Kimchi Waffles

[kimchiwafflestravels]

BANGKOK, THAILAND

We came, we templed, we ate... a lot.

Chinatown

We went to Chinatown at night, so our experiences are purely based on the night scene. That being said, this place is a haven for delicious street food. The main street is lined with vendors and restaurants that have pushed their seating to the very edge of the sidewalk. You will most likely find yourself walking in the street here, since whatever part of the sidewalk isn't overtaken by vendors and seating, is most likely filled with lines for those vendors.

Our first taste of the night was a street vendor selling, what looked to be, fried dough. These little, airy puffs of fried dough were not sweetened at all, but came with a mystery green frosting. To this day - we still have no idea what the frosting was made of, but it was sweet and delicious, so we just went with it.

Next was our hunt for "real food," aka not something sugary or fried on a stick. We came across two seafood restaurants, T&K and Rut & Lek. They were across the street from each other, both were bustling, both looked delicious and both were competing for business. Knowing nothing about these two place, we opted for T&K since they were more packed with people (Our litmus test). We were not disappointed as the food was not as toned down for tourists as other places are, and we enjoyed how everything was spicy and full of flavor. We found out later that these two restaurants are two of the best in Chinatown and are constantly competing for customers. We highly recommend it to anyone visiting the area.

Khao San Road

Known as the backpacker area of Bangkok, this area near the center of the city is an explosion of touristy shops, stalls and bars, very much geared towards travelers looking to drink and party. No longer just confined to it's namesake road, this area has spilled into nearby streets and alleys. Once you venture off the main road, you're more likely to find quieter bars and restaurants. If you are looking to party, this is a good place to start. If not, it's a fun place to visit, if only for the novelty of it. There are stalls serving fried bugs, it's a great place to find the ever-so-popular elephant pants, and you can get a great cheap massage here (and not just the happy ending kind.)

Once you explore the main road, we highly recommend checking out the nearby streets and alleys. These are great ways to find quiet little street bars and restaurants, without the pumping music and dotted with only a few tourists.

We went down one alley and got a bit turned around before coming to a hand made sign that said "short cut to Khao San Road." In a move that would horrify our parents, we decided it seemed legit enough to take. Along the way we walked through narrow dark alleys, one that had a pack of little dogs, tied to various things, outside a small house - they were cute but not exactly friendly. When we finally arrived to Khao San Road, we looked at each other and talked about how those little detours off the beaten trail - those are what makes travel extra fun.

The Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Pra Kaeow)

When you visit the Grand Palace, you also visit the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. If you are going to see any temple in Bangkok, this is the one - particularly if you can manage to see it when there are less tourists. It's large, it's jam packed with tourists, and it's really beautiful.

Like most Thailand temples, you are required to dress modestly (covered knees and shoulders) and expect to take off your shoes before entering the temple buildings.

Wat Pho

This temple is only a short walking distance from the Grand Palace, and is better known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. We enjoyed walking around this temple far more than the Grand Palace temple, mostly because it had significantly less people, which made it more enjoyable to explore.

Although the Reclining Buddha is very impressive (it's truly massive), the surrounding grounds have many colorful temples, doorways and old sections to explore. It is worth an hour or two of poking around. Since there are less people, you will also find more stray animals here, we encountered multiple stray cats and a stray dog who lounged in the sun.

Wat Arun

Wat Arun is across the river from the Grand Palace and for only 3 Baht, you can easily hop over by boat. It is possible to do the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun on the same day, we struggled with the heat and temple overload so we ended up going to Wat Arun on a different day.

Unfortunately, when we visited Wat Arun, the main structure was under renovation and completely covered with scaffolding. You could tell that when not under renovation, the temple is truly stunning. The base of the temple is white, and there are layers of colorful statues and engravings covering the buildings.

This temple is much smaller than the other two we visited. You also only have to pay admission for the main temple. There are many other buildings that surround the temple, that you could walk through without having to pay admission. This included the areas where rows and rows of buddha's sat.

Night Train Market

The Night Train Market in Bangkok is a hidden gem we almost missed. After being constantly disappointed with markets that were oversaturated with cheaply made tourist goods, we were skeptical about having to see yet another with rows upon rows of elephant pants. However, our hostel highly recommended it so we figured why not.

We loved this market. Not only was it full of really amazing food stalls, but the perimeter of the market was lined with small buildings and shipping containers that had be repurposed into shops, hipster hair salons, bars and restaurants. It was also the first market we had visited where the number of young Thai people out-numbered foreigners.

Bangkok Malls

I know what you're thinking - why would you travel to the other side of the world and waste your time at a mall? Bangkok malls are not your average malls. With intense heat, humidity, and the daily downpour during the rainy season, malls serve as an escape from the harsh outdoors.

