Hang with Jeng

Not all those who wander are lost. - J.R.R. tolkien

[hangwithjeng]

Malmo, Sweden & Zurich, Switzerland

My final stop on this Scandinavia trip was to visit my friend and old coworker Drew in a city called Malmo. It's a small city right across the water from Denmark but was super charming.

I landed late at night again and after a SNAFU with the Airbnb host, Drew came to the rescue and let me crash with him. I was so grateful otherwise I would have been stranded in the city at 2 AM.

In the morning I first got coffee and a cute little shop called Lilla Kafferosteriet. It had mutliple floors as well as a garden area and I got to enjoy a normal coffee while plotting my next stop. This turned out to be Malmo Radhus, the old town hall. It was cool in that it had a moat surrounding it but I actually did not go inside due to time. I walked around the hall and also stopped by Slottsmollan, the old windmill.

Instead I went to go meet Drew and his coworker at Malmo Saluhall for lunch. This cute food hall had all different types of food including Italian and Japanese. We got some pasta and caught up on life. Then they took me to get a mini-tour of their office. It was a gaming studio known for a popular game of smashing sweets. Hint hint. However due to proprietary information, I was not able to make it too far on the tour.

Following the lunch I made a pit stop at Möllevångstorget and continued over to Sankt Johannes Kirken and then to Gustav Adolfs Torg where I stopped by to have a couple beers at the Bishops Arms. It was unfortunately time to head out so I went back to gather my stuff before heading to Malmo Central Station.

Malmo is so close to Copenhagen that there is a high speed train that goes over the Oresund Bridge in about an hour. I was able to book a train ahead of time and make it to Copenhagen Airport in time for my flight out. 

I had an overnight layover back in Zurich where I first flew in. When arriving at night, I went straight to my Airbnb to go to bed but in the morning, I woke up early to explore a bit of Zurich before my 1 PM flight.

I was able to see some sights including Quailbrücke, Fraumünster, and Paradeplatz. I walked over Mühlesteg to see the locks, took some photos of Lake Zurich in the morning sun, and ended up at Bahnhofplatz where I finally took the train back to the airport to head home to Boston.

It was a tight schedule over the span of 10 days and I had the luxury of sticking to my own schedule as a solo traveler but I would recommend spending some more time in Scandinavia if you ever get the chance. Although the museums and sight-seeing are limited, I feel like there will always be food, drinks, and festivities to keep everyone entertained.

[hangwithjeng]

Stockholm, Sweden - Part 2

The next morning we woke up early and decided to explore Djurgården, the island in the middle of Stockholm. This island is accessible by train but we figured we would try taking a ferry there since it was about the same cost anyway. The ferry did get busy though because it was a weekend and the island is also host to other attractions like a theme park.

Our main reason for going there was to walk around Rosendals Trädgård. The garden on the island is fairly large and has a nice greenhouse/coffee shop in the middle of it. We stopped there for some breakfast and coffee before parting ways. I wanted to explore more of the island and I felt bad because Howard and his mom were still jet lagged from coming back from the states.

My first solo stop was the Vasa Museum. It houses one of the most fully in tact ships in the world. I was really impressed by this museum and spent nearly 2 hours going through the whole ship and reading about its history.

I took the scenic route and walked around to my next destination: Omnipollos Hatt. This was recommended to me by another friend since I enjoy craft beer. Their beers were...strange, but interesting. They had a slushie beer in addition to a popcorn-type. The bartenders were super helpful and the location was in the heart of many restaurants and other bars. It was kind of a hipster area but I enjoyed it.

My final stop before heading back for my flight out of Stockholm was at Meatballs for the People. Yes, I needed more meatballs. But this place had a variety of different kinds. It normally gets busy but I was lucky to get a single spot along the window.

I had to head back to Howard's place to pick up my stuff at this point but I really wish I had more time in Stockholm. I think there was more to see and definitely more to eat. I know I did not do this city justice which is probably why it didn't land as my favorite for the trip but I owe Stockholm another trip soon.

[hangwithjeng]

Stockholm, Sweden - Part 1

Growing up in America I really didn't know much about Sweden except for the fact that they birthed Ikea. But all it took was a few of those Swedish meatballs to get me daydreaming about going to this mysterious land of Lingonberry jam and electronic music DJs.

I flew into Stockholm with my Avicii soundtrack playing (RIP) and I was sooo ready to...fall asleep. I took the metro over to my friend Howard's place near Gullmarsplan. I had heard that Sweden (and most of Scandinavia actually) is a pretty homogenous country so I was pleasantly surprised when someone on the metro struck up a conversation asking if I was from out of town, where I was heading, and offered suggestions on things to do. What gave me away, my 50L backpack? But honestly, it was really nice and I appreciated the help.

The next day Howard, his mom, and I set out exploring! That's right, I totally crashed mother-son weekend because I am a terrible friend. But shoutout to Howard who was such a fantastic host. We started off by getting some traditional Swedish food at a restaurant called Pelikan. I ordered, drum roll...the Swedish meatballs! They were really tasty and of course we also ordered some shrimp toast, because Scandinavians need their "brod."

Howard had asked what my agenda was and I'll be honest, I only bookmarked places with a view to get my awesome city photo. So we picked one of them, Skinnarviksberget, and hiked up a small hill to get a view of Stockholm. It was pretty but quite uneventful.

We then headed over to the Royal Palace and happened to catch the changing of the guards. We didn't go inside but instead wandered nearby and went down to see the water. We also walked through Gamla Stan, the iconic old town of Stockholm. There were restaurants, souvenir shops, and plenty of tourists walking around, especially in Stortorget which is the central square in the heart of old town.

At this point Howard and his mama were getting tired and ready to head home. I was relieved and also ready to take a break. Additionally, Howard's mama was getting tired of Scandinavian food and I don't blame her. There's only so much meat, bread, and pickled seafood one can handle. So she offered to make us all a Korean dinner. Of course Howard was a great host and mentioned I didn't have to stay for dinner, knowing I'd likely want to try local food. But I was honestly so excited for Asian food. I had been on this trip for 8 days already and was tired of pickled fish and meat too. We set out to one of the few Asian grocery stores in town and Howard's mama cooked us a delicious soon du bu and jap chae meal.

Since dinner was fairly early, I decided to head over to a nearby brewery to get a couple drinks before calling it a night. Nya Carnegiebryggeriet was within walking distance of the apartment and I got to try some local beers while enjoying the night view of the water.

