The origins of the New Jersey devil

Been to Jersey so many times. I had family members, friends and former girlfriends who once lived in the Garden State. New Jersey, the place where the New Yorkers and Philadelphians go to live when the city life gets too expensive. I have a lot great memories here. However, I always wondered about the origins of the New Jersey Devil. Well, this post is to spread some information about this mythological creature.

Leeds family home Photo courtesy of https://www.newjerseyhauntedhouses.com/real-haunt/leeds-point-pine-barrens.html

Now the origins of this creature is not something out of a fairy tale. This story is pretty dark and disturbing. So if you get scared easily, you might not want to continue reading.

So, it was all started with a family named Leeds. The Leeds family lived in South Jersey. In a place called the Pine Barrens, a wooded area outside of the Philadelphia metropolitan. A woman of the leeds family had twelve children. In time, she was pregnant with her 13th child. In an angered state, she put a curse on the child before it was born. When the child was born, it came out normal. However, it soon changed into a monster. It’s appearance changed into a creature with a horse like head and a lower half of a goat. The devil stood up straight like a human and it had two wings like a bat. It killed the midwife, then ran off into the wilderness.

The Jersey Devil photo courtesy of https://www.lastpodcastnetwork.com/blog/2018/4/27/episode-314-the-jersey-devil

According to the locals folklure, the origin story has few differentiating details. Some say, the mother of the Devil was a witch. Others say, it was born during a stormy night and during a demonic ritual. It’s even stated that the father of the child might had been the devil himself. All these things are very interesting. The most creepy thing about this that it could be true.

In state records, there was a family that lived in the Pine Barrens. In the state census, it does shows a family with the name Leeds that had twelve children.

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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October 9, 2019 23

The legend of La Llorona

Growing up in California, the Mexican influence is very strong. From having Mexican restaurants in nearly very city in the state, Mexican folklore is very familiar to Californians. One story that we are constantly told as kids is the one of this crying woman. Our Mexican friends usually told us about the story of La llorona.

La llorona Photo courtesy of https://www.mexico.mx/en/articles/horror-stories-the-legend-of-la-llorona

There is a lot variants of this story’s origins. This is a horror story that has been passed down for about 500 years. So, there will always be some details that were changed. For the most commonly told, it’s starts with a beautiful woman named Maria. In reference, I will be sharing the version my friends told me as a kid.

Picture of a beautiful Mexican woman photo courtesy of https://koterohome.com/products/mexican-calendar-girl-by-jesus-helguera

Maria was said to be so beautiful. Her beauty attracted a wealthy rancher. Maria was a very vain woman. She loved attention and being the center of it. This flaw would come back and haunt her.

Eventually, the wealthy rancher and Maria had three children. She loved those kids. After some time, her husband stop paying Maria attention. His focus was more on the ranch and his three children. Maria slowly grew to envy her children.

La llorona photo courtesy of https://www.jeffersonmuncy.com/folklore/llorona?format=amp

One day, Maria saw her husband with his mistress. Lost in rage, she went to her children. Seeing her husband in her children, she took out her anger on them. With her kids, she went to a local river. Drowned each of them, slowly and with cruelty.

After killing her kids, she came back to reality. Maria started to regret what she just did. In guilt, she drowned herself. Now Legend states, her ghost walks rivers of the American Southwest and Mexico looking for children to kill.

This myth brings so much nostalgia to me. It reminds me of the times I spent camping with my friends as a kid. Their parents used to tell us the story of La Llorona so we wouldn’t wander too faraway. Of course, now I do not believe in this story. I just think it was a kid’s horror story. However, as a kid I was truly scared. With all that, still wanted to share this with you all. Next time you are in the southwest usa or mexico, you will be informed in case you hear a woman crying by the river.

Thank you so much for reading! Much love and safe travels! Since it’s October, I will be sharing some American and Latin American folklore.

October 2, 2019 22

What is Santería?

