Month: September 2017

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So much to fill you in on!

I left you in Marseille and, thankfully, I seem to have left my bad luck there as well. In fact, just a few hours after blogging about my current lack of sunshine and rainbows I saw THIS from the window of the train to Dijon.

A rainbow! And sunshine! I silently thanked the universe. I spent a restorative weekend visiting my friends, April and Guillaume, who I met in DC and relocated to Dijon about a year ago. Guillaume is French (you may have guessed) and was a host-extraordinaire during my visit. From meeting me inside the train station when I arrived, to dropping me off when I left (at 6:15am and even walked me into the station), to cooking the MOST delectable meals (seriously…I awoke to fresh croissants and coffee, while he was in the kitchen preparing the next meal of fresh pasta and tomatoes- that. he’d gotten at the market that morning!). April was also absolutely incredible, as she ALWAYS is, helping me to wash and dry every single item in my suitcase in HOT water (in a never before used cycle of their fancy washer called “Hygiene”). Each cycle took about 3 hours but I’m not taking any chances with those bed bugs. Thankfully (yes, I’m knocking on wood with both hands right now) there have been no further signs and I’m thinking I left them in Marseille, hopefully to keep my bad luck company. They deserve each other!

My weekend in Dijon gets 5+ stars, thanks to April and G. What a beautiful and quaint town they live in and their place is just steps from the beautiful Notre Dame cathedral. Here I am rubbing a sculptured knob on the cathedral wall that’s supposed to bring good luck (as if I need it!). I enjoyed touring about the town and the bustling Saturday markets, trying my first escargot (yum!!!), meeting several of their super-cool friends, and going to my first pro rugby match. We crammed a lot in- as one does when you have Super-hosts! Aside from the food (so many delicious things!) the rugby experience was especially amazing- I can’t believe how physical it is and with no helmets or protective gear. I feel like most kids ages 0-10 go through daily life with more bodily protection than these men, who are tackling each other like NFL players!

My experience was enhanced by the fact one of their friends, Tom, is a professional rugby coach and the game we saw included the team he used to coach. Tom was patient in explaining the rules and announcing the game for us- which was SUPER close and sadly ended with a buzzer beating win for the other team. Oh well! The previously exuberant fans and players both seemed to recover pretty quickly while enjoying beers after the game.

It took four trains (five if you include a tram), a plane, and an automobile to travel from Dijon to my next destination, Cinque Terre. This local had been highly recommended by a few friends whose travel opinions I trust (thank you Josie and Kate!). It was so worth the long journey, as the beauty of this coastline is unlike anything I’ve seen before. And the hiking…don’t even get me started. So, Cinque Terre consists of and 10,000 acres of national park, a rugged coastline (along the bluest Mediterranean you can imagine), and hiking trails connecting five picturesque towns, that are tucked away like puzzle pieces into the cliffs. On my first day I took an off-the-beaten path hike that my hotel proprietor had recommended (he said it was his favorite). OMG. This 2.5 hour hike between Corniglia and Manrola (towns #2 and #3) was beyond spectacular! It wove through olive trees and vineyards overlooking the sea- it’s even prettier than this in real life. While it wasn’t a crowded trail I met a wonderful couple and we hiked the second half together. Andrea and Tim are my kinda people. They hail from Pennsylvania and despite having been married for many years and having two children (their son has hiked the Appalachian trail!) they continue to prioritize “experiences” over “things.” They talked about early in their marriage when their living room was bare so they could travel. And just last year they travelled around New Zealand with their children, in a camper. It sounded phenomenal! I treated myself to one delish and semi-fancy dinner while I’m Cinque Terre, at a place I had read about in the NYT called Rio Bistrot. It was so worth it and I had the best sea bass ever (to date) as part of a tasting menu.I couldn’t leave Cinque Terre without a final hike, this one to a sanctuary I’d seen majestically looming above me for days. On the trail I met a woman from Ireland who was traveling by herself for the first time ever. After she recounted a nightmarish travel experience to get there the day before, we stopped for a breather. While drinking water and admiring the view in silence she took a deep breath of the fresh sea-mountain air and said “It’s quite lovely isn’t it?” Although the view was lovely, what she meant was traveling solo. Yes…indeed, it is.On to Milan! So I do fly by the seat of my pants sometimes but this was extreme (even for me), as I got on a train from Cinque Terre with no confirmed place to stay in Milan. I figured this wouldn’t be a prob and I’d book something on the train. What I did not know is that I was arriving on the first day of the infamous Fashion Week. Ug. I’m not exactly a fashionista (apologies to those asking me to start a travel-fashion blog) and all this meant to me was that it very difficult (and expensive) to find a place to stay for two nights. The Air bnb selection was dwindling and coming off my Marseille experience I wasn’t going to chance it. Especially as I’d awoken every night since that fateful evening dreaming (nightmaring?) about bed bugs crawling on me. I splurged on a Scandinavian hotel where everything was white and I slept like a baby. Only having one full day in the city, I definitely made the most of it. I did a quick morning tour of the main sites and was astounded by the beauty of their downtown monuments and humongous castle, as well as the grandiose Duomo. I hadn’t planned on touring the inside of the Duomo but once I saw the outside I HAD to. How could I not see the inside of something so spectacular?? I had thought the beauty in Milan would be focused on the fashion shows, but I was wrong. Although I did see some (less beautiful) evidence of fashion week around the Duomo area.