When we discovered the mall, Terminal 21, near our hostel, it was a game changer. Terminal 21 is an airport themed mall, where every floor represents a different city, and every floor goes all out on the details. The Rome floor, for example, not only has Roman columns and statues, but the bathroom sinks on this floor are actually giant fountains. I am not kidding when I say, you will want to check out the bathrooms on every floor of this mall. I also have to mention the top floor (San Francisco themed) has an unbelievable food court where you can get a decent and filling meal for two, for between $5-10.

Terminal 21 isn't even the most famous of the Bangkok malls, although it is my favorite. CentralWorld has an full aquarium in the basement floor and an ice skating rink.

Unicorn Cafe

If you ever wondered what the phrase, "Sugar and spice and everything nice," would look like in person - this is the place to go. The cafe is mostly pink and purple, with tufted furniture, and basically magical. The food is also themed, but don't expect gourmet. All the desserts are sugar bombs and, although we didn't try the rainbow pasta, it didn't look particularly appetizing. That being said, the cafe is worth a visit, a photo opp in a unicorn onesie, and maybe splitting one of their rainbow shakes with 2-3 other people.

[kimchiwafflestravels]

Cambodia

PHNOM PENH

We were not supposed travel to Phnom Penh, but a booking mix-up (aka we booked the wrong city in Cambodia) lead us there. We went in with no expectations, knowing very little about the city, and were beyond pleasantly surprised by it.

Phnom Penh is a fascinating city, as it seems like a small city on the verge of becoming a much bigger city. New apartment buildings, hotels and western restaurants seem to be popping up everywhere. The expat culture is also quite large; we saw many non-Cambodians, who clearly lived in the city, everywhere. Meanwhile, the wealth gap seems staggering with people on the outskirts of the city still living in shanty style housing while there are still BMW and Lexus dealerships nearby. We had to remind ourselves that this was a country still recovering from the Khmer Rouge regime that left power less than 40 years ago.

The Killing Fields

Just outside the city of Phnom Penh is Cheung Ek, more commonly called the "Killing Fields." This is where thousands of people were murdered by the Khmer Rouge between 1975 and 1979. The location where the museum and memorial stand is actually just one of hundred of "Killing Fields" spread across Cambodia.

Included in the price of admission is an audio tour that tells you the story of Cheung Elk, the Khmer Rouge and survivors. It is, by far, the best audio tour we've ever experienced. We would compare it to a "This American Life" style podcast that guides you through the museum via numbers. Many of the "stops" also include optional side stories, and you want to listen to every one.

The audio tour does something else, it creates an atmosphere of eerie quiet when you take the headphones off. The museum is incredibly peaceful, with the primary sound being that of the birds and the shuffling of feet.

The museum grounds are covered in dents, which are the mass graves that have been excavated. A few of the mass graves are covered and surrounded by a fence, these are the areas where specific groups of people were found, for example, primarily children or Khmer Rouge soldiers. These only scratch the surface, as they ceased excavating the graves out of respect for the dead. Visitors to the site are warned not to touch any bones or clothing they come across as remains still surface - particularly during the rainy season when the earth washed away.

The people killed by the Khmer Rouge were killed for a variety of reasons. The murdered:

Were intellectuals

Wore Glasses (a sign of an "intellectual")

Practiced a differed religion

Were foreigners

Were former government officials

Spoke against the Khmer Rouge

Were Khmer Rouge soldiers or leaders who refused to do what they were told

Were children or wives of any of the above - Pol Pot killed entire families to prevent "revenge killings" in the future.

No one was safe. Prisoners were typically transferred to the fields at night, where they were often killed immediately. To drown out their screams, Khmer Rouge anthems were blasted from speakers, which is why most people living in the surrounding area had no idea what was happening.

The tour ends at the Cheung Ek memorial, which contains the skulls of over 5,000 people murdered by the Khmer Rouge. The memorial also houses other bones, as well as the tools used to kill people. The Khmer Rouge rarely, if ever, used guns to kill people. Bullets were expensive and guns are loud. They did not want anyone from the nearby village to hear the guns, so they chose to use simple farm equipment and tools to bludgeon people to death. The results are clearly visible on the skulls housed in the memorial, where the tools used are placed close to skulls clearly showing the marks the tool left.

The skulls and bones can be seen from the outside, with large windows displaying them at all sides. The memorial aims to force people not face what happened head on, in hopes that we can learn from our past.

Tuol Sleng (S21) Prison and Genocide Museum

The extension of the "Killing Fields" is the S21 Prison and Genocide Museum located within Phnom Penh. This former high school was transformed into a brutal prison where the Khmer Rouge housed and tortured prisoners for information. Most the those held within it's walls were eventually murdered in the Cheung Ek killing fields. There are only 7 known S21 survivors.

