Travel Blog

Miami...Vice?

8/4/2018

Miami is a vibrant city with a lot of Central and South American influence, due in large part to its proximity to these places. It is also a city where people like to exhibit flashy cars, clothes, etc. to give off the impression that they are affluent. Whether or not the characters you will encounter in this city are actually wealthy requires further investigation on your part - I'll leave you to it. If you're really determined, try Star Island, where many celebrities own properties.

Take a tour that shows you Miami Beach and Star Island. I recommend a company called Thriller as they provide quick, interactive and action-packed speedboat tours! These tours combine the perfect amount of information with fun, leaving you more informed, with great memories, and with a ton of time left in the day to do as you please!

One of the biggest drivers of the economy in Miami is tourism. You can go out any night of the week on Ocean Drive. There is always something going on there because there are always tourists (more in high season). Other cool neighborhoods to check out for a less touristy experience are Brickell and Wynwood. Brickell tends to be more latin-oriented while Wynwood has more of a hipster vibe to it.

The city has a heavy Cuban influence. Little Havana is where you can find Cuban Cigars and Cuban Coffees - the former I have heard to be great and the latter I personally know to be great! Miami has seen a recent influx of many Venezuelans as well, predominantly because of the current situation in Venezuela.

Miami is expensive, wages are not extremely high, there are not a ton of jobs, the city can get very humid, and hurricane season will make you nervous. If you can survive the aforementioned drawbacks, can speak some Spanish (Portuguese is helpful to know too), enjoy hot weather and beautiful beaches, and aren't opposed to frequent partying, then Miami may be the place for you!

Las Vegas - The Party Never Stops

7/30/2018

Las Vegas is known for its gambling and wild nightlife - probably the reason why so many bachelor parties are held there. Pool parties are epic - head to either Wet Republic or Encore for a solid experience. Hakkasan is the largest club, but famous DJs make their rounds throughout most of them, so anywhere you choose should be a good time. Be prepared to spend money though, a lot of it - Vegas is anything but cheap.

New Orleans and Mardi Gras Madness!

7/29/2018

New Orleans (also known as NOLA) is a festive city filled with a mixture of cultural influences. Po’ boys (baguette sandwiches) and some incredible architecture found throughout the city represent the French influence. Don’t forget to try beignets and a café au lait at Café Du Monde. There are two locations in New Orleans - one in the French Quarter and another (lesser-known) one just outside of the French Quarter in a mall called The Riverwalk. The Riverwalk location is not full service (unlike its French Quarter counterpart), however it is generally much less crowded. Cajun and Creole influences contribute heavily to NOLA's spicy, and seafood-oriented food scene.

The music scene in New Orleans is phenomenal! NOLA is considered to be the birthplace of jazz in the United States. Many famous jazz artists such as Louis Armstrong emerged from here and helped shape the music culture in this country. Louis Armstrong is memorialized in a nearby park, unsurprisingly called Louis B. Armstrong Park. You can hear live music in the French Quarter - there are many extremely talented musicians playing in the streets. People and bands looking to get discovered often perform in/around Jackson Square Park. This is also a spot where artists are known to sell their work. To find jazz in actual venues, head to Frenchman Street - there are lots of great spots to check out, Maison being one of the most famous. You will find music on the streets in this area as well.

The party scene is outrageous – head to Bourbon Street (both during Mardi Gras and not) for loud music, scandalous dance moves and debaucherous shenanigans. Don’t forget to visit a bar with a balcony on the second floor for a drink so you can enjoy the view of Bourbon Street from above and people watch – you’re guaranteed to see something interesting.

As you may have heard and/or seen, Mardi Gras is a time when there is even more ruckus going on in New Orleans than normal. When you take an already wild city and give people a reason to celebrate, you can expect pure madness. Green, gold and purple are the colors you will most vividly and frequently see, along with numerous themed parades going on in the days leading up to Fat Tuesday. Be careful when attending parades as numerous items/collectables are thrown from the floats - getting hit in the face with a bag of large beads stings and may leave a mark. The closer it gets to Fat Tuesday, the more intense the city becomes. The weekend before Fat Tuesday gets really rowdy, particularly on Bourbon Street. Londi Gras (the day before Mardi Gras) is also chock full of parties and celebrations. Be safe and have fun!

Houston, We Have Diversity and a Low Cost of Living

7/25/2018

Believe it or not, Houston, Texas ranks as one of the most diverse cities in the United States. There are many races, religions and cultures to be found here. With that said, naturally your eating choices are also diversified!

One of the many things that many people enjoy about Houston is the low cost of living. Combine that with no state income tax and it’s no wonder why so many people have flocked there. As Houston is a sprawling city, most people who live there own cars. Home to NASA and the Johnson Space Center, Houston attracts lots of tourists annually!

Just South of the Border...

