The worst part about living abroad? Being far away from amazing friends and family.
The best part about living abroad? When said friends and family have business trips in a nearby country. Throw in my flexible work schedule and it’s easy peasy to pop in for a visit.
That was the case when Erin called to say she has to spend a couple weeks in Basel, Switzerland.
A 90 minute flight later and I arrived along the Rhine River to toast 12 years of friendship.
Interlaken
The happiest cows on earth sporting golden bells and roaming on electric green pastures? Check.
Snowcapped mountains? Check.
Crystal blue lakes? Check.
Interlaken really is as breathtaking as you’d imagine. To make the most of our day trip (a 2 hour train from Basel), we did a bike tour with Flying Wheels. The highlight? Visiting a farm and having my first taste of unpasteurzed milk. I went in for seconds and could’ve kept going.
Fondation Bayler
Erin is my go-to art expert, which is no surprise as her CV includes The Met, Art Basel and Museum of Contemporary Art, just to name a few. Having very little understanding of the modern art world, I was very lucky to have her as my personal guide through Fondation Bayler museum to better understand the likes of Gaugin and Marlene Dumas.
Asparagus Season
‘Tis the season and regardless of whether we were eating out or staying in, white asparagus made an appearance at most meals.
City of Basel
Is Switzerland gorgeous? Yes. Is Basel a must visit? No.
I’ve only visited a handful of other areas in Switzerland, but that mixed with general consensus has led me to believe that while Basel is a sweet small city, there are many other Swiss spots that would easily surpass it on a list.
With that said, since the sole point of this trip was to catch up with a friend, Basel provided a charming backdrop for endless conversations.
It’s a country that once ruled the world. Following a series of bad luck (earthquakes, tsunamis, a crippling economy), Lisbon is now a city of ravaged beauty where wine and seafood are surprisingly cheap, the hills are steep and endless and graffiti is considered art.
When our friends from New York were planning a trip to visit us in London, a celebratory side trip to ring in Jordan’s 30th was in order and Lisbon, by chance, became the destination.
Read through for our adventures through Portugal’s wine country, city and sea as we toasted one of my best friend’s 30th Birthdays!
Alfama
A medieval maze and my favorite neighborhood in Lisbon. While the entire city is built on steep hills, Alfama takes it to another (steep) level and feels like taking a step back in time, likely because it was one of the only areas to survive the devastating 1755 earthquake and tsunami. We stumbled upon artist studios, flea markets, hole in the wall cafes, and sometimes just stumbled, literally, up and down trying to navigate the windy cobble stone streets. I can count the number of times we got lost on two hands, so to avoid that, here’s a self guided walking tour.
Pastel de Nata
This is Portugal’s signature dessert - a flaky, buttery crust filled with warm, gooey custard for only €1. In the name of research, I made it my job to try at least one a day. The results? You can enjoy the most original, famous version at Pastéis de Belém (just on the outskirts of central Lisbon with lengthy lines) or the “local favorite” at Manteigaria (in central Lisbon). These two were equally the best, the latter edging ahead slightly simply because of the easier location.
Sintra and Pena Castle
I’ve visited my fair share of “story book” castles (France and Switzerland come to mind), but Sintra’s crown jewel, Pena Castle, is on a whole other level. Sintra, a mystical village that’s always been popular with the royals, is a must-do 1/2 day trip from Lisbon (only 30 minutes away) . Even Lord Byron described it as “eden’.
The castle is the real life version of “enchanted”, literally, as the brainchild of a 19th century King with extravagantly whimsical tastes. Think Tim Burton meets Willy Wonka....except this is real life.
Premium Tours provided a guide and transportation to and from Lisbon so we could be worry free and just sit back and take in all the sights and history. Easy peasy.
Landeau Bakery
I don’t like chocolate cake. It’s either too dry or too heavy. Landeau’s version is neither. In fact, it’s heaven and is hailed as the best in the country. There’s a layer of moist cake, a layer of fluffy mousse and a layer of decadent coco. We may or may not have returned every day and would even pick up a takeaway slice to enjoy with a glass of wine at nearby cafes....
Ramiro
Every Portuguese friend who shared recommendations included this place. And rightfully so. It’s a Lisbon institution and former beer hall that does bare bones seafood PERFECTLY. In fact, it’s nickname is “seafood temple”. Everything from the food to the decor to the service is simple, but in the best way possible.
Added bonus? Because Lisbon is so cheap compared to other western European cities, Ramiro’s seafood smorgasbord comes in at a small fraction of the expected cost.
Hands down my favorite meal of the trip. Anthony Bourdain also featured as the first stop in his No Reservations video.
By the Wine
A picture perfect wine bar on a very steep street in the Chiado district. With glasses so cheap (around €2/each), you need no excuse to create your own ‘tasting’.
Natural vs Fresh Water
At most restaurants, if we asked for still water, they’d ask if we wanted ‘natural or fresh water’. The confusion that ensued resulted in hilarious cultural exchanges because we simply could not understand what the difference would be. Turns out, it’s just cold vs room temperature. Lesson learned.
Cascais + Guincho Beach
After a morning in Sintra, our Premium Tours guide took us down the coast to visit Cascais, a seaside town, and Guincho, which a Portuguese friend dubbed “the best beach on the outskirts of Lisbon” and a surfer’s paradise. If only we were there two days later when the weather became hot, I would’ve been in the water pronto. Lunch was at Fornas do Guincho, where waiters rolled over carts to present the freshest catch pulled straight from the water a couple feet away. I went with the local delicacy, barnacles. Even moreso than oysters, it’s the closest thing to tasting the sea.
If you’d prefer to do the trip without a guide, a Portuguese friend recommends the following:
From Lisbon you can take the train in Cais do Sodré. Its a 30min-2€ spectacular trip with the river/sea over the windows. I recommend it to all my friends and they all say it was great. If you have a car, go to Cascais but not on the highway. Take the Marginal and enjoy the 30min trip. The road from Cascais to Guincho is famous to be one of the most beautiful in Portugal.
Internacional Design Hotel
Quirky. Trendy. Bespoke. Boutique. A taste of old and new with terraces and funky art to boot. Added bonus? Each floor has it’s own theme - zen, jungle, or urban. It’s also a ‘can’t beat’ location in the Baixa neighborhood, just a stone’s throw to Barrio Alto (nightlife) and Chiado (cafes and shopping).
If there’s only two of you, book this apartment. Several friends have stayed here and rave about it.
Cabo da Roca
Hoping to catch a glimpse of America? Then maybe, just maybe, you’ll get lucky here at the westernmost point of Europe. It’s located near Sintra in the middle of a natural park and the jagged cliffs are accented with bouquets of flowers and a crystal blue sea. I just sat and stared trying to figure out where the blue of the sky ends and the blue of the sea begins.
This was also done via Premium Tours.
Mercado de Ribeira
An indoor market set up by Time Out Magazine to show off food and specialities from some of Lisbon’s best restaurants.
Famous Santini ice cream and gelato? Check.
Azeitão sheep's cheese? Check.
Cured hams? Check.
Alentejo Region
A visit to wine country? Of course I was on board. Due to a scheduling issue, we only visited Esporão Winery (and missed our appointment at Cartuxa Winery). The region was a couple hours east of Lisbon, almost all the way to Spain, and while it was pretty and the winery visit was lovely, I couldn’t help but compare it to wine regions in France and Italy, which I believe are 1000% better.
On the upside, our lunch at Fialho in the town of Evora was a highlight.
