Three Incredible Cities Found on the Yangtze River

At a length of almost 4,000 miles, the Yangtze River stands as the longest waterway across the whole of Asia and the third longest in the world - beaten only by the Amazon and the Nile. Flowing from the glaciers of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau before emptying into the East China Sea in Shanghai, it has been a longstanding hotspot among those looking to experience unbelievable river cruises. For those hoping to take to the waters in the near future, here are some of the best cities you can experience on your trip.

We begin our journey at Lijiang, a city which offers a stunning example of traditional life in China. One of the highlights which often draws visitors is the Old Town of Lijiang, a UNESCO protected site which demonstrates the historical architecture commonly found across China throughout history, also boasting an ancient water-supply system which is still fully operational to this day.

Another popular sight is Yichang, a modern metropolis which is filled with history spanning hundreds of years. Formerly known as Yiling, one of the most prominent early moments recorded here was when the Qin general Bai Qi set fire to the city back in 278BC, during the Warring States period. The city was also an important site during the Three Kingdoms period, standing as the location of the Battle of Yiling in 222AD. The modern day Yichang has grown into a sizeable city, being the second largest in the Hubei province and home to the China Three Gorges University.

Bringing the Kids to Costa Rica

Children to Costa Rica

Our family returned from another incredible vacation week. If you're planning a family adventure Costa Rica can be forgotten as a destination location. We love the country and bringing the children makes it that much more enjoyable.

Costa Rica is relatively inexpensive, especially if compared to Hawaii or Cabo, its 'centrally' located so flights from anywhere in the US are less than six hours, you're on the beach less than 2 hours after landing in San Jose, and its an incredible country to bring kids of all ages.

We primarily stay in or near the town of Playa Hermosa, 5 minutes south of the more popular town of Jaco, is where we often stay. All the condo's are virtually on the water and your close enough to be near all that Jaco offers without the relative crowds.

There are plenty of great family tours all located within an hour drive or less from Playa Hermosa. We will detail each tour in coming blogs but as an overview your group can experience large crocodiles being fed a few feet from your boat, an amazing butterfly tour that excites kids of all ages, the world-famous ZipLine (aka Canopy Tour) that sends you hundreds of feet across and above the jungle, and the amazing Manual Antonio national park where you come up close and personal on your short hike to white sand beaches with sloths, monkeys, iguanas and more.

Cuba - A Birdwatcher's Paradise

Cuba has so many beautiful birds, many of them unavailable to see in their natural habitat anywhere else in the world. The Cuban government has made concerted efforts over the years to preserve wildlife habitats, even before the current environmental movement made it politically popular. Because of those efforts, Cuba has preserved much of its wildlife in the unspoiled, natural beauty in which it thrives.

One of the more colorful birds you will see on your visit is the Cuban Grassquit, a tanager that is related to Darwin's finches. These birds live in lowland forests and tropical or subtropical dry shrubland. You may not have to travel far to see one as they are very common in Cuba. They are hostile toward other birds of the same species or who share the same colors of plumage. Male Grassquits are easily recognizable by their black mask, the black patch on their breast and a yellow-orange collar that extends to just behind their eyes. Their crowns and bellies are gray, creating a pleasing contrast. The females are basically a faded version of the male. Although not a threatened species their numbers have been decimated by trappers who sell them as caged birds. They are marketed as the "Cuban Finch" and are quite popular all over the world.