7/24/2018

Tijuana (also known as TJ) has a very different feel than its neighboring US cousin, San Diego. While you will find some similar food and friendly locals in both places, the official language in Tijuana (and Mexico) is Spanish, and there is more poverty there than in San Diego. I did not find as many tourists as I thought I would have in TJ. This may be due (at least in part) to the perceived danger there. I did not encounter any issues. Now, for a list of random facts about TJ:

Donkeys are painted as zebras on Avenida Revolución.
Mariachi bands in traditional Mexican dress are not merely a legend, they do in fact exist.
Tipping 10% is normal.
There is a restaurant called Caesar's – they claim to be the birthplace/home of the Caesar Salad.
There is an alleyway called Colectivo 9, which is basically an outdoor food court. Here are two of my favorite restaurants found there, and delicious (vegetarian) food to try:
- Empanadas 19/87 - combo of 1 Terra, 1 Margarita, salad and the coconut water with nuts (yes, nuts in the coconut water).
- ‎Indie Burgers - The Porto.
‎Baristi is a great cafe chain. Check out the one located on Avenida Revolución. Try the bagel sandwich (double Swiss cheese, no ham) and iced coffee with vanilla or caramel flavoring.

Sunny San Diego

7/23/2018

Sporting consistently sunny skies, warm weather, a lack of humidity, and amazing sunsets, it's no wonder why San Diego takes the cake year-to-year when it comes the best places to live both in the US and worldwide.

San Diego is a progressive city that offers lots of great restaurants, vegetarian and vegan options too, and no shortage of nightlife! The best areas to spend the evening are the Gaslamp District/Little Italy area if you want moderate to pure chaos, or North Park if you're deeper into the hipster scene.

Parks you might ask? Yupp, San Diego's got that too. Balboa Park is a particularly beautiful park with many sections including several museums, a botanical garden area, and even a dog park nearby! Check out the alluring variety of cacti - stunning!

The public transportation system, which consists mainly of buses and trolleys, does a pretty decent job connecting the different parts of San Diego. Should you decide you want to venture out of the city, train and bus connections will conveniently take you north toward Los Angeles to meet movie stars, or south to Tijuana if you're curious what’s on the other side of the border.

The main takeaway is that although it’s an expensive city, it's definitely a very livable and enjoyable place!

Beastmode US Road Trip

7/22/2018

Although I usually like to write about my experiences in short essay-style format, I am going to let the statistics do the talking on this one:

Overall statistics:
1) 10,000 miles driven = equivalent distance between New York, United States & Sydney, Australia
2) if we continued traveling for about 2.5 years at the same pace, we would have reached the moon

Challenging drives: Highland Scenic Byway in WV, 40mph winds in Kansas and Nebraska, operation bunny avoidance in Nevada

Animals seen: Dolphins (Shem Creek, SC), alligators and bullfrogs (Achafalaya Basin, LA), bison, pronghorns, white-tailed deer(?) (Custer State Park, SD), Prairie dogs, Mule Deer, Bighorn Sheep (Badlands, SD), Pronghorns, mule deer (scenic drive from SD to WY), donkey (town in southern Nevada), large (jack?)rabbit (southern Nevada)

Best hotels: Cambria in New Orleans, Hilton Americas in Houston, Ramada Plaza Atlanta Downtown

Food All-Star List (vegetarian/vegan):

- Bru Burger Indianapolis: mushroom patty burger & mushroom & garbanzo bean burger
- Lulu's (vegan) St. Louis: Buffalo fried cauliflower bites with ranch sauce, crunch wrap
- *Biscuit Head Asheville: Asheville Benedict, soy chorizo
- Wet Willie's Savannah: vegan burger (1st customers to try)
- MELT Birmingham: Mac n cheese egg rolls with chili sauce, pretzel covered cheese bites with jalapeno ranch, mac n cheese burger (with egg added), beer battered fries with rosemary infused ketchup and spicy/sweet mustard combo, banana stand
- Oceana Grill New Orleans: Cajun Vegetarian Stew
- Killer Poboys New Orleans: Cheddar omellete Poboy
- Walk-Ons in Baton Rouge - veggie burger, waffle fries & Cajun queseaux dip w/ chips
- India's in Baton Rouge: Honey chili cauliflower bites
- Arlo's in Austin: BBQ Burger & Bacon Cheese Burger
- Vegan Nom in Austin: Tempeh Bacon & Organic Tofu Scramble breakfast taco, Three Amigos Taco, Jalisco Chicken Fajitas
- Goro in Oklahoma City: Yasai Ramen (with chili bomb)
- The Donut Whole in Wichita - drip coffee, medium roast w/ sugar & Irish cream
- Black Hills Bagels in Rapid City: white chocolate chip bagel with brown sugar and cinnamon cream cheese; egg and American cheese on a cheddar cheese bagel; egg and pepper jack cheese on a sour dough bagel with cream cheese; egg, pepper jack cheese, olives, jalapenos, lettuce, and tomato with cream cheese on a plain bagel; White Mocha (espresso drink)
- Paramount Cafe in Cheyenne - M.O. 35 (drink)
- Watercourse Foods in Denver - Cuban Sandwich & vegan seitan wings
- Matador in Boise: Veggie burger (beyond burger), side of fries, salad, crispy brussels sprouts
- Wayward Vegan Cafe in Seattle: The Real Deal
- Next Level Burger in Portland: Special Sauce Burger
- Kati in Portland: Pad See Ew, Pad Kee Mao, Panang Curry, Vegan Iced Thai Tea, Iced Green Tea
- Ramen Yamadaya in Los Angeles: Vegan Ramen

