20 by 40! Intriguing Ireland

It happened, y’all. I reached my twentieth country! A couple of months ago, I realized time was running out on my modified goal. I turn 41 next week, and until last week, I had been stuck at 19 countries for over a year. This wasn’t for a lack of desire or poor planning. Unfortunately, I have been mostly unemployed since last summer and had been prioritizing my job search and watching my wallet. However, I wanted to meet my goal and I had some positive job search developments. In light of that, I wanted to see what I could do to get my 20th passport stamp.

As always, I turned to Skyscanner to get an idea of what destinations might be inexpensive this winter. Wanting to minimize transportation costs and flight connections as much as possible, I focused on walkable cities with decent public transportation. I kept coming back to two options, Dublin, Ireland and Copenhagen, Denmark. Luckily, I was introduced to PointsYeah. This site works a bit like a Skyscanner but compares destinations via loyalty program points. In these lean times, saving money and using points before they’re devalued makes a lot of sense.

As a member of Delta SkyMiles and AerLingus AerClub, it became clear that Dublin was the winning option for my window of travel opportunity. However, to stay within budget, I would have to leave Dublin before the big Saint Patrick’s Day rush, leaving me just three days. Would it be enough time?

Regardless of the answer, Dublin is just a six-hour direct flight from Boston, and also a great stopover destination, given all the European flights offered by AerLingus. If I loved it, I could come back. Side note: it has been a dream of mine to come to Ireland during the summer and drive around the countryside (although I’m still a bit freaked out about driving on the left). Anyhow, would I love Dublin?

The answer to the above was a resounding yes. However, I would have to get over some of my misconceptions about Ireland. Really, it was just one misconception. From things I had heard over the years, I had become convinced that Dublin would be a bit sleepy and not have the international tourist scene that many other large European cities do. That couldn’t have been more wrong. Not only is Dublin a truly international city with tourists and residents from all over, it is full of energy at all hours! Moreover, a friend of mine who used to live in Dublin sent me a list of things to see that would take way more than three days to make a significant dent in it. 

Of course, a lot of that energy comes from the fact that I stayed in Temple Bar. Filled with pubs (including its namesake), restaurants, and gift shops, Temple Bar has earned a reputation as a bit of a tourist trap and as the heart of Dublin’s nightlife. Staying in Temple Bar is somewhat akin to going to New York City and staying around Times Square. However, it is a highly central location in the thick of all the action, convenient to many of Dublin’s top attractions such as Trinity College, The National Art Gallery, Dublinia. Many of Dublin’s top museums are nearby and other attractions, such as the Guinness Storehouse are just a quick ride away. At my big age, I probably would choose a different area of the city in the future, but still found Temple Bar to be a lot of fun.  

Part of why Temple Bar may not have been my best choice is that I was experimenting with the digital nomad lifestyle. Eager to start working again, I’ve begun taking on some freelance work (if you’re looking for an experienced B2B technology content marketing creator, I’m accepting new clients!). Temple Bar’s good time vibes can be a distraction to work, although I was able to stay on top of everything.

Anyhow, while my current life setup doesn’t allow for me to be a true digital nomad (I adopted two cats during the pandemic), I decided the Ireland trip would be a good opportunity for me to see if I’m still down with the working from anywhere lifestyle. Ultimately, my workload was light for the week, but still required me to “think in three time zones” given my home life in North America, my trip in Europe, and my client in Australia. While Dublin is a big tech industry city with its fair share of international workers and a small digital nomad scene, Temple Bar is maybe not an ideal backdrop for those working hours. At the same time, my room at REZz was quiet and had a more than capable internet connection, so I came away with a W for the work week.

REZz’s vibes are budget-friendly, young, and fun. I’m two of those three things, so a pretty good match, right?

Side note: One thing to keep in mind about Dublin, if you were to ever consider digital nomading or moving there, is that it is in the midst of a major housing crisis. Supply cannot currently keep up with demand, resulting in long wait lists for apartments, high rents, and those lucky few homebuyers having little choice but to move further away from the city center.  (This article about employers buying housing to help ensure housing security is an interesting one). 

My first outing in Dublin was a free walking tour from Generation Tours, booked on my favorite website for finding free walking tours, GuruWalk. The meeting point was less than a five minute walk from REZz, speaking to Temple Bar’s central location.  My tour guide was Helena, who was fun and outgoing, and had no shortage of things to tell our group about each of the sites we checked out. From Trinity College to the Molly Malone Statue to some of the more storied pubs, there was plenty to take in. The only thing I would change is that I would have taken the tour earlier, as jet lag and red-eye fatigue had really begun to set in by the end of the afternoon tour.  

Having given up on having the energy for a fun night out, I went to bed early. The next morning, after a proper breakfast toastie, I was on a bus with Paddywagon Tours to see Glendalough and Wicklow Mountains. While I don’t remember too many details from the tour, we did ride through the area where the Daniel Day-Lewis movie My Left Foot (about the Irish artist Christy Brown) was filmed, saw the former ancestral home of the Guinness family, and overall saw some interesting landscapes and architecture in the Wicklow Mountains. At Glendalough Valley in the Wicklow Mountains National Park, there were more beautiful landscapes and the captivating architecture of St. Kevin’s monastic ruins (see photo gallery below!). 

With all of the walking I had just done on a windy day, I was ready for lunch. I chose a tapas spot near my hotel, Salamanca. This restaurant highlighted a point that Helena made the day before - that Ireland’s increasing internationalization has led to wonderful fusion opportunities melding Irish ingredients with a widening array of dishes from around the world. My fish and chips tapas-style, accompanied by tortilla española was a tasty testament to this phenomenon. 

Attending a comedy show abroad has been on my to-do list for a while now. Thus, the highlight of my second night was attending a live comedy show, put on by In Stitches Comedy, located in the basement of Peadar Kearney’s Pub. Hailing from a wide variety of backgrounds and representing both rookies and veterans, the comedians at In Stitches provided good laughs and a humorous look into aspects of Irish culture. Pints and comedy - it’s good craic!

On my last full day, I began to feel the urgency of my short visit. With a long list of unseen sights, I knew I wanted to power through this day. The day’s first activity was a self-guided tour of the Guinness Storehouse. I’ve been on many brewery/distillery/winery tours - this one is special! Highly technologically advanced and interactive, you can walk through the brewing process from farm to brewery, as well as Guinness’ history and impact on the Liberties area of Dublin. The deep investment in Irish ingredients and its quite bespoke brewing process was impressive, even to me, someone who doesn’t particularly enjoy the taste of Guinness. 

And one thing I was hoping for was that the experience of seeing how much care goes into Guinness’ ingredients and brewing process would help me acquire a taste for Guinness. Despite a brilliant guided experience in the tasting room, this did not happen. However, I ended my tour with lunch at Arthur’s Bar, where I ordered the Beef and Guinness Pie, my first true Irish meal of the trip. Now here I could appreciate the flavor notes that the Guinness added. 

Before I got lunch, however, I took in my favorite parts of the Storehouse, the exhibits on the illustrations of John Gilroy and the menagerie of characters he created for Guinness, as well as the theatre of Guinness television ads from the last several decades. As a marketer, I loved seeing the evolution of their very strong branding and advertising engines, and even by the very high standards of beer companies, Guinness’ marketing is top-notch! (See the gallery below for a few of Gilroy’s colorful characters)

Perhaps it was the pressure of time, the need to escape the crowd, or the effect of daytime alcohol, but for some reason I ended up skipping out on the top-floor Gravity Bar. As someone who loves panoramic views from on high, I regret this now. This is something I’ll have to make up next time in Dublin!

