Author

Travis

The Canals of Venice

written by Travis

After six hours on a train from Cinque Terre we made it to Venice for our quick 48 hour stop. While we don’t ideally like to stay anywhere for that short of a period, we really wanted to squeeze in this iconic city and it was our only option. In the end, we’re glad we did this length as it felt like enough time to see all you need to see and we were ready to go by the time we left.

Upon arriving, we walked about a mile from the train station to our Airbnb. This created some funny memories as Katie and I are always all business when we get to a new location. We are on a mission to get to wherever we stay so we can drop off the heavy weight from our backs, make sure there are no hiccups, freshen up, then go explore without any restraints. So there we were walking with purpose through the canal streets, not stopping to look at anything or take in the views and there was mom just in awe of all she was seeing. We laugh now because she stopped at just about every dog that passed, or when she saw cookies, purses or scarves. Basically exactly what you should be doing when you’re on an amazing vacation and seeing a new part of the world for the first time. At the time we were all about rushing her since we’ve had that feeling/experience so many times on the trip, but we had to stop and realize how fun and special those moments are and that we might be a little too desensitized to some of the best little things travel has to offer. I think it was just hard to see when you have 40 lbs on your back and you are carrying your mom’s 40 lb luggage as well. Live and learn!

So Venice is beautiful, it really is. The canals and architecture make for some amazing photos and I think every photographer there felt like they were getting the best shot as there are so many different places you can get unique pictures from. We did a wonderful walking tour which allowed us to learn about the city and roam areas not normally explored by the masses. This really helped as the main areas of Venice are beyond touristy and frankly not areas I would want to go back to. While a place might be iconic, nobody wants to stand in a sea of foreigners with selfie sticks. We also decided not to partake in the gondola ride once we realized the canals are also the city’s septic system, so basically all sewage flows into the waters which makes them a lot less desirable to boat around (not to mention the smell in some spots).

So in the end, two days in Venice was great but all you need to check it off the bucket list!

February 21, 2017 0 comment

Italy

The Picturesque Villages of Cinque Terre

written by Travis

Making our way from Florence to Cinque Terre was a stunning train ride through the Italian countryside. However, we did run into our first travel blunder. We stopped at a small station to transfer trains so upon arriving to it, we checked the monitor and waited at the platform where our train would arrive within 10 minutes. A few minutes later a train arrives with no signage but we hop on anyway while trying to figure out which specific train it is. Within a minute or so, it starts moving. We quickly realize trains never leave early so we realize that crap, we definitely just got on a random train. Nearly all the seats were empty so that began the fun game of trying to find someone to ask “um, excuse me but where the heck is this train headed?” Luckily for us it was going to a nearby town and we learned we could then easily transfer to Monterosso, our final destination. Phew!

If you haven’t been to Cinque Terre, it’s a must-see when visiting Italy. The five coastal villages (Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore) are perched on the hillside one after another overlooking the ocean. They are connected by train and a series of trails you can traverse between them. What’s great is each town has its own vibe and they are so easy to get between so you can just bounce around all day.

We stayed in Monterosso and absolutely loved it. It was a quiet and less touristy feeling village but still had good food, drinks and lodging. Katie found us a modern studio apartment with a kitchen right in the heart of everything. It was run by a lovely Italian family who also owns a wine bar/restaurant. This meant each morning we could walk over and have free croissants and coffee for breakfast at their restaurant. The town also provided some great little purse shops which gave my mom hours of entertainment. It also had a killer fruit stand so my mom got herself at least a couple of bowls of fresh fruit every day so all in all, she was a happy camper.

We were in Cinque Terre a couple of nights so we spent each day bouncing around the villages, taking a million pictures and sampling the local bites at each. One of the main reasons we chose Monterosso out of the five villages was because it had a beach, but unfortunately the weather didn’t hold up and was off and on rainy. That said, we made the most of it and the rain itself helped create one of my most memorable experiences of the trip.

