The Ghost Town That Wasn’t

We were in San Miguel de Allende, enjoying all the classic traits of a pretty Mexican town  – a gorgeous church dominating the skyline on the main plaza, colonial architecture with carved wooden doors and wrought-iron balconies, winding cobblestone streets, and quaint local markets where indigenous women sold traditional crafts. […]

From Tulum Trauma to San Miguel Magic

Our flight to Monterrey got cancelled again.  The first time, a year ago, we rebooked it for Mexico City, but this time airfare to León was cheap enough to make us consider going there… again. We had already taken the same flight a few years earlier and spent three wonderful […]

Mexican Chicago

Back in 2003, when I’d just arrived in Chicago, my first apartment was in Hermosa on the city’s northwest side. One evening, when I was in the back porch relaxing after a day of work, the street was suddenly filled with the sound of the revving engines. Motorcycles and cars […]

Go For Gözleme

The previous post about fish, bread, and never giving up on food dreams reminded me of something that happened two years ago, during a road trip from Izmir to Antalya in Türkiye. We left our Airbnb early in the morning, eager to start a long day of sightseeing, and skipped […]

Searching for Fish and Bread in Istanbul

Two years ago, when we did a road trip through southwest Türkiye, I kept looking for balık ekmek.  If you don’t know what that is, don’t worry.  Neither did I.  But Victor kept mentioning how he and his parents enjoyed a delicious balık ekmek in a restaurant by the Bosphorus […]

Fake Estonian in a Fake Village

By Julia / July 28, 2022

We were sitting on the rocks by the Baltic Sea, laughing hysterically. “It was like a scene out of a sitcom!” I gasped between laughing fits, “Who does something like this in real life?” Victor buried his head in his hands, “I don’t know! I don’t know what I was […]

Soaking in Estonia           

By Julia / July 21, 2022

On the fourth day in Tallinn, we were in the back seat of a taxi, chatting with our Russian-speaking driver about the intricacies of the daily life of ethnic Russians in Estonia. “I’ve never been to this one,” he said as he pulled the car over. “Enjoy!” I peeked out […]

Santa Ana: Visiting the Coffee-Boom Capital of El Salvador

By Victor / July 14, 2022

After spending a few days at a coffee finca on Ruta de Las Flores, we made it to Santa Ana.  The city was once an important center during the coffee boom of the early 20th century. The central square with its imposing neo-Gothic cathedral, theatre, and city hall looked very […]

It’s One, Two, Three Strikes, You’re Out!

By Victor / June 28, 2022

Part II We continue with our stories from the major U.S. baseball ballparks. For Part I, please start here.  6. Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati You realize Cincinnati is a baseball town when in a local art museum, just a few blocks from the ballpark, you see Andy Warhol’s portrait […]

Take Me Out to The Ball Game

By Victor / June 25, 2022

Part I Summer is here, and for me, that means one thing-baseball.  Nothing beats spending a few hours on a warm summer afternoon at a ballpark watching a game and connecting with friends over beer, peanuts, and crackerjack. In our U.S. travels, we love visiting ballparks because they give us […]

Traveling in Search of Mud

By Julia / June 17, 2022

Ten years ago, I was inside a small ceramic shop in Santa Fe, on a street lined with art galleries, hipster coffee shops, and boutiques. “$260!” I exclaimed, “I mean that’s a pretty vase, but $260!” “That’s Mata Ortiz!” Victor gushed, “Look at the geometrical design!  It’s the modern recreation […]

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