Ric

About Ric Gazarian

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So far Ric Gazarian has created 510 blog entries.

Is The Magic Gone In Travel?

By |2021-04-15T22:42:48-05:00October 10th, 2014|Categories: Advice|

Has travel lost its magic? What happened to discovery and kismet and awe? Are there no surprises left? I strolled down Peace Avenue, the main thoroughfare, in Ulaan Batar, it was cool yet sunny. My black Columbia jacket was zipped up to my chin. One eye rested on Google Maps on my iPhone, the other on [...]

The Nobel Peace Prize – In Honor Of Malala

By |2020-03-30T07:45:40-05:00October 10th, 2014|Categories: Europe|

Arguably the most renowned prize in the world, the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded annually since 1901 for that person(s) or organization who "done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses. ” Alfred Nobel, the [...]

Svalbard – Northern Most Settlers In The World

By |2024-06-17T21:25:08-05:00October 8th, 2014|Categories: Europe, Off The Beaten Path|Tags: |

Svalbard, an isolated Norwegian island, is found in the Arctic Ocean between 74 and 81 degrees north latitude. During the summer the sun does not set for 99 days and darkness reigns for 84 days in the winter. The approximate 3,000 people that call Svalbard their home are considered the northern most settlements in the world.   [...]

Smuggling Cartons of Cigarettes Into Syria

By |2021-04-16T13:46:17-05:00October 7th, 2014|Categories: Asia, Unique Experiences|Tags: , |

My plan was to enter Syria via a land crossing from Jordan by getting a visa-on-arrival at the border. A pound of pistachios. Check. Two cokes. Check.  My fingers strolled through my worn Lonely Planet Middle East guide. I was in the midst of a multi-week trip covering a majority of the region. It was 2009, [...]

Sirius Sledge Patrol In Greenland

By |2021-04-12T14:49:45-05:00September 29th, 2014|Categories: Europe|

The Sirius Sledge Patrol  is part of the Danish military, created in 1950. I stood in the North East Greenland National Park. A shrill wind ripped through me, chilling me.   Behind an old trapper’s hut stood a pristine and sturdy storage locker. A pale yellow sign with a crown stated Danish Defence Property. What was the [...]

Superlatives In Armenia

By |2021-04-16T15:12:17-05:00September 13th, 2014|Categories: Europe, Must-See|Tags: , , , , , , , |

We all love superlatives. Biggest, tallest, fastest. Armenia located in the South Caucacus can lay claim to several historic superlatives. Scientists discovered the oldest shoe ever documented, clocking in over 5,500 years ago. This right-footed shoe was found in a cave preserved in sheep dung and fabricated from tanned cowhide. In 2011, archaeologists discovered the world’s [...]

Is Etihad Airlines A Fraud?

By |2019-05-25T11:26:47-05:00September 3rd, 2014|Categories: Advice, Asia|

I will be providing an analysis of Etihad Airline's alliance, which some might consider to be a fraud.  I will be also sharing my experience with their awful customer service. I have slogged through 16 years of being an “elite” flier on United Airlines. I have racked up over 1,400,000 plus miles. It hasn’t been easy. [...]

Singapore Redux

By |2019-07-13T11:19:47-05:00August 20th, 2014|Categories: Asia, Off The Beaten Path|Tags: , , , , , , |

Singapore is an incredibly successful country on the southern tip of Malaysia. Over 5 million people are packed into this compact area. It is a veritable smorgasbord of ethnicities, languages and religions. For instance, Singapore recognizes four languages: English, Malay, Tamil, and Mandarin. Singapore is the model of a successful free market economy, rated in 2013 [...]

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