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11 Incredible Reasons to Visit Plovdiv, Bulgaria: In Pictures

11 Incredible Reasons to Visit Plovdiv, Bulgaria: In Pictures

Plovdiv is the most under-rated city in Bulgaria, and my absolutely favorite from my week-long trip. It holds 6th place on the list of the World’s 10 Oldest Cities, and the history dating back to the Roman empire (and long before) is ever-present as you explore the city’s many sights.

Why go? See for yourself in the pictures below!

Pedestrian Walkways

No need to keep an eye out for aggressive drivers, you can stroll the city center in peace, where some of the most picturesque buildings and ancient ruins reside.

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Ancient Stadium of Philipopolis

The stadium, an archaeological remnant from the Roman Empire, was massive. However, only part of it is visible, as most of the stadium actually lies under the modern pedestrian walkway. Fortunately the exposed section includes the tiered seating that allows audiences to continue to enjoy performances, including the choir festival I enjoyed one of my nights in town.

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Mosaics

There are many mosaics throughout Plovdiv, some of which are nearly two millenia old! Some of the most intact examples from the 2nd and 3rd centuries are at the Small Basilica in town and the Trakart Gallery in an underground passageway in the city center.

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Ancient Roman Theater

Even though its one of the best preserved in the world, the 1st century Roman Theater of Plovdiv was only uncovered in the 1970s! Today it hosts theater and musical performances, and on the day of my visit, there were stage hands hard at work preparing for a show.

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Churches, but Not Only

The city of Plovdiv, over its 6,000+ years of history, has also been host to the world’s main monotheistic religions. In addition to churches, you’ll also find an active synagogue and mosque in town.

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Forts and Monasteries on Nearby Hillsides

There is the Puldin Fortress in Plovdiv itself, as well as several other fortresses and monasteries in the surrounding hills, all featuring lovely vistas of the surrounding Bulgarian landscape. Nearby standouts featured in the pictures below are the Bachkovo Monastery and Asen’s Fortress.

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Singing Fountains

On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings, the fountains in Tsar Simeon Park put on a choreographed show with the fountains, colored lights, and music. I was mesmerized – it’s incredibly well done.

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Alyosha Monument

Alyosha is a monument of a towering Soviet soldier, made even more imposing by its position at the top of the military park at Bunarjik Hill. The statue itself stands over 10-meters (35 feet) tall! And of course once you’ve hiked your way to the top, you get a lovely view of Plovdiv on all sides.

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Street Art

From formal pieces to graffiti masterpieces, art is everywhere you turn in Plovdiv.

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Food

Hearty, Eastern European specialties at their best. Think meat and potatoes in stoneware, but also some very fresh produce and delicious cheeses.

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Wine & Wineries

While it may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you picture Bulgaria, this is wine country extraordinaire and as recently as the 1980s, Bulgaria was 2nd in the world in wine production. With many excellent wineries surrounding Plovdiv – Wine Enthusiast has named this area a Top 10 Wine Destination for 2017 – whether you like to tour vineyards and do wine tasting or just cozy up in town at a wine bar, you’ll drink well while you’re here.

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What city or country has taken you by surprise with how wonderful it is when you go? Have you been to Plovdiv? What convinced you to make the trek?

11 Incredible Reasons to Visit Plovdiv Bulgaria

Top Reasons to Savor Solo Travel

Top Reasons to Savor Solo Travel

One of the things that always surprises people the most about my frequent travel is how many trips I take on my own. Known in travel circles as “solo travel,” so many people have built it up as something to be feared, which requires a lot of preparation and know-how to be done well. But nothing could be further from the truth!

The advantages to traveling with a friend, romantic partner, family, or group of friends are well known. When traveling with others, there is always someone to bounce ideas off of, to keep you company on long train rides, and be your dining companion. There are of course advantages to traveling on your own as well (plus I think that I’m pretty excellent company!) so if you’ve never taken a trip on your own, make this the year that you do.

Why I savor my time travelling solo:

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Do what you want, when you want. I love traveling with others, but certainly one of the many advantages of solo travel is that you can do exactly what you want, when you feel like it. You never have to go to a tourist attraction or restaurant just because someone else really wants to, and there is no negotiation involved when deciding where to go or what sights to see on a particular day. Just decide what *you* would like out of your day.

Deals on accommodations. Especially in Europe, there are plenty of hotel rooms that are so tiny they are really only meant for one person. Because travelling solo is not nearly as common as traveling with others, single rooms can be available – and offered at a steep discount – even after other accommodation options are already sold out. This also applies to more budget-friendly places to stay, like hostels, which at the last minute may still have a room or a single bed left in a dorm accommodation.

People, especially locals, talk to you and open up more. Even if you’re an expat living in a foreign country it can be hard to make inroads with locals. It’s that much more challenging when you only have a few days or a week to explore a new destination. The good news – when you are traveling on your own, you are much more approachable and locals are far more likely to ask if you need help or go out of their way to offer advice. The New York Times had a great piece last year about ways strangers can make your trip better, and of course the top recommendation for engaging with locals is to travel alone, even if just for a day.

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Spontaneity. I love seeing something interesting down a twisting alleyway or following an unknown path to see where it takes me. When you’re traveling solo and something catches your eye, you can just go. It saves you the time of talking it over with your travel buddy and deciding to go together in a new direction or split up and meet up again later – and helps you to be in touch with your gut desires and the spontaneity that brings. Even if you have a crazy idea that you’d like to follow, you can just do it. If it doesn’t pan out, there’s no guilt for dragging along your unwilling friend. And often with the craziest ideas while you’re traveling, there is some huge up side you couldn’t have predicted in advance.

Catch up on reading. Sometimes when I take a trip with a friend, we spend all of our free and transit time chatting. Which is great, but I love that when I travel on my own, I get to catch up on my reading. I love books, and I always have several loaded onto my e-reader before a trip. I of course want to appreciate my surroundings and interact with locals and fellow travelers, so I don’t read constantly. But especially on airplanes, underground subways, or even just taking in the scenery at a nearby park, I like having the chance to relax and get lost in a good book. Plus, I often read books set in places that I’m visiting, so it’s just another way to learn about a new city or country, mixed in with seeing all the sights in person.

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Being “just one.” Even if something is ‘sold out’ or a restaurant is ‘fully booked’ there are often ways to squeeze in a single person if you ask. Or find one seat at a bar, even if it’s pretty packed. I have snagged a last-minute theater ticket because it was a single seat that no one else wanted. I’ve been placed at an awkward table at a restaurant in the corner by the bathroom that really only had one spot for sitting. And even squeezed in once at a table at a trattoria with a couple already dining there (after the owner asked their permission, of course). Which turned out to be really great, because we had a lovely conversation over dinner, and then we even ran into each other at a museum the next day . . . and it was like reuniting with old friends.

Time to reflect. I usually spend a lot of time planning before a trip and time after remembering how great it was, but I don’t always get the opportunity to reflect on my experiences during the trip itself. But I do know that I am far more likely to have time to reflect on my day, my travels (or anything, really) when I am traveling solo and have the time at a sit-down meal or strolling around to be alone with my thoughts. I do some of my best thinking and brainstorming traveling on my own, and you can often catch me jotting down the results of my reflections in a memo on my cell phone.

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Make adjustments on the fly. Does your alarm go off early for an ambitious morning, but you just want to sleep in? Or you’re wide awake at 5 am in the morning and feel like getting a super-early start to your day? Perhaps to watch the sun rise? When you’re traveling solo, you’re not messing up anyone else’s plans – so go for it!

 

Solo travel is a way to experience a destination in a new way, and also an opportunity to get in touch with who you are and what things you would choose to do if there are no competing opinions around. Traveling on your own is not just for single people or loners, it’s especially for people who usually travel with others. Even if you’re in a relationship or married. And the more you are open to interacting with locals and strangers, the richer your time away will be.

The best part? Solo travel is always tailored exactly to you. Make plans on your own and get out there!

What do you look forward to most when you travel solo?

