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, […]
Adjust your Altitude – Breathless in Peru
I love planning trips. Everything needs to be accounted for – which destinations to visit and for how long; the logistics of getting from one place to another; how long the days are according to sunrise and sunset and how much sightseeing can be stuffed into each day; how holidays […]
Jamaica Off The Beaten Track – Kingston
The following is not a coherent story about a funny situation or a thought-provoking episode. It’s a mish-mash of experiences during the second day of our random and strange stumble through this city. We learned something new about Jamaica’s music and history, we got close and personal with the locals, we were startled by an unsafe situation, we were laughed at by a taxi driver and a cop within one hour. In the end, it was quite a lot of fun.
The Holy River of Ganges – Food Poisoning, Death, and Scams
Varanasi remains to this day one of the most surreal experiences of my life. Grief and poverty, hope of reincarnation and casual indifference to burning human corpses, all blended within a rigid structure of strict funeral customs makes for a stunning picture to an unindoctrinated Westerner. It is a city unlike any I have ever been to – a place where both live and dead are looking for their next reincarnation.
It is not a place I am likely to forget.
India – Lost Passport and Opium on Christmas Eve
Heading to India both Victor and I were completely paranoid about getting food poisoning which could ruin our entire vacation. We inspected every plate, fork, and spoon and cleaned it with napkins. We ate only cooked vegetables, didn’t order any drinks with ice, drank only bottled water, and were very careful not to ingest anything that wasn’t fresh or freshly cooked. We carried on like this for four full days. And it was this unparalleled state of paranoia and obsession with cleanliness that made the events of the fifth day so damn funny.
Iceland – Travel Notes
Iceland’s enigmatic landscapes and Viking history attract millions of visitors every year. The country is conveniently located in close proximity to the U.S (only a 5-hour flight from Boston) and continental Europe, drawing most of the visitors from these places.
India – Taking It Easy During a Hard Trip
For every one of 16 days, India tested our resolve to travel and rewarded us for not giving up. We went from tasting the most delicious food to food poisoning. We saw the most extreme poverty and the most stunning architecture in one day.