[hangwithjeng]

Bergen, Norway - Part 2 

My second day in Bergen I met up with my parents who had been at sea taking a cruise through most of Norway. They only had one day in Bergen so I repeated some of the major sight-seeing I did on the first day.

I wanted to take the Floibanen to see the views of Bergen on Floyen first. I knew it would get crowded with tourists since it's a steep funicular that only runs on two rails. It was a perfectly clear day to see the views of Bergen and enjoy a coffee and pastry at the top restaurant. When we got back down the mountain, there was a large line of tourists from the cruise ships and tour groups so it sounds like we made the right call to go early. 

Next we went through the Fish Market. This outdoor market sold all kinds of fresh seafood in addition to souvenirs. You can buy caviar, whale jerky, and canned sardines here. Or you can enjoy a lunch, which is what we did. I ended up going with the paella and my parents and I shared a fish cake to try.

The rest of the afternoon with my parents was spent exploring Bryggen. Bryggen is the historical old town of Bergen, with its old wooden buildings and narrow alleys. From the outside it looks a bit like Nyhavn in Denmark but once you start wandering inside, you'll find all kinds of souvenir shops and art galleries. 

We wandered a bit outside of Bryggen towards the university and Lille Lungegardsvannet to take some pictures by the lake. It was towards the end of the day at this point and sadly my mom and dad had to go back to their ship to continue visiting the fjords. I said my goodbye and this point and continued on with my explorations.

The previous night I had gone out to a few bars after returning from my fjord trip. Night life is great in Bergen with people spilling out into the streets eating dinner under patios or listening to live music. I didn't know much about the bars but ended up going to No Stress, Last Monkey, and getting a snack at 3-kroneren. No Stress makes fun fruity cocktails but most of them are fairly sweet, even though I ordered the least sugary one. Last Monkey is slightly more upscale and less rowdy but has a more selective offering of cocktails. And 3-kroneren was my "midnight snack" food stand. They specialize in different hot dogs, particularly the one made with deer meat.

My last stop of this trip to Bergen was to go to Bergenhus Festning. This is the fortress at the edge of the city. It was free to enter although you had to pay to go to particular spots like Rosenkrantz Tower. That day there happened to be a beer festival (Bergen Olfestival). I paid a small entrance fee for a sample glass and went inside to buy tokens. Each token equalled a tasting from one of the many breweries in attendance. I was so excited but had a flight to catch so I tried to limit my intake. I mostly tried the New England IPAs to see how they would compare to the USA.

Bergen was by far my favorite city of the trip. It was a perfect mix of city, outdoors, and had the right mix of food and drink. However much I loved Bergen, there was no denying that prior to this trip, most of my excitement was for the next city: Stockholm!

[hangwithjeng]

Bergen, Norway - Part 1

Bergen. Where to begin? I am not a self-proclaimed outdoor enthusiast but when I travel, I enjoy a mix of urban and natural exploration. Bergen was a much-needed relief from 4 days of city-life.

I had a full day in Bergen to myself before my parents would join me on the second day. Since I got in late, I headed straight to my hostel. It was a tad quiet and a little creepy trying to find Marken Gjestehus tucked away in the corner of the city. The entrance was so hidden that I walked back and forth multiple times.

Of all the hostels, this was probably my least favorite. It was by no means dirty (I've seen my share of dirty) but it was older, quite crowded, and also had a funky smell in the bathrooms. I was in a room with about 16 girls which was surprisingly not that bad. People were respectful of noise and lights.

I started my day doing a quick exploration of the city which I was soon to repeat the next day with my parents. The true highlight of this day was a tour I decided to take. I went to the local tourist info booth and asked for a recommendation for a fjord tour. As Norway is famous for its fjords, I felt I couldn't miss out on the opportunity. I was recommended a tour that required a train ride to Voss, a bus ride Gudvangen, a ferry ride to Flam, a tram ride to Myrdal, and another train ride back to Bergen. As you can imagine, it was pricey and took all day but contrary to the reviews, I actually thought it was worth it given the time I had.

I hopped on a train and to my surprise, I learned that this tour was actually self-guided. So it was my personal responsibility to find each port and station along the way. I was a bit alarmed to learn this but the conductor told me it is fairly straightforward. So I sat back and relaxed on the first part passing through the scenic mountains of Norway. The train was clean, comfortable, and pretty empty.

Upon arriving at the first stop in Voss, we had to transfer to a bus to get to the ferry point. It wasn't as clear as I had hoped where the bus would be but I followed some other confused tourists and together we managed to find the location. The bus ride was fairly uneventful until we reached a point where we had to literally zig-zag down a mountain to get to the start of the fjord. It was quite thrilling but a bit terrifying watching our huge tour bus navigate the windy road.

At Gudvangen, I convened with the other passengers only to realize that there would only be about 10 people coming on the ferry. The ferry itself was rather big. I would estimate it could've held closer to 100, maybe more. I then remembered when I was talking to the info booth worker that he offered me the option of a fancy, modern ferry or a normal ferry and I opted for the latter. True the ferry wasn't high end with its plastic lawn chairs as seating, but it was worth it and I'll tell you why in a bit. At the moment,  it made me a little sad that we would be using all these resources to ferry only 10 people.

With our 10 (+5 crew) ready to board, we set off down the Nærøyfjord. It started off quiet and slow with all of us huddled on the top deck for the views. I broke out my winter beanie and puffer jacket because the breeze makes it very chilly. As we passed through parts of the fjord, the captain would come on and announce some facts. Because we were so few, he also made a small detour to a waterfall and brought us up close to view the clearness of the water.

The best part of this ride was that because it was so laid back, we spent the majority of the time chatting with the captain. He told us how he had been doing this for years and that these parts of Norway were so remote that they relied on government and tourism. He also pointed to a random house sitting atop a large cliff and recounted how he helped his friend build it and that, after winning a bet, his friend was able to bring a famous regional symphony to play a concert at his home. Helicopters were involved to bring the musical instruments up to that level. It was such a cool personal experience that I know I wouldn't have gotten on the fancy ferry.

After arriving in Flam, I went souvenir shopping for a bit before hopping on the historic Flam Railway. This railway is one of the most famous attractions in Norway due to its steep incline, vintage look, and scenic routes. We were able to enjoy all the views as the sun was beginning to set.

We were taken to Myrdal (This is so Lord of the Rings-esque) and from there began the long train ride back to Bergen. This tour, Norway in a Nutshell, lived up to its name and although there's no guide or spoken part of the tour, it was still such a great experience.