That afternoon I was aggressive to make my way to Lake Como…but after hearing so much about it, I HAD to! And I’m so glad I did. I took an afternoon train and arrived in time for a 2.5 hour boat ride to Veranna (one of their many beautiful villages). Unfortunately (because I had to catch the train back) I wasn’t able to explore much in the town itself, but feel like I got the gist…enough to need to go back for sure. The lake views literally take your breath away.

I debated getting take-out for dinner and eating in my hotel room (as I had the night before), but decided to take in whatever last breaths of the city I could and ventured to the restaurant across the street from my hotel. While it was not packed, I was not the only solo diner and quickly started conversing with anither woman sitting alone, just two tables down. She joined me and and I loved chatting with her- it really made my night! Her name is Evalein and she’s from Holland and is in Milan to cover Fashion Week for one of the big Dutch dailies, Volkskrant Magazine. I hope we can stay in touch!

Evalein told me that most people in Milan right now are here for Fashion Week and this was confirmed when I realized the tall, young blonde women next to me getting scrambled eggs at the hotel breaky buffet were Fashion Week models and not members of a Scandinavian volleyball team (that had been my theory the previous morning). I sat next to a few of them this morning and they were so sweet as they talked about their head being sore from a headdress they had to wear yesterday and how they were 30 min late for their fitting-time but didn’t care as “a girl has to eat.” I was so proud and told them so! They were off to model at Fendi, Gucci, and Dolce Gabana shows today. They were glad that one of those brands (can’t remember which) wasn’t using “celebrity models” anymore and went back to the pros like them.

This has been a lot for one blog but the past week has been a lot, in a very good way! It felt like it was a reward from the universe.

Just landed in Morocco…excited to break ground on a new continent!

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Introducing…Croatia!

As promised, here’s a delayed account of my trip to Croatia. Thanks to my tour-mates for sending me some pictures, as Apple is still holding mine hostage in the cloud (and I’m still holding out hope that one day I can negotiate a release…maybe when the political climate changes).

So, Croatia was never even on my radar until a few years ago when I went to an event at the Croatian embassy with my friend, Kate, who had travelled there and fallen in love with the country (Kate was on the cutting edge of the travel trend as I’ve known several people who have been there since). The event included a looping slideshow of pics and I watched it go through more than once, mesmerized by the beauty of the scenery. At the time I mentally added it to the running list of places I wanted to see “someday”…maybe when work wasn’t so busy.

When Teha’s Travels took shape and I saw that my favorite tour company, Flashpack, had a Croatia adventure; it was a no-brainer. Kristina and I travelled from Venice to Croatia together (you may recall we met on our Flashpack Vespa tour in Spain and ended up both signing up for the Croatian trip- thinking it was different dates but it turned out to be the same trip- yay!) Our adventure began in the city of Zagreb, which is Croatia’s biggest city, but still full of charm. Thankfully amongst the charm it also has an H&M, as both of us were thoroughly unprepared for weather that required anything warmer than a sundress and light cardigan. It was chilly and rainy when we arrived and we might have gone overboard with the winter hats…better safe than sorry!

