How to use Dubai’s metro system, what you need to know to not get in trouble

With this city’s over the top strive to be the best. There is a lot of differences compared to Western public transportation. I could not roll my eyes even more after finding out they have the only five star subway station. Although, Dubai’s metro system seem to be the world’s best. There are rules one must follow, if you want a smooth time.

A subway station photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

For starters, you don’t see people asking for money. That is something this country really tries hard not to have. The government pays the homeless to go back to their country. As harsh as that sounds, it’s better than just leaving them out to die in the rough desert environment. Especially, when summer comes around with the sand storms.

The top level of the “five star subway station” photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

Another tip is to not eat in subway carts. Yes, that is illegal and could cause you a fine. Of course, I saw the sign while I was eating donuts. Luckily for me, there wasn’t any cops nearby. The fine is about 100 AED, which is about 30 us dollars.

The second Level of the “five star subway station” photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

Dubai’s metro is very clean. There is no litter on the subway carts. Dropping or forgetting something on a subway cart could lead you to a 200 AED fee. Which is about 70 USD. Keep that in mind because the more fines you get, the more unwated attention you attract to yourself. Which is never good in a foreign country. Also, Sleeping in waiting areas can result to fines as well. Same amount as of 200 AED. I wish they had these rules in New York City.

The five start trophy photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

Another rule is carrying alcohol while on a public vehicle can result in charges or fees, if you are found out. If you are carrying beers or wine bottles in your bag, please make sure they do not make much noise. Remember this is a Muslim majority country after all. Being found with alcohol in non-approved areas can lead into some serious trouble. It all depends which type of cop you run into. I heard stories online of people being found with alcohol and being sent to jail. Which caused them to lose their flight.

The stations mark where the women’s section will be photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

Lastly there is a woman’s section on the subway trains. They are usually a lot nicer and less crowded. From what I saw, there are usually empty seats. Only women are allowed to go with the exception of little kids. Of course, Me being me. I ended up walking into and taking a seat in this section. Took me a minute to find out why it was so empty. Saw a lot of pink on the floor and the word women was written everywhere. Luckily, there was no police around. So, I did not get in trouble.

Hey everyone! This post is not to scare you. It’s just to keep you aware. I do suggest reading Dubai metro rules. Here is the link to keep you informed. Dubai is awesome and there is no reason as to why some culture differences should ruin your time here.

Safe travels everyone and much love!

Check out our eBook “How to Travel for Dirt Cheap” by Hugo Morel for ways to make your dreams of traveling come true without breaking the bank. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07M848M47?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420&fbclid=IwAR0_mRF-eE9tODIshljVr7CQ8h6vKT6hHn_8gZfJ94DySY1ylPO2Itu2Qe

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November 16, 2019 13

Stumbling across a Persian mosque

After exploring around the neighborhood near where my airbnb apartment was, I saw this beautiful building from a far. I started walking towards it and I found out it was an Iranian hospital. Little did I knew, I stumbled around a Persian neighborhood.

outside of the Persian mosque photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

For those who don’t know, Persian and Iranian are similar. Iran was once a part of the Persian empire. That is something, I did not know at the time of me stumbling across this beautiful piece of art. Found out later while doing research. Walked towards this interestingly patterned building. From outside looking in, I figured out it was a mosque. I could tell by the shoe cubby and chants of the Qur’an.

Inside of the mosque’s entrance photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

Saw someone come out of the mosque. Asked if it was okay for me to enter. I got the clearance to explore. Once inside the gates to the entrance, I was in awe towards the attention to detail. The colors made the building look so majestic. The patterns and the designs are so beautiful. Couldn’t wait to see how the inside looks like. Put my shoes in the cubby and I was off.

Inside of the mosque seeing the men praying photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

The inside of the mosque was truly foreign and new to me. The colors matched the outside with a touch more of green. To make sure it was okay, I asked one of the mosque’s operators if I could take photos. He gave me permission of course.

I got to see some of the followers pray. Similar to how it was during my time in Cairo, the mosque was sectioned by gender. I was not allowed to go on the women’s side. Still, I enjoyed the part I was given access to.

