Southern Spain--Andalusia

Granada

We landed in Malaga and picked up our rental car (a Fiat!)—first stop, Granada! We wasted no time and stopped at a local place for lunch, Meson El Pipos, for our first round of tapas. Adam dove right into the mussels and octopus, and I had my favorite—bread, cheese, and flan.

Homemade flan

The Alhambra

Loja

After departing from Granada, we made our way to a small town, Loja, to find dinner and a hotel for the night. Hotel Rural Llano Piña was a quant mountainside family run hotel that boasted affordable prices and a cozy, bed and breakfast feel. The room came complete with a terrace overlooking an olive grove and chocolates…on the nightstand, for only $50.00.

We ate dinner at a local place, Restaurante Flati, with the highlight being the locally sourced olive oil from neighboring groves.

In the morning we departed from Loja (cafe con leche in hand) to journey towards El Chorro!

El Chorro-El Caminito del Rey

Once the “world’s most dangerous hiking path”, is now an amazing experience that brings a new meaning to a 5k. You start off by walking a little over a mile to the ticket booth to see if they even have tickets available (luckily they did—or it’s another 1.3 walk back to the tunnel entrance). They give you a helmet and a quick chat about safety, then you are off on your own to go explore.

The old path that people used to walk on!

Something to note if you are visiting Caminito del Rey, although the online website said the tickets were sold out, we figured we would still try and go, and they had plenty of availability when we went to the ticket booth. Also make sure you check their website to see if they are in fact even open as after we finished hiking, there was a sign that the path was closed due to wind conditions.

Cuevas Del Becerro

Super small town on the way from El Chorro to Rhonda. We stopped here for lunch…and flan.

We ate at Bar Pescaero, a small restaurant with 3 tables and an even bigger bar. The tab for 7 tapas, bread, 2 coffees, and wine, was about $15.

The dirt road out of Cuevas Del Becerro was filled with more olive groves, farm land, and a donkey!

Ronda

Ronda was a mountaintop city that had a beautiful stone bridge spanning the gorge below. We stopped at Bar La Lechera for a quick cafe latte and rice pudding—yum!

Estepona

Affordable beachside town that is filled with dogs, expats, and delicious local seafood. Surrounded by the water on one side and the mountains on the other, there seems to be something for everyone here.

We ate dinner at La Palma (a recommendation from the owner of our hotel). The restaurant had fresh, local seafood and homemade dessert. I had ordered (too much) dessert and the waiter asked if I had diabetes…

Malaga

Malaga was the biggest out of all the cities we visited. Home of the Picasso museum, moorish castles, and local tapas joints—there is a lot to soak in here.

Fried queso <3

Our final dinner was in Malaga at Restaurante los Marfiles. Adam had a whole octopus (and was VERY happy).

The trip wouldn’t be complete without a quick stop at the local butcher to get some Jamón ibérico for the plane!

Takeaways

• This was the first time we truly just “played everything by ear” and booked dinners/accommodations in the moment

• Restaurants do not get busy for dinner until about 9/10pm

• Everyone has a dog

• The scenery is absolutely stunning as you are driving through the country and mountainside

• We were able to stretch our dollar by staying at budget hotels (that were actually fantastic) and dining at local places where wine and tapas were around a couple dollars

• During siesta (usually 2-5ish) many shops are closed

• Very friendly culture and we got to meet a lot of great people (even some expats from London)

• Love TAP Portugal— free meals, blankets, TV’s, and great customer service

Greece

Athens

Our Airbnb was located in a non touristy area but rather a small neighborhood that Adam actually lived in when he studied abroad. The Airbnb was perfectly sized and had a bakery right below - perfect!

Panathenaic Stadium (above)- hosted the first modern Olympic Games.

Temple of Olympian Zeus. Since we were there during off season, the entry tickets were half price.

Just your average olive tree on the side of the road.

Acropolis of Athens

We hiked up Mount Lycabettus - the highest point in the city - to take in the beautiful views. There is also an option to take a R/T cable car for 15 euro.