Cool nightlife spots: Baxter's - Louisville, Tree House - Savannah, Atomic Lounge - Birmingham

States visited (32): NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, KY, IN, IL, MO, AR, TN, NC, GA, SC, AL, MI, LA, TX, OK, KS, NE, SD, WY, CO, NM, AZ, UT, NV, ID, OR, WA, CA

Coolest small towns: Casey, IL; Lucas, KS; Goldfield, NV

Pittsburgh: The City of Bridges, Sports, Friendly People, Livability and Food!

10/28/2017

Pittsburgh is also called "The City of Bridges", and I found out why shortly after arriving. The city has 446 bridges I believe. Wow, that's impressive!

So aside from a plethora of bridges, what else does Pittsburgh have going for it? Sports! This is a city which boasts a more-than-impressive level of local patriotism! I observed many people in jerseys of the local sports teams. I actually stayed in a hotel sandwiched between the stadium where the Pittsburgh Steelers (football) play and the stadium where the Pittsburgh Pirates (baseball) play.

So aside from bridges and sports, what else does Pittsburgh have going for it? Friendly people! It's known for its kind people, and my experience certainly supported that statement. The friendliness was to a much higher degree than what I usually experience in New York, which was very nice! Upon walking into a bar, locals almost immediately struck up a conversation with me. On a separate occasion, another person told me to "make sure you get his good side" when he saw me taking a picture of a statue of a historically famous Pittsburgh Steelers player named Franco Harris. I observed people walking away from their charging phones, and leaving luggage with strangers (something which is not advisable to do in New York). My impression of the events mentioned in the previous sentence is that there is a higher level of trust in this city than in many others which I have visited.

So aside from bridges, sports, and friendly people, what else does Pittsburgh have going for it? Livability! It’s a decent sized city but it’s not overcrowded. It’s clean, with a low crime rate and contains a fair amount of job opportunity. The cost of living isn’t high here either.

So aside from bridges, sports, friendly people, and livability what else does Pittsburgh have going for it? Food! Pittsburgh has recently come to light as a city known for serving up some of the finest meals in the nation. I had some good pizza at a local spot called Slice on Broadway. I also tried the well-known restaurant chain called Primanti Bros., where all sandwiches come on the same type of bread. The walls of this local food joint are plastered with cartoon versions of iconic Pittsburgh sports figures from various time periods.

Colombian Coffee & A Transformed Country!

8/16/2017

Although many people think of a drug-ridden warzone when they hear the word "Colombia", I was able to dispel those notions by visiting the country in person. Staying away from known problem areas (as you would do anywhere in the world you are), I did not feel in danger during my 3 weeks there. I traveled by bus, something which definitely would not have been advisable in the past. Colombia has some scary history, but has come a long way! In fact, the majority of travelers I met traveling through South America claimed that Colombia was their favorite country! There are a whole lot of wonderful things to do and places to see! I will give a quick rundown of the places I visited and what each has to offer:

Bogota: The weather isn't always so great here - I was only there for 2 nights, and it was raining quite a bit during that time. The nightlife is rather good though and makes up for the often inconvenient weather, you can usually find a party any night of the week!

Cali - the Salsa capital of the world! I observed some of the best dance moves I have ever seen in my life here.

Salento – I joined one of the famous coffee tours, Finca Don Eduardo, and it was worth paying a bit more than the other tours for. The (Australian) owner gave the first hour of the tour in English, describing the full process of how coffee is produced. Following that, one of his workers, Julio, explained (in Spanish) and demonstrated parts of the process, and then we actually went out into the fields to see where and how the coffee cherries are handpicked. This was an eye-opening experience, and one of my favorites on the trip! I will never look at another cup of coffee with such simplicity again. From Salento, you can also do a hike through Valle de la Cocora, which has amazing wax palms and a hummingbird sanctuary.

Pereira - I stopped in this city on my way up to Medellin to experience a less touristic Colombian city. It was nice, though I have nothing special to report about it.

