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 […]

Travels with My Mother: Uzbekistan Episode

During the pandemic, our favorite show on Netflix was Jack Whitehall: Travels with My Father.  In this series (filmed in pre-COVID times), the British comedian Jack Whitehall travels the world with his elderly, curmudgeonly father, Michael, who detests travel and the exotic destinations Jack takes him to.  The show is […]

Monterrey, Mountains, and Unexpected Mexico

For those of you following along, I mentioned how our tickets to Monterrey had been canceled twice, and it was becoming increasingly unclear whether the universe really did not want us visiting this part of Mexico or whether Viva Aerobus was only pretending to offer flights there. Well, we finally […]

In the Saddle: Conquering Cerro de la Silla

Its image is everywhere — on labels of tostadas and tortillas, wall murals, and even in the logo of the local baseball team. It’s the symbol of the city. The most recognizable landmark.  It is as iconic as Rio de Janeiro’s Sugarloaf or Cape Town’s Table Mountain. Cerro de la […]

São Paulo: Hate At First Sight

“Skip São Paulo. It’s just a concrete jungle. Nothing to see there,” was the advice I received while planning a trip to Brazil. Nonsense. We are big city people. We love architecture, museums, and restaurants. Big cities have this never-ending energy and are always full of activities and things to […]

Kutná Hora: Silver and Human Bones

By Victor / December 10, 2020

“Cut! Stop! There’s someone on the set”. I look up and see actors in medieval dresses all around me. And someone from the production crew runs toward me, frantically pointing to the sidewalk. “Oh, shit.” Walking in quiet contemplation and examining Kutná Hora’s cobblestone streets, I got so lost in […]

Hysterique de O’Hare

By Julia / December 4, 2020

I don’t know how I feel about airports.  This is strange for me to admit because I am the type of person who has strong feelings about almost everything in my life, including completely inconsequential things.    On one hand, I love airports – the hustle, the crowds, the excitement of […]

Sunbathing in the Murder Capital

By Victor / November 27, 2020

Acapulco. What a great name for a city! The first time I heard the name was as a kid, in a cheesy 1990s Russian pop song. Back then, I couldn’t have placed Acapulco on the map and didn’t even know that it was in Mexico and not on some remote […]

If I Were a Country: China vs Japan

By Julia / November 20, 2020

If Victor were a country, he would be Japan.  He has a deep respect for traditions, always courteously queues up in line, and can often be found working 16-hour days.  I am China.  I chew my food loudly, sing out of tune in the middle of the street, and can […]

Jamaica: The Wild Northeast

By Julia / November 13, 2020

As we wrote in our Kingston post, our first instinct when planning a trip to Jamaica in 2017 was to avoid what most tourists consider to be essential Jamaica: Negril, Montego Bay, and Ocho Rios.  We opted for the less touristy and less developed Northeast Jamaica and didn’t regret it […]

Flamengo ‘Till I Die

By Victor / November 6, 2020

When Julia and I planned our trip to Brazil, we turned to our friend Will for advice. Will was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro and was a huge help in planning the itinerary. Also, when he learned we were going to visit his hometown, Will offered for us […]

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