The Food. Where do I begin. The reason we walked up Mount Lycabettus was to be able to eat everything below (for under $30)!

We took a ferry to the Island of Aegina. It was a short 45 minutes and they have assigned seats onboard. Aegina is known for it’s honey and pistachios. Since it was off season, the island was practically empty.

We rented an ATV to travel around the island and it was peaceful (unlike Adam’s last ATV experience!). We of course found more ruins.

For dinner we went to Aleria Restaurant in Athens. It was a delicious four hour tasting menu that was very affordable (only 60 Euro PP).

Click below for more photos!

We stumbled upon a street market with fresh fruit, veggies and olives!

We visited the Acropolis Museum that had a free guided tour at 6pm. The floors are glass so you can see though the ruins.

We went to dinner at I Kriti- a traditional Crete Restaurant (click below for more pictures).

Takeaways

• Very affordable

• Entrance fees are 1/2 price during the winter months

• A lot of stray cats

• No tipping required

• Always get a small dessert type thing at the end of the meal (for free)

Belize

Hopkins 

Jaguar Reef Lodge

Nestled right in the heart of Hopkins, The Jaguar Reef Lodge was the perfect trip to relax after our wedding. The room was right on the beach, had a private deck and we were just a quick bike ride from town! Since it was off season (in late October), the resort and town were pretty empty.

Not to mention the views and sounds of the ocean were absolutely breath taking.

The resort had plenty of beach rentals: Kayak, SUP and snorkeling gear to enjoy.

We rode our bikes into town and came across this really cool hemp bus. The woman that lives there sells homemade lotions and bug repellent out of her home (the school bus!) She moved from Oregon and has a cool little dig here in Hopkins!

Most days we just lounged in hammocks on the dock and relaxed :)

We took a private boat ride with Saldo that led us to this beautiful lagoon. Everything stood still.

The restaurant was nestled right on the beach so you can enjoy gorgeous views as you eat delicious locally sourced food.

Like these yummy shrimp tostadas with fresh made guacamole!

The Lodge also offered daily tours so we took advantage of the organic cacao farm excursion at Che’il. You got to see where the farm grows their cacao and also learn the process of bean to bar!

We were fortunate enough to partake in the bean to bar journey and make our own!

The chocolate was delicious and we were able to bring some cocoa powder home to bake with!

Belmopan

Sleeping Giant Rainforest Lodge

The Sleeping Giant Rainforest Lodge is anything but sleepy. The resort is filled with beautiful birds, exotic plants, rows of citrus groves, hiking trails and a stellar view from the top!

Our home away from home.

Our room was an HGTV dream. Big windows, beautiful tile work and a HUGE outdoor soaking tub. You can leave your noise machine at home with the natural sounds of the rain, waterfalls and peepers —they will easily put you to sleep.

The amenities at the lodge were easy to enjoy with these beautiful pools and hammocks. You could also easily walk down to the river and rent a kayak (if it did not just rain for MANY days—the water rose to cover the whole staircase)!

The food at the resort was farm to table, even all the desserts! For breakfast we had papaya, pineapple and fresh squeezed orange juice.

Although we are not big drinkers, the eanab’s were right up our alley. I frequently had the hibiscus mint seltzer and Adam had the nonalcoholic rumchatas!

Our excursion into the cave was anything but “intermediate”. It started as a bumpy tractor ride through the citrus groves, then a 45 minute hike in the pouring rain to the cave!

It was so worth it! We were able to experience total darkness when our guide had us all turn our headlamps off. All you could hear was dripping water and the sound of your own breath.

I found Buddha in limestone form.

On our hike back down our guide (an Army Vet) was able to point out poisonous snakes by smelling their urine, and also spot herbs like Jackass bitter (said to cure Malaria).

We were able to visit ancient Mayan ruins that are still being excavated today! It was amazing to soak up all the history from these sites.

Where Adam is (above) used to be sleeping quarters.