We then met our tour group of 12 and our guide, the Incredible Ida. I quickly noted that we had an awesome and geographically diverse group, with peeps from DC, NY, Cali, Kansas, Montreal, London, Oxford, Brisbane, Paris, and Trinidad. It’s amazing how much we all had in common, despite coming from such different places- mostly adventuresome spirits and curious minds. Ida gave us a tour of Zagreb (the rain did not deter us), that culminated with a beer tasting of Croatian brews. Then the real bonding started when the whole crew ventured out to the local “hot spot,” a fantastic bar called Alcatraz. We had a great time dancing to maybe the most eclectic combination of music I’ve ever heard (I’m talking YMCA followed by Rage Against the Machine). By the end of the night it was as if we were all old friends. The next morning we checked out the beautiful cathedral in Zagreb and strolled through the bustling market with some of the most beautiful flowers, herb, and fruit selections I’ve ever seen. According to Ida, most Croatians go to the market everyday to get what they need and are loyal to whatever vendors their family has used for years. So, it’s a pretty big deal if someone goes rogue and decides the tomatoes look better at another vendor one day. Then our mini-coach bus arrived and whisked us out of the city. Most of us slept (Alcatraz was exhausting!) and awoke as we rolled up to a charming farmhouse in the mountains. We were greeted by the owners/cheese-makers and were treated to a delectable sampling of their wares, served with crusty bread, olives and, fresh tomatoes. That afternoon we hiked around the Plitvice Lakes National Park, which consists of 16 beautiful turquoise lakes (crystal clear!) that are joined together by tons of beautiful waterfalls.Our home for the evening was a boutique “etho-lodge” (Croatia’s version of an eco-lodge) that was an expansive property dotted with cabins amongst wilderness views and roaming farm animals (goats and stuff). The lodge also has an obstacle course that reminds me of a wooden version of what you see on American Ninja Warrior (okay, maybe a smidge easier). Of course I HAD to give it a whirl and since nobody would compete against me, I tried to better my own time (when my competitive-side comes out…). Anyways, moving on…

The next morning we enjoyed a delicious breakfast buffet that included traditional breaky items but also some Croatian dishes, such as tuna and pinto beans. I have to say it was actually a pretty good combination! We then embarked on a “kayaking safari,” that we were all looking forward to and did not disappoint! Our fearless guide Marco (our ‘Polo’ refrain throughout the trip probably did get a little old) led us down the beautiful Mreznica river, with some stops along the way. Our first sa beautiful waterfall with three places you could cliff-jump, ranging between 20-30 feet. Yes, that is high. And awesome. And high. We found that jumping without thinking or looking down was advisable, as to avoid the instinctive response that was along the lines of “SHIT! Why am I doing this???” We all did it though (!!) and I took super-cool Boomerang videos of some of the jumps- you’ll have to take my word for it. The rest of the adventure included gorgeous river views and several 10-15 foot drops that Marco deftly helped us navigate. The trip ended with Kristina and I making the ultimate sacrificial gesture to the River Gods…our iPhones. En route to our next destination the bus driver kindly stopped so we could buy rice (NO, the rice didn’t work. Does the river ever work?? I feel like everyone knows someone, who knows someone for whom the the rice worked but I still suspect it’s all a crafty marketing scheme by Uncle Ben and his relatives). We continued on to Split, which is the second biggest city in Croatia and the main part of the city (and our hotel) was inside the walls of a humungo castle. The castle is a spectacular Roman ruin built in only the 4th century (with marble imported from Greece and Italy and sphinxes sent from Egypt). It’s massive, stunning, and a total labyrinth (I may have gotten lost once or twice…like totally lost). After exploring a bit, we sampled some Croatian wine and enjoyed a dinner of fresh fish (the fish is sooooo good in Croatia). The next morning we boarded a ferry to the island of Hvar, one of Croatia’s many islands, this one being known for olive oil, lavender and partying (it’s apparently the home of the infamous “Yacht Week,” that I may or may not have heard of before). In Hvar we first climbed waaay up to the fortress overlooking the island with panoramic views (don’t worry, I took pics with my trusty iPad!). Here it is in the reflection of my shades during my iPad selfie: We were then treated to a delicious rooftop dinner (more delectable fresh fish and a seafood starter that included an incredible octopus salad and fish pate). We then embarked on a beautiful 30 minute walk along the water to a private beach, where we would be spending the afternoon, having our own beach party. Unfortunately, we never quite made it there as the sun suddenly vanished and increasing winds quickly brought in torrential downpours. I have to say I loved that nobody in our group was deterred by the rain and our spirits remained high as we first sheltered in a waterfront fast-food joint and then spent the next few hours bar-hopping instead (I mean, what else could we do, really?). We even picked-up a new friend, solo-traveler Dave, who we met while he was also scrambling for shelter from the rain and he became an honorary member of our group for the afternoon. It turns out that Dave works for Sloane Kettering hospital like Andrew (another member of our group)- it’s amazing how the rain brings people together! We then returned to Split where we enjoyed our final meal together as a complete group- six of us were continuing on to Dubrovnik in the morning, via a ferry ride, with amazing views that topped the embassy slideshow.

In Dubrovnik, Kristina and I stayed in an Air bnb that I had booked originally just for myself, before Kristina had signed up for the trip. Upon arrival we saw it would have been fine for one person but two was just a liiittttle bit tight. The views made up for it though (in my opinion, not sure how Kristina feels about that) and we got a laugh out of the One Direction sheets on the bed (c’mon you don’t see those everyday!). And, no, these were not the sheets with bed bugs. The proprietor’s husband, Tony, didn’t speak English but was beyond helpful, seeming to sense what we needed at all times (carrying our suitcases, providing an umbrella, even hanging my laundry to dry). One morning, as we were leaving for the day and talking about breakfast, Tony was on a ladder trimming the grapevines that twisted around the trellises and he deftly handed us both delicious bunches of freshly cut grapes that we enjoyed on our walk along the water.