This was also organized via Premium Tours.
Mini Bar
This restaurant is desperately trying to be the Tickets of Lisbon - a theatrical display of small plates in a buzzing setting. In fact, the chef admits he’s tried to create an homage to Tickets, which is why I booked it immediately. (Read about my incredible meal at Tickets here.)
While the food at Mini Bar was good, it wasn’t phenomenal, and neither was the service (4 hours to get through our meal) or the atmosphere (the “live music DJ” had us falling asleep at our tables with his lackluster music choice.) We finally signed the bill by 2am. If I had gone in with lower expectations, It would’ve been a great start to a night out.
This was my takeaway from Hong Kong and if I had to live in one of the Asian cities I’ve visited so far, this would be it.
For one week, I devoured this east-meets-west city with the help of Jen, a friend who lived in Hong Kong years ago. With her as my personal tour guide, I experienced the 'must sees', as well as her old stomping grounds. The result? A perfect balance of tourist and ‘being a local’.
Watch the video for a dim-sum taste of Hong Kong (no really, this is my favorite video from the entire Asia trip!) and read on for the highlights.
Dim Sum: Hong Kong is it’s birthplace and there’s a huge variety to sink your chopsticks into. These are the restaurants I taste-tested.
Dragon Eye
Vibe: Trendy
Design: Swanky club and is packed even during Monday lunch.
Cost: $30/person.
Added bonus: Unlimited dim sum.
Go here if you want.....a scene and great people watching.
Lina Heung
Vibe: Authentic and old-school
Design: Bare bones. Feels a little dirty....in an "authentic" way.
Cost: Cheap/pay per plate (around $10/person)
Added bonus: Women push around carts, but instead of waiting for them to arrive at your table, diners rush them as soon as they depart the kitchen. Assertiveness is key, but watch out - if you go too far (as I did), the ladies will slap your hand away. Time Magazine sums it up well: "If you're going to have dim sum only once in Hong Kong, Lin Heung is the place. It makes no concessions to modernity or to English speakers, but what Lin Heung does offer is a unmediated slice of Old Hong Kong. The city's culinary and cultural authenticity are potently concentrated in a few surviving places like this."
Go here if you want....to take a step back in time and experience “old Hong Kong” and have your meal remain a mystery since English is nonexistent.
Maxim’s Palace City Hall
Vibe: Classic and traditional.
Design: Ballroom style.
Cost: Pay per plate. Probably $20/person.
Added bonus: Arrive by 11:00am to avoid the huge lunch line.
Go here if you want....an incredible variety of dim sum.
Duddells
Vibe: Quirky, sophisticated and boozy.
Design: Like eating at a friend's house who collects off beat and elegant decor.
Cost: Pricey. $50 for unlimited dishes.
Added bonus: For an extra $10, enjoy unlimited Veuve Clicquot and wine.
Go here if you want....a decadent, 2 Michelin Star dim sum experience.
Victoria Peak
Following the 7 minute tram ride to the top of the island hill, we were greeted with the most amazing views of the city and a lush green park filled with adorable dogs.
Dinners with Local Families
Some friends' families took us out for the most memorable meals of the visit. They took care of the ordering, sharing local knowledge (Hong Kong vs China) and showing us how to properly assemble Peking Duck. We took care of culture exchanges. After we completed 1/5 of the meal, I was super full and assumed that was it. I was wrong and the amount of courses that followed (for both dinners) was mind boggling. Both families were so warm. So generous. I hope to be able to return their kindness one day.
Stanley
The drive to Stanley, located on the back of the island, is half the fun. It felt like cruising around the Hollywood Hills or Marin, San Francisco. If you sit on the top floor of the double decker bus, you’ll also feel like you’re on a bit of a theme-park ride as you twist and turn around every corner, only a couple inches shy of falling off the edge. Once you hit Stanley, it’s all about the market and the perfect place to pick up gifts. Chinoiserie, porcelain, jade, pearls, silk robes, chopsticks, tea sets....it’s all there and ready for a haggle.
Fortune Teller
Jen visited this man 7 years ago and he was eerily accurate. On this visit, his accuracy had my head spinning. Surely, you take this information with a grain of salt, but it made for a really fun, memorable, surprising moment.
Hollywood Road
An antiquing dream come true. If only my suitcase and weight limit were bigger....
Mid Level Escaltors
Because Hong Kong is built on steep hill, there's a fascinating transportation method to get up and down the slopes from residential to business areas.....an outdoor escalator that you can hop on and off at each “level”. In fact, it's the longest outdoor escalator in the world and I absolutely loved it.
Harbour Ferry
The city is split in two by the harbour and the cheapest way to get from one side to the other (Kowloon to Hong Kong Island), is the ferry. In fact, it costs only $0.25! And regardless of which direction you’re heading, the views...
Bamboo Scaffolding
This is a thing.
Markets
Doesn’t matter what city I’m in, exploring food markets is always a highlight.
Shopping Malls
I’d wager to say that I spent at least 50% of my time in Hong Kong walking through malls. They’re everywhere and many of the aerial walkways hop from mall to mall. To get from one neighborhood to the next, you’ll likely have to wander through a mall.
Expats
I was constantly astounded by how many westerners were in Hong Kong, particularly in comparison to the other Chinese cities we visited earlier in the trip. All of a sudden, my blond hair was no longer a novelty.
Man Mao Temple
Located right near Central, this was a quick, easy spiritual break.
Considering Thailand island’s unwaveringly positive word of mouth, I assumed it was going to be overhyped.
I was wrong.
For four days, I fell truly, madly, deeply in love with Koh Phangan, an island off the east coast that’s notorious as the birth place of the debaucherous Full Moon Beach Party. While the island gets a somewhat bad rep due to the backpacking crowds and outlandish behaviour that take place during the full and half moon, if you visit during the other parts of the month, it’s pure heaven.
The overall feeling is a remote, unique oasis with the tagline, Zen Please.
While its neighbouring island, Koh Samui, is filled with beautiful luxury chain resorts (think Four Seasons, W, etc), Koh Phangan’s personality is more off beat and free spirited and mostly boutique-style resorts that range from yoga sanctuary retreats to luxe resorts with a focus on connecting you to the island.
If you like Jost van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands, you’ll be head over heels for Koh Phangan (during non Moon Party times).
Watch the video and read through for our ‘Zen Please’ adventures.
Haad Yuan - As if Koh Phangan wasn’t remote enough, Haad Yuan beach takes it a step further. The only way to get to this sandy nook on the south eastern edge is via boat (there are no roads on this part of the island). As another beach goer told us “This is an old school Phangan vibe”. What does that mean? I asked a sunbather what was up and around the beach.
Her: There’s a yoga studio, the sanctuary, tribal spirit drumming and just lots and lots of healing.
Me: Healing?
Her: Yes, beautiful healing.
You get the gist. Among the crowd of 30-50 year olds, I’ve never see as many man buns in my life.
Crystal blue big waves. Jungle views. A couple of thatched hut restaurants. It was my version of beach heaven. With a dash of zen, please.
Transportation: There are three ways to get around the island. Taxi boat, taxis (where you just jump into the back of a truck), and mopeds.
Chantaramas Resort: This place had it all. Intimate, rustic, scenic. It was like staying at an adult tree house. Even when we had to depart at the crack of dawn to catch a boat to the airport, they sent us off with to-go breakfasts. Some of the extra bonuses included:
Resident pups? Check.
Daily movie on the beach voted on by guests? Check.