Visitors take an audio tour that is similar in tone to the tour from the killing fields. The prison is made up of large cement block buildings, that you can walk through. Most of the cells are still stained with blood. They contain the mattress-less metal beds, where the last prisoners were found, murdered as soldiers fled the prison. Above the beds are photos taken the day they were discovered. Needless to say, this is not a museum for the faint of heart. In other buildings, you are faced with rows upon rows of head shots - these are all former prisoners, they were all murdered. The hardest ones to look at are the faces of the children, who are looking at the camera with innocence and fear, many of them having a "deer in headlights" face. This museum is not easy to walk through, it's an emotional trip that shows humanity at its worst. We would recommend it to anyone because it's important to know the mistakes of the past so we can live a better future.

Wat Phnom

Wat Phnom is not a large, impressive temple when compared to most temples in Cambodia or Thailand. It is, however, situated on the highest point of Phnom Penh and is surrounded by some lovely gardens.

Street 308 and Bassac Lane

This area is where many expats hang out. Street 308 is lined with small restaurants and hip looking expat bars. We enjoyed dinner at Mama Wong's, a dumpling and noodle house that is cozy and teeming with activity. After, we ventured to Bassac Lane, a small street lined with mini bars. The smallest of the bars has seating for maybe 8 people, while the larger, 2 floored, bars can fit 10-20. These cozy bars are also themed, for example, we passed a library bar, a motorcycle bar, and ended up grabbing a drink at a saloon themed bar.

The street itself is equally as charming, with twinkle lights overhead and bikes and motorcycles lining the sides of the streets. It is also worth noting that the bars are owned by the same person, so visitors can carry their drinks from one to the next without any problem.

This street would fit in, in the hippest of US neighborhoods and probably be packed almost every night. However, on a Tuesday night in Phnom Penh, you're likely to have one of these little bars all to yourself.

SIEM REAP

If it weren't for Angkor Wat and Ankor Thom, Siem Reap would probably be a quiet, country town village in Cambodia. The town itself is very small, but the people there clearly rely on the tourism industry. Hotels are popping up everywhere. The hotel we stayed in was about 10 minutes outside the city, was only a year old, and we saw at least 4 hotels being built on our trip there. Similar to Phnom Penh, this is a city that seems to be rapidly changing.

Angkor Wat

You can not come to Siem Reap and not see Angkor Wat. This ancient temple is mind blowing. It is hard to believe that it is approximately 900 years old, and that it survived the Vietnamese occupation, and the Khemr Rouge.

When our driver said he recommended 3-4 hours at Angkor Wat, we were skeptical, but the complex is massive. It's full of places to explore and there are so many detailed carvings in the stone, you are bound to only scratch the surface.

You don't actually buy the tickets at the temple, but rather at the ticket office near town. Any local driver will know to take you there. You have two options - the $20 one day ticket, $40 three day ticket or $60 seven day ticket. This ticket inlcudes both Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom. When it is very hot outside, or during the rainy season, it might be worth the $40 for the three day ticket. We were hit with extreme heat and a massive downpour, which prevented us from seeing as much of Angkor Thom as we would have liked.

Like most Cambodian or Thai temples, you must dress respectively. No showing the knees or shoulders. If you do forget this, there are plenty of vendors around the temple with wrap skirts, elephant pants, shawls and dresses that fit the dress code.

Angkor Thom

Angkor Thom was the last great capital city of the Khemr empire. You could easily spend hours exploring this magical place. The ancient buildings and temples are spread apart, and each has it's own character. We were only able to see about half the complex before getting caught in a massive downpour. What we did see was stunning.

Kandal Village

This area of Siem Reap is really only about 2 blocks. It has a variety of hip boutiques, coffee shops and restaurants that are worth a visit. Many of these shops are owned by expats and many are champions for responsible tourism. Some of our favorite places on this block were:

Little Red Fox Espresso This Australian owned, Cambodian managed, coffee shop has some amazingly delicious coffee and other beverages. They offer some unique flavors alongside tradition coffee and espresso. Don had a turmeric beverage and Stephanie had a lemongrass and ginger iced coffee - both were excellent.

Mamma Shop Italian Restaurant I know - Italian in Cambodia? Trust us, this place it legit. This tiny restaurant serves up home made pasta, and delicious dishes made from local vegetables. We enjoyed grilled eggplant and sage ravioli that were out of this world.

Trunkh This boutique will have you wishing you brought a bigger suitcase. It sell Cambodian crafted clothing, jewellery, and housewares, as well as up-cycled items. We were, unfortunately, unable to buy anything because of our limited backpack space, but we had a wonderful conversation with the owner Doug. It's worth a visit just to chat with him about Cambodia and get more information about Kendal Village.