Sometimes, it’s hard to picture how close United Arab Emirates is to Iran. It’s literally less than a two hour flight from Dubai. Makes sense why there’s a strong Persian community here. Glad I got to see in person.

Another look of the mosque photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

As I was looking at the Muslims praying, I started to think a little to myself. The differences between this mosque and the mosque in Cairo. They both practice different types of Islam. Egypt is Sunni majority and Iran is Shia majority. They are similar and very different at the same time. Similar to Catholics and Protestants, the houses of worship look very different. It’s almost the same here. Expect, Sunni is the majority branch of Islam at about 87% to 90% of the Muslim population. While, Shia Islam is about 13% to 10%. Here is the link for those who want to more read about this.

Also, I remember something funny at this time. I was wearing the cross my family gave to me for my travels. This whole time I was exploring this mosque, you can clearly tell I was a christian or came from a Christian family. Yet, not one person gave me a second look nor hostility. To think how, I was once so scared about going to a Muslim majority country. I can only laugh at myself now. I grew so much as a person throughout my travels. With every new country, I was becoming a person. Someone with more understanding to others who are different than me. Truly believe, we can stop more wars from happening, if we just understood each other better. We all have similarities despite our differences. Hopefully, we get to see that in our lifetime.

After about an hour of looking around, I saw pretty much all of the mosque. That was my sign to walk back into the heat. Thought about staying until the sun went down. However, I didn’t want to take advantage of the friendly welcome I was given.

Safe travels everyone and much love!

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October 5, 2019 32

Almost getting arrested in Cuba

Yeah, almost got myself into a world of hurt. So this story is to tell you, what not to do when going to cuba. Trust me, this story will save you the headache. Especially, if you are American.

It all started when I bought my tickets to Cuba. They were for an aiport called Holguin. I would fly from NYC to Toronto and then Toronto to Holguin. Looking back, I should had double checked more information about the Airport first.

Outside view of the airport photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

What makes this airport special is the fact that it’s in the province that Fidel Castro was born in. Being the Communist country that it is, Castro is almost viewed as a holy figure. So of course, this airport would have some national pride to it. Unfortunately, this wasn’t my most memorable moment.

Waiting at the airport’s parking lot photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

Got into the immigration and customs line without a problem. Eventually, it was my turn to speak with the officer. Showed him my passport and said everything wrong. At that time, if you were American, you could travel to Cuba for educational reasons. However, you don’t say that to the Cubans. You need tell them you are there for vacation. If you all know me by now, I told them I was there for educational purposes.

To the immigration officers, all the red flags were shown. I got sent into another room where three other officers started questioning me in Spanish. Luckily, I spoke Spanish. I can’t imagine what would happened if I didn’t. They spoke no English, apparently.

After about 20 mins of questioning and convincing, I was eventually let free. Met up with a local friend named Andy. By the way, those 20 minutes were rough. They asked me everything, even about my relatives. This was my first minutes in Cuba and they were already bad. However, I was not going to let this ruin my time.

Walking towards the edge of the street photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

Outside of the aiport was where the real issue occurred. Andy and I were looking for a taxi. Holguin is about a 2 hour drive from Santiago de Cuba. Which was the place I would be staying at. Unfortunately, the roads in Cuba are horrible. It would probably take up at least 3 hours.

All the taxi drivers in Holguin are run by the goverment. They were very aggressive. I would say no and they would circle around the aiport just to ask me again. I felt like a dying mouse and the taxi drivers were birds of prey. They all wanted about two hundred usa dollars worth for one way. It’s ridiculous because most of these drivers only get paid about 5 usa dollars a month! They have the nerve to try to rip off/scam tourists!

Sidewalk just outside of the airport where we got harassed by taxi drivers photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

Andy and I started walking outside of the airport. He was a little nervous because of the situation. Andy knew that these people were apart of the government and they could tell any police officer false claims. We could end up in jail because of their lies. Ironically, I only had 300 usa dollars worth of currency. American cards do not work in Cuba because of international policies. So, what I had was what I had. We had to find out a way out of this mess. What made things worst, this airport is in the middle of nowhere. Country side for miles, you can not walk on the streets without being watched.