Non-resort prices (i.e. $4/cocktail instead of the typical $15 at hotels)? Check.
Beach massages by moonlight? Check.
Chill out beds sprinkled throughout? Check.
Fishermens Restaurants:
This is hailed as the best and priciest restaurant on the island and it definitely lived up to its reputation. A meal here kicks off with a front row sunset cocktails from the beach bed followed by an incredible meal. So incredible that we wished we came back every night thereafter.
The “pricey” comment is true, but in Koh Phangan, “expensive” is a relative term. For $11 USD, we had huge bowls of curry overflowing with loads of king prawns, two whole crabs, mussels, clams and fish. I’d say thats a deal.
Koh Nangyuan and Koh Tao
Buckets of people make their way daily to these two islands famous for snorkelling, rightfully so because it is that beautiful. But beauty comes at a cost as the tremendous crowds are a real downer. You’re able to forget about it all as you ascend to the top of viewpoint and for a moment, it felt like our own little paradise.
Nong View Restaurant
Hotel concierge: Where would you like to go for dinner?
Us: We just want amazing Thai food..wherever that is.
Hotel concierge: <Leaning in with a hushed voice> Do you want to go somewhere not on Tripadvisor?
Us: Sure?
This was the set up that brought us to Nong View and it was as “cheap and cheerful” as you could get. For $1.50 USD, we got delicious Pad Thai whipped up before our eyes in a shack filled with even better people watching.
We noticed a group of friends meeting for dinner. There was about 15 of them and as each of them arrived, I became completely mesmerized by their greetings. Every single one of them would stand and embrace the other for a good 10-15 seconds and some would touch forehead to forehead, holding still as if their auras were passing through each other.
Super friendly, inexpensive, heat beyond belief and with a history as old as the ancient 1200 AD Angkor Temples and as raw as the eerily recent Khmer Rouge.
This history was always present throughout our short stay, whether it was the land mine amputees or the serious lack of anyone aged over 35. Your mind can't help but wander to 21% of the population that was wiped out. In fact, the population of Phnom Penh still isn't near the 1970 census of 1 million.
It's a country that’s rebuilding, very obviously so. Watch the video to get a better sense of the beautiful people and culture that made us smile (and sweat!) and read through for the highlights.
Angkor Temples: My biggest takeaway from exploring these ancient buildings? Perspective. When the temples were built in 1200 AD, Angkor Thom City was one of the leading civilizations in the world with a population of 1 million people. At the same time, London was at 50,000. It was a reminder how power shifts throughout the world over time. And while I would have loved to spend many more days exploring all 30 temples (we only saw four), the tidal wave of heat and humidity was suffocating.
Food: I had Cambodia’s signature dish, Fish Amok, for at least half the meals. It is that good. Imagine a creamy Thai fish curry, but without the chili spice. The Sugar Palm served the most stand out meal of our trip in a gorgeous colonial setting. It was also the most pricey. And by pricey, I mean $5 entrees.
Families on Motorbikes: This wasn’t anything new from the rest of Asia, but the sheer number of kids just chilling on the laps of multiple family members crammed onto on motorbike was astounding. Watch the video for more.
Apsara Dancing: While watching this classic Khmer dance, I was instantly transported back to a child watching The King and I in my grandmother’s house. The movie may take place in Thailand, not Cambodia, but the dance is similar and totally enchanting. Raffles had an elaborate and pricey show, while Temple Bar was more intimate and .
Bodia Spa: While the temples are the main draw in Siem Reap, spas are the runner up and the main street is lined with dirt cheap options - $1 for every 10 minutes of massage! I stood in front of one of the signs for a good couple minutes reading it over again and again as I assumed I must’ve been hallucinating. Conde Nast Traveler and Kelly recommended Bodia, which is pricey by Cambodias standards, but still miles away from traditional western spa prices while still being very luxe and clean. For $50, I enjoyed three hours of utopia, including a heavenly massage and full body scrub that had me reevaluating my idea of personal space.
Tuk Tuks: The heat and humidity were on another level in Siem Reap. I was amazed as I watched local women go about their business covered in hats, winter scarves, hoodies and gloves to avoid any ray of sunshine while I dealt with dizzy spells and at one point gave up on wearing a bra because even that was too much. Therefore, my favorite time to be outside was when I was in the back of a tuk-tuk with a breeze.
Fresh Fruit Juice: When the heat was almost too much, the juice stands came to the rescue. $1 got you a big, refreshing juice or smoothie overflowing with fruit. In fact, while ordering I met a girl from Thailand who was blown away by just how much fruit would go into each cup. She noted that in her country it would’ve been 1/3 the fruit and triple the price.
Cambodia Handwriting: It’s just so pretty and almost looks like music. If a unicorn could write, this would be it.
Pandas and spicy food, that’s Chengdu in a nutshell. But in reality, it’s so much more.
It’s the capital of Sichuan Province, known as the "Heavenly State”, and the birthplace of the Southern Silk Road and bronze culture, as well as UNESCO’s first ‘City of Gastronomy’ in Asia.
Watch the video and scroll down for the highlights to see why Chengdu’s spicy food and city had me breathing fire and begging for more.
THE CITY
I didn’t expect Chengdu to be a big city. Who knows why. I guess I thought of the Panda Bears and didn’t think much further. Turns out, not only is Chengdu a big city, it’s huge. 20 million people huge, so right up there with Beijing.
PANDAS
Let’s be totally transparent - the only reason Chengdu made it onto the itinerary initially was to visit the famous Panda Bear Research Center. While the city proved to be so much more than just black and white cuddly bears, the pandas were the highlight of our visit, especially when they acted like lazy drunks, rolling around and devouring bamboo. Some fun facts we learned:
Animal species typically last for 5 million years. Pandas have been around for 8 million years, which makes their endangered status even more troublesome.
Panda babies are naturally born premature and are 1/1000th the size of their moms. Let me repeat….1/1000th!!!! Their itty bitty fragile size coupled with the fact that many panda mommies don’t have a maternal instinct (some like to push and throw newborn cubs), makes it even harder for them to procreate and survive in the wild.
Because of a recent infestation of sorts, as of a couple weeks ago you can no longer pay to cuddle and take a photo with them. If only you saw my disappointed reaction.…
While the pandas had to stay behind a fence, their red cousins were out and about mixing and mingling with visitors. Turns out, I loved them even more. Their booze of choice is pumpkin.
PEOPLE’S PARK
The park was full of two things - tea houses and dancing.
Tea houses are set up with hundreds of tables and chairs and every order of tea comes with a huge thermos of water to replenish your cup over and over again. Our guide, Sunny, said many older people come to the park, order a tea, and sip on it all day long.
While taking it all in, we were constantly approached by ear cleaners, i.e men with forehead flashlights and dentist looking tools. We passed on the opportunity for squeaky clean ears, but I watched with wonder as local men and women enjoyed this ‘treatment’.
The park is also filled with workout sessions and match-making signs posted by parents who are eager to find suitors for their children. It’s like match.com done by parents in real life.
LUNCH AT....
Who knows. Sunny took us here for a spread of Szechuan plates so we could better understand the different spices in their cuisine, particularly chile. Before ordering, Sunny asked what food we wouldn’t eat. We shrugged our shoulders before she asked “What about duck’s tongue, pig’s nose and rabbit head?” Our response? A firm no.
A bit scared, Joel and I kept daring each other who would taste each dish first. Half the dishes were fantastic, half had our stomach in knots, but hey, you don’t know unless you try.