With a break in the clouds I headed out for a run, planning to run the cliffside trail from Monterosso to Vernazza. Before I even hit the head of the trail it started to rain again, but being from Seattle I pushed on. I thought it was odd I didn’t see many people on the trail, but after the run I realized the trail was actually closed due to potential mudslides and I must have missed the sign (oops). Either way, I kept pushing on. The rain continued to ratchet up in strength until it finally hit a point where it was stronger than the average shower. I was wet to the bone but having the time of my life running through the woods on the three-foot-wide mud trail. Before I knew it, lightning and thunder started to boom and with every few minutes it moved closer and closer. Each strike was 5-15 seconds apart and lighting up the whole sky. This was becoming one of the most amazing runs of my life but the “don’t be an idiot” part of me was saying it was probably time to turn around before I got killed. Luckily I was almost to Vernazza so I quickly hid under a tree where I managed to get my phone out of its waterproof cover and snapped a picture of the lightning before heading back towards home. The crazy thing though is the first half mile back was an uphill run and the rain was coming down so hard that it created a stream flowing down the trail a couple of inches deep. My enjoyment continued as this was now a giant obstacle and you could run to the beats of the loud thunder. At the top of the trail I found two older Australian women hunkered under a tree not knowing what to do about all the water on the trail. I helped them out of the worst of it and once the trail was safe again, I parted ways and continued my journey home. Safe to say, it was the best run ever and I guess I’m lucky the trail didn’t collapse under me. Winning!

After our time in Cinque Terre we were ready to head up to iconic Venice to see what those canals are all about.

February 20, 2017 0 comment

Italy

No Wonder Everyone Loves Florence

written by Travis

After attacking Rome, we were excited to get to Florence where we’ve had numerous friends study abroad and really love it. We (the traveling trio – me, Katie and my mom) took a mid-morning train and arrived to our hotel within a few hours. It was a five minute walk from the train station and was a quaint, family-run affair with only a handful of rooms. Upon arriving we realized it was on the fourth floor of the older building without a lift, so I got my workout in hauling all of our bags up.

Like most cities we visit, we start off by putting in the Google Maps app the must-see places, viewpoints, museums and top-rated food spots we want to nom at. But let’s be real, we rarely make it to all the museums and attractions but do our best to prioritize all the delicious things. Florence didn’t disappoint and was chalked full of tasty gelato, delicious sandwiches (tip: waiting in the long line at All’Antico is totally worth it) and pasta galore. We walked everywhere believing all the calories were justified as we covered multiple miles walking to places like Piazza della Signoria for the view of the city and over to the Florence Cathedral, Ponte Vecchio and Piazzale Michelangelo.

The first night we had a great meal dining outside while listening to live music from an accordion player and enjoying the vibe of the city. Mom even tried limoncello for the first time! Obviously it was a hit and went along great with our sangria. The second night we had dinner at an unbelievably good place called La Fettunta. This is otherwise known in history as The Night I Had The Best Ribs Of My Life. I think I talked about those ribs for months, they were THAT good. Mom and Katie finally were like, “ok, we get it!” After the meal we were treated to some wonderful live music in the streets where an acoustic guitarist and woman sang in front of a crowd of a few hundred people that had gathered.

While we only had a few quick days in Florence, we felt like we did it justice and definitely see why people loved their time studying in this beautiful Italian gem of a city. Can’t wait to come back someday to get more time here!

February 17, 2017 0 comment

Italy

Mama Roberts Joins Us in Rome!

written by Travis

It had been six months since we left home, so to say I was excited to see my mom and in Rome of all places, was an understatement. I arrived to the airport an hour before she landed just to make sure I was outside of the baggage claim gate ready to scoop her up. After big hugs we were on our way to meet Katie who was holding down the fort at our awesome Airbnb in the Trastevere neighborhood (great neighborhood to stay in btw). We spent the afternoon catching up, eating the delicious homemade cookie bar she brought (my favorite dessert!), and checking out nearby sites. There was a lot of ground to cover in her two weeks with us (Rome, Florence, Cinque Terre, Venice and Munich) so we had to make sure she got rest on day one from her long flight.

My mom knew how much we cover by foot when we sightsee and she jumped right in and owned the day. Her first full day we walked more than nine miles throughout Rome and checked out the most famous sites including the Colosseum, the Pantheon, Roman Forum, Spanish Steps, Piazza Venezia, Palatine Hill, Altare della Patria and more (all pics below). Not sure how we got it all in without heat stroke, but we made it.