Been reading a lot of misconceptions on this topic. Would to like spread some light on this part of the Cuban culture. It is always good to know about cultures and religions around the world. First of all, I do not practice this culture rich religion nor am I promoting it. I’m just sharing what I know about santería being a Latino of African heritage. Can’t speak about everything in this post because that would take a few books. So bare with me to those who know a lot about this topic. I’m just summarizing it.

Santeros dancing photo courtesy of http://www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/religion-miscellaneous/difference-between-santeria-and-voodoo/

Santería in Latin America is actually very common. A lot of people who practice it now aren’t even hispanic nor of African heritage. This religion is a mixture of Roman Catholicism and Yoruban religions. It’s main language is Lucumí. Native to the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Puerto rico. This language is like Latin to the Catholics and Arabic to Muslims. Lucumí is a langague mixed with west African words and Spanish. It has too many words and grammatical differences to be called a Spanish Creole. It’s a completely different tongue.

Santería store in the usa photo courtesy of http://pluralism.org/religions/afro-caribbean/afro-caribbean-traditions/santeria-the-lucumi-way/

While in Cuba, I did not want to get blessings from a Santero or santera nor wanted to film their ceremonies. I will explain my reasons later. Most people think Santería is about worshiping the devil. Which is one of the misconceptions. In santería, there’s actually no devil. It’s similar to Pre-Christian religions of the Vikings, Romans and Greeks. There are many gods, so it’s not monotheistic like Islam or Christianity.

Changó, The God of lighting photo courtesy of https://www.originalbotanica.com/blog/chango-shango-orisha-santeria/

The main figure of santería is Changó. Changó is the god of lightning, dance and manliness. The dances you see santeros practicing is to please and get blessings from this lighting god. That’s why the marital arts like capoeria and juego de maní focus mainly around dance. Since, Changó is of Yoruban origin. Which is now manly part of Nigeria. I will speak more about this in detail on another post. Since, I could write a whole book about this topic.

Map of where Yoruba is spoken in Africa photo courtesy of https://www.ucl.ac.uk/atlas/yoruba/introduction.html

So, the history of Santería is very interesting. This religion was created by slaves in order to hide the preservation of thier African culture from the Spanish. They used saints from the Catholic church to trick the Spanish into thinking they were practicing Christianity. The mixture of African religions with Catholicism was very common in the Portuguese and Spanish colonies. In the Spanish colonies, Santería was born.

A santera photo courtesy of https://yagbeonilu.com/santeria-rituales/

Being Hispanic of African heritage from the Caribbean, Santería and other African religions are commonly practiced. Some do it in hiding, others are very open about it. I don’t practice santería because I don’t want to bring spirits into my life. As you all can tell, my life is crazy already. Adding spirits will just complicate things. Also, be careful when going to santeros. You don’t always know their true intentions. They could be bringing negative spirits into your life.

Thank you so much for reading! Much love and safe travels everyone.

September 18, 2019 17

Exploring around Caye Caulker, Belize

The majority of my stay in Belize was in Caye Caulker. Caye Caulker is a small island off the coast of Belize. South of San Pedro, the island of Caye Caulker has a very slow attitude towards life. Something that enjoy throughout my time here.

a map of belize, caye caulker is in bold text photo courtesy of https://www.cayecaulker.org/maps/

To get to Caye Caulker, I had to take a ferry from Belize city to the small island’s water taxi station. It was about an hour ride and worth the view. My friend and family back in New York City are probably freezing at the moment. It was beginning of March, still winter in the USA. This Caribbean Island’s temperature was my guilty pleasure. It was crazy to believe a few days ago, I was freezing in Iceland.

Taking the water taxi photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

Once on the island, you can feel the real Caribbean pace. Everything runs slower and more peacefully. Everybody is relaxed and without stress. With the reggae music blasting somewhere in the background, I felt at home. The vibe felt like my childhood. Reminded me of my family members telling thier stories of living in the Caribbean. This atmosphere brought so much nostalgia.