We popped in and out of a few other boutiques, but barely scratched the surface of this area. A google search will pepper you with recommendations of what to visit here, and you are not likely to be disappointed.

Old Market

This is pretty much "downtown" Siem Reap. Unlike many markets we visited, this one was not saturated with touristy items. It is still frequented by the locals, and sells everything from household supplies to fruits to meat being butchered right in front of you. A walk through this market is a must, if not to buy anything, then to see a small glimpse into day to day life.

Pub Street

Essentially the tourist area, Pub Street is full of bars, restaurants and spas that cater to tourists. During the day, this area is a little lackluster, but by night it's loud and bright. The street feels like a smaller, slightly less crazy version of Bangkok's Khao San Road. It's worth a walk through during the day, but you are not likely to find the best food here.

We do recommend visiting the Temple Bar for their dance performance in the evening. The bar itself is incredibly touristy, but the show is fun to watch.

Cambodia did not disappoint. The people are very friendly, the culture is fascinating and there is so much to explore. We feel like there was so much we missed and can not wait to visit again in the future.

[kimchiwafflestravels]

INDIA: GOLDEN TRIANGLE TOUR

India is an experience in every way - trying the spiciest of foods, braving the "organized chaos" that is driving, exploring awe inspiring structures that are hundreds of years old, viewing the resilience of humans and the balance of man with animal - there is nothing else comparable in this world.

We were only in India for 8 days, and we make no pretenses of knowing anything about the country. You could probably spend years in India and still just skim the surface of knowing it. With that in mind, here is our experience:

Traffic

We have never feared for our lives more than sitting in the back of the car, watching our driver weave between cars, dodging tuk tuks and motorcycles; occasionally moving into on-coming traffic. This is the norm in northern India. The lines on the roads are suggestions that no one takes and the sound of horns is constant. A quick honk lets other drivers know that your car is passing them or in their area.

That being said, the organized chaos of it all is fascinating. The driving never appears aggressive, it all just seems to work, even when sharing the road with pedestrians, stray dogs, pigs and cows.

Delhi

Jama Masjid Mosque

Jama Masjid sits upon a hill. Upon arrival, you must take off your shoes, which is standard practice at active mosques. Admission includes a wrap for men not wearing pants and a smock for women who are not fully covered.

The inside is a beautiful courtyard with a pool of water in the middle. This water is considered holy, and therefor pure, so you will see men washing their feet, hands and faces with it. Surrounding the courtyard are overlooks of the city and many locals are seated in these areas. They are there for the tourists - geared with small mementos or offering photos of themselves for money.

Old Delhi Tuk Tuk Ride

Jama Masjid is located in Old Delhi, so we caught a tuk tuk outside the mosque to give us a quick ride through the market. The market was bustling as shops were just beginning to open for the morning.

The market is split up into areas, so we passed the book market, the wedding market and the paper market. It is pretty clear what area you are passing through as almost everything is sold in bulk so you see massive quantities of floral decorations (wedding market) or colorful paper (paper market).

Since everyone jacks power from the main grid, the wires in Old Delhi are an impressively tangled web that hangs over the streets and alley ways. To top it off, monkeys use the wires to get around. We saw more than one monkey chewing on a wire. It can't be tasty but maybe they get a kick from all that free electricity.

Our tuk tuk ride was arranged for us by our guide, but when getting it on your own you will need to master the art of the haggle. Tuk Tuk drivers will almost never give you the best price at first and will almost always go lower if you walk away. We experienced this in Agra when we had multiple Tuk Tuk drivers trailing us with competing offers. Annoying? Yes. Part of the experience? Of course.

Qutb Minar

Like many historical structures in India, Qutb Minar is the result of multiple rulers. The materials used to create the structures on this site were obtained by demolishing 27 Hindu temples. Qutb Minar is the name of the soaring tower on the grounds. It is the tallest brick structure in the world.

There is also a large pile of rubble on the grounds that resembles the beginnings of the Qutb Minar tower. This was supposed to be a larger, more impressive tower, but when it's creator died, no one wanted to spend the money or effort to finish it. It didn't get very far and we deemed it the "womp womp" tower.

The re-use of demolished temples gives all the structures a pieced together feeling. Nothing quite lines up and the slight mis-matching of colors gives everything a patchwork feeling.

AGRA

Taj Mahal

Everyone who had visited the Taj Mahal, told us how spectacular it is in person. We heard time and time again that there was nothing like it in the world, that it truly is a wonder. At 5AM, bleary eyed and half-awake, we hoped the hype was right.