Now we’re into the afternoon and I still have a long list of activities that I haven’t gotten to. One of these is exploring areas further away from Temple Bar. At the recommendation of my friend, I took a walk to Wall & Keogh to hydrate with a non-caffeinated selection from their 150 varieties of tea. With this, I was ready for some museum time. But first, I had to get a picture of the Molly Malone statue, a tribute to the resilience of Irish women throughout history. This monument was unveiled in 1988 for the Dublin Millenium. There are more rabbit holes here than I have time to dive into, but truly interesting history if you’re into that kind of thing. 

Molly Malone Statue

With the clock ticking, I made my way to EPIC - the Irish Emigration Museum. Here, the legacy of Irish citizens migrating to points across the world and the global imprint of Irish culture is celebrated. Visitors are handed a passport to stamp as they pass through the 20 stations of EPIC. Many of the stations served as a reminder that Ireland has been through many tough times in the past – civil war, economic downturn, and famine. It is always refreshing to see that a society can straightforwardly acknowledge the good and bad times of its history, while being proud of its global legacy. I found EPIC to be a moving experience and would highly recommend visiting.

My last two agenda items were the National Art Gallery and dinner. As a jetlagged faux digital nomad, I found the bankers’ hours of Irish museums a bit challenging, especially considering that I scheduled my tours for the morning hours. However, the National Art Gallery is open until 8:30PM on Thursdays and is free (donation recommended). As the day got dark and threatened rain, this was the perfect way to cap off the afternoon. I fell in love with the painting style of many of the Irish artists (especially Jack Butler Yeats), noting the juxtaposition of warm colors over the green overcast backdrops typical of the Irish climate. I loved this contrast, speaking to a vibrant country in spite of weather that can be a bit foreboding at times. Unfortunately, many of my favorite paintings were not allowed to be photographed, but I leave you with Saint Jerome Translating the Gospels from Spain’s Nicolas Frances, which reminds me of working from home with my cat, Caesar. 

Cat owners who work from home will understand.

Before I can get to my new hotel by the airport, I have one final agenda item for this voyage, dinner. And dinner has to be Irish. Luckily, I only needed to take a short walk back into the heart of Temple Bar to The Old Mill Restaurant. Here, I was greeted with friendly service, a bountiful pint menu, and some very tempting menu options. I went with the Bangers and Mash with a delectable red wine gravy and was very happy with my choice. Having had a good meal, I was ready to grab my bags from Bounce and head over to my hotel for a good night’s rest. 

I wasn’t leaving Ireland without eating Bangers and Mash.

But wait, there’s more! Thanks to the breakfast buffet at Crowne Plaza Dublin Airport, I was able to end my journey with a full Irish breakfast with some of my faves: baked beans, roasted tomato, and some gorgeous roasted potatoes. I was also able to try black pudding and white pudding for the first time. So, technically it isn’t exactly the first time I’ve had black pudding. It is a form of blood sausage, which I’ve had a couple of times in South America.  Anyhow, black pudding is basically pork blood, animal fat, and a grain like oatmeal to bind it. Perhaps it sounds a bit rough, but I found it pretty tasty. White pudding is basically black pudding without the blood. I tell you, it is the breakfast of champions (no picture because I was hawn-gry). 

And with that, I’m off to the airport and back to Boston. I loved Ireland and truly wish I had spent more time there. It was a worthy destination for meeting my (modified) 20 country goal.

What’s next? Even as I approach my 41st birthday, I’m still onward to 40 and beyond! For now, I will be focused on securing my next job and/or more freelance work. Obviously, I hope future jobs and projects provide some organic travel opportunities. In the meantime, I’d love travel recommendations. Also, I’ll be keeping the blog up to date with articles about my recent-ish travels to Uruguay, Portugal, and Mexico, among other places! Stay tuned and safe travels!

Random observations about Ireland:

• I didn’t realize how popular sports betting is in Dublin. Sportsbook parlors (I don’t really know what they’re called) seem to be on every other block in the city center. Paddypower appeared to be the most common chain. The bricks and mortar presence was an interesting contrast to the US, where this industry has moved digital-first.  

• Dublin is highly walkable and appears to have a good public transit system. I stayed on foot as I thought it would help me absorb the city.  

• Uber is available, but is connected to the city taxi system. Free NOW is a similar app that seems to be more popular in Dublin. Although I’ve used Free NOW in the past without problems, I couldn’t access my account so I used Uber for the two times I needed a ride. It worked without a problem.

• Tipping culture in Ireland is a bit unclear at first glance. Tipping is not mandatory, but 10-15% is fine in most situations and appreciated. (Read more here).

• Street addresses don’t always abide by one side being odd numbers, and the other side being even. This was very confusing when looking for Peadar Kearney’s!

Colombia Pt.2: Santander Surprises

In my last blog, I reminisced about my transcendent first trip to Colombia in 2018. And even though that journey was a life-changing experience, I didn’t expect to make my return just a year later. Hey, I’m not complaining. Delta had a points sale on South American destinations and my prospective travel partner for this trip had heard me rave about Colombia and wanted to join in on the fun. We decided to focus this trip on Bogotá, as there was so much I wasn’t able to cover in just two days on my previous trip. However, he ended up having to cancel due to unforeseen circumstances, and this ended up being a solo trip!

Disappointment about that aside, I was excited to have an opportunity to double-click on Bogotá and decided to, once again, add a second city to my Columbia itinerary. Traveling solo, I felt this was an opportunity to go somewhere less touristy, and experience life a bit more like a local. One of the best things about visiting Colombia is that traveling within the country is easy due to many inexpensive domestic flights as well as many bus services. With my time at a premium, it was off to Skyscanner to see what my side trip options were. Most of the time, domestic flights from Bogotá can be found for as little as $50. 

Wanting to save Medellin for a non-solo visit, the options I had were Barranquilla, Bucaramanga, Cali, and Santa Marta. Tayrona and beaches of the Santa Marta region definitely called out to me, as did the vibrance of Shakira’s hometown Barranquilla. Similarly intriguing was the salsa dancing capitol of the world, Cali. Ultimately, I landed on Bucaramanga. Not only was Bucaramanga a short flight from Bogotá, it was relatively inexpensive and highly regarded as being one of the safest large cities in Colombia and is also located in a safer province, Santander. (Note: not everyone agrees on this - I heard a fair amount of fear-mongering regarding its proximity to the Venezuelan border as well as Santander’s less safe neighbor to the north, literally called Norte de Santander (North of Santander)).

But first, what did I do in my first couple of days in Bogotá? I’ll admit, a crazy flying schedule that included a 9-hour layover in Atlanta, had me taking it easy for a day or so, just spending time in the always-inviting Chapinero. Of course, when you need a jolt of energy in Colombia, what better way to do that than with fresh Colombian coffee? For the first official activity of this vacation, I headed down to Candelaria to pay a visit to Leandro at Divino Cafe Especial. This family business roasts and ships artisan Colombian coffee, grown in the state of Huila. (One interesting thing I learned on this trip is that while the coffee axis, comprising the areas around Manizales, Pereira, and Armenia, is the most famous coffee-growing region of Colombia, there are other coffee-growing areas scattered around the country, including in Santander). What makes Divino a special place to visit in Bogotá, is that Leandro offers a coffee-tasting class that helps drinkers deepen their appreciation for different flavor notes as well as identify the relative quality of a roast. I found this class very enriching, as I learned more about different coffee production techniques as well as preparation methods. It was a fun and informative couple of hours, and fortunately Divino ships its coffees internationally!

