Travel - Lili on the Loose

7 03, 2016

Museum Monday: Terror Bird Skull

By Lili|March 7th, 2016|Categories: Dinosaurs, Museums, Travel|Tags: Bird, Canada, fossil, North America, ROM, Royal Ontario Museum, Terror, Terror Bird, Toronto, Yea! Sports|0 Comments

This looks like a innocent bird skull right? It's not! It is a skull of the Terror Bird, the largest carnivorous flightless bird that ever lived. At 10 feet tall and fast moving, this sucker was considered an Apex predator of its day. I had heard of this animal but it wasn't until I was staring into this skull that I realized how terrifying it really was. Its skull was 3 times the size of my own head! This skull is about as big as a medium sized dog. Museum Monday is an every other week series about

5 03, 2016

Souvenir Saturday: Fuzzy Sheep Magnet

By Lili|March 5th, 2016|Categories: Souvenirs, Travel|Tags: 2009, at the heart of it Ireland 2009, Dublin, Europe, from me to ewe, fuzzy, Ireland, magnet, sheep|0 Comments

The first magnet I ever collected was from Dublin, Ireland, and it was a fuzzy, wool & wooden, sheep. I had never planned on collecting magnets, as I thought they looked cheesy on a fridge. But when I moved into a new place and the fridge was a hideous off-beige, and so the magnet collecting began. Souvenir Saturday is an every-other week series on the items that represent travel memories.

4 03, 2016

Lion Gate at Mission San Xavier Del Bac

By Lili|March 4th, 2016|Categories: Attractions & Sights, Photography, Travel|Tags: 2005, Arizona, Desert Sunrise, Gate, Lion, Mission, Mission San Xavier Del Bac, North America, Photo Friday, San Xavier Del Bac, Tucson, USA|0 Comments

I loved seeing exhibits on Ansel Adams and Georgia O'Keeffe in Tucson, and it inspired me while taking photos as the Mission of San Xavier Del Bac. Every Friday Lili shares her favorite photography & the stories behind the photos.

3 03, 2016

Egypt Travelogue: Day 5, Part 3 – Mystery of the Sphinx

By Lili|March 3rd, 2016|Categories: Travel, Travel Memories, Travelogue|Tags: 2015, Africa, bathroom, Dream of Egypt, Egypt, Egypt Travelogue, G Adventures, GAP, Giza, Great Pyramids, Great Pyramids of Giza, group, group tour, Khafre, Middle East, mortuary temple, Pharaoh, sphinx, Temple, tour, van|0 Comments

This is my travel diary of my trip to Egypt. It contains in detail my memories of what I did and saw. Monday October 26, 2015 Egypt: Day 5, Part 3 – Mystery of the Sphinx I don't recall why we had to wait, but as we did I snapped a photo of a pyramid through the first trees I had seen since arriving. We then started the walk through the souvenir sellers towards the mortuary temple in front of the Sphinx. Mikel acted as translator for any sellers that came up to us. He later said its easier for him

2 03, 2016

Egypt Travelogue: Day 5, Part 2 – Khufu, Khafre, & Menkaure

By Lili|March 2nd, 2016|Categories: Travel, Travel Memories, Travelogue|Tags: 2015, Africa, Camel, Dream of Egypt, Egypt, Egypt Travelogue, G Adventures, GAP, Giza, Great Pyramids, Great Pyramids of Giza, group, Harry Potter, Khafre, Khufu, Menkaure, Middle East, Pyramid, Pyramid of Khafre, Pyramid of Khufu, Pyramid of Menkaure, Scabbers, tour group, van, Weasley, Weasley Vacation|0 Comments

This is my travel diary of my trip to Egypt. It contains in detail my memories of what I did and saw. Monday October 26, 2015 Egypt: Day 5, Part 2 – Khufu, Khafre, & Menkaure One thing people always warn you is that the size of the pyramids make them seem like they are close enough to walk to...but they really aren't. Which is why we had hopped back into the van near Khufu's pyramid, and drove past Khafre. I strained to see it as we drove by. A short time later we were in front of Menkaure's Pyramid,

1 03, 2016

Egypt Travelogue: Day 5, Part 1 – Great Pyramids of Giza

By Lili|March 1st, 2016|Categories: Travel, Travel Memories, Travelogue|Tags: 2015, Africa, Dream of Egypt, Egypt, Egypt Travelogue, G Adventures, GAP, Giza, Great Pyramids, Great Pyramids of Giza, group, Khafre, Khufu, Middle East, Pyramid, Pyramid of Khafre, Pyramid of Khufu, stones, ticket, tour group, van|0 Comments