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Travel Superlatives of 2016

Travel Superlatives of 2016

As I reflect back on this past year in travel, there are so many memories that bubble up. Unexpected adventures, delicious meals, and shared laughter with friends. And of course, also rushing through airports, lost luggage, or barely making the last train. About half my trips were with friends or family, and the other half as a solo traveler.

Travel is definitely not all rainbows and unicorns, but as someone told me once about travel: It’s either a great experience . . . or a great story! I end this year with quite a few of both, and heaps of gratitude for all of the adventures I was privileged to experience – the good, the bad, and the random.

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Most New Countries in a Year: 11! (and a full passport to boot)

I didn’t set out this year to visit a ton of new countries, it just sort of happened. Looking back, the new countries I made it to in Europe in 2016 – 6 – is actually quite similar to the 5 new European countries I explored last year (this year it was Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Liechtenstein, Romania, & Sweden for those of you keeping track). Ditto for Asia. Last year, I went to 2 new countries, and this year the same: Indonesia & Singapore. What really put me over the top was making it to Costa Rica for the first time on my family vacation back in August, and also getting a chance to explore 2 new countries in the Middle East with my sister this December: Oman & United Arab Emirates. Thanks, family!!

FYI, my American readers, the US phased out adding extra pages to passports at the end of 2015, so if your passport becomes full like mine, you’ll have to renew it to travel even if it’s not expiring yet. The good news is that when you renew, you can choose the longer length for no additional cost. Obviously something on my immediate to-do list in the new year 😉

Hardest Time Finding a Restaurant: Berat, Albania

When you’re traveling in Albania, you seek out Berat. Its old city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it is known as The Town of a Thousand Windows for the beautifully window-filled view you get of the hillside from the river. Many people stay in Berat overnight, but it can also be visited as a day trip during a weekend in Tirana like I did with friends back in May. We got an early start, and spent a good part of the morning hiking uphill and exploring the Berat Castle. Well after noon, we felt that we had taken in the sights, but had not been particularly inspired by the food choices inside the castle walls. And we saw one place right outside the walls, but it was a giant eatery with tour buses parked outside, so didn’t seem like our style either. Instead we found the restaurant that everyone had been raving about online as being the spot locals prefer, and started to make our way in that direction.

There were four of us including me, and with several people consulting the maps on their phone, we thought that surely we could find our way to this nearby spot quite quickly, as we were starting to get quite hungry. We started down the one hill connecting the castle entrance to town and it kept looking like a wiggle down the next side street would lead us to the restaurant entrance. I would pop down one alleyway, certain it was finally the right one, and then reappear a minute later dejected that there was no eatery present. Eventually, we made it to the bottom of the hill to town and close to the car, but let’s be real – we were committed to finding the restaurant at this stage! We drove a bit to side streets where an alternate online map placed the taverna. Then we returned to the bottom of the hill where we had started, and asked some locals passing by if they knew how to get there. Finally, after what was probably *way* too much time floundering on our own, we called the restaurant. The owner, being so gracious at what was now probably around 2pm, actually came to fetch us.

We were able to follow him in his car on a meandering path that brought us . . . to a restaurant right at the top of the path right by the castle! I think it had been hidden by the hilltop and the large restaurant with the tourist buses, but of course we had been right there at the beginning. Fortunately all of our efforts were rewarded, with a massive, delectable feast of Albanian food with a Greek twist at Taverna Lazaro.

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Place I Made the Most Friends on the Road: Waiting in Line for a Kebab in Berlin

I usually make the most friends on the road when I am traveling solo, and this year is no exception. In the end, I actually had relatively few trips when I was in a hostel-type accommodation, which is where I would normally meet other travelers. And although I did walking tours and other group activities on my own, it was actually in a quest for food that I found the most kindred spirits. Nothing brings people together quite like shared queuing, and on this particular night in Berlin, I was set on getting what is probably the city’s most famous kebab. The line was moving along at a decent clip, but then the stand ran out of supplies (!) and had to re-stock. So what was looking like a 20-minute wait became closer to an hour, and I had a chance to gain some insight on the city from two other expats: a Spaniard living and working in Berlin and a Taiwanese student studying there. More proof that you never know who’ll you meet on the road.

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Best Wine Tasting: Argiolas in Cagliari (Sardinia, Italy)

One of the best parts of living in Europe is the wine. Grapes tend to be very local, and grown and processed in a way to complement the typical food of a region. I’ve done my fair share of wine tasting all over Europe in 2016 (and even a bit in Australia this year), but there was one experience that was especially memorable and stands out from the rest – doing a tour and tasting at Argiolas Winery in Sardinia, a bit outside of Cagliari. Although I’ve gone on many wine tours, I felt like I actually learned about their specific techniques and how they differ from other wineries. And the tasting itself was just fabulous. My friend and I had one person talking us through the wines, accompanied by a bit of local food. All of the staff was so friendly and knowledgeable, and the wines were so delicious, that we didn’t even realize until we had finished the last wine that we had taken so long our tasting had gone past the winery’s opening hours. Which really, is just a testament to the level of Italian hospitality we received.

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Craziest Hotel Check-in: Nessebar, Bulgaria

We’ve all been there. The crazy frustration of trying to find your hotel. It should be just around the corner. Or the GPS sends you one direction, but it just doesn’t like the correct route. Or in this case, sends you down a precarious gravel path. “No,” you think, “this can’t be right.” So you try an alternate route – which also turns out to be another gravel path. Finally you give up, and just park the corner in a random corner of the Bulgarian gravel road. And look up. And your friend says, “Hey, doesn’t that look like the picture of our hotel?”

End of story, right? If only… After confirmation from a nearby shop owner that we had indeed arrived at the correct destination, we walk into the building lobby. And there’s no reception. Hmmm….surely there must be staff somewhere, right? A quick pop to the salon downstairs finds it deserted. We call the phone number in the booking confirmation, and no reply. Then the waitress at the on-site restaurant is trying to be helpful, but speaks no English (and we speak no Bulgarian). Finally she directs us to one of the men sunbathing at the pool. My first thought is that it’s because he speaks English, but he actually turns out to be the building’s owner. “Great!” was my first – and misplaced – reaction. After studying the booking confirmation, the owner declares that there is no rental in his building under that description.

Ah, every frequent traveler’s nightmare. They gave away the last room, or the booking never existed in the first place. Images of curling up in the tiny car’s backseat for the night flash through my head, when the owner takes a moment to call the phone number we have on speakerphone. I catch a glance at his phone screen and realize that when he clicked “Send” a name popped up from his phone’s Contact List. As I wonder whether this is a good or bad sign, he quickly hangs up before someone has a chance to answer. He makes another call. This time it finally sounds promising, and I hear what sounds like “Italien” and I start gesturing saying, yes, I have an Italian phone number I used for my booking, it’s us. Does that mean we finally have a place to stay?? And yes, we have a room! He knows this person, and she is going to come and show us to our rooms. Imagine our relief when the room is just as expected, and even has a complimentary bottle of Bulgarian wine to greet us. As the door clicks behind her, out comes the joint, palpable, audible sigh. We’re finally checked in.

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Most People Visited in a Country I’ve Never Lived: 8 in Singapore

I visit friends in my travels often, and in fact, having a friend living in a foreign country is the best reason to get there for a visit! It’s great having a reason to explore a new, unexpected destination, and was how I picked several of my travel destinations this past year. Usually I travel to visit a single friend or family, with London as my usual exception, although most of my friends who live there I met in Milan. So it was quite random when I realized as I planned my November travel that I actually know quite a few people living in Singapore and there was never a better time to go.

There is the close Milan friend and previous around-the-corner neighbor who lives there with her husband and daughter, but may not be staying in Singapore much longer. The Singaporean college friend who I had seen relatively recently when she came to visit Milan during the World Expo last year, but whose days in Singapore are probably numbered as well. And then there’s the high school friend and her Singaporean husband and two children who only recently moved to Singapore. Several of these friends are now what I like to call 3-continent friends – people I’ve spent time with on three different continents. And for me it’s definitely notable to have so many different people from different stages of my life who just happen to all live in the same tiny island nation. While I didn’t know much about Singapore before visiting (other than having a ton of friends to visit), I became obsessed with the Singaporean style of breakfast and Singapore was one of my favorite destinations this year!