The ticket window for the Taj opens at 6 AM, but a line starts to queue about 15-30 minutes before. If you are lucky, you will be there with a tour guide, like ours, who will jump ahead of everyone and magically appear with tickets very shortly after the window opens.

Even after getting the ticket, you need to travel about 1 km to the security entrance. You can do this via walking, shuttle bus, rickshaw or horse drawn cart. We took the horse drawn cart, which instantly woke us up.

After passing security, you must walk to the main gate. The Taj peeks above the walls and is perfectly framed in the gate as you enter.

So, does it live up to the hype? Yes. In every way.

The fact that it was built in the mid 1600's and is almost perfectly symmetrical with some of the most intricate detail work, is unbelievable. Our guide was a PhD in Indian history, so he had a wealth of amazing knowledge.

The Mughal emperor who built the Taj actually had five wives, but only one true love, Mumtāz Mahāl. He built the Taj Mahal for his true love - kind of makes you feel bad for the other wives, right?

Tomb of I'timād-ud-Daulah (aka Baby Taj)

The nickname for this tomb is misleading, as "Baby Taj" implies that it might look like the Taj Mahal or be somehow related. Its only real relation to the Taj is that it was built by the daughter of  Mirzā Ghiyās Beg, who was the grandfather of Mumtāz Mahāl.

The Baby Taj was built prior to the Taj Mahal. It has some of the most impressive inlay work in the world, which is why it is sometimes described as a jewel box. It doesn't get as many visitors as the Taj, but it's an impressive building that is worth a visit.

There were only a handful of other tourists, a few couples on dates and the people working the grounds. We were particularly happy to have a break from the crowds of people at the Taj Mahal.

Agra Fort

Probably the second most popular attraction in the city, the Agra Fort was our last stop for the day. A majority of the fort is still in use by the Indian army, so visitors are only allowed to visit about 20% of the area. We quickly realised how large that 20% actually was, which makes the fort even more impressive - it is massive.

Like many ancient forts and palaces in India, the Agra Fort has a mind boggling number of rooms, with separate sections for the summer and winter. There were also separate sections for the men and women, the concubines and wives, the common people and royals (you get the idea).

The fort also boasts an impressive view of the Taj Mahal from multiple levels.

JAIPUR

Hawa Mahal (aka Palace of Winds)

On a busy street in Jaipur, surrounded by jewelry shops, sits one of the most stunning buildings. The building is made up of a series of screened windows where women could watch street festivities without being seen (Stephanie's inner feminist had some issues with ancient India).

We were only able to see the outside of the building, but you don't have to see the interior for it to leave a mark.

Amer Fort

Just outside Jaipur, is Amer Fort. This impressive fort, which is more like a palace, sits on a hill and is surrounded by a giant wall. The most common mode of transportation up to the fort is via elephant, and you can see the long line of them when looking down from the top of the fort.

We opted not to take the elephant ride, our camel ride in Morocco filled our quota of exotic animal riding. We enjoyed exploring the fort, but we had to admit that the forts were starting to blend together.

Jantar Mantar

One of the most original sites we visited in India was the Jantar Mantar monument. This museum is a series of very large stone and metal astrological instruments, including the largest sun dial in the world. Most of the instruments towered over us, while others were meant for people to climb into (pictured below).

Water Palace

This palace looks as if it is floating on the water. In reality, the lake is man made and the palace was built prior to the lake being filled. It was built to hold lavish events, but is now closed off to the public... unless you are Oprah, who apparently was able to visit the inside when she came to India.

If you are able to catch this site in the morning or late afternoon, without the haze, it must be stunning.

Albert Hall Museum

This museum is stunning on the outside, and apparently also amazing on the inside. Unfortunately, it was mysteriously closed when we visited. We stood in awe at how beautiful the building was, and also at the unbelievably large number of pigeons the seemed to dot every available surface. Seriously, those bumps on the building in the photo below are birds... they were everywhere. People feed the pigeons for good karma, so they stay and live the good life in their own palace.

What we have here is a pigeon problem

Oh India, you were a memorable part of this adventure. We look forward to our next visit. We want to learn more about the culture and immerse ourselves with the people and history that makes it great. Just no more tours for a while.

[kimchiwafflestravels]

BRUSSELS, FAMILY AND BEER

Our three last days in Belgium were very family focused.

September 17

We ventured into Brussels to meet some good friends for lunch and a tour of the city.

Our meeting point was the Grand Place. To our surprise, there was a folklife festival going on and the square was even more crowded then usual. It was Japan themed, and it was interesting to see both Japan and Belgian culture represented in the same place.

After a delicious lunch of mussels and frites, we explored more of the Grand Place, went to see the underwhelming but adorable Manneken Pis, visited the Place du Grand Sablon and introduced Don to the beauty that is a hot Liege waffle.