WENSHU MONASTERY
We lit some incense, learned about their rituals and just stood back and watched the monks in action. The world is full of so many religions and I’m continually fascinated to learn more.
DINNER AT CHEN MAPO DOFU
Kung pao chicken in the home of kung pao chicken? I was all chopsticks on board. Just like the rest of restaurants we visited in Chengdu (and most of our visit in China), we were the only westerners, so while the food was delicious, the highlight was meeting the local families, especially the babies who were curious and adorably frightened by us.
CONVERSATIONS WITH SUNNY
Our guide, Sunny, was a star. Similar to Sophie in Beijing, she loved sharing bits of info about Chengdu life and culture. Some standout comments:
Wife is the boss in Chengdu. If both the husband and wife work, the man is the one who cooks and cleans.
Chengdu and it’s region are where Chinese come to retire. So….the Florida of China?
The people are considered lazy by the rest of the China. According to Sunny, Chengdu people just prefer to take life a little slower, enjoy moments, etc.
It’s fashionable for women to keep their skin as pale as possible. While we also saw this in Beijing and Shanghai, it was on a greater scale in Chengdu where at least 1/2 of women carried umbrellas, even attaching them to their bikes and mopeds to create shade for their commute.
HOT POT
Cooking meats in a shared oil tank, a la fondue, isn’t just big in Beijing. The spicier chili version is huge in Chengdu, especially at the famous Shu Jiu Xiang (the name literally translates to Sichuan Nine Smells Good) where we waited with the rest of the line outside for 45 minutes to be seated.
Now, when it comes to spicy food, I’m good, not great, and Szechuan’s notorious chilies knocked my socks off and at one point, literally had me in tears. The Tsing Tao beer was consumed fast and furious.
Another fun bit of this meal was our company. Our friends from London, Salil and Mads, were also in town. Instead of just Joel and I sticking out in the crowd, we were joined by a 6′5 blond Danish man and a 6′4 Indian man. We must’ve looked like a circus act because all eyes were on us throughout the meal.
ENGLISH
The language barrier was really tricky in both Beijing and Shanghai (pointing was our form of communication), but in Chengdu, it was impossible. We learned this the hard way when our taxi diver took us to the wrong place two nights in a row and both nights we have to find our way around, which was almost impossible. It’s not like you can show the name of the restaurant to someone and point for directions. Everything is in Mandarin (as it should be). The frustration got to us and Joel and I may have had a little yelling burst in the middle of the street. What gets even more attention in Chengdu than two fair hair westerns? Two fair hair westerns fighting. The good news? We somehow found our way (thank you random cafe wifi!) and made up over Tsing Tao beers.
THE ST. REGIS
Prior to this trip, the most amazing hotel I’ve ever visited was the St. Regis Bal Harbour. That’s no longer the case, as the St. Regis Chengdu takes first place. The hotel just opened in the Autumn, so everything was brand new (hello futuristic toilet!) and absolutely beautiful. In fact, I hated leaving every morning to explore the city. The hotel was THAT fantastic that all i wanted to do was stay there and soak up every moment.
My grandparents were in Shanghai during the 1930’s, so I grew up hearing amazing stories about the city. When my grandmother spoke of it, her eyes lit up and her smile widened as she remembered the people and her life, pointing to the jade lamps on the table, the pearls around her neck and the silk prints on the wall, memories from her time in Asia and Shanghai. If I was going to feel emotionally connected to a city in China, this was going to be it.
I threw on my grandmother’s pearls, tied her silk scarf around my neck, and hopped on the high speed train from Beijing to Shanghai to explore the former fishing village turn Chinese fashion capital.
Read on for the highlights and watch the video to enjoy the real sights and sounds of Shanghai, and most importantly, my dance moves.
The Skyline: If Beijing is the Washington, DC of China, then Shanghai is the New York City. It’s a young city, only 100 years old, and it’s skyscraper skyline, which makes Manhattan seem like a small town, only began in the mid 90’s. It’s not just modern; it feels like the future.
Smog: Just as scary and intense as Beijing.
Food: We devoured two Shanghai specialities nonstop - pork in “grandma’s style” brown sauce (which is so sweet it almost tastes like candy) and Xiaolong bao, soup dumplings (i.e. delicate thin dough filled with broth and pork or crab). Thanks to locals Fiona and DJ, we snagged reservations at low-key, family-style Shanghainese restaurants Old Jesse and Jian Guo 328. When ordering, we did what we do best: pointed at neighboring table’s plates and used the thumbs up/thumbs down method. For Xiaolong bao, we visited Jia Jia Tang Bao during the lunch rush at 10:45am (seriously). It was a teeny hole in the wall and soup dumplings exploded in my mouth like little pillows of heaven. Plus, the price couldn’t be beat - 12 dumplings for $3 and $0.30 for a glass bottle of coke. We ordered three batches (that’s 36 dumplings), but they were so light and fluffy, I could’ve easily eaten three rounds more. At least.
Lunch with a Local Family: On part of a Nomadic Soul tour (c/o Stephanie!), we visited a family and helped them make lunch. And by “helped”, I mean they taught us how to make dumplings. Or should I say, tried to teach us. I had issues with the fold and twist. We then spent the next hour devouring an incredibly memorable meal where our guide translated with the three others. Things we discussed….
China’s one child policy. They were particularly keen to know how many children we want and suggested one boy and one girl as it’s good luck. Good to know. You should’ve seen their face when we told them some people in the US have over 3 children.
Chinese regional cuisines. Shanghai is famous for “sweet” food.
America’s welfare system. They had loads of questions surrounding this.
Medicine. The older generation considers western medicine “poison” and will typically just drink hot water and pray at a temple to cure basic ailments like a cold or fever.
How their toddler granddaughter had never seen a westerner before. She was a wee bit scared of us and it was adorable.
Visiting a Community Center: One of the places our guide took us was essentially their YMCA to see “the real Shanghai”. Simply put, it was amazing. As it was a Monday morning, the center was filled with an older generation keeping busy with computer and photography lessons, ping-pong matches, opera practice and my favorite, dancing. A nice old man took me for a spin around the dance floor where I was an embarrassment in my sneakers amongst the very elegantly dressed women. I’m still grinning ear to ear just thinking about it. You’ll have to watch the above video for evidence.
Food Market: There are downtown markets catering to the urban crowd and tourists and then there’s the neighbourhood market, 20 minutes outside of the city, where our guide took us. It was Monday morning and the Shanghainese were out picking out their fruit and veg, turtles and frogs, snakes (they bring good health!) and chickens. Most of the seafood was still alive, as were the chickens, and I watched in horror as the locals placed their order and received their “fresh” food within a couple minutes. When our guide asked why I was so concerned and I explained, she was surprised that we’d want to eat food that wasn’t “fresh”. Cultural exchange, people.
Transportation: Just like in Beijing, Shanghai uber is the best bet. The cars were all 10x nicer than taxis and were a fraction of the cost, around $2 for a 20 minute ride, instead of $7. With over 100,000 taxis in Shanghai, there was never a shortage of options.
Yuan Garden: A maze of Ching dynasty designed ponds, bridges . This area was the only part of Shanghai that we visited which betrayed it’s current modern persona and felt from another era. The surrounding streets are filled with vendors trying to sell tourists everything that falls under the jade/silk/pearl/tea/soup dumplings umbrella.
Up next: 72 hours in Chengdu, China, the Panda Bear capital!
“How about we spend the month travelling around Asia?”