It may not look it in the photo, but the stairs to the top were practically a ladder. Incredibly steep and not for those who are afraid of heights!

Takeaways

• As soon as you arrive you will find yourself enjoying Belizean time (aka island time).

• Going through Viva Belize was great because we got the best of both worlds (Lush Rainforest and Beach Vibes, all in one). The resort picks you up at the airport and also transfers you between different resort locations.

• All the food and drink were farm to table.

Spain

Madrid

Toledo, Spain

India

Agra

I met up with Jen, a friend since high school! She was over in Thailand and we spent the day together before we went our separate ways!

We went on a full day tour from New Delhi to Agra, and saw everything in between. 

The baby Taj! We got to explore inside and met up with our tour guide that stuck with us throughout the whole day! 

The marble, gems, and ornate architecture is just as beautiful as the Taj Mahal! 

We drove through the busy side streets of Agra before making it to our next stop.

We arrived at the Taj! You have to go through a lot of security to get in... and if you are on a tour, they usually let you skip to the front of the line. The line was also separated, one line for men, one for women. 

I really can't believe I had the opportunity to see the Taj. It seems so small and as you walk closer and closer, it continues to grow in size.

Pit stop along the way - we ate lunch at the Trident Hotel. I just love my paneer and rice. 

Our next stop, they showed us the work that goes into building something as spectacular as the Taj Mahal. 

They are very persuasive salesmen, as this is the "only place" you can buy this handmade art. I did end up buying a smaller piece like the one below.

The Agra Fort ! 

You could see the Taj from here!

Jaipur -The Pink City!

I stayed at the Pearl Palace in Jaipur! The room was so clean, colorful and only $20 a night! 

I had no toilet paper my whole stay (truly thinking that I had to bring my own--thank god I did)..but during checkout I discovered they do in fact give you toilet paper, housekeeping just forgot to restock mine! Just in case you were wondering! 

One of my favorite parts of the hotel was the rooftop Peacock restaurant! I went up for many meals and had my fair share of paneer and naan bread. 

Not to mention the views were spectacular! 

The restaurant was often packed--it seemed even the locals came here...for pizza!

Just your average camel walking down the street. 

Elefantastic!

For starters- You get picked up at your hotel, then you first get dropped off to eat at Rahul's moms house! It was amazing. She made us Dal, chapati, and jasmine rice. Then we drove over to the sanctuary. 

The first thing we got to do was get to know our elephant by language, touch, and most importantly feeding them. They want to make sure you're not going to eat their food before they will trust you. My elephant was named Meena. 

Meena ate everything in sight and she loved when you scratched behind her ears! Elephants are shy until they trust you, then they can become very social.

I would highly recommend visiting the elephant sanctuary. Rahul is amazing, greeted us with cold drinks, they take your pictures, help you every step of the way, no tipping...they truly care about your experience and the well being of the elephants. 

It just so happened to be World Tourism Day on my city wide tour of Jaipur! First stop, the Palace Hawa Mahal. 

I was also interviewed on what I like about Jaipur to help promote tourism and it aired on Indian TV. 

Since it was World Tourism Day, I lucked out and got into many places for free!

I ran into a couple other Libras :) 

The great wall of India--the second longest continuous wall on the planet... 

Water Palace 

Monkey Temple! 

Takeaways

• When someone is trying to sell you something at a market (that you don’t want to buy) you have to learn to say "no"! Not "maybe later". If you do want to buy something at a market, always bargain at least 50%. 

• The customer service in India is the best I have ever seen!

• Be careful of people trying to offer you their services/tours, saying they do it better, cheaper. 

• There is security to enter the airport. In order to enter, you will need some sort of paper confirmation that you have a ticket...like a print out of your Expedia confirmation, or they won't let you in. 

• Everything is on time and you can book tours way in advance with no deposit. They are very trusting. You always pay at the end...If you're "happy".