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Craziest Adventurous Things I Did:

Pemberton Climbing Trees (Australia) & Walking to Al Sawadi Island and Fort (Oman)

For me being adventurous doesn’t mean having no fear. Being adventurous is being confronted with something scary and/or dangerous, and then going outside of your comfort zone to do it anyway. There were two things in 2016 that really got my adrenaline pumping, both for being ostensibly dangerous, as well as me not really knowing what to expect ahead of time. First, was scaling the Pemberton climbing trees, which involved some incredibly tall trees and not much of a safety net. It was a bit terrifying, but also quite rewarding to reach the tops and take in the expansive views. Read more about the full experience in my post linked above and here.

The second pretty crazy thing I did was on my recent Oman trip with my sister. On the coast north of Muscat, there is a spot called Al Sawadi, with a nearby island and fort not too far off the beach. While there are boats you can pay to take you across, I had read something about being able to *walk* to the island during low tide. We arrived around 4pm and the water was looking quite low, but there was no one else walking across or anyone to ask. After a little bit of a walk when the water reached just up to knee level, we decided to go for it. This is only slightly complicated in Oman by the fact that it is a modest Muslim country where your shoulders and knees should be covered at all times in public. So you’re not just stripping down to your bikini and going for it. But venturing out into the unknown was great – the thrill and exhilaration of not knowing whether we’d be able to make it across, or if we did, how high the water level would rise before we reached the shore. In the end, my zip-off pants only got a little wet, and then we arrived and had the island entirely to ourselves! We hiked in our sport sandals to the top of the fort, took lots of pictures with the cell phones we were brave enough to carry for the journey, and had an even-lower tide for the walk back to where we had left the car, making it back across just as the sun set. An incredible and memorable experience, I’m reliving the excitement just typing about it.

Time Most Worth it to Trust a Stranger: Heading to the Cave at Wadi Khalid, Oman

I’m from New York, so it’s sort of second nature that when a stranger offers to help me out of the blue, my radar goes off and I become super skeptical of everything the person says and suggests. Perhaps it’s not the most open and loving way to live, but that is always my knee-jerk reaction: caution. Fortunately, the day exploring Wadi Khalid in Oman (a series of interconnected water pools and caves in the desert) came far enough into the week-long road trip that I already knew how hospitable Omanis were. Plus, they are so excited to see tourists – especially American ones – that they want you to have an amazing experience so you inspire others to visit when you go home.

As my sister and I were following the vague arrows pointing toward the Wadi’s famous cave, a man in traditional Omani dress fell into step beside us. He told us that he was heading to the cave as well, and as a local, knew the way quite well. My mind at this point was racing with possibilities, but we were just walking in that direction and were outside with plenty of other visitors. At one point I did inquire as to why he was so interested in showing us around, and he revealed that he was a police officer in Muscat and wanted to practice his English. It sounded legit, and again, we were not alone, but it was quite interesting crouching into a dark cave with no signs or directions, blindly following the instincts of a local who had been many times before. Our new Omani friend Said was a great guide, showing us the water source of the wadi, pointing out bats that were hanging from the ceiling just above our heads, and giving us the full experience of the cave. There’s no way my sister and I would have ventured that far alone, and it was just incredible to see the caverns and crevices inside.

Biggest Travel Injury: Stubbed Toe in Abu Dhabi

Anyone who knows me knows that I can be quite clumsy, so an injured toe as my biggest injury of the year is a major accomplishment. Interestingly enough, if I am doing a potentially dangerous activity like rock climbing or cliff diving, I’m quite attentive and tend to emerge unscathed. My biggest injuries ever? Both my broken collarbone and severely injured finger resulted from what was essentially me tripping over my own feet.

Stubbing my toe in Abu Dhabi doesn’t sound serious, but it was quite a wound. Basically, I was walking back to bed after a middle-of-the-night trip to the bathroom, and didn’t realize that one of the stylish chairs with metal legs reached out almost to the edge of the bed. I thought I would have cleared it by a mile, but instead I walked quite decisively forward and essentially sliced my second toe open. So it was more serious (and bloody) than your typical stubbed toe, and it hurt to walk for the next 10 days, as in it was painful taking e-v-e-r-y s-i-n-g-l-e s-t-e-p. But for a year of travel and adventure (and given my lifelong tendency to injure myself weirdly and quite seriously), not too bad at all.

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Travel First: Getting Put Up in a Hotel

Lost luggage? Yes, many times, sometimes for up to several days.

Missed a connecting flight? Of course, but usually with good, alternate options to still get there within a few hours.

Been on an overbooked flight offering vouchers? Plenty of times, but usually when I was in the US traveling for work and had to be somewhere by a certain time, so I’d never taken advantage.

Slept in an airport? Sure, most memorably at the Dallas airport in a snowstorm when I was trying to be there for the first flight back to New York for New Year’s Eve & at the Kuala Lumpur budget terminal (never again!)

Missing a connection and needing to stay in a hotel overnight? That had never happened to me before – until a week ago, so just under the wire to be part of my 2016 travel superlatives. I had just over an hour of transit time at London’s Heathrow Airport, which is cutting it quite close to begin with. Then, as we were lining up to board the bus that would take us to the plane in Milan, the snow started to fall. What?!? It almost never snows in Milan, because it’s usually not quite cold enough. And snow certainly had not been part of the forecast. When the captain announced that there was a long line to de-ice the plane and we would likely be delayed at least 30 minutes, I flagged over a flight attendant to ask about my connection. When he informed me that you need to scan through the transfer desk at Heathrow 35 minutes before your departure time to be allowed on the plane, I knew I was in trouble. In the US, they would likely send information up to the plane about the connecting flight, or at least the crew would be able to phone and request it. For this London connection, I had the sinking feeling that I would be out of luck, which was confirmed when we touched down an hour late.

By the time someone was available to help me at the re-booking desk, the best option was just to take the same early afternoon flight the following day. Spend an unexpected 24 hours in London, catching up with friends and soaking up the holiday atmosphere? If I must…

Most Times Crossing Paths with a Friend – and half the time accidentally!

It’s one thing to plan a lot of travel with a good friend, it’s quite another to have the one person you keep running into at unplanned moments in unexpected cities. Of the 6 times I’ve crossed paths with this one particular friend, our run-ins have spanned 4 cities on 2 continents – and only 2 were arranged in advance! We had planned to be in Bucharest, Romania (where she is from) over the same weekend in early June so she could show me around and we could hang out. Then a few weeks beforehand when her schedule was too busy on a business trip to Milan, a work dinner fell through and she messaged me last minute so we met up for a meal. In August when I was in New York, she messaged me about a last-minute work trip that had also brought her to the city, so we had another unplanned meal together. And then, the very next night on the way to meet another friend, I walked into another restaurant in a completely different part of town. And the first person I see? This same friend! Our 5th meeting of the year was arranged in advance, when I came to London to see the American football (NFL) game with my home team playing. And then on my recent missed connection in London, I messaged this friend to see if she was possibly around. It turned out that about an hour after my message she was actually coming to the same terminal of Heathrow Airport where I was stranded! So we met up for a coffee, and our last in a string of prolific, unexpected run-ins throughout 2016.

 

What were the stand-out moments of your 2016 travel??

How this Wine Lover Got Into Tea Tasting: 11 Ways Tea is like Wine

How this Wine Lover Got Into Tea Tasting: 11 Ways Tea is like Wine

With how much I enjoy wine, you might ask how I came to become such a tea aficionado. The surprising but true answer: it all started in Milan, Italy.

Shortly after moving to Milan, I was immersed in language classes and looking for ways to practice and speak with Italians, so joined a language exchange. And it just so happened that one of the other members I befriended is affectionately known as “The Tea Lady” and hosts tea tastings at her home.

