Globetrotting Vacations LLC

On day 5 in Mendoza, Argentina we participated in an empanada cooking class. They are a lot harder to make than I thought they would be!
After the class, we had a delicious lunch and were able to rest until our last dinner in Mendoza. Sergio and Carolina, the owners of Serca Wines hosted us at their beautiful home located in the Vines of Mendoza for a traditional Argentinian barbecue. Other wine makers also attended the festivities. The food and wine was delicious and it was a fun time had by all!

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Day 4 in Mendoza started with a wine tasting at , probably the most famous winery most are accustomed to seeing in grocery stores. After the tasting, we went to lunch at .lagarde, a Michelin starred restaurant. The chef is only 30 years old and has already achieved so much. We took a small break and then headed to dinner for a three course dinner and a tango show.

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Day 2 in Uco Valley in Mendoza, Argentina was a favorite of the group. We participated in the harvesting of the grapes
We were separated into teams for a little competition. We cut the grapes from the vines, making sure no leaves were in the crates as this would disqualify us. We had 15 minutes to fill three crates. Sounds easy, right? It’s hard work whether bending over or squatting in the sun while trying to beat the other team. After our work, we were rewarded with a glass of Rosé.
After the harvesting, we were taken to a warehouse to pick out leaves, stems and bad grapes from bunches moving down a conveyor belt. For a little bit of fun, we were able to do some grape stomping in large buckets. Our final activity of the day was to create a red blend from three different red wines (Cabernet Franc, Malbec & Merlot). We got to work figuring out percentages using a beaker and filling our bottle. The wine maker did a blind taste test and our bottle was chosen over the other team.
After our hard work, we were treated to a beautiful lunch, wine tour and tasting .
after our very long lunch, we went to to participate in a blind tasting. While there, we had a little fun in the barrels.
To end the day, we had a lovely dinner at Rope located in

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From Santiago, Chile we flew 45 minutes to Mendoza, Argentina, the heart of Argentina’s wine country. We landed at the tiny Mendoza airport and the first thing we noticed was wine barrels and advertisements for red meat everywhere. We knew this was going to be a great trip.
We met up with our small group tour that was hosted by , an Argentinian tasting room based in Houston, Texas.
Surrounded by the Andes Mountains, we sampled wine nonstop and ate delicious foods along the way. We stayed in the Uco Valley, an hour and half from Mendoza airport and is considered one of the top wine regions in Mendoza. We stayed in an adorable resort called, that traditional hotel rooms as well as tiny home structures perfect for singles or couples.
On our first day, we had a wonderful tasting at then we headed to for a delicious lunch and more wine. For dinner, we went to 7 Fuegos for a very heavy meal of red meat and more wine.

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Santiago, Chile is a metropolitan city full of restaurants, nightlife and activities. Sitting 1,700 feet above sea level and surrounded by the Andes Mountains, this city doesn’t disappoint. We felt very safe walking around during the day, but at night it’s best to take Ubers everywhere for safety reasons. We participated in a walking food tour which gave us a great education on traditional Chilean food. We stayed in the Providencia neighborhood where many western hotels are located with easy access to attractions.
Pro tip: visit Barrio Italia neighborhood for local, delicious restaurants and bars.

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Very much of a late post! I traveled to Mexico City or CDMX as it’s often called for a 40th birthday party in August. The first night we went to Mexican wrestling called, Luche Libre. We started at a private home and was able to meet a professional wrestler. The hosts provided fabulous food and drinks. After learning about the wrestler’s life, we headed to the stadium for great fun!
The following day we went on a food tour with . This was my 2nd time participating on this food tour, everything was so delicious…from tacos to pulque it was a great experience.
We spent a lot time walking the city trying different restaurants or hanging out on the rooftop of listening to the DJ. Our neighborhood we stayed in is called Condesa and has become my favorite neighborhood in CDMX.

The last stop on our tour was Fethiye, Turkey. This area is known as the Turkish Riviera and it truly was quite the gem to visit. The water was crystal clear and the perfect temperature. We spent all day at the beach on our second to last day at the beautiful and our final day we got to enjoy a traditional Turkish yacht called a gulet. It was a perfect end to a wonderful trip.

The next stop on our group tour was to Izmir. We walked down to the harbor and had a delicious feast of fresh fish. The following day we went to Ephesus.

We stayed at a very posh, famous cave hotel in Cappadocia called . It’s very well known by social media influencers and celebrities. One of the best hotels to stay in Cappadocia.
Upon our departure from Cappadocia, we visited the Pasabag Valley. This valley is well known for the fairy chimneys, natural rock formations.

Balloons, balloons, balloons! Cappadocia is rated the best in the world for hot air balloons. The excursion departs at 5am because the wind is the calmest at sunrise. However, the tour can be canceled due to weather issues. Our balloon ride was canceled but the amazing tour company went above and beyond to get us an excursion the following day.

Cappadocia for the win! The topography is incredibly beautiful here. We visited the Kaymakli Underground City and Göreme Open Air Museum.

It has been a whirlwind couple of days in Istanbul. Our large group visited the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia, Basilica Cistern, yachting on the Bosphorus to ending with the Grand Bazaar. We had the most amazing guide who knew so much about the history of Istanbul and was truly accommodating for our every need.

In a few short hours I will be heading to the airport in Houston for my 11-day trip to Turkey. I will be escorting a 20 person tour to Istanbul, Cappadocia, Izmir and Fethiye. I will have the honor to attend a Turkish wedding in Cappadocia which will be a true delight. With the help of , I would not have been able to plan this trip without their help. I will be posting daily here of the adventures to come.

𝐼𝓃𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓃𝒶𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃𝒶𝓁 𝐿𝒾𝑜𝓃 𝒟𝒶𝓎
I took these photos in Kenya last year in the Tsavo National Park. I have never been more terrified and excited at the same time viewing these beautiful and powerful animals.
Here are some fun facts about lions:
There are only 20,000 lions left in the wild.
Lions are the only cats that live in groups called a pride.
Female lions or lionesses are the main hunters while the male lions guard the territory and the young.
A lion's roar can be heard up to 5 miles away.
Simba in Swahili, an African language, translates to lion.

𝘽𝙍𝙀𝘼𝙆𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎!!
Starting Sunday, June 12th, travelers will no longer have to test for Covid-19 before their departure flight to the United States. This will help alleviate so much stress for travel advisors and clients alike.

Globetrotting Vacations LLC updated their address.

It’s beginning to look like Christmas !

Another convenient offering of the JL Bar Ranch - it has a fully functional FBO airport so you can bring your private plane.

Imagine sitting by the pool with a drink or work on your putting game while the rest of the family can do other activities around the ranch.

I just checked into my beautiful cabin at The JL Bar Ranch and Spa located in Sonora, TX. Spanning 13,000 acres, this ranch offers a 5-star luxury destination. The property offers a private airport, world-class hunting, a 5-star spa and a state-of-the-art music recoding studio. With many activities such as horseback riding, ATV/UTV riding, s***t shooting and wine tasting, you will not get bored.