• Traffic in India is hands down the most insane thing you will ever see! Accidents left and right, people going to the bathroom on the side of road, animals roaming the street, and people hanging off the sides of cars and buses because there is not enough room inside! 

Iceland, Take Two

Reykjavík

Take two in Iceland! I didn't think it could get any colder than my last visit, but Iceland delivered! I finally made it to the top of HALLGRÍMSKIRKJA CHURCH! You take a very small elevator up to the top that is undoubtedly blasting veggie tale sing alongs. 

Its quite windy, but the 360 panoramic views are worth it. The colorful roofs light up the otherwise grey surroundings. 

For breakfast saturday morning we stopped at the Laundromat Cafe, yes, you can do your laundry there. This amazing dish of skyrr, pancakes, and the infamous rye bread was accompanied by freshly squeezed orange ginger juice. Needless to say I was full for the day. 

The famous hot dog guy is still here. 

Although I did not try them, everyone will agree they are the best hot dogs in the world. They are also the most affordable thing to eat in Iceland besides rye bread. 

Every year Reykjavik hosts a gay pride parade that 200,000 people attend--that’s almost half the country.

I was very excited to see a yoga handbook at the local bookstore. Joga, anyone?

If youre in Iceland on the weekend--you have to make a stop at the flea market. Loaded with food, used clothes, and knick knacks--you can try a sample of fermented shark and also buy nice wool hat. 

We did go out on a romantic date. Ooo lala. Of course the dessert was my favorite. You're looking at strawberry mousse with foamed skyrr and gooseberries. In the back was skyrr mousse cake with blueberry sorbet. OMG. It. was. amazing.

Also, we can't get enough of the fermented shark. JK. It honestly smells like ammonia and you're about to eat jello thats made with bleach-it’s truly the worst thing. At least they gave you wind blown dried fish and sea kelp to help wash it down. 

Iceland parties loud and publicly. They tied the soccer game against Kazakhstan and there was a DJ on site ready to get things started. 

Along the water is a nice bike/walking trail that runs alongside downtown Reykjavik. There are runners, cute dogs and amazing views to your left. 

Half a tree pose on some slippery rocks. Or am I cheering Iceland on in soccer...GOALLLLLL!

My favorite part of the whole trip was going inside a volcano. You hike 45 minutes to base camp wearing long yellow rain coats that protect you against the rain and wind over the lava fields. Once you arrive they give you tea and coffee and go over the safety guidelines. 

You get lowered down in a German made window cleaning shaft with six other people. They don't even make you sign a waiver! 

The chemicals from the lava melted all over the walls and created an array of colors. Some rocks even looked like gold!

There goes the shaft--dropping 450 feet down into the volcano. This is the only lava chamber in the world that you can descend into as most chambers get destroyed by the eruption. With that being said, they don't know if it is 100% safe--but hey, we have helmets. 

One of my favorite pictures from on the way down. You can see how the lava melted the rocks and the eery light shines up from below. 

To think we were following the natural flow of lava as it leaves the magna chamber--it's quite a unique feeling. 

That tiny opening is the hole the shaft passes through and the same hole the lava flooded through over 4500 years ago. 

The view from the ground is unlike anything I have ever seen before. The solitude on the ground was like an ever lasting savasana. The only noise you could hear was the water dripping from the top onto the rocks below--so peaceful. 

The grounds around the volcano are just as peaceful. You can almost see little flowers growing on the hill. 

The blue lagoon. As sad as it is to leave Iceland--stopping at the blue lagoon is a motivator to pack your bags and head towards the airport. I love the all natural sulfur masks and the healing effects the lagoon has on our bodies. 

Takeaways 

• Dress warm--It always feels like winter

• Very very expensive food. A small salad could cost you $20!

• The tap water is naturally filtered over hundreds of years through the moss in the lava fields

• Hot water smells like sulfur

• Check out the famous hotdog stand

• Skyrr is everywhere and many desserts are made with it

• Rye bread and yummy butter is also everywhere

• Iceland is 90% lava and gives the country the black/gray color

• It doesn't get much higher than 60--if it does, locals say they run around naked

• There is free wifi in almost every store/cafe

Save money while on your trip

• Walk as much as possible. You can save SO MUCH by not taking cabs. Plus, it is good exercise and you get a closer look at the culture.