Siphon-based coffee machine at Cafe Divino Especial

Of course, I’m very big on experiencing the culinary traditions of wherever I visit. So, I was very excited to hit up Beyond Colombia’s Bogotá Street Food Tour (pics in the gallery below). Joining a couple dozen other tourists from around the world, I got to experience a wide array of Colombian specialties, starting with the expected empanadas, pan de bono (a wonderful cheese-infused bread roll), and buñuelos (they’re like pan de bono but deep-fried). From there, we branched out into Colombia’s tradition of hearty soups and stews, grilled meats and afternoon treats such as hot chocolate with cheese and avena (a cold drink made from oatmeal). The tour ended with yet another coffee lesson, reinforcing from my earlier coffee lesson how the Colombian coffee industry embraces technology, particularly this nifty siphon brewing device from Japan. 

The next day, it was time to depart for Bucaramanga. Fortunately, I would not experience any inertia. Despite delays, it was an easy enough flight. And while BUC is a smaller, less-English speaking airport, my elementary Spanish and I managed to hail a taxi and make the relatively non-descript ride from the airport to the Cacique neighborhood of Bucaramanga. Perhaps the most posh area of the city, Cacique is busy and bustling. As someone who frequently stays at IHG hotels, I had booked the Holiday Inn in Bucaramanga. I chose well - this location was clean and modern with standout service. Oftentimes, American visitors are directed to the ritzier Dann Carlton, which also seems very nice, but is a bit pricier. Ultimately, I made the right decision as my time in Bucaramanga was so action-packed that I didn’t spend any time in the hotel except for food and rest. 

(Side note: Holiday Inn is attached to the upscale Cacique shopping mall. This afforded me the opportunity to easily try Colombian fast food chain, Frisby. Two thumbs up for my fast-food enthusiasts.)

Sites like TripAdvisor might give you the impression that there isn’t a lot to do in greater Bucaramanga. It’s true that Bucarmanaga is less built for tourism compared to Bogotá   , Medellin, Cartagena, and the Eje Cafetero. However, Bucaramanga is a very regionally important city and Santander is one of Colombia’s more developed provinces and a major player in the country’s outdoor activities tourism, being home to San Gil. Activities abound around Bucaramanga, but you might have to do a bit more digging compared to its better-known counterparts. 

Fortunately, in my preparation, I stumbled upon Wolf Tours. Run by Dominic Wolf, a German who fell in love with Colombia as an exchange student and who has since become a popular social media influencer, Wolf Tours offers a wide variety of experiences in Bucaramanga and the surrounding area. Many of the experiences Wolf Tours offers are delivered by local residents. Staying in Bucaramanga for just two nights, I had to prioritize among the many options. I landed on spending my first day taking a city tour that also included neighboring Floridablanca and heritage town, Giron. On the second day, we visited a pineapple farm in Lebrija, a charming agricultural town.

Highlights from the city tour 

From Dominic, I learned that Bucaramanga is not only an important industrial and educational hub, it is known as “La Ciudad de Los Parques” (the city of parks). A robust ecosystem of parks adds to the greenery surrounding the city on all sides. With just the morning to spend in Buca, we didn’t get to spend time at all of the parks, but one highlight was stopping by San Pio park where a Botero statue, La Gorda, happened to be. Other highlights included posing by the hormigas culonas (big-assed ants) statue. You might ask, what is this about. As it turns out, these roasted queen ants are a delicacy in parts of Colombia, sold in small bags by street vendors. I accepted a bag, and yes, I did eat them. I’ll say the fresh ones tasted a bit like fresh-popped popcorn. Pro tip: eat them right away - their flavor doesn’t hold up after a few minutes.

After getting a general sense of Bucaramanga’s park scene, we stopped at an outdoor cafe for coffee campesino-style and then it was off to Giron. 

La Gorda by Botero, Parque San Pio, Bucaramanga

Giron, short for San Juan de Giron, is one of Colombia’s 17 heritage towns, and is known for its unique architecture and cultural preservation. It was a quiet early afternoon in Giron, spent taking in the architecture, historical artwork, and enjoying lunch in a local restaurant. Giron was very neat to see, and I suspect that it becomes much livelier around holidays and celebrations. 

Basilica Menor in the main plaza of Giron.

Across Colombia, Bucaramanga is known as the city where one goes to buy shoes and leather goods (not to be confused with the Colombian retail shoe store chain Bucaramanga, which sells shoes across the country). Boutiques selling handmade footwear dot the streets around Carrera 22. We visited a couple of shops, and I bought two pairs of shoes - one of which I’ve worn consistently for over five years!

Next up was Floridablanca for the piece de resistance of this tour, Santísimo. Santísimo is a 37 meter-high statue representation of Jesus Christ situated at the top of its namesake park, El Parque Cerro del Santísimo. Getting there requires a ride in a ski lift and a short journey in a massive elevator. We were lucky to have a beautiful day to see the statue in all its glory as well as the panoramas of the surrounding towns and greenery. You could even see coffee growing in the distance (some pictures from the day in the gallery below).  

Perhaps my favorite part was the light show that takes place after sundown. Downhill from the statue, multicolored lights are displayed over fountains against an orchestral soundtrack (see video for brief clip). I enjoyed this with a glass of a local sweet wine whose name I don’t remember. It was a nice way to cap off a day of local sights and sounds.  After this, I was ready to rest and get ready for the next day.

Highlights from Lebrija 

The next morning it was pineapple time. We rode off to Lebrija and stopped by a family farm where multiple varieties of pineapples are grown. It was an educational experience about pineapple farming that included touring the fields, learning about how different varieties of pineapples are used and how to properly pick a pineapple. I got to try fresh pineapple juice and of course, sliced pineapple straight from the farm. As I mentioned in my previous blog, Colombia is a fabulous destination for fresh fruit. Since I couldn’t bring any of it back to the US, the next best thing was to enjoy it fresh from the source! It was also fun to get a small glimpse into Colombian farm life. As someone who didn’t grow up on a farm, but grew up farm-adjacent, it was neat to see what farming looks like in a different country and climate. Even more, hiking the hills of pineapples was a great workout that registered 34 flights climbed on my iPhone health app!

Me, pictured with the pineapple farmer. Unfortunately, I have forgotten his name. Photo by Dominic Wolf.

However, it wasn’t just Wolf Tours offering great food-based activities in Bucaramanga. I also stumbled upon Traveling Spoon, a network of home cooks across the world offering lessons in local cuisine. I was able to connect with Fabio Americo, a professionally-trained chef with experience in high-end restaurants who runs a home kitchen with his mother, Carmen.  

Highlights from the cooking class

One of the side effects of my first trip to Colombia is that I am a full-blown patacon/toston addict. Those fried flattened circles of plantain goodness are my kryptonite, and I wanted to know how to be able to have them any time I wanted. I have similar feelings toward arepas. Fabio ensured I would leave his apartment knowing not only how to make these quintessential Colombian accompaniments, but also an excellent entree for them to complement, pollo sudado. 

