Night markets are one of the most exciting aspects of Taipei culture. We live very close to the Linjiang Night Market – sometimes also called Tonghua – and it’s our go-to dinner spot. Even after dozens and dozens of visits, I’ve yet to tire of it, which is really saying something. Taipei has several night markets. During my time here so far, I’ve been to 6 of them, all unique in their own way. When I return (as I’m currently in…
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…
Buenos Aires: Take Two
A few weeks ago, I got honest about my feelings towards Buenos Aires, and I wrote about how I will not be returning for a long, long time. It turned out I was a liar, because I returned exactly 2 weeks later. Our long journey back to Southern California from Montevideo was one that took us across 5 countries in 36 hours, including a 7-hour stopover in Buenos Aires. Hmmm… what to do when you’re stuck in a city that you didn’t particularly care…
London by Open-Top Bus
I have officially become a full-fledged tourist. I traveled around London on one of those double-decker open-top buses, leaning off the sides to snap pictures at buildings and landmarks, without actually getting off the bus to get better acquainted, while ticking sites off my list of things to see. Yep, I was that tourist. Ok, so I wasn’t actually that bad. I actually did walk plenty of London’s streets and sites on my own two feet. But this is my first time to London, and…
Top 5 Restaurants in Ciudad Vieja, Montevideo
As much as I rave about Uruguay, it does have its downsides, such as the lack of imaginative food. You’re most likely to encounter pizzas, pastas, sandwiches, the chivito (their version of a burger), and maybe a parrilla or two. Even locals will say that the food here is not very creative or progressive. Uruguay is very much a meat-and-potatoes kind of culture. And what’s even worse is that eating out in Montevideo costs a pretty penny. If I thought food in Buenos…
An Introduction to Ciudad Vieja, Montevideo
There are some cities that just feel like home right away. Montevideo is that city for me. I never thought I’d love Montevideo so much. I mean, I’ve never even heard of this little capital city until a few months ago. We only picked this place because we were visiting Buenos Aires and needed somewhere else to go for a month. Enter Montevideo – an easy boat ride across the river from BA. We’re honestly the laziest travelers I know, so easy wins…
Free Things to do in Buenos Aires
I was surprised to find that the US dollar does not go very far in Buenos Aires (this is during travel in May 2014. And of course, that depends on which exchange rate you are able to get, but I’ll cover that later separately). But the city does offer plenty of free things to do (or very cheap, at least). Here are some of the best free things to do in Buenos Aires, kind of in order of awesomeness, but…
Guide to Santiago Centro: the heart of Chile
During our month in Santiago, we stayed in a little airBnB rental that was only a couple of blocks from Plaza de Armas, which is smack in the heart of Santiago Centro. For the most part, we’ve really enjoyed staying here and I think it’s a wonderful location (I will talk about some cons later). In fact, I’d even say that we got pretty lazy being here, because everything we need is within a short walking distance, including many ice cream parlors and…
The Ultimate Guide to Koreatown – the Coolest Neighborhood in Los Angeles
After almost a decade of living in/around Los Angeles, I still haven’t made up my mind on whether I love or hate the city. However, I have come to the conclusion that Koreatown just may be the coolest place in LA. If you are looking for a night out in downtown Los Angeles… let’s say the kind of night where you eat good food, channel your inner rockstar, and maybe even chat up a cute girl (or guy)… and if…
10 Things to do in Downtown Los Angeles (on a walking tour)
Sometimes on a weekend when D and I find ourselves without any plans, we ride the train up to downtown Los Angeles. We mainly go to eat at one little Mexican stand called Rodolfo’s. Rodolpho’s is situated smack in the middle of the bustling and ever so colorful Olvera Street, a charming little brick-lined alley inducing visions of old Mexico. It also has an interesting history of being the oldest part of downtown Los Angeles. Olvera Street is conveniently located…