• If you can't walk, try taking the trains or a bus.

• Choose an accommodation with breakfast included--and eat A LOT. This way a little snack in the afternoon could hold you over until dinner.

• Research "free things to do" Ex. London, you could spend an ENTIRE DAY in the British Museum and not get bored.

• Limit your souvenirs. The value of pictures and experiences will last longer than keychains.

• Stay at a hostel--most are only $15-$30 bucks a night AND include breakfast.

How to save money when planning your trip

• Don't be picky. GO where the deals are. It will only save you money to travel to more places. 

• Google flights allows you to check out prices for anywhere in the world and shows you the cheapest dates. If the Azores are only $500, why not choose that over $1000 to Italy? 

• Plan to book your flight 3-4 months in advance of leaving.

• Monitor highs and lows of your flight throughout the week. Keep a note of it and book when you feel comfortable that you are receiving the best rate.

• Delete your COOKIES (on your computer). If you're continuously looking at the same flight, airlines will know you are interested and you may see the price magically go up.

Cape Verde

Praia, Santiago

I love islands and traveling to weird destinations that take you out of your comfort zone, so naturally Cabo Verde, West Africa popped up. I wanted to live like a local and experience the culture, and that is exactly what I got.  Welcome to Praia, Santiago, the capital of Cabo Verde. The culture hits you right when you get on the plane, everyone is so friendly and knows one another. We took the red eye, but that did not stop the party on board. There was free wine and a pretty solid meal. If you're lucky, the nice guy sitting next to you will poke you to let you know when the food has arrived. 

We stayed at the Pestana Trópico, arriving just in time for a delicious, all inclusive breakfast. 

Fresh cheese, bread, and lots of fruit.

I could barely wait to start exploring--our first stop, the Plateau. It’s as high up as it sounds. We hiked up a very long, steep set of stairs onto a street filled with locals and markets galore. We were in for quite an experience. Bright colors lined the street and everyone seemed to be out and about, relaxed on island time.

The market at the plateau had fruit, vegetables and fish. Navigating through the small aisles was both challenging and exciting. The colors were vibrant, the air was filled with aromas of fish and produce, and everyone was eager to help you. We did not speak portuguese, so communicating was mostly nonverbal. 

The view from the Plateau was quite spectacular. It looked like differently shaped, colorful legos, that went on for miles. 

My favorite place on the Plateau was Art Kafe. I was drawn in by the art, people and music. Local artists sold their work and live bands played weekly. I came here three times during my stay and soaked up the good vibes. 

Day 2: We attempted to rent a car and drive around the island--that mission failed very quickly. We got to the center of Praia and could not figure out where we were. We had a compass, a map, and we were at a loss. I know they say not all who wander are lost, but we certainly were. There were no signs, too many rotaries, and no house numbers, at all. We were in the suburbs and had NO IDEA which way to go. I was afraid we may run out of gas, so we stopped being stubborn and found our way back to return the car. This time, better safe than sorry. 

After a long day and only filling up on breakfast from the hotel, we stopped at the Restaurant O Poeta to grab some cheese and bread, lots of bread. Wine and beer is also very cheap in Cabo Verde--about three escudos a glass. I ordered two! 

Restaurant & Bar O Poeta

SAL

A mini vacation, from our vacation. We took a domestic flight to Santa Maria, Sal, for the weekend to celebrate our Two Year Anniversary. When we got there, our reserved "hotel" was under construction.

We got SO lucky and found the Melia, an all inclusive resort, for only $180 a night. I have never stayed anywhere so fancy. I almost felt guilty it was so nice. There was a swim up bar, wine on tap, and an endless supply of food.