We were about to speak with another driver, when that same driver that has been circling us pulled up. We told him no for the fourth time. This time he was angry. The driver screamed at us claiming he would tell the police. The situation was getting intense.

Back in the airport’s parking lot where we found a kind hearted taxi driver photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

By chance/luck, we found a driver that would take us for about 80 USA dollars worth. The driver was going to Santiago anyways. Andy’s showed off his strong negotiation skills. Sadly, the situation was still not over.

As we got into the car, we noticed the cameras were following us. I didn’t noticed them at first. They were moving everywhere we moved. This was proof the other driver made the government aware of us. Our good hearted taxi driver started to get nervous as he started the car. As what he was doing, was technically illegal. By helping us out with a cheaper fair, he was putting his safety at risk. The cameras were straight on us. We drove out of there as soon as possible. While the goverment’s cameras were following our every move.

After about 30 minutes of driving, we started to feel more comfortable. The tension in the car died down. We were out of the airport and out of that province. The music started and the laughter began. Even with everything dying down, you still felt that the goverment could stop us at any moment.

Thank you for reading! Much love and safe travels.

September 4, 2019 52

Belize, here I come!

This was the first time in a long time that I visited a Central American country. Belize, was truly something to be excited about. Home to the second biggest Barrier reef, I couldn’t wait to show you all the photos.

Me holding my gopro photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

For this trip, I definitely had to buy a camera that took underwater photos. Belize has some awesome Caribbean beaches. The whole time I was at the store, I kept thinking how beautiful the photos would look. You all are in store for some very beautiful photos with crystal clear water coming in a few weeks.

Waiting at the Charlotte International Airport photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

Had to do an overnight layover in Charlotte, North Carolina. Came during the worst time. It was during the NBA All-Star weekend. So, there was no point of going out of the airport to find a hotel. If I had, I would have extra stress getting back to the airport with all the traffic from the All-Star games.

The door of my room at the lounge photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

Found an overnight lounge for a decent price. It’s crazy how my room was named after the local football team. If you are ever at the Charlotte airport during an overnight layover, keep in mind that the airport shuts down after around 10 pm. The security will kick you out, if they see you wondering around later than 11pm. Best to find a lounge or some overnight accommodation.

Belize photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

After a goodnight sleep, I woke up and went towards my departure gate. The best thing about most overnight lounges, you don’t have to recheck yourself through security in the morning. Got on my flight, slept like a baby during the flight.

Next thing I knew, I was in Belize. My adventures in this country were about to begin! Couldn’t wait to see the Caribbean Blue waters!

Thank you for reading. Much love and safe travels!

Check out our eBook “How to Travel for Dirt Cheap” by Hugo Morel for ways to make your dreams of traveling come without breaking the bank: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07M848M47?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420&fbclid=IwAR0_mRF-eE9tODIshljVr7CQ8h6vKT6hHn_8gZfJ94DySY1ylPO2Itu2Qe0

July 6, 2019 27

My last day in Iceland

My final full day in Iceland appeared out of nowhere. There I was, thinking I had a few more days. Unfortunately, I was wrong. Spent the night before trying to capture the northern lights. That ended up in a failure. Didn’t have the right equipment on me to take a quality photo. As seen in the picture below, the only lights my camera captured were lights made by humans.

Trying to take photo of the Northern lights photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

The morning afterwards was a little difficult to get up. I started to pack and get ready for the flight back home. Once done, I left my luggage in my rented locker and I was off to explore Iceland for a final time.

On another note, the awesome thing about Iceland is it’s features for tourists. One of those features are that most tours are at a reasonable price. Also, if you miss the Northern Lights, you have up to three years to go on the tour again. It is free and you can keep doing this until you see the natural phenomenon. Just remember the email to show the email receipt.

