Viva la Vida Travel with Carmen Schaffer

As a North Dakota native transplanted in the tropics of Minnesota ( insert pathetic sigh), I fully understand the bitter hold that winter has on me. The frigid temperatures of the upper midwest are always the topic of conversation no matter where you go. At the first taste of a wintery wind, we'll often say, "Uff Da, it's cold out there!" "Ooof, that wind is brutal." In the winter time, the majority of us isolate ourselves into our homes from the subzero temperatures. We skip taking the dog for a walk for fear we will fall flat on our backs as we navigate the ice skating rink like sidewalks. We bulk up on comfort food in attempts at filling our voids that winter brings us. And when we do go outside, we're bundled from head to toe, peering out beneath our hats and scarves, allowing only a slice of space to look out of. Welcome to winter. It's coming. So, we know it's coming. That's a cold, hard fact ( pun intended). What are YOU going to d

So, there's Cancun and there's Playa del Carmen. They are so close to one another yet so very different. Nizuc Resort and Spa, Cancun. Cancun . What can I say about Cancun? Cancun is THE perfect first vacation spot for those of you have not been out of the country and want to venture into Mexico. Cancun has a ton of American brand name stores/ restaurants that will leave you feeling comforted if it's an Applebee's or a Hooters that you crave. That being said, I should not negate the Mexican-ish feeling of Cancun but it should be noted that Cancun is a resort town and it feels like it. You will find run of the mill resorts and then you will find some of the best in the area right within Cancun such as Nizuc, voted one of the best hotels in the WORLD by Conde Naste Traveler. Cancun is shaped like a 7 and is on a peninsula with one side facing the Caribbean and the other side facing a lagoon. The hotel zone is just that: an area of Cancun that is nothing but one ho

If you dared to dream about something but couldn't possibly fathom a way of bringing that dream to a reality, does that mean that you will never reach your dream? Does it mean that your dream is too big? My answer to that very question is simple : No. No matter what the dream may be, the fact that you're having it signifies that there is some universal pull for you to achieve the dream and to live it. How can we mess with a universal sign that is meant for us? If we deny it, minimize it, ignore it and move on in our daily lives, we will continue to feel empty, as though something is missing. Whatever that dream may be, it's calling you and you need to answer it. Because this is a travel blog I will refer to dreams as they relate to pursuing travels, adventures, destinations that call to us but let it not negate the fact that other dreams and pursuits call to you. You've dreamt of sailing across the Mediterranean sea. You've dreamt of watching a migrating  swar