But first, we paid a visit to Bucaramanga’s main fresh food market, Mercado Central. With four stories of meats, produce, herbs, spices, and many other colorful delights, it is easy to get overwhelmed here. However, Fabio navigated the market with ease, demonstrating his vast knowledge as he hand-selected each ingredient from his preferred vendors. We then made the short walk back to his apartment, where we started cooking. I got to play sous-chef for the afternoon, while Fabio ensured we had a delicious, cohesive meal to share. 

On top of the patacones, arepas, and pollo sudado, he made us some wonderful juices (lulo and zapote, IIRC) and some plantain chips (chifles) for the road. I still make pollo sudado regularly -  it’s become a comfort food that transports me back to good times in Colombia! Even more, this cooking adventure included a cocktail from the restaurant where Fabio was working, a trendy lounge called make.it.public (unfortunately, Google reports that it has closed). As I sipped my drink before heading to collect my bags and make it to the airport, I became completely sold on Bucaramanga’s vibe. It doesn’t have the international visibility of a Bogotá or Medellin, but it has friendly people, rich history and culture, great food, and a perpetually spring-like climate, similar to Medellin. 

Dominic, Fabio, and Carmen were all excellent hosts who helped me have a very memorable time in Bucaramanga. It is definitely a place I plan to go back to. I missed out on taking advantage of its proximity to Chicamocha National Park and other outdoor destinations, so that’s something for the next trip.

Wrapping up in Bogotá   

After a short delay, I landed back in Bogotá and made my way to my hotel in Parque 93. Many individuals and guides recommend this area, and it was nice. However, I underestimated how much time it would take to get to Candelaria from there. My agenda for my last full day in Bogotá was to do the War and Peace walking tour, visit El Museo del Oro, and maybe get a haircut. I checked off 2 out of 3. I didn’t account for the rush hour traffic, and didn’t come close to making it to the tour in time. Lesson in hand, I made it to the Museo del Oro early, and thoroughly enjoyed learning about the history of gold and golden artifacts dating back centuries. It’s a popular destination. Even in the morning, expect people to move through the museum at a brisk pace to prevent traffic jams. 

With some free time, I made my way to the Museo Nacional. I loved this. With so many artifacts of the country’s history from the colonial period to the present, I got a peek into what was culturally top of mind at many different points in Colombia’s modern history, from multiple perspectives within the nation’s diverse populace.  

Pictures from Museo Nacional and one from Museo del Oro:

It was a beautiful sunny late afternoon, so I decided to walk back to Chapinero from there (about a 45 minute walk - I make no endorsement about the safety of this choice other than to say that this route at this time of day felt safe to me). Walking by at least one university, and multiple clusters of shops, restaurants, and apartment buildings, it was a stretch of road that was full of life - and it felt like a perfect way to wrap up another life-affirming trip.  

But before I could call the final curtain on Colombia pt. 2, I still had to deal with my shaggy hair. I found a barbershop in El Parque de Los Hippies and put my novice Spanish to the test. I think I passed - I got a great haircut and a nice beer - for about $6 USD. 

My hair looking presentable again, I am ready to rest on my last night in Colombia.

From there it was back to Parque 93 to rest for my morning flight. As I left to return to the US, I was a bit sad. Whenever I leave a country, there’s always a part of me that wants to stay an extra day. But where can you do it all and be done? I find there is always something else to see and things you want to do again - and this is especially true for me in Colombia. I’ve yet to experience the vibrance of Medellin, carnival in Barranquilla, or the fincas of Eje Cafetero. I feel like I’ll never run out of things to see and do in Colombia, but I will try!

What are your experiences traveling to Colombia? Are there other places there I should see? Share in the comments below!

It’s Colombia, not Columbia - Musings from a life-affirming vacation

An all-time favorite destination of mine, I first traveled to Colombia in 2018 at the urging of one of my really good friends. While I was expecting to have a good time, I had no idea what I was in for. As someone who grew up in the 90s, I had internalized some of the bad press and resulting stereotypes from that era. And while Colombia, like all places, has its challenges today, I was blown away by what I experienced with the people, sites, landscapes, food, music, and history of the country.

When one of my friends invited me to travel to Cartagena with him, I admit I was skeptical. Colombia was a country I knew little about, and I was mired in an image of what the country would be like that was both reductive and outdated. Luckily, my curiosity and desire to experience the beaches around Cartagena won out. When my friend suggested adding a second stop, I campaigned hard for Medellin as I knew people who had traveled and lived there. 

However, my friend campaigned hard for Bogota, so we went there instead and had an amazing time! But first, let’s talk about Cartagena…

The majority of our time was spent in Centro (aka the Walled City or La Ciudad Murada) and Getsemani. I know there are other great neighborhoods in Cartagena but aside from the first night when I stayed near the airport, I didn’t spend much time outside these two locales. 

My travelmate found us a wonderful and centrally-located rental apartment in the Walled City for the first phase of our tour. Even though I was on vacation, he was working, so I spent a lot of time walking around the center of Cartagena, drinking the most amazing juices of my life (mamey, zapote, and lulo aka naranjilla FTW) and taking in the vibrant colors of the beautifully painted buildings. Although the first couple of days in Colombia were much more low-key compared to prior vacations, I really enjoyed the tranquil vibes. When my friend was able to join me in the evenings, we enjoyed excellent cocktails and ceviche.

One of the beautiful older buildings in El Centro.

Cartagena is interesting from a cultural and historical perspective, as well. However, that seems to get lost in the tourism conversation. Having just finished Marie Arana’s fascinating biography of Simon Bolivar, I now have a greater appreciation for just how important Cartagena was for the years-long fight for liberation from Spain and the eventual formation of Colombia as a nation. And while historical sites abound (La Ventana de La Denuncia from the Spanish Inquisition and Castillo San Felipe were my personal favorites), a lot of the tourism focus seems to be on the Walled City’s colorful houses and the beautiful beaches near Cartagena. [PRO TIP: Cartagena, like most cities, has organizations that give free or inexpensive walking tours that dive into the history of the sites. I usually do at least one per trip, but didn’t in Cartagena. I will definitely do this on a return visit]. 

As we drew to the weekend, we flew to Bogota. I’ll be honest. I didn’t know what to expect and I thought that we were headed to a run-of-the-mill large city. We landed on Saturday late morning and headed to Chapinero, where we were renting an apartment. Our first stop was to a neighborhood restaurant where we each had a glorious double filet with mashed yellow potatoes and amazing wine. Might as well get started big, right? 

Double filet with a red wine sauce over mashed golden potatoes. This cost about $8.

Similar to Cartagena, I spent a lot of time walking and taking in the vibe of one of the more dynamic cities that I’ve visited. However, this time my friend was not working and was able to join me. From Chapinero, we made our way to La Candelaria, the central neighborhood of historic Bogota. And truthfully, no itinerary was needed. Just by walking and taking in the many points of interest and happenings, we were able to experience a lot. A few things we did (from what I can remember):

• Perused Bogota’s outdoor weekend markets

• Savored delicious Colombian coffee from an outdoor cafe

• Tried an oblea from a street vendor 

• Checked out several plazas, squares, and cathedrals

• Randomly encountered a roving celebration of Mexican heritage in Colombia (in both cities, we encountered unexpected jubilant marching processions, which seems on-vibe)

However, the highlight of the first day was our museum excursion. As afternoon faded into evening, we decided to check out one of the museums. We only had time for one and thus faced a tough decision between Museo Fernando Botero and Museo del Oro. Given our location at that moment, we opted for the Botero Museum. And wow, what a place! Prior to that point I was woefully uneducated about Colombian artists and Botero is one of the most famous. This renowned painter and sculptor is known for his exaggerated depictions, most often of people and fruit. Some refer to Botero’s style as “absolute units”. I was so glad to add Botero to my burgeoning knowledge of contemporary art history and strongly believe his work deserves more attention. Check him out!

