Qualities of an Effective Tour Guide

 

Tour Guides pic

Tour Guides
Image: travelblog.viator.com

Certified as a tour guide through the International Tour Management Institute (ITMI), Manuel Marquez, MD, has led groups in California and across the western United States. Manuel Marquez, MD, has also built his skills as a guide through familiarization tours and cruises in North America, Western Europe, Africa, and the Galapagos Islands.

A good tour guide needs to possess not only a love of travel and people but also the ability to make a trip fun and comfortable. Tour guides must be able to communicate clearly with a diverse group of travelers while also presenting information in an enjoyable and digestible manner. A good tour guide is a good storyteller, an engaging performer, and a positive personality that visitors will feel comfortable approaching

In addition, because travelers will want to know about local history and culture as well as the area’s best-kept secrets in restaurants and things to do, the guide must have an in-depth knowledge about the destination. A skilled guide can answer questions informatively as well as graciously, while conveying a personal interest in the material at hand.

Finally, the professional tour guide must be able to interact with travelers respectfully and warmly, regardless of the individual’s culture of origin. A talented guide can communicate in a culturally relevant manner and incorporate the norms to which the travelers are accustomed. This must all take place with an air of professionalism and a level of organization that earns the travelers’ respect.

What to Look For in a Bowling Shoe

Bowling Shoes pic

Bowling Shoes
Image: wardrobeadvice.com

Over the past 25 years, Manuel Marquez, MD, has served as a family physician, a clinical research coordinator for Ventura County Hematology Oncology Specialists, and as a substitute paraeducator for special needs children at the Ventura United School District. In his spare time, Manuel Marquez, MD, participates in various leisure activities, including bowling.

For those looking to take their bowling game to the next level, one of the most common purchases is a pair of bowling shoes because they offer performance and comfort above and beyond the typical rental shoes. But what should one look for in a bowling shoe?

First of all, it’s important to get shoes that correspond with the bowling hand. Right handed bowlers will have a sliding shoe on the left foot and a braking shoe on the right foot – and vice versa for left-handed bowlers. So make sure to get the appropriate shoes to complement your bowling style.

Choose a shoe with a flat bottom on the sliding foot if the goal is to only slide a little. For those who are comfortable with a little more slide action, choose a shoe that has a raised heel on the sliding shoe.

Finally, decided whether increased performance or maximum comfort is the most important attribute you want in the shoe. Athletic bowling shoes are a little more comfortable to wear, but they don’t rank high as performance shoes, as the name would suggest.

What is a Sommelier?

Sommelier pic

Sommelier
Image: winefolly.com

As a fluent English- and Spanish-speaking health care professional in Southern California, Manuel Marquez, MD, has served in a variety of settings, including clinical research coordinator at PMK Medical Group. Outside his professional life, Manuel Marquez, MD, is a wine connoisseur.

When dining at a fine restaurant, you may notice that a member of the staff apart from your server may come to offer you a selection of the available wines. This person is called a sommelier, and his or her job is to be an authority not only on the wines themselves, but also on how each one complements the meal.

A sommelier will be knowledgeable about the vintage and type of grape used in a particular wine, its region of origin, as well as its overall rating. By devoting oneself to this rigorous study, the sommelier is able to help patrons determine the best wines to pair with their dishes – knowledge that goes beyond the simple, “red wine with steak, white wine with fish” tropes.

So the next time you are in a fancy restaurant and the sommelier offers his or her guidance in picking out the perfect wine to pair with your meal, give it a try!

Meryl Streep and Michelle Obama Travel to Africa for Girls’ Rights

 

Meryl Streep and Michelle Obama pic

Meryl Streep and Michelle Obama
Image: vanityfair.com

A bilingual fluent in both English and Spanish, Manuel Marquez, MD was a Southern California-based health care leader who previously served as a clinical research coordinator at PMK Medical Group. A fan of films, Manuel Marquez, MD list Meryl Streep among his favorite movie actresses.

Meryl Streep is considered by many critics as the greatest living actress. With 19 nominations, she holds the record for most number of Academy Award nominations and has won the golden statuette three times. But it is not only the critics that love her – even President Obama, who honored her with a Medal for Freedom in 2014, proclaimed his admiration for the actress.