A small river photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

Booked a last minute tour to see a few more sights around Iceland. Honestly, don’t remember what exact part of Iceland this was. Just knew it was somewhere in Southeast Iceland. Looking at the simple life of the Icelandic people, I noticed that fishing is a major part of their economy. I later learned that Iceland almost did not join the European Union. They had a fear of over-fishing from the other European members. That would cause their native fishes to go extinct. Of course, they made a deal and this freezing cold Island is now in the E.U.

Waterfalls photos courtesy of Hugo Morel

We ended up seeing more waterfalls. It’s hard to believe how many waterfalls are in Iceland. Still Iceland a has different charm to it. Most countries have big cities or human made tourist attraction. Iceland is very unlike other countries, all the tourist attractions are naturally made.

About 3 hours later, I went back to my hostel. Started exploring the surrounding areas again. Iceland is breathtaking, both with the bitter wind trying to freeze your lungs and the country’s beauty. It’s a shame that I will be leaving this behind but, this bitter cold is no joke! I will always be amazed to what this country has to offer.

Modern art of a viking ship photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

It’s hard to believe, how the Vikings used to travel around in this cold. Especially, traveling long distanced in the ocean. Iceland, I must visit you again. Next time when I come, it will definitely be during the summer time.

Thank you for reading. Much love and safe travels!

Check out our e-book “How to Travel for Dirt Cheap” by Hugo Morel for ways to make your dreams of traveling come without breaking the bank: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07M848M47?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420&fbclid=IwAR0_mRF-eE9tODIshljVr7CQ8h6vKT6hHn_8gZfJ94DySY1ylPO2Itu2Qe0

June 15, 2019 39

How to use the Paris subway

Now, Paris is a very expensive city. Taking a taxi from the international airports will cost an arm and a leg. The most affordable way to get around Paris is through it’s metro system.

I took the train from the Charles De Gaulle airport shuttle. It left me infornt of a subway entrance. Watch out for gypsies that claim to want to help you when you are trying to buy metro tickets. They claim to want to help; however, most of the time it’s just a way to get money out of you or to pickpocket you.

Paris metro map brought to you by google

The Paris subway has stops near almost all the main tourist attractions. It doesn’t make sense to spend money on a taxi or to rent a car. The Paris metro is very reliant.

Machine where you buy metro tickets brought to you by google

A one-way ticket will cost you about 2 euros. A daily pass will cost about 7 euros. Weekly, will cost about 20 euros and monthly, will cost about 65 euros. These prices are very affordable. Also, the price of a weekly metro pass will cost less than most taxis in Paris going one-way.

A picture of a subway station in Paris brought to you by google

Careful when buying the tickets at the station, a lot of the ticket machines are in french only. A gypsy appeared out of nowhere, when she found out I was having trouble with the ticket machine. Luckily, a local saw me and showed me how to order a weekly pass. There are metro workers in booths in some stations that can help you out, as well.

When taking the actual trains, you have to keep a few things in mind. One, the train doors do not automatically open. Unless, you press a button on the middle of the door. Just keep a watch on how people exist the train carts. It will save you from missing your stop. Also, keep a high alert on Line 9. Line 9 is a train line within the Paris metro notorious for pickpocketing. Lastly, pickpocketing is another factor to keep in mind.

A sign warning about pickpocketing brought to you by google

Pickpocketing in the Paris metro is common. Here’s a few tips to remember. Make sure to be fully awake on the train carts. Any signs of sleepiness makes you a target. Another tip to keep in mind is the sound of when the doors are about to close. That’s when pickpocketers go on the hunt. Always be on alert, when you hear that noise. They would steal and run out of the door before you have time to react. Lastly, watch out for beggars. The moment you take out your money, another person runs to steal your wallet.

Now this post isn’t here to make you fearful of the Paris metro. Just wanted you to be aware. That way, your time in the beautiful French capital isn’t ruined due to some thieves.

Thank you for reading! Safe travels and much love!