I remember months back when Joel suggested this idea and how I responded with a scoff. Or maybe I just blatantly laughed. It was so unrealistic, so ridiculous. Yet someway, somehow, I’m sitting here writing this from my hotel in China after completing the first visit of our trip, Beijing.
This is only our second visit to Asia (you can read about our trip to India here), but so far, it’s been equally as overwhelming and fascinating.
Beijing is the first of three Chinese cities on our itinerary. To put things in perspective, it’s the Washington, DC of China - super spread out, mostly low buildings (except for the new construction of the city’s ever growing edge) and home to country’s politics and major royal history.
Here’s a taste of our highlights during 72 hours in Beijing. Want something even tastier? Watch the video to see what it was really like.
Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square: These two top the list of “must sees” in Beijing, but what made it even more special was our guide, Sophie, easily the best tour guide ever. If you visit Beijing and don’t book with her, you’re making a huge mistake. We were a bit squished for time and you could easily spend multiple days exploring the Forbidden City, so Sophie put together an itinerary to make sure we saw what we needed to see and learned what we needed to learn... everything from the Chinese dynasties to the New China with Chairman Mao and everything in between. Some fun facts:
The Forbidden City, the world largest palace ever, was home for several Chinese dynasties up until 100 years ago and its 900 buildings (all relatively low) and 9,999 rooms are the center point of the city. Try to imagine that size. It’d be as if Versaille was twice as large and then got dropped in the exact middle of Paris and the rest of the city, it’s streets, etc, had to curve around it. So if you were north center and wanted to get south center, you’d have to drive all the way around, not through.
For the Ming dynasty, concubines (all hundreds of them!) were a great honour and could only be between ages 13-17. This essentially means that at 29, I would’ve been considered ancient.
Sophie mentioned that westerners know much more about Tiananmen Square than the Chinese do, which was a bit unsettling.
The Chinese dragon is different than the western version. Theirs is made up of a horse (head), stag deer (horns), rabbit (eyes), bull (ears), snake (neck), tiger (paws), eagle (claws), lizard (scales and body).
The roof corners have animals on the edge in odd numbers (5, 7, 9) to bring good luck, fortune, etc
Building entrances all have little steps to go over to ensure evil spirits stay out. Apparently, they can’t jump over steps. Who knew?
The Great Wall of China: The holy grail of Beijing! Sophie and her driver took us the two hours north east of the city passed tons of factories toward the Mutinayu section of the wall. We stopped for lunch on the side of the road (where the delicious eggplant melted in my mouth and peppers nearly burned my tongue off) before ascending the wall. Sophie imparted all the facts, like how the Wall is considered the longest cemetery in the world due to all the people who died while building it and then were buried within it. She then let Joel and I do our own exploring, which was phenomenal as that section of the Wall was surprisingly quiet and we had several stretches of it just for ourselves. Unfortunately, smog reared its ugly head and made it a little less than idyllic. It was on the Wall that I started to see toddlers wearing pants with slits in the crotch. Sophie later explained that these are used to avoid diaper rash and to better train babies to learn to go to the bathroom at an earlier age. I saw one little boy just learning to walk (so maybe 13 months?) who motioned to his parents and then squatted to go number two directly on the Wall. My thoughts were “whoa, impressive!” and “there’s no way it’d be ok for a child in the west to do that on a major landmark, let alone a world wonder.” To get down, we channelled our inner child and rode a Toboggan. It felt great to be eight again!
Peking Duck: Beijing is its hometown and we scarfed down meals at two of the most famous duck houses: Duck de Chine 1949 (traditional feel, but a bit more luxe as its part of a private members club) and Da Dong (a modern approach and where Michelle Obama ate during her visit last year). They both melted in your mouth. Complete heaven.
Dong Hua Men Night Market: Curious what fried tarantula, snake, scorpion and silk worm taste like? This is where you’d find out. We made the mistake of coming here right before dinner and I couldn’t get rid of my nausea for the rest of the night.
Other Beijing Food: Noodle soups, hot pots, dumplings, tofu in brown sauce - we ate it all, but we had to eat it earlier. Lunch is usually over by 1pm and when we arrived for our 8pm dinner reservations on Friday and Saturday nights, even the busiest of restaurants were starting to empty out. Thanks to incredible recommendations from Sophie and Fiona , the majority of the restaurants where we dined (besides the Peking Duck houses) were made for locals, i.e. we were the only westerners and usually raised an eyebrow. In fact, when we asked concierge to write down the address of one restaurant that had been recommended, she responded “That’s an interesting choice….” and went on to explain that we’d stick out like a sore thumb. Without any way to read the menu or communicate with the staff (even ‘yes’, ‘no’ and ‘ok’ couldn’t work), we used the brilliant method of pointing at neighboring table’s dishes and using the thumbs up/thumbs down method.
Smog: It’s a real scary thing. On an average day in Beijing, air pollution is five times higher than the standard of safety set out by the World Trade Organization. All three days we were there were considered “sunny”, but I wouldn’t have known it as the haze makes it impossible to see much. Although the city feels very clean (street cleaners everywhere), the smog is so intense that I constantly felt like I had a layer of dirt on my skin. In fact, my skin breaks out once in a blue moon, but since arriving in China, bumps and marks have been popping up on my face left and right.
Transportation: Traffic in Beijing is no joke. I remember on our first day looking at a map and thinking “X place is only 10 blocks away. Surely we can walk.” First of all, unless you’re in a Hutong (i.e. the narrow alley neighborhoods), Beijing is not a walking city. In fact, their streets and avenues are more like highways - 10+ lanes wide. Second, in a city of 21 million officially (30 million unofficially) where 6 million people own cars, bumper to bumper traffic is an understatement. It would easily take 30 minutes just to go 1 mile. Thankfully, taxis are super cheap (think the equivalent of $7 for a 30 minute ride) and Uber is even more so (around $4 for a 30 minute ride). It was imperative to bring a card with the destination written on it in Mandarin because the likelihood of anyone outside the hotel speaking English was about 1%. In the one event that no taxis would stop for us, we hopped into a 3-wheel tuck tuck lined with hot pink Louis Vuitton cloth. It was 5x as expensive as a taxi, but 5x quicker since it could use the bike lane.
Babies on Bikes: Enough said.
Hutong Tour: The amazing Sophie guided us through these old narrow alleys that loop around in circles throughout Beijing. This is the old Beijing, where the community still uses communal bathrooms and families use bars placed above the door (either 1-4) to denote their family rank.
Conversations with Sophie: Some of my favorite memories from Beijing are chatting with Sophie, asking her a million questions and getting some understanding of Beijinger life. Here are some tid-bits she taught us:
70% of Beijing women get eyelid cosmetic surgery. This number seems outstandingly high, but I’m just repeating what she said. A higher ridged nose is the next most popular surgery.
The one child policy still exists if you live in a city. However, if either parent is an only child, they can have two. If you live in the country and you have a girl, you can try for a second four years later. If you have a boy, you only get one. Of course, you can have a second child no matter what…if you’re willing to pay for it.
Grandparents typically raise grandchildren while the parents work.
W Hotel Chang’an: Just opened its doors four months ago and was still dripping in a shiny new glow and tricked out with the newest technology. I can’t believe I’m writing this about hotel food, but their over the top breakfasts were some of my favorite meals of the trip and when we’d return at night, the bar and club was a total scene filled with gorgeous Beijingers and perfect for people watching...including men in crop top tuxedos. They seemed to think we were celebrating Joel’s birthday (we weren’t and never suggested it), so every time we entered our room, a new sweet treat was waiting for us on the table and a funny note was scribbled on the mirror.