How the homes look like in Caye Caulkers photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

The people of Belize are astounding. They are a mixture of African, Mayan, East Indian, British and Spanish. This combination is so interesting to me. It’s like seeing your Mexican and Guatemalan friends speak English with a Caribbean accent. I almost forgot that Belize is an English speaking country. The only one in Central America. Some families speak Spanish fluently at home. However, it’s usually descendants of Mexicans, Guatemalans immigrants and the local native population. They kept the Spanish language alive by speaking it at home. Most can understand Spanish but, speak it like third generation Hispanics in the USA. It’s somewhat broken.

The reggae cafe photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

Reggae is huge here. It’s so infused with the local culture. Makes sense since, Belize is more culturally similar to the Caribbean island nations. Besides the Mayan roots, the other Central American countries do not have much in common with Belize. The language barrier is a strong influence towards the cultural differences. You all know the reggae cafe was the first place I ate at. The food was so amazing, I just focused on eating. Taking photos slipped my mind.

Caye Caulker’s beaches photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

Started walking around after eating, Caye Caulker is extremely small. You can walk around the whole island in about 40 mins. There weren’t any real cars on the island. Just a few golf carts used for taxis and the occasional small truck delivering food. This is a place, I could see myself retiring. Away from the stress and a way to live like the Caribbean lifestyle should be truly lived.

Thank you for reading. Much love and safe travels!

Ps.. Next week the underwater photos will be in the post. I have been waiting for a while to show you all this!

To start your own adventures, check out the link below.

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July 13, 2019 19

My awkward passthrough of Chicago

Hey, everyone! Decided to change things up this week. Will be talking about my awkward experience in Chicago. Hope you enjoy!

My cousins and I were doing an across country roadtrip. Starting in San Francisco and ending in New York City. Roadtrips are the best bonding moments in my opinion. After many days and hours, we eventually arrived to Chicago.

It was the fourth of July, we were astounded by how many people were outside. Lake Michigan was filled with lively Chicagoans. Even though it was July, you can still feel that cold breeze coming from the Lake. I could see why Chicago’s is nicknamed “The Windy City.”

We went around the tourist sites as fast as possible. We were somewhat rushing at this point to go to a hotel. All of us were tired and smelled bad. We were on a really tight budget. It was either, sleep in a hotel and skip a few meals or sleep in the car in some parking lot, while eating like pigs. We skipped a few meals the before day. So were looking for a hotel with a buffet or at least serviced breakfast.

We eventually found one in boystown. The name itself kind gives off the atmosphere of the neighborhood. It was home to Chicago’s LGBT community. We being open minded, didn’t mind about what community lived in the area. We just wanted a place to sleep for the night. Plus, we grew up in The San Francisco Bay Area. We are used to being around the LGBT community. As we drove to the hotel, my cousin saw a Walgreens. Walgreens in Chicago are like the corner stores Deli in New York City. My cousin to Walgreens because he didn’t want us to be dehydrated.

How the hotel was designed photo courtesy of Chicago Dungeon Rentals

After my cousin bought water bottles from Walgreens, we went to this hotel. Once inside, you get the weirdest vibe. Everything was dim lit. There were whips and chains hanging from the wall. Of course, none of this really mattered to us. Because, we just wanted a place to sleep and we were tired.

All of us came to front desk of the hotel. There was a lady with a bright smile standing behind that desk. We told her that we were looking for a room. Her energy was all over the place. Jumping in excitement to help us out. As she was booking our room, she looked at me. The woman then asked my age. Told her I was 17, which I was at that time. Her smile went away. The once bright smile became a stone cold face. She explained to us no one under the age of 18 can stay in this hotel. We all looked at each other and left.