The next day we attempted to tackle the other big three i.e the Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. We woke up early and were at the Basilica before 8am. Upon arriving were greeted by unfortunate news that the Basilica and surrounding square were closed until 1pm, but then learned it was because the Pope having a Jubilee at 10am. So this meant we were there multiple hours early and were able to get fifth row seat for it! Cue to us excited. While waiting in the heat wasn’t ideal, it was pretty amazing to see the Pope up close and also have him bless the crowd and tell us we could walk through the holy door to remove all our sins (winning!). For those of you who want to attend one in the future, be warned they are pretty drawn out. Everything the Pope reads needs to then be read in seven or eight languages by a cardinal so to get through each paragraph of content takes about 15 minutes. Just saying.

Post Jubilee we made our way over to the Vatican museums and spent hours inside viewing all the amazing history it holds and standing in awe at the Sistine Chapel. I’ll be honest though, I can only take so much at once. After two hours of listening to an audio guide, I just couldn’t absorb any more. I need mental breaks where I can go play with puppies or something as anything more than a couple hours, I’m toast (Katie accurately compares me to small child). After waiting through a rainstorm that began while we were inside, we made our way back to our Aibnb and got a tasty, quick bite along the way at Likeeat.

Our last day in Rome we went back and spent a few hours in St. Peter’s Basilica since the Jubilee day we didn’t actually get to go inside. If you haven’t been, you need to see it. The architecture and artwork are mind-blowing. It really deserves the accolades it receives. The only crappy part was waiting outside in the ninety degree heat to get in. Everyone was crammed into tightly packed lines trying to get through security which resulted in all sorts of rude arguments between people who were going to a holy place. Ironic, huh?

Now on to Florence!

February 10, 2017 0 comment

Italy

The Picture Perfect Amalfi Coast & Capri

written by Travis

After Naples we still had a few days until Mama Roberts would join the party, so we made the most of it and headed south by train to the famed Amalfi coast. Trust me when I say it didn’t disappoint. Due to insane prices during still peak summer months, we decided to stay in Sorrento where we could get a nice room at a B&B in the heart of the city for much cheaper than Capri or Positano. Then we would take day trips to the other locations. At first we thought this would be a sacrifice for being on a budget, but in the end we really enjoyed Sorrento and glad we did it that way.

Our room in Sorrento sat above the main market street where vendors were selling everything from trinkets and souvenirs, to gelato and fresh fruit. Souvenirs of the region typically involve lemons as they grow by the mega tons here. Its most famous tourist vice is limoncello, the Italian lemon liqueur. You can find it in every shop you cross. We loved wandering the market streets and watching and enjoying the sounds of it from our balcony above. Our other pleasure there was beginning of our love affair with Italian gelato. We’ve heard the stories of its wonders but my-oh-my it didn’t do it justice. We probably went for a double or triple scoop a couple of times a day while there. You just can’t stop yourself. We tried to act like we were walking around enough to burn it off, but in the end we knew we were lying to ourselves and frankly didn’t care that we were.

Our first day trip was out to the island of Capri. This is an island famed for its upscale shopping, hotels, yachts, etc. So clearly it was made for us backpackers. We took an hour ferry out to the island and spent a half day there, which for us was just the right amount of time. The highlight for sure was taking the ski lift up chair up Mount Solaro. It is about an eight minute ride up and from the top you get epic views of the whole island (pictures below) while enjoying an overpriced cup of coffee from the little restaurant at the top.

Our second day trip was out to Positano, the cliffside village on the southern coast. We ventured here by an overcrowded bus on very windy roads. Once the ride was over we got our workout on as “walking” throughout the village really just consists of going down a boatload of stairs since everything is either above or below you on a steep hillside. We had a wonderful breakfast at a place overlooking the water before we made it down to the famed pebble beach to get photos and roam around. Overall the area was pretty quiet though since it wasn’t an overly sunny day for beachgoers.

We wrapped up the trip with one last night at our B&B which ironically doesn’t even serve breakfast, so I think it should just be called a “B.” We woke up excited in the morning as we were headed by train to Rome to meet mama Roberts and start her first ever European adventure!

February 9, 2017 0 comment

Italy

Noming on Pizza in Naples

written by Travis

Before we get to the pizza we have to get this out in the open. Naples is a shithole. Seriously, a complete shithole. For us it was the worst city we have seen in all of our travels. Not only due to the dirty trash all over, but also the sketchy feel you get when you think you may get mugged or pickpocketed all hours of the day.