We battled some rain that day, that came and went with equal intensity. Our tram ride to the highest point of the city did not include the views it advertises, although I still took out the good ole’ iPad to take a photo. At the top we at least had some shelter inside the museum of the Croatian War of Independence, which took place from 1991-1995. What an incredible museum! The main exhibit featured Dubrovnik, as the city had essentially been targeted and consistently attacked during the war causing death and devastation of an incredible magnitude. I learned that during the war the Serbs had targeted the city of Dubrovnik, but not for any strategic advantage. The goal was only to damage the “heart of Croatia” and therefore the spirit of the nation. Sadly, the rest of Europe was not all that helpful to the country (which barely had an army and could have used the assistance- I think the exhibit said they had only one gun with a periscope!) and due to their lack of support the war is now seen as a black mark in European history. Thankfully, we’d learned in advance from Ida that the war is not something to be openly discussed with Croatians, and especially in Dubrovnik where the wounds are still fresh and very close to home to the residents (literally and figuratively). I have to say I was beyond impressed with the resilience of the city and all they have rebuilt after such incredible devastation; they now have a thriving tourist industry…as if nothing had ever happened. Yes, Dubrovnik lost a LOT in the early 90s but, amazingly, never lost it’s heart and soul. This really speaks to the strength of the people and the country. The Old Town area of Dubrovnik is encased by castle walls and that afternoon the skies cleared just as we joined other tourists to walk along the walls admire the panoramic views. During this quick transition from rain to sun, I was entertained and impressed when a Chinese tour group walking in front of us never took down their umbrellas and seamlessly shifted to parasol mode! After the walls some of our group went on a “Game of Thrones” tour to all the locations where filming took place, while myself and Nicole (the other non-GOT viewer) did some shopping and managed to find the “Booza bar,” which is located on the rocks overlooking the sea, outside of the castle wall and accessible only through a tiny (and hard to find) passageway through the wall. The views were especially beautiful in the late afternoon light. The next morning Kristina and I shared an uber to the airport before we parted ways. As we pulled up to what looked like a building in an office park I said “this is the airport??” Our driver replied “oh shoot, are you flying out of the other airport?” Kristina and I shot each other frantic glances before he started laughing. Those Croatians have a great sense of humor!

All in all, it was another brilliant Flashpack adventure (I’m practicing my British) and my first foray to the untouched beauty of Eastern Europe, rain clouds and all. I definitely hope to be back!

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When it rains it pours

Programming note: Due to unforeseen circumstances this is an out-of-order post. Yes, I promised to write about my time in Croatia last week, but I need photos of the trip to do it justice. And, since I no longer have any of my own photos (more on that below) waiting on friends from the trip to send me a sampling of theirs. So, thank you for your patience-Croatia is forthcoming! I swear.

Sometimes I wonder if my blog makes my travels seem “Facebook perfect,” as if everything is sunshine and rainbows. Obviously this is not the case (def not all sunshine, as you’ll learn in my future Croatia post). I do try to keep it real, but, honestly, until now, I really haven’t had much to complain about. Ready to hear me complain? It’s time. Buckle up.

I seem to have stumbled upon a bad luck streak. It started when I was locked out of my life. I know that sounds dramatic, but bear with me. I was on an amazing kayak-adventure trip in Croatia (teaser for the Croatia blog!) and was sharing a kayak with my travel buddy, Kristina. Both of our phones were in a dry-bag, that was working perfectly…until it wasn’t anymore. Yes, we lugged around bags of rice for 48 hours, which did nothing to change the situation (I’m convinced the whole rice thing is a marketing ploy by Uncle Ben or one of his rich pilaf relatives). Then we had to face the sad reality. RIP iPhones.

Thankfully I have my trusty ipad (I think it’s version 1.0) that I have used maybe 25 times ever. When I logged in two days ago, I was asked to provide my Apple ID password. I had thumbprint recognition on my iPhone so haven’t had to type in my password in a good while and actually have NO idea what it is. I tried to re-set it and was asked to verify my phone number (seems easy enough and they even provided the last two digits). But I typed in number and was informed that it is not my number. But it IS my number. But it’s NOT your number (Apple and I have since had extensive back and forths on this point- more on that later). Without being able to sign in, while on WiFi I can access Gmail and old versions of Instagram and Facebook (as updating any apps requires the password). Not ideal, but I could handle it for a few days. And at the time, in Croatia, there was not much I could do about it anyways, so I decided I’d deal with it on the next leg of my journey, in Marseille. (Pictures upload really small from the iPad I’m using, sorry!)

