story, but you do not see a Cirque du Soleil show for the “plot”, it is entirely for these boundary pushing acts.

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Missing Siesta Time in Seville

Without a doubt, Seville was my favorite city we stayed in during our honeymoon in Spain. Angie and I bicker about this one quite a bit because her heart was left in Granada (read our Granada restaurant review to find out why), but something about Seville keeps dragging me back. 

It is hard to say what exactly about the city has the allure to me, other than its amazing architecture and tasty, cheap Spanish food.

Whether or not we settle this argument is one thing but one major piece of information is true, we both agree that our stay in Seville was one of the hottest during our time in Spain. 

Even though I have significant disdain for being excessively hot while traveling, as I found out while spending three weeks traveling the Middle East in August, something about this hot weather in Spain is inviting.  It could be that it is a dry heat and not humid like we have at home, but there is something far more important at play that makes this weather bearable: the siesta.

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The Quest for the Best Churros con Chocolate in Madrid

One of the things we were most looking forward to about our recent trip to Spain was devouring churros con chocolate. 

Fried to crisp perfection and served alongside rich dark chocolate, these are not your soggy elementary school cafeteria churros bathed in achingly sweet cinnamon sugar.

No, these are grown-up churros.

Everyone has their opinion on who makes the best churros and who makes the best chocolate, so we were eager to set the record straight on this matter while we were in Spain.

The title of best churros con chocolate would be decided in a battle, a battle where only the best, crispiest churros and deepest, darkest chocolate sauces come out alive. This is Churros con Chocolate Death Battle Royale!

Madrid seemed to be the epicenter of the churros con chocolate phenomena, so we decided the battle would take place there. The contenders? Restaurante Hegar, Chocolateria San Gines, and Valor. 

How can you say no to that churro?

Three go in, but only one can come out the victor of this death battle.

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5 Road Trip Itineraries You Absolutely Must Experience

The iconic road trip is a must experience travel style for wanderers of all ages.

There is something about jumping into a car, picking a direction, and driving that inspires a great wanderlust.  In fact, the concept of a road trip is not much different than any other long-term journey as you can, in nearly all cases, go wherever you please.

Tired?  Stop for the night.  Want to explore?  Pick a side road and head off to see what kind of adventure awaits.  Don't like it?  Turn around and pick a new direction.

As the fundamentals of the road trip are in-line with long-term travel, we've researched what we're calling the Top 5 Must Experience Road Trips from around the world.

Some are to be expected, others are unusual, and the only question you need to ask yourself is how to make them a reality for your next great road trip. 

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