Getting There.  Rishton.

I’ve been talking about doing a pottery retreat for a long time – somewhere I can learn new skills, work with different types of clay and glazing techniques, get some fresh ideas for my craft.  It was always “one day” and “wouldn’t it be cool” type of idea.  I might […]

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, […]

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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