When I arrived in Marseille, I felt like my luck had to improve! I was wrong. From the airport, I followed the Amazing Race instructions from my Air bnb host and took a bus from the airport to the train station and then took the metro to the port and then walked 1/2 mile, to meet him at his work. I was so proud of figuring all of this out, especially without having access Google Maps or having any way to communicate (including talking as I realized very few people spoke English and my French is limited to Bonjour, cava, and croissant). I was also proud that I’d lugged my suitcase pretty far by this point, including up and down several flights of stairs. I met Host at his office and I learned that he manages 30 Air bnb apartments around the city. He apologized that he couldn’t take me to my apartment, as he was swamped with many arrivals, but he gave me the key and said it was an easy walk. Okay…here we go….easy walk…

The directions seemed kinda long, but I figured it would be a hop skip and a jump, as Host had seen me and my big suitcase. Not so much. There was no time to dwell on it at the time as I was busy lugging my suitcase up FIVE sets of stairs. And we’re not talking just a few steps per set. I looked like I’d just finished a 10k by the time I got to the building, which is apparently at the highest point of Marseille. To top it off, to get to the unit I then had to walk DOWN two sets of the windy-it’s, most narrow stair cases I’ve ever seen. They were so narrow that my suitcase got stuck at one point. Here’s a sampling of the stairs:

But, I made it!! And I was rewarded with a very nice and clean-looking apartment with a charming balcony view. Things were finally looking up!

I then trekked to the Apple Store to sort out my phone/iCloud situation, as it was increasingly challenging to be off the grid while traveling internationally. I found an English-speaking Apple employee, who was stumped and connected me with the support center on her phone. My case was escalated, twice, to the Senior Support Specialist. Following an hour and 17 minute conversation, I was informed that there is absolutely nothing they can do. She suspects I mis-entered my phone number when I originally set up the account and the only think I can do is try entering every possible variation of my phone number (I can try this five times every eight hours, so my back of the napkin math puts my estimated date of completion at around 2043). At the end of the conversation Senior Support Specialist said “I’m amazed at how calm you sound. I would be a complete wreck if I were in your situation.” That did not make me feel better. In fact, the only thing that kept me from losing it at that moment was the amazing view from their Apple Store. It really is lovely! The stumped technician (note the view): 

More views from the deck outside the Apple Store, as I was there so long it got dark (I’m not smiling quite as big inside):

The harsh reality is (you may have seen things going this way) that without my iCloud password I can’t access much of anything (or actually anything) …meaning that I’ve essentially lost ALL the photos I’ve EVER taken (or at least the ones that didn’t involve a CVS Photo Center). I’ve also lost all of my contacts, notes, apps, etc. And I’d been sooooo smart (or so I thought) by installing a password encryption app a few months ago and encrypting all my passwords. Problem now being that I can’t access the encrypted key to the encryption app, as it’s in my iCloud along with everything else. So, now I don’t know any of my passwords (thankfully by the time I set up my blog I’d lost steam on the encryption thing so can access that at least). This is the last time I try to fend off those hackers. In fact, I could use a hacker right now!

NOTE: This is where I left off my draft blog my first night in Marseille, vowing to finish it up in the morning when I hoped to be in a more positive mindset. Little did I know…

I woke up a little bit disoriented, and realized I’d been scratching my arm. I looked down and I gasped out loud as my arm was covered with itchy red bumps. Knowing that European pharmacies are practically equivalent to Urgent Care in the U.S., I headed straight there. I held up my arm. The three pharmacists seemed to only be conferring about how to translate the situation to me. They finally got to what I had suspected…bed buds. I admit I’ve always been dubious about the whole bed bugs thing and I sincerely apologize to my friends who I’ve mocked for paying lots of money for exterminators with bed bug sniffing dogs. I stand corrected and beg for your forgiveness. These things are real. Sigh. I took a deep breath and silently vowed not to feel bad for myself. It was difficult.

I left pharmacy with a tube of cortisone and immediately stumbled upon a free walking tour, so I joined in. I mean, what else was there to do at that moment (except maybe scratch my arm)? It ended up being a great tour and I enjoyed learning more about the city. Afterwards I had a delicious lunch with the guide and a lovely couple, Roger and Allison, at the guide’s favorite local couscous restaurant. Roger and Allison had quit their Silicon Valley jobs two years ago and moved to Mexico City and then Valencia, which they use as a home base for traveling. They do not seem to be missing America. Following lunch, the guide went his way and the three of us climbed to the top of a huge hill (so much easier without a suitcase) to the Notre Dame cathedral, where we were rewarded with stunning views.