BUT…BUUUUUUUT…BUUUUUUUUUUUUUT the pizza is the BEST in the world. So the birthplace of pizza is definitely worth the pilgrimage and worth dealing with the eyesore of a city. Our recommendation is to visit like we did and stay less than 24 hours. Use it as a stopover to other amazing Italian cities and just gorge yourself with as much pie as you possibly can. We spent 18 hours in the city (9 of them sleeping) and had six pizzas. We literally ate as much as our bodies would allow us to consume in the timeframe. The awesome thing about their style of pizza is not only the taste, but it cooks in about 90 seconds so you get it lightning fast…allowing us to obviously eat more.

If you go, we highly recommend La’Antica Pizzeria Da Michele. It is the one Julia Roberts eats at in the movie Eat, Pray, Love. Service is interesting though. In the entire dining experience our waiter never said one word and instead used his eyes to communicate his acknowledgement of what we wanted or at least thought we wanted. The restaurant only has two pizzas on the menu and both are mouth-wateringly delicious, so it doesn’t matter which you choose. We obviously recommend both. Katie said she felt like she was having her Julia Roberts moment from the movie because this trip has proceeded to make her jeans tight, but she could care less because living this amazing life is much more important than that top button ever will be.

February 7, 2017 0 comment

Spain

Flamenco, Vino and More in Seville

written by Travis

If you’re ever in Spain, you have to carve out time for Seville. The city has an amazing look and feel and stands out amongst other Spanish cities. It is home to two must see things: Alcázar, the iconic Moorish-Renaissance royal palace and the Plaza de España, the landmark square lined with ceramic titles representing all cities of Spain. You can see in our pictures just how cool both are. Another fun fact is a few of the Star wars movies were filmed in the Plaza. Below is a screenshot from one of the movies next to the picture of Katie in the same spot.

We stayed at the new Black Swan hostel in the center of the city. The nice thing is they have regular dorm rooms but also private “suites” on the top floor, so we got a private room for $60 a night which included our own terrace with city views. The hostel also had a great coffee and alcohol bar in the lobby which we never complain about. Because it was so new, they were trying to rack up positive reviews and had guest perks like free walking tours, free Flamenco shows and even free dinners each night. When you’re #ballinonabudget, this a major win.

We spent our days wandering the city taking in the Spanish architecture, taking a boatload of pictures, eating too many tapas, drinking too many glasses of tinto de verano, watching live dancing (a MUST if you go) and having an overall killer time. The city remains one of our favorites due to the overall vibe you get being there. Now check out these pictures:

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December 4, 2016 0 comment

Portugal

The Picturesque Coastline of Lagos

written by Travis

After our surf school bust in Aljezur, we took a bus down the coast of Portugal to spend a few days in the beach town of Lagos. We quickly learned the buses run on “Portugal time” as ours was 45 minutes late to pick us up in Aljezur. The locals told us anything within a few hours is considered “on time.” Noted!

Overall we give Lagos two thumbs up. The beaches are postcard-worthy, weather is great, the town is fun to explore and there is a fun social scene (okay so the last one we didn’t experience firsthand as we’re lame nightlifers but that’s what we heard!).

Lagos favs:

5 hour catamaran boat trip long the coast to see the beaches and grottos from the water. Saw a couple dozen dolphins swimming along the boat and also had a chance to snorkel through the caves.
Hiking the trail between the beaches. All the beaches are in their own coves and a trail runs along the ridge with a great birds-eye view down to each. We went our first morning there to scope out which beaches we wanted to go to.
Beach hopping. The main attraction of Lagos and a must do. And do you know what wasn’t a must? Women wearing swim tops. Europe 1, America 0.
Finally finding delicious fajitas! Probably not on most people’s must-eat in Portugal list, but we both love Mexican food and it is hard to find good stuff on the road. The server warned us the portion size was huge but I think we all know that wasn’t a problem.
Stayed at Casa a Sul. I would definitely recommend this place for a comfortable, well-priced lodging.

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December 3, 2016 0 comment

Portugal

Surf and Sand in Aljezur, Portugal

written by Travis

First off, the Aljezur coast is absolutely beautiful. Waves crash against gold sand beaches and cliffs jetting up 100 meters from the surf. You can sit on the sand to take it all in or admire the views equally as well from above. I highly recommend visiting this part of Portugal if you’re in Western Europe but like most, we made our way to the region for its acclaimed surfing and all the pieces were in place for a killer second surf school experience on our trip.