Presumably the Mona Lisa as interpreted by Fernando Botero.

Sunday brought us brunch, Monserrate, and my first experience with aguardiente. 

If you’re like me, you enjoy exploring the everyday things of other cultures - things such as supermarkets, chain restaurants, public transportation. Fortunately, while in Cartagena, I was introduced to Crepes y Waffles, a Colombian chain focused on - wait for it - crepes and waffles. Crepes y Waffles has locations throughout Colombia as well as in a few other Latin American countries and Spain. I love crepes and Crepes y Waffles did not disappoint. While I have not verified this, I was told that Crepes y Waffles operators make a point out of hiring single mothers who may otherwise have trouble finding flexible work. I just learned that Crepes y Waffles is a certified B Corp, which is super cool. 

Back in Bogota, Crepes y Waffles has a concept restaurant called Crepes y Waffles Arte-Sano (this is not the best analogy, but think Taco Bell Cantina vs Taco Bell). Arte-Sano is a bit of a play on words: it conveys both artisanal (artesano) as well as art (arte) & health (sano). Its menu includes some Crepes y Waffles staples plus more experimental dishes. I took the opportunity to step out of my standard savory crepe comfort zone and try a plantain-infused crepe with spicy sauce (my description from memory will never do it justice, so here’s a picture). Paired with a guanabana smoothie and Colombian coffee, it was the perfect fuel for our Monserrate stop. 

I don’t remember everything that was in this savory crepe, but it was delicioso.

One thing I love to do wherever I go is visit a city’s highest point. Monserrate is the highest point in Bogota (over 10000 ft./3000 meters), offering breathtaking scenery and a spectacular view of the city. Monserrate is also home to a cathedral as well as a cafe and a coffee shop called Pro-Vocaciones. I’m beginning to think that Colombians (or at least Bogotanos) are into puns?

Visitors can reach the peak of Monserrate by foot or by tram. Normally, I would have been up for the hike, but we had been having some late nights and early mornings. Not to fear though, the tram up and down the mountain felt safe and offered good views. Be advised that the lines for the tram can be long and patience is key. 

After touring the cathedral and getting pictures of the glorious surroundings, we headed to the cafeteria, where I tried the national dish, bandeja paisa, for the first time. Despite taking the tram, I had worked up quite an appetite and was so grateful for the beans, rice, egg, sausage, plantain, and avocado. Bandeja paisa is a great representation of Colombian food: hearty and tasty with the flavors of the core ingredients doing most of the talking. See the sites of Monserrate in the gallery below (plus the bandeja paisa!):

We concluded our Sunday with dinner in Zona T, a popular commercial area replete with the common trappings of shopping centers from around the world. Here, I tried my first cocktail with the national liquor, aguardiente. While I enjoyed the cocktail, I tried a shot of aguardiente on my next Colombia trip and found that by itself, it is not for me (it’s made from anise, and very much tastes like it). 

The next morning, I got up early to enjoy another crepe (this time from Crepes del Otro Mundo -  I highly recommend) and then headed to the airport for two more days in Cartagena, this time settling in Getsemani. We had two agenda items from that point forward, travel to Baru for a beach day and visit El Castillo San Felipe.

Un crepe del otro mundo.

A lot of people visiting Cartagena hit up the city beaches in the Bocagrande neighborhood, and I plan to do that on my next visit. This time, we elected to hire a driver to take us to Baru, to enjoy the pristine white beaches of the former peninsula (it has functionally been rendered into an island thanks to the 1582 construction of the Canal Del Dique). Riding from Getsemani to Baru was about an hour or so car-ride followed by a very turbulent speedboat ride to get to a prime spot on the beach. And if you’re a beach person like myself, Baru is paradise. With white sand and clear, calm blue water, Baru was exactly what I had in mind when my friend suggested I come with him to Cartagena. I’m telling you - one afternoon in Baru will clear your skin, rid your mind of all stress, and make you feel ready to tackle your life back home!

My Baru photography was seriously lacking, but you can see how clear the water is here.

Before leaving Baru, we stopped at one of the beach restaurants. It’s an interesting experience to eat at one - it seems that many rely on bottled water, even for hand washing, as tap water doesn’t extend to every part of the beach. I don’t remember what I had for lunch, but I did take the opportunity to try a borojo smoothie. Borojo is a superfruit indigenous to Colombia that tastes a bit like tart apple mixed with pomegranate. There are a lot of different health benefits attributed to borojo, but I am not a doctor or nutritionist, so I just say try it for the flavor.

As our time wound down in Colombia, we said our goodbyes to new friends and left on separate flights (I’m typically a Delta guy, so I landed and departed one day earlier than Chris). I squeezed in a very last-minute trip to Castillo San Felipe (photo gallery below), a UNESCO heritage site that served as a fortress during Spanish rule. As I was in a bit of a time crunch, I wasn’t able to take in all of the history surrounding the castle, but loved its views, the verdance surrounding it, and the great lower-body workout hiking it provided. From there, it was back to the apartment to gather my things and head back to the US.

At the end of it, I was so glad to have traveled to Colombia. At that time of my life, I was bogged down in my work, as well as personal losses. I went into the trip with few expectations, but came away with a life-affirming week of experiences that I’ll never forget. In my next blog, I’ll dive into my return journey to Colombia, where I double down on Bogota and fly east to Bucaramanga. 

Other random notes and observations:

• Safety in Colombia: this topic is well-covered on the internet, so I’m not sure how much I have to add. I advise people to be vigilant no matter where they go, but the reality is that you should stick to the common tourist areas for lodging and exploring. I felt pretty safe staying in The Walled City and Getsemani in Cartagena, and by all accounts, Bocagrande is also safe. I spent my first night near the airport, which was fine, but not as central as I’d prefer, as that area is quieter.  In Bogota, the northeastern neighborhoods are generally going to be the safest for lodging. I personally don’t recommend staying in Candelaria, as it can become noticeably less safe at night. Chapinero will give you good proximity to everything and is a safer area, especially for solo travelers. Teusaquillo, Zona T/Zona Rosa, Parque 93 and Usaqen are also recommended, although the latter two might put you farther away from the center than is ideal. If there is something you want to see in a less safe area, or would like additional guidance, I would highly recommend hiring a local tour guide from a reputable source.

• Coffee: While Colombia is rightfully known for its coffee production, Cartagena didn’t have as strong of a coffee culture. When I stayed near the airport, I searched in vain for a coffee shop and didn’t find one. Coffee selection is better in Centro, but seems to be dominated by chain shops, primarily Juan Valdez (it’s quite good though). Bogota had a much better selection of cafes. And if you must have Starbucks or Dunkin, you’re going to find that much more easily in Bogota. (As a New Englander, I almost always end up hitting up the Dunks on my trips for research and comparison). 

• The crisis in Venezuela: At the time of my visits, Colombia was receiving vast numbers of Venezuelan immigrants fleeing the Maduro regime. You couldn’t talk to anyone or overhear a conversation without the situation in Venezuela coming up - and there was no shortage of tension or strong opinions. I write this to say that it is a good idea to be informed about the context between the two countries, as geopolitical events continue to contribute to tensions there. 