Once I attended my first tea tasting, I was hooked:

  • There were so many varieties of tea!
  • It could taste so different depending on the brewing method!
  • Even within a single, small category like Japanese green teas, there was such variety!

This excitement and continuing discovery is one of the reasons I got inspired tasting different wines, and my tea journey has gone through similar phases. Along the way, I realized how similar tea tasting and wine tasting can be:

Many Varieties

Just like wine is not one thing, tea isn’t either. You may have tried a single wine and didn’t like it, but that doesn’t mean you’ll dislike all wine. The same goes for tea. Wine has red and white grapes of many varietals – like chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, merlot, and syrah to name a few (and as I know from living in Italy, so many more!). With tea there are 6 categories to acquaint yourself with: black tea, green tea, white tea, yellow tea, oolong, and pu’er. I think prior to living in Milan I had only ever tried the first three types, but found out from doing lots of tastings that I quite like both oolong and pu’er as well.

Cape Naturaliste Vineyards, winner of some prestigious awards that we don't remember the name of...

Importance of Terroir

Prior to starting with tea tastings, I thought of terroir as that French word for soil that I can’t quite pronounce correctly and always gets thrown around by wine snobs. Of course, when it comes to wine-making, characteristics of the soil like minerality and salinity do impact how a grape will taste, along with things like the amount of sunshine and the altitude at which the grapes are grown. And for tea? The effect on the growing plant is so very similar, affecting the tea as it grows and also the taste of the final product. In Sri Lanka for example, the plantations and packaged tea are actually organized by the altitude of where they were grown because that will tell you so much about what taste to expect.

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Processing Method is Also Key

Did you know that black tea and green tea can be produced from the same tea leaf? Apparently it’s all in the processing method. Processing tea leaves usually involves some form of heating and/or drying, to go from the leaf on a live plant to the dry version you see loose or inside a tea bag. There is also typically some type of rolling or crushing involved, depending on the shape – loose tea tends to be in larger pieces, while the tea you find inside of tea bags has usually been crushed fairly small. What exact steps are part of the processing method depend on which category of tea is being produced. Wine also undergoes a variety of processing methods, depending on the type of grape and the quality of the harvest. Grapes for wine undergo fermentation possibly in steel tanks, concrete tanks, large wooden barrels, or the smaller barriques (or a combination of the above), which in turn affects the taste and color of the wine.

It Will Taste Best Served/Brewed at the Correct Temperature

I’ve been enjoying wine for long enough that I know that not only are whites and rosés typically served chilled, while reds are not, but there is actually a lot more nuance than that depending on the grape. Some reds are really meant to be served chilled, or at least slightly chilled. Some white wines have more prominent flavors when they’re a little less cold than usual. For tea, it’s really the brewing temperature (and time) that impacts the final flavor and strength of your cuppa. Growing up, my mom would always boil water on the stove for her tea, while I typically just heated a mug of water in the microwave before immersing my tea bag. I always thought it was just laziness on my part, and that it was a sign of adulthood when I finally bought a tea kettle for my kitchen. Only recently did I discover that not all teas are meant to be steeped at boiling temperatures, and each one will have an ideal brewing temperature ranging from 80 to 100 degrees Celsius or 170 to 212° Fahrenheit. Brewing tea at the correct temperature helps to avoid that bitter taste it can sometimes take on, so perhaps my microwave strategy was wise? Fortunately for all of us, this information is often helpfully printed on the package that tea comes in, so you can brew at the temperature and for the amount of time directed and then taste the tea at its best.

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Color

Color can tell you a whole lot about a wine. Is your white wine pale, golden or hay-colored? Is your red a bright claret or a deep opaque purple? (Yes, readers, I’ve done a lot of wine tasting, those color descriptions took me about 15 seconds to type off the top of my head.) Color may be something pretty to take in, but can also tell you about what to expect when you take a sip of a glass of wine. And yup, tea is oh-so-similar. If you’re a tea drinker, you probably already know that the darker the color, typically the stronger the brew. And as you saw from the first section that outlines the 6 categories of tea, many of the ‘categories’ are really colors – black, green, white, and yellow. Because the tea leaves and/or processing method vary to produce those different tea types, the taste you can expect from the color also varies. Next time you have tea or wine, take the moment to savor the color as well =)

Wine tasting "with" the Queen
Wine tasting “with” the Queen

Importance of Smell

Usually for me I can tell whether I think I’ll like a wine or not based solely on its aroma. Is it pleasant to sniff? Or do you have a cozy moment inhaling the perfume of a piping hot cup of tea before your first sip? They say that taste can be up to 80 or 90% smell, and it turns out to be quite true. If you’re raising something to your mouth and it doesn’t smell appealing, you may not even get to your first sip. Not only does the aroma of tea and wine give you some kind of indication of whether you’ll like what you’re about to drink, but it will also set a baseline of what flavors you can expect when you do.

Tasting Notes

They give you tasting notes at tea tastings too, something I was delighted to discover. Although I can tell from a sniff if I think I’ll like something or not, I don’t have the most developed sense of smell in terms of discerning particular aromas. So it’s nice when there is some specific fruit or aroma I can hunt for as I sip based on what someone else has sensed. Tasting notes help me to appreciate the wine in a new way, and has a similar effect when I’m tasting tea. I may not always agree, but it’s good to have a starting point, and a little guidance from the experts helps me develop my own expertise over time, no matter how slowly I progress.

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Taste in Order from Mild to Bold

At my first tea tasting, when it was explained that we would be tasting the teas in a particular order from mild to bold it was again something I hadn’t considered before but made complete sense. Of course for me, I also find it fun to sometimes jump back to an earlier tea or wine sip, as the taste will change a bit if you taste something milder after one of the bolder options. I’ll even do this sometimes if I have loaded up a plate of food at a buffet – start with the most delicate dish while my palate is clear so I can appreciate it properly, the move on to the more bold flavors of the other food. Speaking of which…

Used for Cooking

Wine and tea are both liquids that can be added to a meal as you cook to impart some additional flavor or note. The alcohol in wine boils off when exposed to heat, so you are just left with the flavor when adding wine to a risotto, sauce, or stew. Even boiling it off can be a sauce in itself, like a red wine reduction you might put on a steak. Of course, a liquid like tea (or the leaves themselves) can also impart flavor to food. And the same way that the grapes from wine-making can be used to infuse hard liqueur to create a grappa, tea leaves can be used to infuse liquids other than water. Many ‘cooking with tea’ recipes involve using tea to infuse the dairy used to make desserts, like ice cream or panna cotta, but tea can also be used in stocks, marinades, or poaching liquids. Since tea comes from leaves, it could also be part of a spice rub or used to infuse condiments like oils and vinegars. The nice part about cooking with wine or tea is that it gives people who wouldn’t normally consume them an alternate way to appreciate it.

Can Be Paired with Different Dishes

I doubt I had ever considered the possibility of pairing teas with different course of a meal, but when I heard the suggestion from my friend “The Tea Lady,” I was intrigued. Just as you would pair certain wines with particular dishes, either because they have similar notes that tie together, or because it poses an interesting contrast of tastes, the same principles apply to pairing tea with food. Some teas are more earthy while others are more floral or smoky, and can make your taste buds appreciate your bites of food that much more.

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When it’s good, take some home with you!

When you get a chance to taste a lot of different varieties, whether of tea or wine, you’ll know which ones you’d like to purchase instead of just guessing at a tea store or wine shop. While I often like teas and wines that are considered the “best,” sometimes it is the tea or wine a tier or two down from the top of the line that I enjoy the most. Plus for me, sipping a tea or wine when I’ve seen where the plants grow and procured it at the source is just another (very sensory) way of remembering my travels and bringing a smile to my face wherever I am when I enjoy it.

 

I’m not sure if it’s just a quirk of my personality or a love of food and drink, but I find both tea and wine tasting incredibly interesting (and delicious). Are you a wine aficionado? Take a chance and explore some new teas that you may have never even heard of before. Are you a daily tea drinker who doesn’t usually go for wine? Take a chance and venture into new wine territory. For example, you may find that if you like floral teas, there is an aromatic wine for you.