We asked ourselves, “what did we almost get ourselves into?” Three straight cousins almost went and stay a night in some sex dungeon. “What was the lady so excited about?” We wondered, as we were quietly thinking, the whole time in the car. “Did she thought we were going to have a threesome?” These questions were on our mind as we drove to Cleveland. After that experience, we decided to just pig out and find a parking lot to stay the night. One more day of being smelly didn’t matter to us.

Hey, everyone! Thank you for reading! We will be going back to the normal story of my travels. This was just a little flashback, happy pride month to you all!! To our followers who are in the LGBT community. If you are traveling Internationally, please read about how the country’s view is towards the LGBT. Heard of people getting attacked. To everybody else, safe travels as well. Love shines, hate destroys!

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June 22, 2019 28

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

A sprinkle of Icelandic folklore

I don’t usually go into depth with the local folklore of the countries I visit. However, after exploring the lava caves and learning about the elves got me interested. Especially, with the local mythology having to do with the new Marvel movies. Yes, Thor is related to this Island way up North.

Lava cave tour guide telling us about the elves photo courtesy of Hugo Morel

Mythology has never been my strong point. I was always been interested in the mythological adventures and thier characters. Sadly, at a young age I was discouraged to stop reading “fairy tales.” Coming from a Christian household, anything with multiple gods was against the house rules. So, it wasn’t until I was older that I got back into reading folklore.

The awesome thing about Iceland is that it’s a Nordic country. Meaning that it’s culture is similar to Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Yes, Iceland is home to the Vikings. All Nordic cultures share the same gods before christanity arrived. Having the Marvel movies being such a dominant force in Hollywood, the god Thor came to mind.

Being the god of lighting, Thor is claimed to be the protector of humanity. There are many gods like Odin and Loki. So many movies have been made out these gods from the Pre-Christian times. I could write 100’s of posts just on this topic. However to not get off topic, I will focus more on the elves of Iceland.

Icelandic elf photo courtesy of https://www.re.is/blog/the-hidden-people-of-iceland

From what are tour guide told us, Icelanders are obsessed with elves. It’s really engraved in their culture. When something goes missing, they blame it on huldufólk or the hidden people. That’s what the people of iceland call elves.

Hidden people Photo courtesy of https://icelandictimes.com/elves-in-iceland-the-hidden-people/

According to the local folklore, elves live among humans in a parallel universe. Icelanders are told to not throw rocks in fear of hitting one of the hidden people. Some of the Icelandic people truly believe that if you anger the elves/huldufólk, they will get thier revenge on you. By casting spells, damaging your car or causing you to get into a car crash. Not the elves we probably grew up to know and love. These ones are not as kind.

Elf running away Photo courtesy of https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hulduf%C3%B3lk

Of course, not all Icelanders believe in this folklore. Actually, the mass majority believe the hidden people are just stories to scare children. Most believe these fairytales are used to keep children in good behavior. Looks like the locals are not fooled by the fairy dust. Our tour guide seemed to think otherwise. To me, it’s just another interesting part of the local culture.

Ps. Sorry for that random post that was untitled. Not sure why it was published. Must had a been a glitch with the wordpress application. Thank you all for the continued support!

Thank you for reading. Much love and safe travels!

June 8, 2019 18

Exploring Iceland’s lava caves

After spending some time exploring what was near my hostel, the big event came. Today, I would be exploring a lava cave in Iceland. I was super excited and had no idea what to expect. Rented out water proof clothing because I’m not from the Arctic. So, I had no idea what to wear!

Iceland landscape just outside of Iceland’s lava cave taken by Hugo Morel

The awesome thing about Iceland is all the opportunities for tourists to see it’s natural beauty. The packages are not that expensive; however, they aren’t that cheap neither. This tour costed me about 65 usa dollars. Also, I was very much a tourist on this trip. No regerts!!

Entrance to the lava cave taken by Hugo Morel

It was about a 30 minute drive from Reykjavík. I was so excited and had no idea what to expect. When we got there, we were welcomed with a few openings that lead underground. The scenery was out of this world. Iceland’s landscape is so beautiful. Makes me not miss the city life.