• Language: I speak a bit of Spanish now and was very actively learning the language during my first visit. Any Spanish you can speak is only going to help you in Colombia. While most hotel desk staff speaks English, you need some Spanish to truly take part in all Colombia has to offer.

Have questions or want to share about your Colombia experience? Let me know in the comments!

Trying once again…

Hi, welcome to my no-longer dormant blog! What a ride the last few years have been. From a global pandemic to job hopping to buying my first home and adopting two cats, there has been a lot happening! That includes some travel, but unfortunately very little writing. It’s time to change that…

The original goal

If you’ve seen my first blog post, or spoke to me in 2019, you might know that shortly before my 35th birthday, I set a goal of visiting 40 countries by the time I turned 40 (I shortly revised it to 40 by the time I’m done being 40.) This was ambitious. I had only reached 13 at that time, meaning I needed to visit 5-6 new countries every year. As someone who has only worked traditional jobs, this goal would require a great deal of resourcefulness and planning. As someone who is not independently wealthy, it would also require flexibility so as not to break my budget.

What happened 

Obviously, the world locked down in March 2020 (for good reason). Plans for a three-country tour of the Southern Cone of South America had to be postponed indefinitely, and the focus for everyone turned to making it through the pandemic. For someone who thrives on adventure, this was a challenging adjustment. I had every intention of writing about my past travels and planning for the future, but ended up in a deluge of work chaos and fast-forwarding my home buying plans. I sadly ended up putting the blog on the back-burner…until now.

Changing focus

After realizing the pandemic and its after-effects weren’t going away in short order, I changed my goal to a more realistic 20 by 40 (50 by 50 is not ruled out yet). And now, as I close out my 40th year, I’m happy to announce that I’m almost there! While being between jobs puts the goal in a bit of jeopardy, it does give me more time to write. 

So, welcome back! And let me know, what places do you want to hear about? What travel topics are on your mind? I’m looking to write about a wider range of topics about travel, as well as share more of my life.

Happy travels, and I look forward to engaging!

Current Country Progress

1. Guatemala

2. The Netherlands

3. Belgium

4. France

5. Hungary

6. Hong Kong

7. Macau

8. Mexico

9. China

10. Iceland

11. Philippines

12. Colombia

13. Spain 

14. Uruguay

15. Argentina

16. Portugal

17. Canada

18. United Kingdom

19. Panama

20. ???

New Years in Iceland (Pt. 2)

Akureyri

 To be honest, the prospect of visiting Akureyri didn’t speak to me very much at first. While it’s Iceland’s northernmost and 2nd largest city, it doesn’t appear to have much going on at first glance. Sure, there’s a fair amount of outdoor activities accessible via Akureyri, but many of these can be also accessed via Reykjavik. However, I always try to look beyond the first impression. I’m glad I took another look at Akureyri.

Going online to search for more info, I saw that at the very least Akureyri had an adorable downtown area and a culturally rich small-town vibe. I was intrigued. And the more learned, I confirmed that while yes, Reykjavik and Akureyri offer many of the same touring opportunities, certain things (i.e. Northern Lights tours) would probably be better done from an Akureyri starting point (do note that aside from the added cost of getting to Akureyri, tours are generally a bit more expensive there). After a coworker gave a glowing recommendation on Akureyri, it was settled.

Given that there are few airports outside of Iceland that service Akureyri’s airport, most tourists fly into Reykjavik and travel via rental car, tour bus, or plane to Akureyri. While renting a car and driving through the country is something I want to do in the future, I had to take an airplane this time given my lack of time and the fact that the New Year is when the Icelandic winter peaks. The airport that one uses to fly to domestic airports in Iceland is not the Keflavik International Airport, but rather is a small domestic airport in Reykjavik. This airport is small (about six gates), efficient, and really feels more like a bus or train station. (Side note: the coffee and pastries in the café there are excellent).

Most intra-country flights in Iceland are served through Air Iceland Connect, which I understand to be the domestic arm of Icelandair. Flight prices are reasonable, and service is quite good. Akureyri’s airport is even smaller. I think it had two gates, maybe one. Nonetheless, I had no trouble getting a taxi to my hotel. 

My only major plans in Akureyri were to explore downtown and go on a Northern Lights tour, both of which I accomplished. There were a couple of snags though. My coworker had recommended Kristjans Bakari to me for pastries and sandwiches, and I was pumped to know that it was in walking distance from my hotel. However, what I didn’t know was that there are two locations, both were equidistant from my hotel and I for some reason used Apple Maps for navigation and it pointed me to the one opposite of downtown. The other location was fine. I did want lunch and it didn’t have a lunch menu, but I subsisted on a donut covered with caramel and crispy rice and coffee.

Kristjans Bakari is a cute bakery local to Akureyri with a central downtown location and this more residential one.

Afterwards, I started walking to what I thought was downtown, but it became clear soon enough that I was walking away from the city and needed to turn around. (Hey- I found a serene little walking bridge and park area).

I was a bit lost but my view from the bridge was way more aesthetic than my poor iPhone could get across.

Realizing I was heading to the actual downtown, I wanted to get real lunch at a highly rated café. Standing in my way was the iciness and hilliness of the sidewalks and roads. Unlike Reykjavik, January is not a busy time in Akureyri. It makes sense. Akureyri gets very cold and the winter of 2019-20 in Iceland has dealt some more intense weather than usual. This isn’t the only way in which Akureyri is unlike the larger city to its south. Whereas, Iceland efficiently leverages the nation’s geothermal heating system to keep the sidewalks always clear, this was not the case in my Akureyri experience. Akureyri seemed to be more car-oriented, even downtown. Navigating sidewalks and side streets was not going in my favor and the café was on a side street, so I found that I had to abandon my original plans and head to one of the restaurants in the main square of downtown.

Downtown Akureyri (see gallery below) is delightful, featuring a handful of local restaurants and shops. There is an art museum that was very inviting from the outside, but unfortunately I did not plan well enough to get to it before it closed. My main stops were Akureyri Fish & Chips for a late lunch, a few gift shops, and dinner at the Hotel Kea. Like Reykjavik, Akureyri is also home to a big downtown church, Akureyrarkirkja. I climbed up the steps to Akureyrarkirkja to admire the vastness of the building and the very clean but distinguished Nordic architecture, and it was really a nice site against the backdrop of the dark, snowy sky. Unfortunately, after a day of navigating deftly around icy and slippery hazards, I succumbed to the wet steps going down, and fell a few steps, but luckily caught the railing before things got too bad. I did not intend to start out 2020 alone and unconscious miles from the Arctic Circle!

The Main Event

Luckily, I only sustained minor soreness at the church and was able to move onto the main event for me in Akureyri, which was a roadtrip to see the Northern Lights. Besides wanting to see what life was like in North Iceland, one of the main reasons for my trip was to get a better shot at seeing the Aurora Borealis. I arranged a tour through Saga Travel, which picked up from the Hotel Kea and went several miles outside of town to some prime viewing spots. 

I piled into a van with tourists from all over and we were shuttled a few miles outside of Akureyri. While riding, we learned that Akureyri is basically the world capital of bearnaise sauce and boasts its own style of pizza, topped with meat, bearnaise sauce and French fries (only a few thousand calories if you’re counting). I like to try the local cuisine wherever I go, but I’m getting chest pains just thinking about this one.

