Lost Hotels Blog

Falefa Bay, Samoa #comingsoon to #losthotels #design your #ultimate #honeymoon #experience #love #lostandlovingit #in #samoa #delicious #hungryformore #instagood #huge #photooftheday #instamood #instatravel #picoftheday #beautiful #bestoftheday #bestbelieve #learn #travel #yesplease #enjoy

Culture Sundays Today: The Great Barrier Reef The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,600 kilometres (1,600 mi) over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres (133,000 sq mi). The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms. This reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps. It supports a wide diversity of life and was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981. CNN labeled it one of the seven natural wonders of the world. The Queensland National Trust named it a state icon of Queensland. #comingsoon to #losthotels #design your #ultimate #honeymoon #experience #love #lostandlovingit #in #delicious #hungryformore #instagood #huge #photooftheday #instamood #instatravel #picoftheday #beautiful #bestoftheday #bestbelieve #learn #travel #yesplease #enjoy

Culture Sundays Today: Amazing Moms of the Animal Kingdom Giant Pacific Octopus A female octopus has only one goal: to have one successful brood of eggs in her lifetime. She will lay about 200,000 eggs in her lair and defend them at any cost. During the one month of caring for her eggs, the female is starved almost to death and may even ingest one of her own arms before she will leave her eggs for food. Once the eggs hatch, the offspring float around in blooms of plankton while their mother wanders out of her lair, too weak to defend herself, often falling prey to predators. #comingsoon to #losthotels #design your #ultimate #honeymoon #experience #love #lostandlovingit #delicious #hungryformore #instagood #huge #photooftheday #instamood #instatravel #picoftheday #beautiful #bestoftheday #bestbelieve #learn #travel #yesplease #enjoy #culturesundays #happymothersday #amazing #mom

Culture Sundays Today: History of Cinco de Mayo - via @history_channel Cinco de Mayo—or the fifth of May—commemorates the Mexican army's 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War (1861-1867). A relatively minor holiday in Mexico, in the United States Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with large Mexican-American populations. Cinco de Mayo traditions include parades, mariachi music performances and street festivals in cities and towns across Mexico and the United States. In 1861 the liberal Mexican Benito Juárez (1806-1872) became president of a country in financial ruin, and he was forced to default on his debts to European governments. In response, France, Britain and Spain sent naval forces to Veracruz to demand reimbursement. Britain and Spain negotiated with Mexico and withdrew, but France, ruled by Napoleon III (1808-1873), decided to use the opportunity to carve a dependent empire out of Mexican territory. Late in 1861, a well-armed French fleet stormed Veracruz, landing a large French force and driving President Juárez and his government into retreat. Certain that success would come swiftly, 6,000 French troops under General Charles Latrille de Lorencez (1814-1892) set out to attack Puebla de Los Angeles, a small town in east-central Mexico. From his new headquarters in the north, Juárez rounded up a rag-tag force of 2,000 loyal men—many of them either indigenous Mexicans or of mixed ancestry—and sent them to Puebla. Led by Texas-born General Ignacio Zaragoza (1829-1862), the vastly outnumbered and poorly supplied Mexicans fortified the town and prepared for the French assault. On May 5, 1862, Lorencez drew his army, well provisioned and supported by heavy artillery, before the city of Puebla and led an assault from the north. The battle lasted from daybreak to early evening, and when the French finally retreated they had lost nearly 500 soldiers. Fewer than 100 Mexicans had been killed in the clash. Although not a major strategic win in the overall war against the French, Zaragoza's success at Puebla represented a great symbolic victory for the Mexican government and bolstered the resistance movement. Six years later—thanks in part to military support and political pressure from the United States, which was finally in a position to aid its besieged neighbor after the end of the Civil War—France withdrew. The same year, Austrian Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, who had been installed as emperor of Mexico by Napoleon in 1864, was captured and executed by Juárez's forces. Puebla de Los Angeles was renamed for General Zaragoza, who died of typhoid fever months after his historic triumph there. #comingsoon to #losthotels #design your #ultimate #honeymoon #experience #love #lostandlovingit #in #mexico #delicious #hungryformore #instagood #huge #photooftheday #instamood #instatravel #picoftheday #beautiful #bestoftheday #bestbelieve #learn #travel #yesplease #enjoy #culturesundays #cincodemayo

