Marikina shoe museum and Imelda Marcos shoe collection

Photo of Imelda Marcos, the Iron Butterfly courtesy of Wikipedia

Have you ever been curious about the 2,720 pairs of shoes that Imelda Marcos left behind in Malacanang Palace when she and her husband were forced to flee the palace up the popular "People's Power" uprising. Curious about whether Kate spade shoes or shoes made by Michael Kors are included in her gargantuan shoe collection? If so, you should pay a visit to the Marakina Shoe Museum in the Philippines to find out.

Location map of Marikina Shoe Museum

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Among some few hundred pairs of her size 8 1/2 shoes on displayed at the Marikina Shoe Museum include one with gold trim, another studded with rhinestones and two pairs of knee-high boots. It is a good thing that the convenience of online shoe retailers wasn't available during those time she and her husband Ferdinand Marcos was in power or else there would be way more than just 2700 pairs of shoes abandoned by the Iron Butterfly.

The City of Marikina on Luzon Island, Philippines, is also know as the Shoe Capital of Philippines. At the Marikina shoe museum, you will not only get to view shoes worn by Imelda Marcos, you will also see shoes worn by dignitaries around the world.

What is special about Puerto Vallarta?

About Puerto Vallarta

Puerto is Spanish for Port, so Puerto Vallarta is obviously right beside the sea. Puerto Vallarta is thus Port Vallarta in English and in fact is a Mexican resort city situated on the Pacific Ocean's Bahía de Banderas (bahia is Spanish for bay). Puerto Vallarta is named after Ignacio Vallarta, a former governor of Jalisco. Puerto Vallarta is a highly popular tourist destination.

What is special about Puerto Vallarta?

How about food? Puerto Vallarta is Mexico's gastronomic center and living here are some of the best chef around serving great Mexican and international cuisine. If you are a food gourmet, the best time to visit Puerto Vallarta is during the 10 day annual International Gourmet Festival during which the world's best 20 guest chefs as well as the talented local chefs offer special tasting menus in 21 participating restaurants, cooking classes and wine tastings.

What else is special about Puerto Vallarta? Like some extreme sport? How about hanging yourself upside down and being whirled around to get your head spinning?

Photo of birdman of Puerto Vallarta is property of John Picken

Don't like dangerous sport? Puerto Vallerta is full of sculpture as you can see below:

Photo of sculpture is property of svonog

Photo of sculpture is property of wonderlane

Photo of man of fish is property of wonderlane

Photo of Puerto Vallarta angel is property of NetDiva

Along the beach at Puerto Vallarta you will also find beautiful sand sculpture like the one in the photo below:

Photo of birdman of is property of robinsonmay

Invest in Puerto Vallarta real estate?

Puerto Vallarta looks interesting enough for you to invest in Puerto Vallarta real estate? Then look for homes for sale in Puerto Vallarta.

Visit Puerto Vallarta

Or are you game for only Puerto Vallarta as a destination for your holidays? Then look for Real Estate for Rent in Puerto Vallarta

Carbon neutral private jet charter

Many some celebrities such as John Travolta have their own jet planes. Those celebrities and the rich who don't have their own planes may also go for Private Jet Charter. However, jet planes emit lots of green house gases which causes global warming.



It is increasingly clear that our world is experiencing global warming as shown by facts like melting of polar ice and receding snow lines in mountains like Mount Everest. In very recent time, for the first time in written history, one can sail through the Artic. What can be done about this?

Well, if they monied people can afford Private Jet Charter, they can definitely get a TerraPass which can help globe-trotting monied people reduce their carbon footprint at a fraction of what it cost them to enjoy the convenience and luxury of Private Flight. TerraPass is a social enterprise headquartered in San Francisco, California that provides carbon offsetting products to individuals and businesses. TerraPass has helped 1,080,269,026 lbs of CO2 (carbon dioxide). Let us hope more of the jet-setting celebrities and businessmen uses TerraPass

Snorkeling in Maui, Hawaii, USA

Coral Reefs - another world on Earth

The memories of my first snorkeling experience at Pulau Kapas, Terengganu, Malaysia is still fresh in my memories. It was a real introduction to another world on this amazingly diverse world of ours and if anyone mentions the possibility of snorkeling in an interesting location, I am all ears.

Snorkeling off a beach is one thing. Mention snorkeling in a volcanic crater, like for example, the Molokini Crater, I have 8 ears all pricked up (if you know what I mean). Crater?? That sounds like that hollow at the top of a big bad dangerous volcano.

