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In the heart of Morne Trois Pitons National Park bubbles this deep, flooded fumarole—the second-largest of its kind in the world. The hike to this dramatic, blue-grey cauldron traverses steep, rain-forested river valleys and skirts around mudpots veiled in steam. The 8.1-mile roundtrip is best navigated with a local guide. Heed trail closures and never swim in the lake. The temperature occasionally drops, but scalding water and harmful gases could erupt at any time with no warning.

Look out Las Vegas, Coco Bongo is in town. This wild dance club, in the heart of Cancun’s hotel zone, is packed with live shows—everything from faux Queen or Madonna to bar-top conga lines and airborne acrobats. Make sure to bring your dancing shoes because salsa, trance, rave, and hip-hop bands will have you jiving amid bubbles and streamers galore. The party starts around 10:30 and there is no seating, so be prepared to stand—or dance—until the wee hours of the morning. The entrance fee includes an open bar.

The sun sets over Istanbul as I am coated head to toe with aromatic clay and served fresh fruit sprinkled with pistachios under the heavenly dome of a 457 year old hamam. Tenderly, my attendant washes me before lathering my body with olive oil soap and encasing me in a plume of ticklish bubbles. Like a mother to a child, she washes me again as the call to pray of the Blue Mosque and Aya Sophia echo outside. This is ‘life’ at the Aya Sophia Hurrem Sultan Hamami. The hamam is named after the famous 16th-century Ottoman icon Hurrem, or Roxolana as she is also known. Hurrem went from slave girl to favored concubine, to legal wife of the most popular Sultan Suleiman. She gave birth to princes and princess and greatly influenced the politics of the Ottoman Empire. The hamam was built by Ottoman architect, Mimar Sinan to honor her in 1556. It is nestled between the Blue Mosque and Aya Sophia. The hamam offers 5 star packages with 5 star services that leave you completely blissed out. I had the uber-relaxing 90 minute Ab-I Hayat Package consisting of wash, body mask, scrub, bubbles and 40 minute oil massage. Whilst other hamams are cheaper, you won’t be disappointed here. Private changing rooms and massage rooms, golden bath bowls, silk and cotton towels, tasty blackberry sherbet drink—the personalized service is truly special. With the motto, “Some rituals never die” the hamam’s luxuries will leave you feeling like Sultan Hurrem herself.

Northern Spain isn’t nearly as popular as the south among foreign visitors (if you discount the El Camino de Santiago), but for my money the north provides a more pleasurable experience. The mountainous terrain is spectacular, the food in every town we visited is splendid, the beer scene is surprisingly bubbly, and the quaint fishing villages, like quiet Comillas, provide respite from the hustle and bustle of big centers like Barca and Madrid. Comillas, scene here from the hills surrounding gorgeous Pontificial University, features an excellent beach, dozens of neat cafes in an ancient town center, and El Capricho, a building designed by famed Antoni Gaudí.

Located in the northern mountain ranges of Dominica, Morne Diablotin National Park was established primarily to protect the habitat of the endangered sisserou parrot. Spanning 8,242 acres, the park is also home to Dominica’s highest peak, which looms at an impressive 4,747 feet. While the active volcano still keeps hot springs bubbling, its higher elevations are constantly swathed in cool mist, along with cloud forest moss, ferns, and spindly trees. Start your exploration on the Syndicate Natural Trail, which winds through tropical rain forest and serves as a prime birding location.

It should come as no surprise that Seattle has an umbrella boutique downtown. What might be a surprise is the fact that you can rent umbrellas by the day (and that a single day’s rental might be what you were expecting to pay to purchase one outright). Fanciful, elaborate umbrellas with layers of brightly colored ruffles, asymmetrical shapes, and unique prints hang from the ceiling in an eye-catching display that’s worth stopping in just to see. For a sunny day, a lightweight paper parasol might be just the thing for portable shade (though you’ll find them cheaper in the International District). Locals tote the clear plastic “bubble” umbrella, which has a hemispherical shape to offer more coverage and a transparent material so you won’t sacrifice visibility.

Rustic elegance is the order of the day at La Champagnerie, a champagne-only bar in Old Montreal. Between the delicious cocktails, heaven-sent food, and exposed brick walls of this historic building, the drinking experience will be memorable. The menu features over 50 different brands of bubbly (including real champagne, cava, and prosecco) and a very entertaining sabering act, as well as brie poutine and oysters. Contrary to popular belief, la Champagnerie isn’t that expensive. Yes, there is the odd $500+ bottle, but visitors can easily enjoy a meal and a cocktail or two without needing to remortgage their house. A very nice way to spend an evening, if you ask me—champagne, Old Montreal, and good music. Santé!

San Francisco’s seven hills and extensive coastline offer plenty of impressive views; why not enjoy them with a delicious meal or bubbly drink? The Burger Bar on the top floor of Macy’s and the Rotunda at Neiman Marcus overlook Union Square. Bay-side eateries like Epic Roasthouse offer travelers water views, while the Cliff House (shown) and the Beach Chalet are right on top of Ocean Beach. To see the city glittering at night, visit the Top of the Mark bar at the Intercontinental Mark Hopkins Hotel or the Americano at the Hotel Vitale, in full view of the Bay Bridge’s Bay Lights.