Culture Sundays Today: The Great Blue Hole The Great Blue Hole is a large submarine sinkhole off the coast of Belize. It lies near the center of Lighthouse Reef, a small atoll 70 km (43 mi) from the mainland and Belize City. The hole is circular in shape, over 300 m (984 ft) across and 124 m (407 ft) deep. It was formed during several episodes of quaternary glaciation when sea levels were much lower. Analysis of stalactites found in the Great Blue Hole shows that formation took place 153,000, 66,000, 60,000, and 15,000 years ago. As the ocean began to rise again, the caves were flooded. The Great Blue Hole is a part of the larger Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, a World Heritage Site of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

This is how we navigate!! #comingsoon to #losthotels #design your #ultimate #honeymoon #experience #love #lostandlovingit #in #colombia #delicious #hungryformore #instagood #huge #photooftheday #instamood #instatravel #picoftheday #beautiful #bestoftheday #bestbelieve #learn #travel #yesplease #enjoy

Culture Sundays Today: The food of Vietnam As in many of the neighboring countries, a Vietnamese meal is rarely divided into courses. All the food is served at once and shared from common dishes. Meals are anchored by a starch, usually rice and sometimes noodles (especially in the north where grain is more prevalent than rice). The Vietnamese prefer long-grain rice to the glutinous short grain varieties preferred by northern Thai and Japanese palates. Most meals include a soup, a stir-fry, and another main dish. Often, a light salad with shrimp or beef and vegetables will accompany the meal. Vietnamese cooking is generally not as rich or heavy as the coconut milk curries of, say, Thailand or India. All that coastline means that fish and seafood are central to the diet. Other meats -- pork, beef, and chicken -- are also common, but in smaller quantities. Vegetables are often left raw, especially in the south, to act as a fresh contrast to the spicy cooked meat. The distinct flavors of Vietnamese food come primarily from: mint leaves, coriander, lemon grass, shrimp, fish sauces (nuoc nam and nuoc cham), star anise, ginger, black pepper, garlic, basil, rice vinegar, sugar, and green onions. Many flavorful marinades are made by some combination of these flavorings. Marinated meat or fish is quickly sautéed in the wok and served with an array of raw vegetables and herbs. All this may be eaten over rice or rolled in a rice-paper wrapper or lettuce leaf (or both), then dipped into a pungent sauce. #comingsoon to #losthotels #design your #ultimate #honeymoon #experience #love #lostandlovingit #in #vietnam #delicious #asia #streetfood #hungryformore #instagood #huge #photooftheday #instamood #instatravel #picoftheday #beautiful #bestoftheday #bestbelieve #learn #travel #yesplease #enjoy #culturesundays

This 'ill do... #comingsoon to #losthotels #design your #ultimate #honeymoon #experience #love #lostandlovingit #in #mexico #bajacalifornia #delicious #hungryformore #instagood #huge #photooftheday #instamood #instatravel #picoftheday #beautiful #bestoftheday #bestbelieve #learn #travel #yesplease #enjoy

Culture Sundays Today: The Kogi People of Colombia The Kogi translated "jaguar" in the Kogi language, are an Indigenous ethnic group that lives in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia. Their civilization has continued since the Pre-Columbian era. The Kogi are descendants of the Tairona culture, which flourished before the times of the Spanish conquest. The Tairona were an advanced civilization which built many stone structures and pathways in the jungles. They made many gold objects which they would hang from trees and around their necks. They lived not much more differently than the modern day Kogi do today. Before the Spanish conquistadors arrived, the Tairona were forced to move into the highlands when the Caribs invaded around 1000 CE. Threatened by dogs and soldiers alike, the Tairona remained in isolation. Regardless, many priests were hanged, women were stolen and raped, and children where forced to accept Spanish education. Later missionaries came and also began to influence their way of life building chapels and churches amidst their villages to train and convert the locals. In the years since, the Kogi have remained in their home in the mountains which allows them to escape the worst effects of colonization and aids them in preserving their traditional way of life. #comingsoon to #losthotels #design your #ultimate #honeymoon #experience #love #lostandlovingit #in #colombia #delicious #culturesundays #kogi #hungryformore #instagood #huge #photooftheday #instamood #instatravel #picoftheday #beautiful #bestoftheday #believe #learn #travel #yesplease #enjoy

Gem in the desert #comingsoon to #losthotels #design your #ultimate #honeymoon #experience #love #lostandlovingit #in #chile #atacama #desert #delicious #hungryformore #instagood #huge #photooftheday #instamood #instatravel #picoftheday #beautiful #bestoftheday #believe #learn #live #travel #yesplease #enjoy