The room, or should I say Villa, was completely opposite from Praia. It was a two bedroom, two bath villa with a balcony! It was a nice balance to have both on our vacation. I have never stayed in an all inclusive resort before and never thought I could afford it, but $180 a night for all meals included is an absolute steal. 

The Master Bedroom

Master Bath

The villa was a short walk to the gorgeous beach. Black volcanic and hard rock sand filled the shoreline. It was unlike any beach I've ever been to. 

Oh and there are sharks at Shark Bay. I was convinced I spotted one, but it turned out to be a scuba diver! Bummer. 

Takeaways 

If you want an inclusive resort, go to SAL. If you want culture, go to SANTIAGO. If you want both--travel to both islands.

SANTIAGO 

• Santiago was packed with CULTURE and pushed me out of my comfort zone (in a good way)

• The plateau is lined with local shops and restaurants--there are no US chains

• Fish and produce markets are a must see

• You will enjoy fresh fish, cheese and inexpensive wine (much like the Azores)

• Renting a car is very hard--there are no signs, the houses are not numbered, it is near impossible unless you know where you're going

• It is not too safe to walk around at night

• Locals exercise before sunrise/after sunset to avoid the heat

• There are many stray dogs--they may chase you, you may have to run

SAL

• We took a propellor plane--only 25 min flight

• All inclusive resort-Mostly a European travel destination

• No cultural at all--you do not leave the resort

• The beaches are beautiful--lined with black volcanic sand

• Wine is on tap, everywhere you look. I did not stop drinking or eating. Good thing we were only there for the weekend

Arizona

Grand Canyon

Adam surprised me with a road trip from Pheonix to the Grand Canyon and Sedona. It’s as big as they say it is and the pictures simply don't do it justice. You have to see it to believe it, just gorges!

We left at 5 o'clock in the morning and were able to catch the beautiful sunrise.

You really can't tell from the pictures how colorful and multi dimensional the Canyon is.  

Visiting the canyon will overwhelm your senses. There are so many opportunities to stare off in the distance and just dream, think, be. 

Look at that skyline.

Driving along the canyon, there are many pull offs with similar views but different angles. 

Takeaways from the Grand Canyon

• Go EARLY in the morning before it gets really crowded

• It costs about $20 for a standard car

• The views and photos you will take are well worth it

• It is hard to describe, you really have to see it to believe it

California

Ojai

If you love yoga, farmers markets, relaxing, and did I mention YOGA? Ojai should be on your travel list. We rented an Airbnb in the center of town and it was the most tranquil, unique home  I have ever seen. We enjoyed fresh picked oranges in the al fresco kitchen and got friendly with the cat in the yard, Beale. 

Beale the cat

The airbnb was a 5 minute walk into town and there you could find unique shops and tasty restaurants like Bonny Lu's country cafe.  We also stopped at Bart's Book Store to take a look around. You can buy books outside of normal business hours. They go by the "honor system" that you will put money in the box. 

Every morning I woke up to go to yoga at Lu Lu Bandha's and the people I met were more moving than the vinyasa flow. I had the pleasure of practicing alone with the teacher Julia, and she and I stared at each other while doing Lions' Breath, it was fun, we laughed, and it was a moment I will never forget.  

We ventured to Los Padres National Forest and swerved around the mountain side looking at the beautiful scenery that surrounded us. 

We enjoyed the freshest of the fresh. Cheese, Lavender, and local fruits and veggies. One woman made lavender essential oils from her french lavender plant in her yard. Very fitting of a such a spiritual, earth friendly place like Ojai. After the farmers market, hiking the meditation mount is a good way to enjoy your essential oils and soak up the relaxing vibes. 

Takeaways

If you love yoga, farmers markets, relaxing vibes--Ojai is the place for you. 