[hangwithjeng]

Oslo, Norway - Part 2

One of the things you can't miss seeing whether intentionally or not is Akerhus Festning. This massive fortress sits along the water bank and shines brightly at night in the middle of the modern buildings of Oslo. I started my second day by exploring this fortress and learning more about its history as a military base and a prison.

I then took a longer tram ride over to the Vigeland Sculpture Park. This massive garden contains lots of sculptures, a totem, and a large fountain in the middle. I feel like it would have been a great area for a picnic or people watching but mostly spent my time walking through and enjoying the scenery.

For lunch I went over to Cafe Lorry as I had heard it is a good place for Norwegian food. I decided to sit outside and enjoy a fish soup along with some beer.

In the afternoon I went to one of my favorite museums. The Viking Ship Museum sounded kind of gimmicky to me at first but it was honestly really cool seeing these massive, hundreds of years old ships that they carefully restored. The condition they were in was really surprising as well and the amount of work it must have taken to reassemble them is unimaginable.

In that same area is also the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History. This is not your typical museum: it is almost entirely outdoors and comprised of many small buildings each representing a period of Norwegian history. You can walk in and out of these small cottages, read up on the history of their designs, and even wander to an old "convenience store" and purchase some candy.

Prior to going to Oslo I had read that it wasn't a very exciting city. While I don't necessarily agree that it is boring, I do understand that aside from the museums, there weren't many unique things to explore. This is just my opinion but I think 2 days in Oslo was perfect. I was ready to move on to the next and possibly best stop: Bergen.

[hangwithjeng]

Oslo, Norway - Part 1

When I arrived in Oslo, the first thing I noticed was how quiet it was. To be fair, it was late at night but at the same time, I didn't quite feel a bustling city, though that wasn't a bad thing.

I stayed at Saga Hotel Oslo Central. It was a bit confusing because I think this is a combination hotel & hostel. The room was a typical hostel-style with 4 bunk beds and the bathroom in the hallway. It was clean, quiet, and they provided free breakfast. The bathrooms had a strange smell to them but otherwise it was a decent hostel.

The next morning I started off at Ekebergparken. I was ambitious and decided to walk from the center of downtown to this park. On a map it is only a half hour walk but towards the end it gets a bit steeper. Ekebergparken has a great elevated view of Oslo and has a restaurant as well as a sculpture garden. It is great for a little hike. The top viewpoint is famous for being the inspiration for Edvard Munch's famous painting, the Scream. 

On the way back I decided to take the tram. However, there were no ticket machines at the stop and I didn't know that you cannot buy tickets on board. The app you are supposed to download was not working. Thankfully the conductor was nice and let me hitch a ride to downtown but I made a mental note to myself to pre-purchase any future tickets.

For lunch I decided to go to Mathallen Oslo. Similar to the one in Copenhagen, Mathallen is a little food court consisting of multiple food stalls and a large central eating area. I opted for Bistro Budapest for a sampler of Langos (fried bread). Then I went next door to Hopyard to try some of their local beers.

It was time for my obligatory afternoon coffee. One of the most famous coffee spots is Tim Wendelboe. Their location is right on the outskirts of a university and they have a great selection of coffee from around the world although it is not cheap. Following coffee, I walked over to the Grünerløkka borough and passed through Birkelunden park. 

You probably aren't surprised to learn that my next stop was for more beer. There's a pattern here. Although there are many restaurants, shops, and bars in this hip area, I opted for Grünerløkka Brygghus because they are known for their own beer. I spent a couple hours here people watching before heading to Ryes. I have no idea what drew me here but this very American-themed bar was listed as a popular spot. It felt laughable but slightly accurate.

Of course it was time for food at this point. I went over to the Sentrum area of Oslo and ate at Grand Cafe, supposedly famous for patrons like Henrik Isben (I had to Google him). Honestly, this place had a high price point and the food was only okay. They did have a decent wine selection though. 

The Sentrum area is also home to the Royal Palace and near the Oslo Radhuset (city hall). I didn't go inside but did pass both to go to my final stop for the night: ROOR. This craft beer bar carries over 60 beers on tap. It was hard not to go too crazy here but the bartenders were great at offering advice. A few local beers were the perfect night cap to the first day of Oslo exploration.

[hangwithjeng]

Copenhagen, Denmark - Part 2

My second day in Denmark started off with an early lunch at Restaurant Palaegade. This restaurant is again known for their Smorrebrod and is located in the historic area of Copenhagen. I ordered another smorrebrod of course but this time with a fried cod instead of the traditional pickled herring. While simple, it was still fresh and the service here was fantastic.

In search of my coffee, I stopped by Cafe Atelier September. This cute cafe also served food but I was full at that point which was a shame because their menu looked interesting. Continuing my self-guided city tour, I walked along the water and passed by Christianborg Palace. I didn't go inside as this was kind of like the government building of Denmark.

Instead I headed over to Torvehallerne. This was one of my favorite parts about Copenhagen. Torvehallerne is a combination of an indoor/outdoor market, souvenir stores, and food court. There are many little stands inside and outside serving unique dishes, artisanal foods, and handmade gifts. I wish I had more room in my stomach to indulge in some of the items there but I mostly walked around and window shopped.

Since I was unable to make it to Noma, I opted to get a taco at Hija de Sanchez here. I had just watched the Denmark episode of Chef's Table before coming. Rosio Sanchez was the former head pastry chef at Noma and opened up a little taco stand serving fresh handmade corn tortillas. It really was delicious and I'm sure an uncommon find in the heart of Copenhagen.

I rounded out my day by going to the one and only Mikkeller Bar. After a little walk through Orstedsparken, I arrived at this little garden-level, semi-empty but cozy bar. It was a rainy day and the friendly bartender was happy to give me tips on the types of beer I could order. I had a few of their IPAs and by the time I left in the evening, it was beginning to fill up.

I don't recommend just two days in Copenhagen. I wish I could have had more time there, if not to explore then at least for my stomach to be able to experience more of their food culture. But it was time to move on and head to the next destination: Oslo, Norway.

[hangwithjeng]

Copenhagen, Denmark - Part 1

Sadly it's been a while since I've updated. 2018 was busy, in good ways and in bad ways. But now it's time for me to catch up before I forget everything.