September 18

We drove to visit Stephanie's aunt in the south of Belgium, stopping along the way to see her cousin's beautiful home. It almost looks like a fairytale. Unfortunately, they were not home, but we hope to visit them next time.

We drove through the woods, up a bumpy back road, entering the clearing where Stephanie's aunt lives.

After a delicious lunch and quick nap, we all piled into a car and hopped across the border to France. We still haven't gotten over the novelty of easily hopping from one European country to another like they were states. Once in France, we visited some beautiful churches and the small towns that surrounded them.

September 19

The next day, we visited the Orval Abbey, known for it's beer and cheese. The Abbey was beautiful, but we were a little disappointed there wasn't more cheese and beer sampling.

On our way back to Louvain-la-Neuve, we visited Stephanie's 90-year-old great-uncle and the "family home" which has been in her family since the 18th century. It was a special experience explore the property and learn more about its history.

[kimchiwafflestravels]

Damme

Stephanie's cousins picked us up from our AirBnB in the morning. When we hopped into their car, we were introduced to their dog Lol, a lovable shepherd who instantly stole our hearts.

From there we began our grand day of touring, starting with Damme. This charming town is known for the larger canal that is lined with trees that are all the same height, creating what looks like a wall of trees. The town also has a windmill, churches and charming houses.

We walked through town, passing charming homes with tiny doors, color rimmed shutters and overflowing flower boxes. We even came across a motorcycle that had been pulled from the canal.

The rest of the day was a whirlwind of biking around Knokke-Heist, where we had lunch at a golf club, explored old family homes and biked through some back fields (bikes were not made for fields.) Don wrapped up the day with a swim at the beach, while Stephanie (warmly) watched from the shoreline.

[kimchiwafflestravels]

IN BRUGES

You hear about the cuteness of this place. You see Colin Ferrell living it up here.

But nothing can prepare you for the quaintness of Brugge (Bruges).

When you think of fantasy places, you think that the streets will smell of fries and chocolate and the buildings will glow at night.

Well, that happens here.

For a price.

This city is easy to walk through in a day. Not much more to see. Beautiful buildings, churches and canals run through the city in the most delightful, Epcot-y way.

There are locals here and there but you are surrounded by tourists, and immediately the reality of the situation isn't as a romantic as you thought.

But seriously, don't think about that. It's freaking adorable.

Just don't expect to pay less than 25 Euro for a meal.

The day whizzed by and we ended our night with a romantic pizza and waffles date in the Markt.

We did spend a small portion of the day being irritated that this might have been a tourist trap.

But seriously, it's a freaking adorable place to spend your Euro.

[kimchiwafflestravels]

A BOAT RIDE TO AMSTERDAM

A warm day. A great day to ride in a boat.

There's something special about taking a boat into Amsterdam. It's a peek into a different way of life. One filled with efficiency, great design and a simplicity so romantic that you wish you were living there right now.

One of the most interesting jobs must be that of "Bridge Operator." Boats traveling this path during the season push a button and a person comes out to lower the gates and lift the bridge. We went under 5 bridges. One had an operator who lived next door with her dog and she came right out. Another took over 30 minutes as he walked from his other bridge to get to this one. That's right: you can operate multiple bridges. #Multitasking

After we arrived, we got lost in this beautiful city. Walking and taking in the sights. Smelling the endless supply of pot smoke. Seeing older ladies work the Monday morning red light shift.

Oh Amsterdam, never change.

Today had no real purpose and we love having that luxury in a city. In our daily lives, we don't get enough days like that. And we will relish every single one of them.

[kimchiwafflestravels]

LUCKY LAKE AND ABCOUDE

After a late night arrival, we were pleasantly surprised with the charming Lucky Lake Hostel.

With the laid back atmosphere, beer availability, and friendly staff and guests, it was like being at adult summer camp. We decided to spend our first day in Amsterdam resting at camp.

Lucky Lake provides bikes for rent, that you can use to bike to the nearby town of Abcoude. Needing some lunch provisions, we rented bikes and headed into town. The ride there was as picturesque as you can imagine, bright green fields and cows-a-plenty.

The town of Abcoude was charming, with a central church surrounded by restaurants, cafes, small specialty stores and, of course, an amazing ice cream stand. After shopping for bread and cheese for lunch (hey, when in Europe), we shared a pre-lunch Spéculoos ice cream. Necessary energy for the ride back to camp.

We spent most of the day catching up on sleep, editing vlogs and enjoying a stress free day. In the late afternoon, we ventured to the nearby lake. To get to the lake, you follow small paths through a neighborhood of tiny vacation homes. The entire area is strictly for summer use and apparently shuts down at the end of September. We both started dreaming about summer homes in Amsterdam.