Really, there are so many varieties of tea and wine, there’s bound to be something for everyone even if you don’t consider yourself a “tea person” or a “wine drinker.” What do you like most about tasting different types of tea? Or doing a wine tasting?

My Favorite European Skiing Tradition: Après Ski

My Favorite European Skiing Tradition: Après Ski

Before you take off your skiing attire, before the trek back to your lodge, before a soak in the jacuzzi, there is après ski.

Literally meaning “after ski” in French, après ski is originally a European tradition, although there are some popular après ski scenes at some of the more serious North American slopes these days. While only certain ski areas in the US or Canada may boast opportunities for après ski enjoyment, I’ve found that there is an après ski scene – to some degree at least – at all of the European slopes I’ve frequented. Certainly my first exposure to the concept and enjoyment of après ski was in Europe.

What to expect from the après ski scene:

You’ve been on the slopes all day. You’re a little bit chilly now that the sun is low in the sky, and your muscles are feeling the day’s exertion. Maybe you’re dreaming of relaxing in the hot tub or a trip to the sauna before a hot shower and hearty dinner. But before all that, the party that is après ski awaits!

Festive Atmosphere

Even if you weren’t originally planning on going out somewhere still sporting all of your ski gear, walking past large groups of people enjoying some drinks and the buzz of a lively happy hour will change your mind. It’ll be a mix of people who are back in regular shoes after returning their daily equipment rental and the really serious ski bunnies still in their ski boots, all sharing in the celebration of a successful day out on the slopes.

Music

And what kind of party would it be without music? At après ski, there is often a DJ spinning dance beats to keep the energy up and the crowd moving. For most European skiers, après ski *is* the main event for the night. Even at the more low-key spots, you’ll be enjoying some music to keep up your post-skiing energy.

Drinks

Drinking alcohol after a day of exercise is totally normal in Europe (and that’s if you haven’t already had a beer or something stronger with lunch). At après ski, some people opt for beer, wine, or cocktails, just like any happy hour or dance party. There will also be plenty of places offering hot beverages for those who want something to help them warm up after the chill of being out on the slopes all day. The most popular hot beverages I’ve seen at après ski are some kind of spiked hot cider or mulled wine (which you’ll see listed as vin chaud, vin brulee, glühwein, etc. depending on what country you’re skiing in).

Peak Time in the Late Afternoon

In most cities 4pm would be too early for the club scene, but late afternoon is prime time for après ski. For the most part, it will be at its most lively in the late afternoon before dinner, and located either at the base of the ski slope or somewhere close by, on everyone’s path back to their hotel or car. It’s pretty much intended as the activity immediately following skiing, still giving people time to unwind and relax after, so everyone can head to bed early to be able to hit the slopes first thing the following morning.

 

The most memorable places where I’ve enjoyed après ski were in Saas Fee, Switzerland & Courmayeur, Italy – both places with lively après ski scenes that are packed with people at the end of the ski day. Where are your favorite spots for après ski?

Why Everyone Should be Giving Thanks this Thanksgiving

Why Everyone Should be Giving Thanks this Thanksgiving

It’s that time of the year again, Thanksgiving. Whether or not you’re American, taking a few moments to think about what you are thankful for is powerful stuff. And not just because I said so, that is also what decades of research have to teach us about finding what for many is elusive – happiness.

Shawn Achor, author of The Happiness Advantage, lists gratitude as one of the main avenues to happiness. Read the book if you get a chance, but more importantly take the time daily to reflect on a few things that you are grateful for that day. I know some people who write this before bed or discuss it at the dinner table. In any case, the act of practicing gratitude leads to a mental focus on the positives in any situation. As Brené Brown (another researcher and author I’ve enjoyed reading) has noted, it is the active practice of gratitude that leads to happiness, not the happiness that comes first.

I certainly have tried to be more mindful each day, and especially during difficult times, to focus on the many ways I am blessed and fortunate. Even if you are in a less-than-ideal situation, you can still be grateful and even find peace in the moment. With Thanksgiving, for me it is a more formal time to mark the many reasons to be satisfied.

So, what am I thankful for in 2016?

Opportunities for Travel

I truly believe that everyone has the opportunity for travel of some kind even on the most limited budget, but I also realize that I have been especially blessed in this department. Not just for having the financial resources to do so, but also having the flexibility in my schedule to make many trips happen. I’ve been to 9 (!) new countries this year, I think the most I’ve ever visited in a single year, and 2016 isn’t even over yet. Most have been in Europe, but not only. What an incredible gift.

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Living in Europe

Let me just say, European life really agrees with me, ever since I first arrived in Milan just after Thanksgiving three years ago. It takes a bit of adjustment, but the Italian approach to living – from a sweet pastry with your morning cappuccino to an evening aperitivo out with friends – is an opportunity to savor the little moments of your day. Not only that, but distances between cities and countries in Europe are small, and transportation by train or budget airline can be quite inexpensive. For someone who likes travel (and good food) like me, it has been such a wonderful experience to be based in Europe.

Being Good with Languages

Living in Milan I’ve seen many foreigners struggle with learning Italian. Don’t get me wrong, speaking another language takes countless hours of effort and practice, but I’m also fortunate in that I seem to have an easier time learning a new language than most. Even for languages I’ve never studied formally, I have definitely picked up a bit of “Menu French” and “Menu German” in my time living and traveling in Europe, something that can prove incredibly useful in a country where there is very little in English, like Liechtenstein. Anything that makes everyday life abroad and travel just that little bit easier is something to be thankful for.

Experiencing Beauty

I am much more likely to be stopped in my tracks when out in nature – at the peak of a mountain taking in the view, enjoying a colorful sunset, or inhaling the intoxicating perfume of flowers in bloom. But sometimes there are also physical objects of art that are so breath-taking they literally stop me in my tracks. Last year, it was when I saw the Vitruvian Man sketch by Leonardo da Vinci, which was part of an exhibition in Milan. Something about the sheer beauty of the original really stunned me.

This year I have been wowed beyond description by three very different objects, that I am so thankful to have been able to visit:

  • Gutenberg Bible. In January I was privileged to see three Gutenberg Bibles in a single room at the Gutenberg Museum in Mainz, Germany, close to Frankfurt. Famous for being at the forefront of the printing revolution, these large books were printed and then decorated by hand, and the three Bibles on display were all turned to the same page so you can clearly see the variations that came with the different illustrations. I was mesmerized and stared at them for quite a while. At one point with the flow of other visitors I was alone (alone!) with the Bibles. The thrill continued as I left to see the other displays on the floor and then came back for another peek. And of course, before leaving, I couldn’t resist and took one more chance to soak up the moment and just experience the sheer beauty of the books.
  • Stradivarius Violins (and Guitars). Like me you may have heard the name Stradivarius in connection with violin-making, or know that these violins are the most expensive musical instruments in the world. But seeing a picture in a book is nothing compared to seeing one in person, or seeing a roomful of them as I did this year at the Stradivarius Museum in Cremona, Italy. The craftsmanship is excellent, and even distinguishable from the other similar violins on display. Something about the sense of proportion and lines and curves creates this incredible, beautiful result that is hard to describe other than to say that something about it is just so aesthetically pleasing. And did you know Stradivarius made guitars as well? Standing in front of any of his musical instruments, I was simply awestruck. And feeling so lucky to be there.featured-dsc_0474
  • David Statue. Many people make the trek to see Michelangelo’s original David statue in Florence, so you are certainly not alone when you see it. Despite the crowds, I had an equally awe-filled time seeing the statue back in September on my third visit as I did on my first visit a couple of years ago. The sheer beauty and craftsmanship is just incredible. It’s not just the details like the veins you can clearly see on David’s hands, but also something about the sense of proportion and balance of the whole that cannot be explained, although the stark beauty is clearly felt being dwarfed by the statue in person.