First stop: Scandinavia. Pinterest always showed me these cozy fireplaces, glass igloos, and colorful little buildings. Turns out there was a word for a lot of this: hygge. Pronounced "hoo-gah", it is the Danish and Norwegian word for "coziness." I was sold. I planned my quick 10 day trip to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

From Boston to Zurich to Copenhagen, I finally landed early in the morning in the land of butter cookies. I opted to stay at the Steel House Copenhagen hostel. Although it is not as central as some of the other ones, it was extremely clean, had a bar downstairs, and even a modern kitchen. I was also ecstatic that there was a bathroom in the dorm room, meaning only 6 people would be using it as opposed to an entire floor. Great, right? Soon I realized that this can actually be annoying because if people use the restroom in the middle of the night, the light is bright and the noise is more prominent.

I first decided to wander the most photographed area: Nyhavn. This row of restaurants and the colorful iconic buildings sit along a canal. You can take boat rides up and down the canal or enjoy dinner or a drink at one of the restaurants. Since it was too early, I just looked around then walked over to and adorable hipster cafe called Coffee Factory to get some jetlag joe.

I try to make it a point to get city photos wherever I visit so I went over to Rundetarn to walk up to the observatory deck. The great thing about Scandinavia is that it is very credit card friendly so you don't need to withdraw too much Krona, even for a 7 Krona entrance fee. Afterwards I walked over to Kongens Have, the big park in the middle of the city. It's a quaint area to enjoy the scenery and to check out Rosenberg Castle. I didn't go inside but read that it used to be a summerhouse. 

I was hungry at that point and had read that Mirabelle is one of the best places to eat. I mean...aside from this little place called Noma I suppose (sadly Noma was closed both days I was in town). I walked over to Mirabelle and ordered a mushroom pasta and a local beer. This neighborhood was really hip and quaint. I took my time, read my book, and people watched for a while.

As a beer fan, I also hit up the brewery next door called BRUS. They had a large selection of home-brewed beer as well as local bottles. Then on my way back for a pit stop at the hostel, I stopped by the Mad Hatter Bubble Tea Emporium for some artisanal boba. You can probably guess that the decor was very Alice in Wonderland, very whimsical, and therefore, perfect for a basic person like myself.

I decided that I wanted to get dinner back in Nyhavn at night but also wanted to see this amusement park that is supposed to be one of the top attractions in Copenhagen. It is called Tivoli and when I stopped by, it really looked like an amusement park from the 40s (think less Six Flags, more Disneyland). Although very cute, it was more of a family environment and I didn't feel like going in.

At Nyhavn, I decided to eat at Skipperkroen because I wanted to try their common local food: Smorrebord. I had heard mixed things about pickled herring but I gave it a try by ordering a sampler. They had different kinds like curry, dill, and plain flavors placed on some Rye bread. It was tasty but I couldn't imagine myself eating too much at once with the fishy taste and texture.

To end the night, I walked through City Hall and down Stroget, the pedestrian street for shopping and more restaurants. I figured a dessert would be good and went to Rajissimo (one of multiple locations) for some gelato before calling it a day.

[hangwithjeng]

There Once was a Wo(man) from Nantucket

It's summertime and that means people are out of hibernation and ready to enjoy the sun. No quintessential New England summer is complete without a trip to Cape Cod.

I was lucky enough to get two days off for Fourth of July this year and decided to solo-trip it down to the Cape. Not just the Cape though: Nantucket. So I bought a bus ticket, took a 2-hour ride, and arrived in the city of Hyannis first.

I originally wanted to stay on the island itself but because it was such a last minute trip and I was alone, I didn't want to drop tons of money on a hotel or bnb. So in the end I decided to stay at HI Hyannis Hostel. It was such a cute hostel with typical nautical decorations and clean facilities. They serve breakfast every day and have a great communal area for lounging. The best part is that the hostel is located 10 minutes away from the bus terminal and 5 minutes away from the port.

The next morning I took the high speed Hy-Line Cruise from Hyannis to Nantucket. The ferry takes about an hour each way and can cost close to $80 round trip. Pulling into Nantucket was a beautiful sight with all the white houses and yachts. After we docked, I immediately set foot to get some brunch at Black-Eyed Susan's. It's a popular spot and there was a wait but I was able to get seated quickly. They're known for their unique scrambles and I got the curry one which was delicious.

After brunch I decided to walk around historic Main Street to do some shopping. Because of the festivities of July 4, there were lots of people and activities going on. There was a giant water fight between all the kids and the fire department. There were watermelon eating contests and all the shops were selling preppy clothing, home goods, and snacks.

I did a quick tour of some landmarks but didn't actually go inside either because they were closed or too busy. Some included the Nantucket Athenaeum, the Whaling Museum, and the Dreamland Film Center. Then I decided to head over to Island Coffee Roasters for an iced coffee before heading next door to Nantucket Bike Shop to rent a bike for a day. It’s about $30 for the day and more for a 24 hour rental.

Nantucket isn't tiny but it's also not huge. A bike or a moped is perfect to get around, the latter probably more so if you want to explore the other end of the island. I didn't have as much time so I first took my bike to Cisco Beach. I spent an hour reading and relaxing on the beach there, people-watching and observing all the surfers. The waves here are much higher than typical NE beaches and due to its location, the waters at Nantucket are also warmer.

After some beach time, I biked over to Cisco Brewers to do some beer tasting. What I didn't know was that it was a combination winery, distillery, and brewery. Once again, due to festivities, I had to pay $10 admission and beers inside were about $7 each. They had live music, a food truck, and a small shop selling souvenirs. It was fun and definitely a more upbeat crowd.

My day was ending soon so I took my bike over to one last stop at Brant Point Light to take some photos before returning it to the shop. Then I made my way over to the Juice Bar for some homemade ice cream. The amaretto chip was a great choice but keep in mind this place is cash only. I capped off my day with a glass of wine at Gazebo located right near the port before hopping on my ferry back to Hyannis.

Back in Hyannis I grabbed a quick bite to eat at Raw Bar. I don't normally eat lobster rolls but figured I would celebrate the holiday with one. It was decent but not the best roll I've had. For the fireworks show, I walked about 10 minutes down Ocean Street to Veterans Beach where a whole crowd of people gathered on the lawn to watch the fireworks over the bay. It was a beautiful sight if you could ignore all the mosquitos flying around. I forgot to wear repellent so unfortunately that detracted from the show.