Being blond haired and blue eyed. While these features in Beijing as a whole weren’t a big deal, it was a big deal at landmarks with other Chinese tourists. Sophie pointed out ahead of time that I’d likely receive even more attention because of the combination of my features - extra pale skin, high ridged nose, wide forehead and pointy chin, which they consider particularly unique.
Many people asked Sophie if they could take a photo with us, which we were more than happy to do. Just like in India, I found it really flattering and funny. The video from earlier in the post captures some particularly amusing moments.
At Jingshan Park overlooking the Forbidden City, you could be super touristy and try old Emperor and Empress outfits. Naturally, I wanted to do so, but as soon as I did, my westerner appeal skyrocketed. Blond girl dressed up as an Empress? It was a jackpot for the Chinese tourists who lined up to take their photo next to me.
While most people would put a marathon on their bucket list, a 1/2 is more than sufficient for me and this past Sunday, I painfully crossed it off the list. For my own memory’s sake, here’s what happened...
Back in October, my super fit coworker, Olatz, announced that she was signing up for the Richmond 1/2 Marathon in Surrey just outside of London.
While the idea of a full marathon was always in the back of my mind, when she mentioned the 1/2, I immediately joined her as it seemed significantly more doable.
That moment and the moment I crossed the finish line were the only times in the journey I actually thought the 1/2 marathon was doable.
Why?
Because I detest long distance running and the boredom I associate with it. As a result, my training was mediocre at best and my head was consistently filled with doubts.
Nevertheless, I figured I could just walk it if need be, so on Sunday morning I tied an ivory ribbon in my hair (in honor of a friend) and hopped on the Tube, watching with excitement as the carriages filled with more runners at each stop.
I met Olatz at the starting line, joined her in our time slot and off we went into the brisk Spring air. My mental thoughts per mile were as follows...
Mile 1-3: This is great! Olatz and I chat nonstop about Spain (where she’s from) and New York. Time flies. Within a blink of an eye I see the 3km mark as we go passed adorable Richmond houses. I suppress the urge to go faster, which is easier with the wall of people ahead of us on the narrow streets.
Mile 3: Olatz’s knee starts to hurt, so we split up, but I try to go as far as I can without music. This whole thing is a mental/boredom game for me, so I figure the longer I can enjoy the scenery (look - there's a stream, look - there's a palace) without my headphones, the better.
Mile 4: In my head, I can hear Joel's voice telling me to slow down, to stay to pace, as he’d urge me to do during our training runs. I want to listen, but as my stride gets wider and I move pass groups, I give myself mini high fives and a pat on the pack for these little victories...ones which I'll pay for later.
Mile 5: Did I accidentally sign up for an obstacle course? This terrain is woody, rocky, pebbly and muddy. One woman doesn't see a slab of rock jetting from the ground and takes a tumble. I hook her arm to help her up and almost faint from the blood gushing from her arm. Thankfully a standby medic takes over. Within minutes, I see four others bite the dust.
Mile 6 - I’ve been able to stay ahead of my starting group, something that also surprises Joel as I hit our 6 mile meeting point ahead of schedule and wave hello. My legs are moving easily and my energy increases even more with the energy from supporters lining the riverside promenade. I start running even faster. Rookie mistake.
Mile 6: I can see the soon to be race winners running opposite me. How are they running so fast? They're sprinting! My head spins.
Mile 7 - Water, finally! It's been four miles without any hydration and my mouth/lips have become my biggest problem. As I grab two cups (there's maybe 2 tbs in each) and slow down to a baby jog to chug it, Olatz gives me a pat on the back and passes on by.
Mile 8 - More rocks?! Seriously? My ankles are growing weaker and I have a couple of close calls. My mind urges me to walk for 30 seconds. It tells me it'll be ok, no one will know. I consider it. Then I consider it seriously. Really seriously. I compromise by simply putting my hands on my waist and twisting my torso to alleviate cramping and trick my brain. It works!
Mile 9 - Is that more water?! Thank the heavens! I act as if I've never seen it before and throw it all over my dry lips while bopping along to Madonna’s Like a Prayer. I start singing select words aloud. Other people look at me....I don’t care.
Mile 10 - Things aren’t looking good. I’m still moving along at pace, but my mind is playing major tricks on me. My thoughts are racing, literally, and I can’t even focus long enough to enjoy any of the music. However, I calculate that I only need to get through nine or so songs until I'm finished.
Mile 12 - Serendipity takes true form in the last couple songs, starting with American Girl. I start doing a dance of sorts (Hey, I’m an American Girl in the London - look at me!) and then I think back to my college sorority days and immediately remember how we changed the lyrics to this song for rush week. Each word I know by heart, so I begin singing along out loud to the amusement of others.
Mile 13 - I’m in pain. I don’t even know how my legs are moving anymore. And then, just as I see the sign for Mile 13, Empire State of Mind comes through my earbuds. I think back to two years ago when I was still living in NYC. I think of my friends. I think of my former home. Instantaneously, New York’s vibe feeds my legs and I go into full hallucination mode.
As if one cue, just as I turn the corner to complete the final 1/4 mile, Walking on Sunshine comes on. Is this a joke? This playlist was meant to be on shuffle, but this was lined up far too nicely. I think of my middle name, Sunshine. I think of my parents who gave me this amusing name. I pull a smile (that looks more like a grunt) and I sprint to complete my first 1/2 Marathon in 2:08.32.
As soon as I cross the finish line, my legs go into paralyzed shock and I hit the ground. I’m able to muster the strength to get back up and enjoy the euphoria for a good 5 minutes, snap some photos with Olatz and Joel, before getting the shakes and thinking “Oh no, what have I done? Why didn’t I train properly?!”
There was a celebratory champagne brunch a 10 minute walk away, which took me closer to 30 since my legs became wooden pegs.
I’m so thankful I was able to complete the challenge and reach a goal, but I’ve given up trying to enjoy long distance running. It’s just not for me. Especially with the excruciating pain that followed on Monday and Tuesday. But now, even more than before, I have the most tremendous respect for full marathon runners.
Beach, tapas, and Catalan - that’s what Barcelona does.
Since my mom is a rockstar, Joel and I took her on a Mommymoon of sorts to Spain. We only had two days in Barcelona, but it was easy to see why this beachside city tops the list for most people. For us, we focused on three things - art, architecture and food.
You can watch this quick video to see what we go up to in the Catalonian capital and read below for the trip highlights and specific recommendations.
Highlights
Bike Tours Barcelona: I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again - when time is limited, the best way to see all the sights and get your bearings in a new place quickly is a bike tour. Although the name may make you think otherwise, this company prides itself on being bespoke, intimate and not just another commercial tour group. We were with just one other couple and within three hours, I had a flavor for vibe, culture, history, layout, etc.
Gaudi and Guell Park: Gaudi rivals Picasso as the most infamous Barcelona artist and his unique, distinctive and quite frankly, psychedelic architecture style, rightfully draws crazy crowds. Guell Park, which has some of his most famous buildings, felt like one part tropical hike and one part trippy theme park (minus the rides).
Picasso Museum: This was my mom’s must-see while in Barcelona and we were all a bit disappointed in it and found the actual building, a moorish design. much more impressive.
Sangria: My mom never drinks. Never. Except when Sangria is involved. She’d only had two, maybe three glasses at a time, and each time she was an even more adorable, hilarious version of her amazing self.
