It’s almost a given that everyone shops when they travel. Whether it’s for colorful little trinkets, indigenous artwork, or ethnic clothing, we all have our share of stuff that we’ve brought back from each trip that we thought we couldn’t live without at the time, but never seem to use at home. Somewhere along the way, we started to run out of room in our tiny 1 bedroom apartment so we switched gears. Now when we go away, instead of buying knickknacks that take up space, we head to the local supermarket to buy our souvenirs. I love perusing the aisles to pick out all the unique items that you won’t be able to find back at home.
Europe
Photo of the Week: Glass House
Madrid, Spain
This week, I am showcasing the beautiful crystal palace located in the center of Retiro Park taken on our trip to Madrid, Spain. This beautiful building is made entirely of glass, surrounded by a detailed iron framework. It was initially used as a greenhouse, but now functions as an art exhibition. When we were there, the space was empty and we just wandered around the open design while marveling at the blue sky shining through the latticed glass façade.
The front entrance of this beautiful palace leads to a small pond filled with floating trees with their willow-like leafs hanging low over the water that reminded me of the bayou. Weaving through the trees are a family of black swans that have made the lake their home. Altogether, it creates quite a picturesque image reminiscent of something straight out of a fairy tale.
Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home. Most of my photos have little or no post processing. If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.
Photo of the Week: Rays
Sultanhani, Turkey
On our tour around Turkey, we stopped by the Sultanhani Caravanserai, one of the finest caravanserais of its kind. It was built by the sultans in the 1200s and has been preserved to this day. Prominently located on the main trade route through Turkey, it was an important stop for traders and travellers. Weary merchants of the Middle Ages would stop in to eat and rest before continuing on their journey from Asia to Europe.
Inside, there is a prominent courtyard surrounded by rooms. The caravanserais are built like fortresses, with walls constructed from volcanic rocks. The sturdy designs have kept them preserved for many centuries.
During our visit, we stopped here for lunch and got to explore the many rooms inside the caravanserai, most of which are empty now. In one of these unoccupied darken hallways, we saw these beautiful rays of light filtering through the small window openings at the top.
Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home. Most of my photos have little or no post processing. If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.
Eating in Vienna
Austria was once the center of the Habsburg Empire that stretched from France to Russia. Austrian cuisine has evolved over the centuries, greatly influenced by its diverse heritage. Many of Austria’s distinctive dishes reflect the country’s mixed nationalities. The coffee culture, one of the important traditions in Vienna was introduced when the Turkish army invaded Europe and introduced coffee beans to the Viennese. Similarly, the wiener schnitzel originated in Italy, and the sausages were German delicacies. All this different food plays a major role in Austrian cuisine today, and we couldn’t wait to try it all. Here are the some highlights of all the food we tried:
Photo of the Week: Horseback
Reykjavik, Iceland
A few years ago, there was an episode of the Bachelorette where they went to Iceland. A few months later, we saw a promotion for a self-guided tour around Iceland inspired by that episode that included horse back riding. Horseback riding is fun in theory, but when the temperature out is below zero, it can be uncomfortable to say the least.
We took advantage of the promotion and headed to Iceland for our honeymoon. We were there during the winter time when everything in Iceland is frozen and covered in frost. If we were smarter, we would have opted out to go sit in a lodge with a hot cocoa, but where’s the fun in that, right? Instead, we went out horseback riding in the freezing cold. We layered up, and if I remembered correctly I had on at least 5 layers of clothing. I looked like a giant orange marshmallow on a horse, here is a picture of me on horse back. Continue reading
Photo of the Week: Bird’s-eye View
London, England
Earlier this year, on our weekend trip to Dubai, we had a long layover in London and decided to venture out of the airport. We spent the day lounging in a pub and hitting up a few tourist sites. The one place that we absolutely had to visit was St. Paul’s Cathedral, one of the most historical and recognizable landmarks in London. St. Paul’s Cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of London, and is located in the heart of the city near the millennium bridge. Many important services have been held in the hallowed hall of this famous church including the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana and the funeral of Sir Winston Churchill.
Coming off a red-eye flight and climbing up 528 steps to the Golden Gallery, the highest point of the outer dome, was quite challenging. The stairs were narrow and winding as you ascend to the top. Once you reach the pinnacle, the panoramic views of London are worth the effort and make you forget your fatigue. From our vantage point we could see down the River Thames, the London Eye, and Westminster Abbey in the distance.
Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home. Most of my photos have little or no post processing. If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.
Photo of the Week: Illuminated
Paris, France
This photo was taken at the Eiffel Tower, one of the most recognizable landmarks in Paris, perhaps in the world. While we were there, we decided that it was a good idea to go up to the top of the tower. Even though the line was long, we were not deterred, that is, until a few hours in. Four hours later, we FINALLY made it to the observation deck. The view was amazing, but I am not sure it was worth the wait.
The line down was almost just as long and we didn’t make it down until midnight. At this point we were starving because we hadn’t had dinner, so we decided to spread out a scarf and have a picnic on the grass right at the base of the Eiffel Tower. A guy came by and try to sell us a 5 Euro bottle of champagne. Again, for some reason we thought this was a good idea. It was not.
It was a long night full of bad decisions, but it was memorable. We will never forget the night we had dinner under the Eiffel tower with a cheap bottle of champagne.
Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home. Most of my photos have little or no post processing. If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.
Photo of the Week: Foggy Cliff
Cliff of Moher, Ireland
This photo was taken at the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland. After watching this spectacular site featured in many movies, we were excited to finally make it to the Emerald Isle in the summer of 2013 to see it for ourselves. This Irish natural wonder is where coastline rises high above the Atlantic ocean. If you are not scared of heights, you can walk along the cliff side all the way to the edge, staring down into the abyss. This magnificent vista is one of the most popular tourist locations in Western Ireland.
Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home. Most of my photos have little or no post processing. If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.
Photo of the Week: Spices
Istanbul, Turkey
This picture was taken during our stroll through the spice bazaar in Istanbul. The bustling marketplace was filled with a multitude of stalls selling spices, teas, and a variety of dried goods. As you wander around the ancient corridors, you are taken in by the rich colors of the spices, originating from all over the world. It is easy to see why Istanbul was once the center of the spice trade.
Every Monday of each week, I’ll share a photo with you from my adventures around the world and at home. Most of my photos have little or no post processing. If you would like to see more, please click the ‘Follow’ button.
Mileage Run: Vienna
Last night, while we were watching TV and decompressing after a very long week, Fausto casually mentioned to me that he reserved tickets to Vienna, Austria on Halloween weekend. And when I say weekend, I literally mean weekend. We are going on another mileage run (a short trip that helps you accumulate more miles in your airline program and achieve status).
I am relatively new to this whole weekend travel business. Before, when I think of traveling, I usually think of a trip that lasts for at least a week (anything shorter doesn’t seem to be worth the airline ticket). You need time to acclimate and familiarize yourself with your new surroundings, not to mention you need time to relax and really enjoy being away. This past year, due to work and personal obligations, we were very short on time. That’s when Fausto convinced me to take a weekend trip to Tokyo and Seoul on Thanksgiving weekend. Two cities, across the other side of the world in four days, sure why not. I find that it’s usually not too hard to convince me to go somewhere, especially some place I’ve never been.
life after 9to5 