¡Hola! Bienvenido a México. Hello and welcome to Mexico, our southern neighbor! Tonight we are going to explore this amazing country from home by eating, learning, and doing. Did you know that more Americans visit Mexico than any other country in the world? It's true, and it's not even close! Part of that is how…
The year started off so well. Early January saw me off to Lisbon for the start of a three month jaunt through Portugal and Spain, with a stopover in Morocco. Or so went the plan. Portugal was magical. Spain was incredible. And then, a week into my three weeks in Barcelona before heading to Morocco,…
If there is truly a case of a single thing dictating a date night destination, this is it. Coming in, I knew basically nothing about El Salvador, outside of it leading the world in murders per capita. Oh, and pupusas. Pupusas, one of my favorite foods, light and fluffy, filled with yumminess and griddled to…
Let's start off this way: Turkey is an incredible place. It is amazing. I've been to both Istanbul and Izmir (as a gateway to Ephesus) and read Sam's recent piece about Cappadocia. There is so much history and culture there that one could dedicate an entire website just to Turkey. As a tourist, I have…
Today, I turn 40. (Well, today when you read this, not today when I write this, as it's a few days prior. Anyway.) The big 4-0. An age that, while it doesn't sound old, no longer really sounds young. It's as good a time as any to pause, to reflect, and to examine where things…
Let's face it, for those of us who write about travel, work in the travel industry, or simply enjoy traveling, 2020 has been a bit of a dumpster fire. Since leaving Spain in early March, I have yet to even cross state lines. And I am one of the lucky ones; my income isn't dependent…
This fall, I was vaguely planning a trip back to Thailand. I was there several years ago, part of a cruise from Singapore to Hong Kong, spending two days in Bangkok and a day on Koh Samui. That introduction was enough to tell me I wanted to go back. And then Covid happened and all…
One of the common misconceptions many Americans have is that countries we think of as "third-world" have little to offer in terms of either food or culture. Especially when it comes to sub-Saharan Africa, we - myself included - tend to know little, thinking of these countries only as destinations for a safari. This week,…
This is the final chapter. To return to chapter five, click here. VI. The Vieux-Port is deserted as I make my way back. It’s chilly in the evening, so my “signature” look is covered by a dark gray hoodie. I make my way from the hotel, guided by street lamps, the light from Notre Dame…
To return to chapter four, click here. V. This time, I wake before my alarm. No need for coffee, so I settle into the padded chair. The hard thing about writing about Cambodian temples is remembering which is which. After seeing five or six, they sort of all blend together. Which one was the “pink…