• Fresh farm to table food--we had an orange tree at our Airbnb

• Art studios, Al fresco book store, Spiritual and wellness shops

• Yoga studios, meditation mounts, and organic grocery stores

• Scenic mountain climbing ( or driving)

• A lot of people come here to retire, or simply just relax from the hustle of LA

• WINE--lots of wine, tastings, vineyards

Azores, Portugal

Ponta Delgada, São Miguel

Lagoa das Sete Cidades—are two lakes situated in a massive volcanic crater--you have to experience for yourself to truly understand the beauty. In the meantime, these pictures will have to hold you over. The Azores are only a five hour flight from Boston and with the four hour time difference, you get to wake up in a magical place. We stayed in Ponta Delgada - walking distance to the water, shops, and restaurants. The hotel included breakfast—a whole lot of it. I had fruit, cheese, yogurt, juice, cereal and was satisfied for the day. I was also able to save money because I was too full for lunch.

Hotel do Colegio made you feel like you were in an ancient castle with the floors and walls lined with back lava stones.

The breakfast room.

This was the rent a car—perfectly sized for the narrow roads, windy mountains and avoiding cows. 

The first stop was Villa Franca de Campo to see Ilheu Vila Franca Campo, a crater island only a stones through away from land. If you're wondering why there is a random dog in the picture, I am too.

 Sete Cidades was the next stop. Look at that view!

After Sete Cidades, you can drive down into the small village and have a bite to eat. We stopped at a little cafe in the " Centro" of town to grab some cheese and flan—it only costs a few euros.

Next stop, Furnas. They serve cozida, food cooked from the earth for over seven hours. Restaurant Tony's is a must try if you are feeling adventurous. 

There are around 22 mineral waters you can try from the earth that are very—well, earthy. As you walk through town, you are surrounded by steam and the smell of sulfur. The sulfur turns the rocks into this green/orange color, but the water below was perfectly safe to drink.

The COOLEST part of Furnas was the hot springs. Nestled in the Terra Nostra Garden was what appeared to be a scene from Jurassic Park. The giant tropical ferns and lush trees made you feel like you were in prehistoric times.

The geothermic pool was so warm and the bottom was VERY slimy from the sulfur sticking to the leaves and moss. The water was a burnt orange color and was so thick and salty—you could barely float or swim. It was more like walking in slow motion. Our skin also turned this funky yellow color and our bathing suits looked like we peed in them. 

Off to Mosterios. The "centro" of town was just one cafe and a lot of men smoking cigarettes. The coast was by far the highlight. Turquoise waves crashed onto shore and created a ripple effect of colors and sounds. 

Can't you just stare off into the ocean for hours? It was so peaceful and limitless. Although it was worth it, the walk down to the lighthouse was not as peaceful as the view - my calves were BURNING.  There is a sign to not drive your car because it is too steep...there should also be a sign about not walking. 

Just a normal day in the Azores--cows causing traffic delays. 

Capelas—YIKES. This cliffside "road" barely fit the smart car. A SMART CAR. It could not have been more than six feet wide.

One last stop of the day—pineapples! The Azores are known for their sweet pineapples. We visited Faja de Baixo—the pineapple plantation. They let you tour the greenhouses for free. It is interesting to see the different stages of growth and try some of the pineapple liquor. 

On our way to Nordeste, we stopped at Lagoa do Fogo, the crater lake with an amazing view. This "restricted" industrial road descended on both sides and had my hands shaking and my ears popping.  I honestly thought the smart car was going to blow over. As you can see, we were nearly at the same level as the clouds. 

We were able to find someone to take this gorgeous picture. The background looks perfect—I swear we weren't photoshopped in! 

We made it to Nordeste—the farthest eastern point on the island. There is a beautiful cobble stone bridge that leads into the Centro of town. 

There are just amazing views everywhere you look. 

Another free tour. This time, all liquor. You could try any of the flavors they made—passionfruit, banana, and of course, pineapple. It is amazing how all these tours are free here. In Boston, it costs you an arm and a leg to go to the MFA.

Another amazing view. Is it me, or is there a cave looking tunnel on the lower right hand of the cliff?

Back at the pier in Ponta Delgada. The island had ample signs and was fairly simple to navigate around.