Recently, Meryl Streep has accompanied first lady Michelle Obama on a trip to Morocco as part of the Let Girls Learn initiative. In this program, Streep and Mrs. Obama will be discussing the numerous challenges that African women have to deal with on a daily basis, particularly to access to basic education.

This will not be the first time that Michelle Obama and Meryl Streep have worked together, as they teamed up in 2015 to crusade for gender equality in a joint interview for More magazine.

Streep Left Mark on the Set of The Devil Wears Prada

Meryl Streep

After his professional life as a family practice physician, Manuel Marquez, M.D. has worked as a paraeducator for special-needs children in Ventura, California public schools, and as a tour director for Cuba and the national parks of the western United States. Outside his career pursuits, Manuel Marquez, M.D., is a movie buff, and his favorite actress is Meryl Streep.

Lauren Weisberger, the author of The Devil Wears Prada, and screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna, who adapted the novel to the big screen, recently shared their observations about what Meryl Streep was like when at work on the set of the film.

Weisberger recalls that Streep was laser focused on the set, reflecting something of a parallel between the actress and her role as editor Miranda Priestly. While Streep was admittedly warmer than her character, Weisberger said that her interactions with the actress were strictly professional and that Streep was all business on the set.

In her interview with Vanity Fair magazine, McKenna evoked the stark contrast between the Streep she met when the script was first being discussed and the one who showed up on the set. According to McKenna, Streep so deeply threw herself into the role of Miranda Priestly that the screenwriter actually said she found herself somewhat frightened by the extent of Streep’s metamorphosis into the icy cold character.

In addition to the rave critical reviews of her performance, Streep would go on to receive her 14th Oscar nomination for the role.

Two Wine Myths Debunked

Wine Myths pic

Wine Myths
Image: winemag.com

Manuel Marquez, MD, has over 25 years of medical industry experience as a family practitioner, medical executive, and researcher. Outside his professional life, Manuel Marquez, M.D. enjoys a wide variety of leisure pursuits, including as an avid wine enthusiast.

There are almost as many opinions about wine as there are wine connoisseurs. With that said, it shouldn’t be surprising that there are many misconceptions about the age-old beverage. Here are two myths about wine that have been debunked by sommeliers.

Some hold to the notion that the bigger the price tag, the better the wine. This can be true, but it’s not a hard and fast rule. There are many factors that determine the price of a wine, such as if it is sold by a well-known vineyard or if it has been endorsed by a celebrity – neither of which have any real impact on the quality of what’s inside the bottle. Conversely, some wines from lesser known vineyards (often imported vintages) can offer a great deal of quality for the value. An Argentine Malbec, for instance, is a $10 red wine that delivers quality far beyond the price tag.

Another area of common misinformation is the best serving temperature of wines. One belief is that the best way to serve white wine is ice cold. This goes hand in hand with the misguided idea that red wine is best enjoyed only at room temperature. In truth, no wine should be served ice cold. Conversely, no wine should be served at room temperature. The ideal temperature for white wine is approximately 40 degrees Fahrenheit. In the same vein, it’s perfectly fine to refrigerate red wine, as it will age much faster at room temperature, which may severely affect its taste.

Tips for Beginning Bowlers

 

Beginning Bowlers pic

Beginning Bowlers
Image: bowling.about.com

Having worked as a paraeducator for special-needs children in the Ventura County, California, public schools, as well as a physician and a tour director, Manuel Marquez, MD, is experienced in a range of professional fields. Outside of his work life, Manuel Marquez, MD, enjoys numerous sports, including bowling.

Bowling is a great leisure activity, but for those looking to become a little more proficient at the sport, the barriers to entry may seem daunting, particularly in terms of learning the basics. Fortunately, it’s not as difficult as it looks. Here are just a couple of basic tips for bowling novices.

One of the most important but most basic concepts is visualizing your shot before you take it. It’s important to relax, breathe deeply, and focus on exactly where you want the ball to go. Use the arrows to help guide your shot.