Anyhow, our guide (who was wonderful and whose name escapes me at the moment) is intermittently on the phone with his network of Northern Lights watchers searching for a good spot. We drove in about three different directions before he decided that a spot outside of an old fish processing plant would be the place to watch. The guide wasn’t promising us much in terms of what we might see that night- the Northern Lights are never guaranteed to show!

As we parked and gathered outside of the van to watch the lights, it was clear that as a group, we had tempered expectations, but were willing to stand outside in 12F/-11C temperatures to wait for a chance to see those breathtaking green and gold hues. I personally had wanted to see them for years and was willing to bear through the cold, the wind, and the snow for this opportunity. Our guide helped us along by providing some rich, delicious hot cocoa. 

Did I get to see the Northern Lights?

Technically, yes. While I didn’t see the colors everyone hopes to see, the moving star formations were visible and pretty neat. We kept hearing “you see them brewing” and there was momentary hope that we’d see that elusive colorful burst of light. Visitors with a high-quality professional camera could see some of the color. Alas, my iPhone 8 is not that camera. All said, this was still a fun experience. But not a “once in a lifetime” one, because I have no doubt that I’ll try it again.  

One would need a really advanced camera to truly see the Northern Lights that night. This is what I was able to catch.

Concluding Thoughts/Observations

·      I’d like to do a trip around the Ring Road of Iceland, spending more time in the northern region. I know I only scratched the surface of Akureyri.

·      Given the fantastic museums I’ve been to in Reykjavik, I’m disappointed I missed the art museum in Akureyri. I missed other museums as well, because I didn’t rent a car. Icelanders love museums and it shows. Akureyri alone features…

·      One of the movie theatres in Akureyri was playing Cats on two screens. I will just leave that there.

·      Iceland is a great place to spend New Year’s, but it can be rough for the solo traveler. If When I go a third time, I won’t plan to go solo. 

·      I didn’t go to one of the famous swimming pools this time, but I definitely recommend it. I stayed across the street from the main one in Akureyri and feel dumb for not packing my swimsuit.

Wherever you are in the world, I hope you’re staying well. Now that I’ve settled more into my work-from-home routine, I plan to step up the frequency of posts. Until we meet again!

Travel in the time of Corona

Unsurprisingly, I did not end up going on my trip to South America (Uruguay, Argentina, and Brazil). The rise of Coronavirus in the Americas was too much to ignore. Out of an abundance of caution, I chose to indefinitely postpone my trip. I hope to reschedule as soon as possible. When that might be, I have no idea. The situation with COVID-19 is evolving around the world, and the situation in the US as well as in South America has likely not peaked yet and may impact mobility for the next few months. 

While it is for the best that I (and everyone else whose job does not preclude it) “socially distance”, I went through several iterations of modifying my trip until ultimately deciding to cancel it. First, I thought I could cancel just the Argentina leg and be fine as I was worried about crowds, boat travel from Uruguay and the numerous direct flights coming in from Italy.  

A week ago, Uruguay had no confirmed infections. Up to the last minute, I wondered if I should risk it- I was still getting “business as normal” emails from hotels, airlines, and tour guides. And would getting stuck in Uruguay be so bad? They have good healthcare, right? The risk seemed low-ish to proceed with a trip on which that I had already sunk a fair amount of money. And their initial inbound travel restrictions didn’t apply to the US!

Fast forward a week, Uruguay has 79 confirmed infections, US travelers are subject to a mandatory 14 day quarantine upon entering the country (I’m sure there are worse places to be quarantined, but there are much better ways to spend time in a new country!) and who knows how the re-entry situation would have changed by the time I would have arrived back in the US tomorrow! 

So, I’m here in Boston socially distancing for the foreseeable future. I hope to go to Uruguay and elsewhere in South America in the late summer, but for now, taking it day by day. Stay healthy- and in the meantime, stay tuned for Pt. 2 of my Iceland blog and some reflections on my first two visits to South America!

New Year's in Iceland (Pt. 1)

Now that we are several days into March, it is clear that I am long overdue to write about my New Year’s trip to Iceland.

Why Iceland for New Year’s?

Basically, I was a little bored of my typical house party routine in Boston and wanted to celebrate differently. So thinking back to my amazing 2016 visit to Iceland (I’ll write about this in more detail in a future post), I became curious about what New Year’s Eve might look like in Reykjavik. I had recently become the beneficiary of quite a few bonus Delta SkyMiles and looked into using them for Delta’s JFK-KEF direct flight* (I live in Boston but was flying to New York from my parents’ home airport. After deciding the miles cost was ok (and really, I didn’t need much convincing), I booked a flight to Keflavik, landing on Dec 31, returning to the US on January 3. 

*Delta would end up suspending “off-season” service from JFK to KEF, but graciously rebooked me on Icelandair. This was my first time flying with them and I thought it was great!

What I expected

Based on reading other blogs, I expected that Icelanders would do New Year’s Eve justice. Descriptions of having bonfires, shooting fireworks, and watching a year-in-review TV comedy show called Áramótaskaup(check out this homage to the defunct WOW Airlines) before heading out to the Reykjavik’s many lively bars convinced me that I had found the perfect way to shake up the holiday. I imagined something chill but still exciting with fewer than usual tourists for the season, and a distinct but indescribable quality of Icelandicness.  

Also, other blogs told me to expect all shops, restaurants, and cafes to close early on NYE and not to open at all on NYD. Images of a quiet, quaint Reykjavik were all that I expected. And not to harp(a) on it, I really didn’t expect there to be many other tourists, especially from the US. I figured New Year’s Eve tourists would likely choose larger cities or to be closer to nature. Moreover, word on the street has been that the rise in tourism seen throughout the 2010s has crested. 

But I was wrong!

New Year’s falls into the peak season of tourism to Iceland, so it was actually relatively crowded in Reykjavik. I had no trouble getting a hotel but compared to my 2016 trip during the less busy spring/summer season (spring in the US, late spring/early summer in Iceland), rates were more expensive. There were noticeably more people on the streets, and it was clear that there were tourists from all over the world celebrating the occasion in Reykjavik, several other Americans included. I went to the famous Baejarins Beztu Pylsur hotdog stand (true to its English translation, it is “the best hotdog in town”) where I counted myself as the 34th person in line. In 2016, I was sometimes the only person in line (yes, I went a few times!). With all of these people in line for a hotdog, I was feeling better about making a dinner reservation for one at a brewhouse in Reykjavik. 

How it really went down

Around 4pm, many shops and cafes closed and a countdown clock near Austurbakki (a main street cutting through the downtown area) went into action. The streets did get quieter but were far from cleared out. I passed some time at a coffee shop on Laugavegur (another primary street for shopping and dining) where I was lucky to get the last table. So, things were not quite as advertised. I was also able to stop at the 1011 (an Icelandic store similar to 7Eleven) and get the international power adapter that I forgot to pack (whew!).

Dinner was great for the most part. I went to Bryggjan Brugghús, a brewhouse restaurant near the harbor. I had found a last-minute reservation as my original dinner reservation was in the superb of Kopavogur, and I decided I didn’t want to travel that far. Bryggjan had a special holiday buffet featuring modern takes on Icelandic classics. It’s not every day that I am drawn to eat herring, but it’s absolutely not bad when coated in a blueberry glaze. The dessert spread was pretty impressive too, with the highlight being the skyr brulée. Not surprisingly, the beers at Bryggjan Brugghús were worth coming in for. 