My final day was dedicated to Hyannis itself. After leaving the hostel, I went to get brunch at The Daily Paper. I ordered the sriracha benedict and it was fine but the amount of sriracha was so small. It was basically a normal benedict. But I love benedicts anyway. Post-lunch was 100% shopping mode for me. Main Street has plenty of little mom-and-pop shops selling souvenirs, clothing, and vintage items. I went a little crazy with everything. 

I did make a stop at Rendezvous Cafe for some coffee, then to Katie's Homemade Ice Cream for some dessert. The only flavor you should order is the Cape Cod Sand. Don't ask.

As I made my way back towards the water, I walked by some landmarks like the town hall and some pop-up art shops. I spent a little time relaxing near the harbor on the benches before going to grab a quick dinner at Spanky's Clam Shack. They were out of scallops, a staple in Nantucket, so I went for the clam belly fried sandwich. I was debating between that or clam strips and am so glad I made my choice. Apparently to most people, it's not even a question of which one is better.

Cape Cod and Nantucket are perfect vacation spots for relaxing, enjoying the weather, and eating seafood. I definitely recommend people visit at some point in their lives as it's a really unique experience. Plus you might get the opportunity to spot some famous celebs. Not that I was looking or anything.

[hangwithjeng]

Sleepless In Seattle

So I'm cheating here a bit. Over the course of the past month, I happened to go to Seattle twice. Once spontaneously for a potential work opportunity and once more for a friend's wedding. I hadn't been to Seattle for about 7 years at this point so I was super excited to explore again.

I met up with my mother from California the first time and we spent the majority of the weekend exploring the city. Touristy things like watching the fish catches at Pike Place Market, checking out the Gum Wall that will inevitably make you hold your breath when walking through, and checking out downtown to see the Amazon Spheres. Unfortunately we weren't able to snag a tour and you can't go inside the rainforest part unless you know someone.

We made the most of our trip by eating. Some of our stops for food included:

Melrose Market - For little boutiques and small food stands

Starbucks Reserve - For that gourmet coffee experience

List - For the American fusion small plates (grilled caesar salad!)

Top Pot Donuts - For any and all kinds of donuts

Elliot's Oyster House - For all the seafood, cioppino, and oyster HH

Shug's Soda Fountain - For an ice cream sundae

Biscuit Bitch - For the bitchwich biscuit sando

Gourmet Noodle Bowl - For the authentic Taiwanese noodles

Lola - For the crab cake benedict and pancake brunch

Le Panier - For the macarons and chocolate croissant

Kizuki - For that garlic tonkatsu ramen

We also took a day trip out to the Leavenworth Bavarian Village. It's a couple hours outside of the city but we were also able to stop by Snoqualmie Falls on the way there. The village itself is kind of gimmicky, especially when learning that the only reason it's Bavarian-themed is because the state declared it so. Still, we enjoyed walking around, eating a giant pork knuckle at King Ludwig's, and indulging in the festivities like live music and traditional German dancing.

My second trip to Seattle took me outside of the city for a bit. One day was dedicated to the wedding, located in the beautiful Olalla at the Edgewater House. It's a bit out of the way but the views along the water were phenomenal. Another day we spent with a friend of a friend, who took us through parts of Bellevue, Kent, and to the Great Wall Mall to get dim sum at Imperial Garden Seafood restaurant with a sugar cane drink at Fire & Ice afterwards.

Aside from those two days, I decided to make the most of my last day-and-a-half by eating and drinking my way through Seattle. Because let's face it: there's way too much good food to try and not enough time. A high priority of mine was to make it to Shiro's for some fresh sushi. It really lived up to its hype with the fatty tuna being my favorite. I also made it over to Paseo to grab a pulled pork Caribbean sandwich. It's a messy one so stock up on napkins when you order it.

During the day I snuck a quick trip over to Redmond to meet a friend and check out the Microsoft office. I had been before but it seems like they've upgraded their facilities since then. From there I went over to Chinatown to grab a bite at Mike's Noodle House for some wonton noodle soup. It hit the spot but was a small-ish bowl for about $9. I went over to Oasis Tea Zone to get boba and some fried chicken before wandering over to Pioneer Square.

Pioneer Square surprised me with things to do. I was able to see the Waterfall Garden Park, do some souvenir shopping at Fireworks, and check out their many bars and restaurants. I did a mini bar crawl by getting drinks at The Bar Shoppe (a super fancy cocktail bar), Dead Line (restaurant with a great liquor wall), and Purple Cafe & Wine bar (think endless choices for wine but go for a flight to try multiple ones).

Seattle may be the land of Amazon, Microsoft, and Boeing but where it lacks in “charm” it makes up for in delicious food, high-tech amenities, and of course the outdoors just outside their doorstep.

[hangwithjeng]

Twin Cities

Sometimes you don't even know you want to visit a city until an $86 flight comes along.

I had always wanted to visit Minnesota but never really acted upon it until this deal showed up. A nonstop round trip flight from Boston to Minneapolis? Eh, why not? The only caveat was that it was with Sun Country, a budget airline (think Spirit). You'll get charged for extra carry on but I was only going for a weekend so a backpack was perfectly fine.

Despite the fact that I flew into Minneapolis-St. Paul airport and that the nickname of this area is "Twin Cities," I hate to admit it took me much longer to piece the two together. Thankfully, the airbnb I chose was in Minneapolis. They are close enough to each other where it's not a huge deal but there's definitely more going on on the Minnie side. Also, I don't think that's a real nickname so don't quote me.

I spent the first day taking a quick stroll down Eat Street. This area on Nicollett Avenue houses plenty of eateries but I opted to get some breakfast at Spyhouse Coffee and Glam Doll Donuts. Glam Doll has some crazy-rich donuts if you're into that kind of thing.

I wandered over to the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden after breakfast to take a look at some of the art. Right next door is the Walker Art Center but I chose not to go inside. Instead I spent my time admiring the giant spoon fountain, the LOVE letters, and the big blue cock.

For lunch I went to Hell's Kitchen downtown for the bison benedict. The portion wasn't huge but it was pretty good and I got to sample some of their homemade peanut butter. I also ordered a Surly IPA and decided to go on a roll with beer tasting.

The rest of the afternoon was spent wandering downtown where there's plenty of shopping to do. The Target here is apparently their flagship store and Minneapolis is home to their HQ. I stopped by the News Room, a newspaper-themed bar, to try some more local beers. Then I walked towards the ballpark to check out 3 more breweries: Fulton Brewing Company, Inbound BrewCo, and Modist Brewing. The only one that allowed flights was Inbound but I think overall Fulton was my favorite.