Our first surfing experience in Brazil was top notch so we had high hopes of repeating it while in Aljezur. To make things even better we met up our friend Stephanie who we met in Brazil at surf school to catch up and hit the waves again. When we arrived everything looked great. The beaches were beautiful, the waves were constant and easy to practice on, there was no reef to crash on and the weather was scorching hot. But we failed to account for one small detail. EVERYONE wants to surf in Portugal in August on the same beaches at the same time. I hate to say it, but the experience was terrible. It was the equivalent of trying to surf in the middle of a Wild Waves theme park. Every time you paddle into a wave and stand up, right in front of you there are 5-10 people with their boards so you have to dive off to avoid moving them over. It came down to the fact that all surf schools don’t cap their classes and all surf at the same time instead of alternating throughout the day. This creates a small stretch of beach with hundreds of people trying to surf. We planned on doing three days straight of surfing but we threw in the towel by the end of the first day. Just not worth paying $100 a day for the two of us to not get to even practice surfing.

On the bright side, this saved us a good amount of money which we promptly switched to enjoying great meals and drinks with Stephanie and her childhood friend, Sylvia, who she was there with. The two of them are so easygoing, fun to be around and great to converse with. We’ve learned that when traveling for as long as we are, it is nice to spend time with people you care about as you can actually have in-depth conversations vs. the usual “where are you from” we have almost daily with other travelers. If you do make it to Aljezur, you have to try the bar, Hello Sailor, which we went to three different times. Really good food, great drinks and good prices. Win-win-win in our book.

The only other thing of note is the cute little town of Aljezur. We had a little hotel(ish) room at the top of a small hill next to the church. The beauty of this is we could sleep with the patio doors wide open for the cool air at night and the church bells would wake us each morning at 7am. While this seemed annoying at first, we actually learned to love it as it got us up just in time for sunrise over the city from our balcony (pictures below). Felt like we were in a movie!

Aljezur Coast

Our amazing friends Sylvia and Steph

Me and hottie Mchottie

Sylvia and Steph

Steph’s bday dessert

Birthday dinner

View from our room

Morning View

Sunrise from the balcony

My sweet Euro towel

Travel life is rough

Beach views

Crops in the middle of the city

More beach views

November 25, 2016 1 comment

Portugal

Exploring Portugal’s Capitol City

written by Travis

If you’re in Portugal, you have to check out Lisbon. The city has a rich history chalked full of various cultural and architectural influences. The main food is fresh seafood with the fish of choice is cod (though oddly enough it isn’t native to there). We tried a few great restaurants but the coolest place was Time Out Market which is basically the swankest food court we’ve ever seen. It has around 40 different food stalls which all serve smaller, gourmet bites and cocktails. Some Michelin-rated chefs have counters here that serve a pared-down menu from their larger establishments. We ate here twice in our few days, it was so tasty!

Free walking tours of the city are also great so if in the city, be sure to take one. Ours was three hours long and covered a ton of ground on the history and culture of Lisbon. The guides seemed to be a bit cheekier than most we’ve seen so there were plenty of laughs along the way. A cool part was when roaming through the Alfama Jewish Quarter we were served shots of a homemade, cherry liqueur straight out of a little old lady’s window. She wore her lounging attire and would pour shots of homemade booze out of a pitcher for a dollar per shot. People would take pictures with her and she would scream out, “think about sex!” right before the picture was taken. Everyone got a kick out of her. The liqueur we learned is called “ginjinha,” made with infused ginja berries and is a Lisbon staple. We finished the tour with a nice dinner out in an open square of that neighborhood where they had singers performing live Fado music. The music is very passionate and historically it spoke to the misery women felt whose husbands worked on the rivers as many never returned. The music has evolved for other meanings but we were told this is where it all began.

One of the best parts of our time in Lisbon was our day trip to Sintra. This is a small city an hour train outside of Lisbon where you can visit beautiful 19^th century Romantic architectural monuments, palaces and manicured gardens. It is so great it has been deemed a UNESCO world heritage site. The area has strong Moorish and Roman influences so the buildings are striking sitting within the beauty of the countryside. We spent a full day out there and really loved it. You can tell by the pictures below just how beautiful it really was. The main things we checked out were the Arabesque Monserrate Estate and Quinta da Regaleira. Both are must sees.