After we parted ways I found WiFi and realized Host had not responded to my panicked email from the morning and decided I should probably address that whole bed bug situation. I found Host at his office and my news (and my arm) threw him into a complete tizzy. I’d been hoping to enjoy the sunset at the port that evening, but that did not happen. It took about four hours, and several calls to corporate Air bnb, before I had a hotel room at the Holiday Inn Express (that I may or may not be reimbursed for by Air bnb). At one point corporate Air bnb lady asked me to provide photos of the bugs and bug casings (???) as well as medical documentation. I just sent her a picture of my arm and that seemed to be enough. My final battle of the evening was with oh-so-gracious Host when I asked him to get me an Uber to the hotel. I’m sure he thought I could just walk, per the ushe, and he said that was asking for too much. Too much?!? This did not go over well and it wasn’t until I reminded him that I’d be leaving a review that he capitulated. AND, he accused me of trying to blackmail him!! Is that really blackmail??

I have to say I am not sad to be leaving Marseille (no fault of the city itself) and was relieved to get to the train station this morning. My relief dissipated quickly upon the realization that I’d purchased a ticket from Dijon to Marseille. Noooo!! I was already in Marseille. I was trying to LEAVE Marseille! The kind ticket agent informed me that the booking website lists your destination location first. Well, that just seems silly. It got sorted out but it felt like a final kick in the pants (really hoping it’s final). I’m now on the train to Dijon where I’ll be visiting some dear friends who live there. I emailed to warn them that they have an emotionally precarious and potentially bed bug laden visitor on her way. I wouldn’t blame them at all if they don’t show up at the train station…

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Florence and Venice, Ciao Bella!

It was a sad Ciao Bella when we departed Italy this morning, following two out-of-this-world stops in Florence and Venice (while, obviously being in this world-no intergalactic travels on the agenda yet). Our farewells to Italia (yes, Kristina has a pizza on the water taxi):

First up….Florence [insert sigh] Florence, oh Florence, how I miss ye so…I’m sure there’s also an incredibly romantic sounding way to say this in Italian. We arrived via our first Euro-rail experience, which of course went seamlessly, as those Europeans know how to build and operate an efficient train system (ahem, America). We dropped our bags and then jumped right into things with a ½ day wine tour of Tuscany. I will admit (Kristina don’t kill me) that neither of us realized that Florence was actually IN Tuscany- we thought we were going to a whole new place on the wine tour. Although if felt like we were, as the bustling streets and churches of Florence were replaced by lush rolling mountains, dotted with olive groves and vineyards. It truly looks like a painting- Diane Lane had the right idea for sure!

We went to two vineyards and learned all about Chianti, which was underappreciated in my world of wine before this trip. We also sampled an assortment of delicious cheeses and balsamic vinegar. I really never thought twice about balsamic in the past and I’m pretty sure I buy the Safeway brand (as well as in the “glaze” format, that the balsamic maker seemed horrified by). In Europe, and mostly stemming from Italy, they have their balsamic situation figured out (similar to their rail system…hmmm). Their stuff is not mostly sugar, as our ‘merican versions are, AND they have a quality control system so you know what you’re getting is the real deal. We sampled balsamic that was 25 years old and I have to say it was amazing. This superior product does come at a price, however, and a smallish bottle of the really good stuff runs upwards of $150!). When I’m rich (hopefully from partnering with George Clooney on his next tequila venture) I think I’ll only buy the top of the line balsamic. Everyone has their thing, right?

After the vineyards we swung by a castle on the way back to Flo, as one does in Tuscany. Not shockingly, Kristina and I made some friends in our tour group- two lovely couples (we met one couple at each winery). Jess and Matt were travelling from Brisbane and Alexandra and Oscar were on travels from Finland. Talk about coming from different places! We brought our new friends together and the six of us had dinner together after the tour. It was a relaxed and thoroughly enjoyable dinner with a lot of laughs, as we learned about each other and our respective countries and cultures. More pics from the day:

The next day we powered through Florence, touring the Doumo, which included a beautiful cathedral and climb to the top of the cathedral’s Gothic dome. It was most definitely worth the 463 winding steps that it took to get there! I would not recommend this climb for someone with claustrophobia but even then maybe you could just suck it up, as the 360 degree view of the city from the top are phenomenal.