At the end of the evening I decided to walk across the Stone Arch Bridge. The views were pretty nice and it was a good way to sober up a bit before heading back home to call it a night.

The next day I decided to check out the St. Paul area for a bit. I started at the State Capitol building before heading down University avenue to check out some of the restaurants. Andrew Zimmern hails from this area so he had an extensive list of recommended restaurants to try. I went with Cheng Heng because I wanted to try something I couldn't get in Boston which is Cambodian food. I ordered a noodle soup and it was not only cheap but incredibly flavorful.

If I had more time and energy, I would have loved to rent a bike and ride back to Minneapolis. The twin cities are incredibly bike-friendly with clear cut lanes and plenty of bike shares. The weather was also perfect that day. But in my crunch to see everything, I ubered to my next spot: Lake Calhoun. There was a really awesome walkway with separated sides for pedestrians and bikers. I spent some time walking around the lake, resting on the grass, and people watching.

From there I walked over to the Lyndale area to peek at more restaurants and shops. There were some cute clothing and home boutiques and some bakeries/cafes. I got some ice cream at Milkjam Creamery (they actually make a donut ice cream sandwich using Glam Doll Donuts) and then went over to French Meadow Cafe for an arnold palmer while trying to convince my stomach that we didn't need to order brunch off their vast chalkboard menus.

No trip to Minneapolis is complete without a visit to the Mall of America, right? I have to say I try not to shop when I'm on vacation so I only dedicated a couple hours to the mall. But it's basically all the chain stores you would find in any mall, and then some. There's nearly an entire amusement park inside the mall as well as mini golfing, a mirror maze, and a children's Crayola experience.

Finally, what I had been waiting for the whole time, was to finish my trip off by getting a Juicy Lucy for dinner. Apparently this Minneapolis staple has two restaurants competing for the title of original LJ. You can either go to Matt's Cafe or 5-8 Club. Due to location, I chose the 5-8 Club so I could get to the airport quicker. A Juicy Lucy is basically a burger with the cheese cooked into the patty itself. I got an original but you can switch up the cheese or add some other fixins to your burger. It was good but a bit overhyped in my opinion. To be fair, I had heard that Matt's is a better option but I took what I could get.

I do think I would appreciate Minneapolis more if I was able to get outdoors or spend some time biking, kayaking, or even hiking. The cities were fun to visit and there's a surprisingly good food scene but in between meals it was hard to find activities to do that wouldn't require a car. Next time I hope to check out more of their 10,000 lakes!

[hangwithjeng]

Nashty in Nashville

As someone who knew nothing about country music, Nashville flew under my radar for a while. Lately it has become a more popular tourist destination and I decided to go for a weekend trip with some girl friends.

Nashville really earns the nickname "Nashvegas" with its endless bars, delicious comfort foods, and live music. Bachelor/bachelorette parties are a huge thing here. Many of them rent pedal taverns to ride down Broadway, home of all the honky tonk bars and restaurants. Unfortunately we were too late to rent one for our group as they get booked months in advance, but my sensitive bladder would probably thank me for that.

We spent the first day walking around the State Capitol building and the War Memorial before heading to honky tonk row. There are endless bars to choose from but since the weather was nice we wanted to hit up the rooftop bars close to the waterfront like Acme Feed & Seed, George Jones Rooftop Bar, and Famous Saloon. Acme has an extensive food menu as well so we got lunch there: I had the brisket sandwich and my friend had the tacos. Do yourself a favor and try all their hot/BBQ sauces!

Night time on Broadway is probably where the true rowdiness shows up. With last call at 3 AM, most bars are an all-day, all-night affair. We were tired from traveling and being an hour off our time zone so we only went to Whiskey Bent Saloon for some live music and whiskey gingers.

The next day, slightly hungover, we stopped by Lasater's Coffee for some caffeine before heading to The Valentine on Broadway for lunch. The food was alright here, nothing amazing but we just needed sustenance at that point. From there we continued our day-drinking binge by going to Honky Tonk Central, with multiple levels of amazing country music, and Florida Georgia Line House, which had the whole crowd singing along to acoustic pop covers.

For dinner we went to a restaurant called Bartaco. This place is in the 12 south area of Nashville with some other cute stores, restaurants, and bars. Bartaco was delicious and fairly cheap but the wait was long and drinks were a bit pricey. After dinner, we went over to the Gulch area to a bar called Winner's for some beer before calling it a night.

On the final day of our trip, we split up for a little as we got a slow start to our morning. I made a pit stop at Frothy Monkey for a banana mocha coffee. The line here is usually out the door with people waiting for unique coffee drinks or their brunch.

My next goal was to get some hot chicken. I wish I could've tried every place in Nashville but I picked one of the most well-known places: Hattie B's. I lined up at 10:30 AM, they open at 11:00 AM, and did not finish eating until noon. So be prepared to wait. But it is worth it. The chicken sandwich was flavorful, juicy, and mildly spicy (unless you truly want it hot).

I met back up with friends after in the Gulch area again. They were eating at a restaurant called Whiskey Kitchen because most restaurants in the Gulch area were pretty crowded. I walked around the area and checked out some of the hip restaurants, murals, and small shops here. Biscuit Love, on my list of places to go, had a small line but I was way too full to actually get anything there.

We continued our wandering to the Country Music Hall of Fame (but did not go inside) and walking across the John Seigenthaler pedestrian bridge before getting a second round of coffee at the Well. At this point our trip was winding down so we said farewell to half our group before heading over to the 12 south area again to meet with a couple of the other girls.

To cap off our trip, we got happy hour beers at Embers Ski Lodge. They had some great local sour beers. We then walked next door to this cute and super instagrammable bakery called Five Daughters Bakery because I'm basic like that and wanted to get a strawberry cronut. 

Our final meal of the weekend was surprisingly pretty upscale. We had planned to get Bartaco again but walked by Urban Grub and were drawn in by the smell. They are known for curing their own meats so we ordered a charcuterie board, some baked chicken, and the chicken bacon pasta before heading to the airport to pass out from all the alcohol and food the past 3 days.

Nashville has a Vegas-vibe but also like Vegas, it is hard to rally for multiple days when most activities are centered around food/drink. We wished there were some other non-alcohol related activities to do in between meals but it was a fun weekend and definitely a great GNO kind of city!

