Is Istanbul Now More Expensive Than Dubai for Tourists?

In August, we spent a week in Istanbul meeting with my family, and the city once again left us speechless.  But this time, it was not for the reason you might expect.  I could write about incredible sites or delicious food (of which Istanbul has plenty), but, as a travel […]

What Else Is on the Menu?  Bosnian Edition

Where in the world could you walk into a sweet shop and find a blonde, blue-eyed girl selling Turkish delights to a family from Istanbul? Where could you see Omani tourists admiring “oriental rugs” while a Slavic shopkeeper explains their designs and the centuries-old story of his family business? And […]

Don’t Call It a Burek!

I am a simple person. I see a bakery, I go inside a bakery. Or at the very least, I stare at the goods in the window display like a hungry orphan from a Dickens novel. A cup of coffee and a baked good is our usual go-to lunch while […]

Sarajevo: From Olympic City to Besieged City

My mom rocks me gently in her arms. I’ve just turned one and stare at her with my big green eyes. She watches me lovingly but occasionally glances at the black-and-white TV in our living room. The TV broadcast shows snow-capped mountains, the open-air stadium, and cheering spectators. She would […]

With Love… To Sarajevo

I have never felt more lost in history and geography than on the streets of Sarajevo.  Within the same block, there would be an old mosque, a Catholic church, an Orthodox church, and a synagogue thrown in for good measure.  Strolling down Ferhadija Street, we would pass Viennese Secessionist buildings […]

Taxco: The Silver Capital of the World

By Victor / October 18, 2024

It’s Thursday evening, and I’m in a conference room of a Chicago office building, waiting patiently for opposing counsel to finish the deposition that’s gone on for too long. And then, in what feels like the blink of an eye, it is Friday morning, and Julia and I are sitting […]

It Takes a Norwegian Village

By Julia / October 10, 2024

It was late evening by the time we arrived at our Airbnb in a tiny hamlet by Galdhøpiggen, the tallest mountain in Norway.  We were tired from the long day and were relieved to finally reach the isolated farm that we would call our home for the next few days. […]

The Norwegian Grocery List

By Julia / October 2, 2024

As I mentioned in the previous post, restaurants in Norway are very expensive and Norwegians cook most meals at home.  We followed suit.  This meant a lot of grocery store trips to the point where we knew the standard Coop Prix and Bunnpris store layouts by heart.  In smaller towns […]

Norway: Table for Two, Please!

By Julia / September 19, 2024

Food has always been an essential part of travel for me.  I’ve always been an adventurous eater, from grubs to scorpions, cow brains, and alpaca.  Except for an occasional refusal to nibble on a fried guinea pig, I am usually game to try anything locals eat and always fully immerse […]

A Brown Slice of Heaven

By Victor / September 5, 2024

Remember last year we went to Türkiye and came back to write the entire post about leblebi – a Turkish snack that impressed us so much. On our trip to Norway this summer, something similar happened. And we are here to tell you about the most iconic Norwegian food item […]

Norway: It’s a Bad Day for a Hike

By Julia / August 29, 2024

Most of the hikes we did in Norway required almost zero planning.  Look up some good hikes in the area, take enough water and snacks to last the round-trip, wear weather-appropriate layers, and off you go!  The Besseggen hike in Jotunheimen was a notable exception to this rule.  It’s a […]

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