On one of our first few days in Istanbul, on one hot afternoon, we made our way through a very tightly packed street market. We bumped and shoved through narrow streets lined with endless vendor stalls. The ground was wet and dirty. I just wanted to make it out and have some space again. Being crammed into a large body of people feels suffocating. At one point, D turned around and said “Can you smell that Turkish coffee?” It’s become such…
Of pastel buildings and pierogies: 4 Days in Wroclaw
I believe there will always come a time during the course of long-term travel when new sights start to lose their sparkle, when you want to stop playing tourist, when you don’t give a crap about seeing another cathedral. When that time (inevitably) comes, it is perfectly acceptable to just watch the world go by from your apartment, read books (or blogs), and eat at the same restaurant everyday, twice a day. And yet you will still have the most lovely…
Sainte Chapelle Cathedral… my one Paris love
Paris is such a confusing city. I don’t love it, and half the time, I don’t even know if I like it. BUT… I have never been anywhere that made me constantly want to cry from overwhelming magnificence. There is something about standing in the shadows of centuries-old buildings that will break down even the most iron-hearted of us (though I am pretty emotional). And no building gave me that feeling more than Saint Chapelle Cathedral. Sainte Chapelle Cathedral looks like nothing from the outside…
Behind La Boca’s Colorful Houses
I merely glazed over La Boca in my last post, but the truth about La Boca is a lot more complicated and I think it deserves its own post. Everyone who visit Buenos Aires has La Boca on the top of their list. But we deliberately didn’t visit it the first time because the area isn’t real. It’s a fake representation of BA culture that only tourists would fall for. At least, that’s how I saw it and I don’t necessarily agree with it. I…
Yearning for the Quaint Life at Colonia del Sacramento
I don’t need much to absolutely fall in love with a place. I don’t need fancy restaurants, shopping malls, museums, or skyscrapers. Instead, give me cobblestone streets, sidewalk cafés, cups of hot chocolate, ocean waves, and a view of a sunset. That’s not asking for too much, right? By this criteria, Colonia del Sacramento has everything I need to fall in love. And I did just that at first sight. Colonia del Sacramento is a little town about a 3 hour bus ride…
South America Instagram Round-up
Our South America trip is done. Over. I already miss it a lot, from the guy who belts out Nirvana songs outside my window to spending afternoons in cozy cafes (no, Starbucks just doesn’t cut it). I’m no where near done sharing about South America, but for now I thought I’ll do something a little more fun, while re-living some of my best memories! If you don’t already know, I’m a big fan of Instagram (see my pictures here)! Here is a random selection…
Sleeping Puppies Collection, Santiago
After spending some time in a city, I always come to associate it with certain things that particularly stick out in my mind. Like Montevideo is all about the doors. Buenos Aires was all about the pastries and cakes. And Santiago? Well it was all about the mote con huesillos, jugo naturales, coffee shops, pisco sours… (hmmm.. I’m starting to see a drink theme going on). But it was also all about the stray dogs. You’ll see them everywhere, in both the poorer areas and the affluent areas….
Recoleta Cemetery: City of the Dead
weeping angels // dried flowers // marbled tombs // wooden coffins // roaming cats // silky cobwebs This is the hauntingly beautiful Recoleta Cemetery. For a huge city that draws millions of tourists a year, this cemetery remains the #1 attraction in all of Buenos Aires. It has to be something special, right? Visiting cemeteries has never been on my list of must-do travel activities, so I was feeling quite skeptical as I set off to find out what’s so special about a cemetery. As soon…
Funky Bellavista: a Street Art Tour
Barrio Bellavista in Santiago, Chile is popular for being an upscale tourist destination as well as the nightlife hotspot. Just a pleasant walk or short metro ride away from Santiago Centro, it’s a good retreat for those looking to get away from the noise and crowds of the downtown area. The super modern outdoor galleria, Patio Bellavista, is home to dozens of boutique eateries and posh restobars, as well as little touristy shops selling all sorts of local Chilean handicrafts. Tourist…
Of steep hills and colorful houses: 3 Days in Valparaiso
valle: valley paraiso: paradise Prior to actually going to Valparaiso, all I knew of it was that Anthony Bourdain went there and ate some really good seafood. And that it’s an easy day trip from Santiago. Promise of good food + convenience = as good a reason as any to visit in our book. We decided that just a day trip probably wasn’t going to be enough to explore the city, especially if there’s a lot of eating to be…