Ice Ice Baby #comingsoon to #losthotels #design your #ultimate #honeymoon #experience #love #lostandlovingit #in # Finland #delicious #europe #hungryformore #igloo #village #instagood #huge #photooftheday #instamood #instatravel #picoftheday #beautiful #bestoftheday #believe #learn #travel #yesplease #enjoy

This pool makes us want to dip right in!! #comingsoon to #losthotels #design your #ultimate #honeymoon #experience #love #lostandlovingit #in #bali #delicious #asia #hungryformore #instagood #huge #photooftheday #instamood #instatravel #picoftheday #beautiful #bestoftheday #believe #learn #travel #yesplease #enjoy

The road is life... #comingsoon to #losthotels #design your #ultimate #honeymoon #experience #love #lostandlovingit #delicious #hungryformore #instagood #huge #photooftheday #instamood #instatravel #picoftheday #beautiful #bestoftheday #believe #learn #travel #yesplease #enjoy

Culture Sundays Todays Recipe: Tortilla Soup #comingsoon to #losthotels #design your #ultimate #honeymoon #experience #love #lostandlovingit #in #mexico #delicious #hungryformore #instagood #huge #photooftheday #instamood #instatravel #picoftheday #beautiful #bestoftheday #believe #learn #travel #yesplease #enjoy Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 red pepper, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon cumin pinch of cayenne pepper 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 32 ounces low-sodium chicken stock 4 ounce can of green chilis 1/3 cup red enchilada sauce 1/4 cup sour cream For Garnish: whole wheat tortillas/tortilla strips, toasted in the oven sour cream or greek yogurt shredded cheddar/monterey jack cheese avocado lime slices fresh cilantro Directions: In a large pot add olive oil and heat on medium heat. Add onion and pepper and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sprinkle in cumin and cayenne and stir. If using chicken, cut into small chunks, season with salt and pepper, and add to onions and peppers. Brown on each side, about 8 minutes total. You can also use pre-cooked, shredded chicken and add it in at this time, just proceed to the next step. Pour in chicken stock, chilis and enchilada sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer for 30 minutes (or longer if you want). Right before serving, stir in sour cream. Serve with tortilla strips, avocado, cheese, sour cream and lime.

Interact with the locals and learn from them... #comingsoon to #losthotels #design your #ultimate #honeymoon #experience #love #lostandlovingit #in #vietnam #delicious #asia #hungryformore #instagood #huge #photooftheday #instamood #instatravel #picoftheday #beautiful #bestoftheday #believe #learn #travel #yesplease #enjoy #mantrabits

Camping in Tanzania #comingsoon to #losthotels #design your #ultimate #honeymoon #experience #love #lostandlovingit #in #tanzania #delicious #hungryformore #instagood #huge #photooftheday #instamood #instatravel #picoftheday #beautiful #bestoftheday #believe #learn #travel #yesplease #enjoy

Culture Sundays Today's recipe: Fried Vermicelli, Xiamen Style #comingsoon to #losthotels #design your #ultimate #honeymoon #experience #love #lostandlovingit #in #malaysia #delicious #asia #hungryformore #instagood #huge #photooftheday #instamood #instatravel #picoftheday #beautiful #bestoftheday #travel #yesplease #enjoy Ingredients: 4 tablespoons oil 1/2 pack of Vermicelli/Bee Hoon, soaked in luke warm water to soften them first Some chicken breast meat (cut into thin strips) 6 shrimp (shelled and deveined) 2 stalks of scallion (cut into 2″ length) Some cabbages (julienned) 1/2 small carrot, peeled and cut into thin strips 2 cloves garlic (chopped) 2 teaspoons of light soy sauce 1 teaspoon of oyster sauce 1/2 teaspoon of dark soy sauce 1/2 teaspoon of sugar A dash of white pepper powder A dash of sesame oil Method: Heat up the wok until it starts smoking. Pour in the cooking oil and wait for it to be fully heated. Add in the chopped garlic and quickly stir a few times, then follow by chicken strips, shrimp, julienned cabbages, and carrot strips. Stir and mix the ingredients well with the garlic until you smell the aroma from the ingredients. Add the vermicelli, soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, chopped scallions and stir fry vigorously over high heat. Just when the vermicelli starts to burn, add in a dash of white pepper powder and sesame oil, stir for 1 minute. Serve immediately.