Check out our latest e-book “How to Travel for Dirt Cheap” by Hugo Morel for ways to make your dreams of traveling come without breaking the bank: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07M848M47?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420&fbclid=IwAR0_mRF-eE9tODIshljVr7CQ8h6vKT6hHn_8gZfJ94DySY1ylPO2Itu2Qe0

April 20, 2019 17

The Gypsies of Paris

Now, something that is truly synonymous with Paris is begging. Unfortunately, when you go to France’s capital there will be a lot of gypsies begging. Sometimes, they come to you asking for your information. Other times, they will go out their way to help you in the subway for a few euros or to pickpocket you.

A homeless gypsy family in Paris brought to you by google

A tip for travelers, it’s best to avoid contact with gypsies. It truly pains me to write that; however, they do target tourists for pickpocketing and scams. I was almost pickpocketed, if it wasn’t for a fellow American warning me. One tried to distract me with asking me questions, while another would had walked by to go in my pockets.

Picture of a shanty town in Paris brought to you by google

Most gypsies live in shanty towns within the city of Paris. A lot of the shanty towns are built on abandoned train lines. As seen in the photo above, it’s hard to believe this is Paris, France. The fashion capital of the world, has it’s ugly side too.

French Police evicting gypsies brought to you by google

Sadly, majority of these shanty towns are illegal. The Gypsies living in these shanty towns can be evicted at any time. There are have recently been many police raids in these communities. Kicking 100s of families out of their temporary homes.

Gypsies enjoying themselves brought to you by Google

As nomads, gypsies tend to not want to settle down. That creates problems for the French officials. The French goverment have been pressuring gypsies to settle down. Of course, all that causes are more problems and tension. France’s solution to the gypsy “problem” is to send the gypsies back to Romania and Bulgaria. In my personal opinion, this wasn’t handled correctly. Let people live their lives!

I wrote this post to bring awareness to the struggles of the gypsy community in Paris. Being a frequent traveler, I have been told “I have the heart of a gypsy.” On a regular basis, I’m constantly having the narrative of people wanting me to stop traveling and “settle down.” I can understand what they go through, even if it’s on a smaller scale.

Thank you for reading! Much love and safe travels!!

April 13, 2019 9

How do I travel so much?

Okay, so this is a response to a reader of mine. The reader asked the question that is on the title of this post. I will give you tips on how to travel more and make less excuses.

The main reason I can travel is that I save money throughout the year. Cutting expenses can go a really long way. Instead of buying the most expensive labels, buy a lesser known label product that gets the job done. You will be surprised how far this can go. Five dollars may not mean much at that time; however, with in time five dollars can equal a plane ticket. Think about, you save about 35 dollars on your next purchase of clothes. Let’s say you do that every month, times that by twelve. You save four hundred and twenty dollars. That money could be used for a plane ticket.

My second reason, I am very cheap. I do not mind sleeping in hostels. It’s way cheaper than hotels. I paid 8 dollars a night in Miami. If I would had gotten a hotel room, the price would had been 20 times more for one night. Also, another way in being cheap is to use sites that compare plane tickets prices. Websites like Expedia and apps like Skyscanner are great at comparing prices.

My third reason/tip, I’m careful on what to spend for transportation. I do not rent a car because it is too much. Renting a car on a trip can cost you anywhere from 50 to 120 dollars a day. It is better to use public transportation and/or Uber. Uber will cost you about 15 to 20 dollars one way depending how far your hostel is from the main touristy areas. That is about forty dollars a day. It’s even cheaper if you use public transportation. At most, it would be six to 7 dollars round trip to your destination. I am mainly talking about the USA on prices. Outside you would be different but same idea. Since Uber is pretty much everywhere now.

My last piece of advice is to avoid eating out. Eating out can cost a lot of money in the long-term, so instead of spending a fortune at restaurants, cook and eat at home. By doing this, I save from $100 to $200 dollars a month, that’s $1200 to $2400 a year! Just by eating at home and following these tips, I am able to save enough money to travel and follow my wanderlust.

Thanks for taking your time to read this post. Next week we will be writing about the city of Cairo, Egypt. Have a great week and stay healthy!!

July 21, 2016 4