Turkey’s Turquoise Coast I met John on a hot May night in a dive bar in Washington, DC, where we got into an argument about the Middle East. I had studied in Jordan, then worked there the next year, cultivating inspiring friendships and collecting rosy memories. He had worked in Pakistan during that same year, … Continued
Crossing the Bridge of Sighs At my first job right out of college, I spent eight-plus hours a day getting people to “Call now!” and “Learn more online!” for clients of a small-but-ambitious ad agency in Chicago. Needless to say, I wanted to put my writing to work in a way that was actually productive … Continued
Valencia is not particularly well known. No image of it came to my mind, but a quick Google search informed me it was Spain’s third city, birthplace of paella, and cheap, so it seemed ideal for a getaway. It would turn out to be far more interesting. After arrival we head to the chief attraction. … Continued
I was sitting in Cathedral Square when the drum circle arrived. Or what looked like a drum circle. If drum circles also had clocks, like the kind of clock you would hang in your kitchen. Large roman numerals, round. Gold frames. They were walking straight toward me, carrying white blocks the size of trumpet … Continued
Devin Castle was built on one of the finest pieces of real estate in Europe – atop a cliff 212 metres above the Danube, at the confluence of the Danube and the Moravia rivers. My friend and I took a boat from Bratislava to the ruins of Devin Castle in May, on one of the … Continued
Sighisoara, Romania – Go Back in Time for a Romantic Anniversary My first trip to Sighisoara was also my first ever independent trip, back in 2000, when I was a freshman. I have always been fascinated by Medieval castles or citadels and I was hooked from the moment I saw the citadel from the train, … Continued
My husband and I were finally able to indulge in that long-awaited sojourn to Italy this past summer. One of the most captivating places we were fortunate enough to visit was Isola Bella, an island located in Lago Maggiore in the resort district of Northern Italy. Isola Bella is renowned for its historic baroque palace … Continued
Inside the Heart of why I Love Bruges. Ever since I watched the movie ‘In Bruges’ I’ve always wanted to visit the town itself. Fairy tales are part of most people’s childhoods because of what we watch on TV, or read in books. Most of us have an idea of a stereotypical Fairy tale. It could be … Continued
Finding hidden gems in the places we visit has been a hobby of mine since I started traveling independently. There is a certain magic in finding places which are not on the tourist beaten track. And the best persons to show you these places are the locals. I met my friend L. via Twitter and … Continued
The capital of Hungary, Budapest, conjures images of a cruise on the Danube, wine tasting, spicy foods, Sziget Festival and thermal baths, sprinkled with historical places such as the Fishermen’s Bastion. But few travelers know that, not very far from the very well-known sites of Budapest, there is an interesting Roman gem, waiting to be … Continued