We had wanted to see the real statue of David while in Florence but learned too late that the Gallery dell’Accademia is closed on Mondays (bummer but we rebounded quickly), so we “settled” for the replica, located in the Piazzale de Michelangelo. This trek required many more vertical steps, but we made it, and just in time for sunset. It was truly spectacular! While not the real David, the backdrop may have made it more breathtaking and you ever go to Venice you need to do this- trust me. We topped off the day with a drink and a snack (olives and potato chips seem to be the snack of choice Italy) at the restaurant overlooking David and the city. Here’s a few pics from our date night with David:

Onward to Venice! So, I’d heard a lot about Venice from friends and some mixed reviews, including lore of the city being smelly/dirty and over-run with tourists. While there were a lot of tourists navigating the narrow streets in places, we also found places where it was just us and the locals. And we learned from our tour guide that the new water system they’d employed fairly recently took care of the smell problem (at least while we were there).

The first day we roamed the beautiful city streets, squares, and bridges (there’s over 400!) admiring the canal views, with a consistent soundtrack of that Italian restaurant music (but so much better and with a real Italian person playing it). I was smitten. We water bused (the way to get around) to a rooftop bar with the “best” view of the city. And while we’d been spoiled in Florence, this Venetian sunset was also spectacular. Loving the world-wide sunsets I’ve been collecting in my memory bank so far (and on my phone…but they never quite translate).

We met a couple at dinner that night (you may notice a theme here), who met in Hungary and now are both doctors living in New York City. They were “swinging through” Venice only to see an art exhibit…the same art exhibit that we had purchased tickets for for the next day. Unlike the Hungarians, who had made a special trip, we had just learned of the exhibit that afternoon and we’re lucky to get tickets. The exhibit is called “Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable” by Damien Hurst in the Palazzo Grassi museum. It’s been a controversial exhibit, as basically Damien got his hands on a huge collection of old pieces of art/artifacts from the mid first and second centuries. The stuff was being shipped to ordain a temple the collector was building when sank and lay at the bottom of the Indian Ocean for TWO THOUSAND years before it was discovered in 2008. The artist took the sculptures (some of which were unrecognizable after, ya know, after just a few thousand years on the ocean floor) and restored them, adding a contemporarty flair to depict what they would have looked like, encrusted in coral and other marine life. Some of the pieces actually include water to show them submerged. The reason for the controversy is that some peeps are a little judgy about these ancient artifacts being used this way and altered from their original form. Personally, I really enjoyed seeing the exhibit and thought it more interesting than a bunch of unrecognizable statue blobs. But that’s just me.

After a lunch and gelato respite (never too much gelato!) we embarked on a guided tour of the city, including the stunning St. Mark’s temple, with an inside that is covered in REAL gold. Literally covered. No pictures are allowed inside but I took one before I knew this (swear!)

We had a final Venetian meal of pasta and pizza, and I can honestly say it was the best pasta I’ve had in my entire life. Italy would not do well on the Atkins diet.

We’re currently in a car driving from Venice to Zagreb, Croatia where we’re meeting up with a Flashpack tour group for adventure travels throughout the country. It appears to be raining (okay, it IS raining) but we’re trying to be positive this will clear up as soon as we arrive. Nothing like wishful thinking!

P.S. this was actually written yesterday so I’m a day behind. Stay tuned for a Croatia post…

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Tiny shopping cart, check. Thanks Roma!

You may not remember my first post ever on this blog, where I named finding a tiny shopping cart as one of the goals of my travels (it may have been the only goal I mentioned). If you read the blog this makes perfect sense. If not, you may want to give that post a quick looksy. Anywho…guess what I found in Rome!?!

No joke. I found this gem at one my favorite European chatkzy shop that my sister turned me onto when she lived in Holland- it’s called Tiger. So, I walked in and there it was on display, as if it was a perfectly normal thing to be selling. Neither Kristina or I can figure out what it’s supposed to be used for exactly and have tried a few potential options but haven’t had much luck (it doesn’t hold a phone…it doesn’t really hold much/anything that you might need, but this does not detract from it’s awesomeness). Regardless, I can’t tell you how happy my tiny shopping cart makes me! And several people noted how awesome it is the day I carried it around. Tiger, expect a huge boom in tiny shopping cart sales. You’re welcome.

I had a spectacular three days in Rome and took in every bit of the city that I possibly could. I also took in quite a bit of food. All you people who told me what foods I must consume large quantities of while in Rome did not lead my astray. The gelato is to die for, the paninis blow Corner Bakery out of the water, the pizza is “molto delizioso,” and the pasta is OMG. I can’t wait to eat myself through the rest of the country! It was a special treat to have some FABULOUS restaurant recommendations and hook-ups from my friend, Julie Briski, who just moved back to the States after living in Rome for two years. It was a shame we just missed each other (by a week) but we were glad she told us about her first and second favorite restaurants, writing “truly anything on both menus is out of this world.” True statement. We tried her second favorite first, Meridionale, and the manager, Luigi, lit up at the mention of Julie’s name and immediately brought us prosecco and bruschetta.