Takeaways from the Azores:

This is not a "relaxing beach" trip. The water is very rough. BUT if you like anything below, I definitely recommend visiting the AZORES.

• AMAZING panoramic views of the oceans and lakes

• Scenery is UNREAL...mountains, cliffs, farms, cows, lava rocks, lush vegetation, craters, sulfur

• Food-fresh cheese, octopus, wine, flan, chocolate milk

• Free tours of the tea, liquor, and pineapple plantation

• Mineral water tastings

• Geothermic pools

• Small local villages

• Easy navigation around the island

South Korea

Seoul

I stayed in Hongdea at the hostel "Come Inn Korea" in an eight person room. It was only $15 and central to the city. Minus the millions of stairs you climb to make it to the door, the hostel was exceptional. Free toast and eggs, and the front desk guy, Bobby, was SO friendly. The living room, where everyone gathered,  was a place where I made friends that I still keep in touch with today. 

FOOD. We had Pajeon with octopus and squid. The restaurant was very inexpensive and you have to take your shoes off at the front door. If you have to go to the bathroom, you can slip on the provided sandals in the hallway. We sat indian style on the floor and had a array of octopus, kimchi, and much more--but as a newbie, that is all I could handle for the first time. 

There was SO MUCH Hello Kitty. I was besides myself. I even stumbled upon the Hello Kitty Cafe--right next to my hostel. YAY!

Photo booths in Korea are awesome. Free popcorn, endless props, and if you can dream it, you can create it--in the photo booth. 

Bongeunsa Buddhist temple was in the center of the busy financial district of Gangnam. To think people can escape the hustle and bustle of the city and meditate in this peaceful temple. The smell of incenses, the lush gardens and the calmness of people meditating was enough to make me cry with happiness. 

Jinju

We traveled south to the suburb of Jinju City, where our friend, Lish,  teaches English. It was about a four hour bus ride-- felt like we were driving from Boston to NYC. One of our first stops was obviously, food. We got Dakjjim, some steamed chicken and veggie dish, yum! For dessert we had  Bingsoo, its like shaved Ice with red beans and a "surprise" at the bottom. I could eat it every day. 

The next day we ventured to the market where there was a huge section of fresh, dried, and mysterious fish--the dried squid is a very popular snack. They even sell it in the local convenient stores! 

FOOD-It does seem like we have not stopped eating, but yet I have lost weight here. I think because there is no coffee, chocolate, or diary. OH, and all the stairs, there are SO many stairs. Below is some delicious Dak Galbi--spicy chicken with cabbage, sweet potato, and scallions. It was like eating fire, really delicious fire. 

Have you ever had Makgeolli? It is a very tasty alcoholic beverage--and it comes in many flavors like banana and strawberry. BUT when it comes time to break the seal, make sure you carry toilet paper with you--the bathrooms do not have any. Also, you are supposed to put the toliet paper in the trash. OH, you should probably bring your own soap--that is also not provided.

Busan 

We took a bus to Busan. Then hopped on a train to the cultural village, Gamcheon. It looked like an amazing stack of colorful legos. There were maze like paths with old stone steps, lots of them. It was simply gorgeous. It really felt like a "tropical" island by the water. 

We took a taxi to Shinsegae--the largest department store in the world. We took a picture of the mall so we could show the taxi driver because neither of us spoke Korean, except for the necessities-- hello, thank you, and bathroom. We only went to the floor with the food and the options for macarons were plentiful. On our bus back to Jinju there were rice farms, lush trees, and mountains in the distance. I love bus rides, I can relax and not feel guilty. 

Takeaways from South Korea

• There is octopus in everything

• Fruit is very expensive

• You should take your shoes off in most restaurants

• There are coffee machines in the train station--they are not very good

• They are machines with tea in the train station-they are very good

• Bingsoo is American Froyo

• There are stairs everywhere. Its like climbing a mountain

• There are squatters-bring your own toilet paper and soap