[hangwithjeng]

Palmetto trees & Atlantic breeze

When it’s winter time in New England, we all want to flock somewhere warm. The most logical choice most years is somewhere in the South. This year, we were mistaken.

As a part of Chinese New Year and President’s Day long weekend, my family and I decided to head to South Carolina in a hip city called Charleston. A couple years ago I had taken a day trip here from Myrtle Beach. This time, we had all weekend to play.

Although I didn’t pack correctly for 60 degree weather, it turned out to be a great trip. I landed first on Friday and went exploring a bit down King Street. First I hit up Leon’s Oyster Shop at the recommendation of my Uber driver. Their fried chicken sandwich was pretty good but I would absolutely not miss out on the grilled oysters or Siam salad.

I continued walking down King for some dessert at Cupcake Down South. I would pass on this place, the cupcakes were kind of hard. Then it was time spent checking out some of the bars including Closed for Business (great craft beer selection), the Cocktail Club (for those fancier drinks), Cutty’s (a hole-in-the-wall dive), and Warehouse (loud music + foosball + pool). 

The next day, along with my family, we started off by grabbing breakfast at Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit. All their biscuits were fresh and delicious but don’t forget about their jams! Peach basil was really tasty. After another stop at Kudu Coffee, we took our little rental car over to Magnolia Plantation & Gardens. I was expecting a little more history here but for the most part, it’s a large area of land dedicated to gardens and a petting zoo. It was great for an afternoon walk but I’m not sure I would spend $20 to go back again.

At this point it was time for our 4:00 “linner”. Also off the recommendation of the aforementioned Uber driver was a little BBQ joint called Lewis Barbeque. The owner of this place hails from Austin, TX so you know it’s good stuff. The brisket melted in your mouth and the ribs fell right off the bone. Honorable mentions were the corn pudding and collard greens!

We capped off the day by going to Sullivan’s Beach and catching the sunset. There were many cute bars and restaurants in this area but we were so stuffed we opted to just get ice cream at Republic instead.

On Sunday we got up early to wait in line at the coveted Hominy Grill. Although there was a long wait, the line moved fast and we were soon indulging in the nasty biscuit (fried chicken with white gravy), fried green tomatoes, pulled pork hash, and catfish & grits. There wasn’t a single dish we didn’t like.

To walk off all this food, we went over to White Point Gardens and started walking up along the coast and towards the French Quarter. We passed landmarks like Rainbow Row, the Pineapple fountain, walked through Charleston City Market for souvenir shopping, and took a detour through the Belmond Hotel to see their huge chandelier.

The rest of the afternoon we spent shopping along King Street. We took a break at Darling Oyster Bar for some oysters, fried shrimp & chips, and sweet tea. Then it was back home for a break before a late dinner.

Our dinner reservation was at Husk, one of the most well-known restaurants in town. They specialize in local, fresh ingredients with unique fusion southern dishes such as pork bits in pork belly, charred broccoli, duck confit, and chicken with beans. Paired off with some local sodas, we stuffed ourselves full and proceeded to go home to watch the Olympics.

The final day in Charleston started off with a trip to Mercantile and Mash. This old cigar factory turned hipster shops had a little cafeteria where you could order some breakfast, coffee, and buy some home goods. 

From here we walked over to some more little shops like Mac & Murphy and Sugar Bake Shop, a stationary store and a bakery respectively. Again, very hip and adorable. Although we weren’t hungry, we had to sneak in one last meal at Xiao Bao Biscuit. The name, slightly misleading, had us believing it was an Asian-Southern food fusion restaurant. But they mainly served Asian dishes with a twist. It was still tasty and we had no regrets.

Sadly, my family had to take off at this point (protip: Charleston doesn’t have many direct flights, especially from the West Coast) leaving me all by my lonesome to entertain myself before my flight back to Boston. I went all out in the final hours though. I had some beer at Charleston Beer Works, went to Jenni’s Splendid Ice Cream for a flight of brambleberry, sweet cream, and praline ice cream, and stopped by Kickin Chicken for a fried chicken sandwich and tots to-go.

Charleston is one of the cutest up-and-coming cities with a special blend of vintage, hipster, and rustic vibe. I can see this place exploding as a top destination in the near future and the many bachelorette parties I saw seem to back up my theory. But ask any locals and they will say that Charleston is already on the map.

[hangwithjeng]

Lima

Once again we were back in the heart of Peru’s capital. This time, to properly experience Lima, we stayed in the Miraflores neighborhood as opposed to 5 minutes outside the airport.

Lima has a surprisingly large food culture. We had read that, compared to Cusco, there wasn’t as much sightseeing to do so we focused on eating most of the time.

On the first morning we got breakfast at La Ptite France. This little cafe was kind of hidden but had a cute garden-like seating area and some great pastries. I think the croissants were the best but I wasn’t fully hungry and ordered a simple madeline.

We spent some time walking around some local markets and doing a little more shopping before we went to our early-afternoon lunch reservation at Maido. Maido is a Japanese-Peruvian fusion restaurant that specializes in a prix fixe tasting menu. We were able to try plenty of seafood dishes, ceviche, guinea pig, and other interesting takes on food (like an octopus hot dog!). With cocktails, our bill ended up costing a lot. I guess it lives up to its $$$$ rating!

Post-lunch we headed over to the hip Barranco neighborhood. Here there were many artisanal shops, casual restaurants, and lots of artwork. Some notable stores and attractions were Dedalo Arte 7 Artesanias, an artist collective of home goods and gifts, Puente de los Suspires, the bridge of sighs, and bars housed in old mansions such as Victoria Bar.

We hung out a little at Barranco Beer Company before splitting up as a group and either going back to the Airbnb or continuing a mini bar crawl. Those who stayed ended up going to La Boteca and El Gringo Bar too, more on the dive-y end of bars, before calling it a night.

The next day I dragged everyone out to go to the historic Centro de Lima. I wanted to go here to see all the old architecture of Peru with the colonial balconies and exterior decorations. There are numerous places to visit here such as the Archbishop Palace, the Cathedral of Lima,  and the one we stopped by: the Basilica of San Francisco.

We were on a time crunch to make it to our lunch reservations at the coveted Central. I guess I don’t watch enough Chef’s Table but this equally $$$$ restaurant opened by Chef Virgilio Martinez Veliz focuses on indigenous Peruvian ingredients. Our tasting menu was arranged by elevation, starting with lower level seafood up to the Andes and meats. It was a really unique experience to try a lot of different things I had never heard of or thought to eat. Christine was on top of it in regards to our reservations and I’m thankful we were able to try some of the best rated restaurants in South America.