Food: Previously, Spanish food didn’t rank high on my favorites list. That has now all changed. We had four tremendous tapas meals on this visit that on their own would’ve made this trip memorable. I count my lucky stars that every single one knocked it out of the park, all in different ways.
Tickets: Hands down one of (if not THE) top restaurant experience of my life. It’s the affordable (on average £3-£8/plate) tapas restaurant by the chef of El Bulli (which is now closed, but was considered the best restaurant in the world.) We went with the “surprise” menu, and four hours and 14 courses later we devoured a combo of traditional spanish tapas dishes mixed with a bit of molecular gastronomy, or as they called it “tradition and evolution.” While I typically find the latter to be a puffed of nightmare, this meal was heaven. When I made a trip to the bathroom, another woman walked in almost in a trance and started gushing “have you ever had such good food in your life?” And just when things couldn’t get better, we entered the Sweet Room for dessert, which is essentially Willy Wonka’s factory brought to life. You could watch the chefs make the dessert, which was like watching a Chemistry class with chocolate and sugar. One dish was coconut ice cream sphere. To make it, they dipped a balloon in cream and then dropped it in liquid nitrogen (which popped the balloon) and then covered it with Moroccan spices. BOOM! The circus themed decor is very kitschy, but I didn’t mind one bit. A reservation is hard to get (you have to do so months in advance on their website and they usually go within a couple of minutes), but very worth it.
La Pepita: This place must’ve been written up somewhere recently because it was packed, but particularly packed with tourists. But with good reason. It has an adorable cafe-style and the owner, Sophia, mills about taking orders, chatting with guests, etc. She made us feel like we were sitting at the bar in her kitchen having a chat with an old friend. There was also a nod to the West Village written on their wall, which warmed my heart.
Lolita: Neighborhoody-tapas with with bright, pop-art-esque decor and tons of personality. Definitely a “locals” place. Their poached mini squid was one of the most memorable plates of the visit and explodes with flavor in your mouth.
El Quim at Mercado Boqueria: The food market is a fun exploration all on its own, although I thought Mercado San Miguel in Madrid was 100% better. At El Quim, you simply pull up a bar chair to the stall and shout out your order to one of the frantic, yet happy men working behind the counter. Their tortilla was my first of the trip and set the bar so high that no other could reach it.
Out of the places I’ve visited in Spain so far (which admittedly isn’t much), Barcelona is where I’d choose to live. But if I had to pick one place to visit, Seville would be the hands down winner.
For the second part of Spanish Mommymoon, our threesome took the two hour flight south to the hottest city in Europe, Seville. I got most of my ideas from Cat of Sunshine and Siestas (expat living in Seville), who pointed me in the perfect direction and sent so many thoughtful recommendations to enjoy two days of pure southern Spanish bliss. Watch the video for some extra flavour and read through for some of the highlights - ole!
Highlights
Alcázar: This palace, built in the 14th century, is more of a royal compound than just a ‘palace’ and mixes Moorish and more traditionally Christian styles. The expansive buildings and gardens reminded me a bit of Versailles, but just in a more tropical, Spanish environment. If I had more time, I would spend an entire day soaking up every inch of the gardens, each more whimsical and fantastical than the next. And for any of you Game of Thrones fans, HBO confirmed that several scenes were shot here for the upcoming 5th season.
Eslava: This is a restaurant that also happens to have a couple gorgeous apartments upstairs. Not only did we dine here, we stayed here, too, both of which I recommend highly. It’s a couple blocks north of the main tourist bit, which we truly felt during Sunday lunch in the best way possible. We were standing up at our outside table (apparently this is a Sevillanos "must”), just about to order when church let out across the street on the pink-hued Plaza de San Lorenzo. As we enjoyed hours of endless gourmet tapas (our favorite in Seville), wine and sangria at a jaw-dropping price of only €40 for 3 people, a fashionable parade took place directly in front of us where “Sunday Best” came to life. The outfits, the sky-high heels, the vibrant colors.....it was a like live theatre. Bill Cunningham would’ve been in sartorial heaven. This was also our first taste of Sevile’s Salmorejo, kind of like a pureed gazpacho, a tangy, refreshing treat.
Flamenco: Here’s a fun fact....I took a semester of Flamenco dance lessons during my freshman year of college. Random? Absolutely. Hard? Absolutely. Do I remember any of it? Absolutely not. Moving on, Seville is the home of Flamenco, but on a Sunday night, our options were minimal. We saw a gorgeous show at the Museo de Flamenco. While I would’ve preferred a show at a local bar instead of a museum, I was still blown away by the dancing and singing, and even more so by the guitar.
Meeting a Meerkat: A gallery owner randomly had one as a pet and I fell head over heels in love.
Local flavor: From musicians and parade protests to traditional reenactments and cafe culture, it was easy to stumble upon the bits and pieces that make up every day life in Seville.
Architecture: Love yellow and pink? Then you’ll love the streets and buildings of Seville.
72 hours in Annecy, Alsace and Strasbourg - France
While I love documenting and looking back on my travels, I decided to switch things up and try a video instead. It's the same photos, same experiences, but something about adding a catchy song makes a wee bit of difference and brings the memories back to life.
When Joel's parents came to visit for a month, we struggled to pick a new Euro destination to visit. Timing, the first week of January, was also a bit tricky. With that said, the trip, particularly the Alsace region, will go down as one of the top most pleasantly surprising trips, surpassing all expectations....right up there with Bruges.
Why? It was just so fantastically whimsical.
It was January, but Christmas decor and spirit were still in full swing. After all, Strasbourg considers itself to be the Christmas Market capital of the world.
I'm not sure why, but something about that holiday "spirit" makes colder weather joyous and bearable, vs the typical gloom of January/February.
Here's a breakdown of why I can't wait to return to the dreamlike land of castles and canals, hopefully in the warmer months.
Annecy
Sits near the border of Switzerland and feels as such.
A gorgeous lake is the center point and flows quaint canals into town.
Major food groups are cheese, cream, potatoes and pork. Insert fondue and raclette.
Feels fairytale-esque, until you get to Alsace and your fairytale standards are raised.
Alsace + Strasbourg
Sits on the border of Germany, as in directly across the adjacent river. Beyond the language, it feels 100% German.
Strasbourg is the capital city of the Alsace region, which looks like the birthplace of fairytales.
Half timbered, technicolor houses are everywhere.
No ifs, and or buts - meals revolve around choucroute, i.e. an explosion of pork on a plate. Cheese, cream, potatoes and riesling also make a strong appearance.
Favourite villages: Colmar, Riquewihr, Equisheim and Ribeauville
The number of markets in London boggles the mind....in the best way possible.
If Borough Market is the heavy hitter attracting the most people (including tourists) and Camden Market is a global smorgasbord spectacle, then Broadway Market is the cooler little sister - smaller, locally-focused, and a strong representation of east London, i.e. hipster gentrification on full display.
Click through for a virtual visit.
Shopping: Flowers, Pinterest worthy coffee table knick-knacks, and odds and ends, including the most perfect pair of nautical socks.
The Food: "Artisanal" to the max, top tier coffee and a fried scallop + bacon sandwich that made my day.
The Scene: Dogs for days, music that brings all the tots to the yard, and endless people watching.
The most densely populated city on earth.
Home to the world's most expensive home.
A place that puts India's dichotomy of rich and poor within inches of each other.
Formerly known as Bombay.
When we arrived in Mumbai, the difference was immediate.
There were no rickshaws.