The lake itself is very large, with swimming areas and beaches along it's coastline. A few hot air balloons dotted the horizon and there were families of ducks puttering through the lake. As the sun set over the lake, we were already dreading having to say goodbye in a few short days.

[kimchiwafflestravels]

IMLIL

We woke up to the most amazing view from our room. Seeing the rich greens and hearing the stream flowing, we knew it was a special day. Also, we knew we had to pee.

After having tajine the night before, we were delighted to have some bread and eggs in the morning. However (spoiler alert), we would have more tajine for lunch.

The hike took us up a very steep hill. Mohamed was so patient as we huffed and puffed up the mountain. I don't think he broke a sweat as he talked about previous adventures of mountain biking and skiing these mountains. We could barely hear his stories over the sound of our own wheezing and heavy breathing.

But the views. Those freaking views.

We walked through the mountains, tasted the most delicious and cold natural spring water, and saw the most epic soccer field in the world.

On the way down, we felt sadness. We knew this adventure was winding down.

As we walked through a small town, a local woman making bread offered us a fresh roll. Mohamed took the hot bread, opened it and then handed it to us.

This trip was an amazing look into a warm, caring culture that's easy to misconstrue and marginalize. Rich traditions might seem daunting but the strongest tradition that we encountered was being kind to your fellow person.

It was an honor to break bread with our new friends and we look forward to seeing them again really soon.

[kimchiwafflestravels]

SAHARA DESERT

We woke up early today. This seems to be a common theme for this tour.

We spent the night in Dades Gorges and we were off to the Sahara. This is what we've been waiting for. The promise of sleeping in an outdoor tent in the middle of the desert has been both exhilarating and made us a bit nervous (what's the WIFI like out there?).

Despite an aggressive schedule and race to catch the sunset, we stopped at a well in the middle of the desert. Mohamed showed us the complex system created to bring water into the desert and how to keep it there. It was over 100 degrees outside so this presentation made us thirsty. Lucky for us, there was mint tea. (Spoiler Alert: There's always mint tea).

We finally arrived. We finally got on top of a camel. We probably will never do it again.

The camel leader was another man named Mokhamed. He quickly gave everyone new names. Don's name was Alibaba (in honor of his beard) but everyone in Morocco called Don that. Steph was Fatima but all the girls got that name too. The name game was slightly lame today (for shame).

However, that hour into camp was one we will never forget. The sun was slowly setting and before we reached camp, we (not so gracefully) dismounted from our camels, ran up the dunes with the fine red sand between our toes, and watched the sun fade under the low horizon.

One thing to note was that our guides didn't ride camels with us. They ran barefoot in the hot sand alongside the group. Many of the other guides didn't join their group for this part but ours stayed front and center, helping to carry our gear and made sure that we were safe. We really lucked out with this tour.

The night ended with a wonderful dinner with a couple from the Canary Islands. We learned that the Canary Islands are part of Spain and how even in the desert, no meal is complete without wine.

We headed out of the tent and joined a jam session. We danced, we sang, we got sand everywhere.

Don learned that he has a knack for African drumming and making up things after drinking Moroccan wine. We all danced into the night awaiting our 6am wakeup call.

Time for "sleep."

[kimchiwafflestravels]

MOROCCO (ON THE ROAD)

After a whirlwind Marrakech experience, we found ourselves very excited for the next part of our Morocco adventure.

Through the magic of the Internet, we found a travel company that would pick us up from our cute but hidden riad and take us on a 4 day adventure. When they knocked and rang the doorbell 15 minutes early (over and over again), we didn't know what to expect.

Our first stop had an amazing overlook, decent coffee and our guide Mohamed gave us the overview of our trip. He is soft-spoken yet confident. He kindly went through the directions again when Don didn't understand the first time. We liked him immediately.

Driving through Morocco is an experience in itself. Every few miles, the terrain becomes different. Red sand becomes green trees. Green trees become deserts. Deserts become mountains.

We stopped for a short hike at Ait Benhaddou. The locals are super proud of the fact that Morocco is very popular for movies. In fact, this place was used recently for Game of Thrones (according to Google, it's the city of Yunkai). Also, for the film Gladiator (we're sounding like the locals now). However, the view from the top is a movie-like picture in itself.

We bonded quickly with our guides. Hassan, younger and too cool for school, played all types of music including local songs, international hits and of course, "My Heart Will Go On." When we pulled into our hotel for the night, we were floored. Our room was in a canyon with mountains on both sides. We ate delicious food, heard some wonderful drumming and fell asleep to the cold breeze off the river.

We can't wait for tomorrow.

[kimchiwafflestravels]

EXPLORING MARRAKECH

Heat without humidity is a blessing and a curse. One moment, you think it's a pleasant day in the shade but as soon as you step into the sun, you're cooked. Lesson learned.