Located in Leslieville in the East End, Swirl is in a small, converted apartment above a dog store in Leslieville. I love the decor here, from the tables made from doors or antique sewing machine bases to the artwork by local artists FAME. It’s a tiny place but it packs a punch. There’s no kitchen, so they have these amazing appetizers and desserts preserved in small Mason jars. Wine prices are affordable (and they have about three beers available now). On top of all of that, they host theme nights. For instance, you can watch Mad Men whilst sampling accurate cocktails from the era; board game nights; bubbly nights; and cinema Sundays. Suffice it to say, it’s one of my favorites. Warning: it’s tiny in here. Not meant for a big group, but perfect for a date.

Taiwanese-style shaved ice desserts (known as “bao-bing” in Chinese) consist of large bowls of finely shaved ice topped with a variety of sweets, including condensed milk, beans, jellies, and fresh fruit. For fifteen years, Ice Monster was a tiny open storefront hawking mango shaved ice on Taipei’s famous foodie destination, Yongkang Street. Its recent move to the trendy East District includes a thorough re-branding as well as a creative expansion of their menu. Although Ice Monster’s mango shaved ice is still a must-order, non-traditionalists will enjoy digging into their new innovative creations like taro and red-bean milk “avalanches”, or sampling a few of their handmade popsicles. My personal favorite is a tribute to Taipei’s most famous drink: a “deconstructed boba milk tea” made with milk tea shaved ice and served with tapioca “bubbles” on the side. 886/(0)2-8771-3263

In France, sparkling wine isn’t just for special occasions, it’s an everyday luxury. At least that’s what you’ll learn after a sampling of some 130 vintages at Dilettantes, a wine shop/bar specializing in bubbly. The tastings are hosted by one of 25 winemakers and take place in a gorgeous, 17th-century vaulted cellar. For a more in-depth course on pairing champagne at different moments of the meal, Dilettantes also offers a private oenology workshop (minimum 8 people) that will leave you well-versed in taste.

Need some boba for bubble tea? Done. Seafood that’s alive and kicking? No problem. Fancy Russian chocolate? Easy. Dragon fruit? Cactus (edible cactus, of course)? Seven different kinds of eggplants? Frying cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano (not the parmesan that comes from anywhere buy Parma), brie, feta? Wine, beer, sake, lychee juice? Japanese curry, Thai curry, Jamaican curry? Wasabi mayonnaise? Lard, blood sausages, chicharrones? Eclairs, honey cake, baklava? You get the point, right? You even get your number one priority when looking for a farmers’ market: laundry detergent. This market has aisles for tons of cuisines, and free samples to boot! Try tacos, rice with furikake, you name it. And that doesn’t tie you over, buy some empanadas or korean sweets to eat on the spot.

A Swiss sojourn wouldn’t be complete with gorging on a plate, or five, of Raclette. For the best, head to the fairytale-esque Château de Villa, which sits on the mountainside in Sierre. Here, the house special consists of five cheeses from surrounding towns, each offering a subtly different flavor. Order it and you’ll get a map showing where each cheese is made, which you can study while your mustachioed waiter heats huge wheels of cheese until they bubble, then scrapes gooey portions onto your plate. Be sure to also order some wine, like the locally made La Petite Arvine, a gentle white that pairs perfectly with Raclette. Afterward, duck into the stunning wine cellar, where a local expert can guide you through Switzerland’s best bottles.

Derick Avenue in Cyrildene on the Eastrand of Johannesburg, is home to a whole host of different Asian run stores and restaurants. It is the new home of the original Chinatown which started in Commissioner Street (Now Albertina Sisulu Street) in Newtown. You can get a good bargain on a whole lot of cheap “Made in China” goodies here and once you’re done shopping you can grab some bubble tea from the corner store at the bottom of Derrick Avenue or rest your weary feet and fill your empty tummy at one of the numerous restaurants along the road. If you get to Cyrildene early, get yourself into a restaurant and have some mid-morning brunch or ‘Yum Cha’ which literally translates to Drink Tea in Cantonese. Don’t be too scared to try out something out of the ordinary, it may be the best thing you’ve ever tasted! Derrick Avenue is also a great place to watch Chinese New Year Celebrations as the whole road is closed off to traffic and vendors come out onto the sidewalks to sell the food and wares.

I have eaten a lot of pizza in my time, but Kesté is different. It’s been been firing up serious, foodie-level delicious pizza on Bleecker Street since 2009. Owner Roberto Caporuscio was born and raised outside Naples, Italy, where he studied the art of pizza making with the masters. His pizzeria has won accolades from national food critics, as well as pizza lovers. The 950-degree oven turns out perfectly-cooked pizzas—with bubbling, chewy, slightly burned crusts—in less than two minutes. The wide-ranging menu covers traditional pizzas, gluten-free options, panini (lunch only), and creative pies, including: Pistacchio e Salsiccia (pistachio pesto, sausage, pecorino romano, homemade buffalo mozzarella, basil); Pizza del Papa (butternut squash cream, red and yellow peppers, zucchini, imported smoked buffalo mozzarella); and Sorrentina (imported smoked buffalo mozzarella, sliced lemons, basil). My favorite is Salciccia e Friarielli (broccoli rabe and sausage with imported smoked mozzarella). The slight bitterness of the greens, the hearty sausage, and the smoky, creamy cheese on their trademark crust smells, looks, and tastes heavenly.