A Long-Overdue Affair: The Wisconsin State Fair

Last year, it finally happened. I went to the Wisconsin State Fair! Although I had lived in the state for over a decade, for whatever reason, I’d never made it to the festival grounds in West Allis until last year. Ironically, it took me to move out of Wisconsin to […]

Chicago: Keeping the Blues Alive

Today is a special day in Chicago: Buddy Guy celebrates his 90th birthday.  Although we are currently busy writing posts about Uzbekistan, this milestone-and America’s 250th year-makes it the perfect moment to celebrate one of the country’s greatest musical traditions: the blues. At his birthday bashes, Buddy Guy usually tells […]

Uzbekistan: One Conversation at a Time

We were in Margilan, a medium-sized town in the Fergana Valley, on a quick day trip when we stopped at the street market for lunch. We found a tiny café serving hot tea and potato samsas, sat down, and ordered a pot of tea with three samsas to share. As […]

Monterrey, Mexico: World Cup Edition

Back in February, we climbed Cerro de la Silla and marveled at the striking Estadio BBVA from above. There, on the hiking trail, I had an interesting thought: “How cool would it be to see this mountain from the stadium seats during the world’s biggest sporting event?” Later that evening, […]

2026 FIFA World Cup: Hogwarts vs. Narnia

Those who follow this blog know I am a big soccer fan and try to attend games in every country I visit.  This fact is even listed in my section of “About Us” on this website.  So, it won’t surprise anyone that attending the World Cup this summer was on […]

Two Pubs, One Fort: A-Not-Very-Sober Day in Ireland

By Victor / November 3, 2022

We woke up in Kinsale to the clatter of beer barrels rolling down the cobblestone street.  The ultimate Irish alarm clock! After quickly grabbing coffee and splitting a scone, we started the day in this little sleepy Irish port town by taking a highly recommended walking tour.  An old, cheery […]

The Full Irish Experience

By Julia / October 20, 2022

“I want to try the Full Irish Breakfast,” I said as the plane was picking up speed down the runway, “As soon as we arrive.” “You will get the Full Irish experience,” I promise you that.” Victor smiled. As the plane lifted off and I closed my eyes, a stray […]

Mexico City: Love at First Sight

By Victor / October 14, 2022

I was in a dentist’s chair with my mouth wide open. The dentist, holding his hand deep in my mouth, was eager to chat. “So, where are you traveling next?” “Mmm… meiii… ko …shity,” I muttered, drooling from the side of my mouth. “Say it again.” He said, taking his […]

Mind The Gap: The Gap of Dunloe

By Julia / September 29, 2022

After so many years of traveling, I know how to spot a problem in the itinerary. “Let’s talk about the Gap of Dunloe hike,” I said to Victor. “We have three hours to hike 11 kilometers through a mountain pass?  Exactly three hours or we miss the boat that takes […]

Pub-Hopping, Pub-Crawling, Pub-Learning: The Truly Irish Experience

By Victor / September 24, 2022

Although we repeat that we rarely drink, we finished almost every day of our recent trip to Ireland in a pub.  We drank in pubs, we danced in pubs, and once we even slept above a pub. Our travel philosophy of adapting to the customs of the place we visit-and […]

All Aboard the Coffin Ship!

By Julia / September 14, 2022

We stood in the queue at the Embarkation area, clutching our boarding passes.  Through the windows, we could see Dunbrody, a three-masted sailing vessel, moored at the quayside, its wooden sides gleaming in the sun.  A woman, dressed in a dark shawl and clutching a large bag, rushed past us, […]

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