Since we were nearby we decided to walk it off at Larcomar, a large outdoor shopping mall. The mall itself was pretty typical of what you would find in most strip malls. But it was cool to be ocean-side at the same time. It was my and my friend Kenjo’s last night in Peru while the others in the group stayed for an additional day. Despite being full from Central, we decided to get one last meal at Mangos. We sat on the outdoor patio to get a view of the ocean and paragliders while we sipped on piscos, ate some ceviche, and talked about all the memories from the trip.

[hangwithjeng]

Puno

Now that we had finally showered, slept a full night, and gotten used to the elevation again, we were off to our next destination.

The next day we woke up early to take an 8 hour bus ride to Puno. We rode on Turismo Mer which was a nice bus that had reclining seats for all the passengers. There was even an attendant who brought tea or water to everyone. The bus was extremely stuffy though and by the end of the 8-hour ride we were all dying to get off for some air.

After arriving in Puno and checking in, we were all feeling a little sick so we simply wandered around the Plaza de Armas where there happened to be a parade going on. Local students were dressed in traditional clothing and singing & dancing to drums and flutes. It was really cool to witness how the locals celebrate.

We ended up grabbing a late dinner at La Casa del Corregidor. They have a large beer selection here and many small plate items. It was a perfect spot to try some local beers and dishes.

The following morning we got up early to head down to the lake and try to get a tour to go on the floating island. Since we were a little strapped on time, we opted for a two hour tour of Uros. There are other islands in the area and one we wanted to try was Amantani. The problem is that it’s a 3-hour boat ride to get there and there is only one boat a day that goes. The benefit is that it is one of the natural floating islands unlike Uros which is man-made.

Still, Uros was a cool experience. We learned about how the locals live with minimal resources, how they need to put down new reeds every day otherwise the islands will decompose, and how they build reed boats to get around. We were even able to look inside the huts and talk to some of the locals in Spanish.

The downside is that this was a really big tourist trap. They bring you in pairs to each of their huts with the intention of telling you more about life on the island but in reality, the story lasts 3 minutes and the next 10 minutes are spent trying to sell you on souvenirs and items that they supposedly hand-crafted. They do not even speak English so make sure you know conversational Spanish. Additionally, you can pay 10 soles to ride a reed boat which seemed really awesome until we noticed that they are all powered by a little speedboat. I guess we thought it would have been fun to row one ourselves.

Our afternoon was spent exploring again. I had been sneaking in “Polleria?” multiple times into conversations so we decided to ask our guide for a recommendation and finally try one of these places. These restaurants served different variations of chicken, fried or roasted, and the place we chose, La Choza de Oscar, did not disappoint. Almost all of us ordered half a roast chicken with some side dishes and they were delicious and juicy.

For the rest of the afternoon we laid low and continued shopping and sightseeing. Our last stop before heading to the airport was at Pacha Mixology where we all had more beer and pisco sours. Then it was onto the shuttle bus, off to Juliaca, and a quick 2 hour flight back to Lima.

[hangwithjeng]

Inca Trail - Days 3 & 4

Day 3 is considered one of the easiest days of this hike because you essentially hike until early afternoon and then spend the rest of the day at the campsite.

We left the cloud forest and passed by some more Inca ruins such as Puyupatamarca and Intipata. Intipata had a gorgeous view of the valley between the Andes Mountains and was the last stop of the hike for day 3.

After arriving at the campsite, we all took some time to rest. There were showers at this one but the water was cold so I didn’t bother. We had already been shower-less, smelly, and sweaty so far so I figured another day wouldn’t hurt. In the afternoon there was an optional hike 10 minutes away to one of the most beautiful views of the trip.

Some called it mini Machu Picchu but the real name was Winay Wayna. Similar to other Inca sites, this one had multiple agricultural terraces. The difference was that these faced the valley so the view on the other side was of the Urumbamba River.

As the trek was winding down at the end of day 3, there were logistics to take care of. This was the last day for the porters so we had a final dinner and said our goodbyes. The porters, who ranged from early-twenties to late-forties, were our saviors. Because of this it was highly recommended to tip them, something we all gladly wanted to do. However I will note that the amount that Llama Path originally suggested to us changed when our guides, on this day, suggested a higher amount. To us, it wasn’t a huge difference considering the work they put in. But we later learned that Llama Path generally charges more for their services, such as the hike to Huayna Picchu. Still, we were so thankful for their help and it was a really heartfelt time for us all to say goodbye.

The agenda for day 4 was a very tight schedule, but we were ready for it. Day 4 is the day you hike up to the Sun Gate for your first view of Machu Picchu. Then it’s a full day of exploring Machu Picchu before heading back to Aguas Calientes to catch the train back to Cusco.

We were woken up at 3 in the morning and told not to worry about folding up our sleeping bags or anything the porters could help with. This is because there is a mad rush to get in line at the gate where the trail opens at 5:30. Only the first area is covered and we wanted a bench spot in case it rained. As we were rushed out of bed, we heard the equally frantic commotion from other campsites trying to do the same thing. Our guides quickly rounded up 6 of us and we took off to get a spot in line at the gate. We ended up being #2 in line! Then we played the waiting game.

It was chilly but thankfully not raining. Since it was still dark out most people sat around chatting, reading, or taking a nap. Porters brought over things like hot tea and breakfast sandwiches. As the sun began to rise and 5:30 loomed, people started getting more and more excited. You could feel the energy build up and as soon as the gate opened, we all took off running.

The final hike wasn’t strenuous until you got to the part where there was some steep climbing. By that I mean using your hands to climb up some steps. Other than that, it was pretty moderate. Our guides estimated it would take about an hour or an hour and a half to do it. We, in our energetic state, made it in 40 minutes.

Thankfully it was a perfectly clear and sunny day for us. Seeing Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate after 4 days of hiking is one of the best experiences of my life. People were laughing, giving high fives, and hugging over the accomplishment. We spent some time taking pictures here before heading down to Machu Picchu.

The rest of the day we wandered around Machu Picchu, with the first part being a guided tour and the second part being our own. In the early afternoon, we headed down the mountain to Aguas Calientes to explore the city and to meet our group for  lunch at Apu Salkantay. We all indulged in beers and pisco sours to celebrate the end of the hike. Then we said our goodbyes, headed to the train station, and began the long journey back to Cusco.