Streets were wide.
Skyscrapers poked through the sky.
Read on to see the highlights of my visit to Mumbai.
Welcome to Bollywood, what's your dream?
Highlight #1: Dinner at India Cricket Club hosted by our friends' parents. We weren't allowed to snap photos of the fields, or really anywhere outside of the meeting room, so I had a sense that this was a special place. Someone then told me it was like arriving in New York and having a welcome dinner at Yankees Stadium. Added bonus? Joel had a reason to wear his fancy hew Indian vest.
Highlight #2: A trip to Elephanta Island.
Our home for the week was the absolutely amazing Taj Mahal Palace Mumbai, a hotel filled with the city's history. More on that later...
Because the Taj Palace is right next to the Gateway of India (i.e. Mumbai's #1 landmark), when you exit the hotel, you're right in the thick of the crowds. This meant that the earlier "paparazzi" experiences were back in full swing.
Say hello to my new friends above.
Off on a ferry we took the 90 minute voyage to Elephanta Island. I'll save you the suspense and let you know now that there are no elephants on the islands. In reality, it should really be called Monkey Island.
Or Cow Island.
Although the purpose of our visit was to see the 7th-century cave temples, I got side tracked by the market, negotiating my way from stall to stall so I could determine the best deal for the walk back to the ferry. With my local friend, Roheet, on my arm, I made out like a bandit.
The temple caves were impressive, particularly all the statues for the Hindu god Shiva.
In one temple I saw a couple people pouring water onto a piece of stone for a specific prayer/wish. I wanted the same for myself, so I followed suit.
But my absolute favorite part were the monkeys, big and small. Whether they were stealing our water bottles, playing with dogs or "picking" each other, they were fantastic and I could've sat there for hours watching them.
Highlight #3: Lunch at Jimmy Boy.
While the name may be American, the restaurant actually serves Parsi cuisine. The Parsi are a group of people who immigrated from Iran to south Asia during the 8th or 10th century to avoid religious persecution.
Highlight #4 Watching the city wake up on a sunrise bike tour. Because the traffic in Mumbai is insane, to say the least, the only way to navigate the streets by bike is before dawn. More specifically, beginning at 5am
70 million newspapers are distributed in India everyday. And in Mumbai, over 300 vendors wake up at dawn to sort and sell them in the streets.
Sunrise is also the best time to explore markets. Photography isn't permitted at the fish market due to security (this is where the terrorists arrived before the 2008 attacks), nor at the urban cow sanctuary, but I snapped away at the flower (the most friendly!), meat, and produce markets.
The most anxious part of trip was navigating traffic, dogs, cows, mopeds etc. I've never used a bike horn as much in my life. With that said, our tour guide thought I must be Dutch since I rode "so fast". He was also confused when I stripped down to tank top because it was winter and he was in a coat. To put things in perspective, it was 80 degrees.
By 8am, the streets were impassable and the tour came to a close.
Highlight #5 Watching a game of cricket. As the saying goes, "if you grow up in India and don't play cricket, you're not Indian."
Highlight #6 Taking a commuter train en route to the Dharavi slums. It was 10am, so rush hour traffic had passed, but it was still packed. 7.5 million ride this train system every day and ten of those people die because of the open door system.
Highlight #7 A tour of Dharavi Slums, the inspiration for Slumdog Millionaire, which left me feeling humbled, inspired and impressed. Photos aren't allowed, but hopefully my words will paint the picture of this organized chaos.
There were five of us on the tour from the US, Lebanon, Chile and Spain and beforehand, our guide asked us for our perception of a slum. Even though we all hailed from different parts of the world, we all agreed it would likely be a sad place with sad people. We were wrong and our guide, India Reality Tour, wanted to debunk the rumors and open our eyes to the heart of Mumbai.
First, let's start with some facts:
- Dharavi is Asia's largest slum
- This is a legal slum, which is different than the illegal ones (i.e. tents under a bridge). This means that people own their own houses, but the land is owned by the government.
- It's 1 square mile and filled with 1 million people, 10,000 businesses and an extraordinarily organized, motivated community.
- 80% of the people have jobs.
- It's economy is 665 million US dollars a year. Within the slum there's everything from bakeries and bars to gyms and restaurants.
- Houses in the slum cost on average 2 million rupees. That's about $30K. These are typically 10 square feet house and are meant for 4-5 people, just enough room for everyone to lay down head to toe.
- Engineers, doctors, and even some millionaires live here because of the community feel.
- The work ethic is so strong that they believe "If you die poor, it's your own fault."
- Migrant workers from the north come to work in these slums. They tend to work without safety gear because it makes them hotter and slows down their work. I was coughing constantly for just the few minutes that I was there. Instead of making 50 rupees a day, which they would have in their hometowns, they'll make much more in the slum and send it back to their families.
- 95% of the children go to school and everything is paid for, but it's not good quality. 30% of dharavi children go to private school for 30k rupee ($480) a year.
- 72% of people use the communal toilet
- There are three hours of running water per day.
- Women bathe in a corner of the house. Men bathe in the streets.
- This is a general India fact, but if you give birth to a girl, the government will give you the equivalent of $5,000. If you have a boy, it's only $2,000. The goal is to reduce the country's stigma of having a girl.
Facts are one thing, but how did Dharavi make me feel? It may not be a place where I could live, but it wasn't horrible. It was filled with tough smells and dark, narrow alleys, but it was also filled with smiles. Tons and tons of smiles from happy, cheerful, hardworking people who seemed so proud of their community.
Highlight #8: Staying at the Taj Mahal Palce Mumbai. It may not have been the nicest hotel I've ever visited, but it was hands down my most favourite and their attention to detail was mind boggling. History pours from every nook and cranny, dramatically intertwining the hotel and the city.
It really is an oasis within Mumbai that marries both the British and Indian history, an unofficial landmark within the city. I never wanted to leave.
The BBC recently did a documentary on the hotel...here's are two quick peeks.
Highlight #9 Shopping. Just call me the price line negotiator.
Highlight #10 All the food in general, but in particular at Kyber Cafe and Trishna.
One side story: When we dined at Kyber, we asked for a to go bag for all the leftovers. The streets around the restaurant were fairly quiet when we had arrived, but we figured we'd see someone closer to our hotel who'd enjoy some extra food.
We still had one foot in the restaurant when we were immediately surrounded by groups of adorable little kids asking for our bag. We didn't even have time to think before a ballsier girl around 7 or so grabbed it straight out of Joel's hands and ran off. We later saw her walking hand in and hand with a man who I imagine was her father. With his left hand he was pushing a bike, which had 10-15 balloons attached to it. His day job was obviously a balloon salesmen. With his right hand, he held the girl's left hand and guided her down the street. In her right hand, she held the bag of leftovers. There was a pep in her step and a smile on her face and I know it's the smallest possible thing, but it put a pep in my step, too and the memory is burned into my mind.
Highlight #11 Getting lost. One morning we just hopped in a taxi and told him to take us to a temple on the south west tip of Mumbai. While we did visit the temple, we also stumbled into a neighborhood that I imagine wasn't in any guide books...and we took it all in.
It was real life and it was beautiful.
I also posed for the odd group photo as the token fair hair.
And just like that, my two weeks in India came to a close. The generosity, the hospitality, the warmth, the spirit....it's all blazed into my heart and soul and I'm counting down the days until I can return.
titsay
areudirty
discoholicmusic
izzy806
turnnoffyourmind
tangentwithtanner
snowghoul
andulkaphoto