Molokini Crater, Maui, Hawaii

Molokini is harmless inactive offshore crescent moon-shaped volcanic crater south of Ma‘alaea Bay, Maui, Hawaii. It attracts scuba diving and snorkeling enthusiasts like bees to honey. If you are interested in snorkeling in Molokini Crater, Pride of Maui specializes in organizing snorkeling cruises to the Molokini Crater.

Photo of reef fish at Molokini Crater is property of Adam Hertz

Adam Hertz is a cautious man and says he have to check that that (reef fishes) are what he saw at Molokini Crater. No fear Adam. I checked Wikipedia and it says "Coral reefs are home to a variety of tropical or reef fish, such as the colorful parrotfish, angelfish, damselfish and butterfly fish..." which means that the word reef fish can be applied to many fishes that inhabits a reef.

Turtle Town, Maui, Hawaii

If you try goggling Turtle Town, you will find it hard to pin-point an exact location as turtles are all Maui Island, and I suppose you can call many places Turtle Town. However, it seems there are a few spots where turtles tend to congregate, and if you want to get to these places, let Pride of Maui guide you to Maui Turtle Town where you can swim with the gentle and graceful Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles.

Photo of turtle in Turtle Town is property of Ewen Roberts

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However, here we are talking about ecotourism and you are not supposed to disturb these gentle creatures. Touching, chasing and riding the turtles are prohibited as they are a protected species. But just swim or snorkel around normally, and these curious creatures will likely approach you on their own initiatives.

Paros, Greece and ecotourism

Facts about Paros, Greece

Paros, a Greek island belonging to one of the Cyclades island group and a very popular tourism destination. There is a Municipality of Paros and this municipality is not a single spot but spread over numerous islets.

If you are a lover of beaches, Paros has plenty of them including Pounda, Naousa bay, Chrissí Aktí, Logaras, Parikía, Piso Livadi and Agía Irini. Windsurfers will also find Paros an ideal target for their visits as in some areas, there are constant strong winds.

But look at the beautiful natural scenery with beautiful flowers in the photo below (if only I can smell them):

Photo of Parikia, Paros in Greece is property of Ethan Lindsey

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Wonder if touring narrow paved streets, two stored white houses, old churches and windmills without damaging the environment plus experiencing the local cultural heritage while minimizing the negative aspects of tourism on the environment can be considered as ecotourism. If so, then Paros definitely can qualify as a destination for ecotourism.

Whatever your opinions are, you will need accommodation, and the most convenient and environmentally friendly way of searching for suitable accommodation is searching for them ahead of arrival online at websites like Paros hotels in Greece. I for one would not like to waste precious tourist time, energy and if I use motorized vehicle to go round hunting for accommodation, precious, increasingly expensive and rapidly depleting fossil fuel to hunt for them.

Stay healthy, wealthy for environment, ecotourism

Health, environment and ecotourism

According to Wikipedia on ecotourism, ecotourism or ecological tourism, is a form of tourism that caters to the ecologically and socially conscious individuals and focuses on volunteering, personal growth, and learning new ways to live on the planet. Usually, ecotourism will involve traveling to destinations where flora, fauna, and cultural heritage are the primary attractions.

Ecotourism sounds to me like you need to be fit and healthy to partake of it, and Wellness Wealth Success! claims to be able to help you achieve health. You can find out more about Wellness Wealth Success! by clicking on the second link.

Wealth, environment and ecotourism

Preserving the environment can be a costly affair, and maintaining an area for ecotourism do not come cheap either. Well, here Wellness Wealth Success! claims they can help too. Now if only they have an Environmental Policy!

Travel Technology for Ecotourism?

Here is an interesting website NEXTGEN Travel Distribution, a worldwide travel platform that connects suppliers (travel booking websites, travel agents, tour operators, car rental companies, airplane ticket booking websites, hotels, etc.?) with consumers (obviously various kind of travelers), all gratis (FOC or free of charge). NEXTGEN Travel Distribution also claims offering the most in-depth travel content in the world.

NEXTGEN Travel Distribution claims to have what they call Travel technology plus a private label booking engine. Now this is something I am very much interested to find out more about as perhaps I can have a private label booking engine for ecotourism. I tried to sign up as a partner so as to get that private label booking engine and see if it can do what I hope to do. That took me to a page that has the promising "Completely customizable" phrase, so the possibility is there. I have registered as a partner but now there are other things waiting for me to complete, so will update this post with a link to a new post on NEXTGEN Travel Distribution later (hopefully I don't forget).