Opportunities to Grow

2016 has been a year with many professional and personal challenges for me. Sometimes I’ve been absolutely petrified, like when taking on a leadership role in a non-profit organization or when first having my blog go live. But I also remind myself that fear is a sign that you are about to embark on something unknown and challenging. And having these opportunities to blaze new trails or try your hand at something new are really just reminders of being alive. New things to tackle keep life interesting and exciting, and often take you by surprise, which is something to be grateful for regardless of the outcome.

Amazing Friends and Family

Many of my travels and memorable experiences of 2016 would not have been possible without my incredible friends and family. I have been really fortunate to have so many visitors to Milan this year, as well as friends in Milan and throughout Europe that are willing to join me for a crazy weekend adventure or checking out a sight around town. For being a travel buddy, opening your home to me as I travel, and being my most vocal cheerleaders, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!

 

It’s nice to reflect on an entire year at a time and the many things that you are grateful for from that period, but even more meaningful to incorporate a little bit of Thanksgiving into your daily reflection. What 3 things are you grateful for TODAY??

11 Ways Singapore is Like Hong Kong – and why you should visit both!

11 Ways Singapore is Like Hong Kong – and why you should visit both!

I had very little in the way of expectations before visiting Singapore. I knew that its cuisine was a mix of influences from across Asia, and that food culture is strong. But really, I did not know much else. I booked my plane ticket without having a single item on my “To Do” list – although I had already gotten recommendations from friends for two places to eat when I arrived. And I have three different sets of friends living there, for various reasons. Some Singaporean, some as expats, and what I wanted most was to spend time with them.

So onto this blank slate, after a lazy first morning, I spent an afternoon getting to know the city. By the time the late rain broke and I was heading to the marina area for some more tourist exploration it occurred to me what had been on the edge of my consciousness all day – Singapore is so similar to Hong Kong!

I wondered if talking about the similarities between the two locales would be enough material for a blog post, and jotted down a few notes. Within minutes, I had nearly a dozen ways the two places were alike. An idea that was later cemented by a Singaporean friend who commented how “Singapore is becoming more like Hong Kong every day.” I loved both places and would go back to visit Singapore and Hong Kong in a heartbeat – and this is after a week (or more) in both places, coming nowhere close to exhausting the “things to do” or “places to eat.”

Here are some of my observations on ways the two cities are alike:

Efficiency
Airports with a lot of international arrivals should be taking their cues from Hong Kong and Singapore (I’m looking at you, Milan Malpensa). Customs waits are negligible or sometimes nonexistent, and everything is done with the customer in mind. Even taxi lines are rapid – in Singapore I didn’t even have the two minutes it took to get a WiFi password before I was whisked away in a cab. And in Hong Kong, you can check your luggage with your airline at the Central Station in town, so you don’t need to worry about dragging your large bag on the train to the airport.

Of course, an airport is just a microcosm of how efficient a place is overall, and the smoothness and quickness of service everywhere mirrored this. If you want to see efficiency in Singapore at its best, just go wait in line for a Singaporean breakfast somewhere, it functions like clockwork or perhaps a well-orchestrated ballet.

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Cityscape filled with High-Rise Buildings
Both Singapore and Hong Kong have dramatic cityscapes, where one modern high-rise next to another has sprung up to meet the increasing housing demand that comes with economic growth. Both places also are in the top five most densely-populated areas in the world. This means a lot of people packed into a small geographic area, but this is also what gives both places its bustle and energy, not to mention endless culinary options.

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Abundance of Street Food
Speaking of which, there is an abundance of street food or food-on-the-go in Singapore and Hong Kong. A lot of this I think is tied to the speed of life that comes with high population density and people toiling away at work. Also, as apartments get smaller (and kitchens along with them) it can be practical to get your meals out of the house. Not only is eating out at these small vendors often cheaper than cooking at home, you also encounter someone who has spent a lifetime mastering the one dish that they sell, yielding delicious results.

Spread at Hong Kong's Tim Ho Wan, at the time the cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant in the world
Spread at Hong Kong’s Tim Ho Wan, at the time the cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant in the world

Michelin Dining on the Cheap
Hong Kong has had a Michelin guide for a while, and through when I visited in 2015, the cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant in the world was located there. When the first Michelin guide to Singapore came out in mid-2016, a couple of hawker stands that received one star served meals that were even cheaper. Certainly Michelin is not the only arbiter of good cuisine (that’s a whole ‘nother debate), but it is definitely an indicator of the value for money and delicious bites you can get eating in both places.

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Metro Systems
Hong Kong’s MTR and Singapore’s MRT systems are nearly twins. Some features – like the lanes marked on the ground so people leaving the train have space to exit before others board – I’ve seen in other Asian cities, like Bangkok. However, even the station map inside the train car has an incredibly similar setup of flashing lights for the current station and a separate indicator to let you know which side of the train will have its doors opening at the next stop. An excellent and inexpensive means of transport in both cities that I relied on heavily during my stays.

Large Expat Communities
Not only does this explain why I had reason to spend so much time in both Singapore and Hong Kong (thank you, hospitable friends!), but having a large expat community in both cities is intricately entwined with their growth. Large expat communities also mean that the services to keep them happy follow, so everything from yoga classes to restaurants serving a variety of ethnic cuisines are readily available for you, the visitor. What makes expat living easy and comfortable also extends to travelers, making both cities great places for a holiday.

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Rooftop Bars
Build a city of skyscrapers and what do you get? Rooftop bars! Singapore has a lot of rooftop or high-floor bars, especially in the area of the marina. Hong Kong offers more of the same, including the highest bar in the world – so high, that the night I went there we were *above* the clouds and there was no view of the city. But I hear it’s amazing on clear days…

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Light Shows
For some reason, both Hong Kong and Singapore love their light shows – and so did I! In Hong Kong, there is the LED digital display of animation that shows nightly on the ICC building. If you’re in the vicinity, watch from the outdoor terrace where you can also hear the musical accompaniment. Singapore also has a musically orchestrated show, with lasers and fountains around the iconic Marina Bay Sands Hotel – watch from anywhere on the marina or from a boat on the water to hear the music as well. And even more surprising for me, the light show in Singapore’s Supertree Grove at the Gardens by the Bay is not set to classical music like the others, but instead features Broadway showtunes. So fun =)

Cheap Taxis
Yes, public transit is wonderful, but sometimes a taxi is the most convenient way to arrive at your destination. Not to worry, Hong Kong and Singapore feature the cheapest taxis of possibly anywhere I’ve ever visited. Want to bar hop across Singapore’s downtown area? No problem. Want to catch a taxi to the start of an obscure hike off the beaten path in Hong Kong? Yup, I did that too when I visited. Having cabs as a cheap transportation option makes it an easier decision to just go and do something spontaneous or inconvenient that you might otherwise think twice about doing.

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Islands Galore
The relatively self-contained areas make both destinations easy to explore with many coastal areas and islands. Singapore of course is its own country, with the main island, and dozens of other smaller ones nearby. Hong Kong is now a “Special Administrative Region” of China (like Macau), and consists of a few main islands and areas, with lots of smaller islands nearby. In both places, you can stay in the center and soak up city life, lounge on the beach of a nearby island, or hike the lush, green hills. Variety is the spice of life.

English!
Thanks, British colonialism, for making Hong Kong and Singapore such easy travel destinations. Due to their history, The English language abounds in both locations, making it that much easier to be a tourist. From restaurant menus to museum descriptions, it’s just a little bit easier to navigate a new place when everything is ready to read and you can ask for directions or recommendations in English from most people you encounter.

 

Although I now have spent a week in both Hong Kong and Singapore, I loved them both so much I want to go back the next time I’m in Asia. Fortunately, both locales have excellent flight connections around the region, so kicking off my next Asian adventure with a few days in Hong Kong or ending with a few days exploring more of Singapore is totally feasible.

Have you ever been somewhere that so strongly reminded you of somewhere else? Of course, Hong Kong and Singapore have their own nuances, but it is clear to me why I love both so much!

