City of the Week: Chicago, Illinois

Not only was Chicago the only U.S. city to make the list,“Top Ten Cities to Visit in 2009,” by Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel, but this gal’s been based there for over three years now. What better reasons to make Chicago the next city of the week? Lonely Planet sited Chicago’s business, art, architecture, food, music, theater and overall culture as the winning criteria, and stated, “If you want your finger on America’s pulse, don’t head to New York or LA. The heart beats in Chicago.” But, what Lonely Planet didn’t surmise about this beautiful city, is something only a local can communicate; community.

Once upon a time the Chicago community began with Native American tribes (such as the Potawatomi), and later grew to include Africans and Europeans. Today, the community consists of Chinese, Greeks, Irish, Italians, Mexicans, Macedonians, Puerto Ricans, Romanians, Ukrainians, and a robust Polish population with the largest population of Poles [in the world] outside of Warsaw. And, although Chicago’s community includes many more diverse cultures (like me, a Chitown Texan), it’s really Chicago’s celebration of these cultures that makes the city unique to any other.

While visiting, you’ll find many outlets exhibiting the city’s diversity; however, we’ve comprised a list of our favorites:

Chicago Cultural Center, DuSable Museum of African-American History , Chicago History Museum, Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian, Chinatown Museum Foundation, McCormick Freedom Museum, the Polish Museum of America, the Oriental Institute (at University of Chicago), National Museum of Mexican Art, Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies, Swedish American Museum Center, Terra Museum of American Art, Ukrainian National Museum.

As the list is certain to keep you busy for a couple of days, come back Wednesday, when we’ll feature some of our favorite restaurants in Greek Town, Little Italy, and more!

Gabrielle Moves to Los Angeles

As an online travel magazine different from the rest, we pride ourselves in encouraging women to live in the places they are passionate about. And, we especially encourage our writers to do the same. Keeping up with this tradition, our Gal about the Globe, Gabrielle Sinclair has just made her way west to Los Angeles, California. Stay tuned to learn more about her move, life in a new city and more.

We miss you Gabrielle and can't wait to hear about your adventures!

Huelva, Spain's Donana

It is difficult to travel to Spain without making comparisons to my home state, Texas (formerly New Spain). Which is why, I could not write about Huelva or the Province of Huelva without mentioning Donana National Park and Natural Park. Located in the province’s southeast, Donana National Park and Natural Park was named a World Heritage site in 1994, and covers 104,920 hectares.

The unique area sits between the Guadalquivir River, Atlantic Ocean, with marshes, dunes, forest and scrublands making it home to dryland and wetland animals. Ducks, geese, flamingos, eagles, deer, fallow deer, wild boars, mongooses and more populate the area.

Just like Texas, it’s perfect to accommodate Andalucian horses, cattle-raising, farming and ranching, or heading to a nearby beach. Additionally, the “donaneros,” people from surrounding Almonte and Hinojos, preserve the land to hand down to each generation. Just like ranchers (or farmers) in Texas.

Upon every visit to Spain, I’ve frequented flamenco shows, bull fighting, tapas-tastings, and horse shows, often recalling mimicking these traditions back home. But it wasn’t until visiting the various terrains of Spain and Donana that I understood why my ancestors found a home in South Texas.

Huelva, Spain's Costa de La Luz

Huelva’s Costa de La Luz (coast of light) sees more than three thousand hours of sunlight each year. In some places, like where the estuary and marshlands meet River Piedras and the Atlantic Ocean— Flecha del Rompido—you can witness the sun setting twice every evening. Once nearby, and again in the distance, over the Atlantic. From the hill, Cerro de San Cristobal, the twilight stretches through the land’s shadows making the coastline seem closer while the hill climbs on, like a wondrous mountain.

As the province’s Atlantic Coastline features 122 kilometers of white sand beaches (with winding trails of pine groves), it sees zero freezing days per year, making it an excellent base for year-round water activities for northern Europeans.

While the area includes meandering estuaries, marshlands and hills, you’ll also find less-populated beaches than its neighboring Costa del Sol, perhaps because of the sinuous driving inconvenience, or perhaps because of the controlled development of land within 1 Km of the coast. Either way, you’ll find a few virgin beaches for a quiet romantic getaway, with several populated beaches at the town, Punta Umbria and in Ayamonte—Isla Cristina. The town Lepe includes Nueva Umbria Beach and La Flecha de El Rompido (note: nude sunbathers here). Also consider fishing and golfing in the towns of Ayamonte or Lepe. We also recommend visiting the fish markets!

Gal about the Globe hopes you consider this less-touristy area. It really was amusing to walk through thick dunes growing a sporadic cactus and tree, only to find a clean, quiet beach beyond its horizon.