But…even though I already knew that food in Iceland was expensive, I experienced legit sticker shock when I got the bill. Normally, I would have checked the price beforehand, but given that the only menu option was the buffet and the perceived scarcity of restaurants on New Year’s Eve, I wasn’t going to scrutinize the price. The buffet and two pints (no drinks included in buffet) came out to about $140 whereas I was expecting it to be about $80. That made me second-guess my decision to pass up the arctic char after I was already feeling stuffed :).

And as I went back out on the town, it turned out that there was plenty of food to be had. Yes, nice sit-down restaurants were not abundantly available. However, shawarma, pho, sandwiches (including hot dogs if you believe in that), and other quick and cheap(er) options were widely available. TBH, I would have been ok with this as I didn’t budget $140 for dinner. Chalk this one up to experience.

After dinner: fireworks, Áramótaskaup, and the city goes wild

As someone who grew up in the rural south, I am very familiar with people shooting their own fireworks for holidays. When you live in a place with low population density, it’s to be expected. While Iceland is nearly synonymous with low population density, that is not so much case in the capital. So, seeing so many amateur fireworks being shot off in a nation’s capital seemed odd at first. However, these amateur fireworks seemed so very well coordinated…

As it turns out, shooting amateur fireworks is illegal most of the year in Iceland. However, around the end of December, the national search and rescue team conducts a fundraiser selling fireworks. This coincides with a temporary lift on the fireworks ban. And it is not a recipe for disaster! The people in Reykjavik appear to do a very good job making sure that their citizen fireworks displays are staged in a way that they are safely spaced apart from each other (and the bonfires) and that people can see fireworks from all of the key points in the city. The organization of the whole thing was fascinating and definitely added some pop to the sky (which is needed when the sun sets at 3:45PM!).

Even though I don’t speak Icelandic, I wanted to see Áramótaskaup, which is an annual show in the style of SNL, lampooning the events of the year. Unsurprisingly, it was somewhat hard to follow many of the sketches as they were about people and events specific to Iceland. However, the ode to WOW Air (RIP) and this slightly NSFW take on self-checkouts at Bonús (probably the largest and most affordable supermarket chain in the country- you’ll want to remember that if you visit) were hilarious and apt commentary. 

And then it was 11:20PM and time to rush back downtown to see the fireworks finale and the clock strike 12. Not going to lie, it was kind of magical. People from all over gathered in the streets and while there was some slightly chaotic energy to it, it was so much more relaxed than celebrating in a larger city. I had chosen to face the clock at Hallgrímskirkja (the church overlooking downtown Reykjavik) as it affords some of the city’s best views and is the city’s clock tower. 

Then it happened, the fireworks started ramping up, then calmed, then the clock struck 12 and the crowd went wild(ish). The fireworks sped up again and the crowd dispersed as the bars are open to party, and Icelanders can get down! Despite the amazing energy, I couldn’t hang for too long (I had come in on a redeye that morning!), but it didn’t disappoint.

The next day was mostly for rest and recovery, but a few notes about NYD in Iceland. Contrary to what you may read on the internet, many things are open, especially downtown. My hotel was in more of a business district and about a 15-20-minute walk downtown, so it took a bit of walking before I found a restaurant open for lunch. Thinking I had no other options, I stopped at the first place I found : Islenska Hamborgarafabrikkan, a national sit-down hamburger chain. It was fantastic, but I would find several other eateries were open. Even many of the gift shops were open. Tours were also widely available, although I didn’t take advantage this time. I was saving up my energy for the next day, when I would fly to Akureyri to spend the day…and I’ll save that for Part 2!

2020 Plans

It’s been a while since I started writing this, but life (and some amazing travel) got in the way!

While I was away…

• Celebrated Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years (yikes it’s been that long!). While the first two were spent in my Boston apartment. I visited my family in Tennessee for Christmas and spent New Years in Iceland (post to come!)

• Spent some random days in New York City (always welcome!)

• Caught up with a friend in California and saw the amazing Monterey Bay Aquarium and Carmel-by-the-Sea

• Traveled to Orlando, Florida three times for work

• Put in a lot of hours in the office, played a lot of basketball, and spent a fair amount of time learning Spanish (necesito practicar más, veras!)

Moving on to the more exciting topic: 2020 travel and the country count. As I mentioned in my intro post, I have a goal of visiting 40 countries before I turn 40. Just so you know where I am in my journey, here are the countries outside of the US where I’ve been:

1. Guatemala

2. The Netherlands

3. Belgium

4. France*

5. Hungary

6. Hong Kong*

7. Macau

8. Mexico

9. China*

10. Iceland*

11. Philippines

12. Colombia*

13. Spain

The countries with an asterisk are the ones I’ve been to more than once. I realize that Hong Kong and Macau are special administrative regions of China, but count for separate passport stamps so they are counted separately.

Where am I going in 2020?

Next month, I will get started on a weeklong journey covering three countries I am super excited to be seeing…drumroll please

I will be going to Uruguay, Argentina, and Brazil, bringing the total to 16 countries and reaching 40% of my goal. Right now, I am still in the thick of planning but I plan to share more very soon!

Also coming up: Review of New Years in Iceland, the under appreciated magic of Colombia, and some hopefully interactive musings on travel loyalty programs! …and I will start to post some pictures!

INTRODUCTION

Hi! Welcome to the first entry in my travel journey blog. Sharing more about my world travels has been something I’ve wanted to do for a while. I’m happy you’ve chosen to share in this journey with me!

Why am I doing this?

Travel is something that makes me feel alive like nothing else. From a young age, I wanted to learn about the world outside of my small Tennessee hometown. From the time my eyes fixated on a “flags of the world” poster in my elementary school cafeteria, I had to know everything I could about the vastness of the world and the differences of other cultures.

Fast forward to adulthood…not all of our dreams happen on the timeline on which we imagine them. I made it through university without ever having stepped out of the United States (or even on an airplane). Fast forward to 2010, I had easily become well acquainted with flying, but I still didn't have a passport. That would change.

I had started business school, one part of a purposeful reevaluation of my life to work toward the ideal of “living the life I imagined”. Upon hearing of a spring break trip to Guatemala, I decided I needed to go. My life hasn't been the same since then. I’ve now been to 13 countries and three continents- and have no plans to stop.

Can I get to 40 by 40?

Follow me to see. I will be chronicling my progress in this blog and recounting past trips. I hope I can provide helpful tips and insight for those who are considering the same destinations! I will also likely be talking about places to which I’m considering voyaging. It is my hope that this turns into a community of like-minded travelers.

A little more about me

I’m 35, work in marketing within the tech industry, have spent most of the last decade in New England after spending most of my life in the Southeastern US. I love cooking, dining out, art, music, and meeting people everywhere I go. You’ll see these interests intersect with my travels a lot :). I also like watching and playing basketball and running (albeit not always so well) and am always looking to practice my Spanish and French.

My travel style is a bit eclectic, as you’ll see, but really it’s all about making the most of every opportunity. From work trips to off-season deals to group excursions, I’ve had all types of travel experiences. A lot of my experiences are built around maximizing a modest budget and taking advantage of opportunities like work travel. As much as I can, I try to “live like a local” when I’m away.

Read on…

To learn about where I’ve been, where I’m going, and some cool things I’ve learned along the way. I’ll probably cover topics related to the countries I post about as well, and hope to have some guest posts from my amazing traveling friends! Welcome!