It’s also important to choose the right ball. Picking one that’s too heavy can lead to a sore arm, but one that’s too light may not give you the pin action you want. Most men typically bowl with a 14-16 lb. ball, while most women use a 10-14 lb. ball. Go with the heaviest ball that can give you the speed you want.

Bowing is a simple skill to learn but a difficult one to master. With practice and proper form, however, your game can improve significantly over time.

Beautiful Yosemite

Yosemite pic

Yosemite
Image: nps.gov

Manuel Marquez, MD, has over 25 years of experience in the medical field as a family practitioner, medical executive, and researcher. As someone who loves to travel and experience new places, Manuel Marquez, MD, is currently pursuing a career as a certified tour director. He has taken groups on tours to numerous places, including Yosemite National Park in California.

Yosemite, located in central California and stretching through the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain, consists of over 1,200 square miles of breathtaking scenery. For centuries, it was inhabited by the Ahwahneechee people. During the mid-1800s, Europeans started trickling into the area. Visitation dramatically increased in 1907 with the construction of the Yosemite Valley Railroad.

Yosemite National Park has several areas that interest visitors including Yosemite Valley, the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, Glacier Point, the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, and Crane Flat. At each destination, visitors have the opportunity to marvel at their surroundings and learn about the natural world. Numerous visitor centers and museums located throughout the park offer visitors opportunities to enrich their experience.

Yosemite Valley, accessible by car or bus year-round, is home to several world-famous waterfalls. The waterfalls are best viewed in the spring (May and June) during the annual snowmelt. Tunnel View provides a spectacular vantage point to view the entire valley including the towering El Capitan and Bridalveil Falls with Half Dome in the background.

President Obama Visits Cuba

President Obama Visits Cuba pic

President Obama Visits Cuba
Image: cnn.com

In addition to his long career in the medical field, certified tour director Manuel Marquez, MD, is an experienced traveler who has visited numerous destinations in the United States and abroad. Manuel Marquez, MD, has taken several tour groups to Cuba. A 2016 tour coincided with President Obama’s historic visit to Havana.

Before March of 2016, a United States president had not visited Cuba since Calvin Coolidge visited in 1928. For decades, Cuba, located just 90 miles from Key West, Florida, has been regarded as a Cold War adversary. Until recently, strict trade restrictions have been in place. President Obama made the trip to Cuba in order to further efforts to improve diplomatic relations with the neighboring country.

President Obama visited Cuba with his family and 39 members of Congress. On the trip, he visited the American Embassy in Havana, did some sightseeing in Old Havana, toured the Havana Cathedral (Catedral de la Habana), and watched the Cuban National baseball team play in an exhibition game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Cuba is one of the oldest settlements in the Americas, the last of the first seven cities founded by order of Diego Velazquez in the early 1500s. Even though gold deposits were limited in the area, Spain quickly realized Cuba’s potential and used the island as a staging area for exploration of neighboring land.

Coimbra – An Ancient Portuguese City Rich in Culture and Learning

Coimbra pic

Coimbra
Image: tripadvisor.com

Manuel Marquez, MD, has extensive experience as a Southern California medical executive. Among his roles was one that involved recruiting diverse physicians and health care providers. An avid traveler, he recently completed training as a tour leader. Manuel Marquez, MD, enjoys Spain and Portugal, and in the latter country, he has visited Porto, Lisbon, and the country’s traditional center of higher learning, Coimbra.

Situated inland on the Mondego River, placid Coimbra is one of the country’s most historically significant cities and was the capital of Portugal from the 12th to the 14th century. The older section of the city features narrow, windy streets around the hilltop University of Coimbra.

A medieval institution established in 1290, the university is among the oldest in Europe. and its distinctive white buildings overlook the city. Tradition reigns. and students still wear ribbons and lengthy capes in various colors that represent the faculty to which they belong.

Culturally rich, Coimbra features museums dedicated to archaeology and natural history, and is famous for its botanical garden. The city also has a number of storied religious buildings, including the Renaissance cathedral Se Nova and the Romanesque cathedral Se Velha. The Santa Clara convent features the remains of Queen Elisabeth, a sainted early Portuguese leader.