Medellin - The days of Escobar are long gone and some of the seedier parts of the city have been transformed into uplifting projects and governmental departments. Riding in the cable cars to get a glimpse of the city and its recent accomplishments is a great idea. Taking the free walking tour in Medellin is an ever better idea - you will gain an unbiased view of the city and how it has transformed over the years!

Cartagena - The old city is beautiful, majestic, and certainly worth at least a day or two of exploration!

Machu Picchu Mania & Amazonian Adventures

8/1/2017

Before heading to Machu Picchu, I visited Cusco, which is an incredibly beautiful and historic city. It's worth spending at least a few days there, and is also a fantastic jump-off point to Machu Picchu!

I had been wanting to see Machu Picchu for a long time, and figured that it was finally time to go! Seeing Machu Picchu in person is just as amazing, if not more so than seeing the pictures on the internet - you definitely won't be let down! This village in the mountains was created for a select few - aristocrats, scholars, etc. Lllamas and alpacas inhabit the beautifully lush, green scenery, and the complex contains intricately built stone structures. This civilization was far advanced for its time - even an irrigation system was built! I won't bombard you with the entire history of Machu Picchu because you can find that information online and on the tour; just know that it's one of the most amazing places on Earth and you must visit at least once in your lifetime!

So how do you get to Machu Picchu? If you didn't already reserve a spot on The Inca Trail hike (usually a 4-day hike, with prices ranging from $200 to $800 USD) or a similar route, you can take a pricey train From Cusco to Machu Picchu and back, the Hiram Bingham (name of the American explorer credited with discovering Machu Picchu) being the most expensive of the trains. The cheaper alternative is to go with the "car" option, which is actually a van which takes a bunch of people from Cusco to a place called Hydroelectrica. From Hydroelectrica, it's a 2-3-hour walk (depending on how quickly you walk and how many pictures you stop to take) alongside train tracks to a town called Aguas Calientes. You spend the night in Aguas Calientes and head to Machu Picchu in the morning. I would recommend arranging the tour in Cusco - the prices range from about $85 - $105 USD. Make sure you get a tour that will include your meals as some tours offer this service and others don't. All of the tours should include the transportation to and from Hydroelectrica, your entrance ticket to Machu Picchu, and a professional guide for the first 2-3 hours of your experience (the rest of the day is yours to do as you please). It's also important to know that you have to get up much earlier if you plan on walking from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu. If you choose not to walk, you can take the bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu (and/or back), which is $12 USD each way.

I also visited Lima but didn't spend much time there. I went on to Iquitos, which is a great jump-off point to the Amazon River and Rainforest, and wow!!! The Amazon was an incredible opportunity - I got to see tons of beautifully-colored birds, butterflies, plants and fruits, huge centipedes and other insects, and much much more! Here are the details of what my unforgettable Amazon adventure entailed:

Day 1 - We visited an island called Monkey Island where many endangered animals/reptiles are - I held a sloth and a huge snake, saw exotic birds and monkeys, and went piranha fishing. I caught two different species of catfish, (one with 4 huge whiskers), one of my group mates almost caught one black-bellied piranha, and another almost caught a red-bellied piranha - we let all of the fish go after catching them. We took a night walk and observed many interesting species including a stick bug, a very large centipede, a large green frog, and a rainbow boa constrictor. We slept in a lodge on the Amazon River that night.

Day 2 - We visited a tribe and participated in a ritual welcome dance. I learned that piranha teeth are used to sharpen the darts which they use to hunt. This tribe then coats the tips of the darts with venom extracted from poison dart frogs, which is kept in a small pouch. Later that day, we visited a village which produces drinks from nature and plants, learned about some natural (aphrodisiac) drinks, and took a tour of a local village with Julio (our local guide). Dinner that night was served on enormous banana leaves. We saw huge trees, observed the jungle from a lookout point, rafted through the waterways at night and spotted a few caiman by the reflection of their eyes at night (they glow red) but we didn't get close enough to catch get a good glimpse. I found a black and grey parrot snake coiled around a tree and ready to attack, apparently an extremely venomous snake. It was visible at night due to the reflection which its eyes gave off. We slept that night in a camping area in the jungle enclosed by a mosquito net, and each individual mattress was also surrounded by mosquito nets for extra protection.

Day 3 - We ate breakfast and lunch with locals, walked through the jungle (in water up to our waistlines at times) looking for medicinal plants and learning about the ways people communicate in the jungle/notify others of their location, especially if lost - they do this by slamming a heavy stick against a large tree, creating a loud, bellowing sound which echoes through the forest. Along this walk we found very large ants called bullet ants and learned that they can be quite dangerous if provoked. We found fruits used by tribes to paint their faces, learned that sap from certain trees is used to alleviate stomach problems, and learned that leaves from certain trees are used to create a gel and alleviate itchiness caused by mosquito bites. We even survived a storm on the river in our small boat upon our return to Iquitos, Peru!