“Travel is . . . an Adventure in Eating”

“Travel is . . . an Adventure in Eating”

“Here, try this” was probably the phrase I heard most often when dining out with my family growing up.

It was typically uttered by my grandfather, with some morsel of food perched on his fork. As a pretty curious seven-year old, I would peer over and if I could not identify the food (or it looked slimy, or rubbery) I would shake my head emphatically from side to side. Which would then be followed by an even more insistent, “No, try this” as the fork was thrust purposefully in my direction.

I loved and trusted my grandfather, so sometimes at this point I would give him my blind faith and sample the bite on the fork before inquiring as to what I had consumed – if I inquired at all. At other points, I would ask, “What is it?” and then have an internal debate as to whether the ‘ick’ factor outweighed the potential tastiness of the bite. I didn’t always try what was on the fork, but I took the plunge more often than not.

Although many times I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious the taste turned out to be, there was still that rare occasion when I took the bite and regretted my choice. Some unexpected texture or fishy flavor would overwhelm my palate and I would make a face, and possibly not even swallow my food. And then, knowing me, I probably complained in a loud and whiny voice after the fact about being misled.

But of course, the lessons of all of the tastes pushed in my direction were many:

  1. You don’t know if you like something or not until you try it
  2. People you trust have your best interests at heart, but even with the best of intentions you can still sometimes be misled or disappointed
  3. Even though you will feel betrayed at points, trust again at the next opportunity
  4. Sometimes you’ll be (pleasantly) surprised by how reality does not align with your preconceived notions

Since starting a travel blog two months ago, I’ve spent quite a bit of time reflecting on how I got here. What is it about my upbringing or life experiences that leads me to travel often and on longer trips than most people I know? Or to be the one of my several frequently-traveling friends and relatives to decide that starting a travel blog was a good idea? (Mind you, it took me a few years of living abroad to come around to the idea, but now here I am!)

Is it something about the family I grew up in? The fact that we travelled a few times a year? Both sets of grandparents being avid travelers themselves, recently in retirement when I was little and taking the time to see the world?

Why did I study abroad when I was just 18 years old, fresh out of high school, when so many of my classmates who ultimately studied abroad during college did so a few years later? Why did I decide that travelling for a month the winter break after September 11th was a good idea, when most Americans were avoiding air travel? Why did I plan my summer job when I was a teacher around being able to take long weekend trips to visit friends living around the US? Why did I spend two years saving vacation days when I was working in DC, to be able to take a trip that lasted 3.5 weeks?

Of all of the people with exposure to travel growing up, and who lived abroad during their college years, why am I so eager to both carve out time for travel and then write about it to inspire others?

As an adult, like my grandfather, when I am having a wonderful experience (culinary or otherwise!), my instinct is to share it with others so they can experience it, too. When I’ve visited and enjoyed my time in a particular destination, and then I hear that friends will be visiting soon, I want to tell them all about the amazing sights and delicious meals I consumed. Fortunately, as you can read more about in my Welcome Post, I had already been composing lots of e-mails with travel tips for friends who asked. Thanks to my Type A personality, I tend to keep pretty thorough notes when I plan my travel of what to see and where to eat. And not only do I do extensive research before most of my trips, I enjoy the planning! (I know, I know, you’re probably questioning at this point how I didn’t become a travel blogger years sooner.)

Another legacy from grandfather is that he always said there are 3 stages to enjoying a vacation: the anticipation as you prepare, the enjoyment of the vacation itself, and thinking back about it after the fact. He was one to savor all of these, even the sometimes stressful lead-up in planning a week-long vacation for the 15 people in the extended family for our annual summer trip. Why did he take such joy, even during the disagreements or misunderstandings?

This was a man, who as he always explained it “grew up dirt poor” during the time of the Great Depression in the US. He was not one to waste any material good, and certainly not food. He would finish any little bit left on someone’s plate, even if he was already full. My grandfather also ate marrow out of bones — and I don’t mean osso bucco or the luscious marrow you might be envisioning that would be roasted in the oven and served at an upscale, trendy restaurant. I’m talking about the marrow of teeny chicken bones, that he would have to scrape out with a toothpick to eat. So yes, this is a man who savored all of the stages of travel planning, even the not-so-idyllic parts.

In my grandparents’ house in Brooklyn where they lived for over 50 years, there were pictures hung on the wall next to the staircase from the various places my grandparents had traveled together since they were first married. Each from a different location, all exotic and colorful and enticing to me as a young child. These are also the grandparents who saw travel and exploring together as a means for family togetherness.

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Starting when I was young, the family would all get together. It started off at resorts in the Borscht Belt of upstate New York (think Dirty Dancing). Then we tried something different, further than a simple drive away. We checked out an all-inclusive resort or two and went on a few cruises. Somehow my mom and sisters and cousins and I got recruited into the organizing phases. Now the vacation planning involves a complex matrix of various schedules and a spreadsheet to narrow down our destination for the coming summer.

Although this process continues today (I’m in charge of the research for next summer), the important part is not the resort or massages or excursions. The important part has always been the time spent together, which somehow always seems to line up into those 3 phases my grandfather always talked about – the before, the during, and the after of travel. It is the shared experience and memory of all of our trips together that provides many of the anecdotes and laughter when the family is around the table together for other celebrations throughout the year. And the collective closeness that comes from decades of ‘Family Vacation’ each summer.

My grandfather always said (in case you can’t tell, he had a lot of sayings he liked to share!), “travel is an adventure in eating,” and he treated our trips together as a way for us all to explore the cuisine of a new place. And still today, three and a half years after his passing, the quality and variety of the food offerings is central to choosing a destination for ‘Family Vacation.’ And certainly in my personal travels, a big component of how I explore and experience a new place is through the local food.

This is the same grandfather who gave me the weekly push at dinner on Saturday night for me to venture outside of my comfort zone, and even when it didn’t lead to the reward I had anticipated, to venture outside of my comfort zone again the following week. To make sure that if he was appreciating something, I would have the opportunity to appreciate it, too.

And that is how I became an avid traveler. And that is how I became a travel blogger.

10 Reasons to Travel Anyway

10 Reasons to Travel Anyway

Excuse #1: I can’t afford to travel

Why Travel Anyway:

I hear this one a lot. Many people I know who do not travel much bemoan the fact that travel is too expensive. It can be, but it certainly doesn’t have to be! I find that because I live in a city with a decently high cost of living, there are many places off the beaten path that I can visit where my daily or weekly costs (including accommodations) is less than if I was in Milan for that same time.

Don’t have any money saved up? There are lots of ways to start putting away money a little at a time. Do you spend $5 a day on coffee out when you could brew at home? Do you eat lunch out when you could bring leftovers into the office? Do you really need another shirt that looks just like the ones you have at home? Do you splurge on taxis when you could have taken public transit? Even one of these cost-saving measures can amount to big savings toward a future trip. Plan for your goals, and start setting money aside to make it possible.

Excuse #2: Work is too busy

Why Travel Anyway:

A lot of my friends live in major cities in the northeastern United States (where workaholics abound), so I hear this one a lot. Yes, many people’s work schedules have busier periods throughout the year that really are not options for travel, however this is not typically true for the *whole* year. Or, if you are constantly busy, then work will always be too busy and then you can pick any time really to block off time for travel. The work will still be there when you return, I promise. And if you plan ahead and have a strategy to still meet all of your deadlines, most employers are willing to be flexible.

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Excuse #3: I’ll travel next year

Why Travel Anyway:

This is probably not exactly what Shakespeare had in mind when he wrote “tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow . . .” but the sentiment certainly applies here. None of us know for certain what the future holds, so why keep putting off something as fun as travel? Sometimes the circumstances that make travel affordable (like the lower value of the British pound after the Brexit vote) are just temporary. It’s impossible to know ahead of time which trends will last, so if travel makes sense now, just do it!

Excuse #4: I don’t have anyone to travel with

Why Travel Anyway:

If you have never travelled by yourself, I strongly recommend it! There are many accommodations like hostels where even if you book a private room, you have the opportunity to meet other solo travellers or join organized tours. It is a great way to see a place without all of the negotiation involved when you’re travelling with others. You can stick to just the tourist sites you’d like to see, and you always get to pick what and where you eat.

