When we first decided we were going to get rid of everything that tied us down and travel, we both had our worries, but there was never a doubt in our minds that we wouldn’t like the nomadic lifestyle. D is Southern California born and raised, and I’ve lived here for almost 2 decades. After living in one place for so long… well, it can get quite ordinary. And there’s a whole world out there! So many different cultures and…
12 Lessons from 3 months in Europe
Europe was my first experience with fast paced travel, and what a different experience it was from our South American trip! In short, our summer Euro trip can be condensed into 11 countries, 7 flights, 16 trains & buses, 13 apartments, and 1 mansion. 80 days and 80 Instagram posts. And several lifetimes worth of memories and experiences. I can vividly recall the day I flew into London as a wide-eyed wanderer, and how I ooh‘ed and aah‘ed at everything. As the…
The Best of Europe: Churches (Vol. I)
My first Europe trip is over and I realize that I haven’t written much about it at all. The thousands of pictures I’ve taken lay jumbled in a series of digital folders, unsorted and unedited. It makes me feel a little bad because I saw so many incredible things and now those memories are slowly slipping away. So here goes a series of Europe recaps, mainly for myself so I can always remember. First up: places of worship!
Istanbul: an assault on the senses
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…
The locals’ guide to Warsaw: Poland’s phoenix city
Warsaw is a city best appreciated through its history. At first glance, Warsaw is neither impressively metropolitan nor charmingly historic (unlike the more popular Krakow). It seems neither here nor there, as if a city not yet come into its own. The result is a very forgettable city, some may even say utterly lacking in character. But to even begin to appreciate the city, you need to understand the history. Warsaw’s story is one of heroism, destruction, and rebirth. Stick with me as…
Top 5 destinations to revisit
You guys, we have a problem. Almost every time we leave a place, practically as soon as we’re out of the city limits, we sigh and exclaim that we must return someday and find a way to live as locals for a while. At this point, we’re starting to rack up quite a long list of potential future homes. Sometimes, it’s because we didn’t get to see everything there is to see. Sometimes, it’s because we didn’t get to eat all the…
A visit to Auschwitz, Part 2: Behind the barbed wire fence
While in Poland, I did a bit of unusual reading. Meeting D’s Polish side of the family inspired me to learn more about his family history, and we dug up an memoir written by his grandfather (only a few years ago). In it, he documented the war years while fighting in Warsaw Rising (against the German occupation) and then his experience as a prisoner of war in the German camp (though it wasn’t a death camp). What struck me the…
A visit to Auschwitz, Part 1: An introduction
Things are about to get a little somber here on Slightly Astray. Originally, I wasn’t sure how I was going to write about Auschwitz or if I was going to at all. But I believe Auschwitz needs proper coverage here so that the world forever knows and remembers this crime against humanity. On the way to Auschwitz, we drive past tranquil green pastures spotted with cute red farmhouses, and acres of lush forest. The scenery outside is peaceful. However, the mood…
On wealth: a week in a mansion
I am aware and fully appreciative of the fact that we have set off on this journey with more room in our budget than the typical backpacker. This means we can stay in nicer apartment rentals instead of shared hostels. We don’t need to constantly cook at home (getting groceries is a lot of work!) and miss out on local eats. And we can splurge on fancy cups of drinking chocolate (my current weakness). But still, no matter how roomy…
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…
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