Then last night for our final Roman feast we went to Julie’s fave, Osteria la Botticella, run by “the MOST amazing” Signora Giula. It’s an intimate setting (so cute with white and red checkered tablecloths) and was packed when we got there. But, as soon as I mentioned Julie’s name, Signora Giula embraced me in a hug and a table became available for us. Per Julie’s recommendation we feasted on the triple pasta sampler that consisted of cacao e pepe, truffle ravioli and some other delish pasta that I can’t remember the name of. The seating is tight in the restaurant, and I wasn’t sure how that would go but we were next to a lovely couple who had just arrived in Rome for a month’s stay and we chatted away the entire meal and exchanged emails at the end (remember Kristina is ‘west coast me,’ so we both love meeting new people). Here’s a pic Julie sent me of her with Signora G and the selfie we sent back to her last night (no selfie stick used).

The highlight of yesterday (yes we did more than eat) was touring the Vatican! Selfie stick used:

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Our tour included the amazing Sistine Chapel (“No photos!” was reiterated a million times in both Italian and English as apparently the company Fugi has exclusive photo rights- go figure). It was hard to picture ONE guy, Michelangelo, painting the entire thing, and while laying on scaffolding ON HIS BACK! Apparently he went blind three times during the process from paint dripping in his eyes (I wonder if he got hazard pay?). The most spectacular part of the Vatican tour (in my opinion) was the St. Peter’s Basilica which is the most grande basilica I have ever seen. And I feel like I’ve seen quite a few over the last two months. I’m not sure my pics do it justice.

This morning I took a final spin through the city on foot (exploring new places via early morning runs will always be my favorite thing). I very much enjoyed the beautiful morning light and nearly empty streets.

Then we had our final breakfast before heading to the train station. Interesting note on breaky btw, Sunday must be a big breakfast day in Rome as all the restaurants are serving it. BUT they are all serving exactly two options and the EXACT same two options. And they all have a little table out front displaying the two breakfast options (so basically the same food on every little table). The options are the Italian breakfast, which is a croissant (guess those Italians aren’t big breakfast people) and the English breakfast, which is a plain omelet, bread, bacon and salad. I quite enjoyed the English version.

I’m currently on the train to Florence enjoying some spectacular views and gearing up for what I hear is another spectatucular Italian city. Ciao for now!

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Go Big or Go Home!

Even in a world without many boundaries, there are still some crossroads. And my first came when nailing down my travel plans (one would think the party responsible for a blog called "Teha's Travels" would have done a smidge more planning in that regard? Not so much). Somehow the bigger decisions around quitting my job and DOING THIS were easier than thinking about where THIS would take me, for how long, etc. It was surprisingly difficult to make those decisions and I found myself gravitating towards thoughts telling me I couldn't be gone for that long…almost like my former job was a phantom limb.

I negotiated with myself (and anyone else who would listen) and eventually gave myself permission to do what my gut had intended the day I gave my notice at work. I decided to see as much as I can, do as much as I can, and (most importantly) learn as much as I can, both about the world I'm exploring and myself. Basically, I decided to "Go Big or Go Home!" and I'm sticking with that, as my current life motto. Go me! It was both a relieving and scary decision.

I write this from Rome…the first stop on a two-month journey that will take me to three continents. I will then return to DC for a few days before embarking on a journey to continent #5 of this sojourn (cue my new motto). It will be a wild ride, I have a feeling!

Here I am at Dulles last night…so proud of my packing.

I know I haven't seen all that much of Europe so far, but I have definitely have not seen a city that compares to Rome in it's grandeur. So far this city has blown my mind! Everywhere I turn is absolutely stunning and breathtaking. I'm talking churches, fountains, statues, squares, and random buildings with ornate design features and the classic shutters in all colors. I think it may actually be impossible to find a bad view in Rome. Even the graffiti here is photo-worthy!

I arrived in Rome last night, following a looong (and not-so-direct) flight and met up with my friend Kristina, who I'd met on my Flashback vespa tour in Madrid last month. Kristina and I are truly kindred spirits and, despite not knowing each other for very long, we finish each others sentences (she's basically a way cooler, west-coast version of myself…she knows so much more about pop culture and emojis, for starters). It's also amazing that we can look at a row of 15 restaurants and both gravitate towards the same one (good or bad, at least we concur?) I really couldn't ask for a more awesome Italy travel partner! Today we hit the ground running and explored Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, and the Trevi Fountain, as well as many other surrounding Roman wonders. We also purchased our first selfie sticks, and I have a feeling that a few tourists might have snapped photos of us trying to figure out how to use use them…it was quite the process (the first is our test pic at the shop).

Another big day tomorrow as we have both the Coliseum and Vatican City on the docket, although our dockets are always pretty flexible (hence why we're such a perfect travel-duo). When in Rome…who know what's next, really!