My tour group taken by Hugo Morel

Once inside, you get a smell of rotten eggs. Which come from the lava that made this cave. It’s a lot warmer inside, than it is outside. I went with a group and met fellow Americans. I could tell by thier accent that they were from the south.

The lava cave’s terrian taken by Hugo Morel

The further we went into the cave, the harder it became to stand up straight. The ceiling of the cave dropped to where a normal human adult would have to crouch or crawl. With the uneven flooring, it was rough passing through. One of the Americans I met was 6 foot and 8 inches. He must had a very difficult time.

Icicles taken by Hugo Morel

Occasionally, we would get in the path of these icicles. With the fear of getting one of my eyes poked out, I never looked up. Just focused forward and backwards. It’s super crazy that I was doing this.

We went through the whole cave, up into the point where it was almost impossible for human adults to move around. From what our tour guide told us, in Icelandic culture the tunnels are known for having elves.

The exit of the ice cave taken by Hugo Morel

Learning a little about the folklore made me more interested in the topic. However, that’s another story for a future post.

More Iceland’s landscape outside of the lava cave take by Hugo Morel

Once we got of the lava cave, I was completely excused. I got my workout for the day exploring that cave. Truly an experience that I will never forget. Make sure add this adventure to your itinerary, when in Iceland.

To start your own adventures, check out the link below.

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May 18, 2019 24

Meeting up with friends in little Africa, Paris: seeing the hidden ugliness

After that wonderful night of strolling through Paris, the morning after was hard. The time difference really messed me up. It was like getting up at midnight my time. Well, still had to fight through it. One of the down sides of constant travel, your body has to get used to the time zone changes. If it doesn’t, you are in for a rude awakening.

Farmer’s market in little Africa Taken by Hugo Morel

Walking like a zombie, I met up with my local friends. They wanted to show me around little Africa in Paris. One of my friends was half Senegalese and half french. So, she promised to show me how the Senegalese eat their food. Of course, we ended meeting up at the local KFC. Since that’s what the French think about Americans. McDonald’s and KFC are jokingly claimed as the American embassies.

Another shot of the farmer’s market taken by Hugo Morel

As we were on our way to find the Senegalese restaurant, they showed me the real life of immigrants in Paris. Paris is not a nice place to live, if you are from one of the former French colonies. Life is rough in Paris. They told me employment is difficult for immigrants. Got to see a side of Paris, not many tourists have access to.

Little Africa logo brought to you by google

Now, as we were going toward the restaurant, we finally came across some American posters. In Paris, people want to speak English like they do in Wall Street, New York City. If they only knew, how little English is spoken there and how many curse words are used instead. This experience was such an awesome culture exchange. They got to learn about the USA and I was exposed to a new side of the french capital.

The poster I was mistaken as a racist advertisement taken by Hugo Morel

We started walking towards the Senegalese restaurant and we noticed this poster. At first we were mistaken at the time as it being a black face racist advertisement. I was corrected. However, I still noticed the undertone racism that goes on in France. It was like connecting the dots. For a country that has only one race, you can’t help but notice the hypocrisy. Inequality, still goes on strongly here. Even, if “race” is just the human race in France on paper. From the gypsies to the immigrants of the former french colonies, people are discriminated. Hope one day, people can stop seeing the differences and end discrimination. We can all learn from each other and help build a better world for the next generation. That’s my wish for humanity. This is why I encourage others to travel. You will learn to understand others different to you. Eventually, you will learn to love humanity. Even, if we are very flawed.

Ps. We never got to eat at the Senegalese restaurant. It was opened when called them but closed, when we got there. According to my half Senegalese friend, they didn’t feel like being open on a Sunday. 😆 Apparently, Senegalese people change their minds like race cars change tires. She did warned me though.

Thank you for reading. Much love and safe travels!

To start your own adventures, check out the link below.

April 27, 2019 16

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