Author Archives: jimboyce44

Qasr al Hosn Festival, Abu Dhabi

The Qasr Al Hosn Festival in Abu Dhabi is a wonderful 11 day event that celebrates the Heritage of the UAE. The UAE works hard to preserve its cultural Heritage. Before oil in the 60s, life was hard living in the desert. Fishing, the pearl industry and dates are a big part of that history.Continue reading “Qasr al Hosn Festival, Abu Dhabi”

Iftar at Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Abu Dhabi with my father-in-law

One of the things I miss most about Abu Dhabi is the month of Ramadan and the nightly iftars. I will not go into great detail about Ramadan here, but it is the month of fasting for all muslims. The timing of the month changes by about 11 days per year if I am notContinue reading “Iftar at Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Abu Dhabi with my father-in-law”

Tbilisi and Borjomi, Georgia

Looking back on our trip to Georgia (the country), I can’t help but think we were pretty brave to take our four month old twins on such a trip. It is like a military maneuver. Milk, bottles, diapers, double stroller and much more. An hour taxi ride to the airport, 3 hours waiting in theContinue reading “Tbilisi and Borjomi, Georgia”

Chengdu, China

My trip to Chengdu was one of those serendipitous things that occur in life. I was turning 60 and wanted to travel to celebrate. I had some frequent flier miles available on Etihad Airlines, so I searched what destinations I could reach with the miles I had. The only place that fit exactly was Chengdu,Continue reading “Chengdu, China”

Robbed in Santo Domingo

So finally I was going somewhere out of town since Covid 19 hit. I took a bus to the Capitol, Santo Domingo and was waiting in the office area to board the bus. It was a little strange to be on the road, but I was hoping it would be another positive travel experience. IContinue reading “Robbed in Santo Domingo”

San Francisco de Macoris to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic on Caribe Tours Bus

Today I am actually traveling. Hard to believe and a bit unsettling. The bus allows us to use about half of the seats and we are all wearing masks. I got a ride to the bus station at 530 AM on the back of Piru’s motorcycle. Something invigorating about feeling the cool of the morningContinue reading “San Francisco de Macoris to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic on Caribe Tours Bus”

Baku, Azerbaijan

Dedicated to my friend Nihad in Baku. Thank you for your friendship. Baku, Azerbaijan was a trip that completely surprised me. Living in Abu Dhabi, I had always looked at Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia as inexpensive, close by locations that I could travel to. All three are in the shadow of Russia and have someContinue reading “Baku, Azerbaijan”

Mauritius

This post is dedicated to my twins, Aisha Marie Boyce and Robert James Boyce, who are gifts that give every day. They are precious. The summer in Abu Dhabi is unbearably hot, sometimes remaining near 45 degrees C, even hitting 50 (over 120 F). So we were looking for a cooler place where our 15Continue reading “Mauritius”

Seychelles

I am dedicating this entry to my mother and father, who are 90 and 91 years old respectively. They made all this possible. Robert Dale Boyce and Margaret Evelyn Boyce. I had dreamed of going to the Seychelles since I was in my early 20s. That is almost 40 years. The scenery looked like itContinue reading “Seychelles”