This is my travel diary of my trip to Egypt. It contains in detail my memories of what I did and saw. Monday October 26, 2015 Egypt: Day 5, Part 1 – Great Pyramids of Giza Elizabeth and I woke up early, and took turns taking showers. We got most of our belongings ready and then headed down to breakfast. To my dismay the potatoes were out. I tried to get attention of the staff and failed, so stuck with bread, butter, and those donut-esque little balls that I had previously. After a while they finally did bring some potatoes and

29 02, 2016

Travel Missteps: “It’s a Gift” Scam at Pompeii

By Lili|February 29th, 2016|Categories: Travel, Travel Missteps|Tags: 2006, All in the family Italy 2005/2006, Europe, Italy, Pompeii, scam, UNESCO, UNESCO World Heritage Site|0 Comments

The view of Vesuvius. Pompeii is an incredible site. Covered over by Vesuvius' explosion in 79 AD, it wasn't rediscovered until 1748 and has had ongoing digs since then. I had spent a semester studying ancient Roman architecture and this frozen city is a perfect place to relive the past. But like most amazing tourist sights, the entry/exit is swarmed with souvenir and chotskies sellers. After heading out of the bathroom an old local woman slipped a shell bracelet onto my wrist. She said it was a gift. Immediately I knew this was not the case, and tried to hand it back

27 02, 2016

Upcoming Travel Plans: Solo Las Vegas 2016

By Lili|February 27th, 2016|Categories: Travel, Upcoming Travel|Tags: 2011, 2015, 2016, Africa, aquarium, Bellagio, Canyon Ranch Spa, Egypt, Girl’s Weekend, Giza, Grand Canyon, Great Pyramids, Great Pyramids of Giza, horse, horse back riding, Las Vegas, Le Rêve, Magic, Mandalay Bay, Middle East, Mob Museum, museum, Neon Museum, Nevada, North America, Ocean's 11, Penn and Teller, Pyramid, Spa, The Bellagio, The Dream, The Luxor, The Mirage, The Venetian, The Venetian's Canyon Ranch Spa, The Wynn, USA, Vegas, volcano|0 Comments

Today should be the next post in the Egypt Travelogue series, featuring the Great Pyramids of Giza. But...I ran out of time to write it because I'm planning my next trip to Las Vegas. So instead of the Great Pyramids, here is the pyramid of Vegas at the Luxor! So with your pyramid fix for the day complete, lets talk about Las Vegas. I'll go going for work at a trade show at The Venetian but I've decided to stay a couple of days afterwards on my own. I've been to Vegas many times for various trade shows and I've

26 02, 2016

Iridescent Stained Glass in Fort Collins, CO

By Lili|February 26th, 2016|Categories: Local, Photography, Travel|Tags: Colorado, Colorado State University, CSU, Fort Collins, Go Buffs, North America, Photo Friday, USA|0 Comments

My father works for CSU, and took me to visit his satellite store in downtown Fort Collins. The problem is? I graduation from CU, the hometown rival of CSU. So when people stared chanting in a round "Go RAMS!" and it came to me, I shouted proudly and loudly "GO BUFFS!" And was subsequently asked to leave the store. But not before I could snap a photo of the beautiful stained glass dome in the store. Every Friday Lili shares her favorite photography & the stories behind the photos.

25 02, 2016

Antigua, Guatemala: Santa Catalina Arch

By Lili|February 25th, 2016|Categories: Attractions & Sights, Travel|Tags: 2013, Antigua, Arch, Arch of Santa Catalina, Central America, clocktower, convent, Guatemala, La Merced Church, Mayan Encounter 2013, Nuns, Pacaya Volcano, ruins, Santa Catalina Arch, Travel Thursday, UNESCO, UNESCO World Heritage Site, volcano|0 Comments

Santa Catalina Arch One of the most recognizable sights in Antigua, Guatemala is the Arch of Santa Catalina. This yellow-orange clocktower was built in the 17th century and connected the convent of Santa Catalina to a school, allowing nuns to pass from one build to another without leaving the confines of their convent. In the 1830’s the clocktower was added to the arch. You can find it on 5th Avenue North, and is free to see. If you are on your way to/from La Merced Church, you'll pass right underneath the arch. And