Even if you’re not convinced, there is likely a creative solution for you. When I finished graduate school (and was a teacher still, so had the summer off), I wanted to take a 3+ week trip. But none of my friends could take that much time off of work and most teacher friends had gotten jobs that summer. So I travelled for a bit over 3 weeks, but with two different friends – one for the first half and another for the second half. If you’re really not interested in travelling alone, see what combination of people may be able to join you for a trip or if there is an organized tour that fits your budget.

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Excuse #5: There’s nowhere new I want to go

Why Travel Anyway:

I struggle when I hear this, because as I travel, the list of places I want to go keeps getting longer! If you’ve been happy with the trips you’ve already taken, that of course is fine, too. Why not revisit one of your favorite past destinations?

Travel is energizing because it opens your eyes to things you don’t see in a normal day at home, and takes you out of your usual routine. You’ll see the world with fresh eyes, even after just a weekend away.

Excuse #6: I have young children, so I can’t travel

Why Travel Anyway:

This one is just not true. Travel, with or without your little ones, is always a choice. I even have friends who go out of their way to travel when their children are very little, so they can come on the airplane without needing their own ticket. For friends who visited Milan with two young children, there were more frequent bathroom stops but also lots of time to walk around outside or visit a museum while the kids slept in their strollers.

Recent visitors to Milan have also included friends who left their little ones at home with grandparents. Parents need breaks, too. And for those who have the support at home of having people who can care for their child or children while they’re away, yes, you’ll miss them. But taking the time to relax away from the kids will make you an even more engaged parent when you return. Which is good for them, too.

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Excuse #7: My significant other can’t travel, so I shouldn’t either. Or he/she doesn’t want to travel.

Why Travel Anyway:

It’s challenging to find two people whose travel desires exactly align. More likely, one person in a relationship is interested in more travel than the other. And certainly in the Milan expat world, often one partner has work travel that makes them less willing and able to travel for pleasure.

So why travel anyway? First, solo travel can be hugely fulfilling and a wonderful way to take a trip (see Excuse #4 above). Just because you don’t have your significant other as a built-in travel buddy, doesn’t mean you can’t and shouldn’t take advantage of opportunities to travel on your own. And certainly being married or in a relationship does not preclude your travelling with other friends. Some of my best trips in Europe have been with friends, some of whom are married or in long-term relationships and chose to travel with me for a weekend anyway. Just make sure there is communication with your significant other about your travel plans in advance, to avoid possible misunderstandings later.

Excuse #8: Travel is dangerous, what if something happens to me?

Why Travel Anyway:

Yes, travel can be dangerous. Life in the 21st century can also be dangerous, regardless of where you live. For some people, depending on the destination, travel may even be safer than their home city. Regardless of your situation, safety is a consideration and may impact which destination you choose for your trip, however should not keep you from exploring new and far away destinations.

After the recent attacks in Paris, Brussels, Nice and beyond, I’ve fielded many questions about safety in Europe that you can read about here. I do not feel like day-to-day life in Europe is particularly dangerous, but it is up to each individual to make that call. The most important thing when it comes to choosing a destination you do not find dangerous is trusting your instincts. Do your research, consult which destinations are safest, follow common-sense safety tips wherever you are, and focus on the wonderful travel you’re privileged to experience. And yes, take that trip!

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Excuse #9: Travel is too stressful. Or planning travel is too stressful.

Why Travel Anyway:

Some people, like me, thrive on the research and planning that goes into a wonderful travel experience. Others drag their heels and avoid it like the plague until the very last moment, if they plan anything at all. Obviously there is quite a broad spectrum here of what level of planning each person is comfortable with, and I certainly advocate finding a balance in your own travel planning to avoid being stressed out. Some people opt for cruises or all-inclusive beach vacations to avoid this, and if that is you and what you enjoy, wonderful. If going to several different cities in a single trip seems overwhelming, find a city with a ton to do and plan a long weekend getaway there instead.

The same philosophy goes for travel itself. Yes, it is nice when travel stretches your boundaries, but not to the point of being so stressed out you can’t enjoy the experience. Be in tune with what situations get your heart racing in a panicked way, and organize your travel to minimize those situations and maximize the enjoyment and reward.

Excuse #10: I like all the comforts of home, why would I leave?

Why Travel Anyway:

I heard someone say once that everything will either be a great experience or a great story, and I feel like this attitude is especially appropriate for travel. You are outside of your comfort zone, and may not speak the language or know where to find necessities in a pinch, but that is the adventure of travelling. Of course, you can tailor your travel plans to whatever level of adventure either keeps you completely comfortable or pushes you a bit beyond your usual conveniences.

Regardless of how much you love and thrive in the comforts of home, there are so many benefits to travel! Conde Nast Traveler recently did a round up of 5 Ways Travel Makes You Smarter, and there is also a boost to your creativity and flexibility from the new situations you encounter on the road. And of course, when you do come home at the end of a trip, the comforts of home are all the sweeter =)

 

These are some of the reasons why I travel anyway – and try to convince reluctant friends that travel *is* worth it. Why do YOU travel? Any particular resources I can provide on the blog to make your travel easier or better? Tell me more in the Comments below.

Naples: Why It’s a Destination

Naples: Why It’s a Destination

“Why do you live in Milan? People are unpleasant there. It is better here, where you can ride your motorcycle without a helmet and drive without a seat belt,” said my first taxi driver in Naples. Who when I paid the 19 Euro fare with a 20 Euro bill, objected to the tip because “that is the price of a coffee.” (I told him to keep the 1 Euro anyway).

This is the chaos of Naples – you can do whatever you want and drive however you like, but then of course you’re driving in a city where everyone else does the same, and you can imagine the crazy traffic that ensues! But it is the excitement of living on the edge at all times that gives Naples its primal energy and bustle, and its very particular charm.

Many visitors to Italy come to Naples, but often spend less than a day hours there, instead using it as a jumping off point to visit the ruins of Pompeii or to head to the island of Capri or nearby Amalfi coast. This is precisely how Naples landed in Lonely Planet’s Secret Europe Destinations 2016 with an article titled “Italy at its red-blooded bargain best,” as a worthy destination where you can appreciate a slice of Italy’s incredible history and art without the crowds you’ll find in some of the more popular Italian cities for tourism. While there has been a surge in interest in Naples as a destination in some crowds after the recent success of Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan series, overall it is more often treated as a transit point than the satisfying and exhilirating city it can be.

Some say the Neapolitan spirit is due to living in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. Experts maintain that the volcano is overdue for an eruption. So as a Neapolitan, with the threat of destruction ever lurking, why wouldn’t you live every day to the fullest?

This fiercely independent attitude of Naples manifests itself in interesting ways when you are a tourist:

  • Waiting for one of the last trains back to the center on a Sunday night, and despite there being other people on the platform also waiting, being quite aware of the possibility that no train arrives at all (in this case, it did come, over an hour late!)

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  • Trying to pay a 5 Euro museum entry with a 10 Euro bill, and then being let in for free because the attendant couldn’t be bothered to make change.

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  • Walking past mounds of garbage piled up on the streets that haven’t been collected in a while and are starting to overflow onto the sidewalk (mind you, the trash is near the receptacles, just not collected).

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  • Even paid museums almost never having toilet paper in the bathrooms. So great excitement ensues at the one museum with a communal roll outside of the stalls that still has toilet paper on it.

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  • And sometimes you are wandering around museums with priceless pieces of art, and you are completely alone because no one is monitoring the area.

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  • The only rule I saw consistently was “no selfie shaft.” Otherwise, no rules =)

So when my taxi driver bemoaned that Milanesi wear their seat belts and their helmets, I thought to myself that he may find it appalling, but I actually like Milan that way . . . at least as a place to live. But the stark contrast between the cities means that Naples is one of my favorite cities to visit in all of Italy – you’ve never felt more alive!

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