Pottery for Pets
I woke up the next morning with my heart fluttering. It was the first day of my pottery retreat. I threw on older clothes I didn’t mind getting dirty with clay and hurried outside. I hadn’t really seen the courtyard the night before. We arrived after dark, when little was […]
First Lesson. Rishton.
It was late evening, and we had just arrived at the pottery studio of one of the most famous ceramic artists in Uzbekistan. We were exhausted and sweaty and weren’t sure if our long day of travel was over or if we would now need to look for alternative accommodation. […]
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 […]
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.
El Chorrillo or How I Walked Through a War Zone
When I travel the world, I always try to catch a soccer game-whether it’s kids playing on the streets of Buenos Aires, a high school game in Iceland, joining in on a game on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, or attending a professional match in the best-known stadiums in […]
Fumbling Around The World FAQ
We are often asked the same questions by different people any time we mention an upcoming trip. Usually, it goes something like this: Q: Oh, wow! That country! Do you have relatives or friends there? A: Nope. Q: Do you speak the local language? A: No, not at all. Not unless it’s English, Russian, or slowly spoken Spanish. Q: Why […]
The Happiest Pizza on Earth
We were in Kampot, walking around the main touristy street, when I noticed a strange abundance of Italian restaurants, to be more precise – pizza restaurants. All the menus displayed pizza and pasta and a few other Italian/Western dishes, alongside traditional Khmer cuisine. Every restaurant had the word “Pizza” in […]