A full day of Marrakech did not disappoint. It's easy to fall in love with this city and drink delicious fruit juices along the way.

Everyone is helpful. Some will ask for money after but others will say up front, "no money, no honey" and give you a clear path to your next destination. For these cultural ambassadors, we are grateful.

Today was a tourist day. We visited the Marrakech Museum and Ben Yousseff Madrasa, a former Islamic college, for their incredible architecture.

The details in the doors, lights and tile are so special that Steph remarked, "I will never get tired of looking at this."

From there, it was a long walk through crowded streets and talented spice vendors to arrive at Saadian Tombs, again to marvel at the details from ceiling to floor.

Just as important as cultural appreciation is hydration. On a hot day, 10 durham ($1) gets you the largest, coldest bottle of water you could ask for.

The night ended with the most amazing meal at Nomad. Known for fusion food, their blend of tradition and contemporary flair was the most welcome surprise. It was a packed night on the rooftop, as it's one of the only places that serves alcohol in the area. But with Oranginas in hand, we sat and ate delicious lamb with fresh dates and watched the sunset to the sounds of prayer.

It was the first time that it hit us. We're not home anymore.

And Organinas are so freaking good.

[kimchiwafflestravels]

ARRIVING IN MARRAKECH

After being awake for over 24 hours, it's easy to take the next day off but Marrakech is a city that won't be ignored.

The energy is palpable and stalls of spices and herbs carry you through the streets by your nose.

The one thing that stands out are the kind strangers of Marrakech. Obviously, it's a tourist area and some are looking for a quick buck, like the men who put monkeys on Don's shoulders. But, there's a sincerity and love for their country that you can't fake. Smiles go a long way here and there are plenty to spare.

We stopped for a rooftop dinner. Bread, olives, Tajine, and Couscous. We ended our meal with some sweetened mint tea that was better than any desert we could have had. 

A great first day. But seriously, we need to go the f*ck to sleep.

[kimchiwafflestravels]

WHAT WE PACKED

For the next 90+ days, we live out of one bag. The video shows our intense packing but here are some our favorite things we're packing.

THE PACKY AWARDS

MOST IMPORTANT THING:

Don's MVT: Eddie Bauer shirts (easy to wash and quick dry) Steph's MVT: The anti-theft purse

The one thing we'll likely throw out

Don: Joby Guerillapod (already broken and it's driving me crazy) Steph: Shower flip flops

The one thing we can't live without (non-electronic)

Don: Ukulele Steph: Passport

On a scale of 1-10, How bad will we smell at the end of this trip?

Don: 9 (sorry Steph) Steph: Refuses to this one

The trip starts in Marrakech and we're so freaking excited.

[kimchiwafflestravels]

On Our Way

Welp, here goes nothing.

We're off to Morocco.

If you don't see posts here or on Youtube, we'll likely be posting on Instagram and Snapchat until more reliable internet becomes available.

Stephanie's Stuff:

Instagram: @sdotreppe

Snapchat: @petitchoudc

Don's Stuff:

Instagram: @donkim.me

Snapchat: @donkim.me

In the meantime, thanks KAL Lounge for spicy noodles and fast WIFI.

[kimchiwafflestravels]

Check, Check: Random Thoughts Before We Leave

We are one day from heading out and we're freaking out.

Here are some questions we're asking ourselves:

Should we bring rainjackets?

How much cash should we bring?

What bugs and animals can kill us on this trip?

How do you say "I'm an awesome drone pilot" in this country's language?

Where do you find almond milk?

If you ask for almond milk, does that make you a terrible traveler?

How the hell are we going to live out of one bag for 93 days?

How bad are we going to smell?

Will people be able to smell us?

Will we be able to smell each other?

If there's a random cute puppy, how will we NOT adopt it?

People aren't expecting souveniers, are they?

So many freaking questions. We're only freaking out a little bit.

What's a travel question that you ask yourself before leaving?

[kimchiwafflestravels]

Before we head out on this epic adventure, we stopped in Austin, TX to visit my family.

Some highlights included:

Little bro Brian's sweet new AirBnB

Jacob's Well

The Hope Outdoor Gallery

Finishing our clothes shopping for the trip

BBQ

The very few low-lights include:

The morning after BBQ

Humidity

Seeing how active and fit everyone was while eating more BBQ

See the other vlogs here:

Day 1: https://youtu.be/aDse1WPIGEM Day 2: https://youtu.be/wSHhH8f6LaA Day 3: https://youtu.be/ZpQCM1gQhtY Day 4: https://youtu.be/XQZ2FZUzhaE

and Day 5 above.

A great preview for the adventure to come. We really need to pack tums.