Egypt
Well, hello, my beautiful readers. I know, I know, I have been gone for way too long on this platform. However, I am back with an incredible story of my travels through Egypt. I contemplated if I should write about what I did this over the summer, but the universe was pulling my heart into stillness. I won’t always be super active on here writing about my day to day life ( because it’s pretty dull for the most part), but I do promise to fill you guys in on all of my travels because that’s where life gets exciting for me.
Now, Egypt had been on my radar for quite a while. I tried to make plans last year to visit, but the stars didn’t align for me to make it over there. Flights were high, and timing was just wrong. But low and behold, right when you’re not looking for something, it will appear like magic. A flight deal came through my email for Egypt at an excellent price, and the ticket was for an awesome time of year. It was like winning the travel jackpot. I booked the flight without even thinking, so I had plenty of time to plan because the trip wasn’t until October. But, if you’re anything like me, the excitement kicks in, and you start researching and planning right away. I would spend most of my evenings reading through fellow blogger’s recommendations and visiting Pinterest for major inspiration on what to do, see, and eat while there.
I finally decide to book with Lady Egypt Tours. This tour company came highly recommended by two very affluent bloggers who had used them before, and they both had amazing experiences with this company. I decided to book with a tour company to visit Egypt for various reasons, but the biggest reason being safety. I would be going over as a solo female traveler, and I didn’t want to take any risk. The US Department of State has a Level II travel warning for Egypt, and their only Embassy in the entire country is in Cairo. For me, that’s not a problem. No matter where you go, you always need to take safety precautions. And now, after being there, I can honestly say that I felt safe the entire time. Although I experienced Egypt with a tour company, I was still a solo female traveler. I was not apart of a group during any time of my trip. It was just me and my guides.
So here we are, today’s the day that I fly out to Egypt, and I can hardly believe the time has come. I flew with Etihad Airlines with a route from O’Hare to Abu Dhabi to Cairo. Words can’t express the agony of the long haul flight. I have flown many of long haul flights, but this one was 15 hours, and I wanted nothing more than to be in a drug-induced coma of some sort. The flight was jam-packed with every seat taken. There was no way to be comfortable on that aircraft. And in case you were wondering, yes, I flew economy. Most flight deals are economy class. I do collect miles with every major alliance as well have points through the Chase Sapphire Reserve, but I am saving those babies for something big coming up. I will say, Etihad is a great airline that offers excellent service if you should ever travel with them in the future, however, a long haul flight is a long haul flight; it never gets easier.
I arrive in Cairo in the predawn hours of the morning right before sunrise. I de-board my plane, and I’m quickly shown which direction passport control is. As I come down the long escalator, my guide greets me at the bottom with a sign with my name on it. I feel… weird. I immediately learned that I don’t like a lot of fuss or attention over me. But I am glad that he was there. It was comforting to have someone await my arrival in a place that I had never been before. He whisks me through passport control and helps me to collect my baggage, and before you know it, we’re off. As I walk through the doors of the airport, my senses are awakened with a familiar smell of the past. The air is thick and heavy with a mixture of burning trash, raw sewage, diesel fuel, cigarette smoke, and heavy cologne. Ahh, yes, I am back in the Middle East. I realize where I am and tell my driver yella, let’s go.
The sky is still dark with deep hues of golden orange fluttering in on the horizon. The hour is somewhere around 05:00 hours. As I sit in the back seat trying to listen to my guide brief me on my next few days, I am in awe of the first few sights I see out of my window. I am taking it all in like a kid in a candy store. I am not new to this region of the world, so I thought I knew what to expect, but this is unlike anything I have ever seen. Cairo is so in your face; it’s sensory overload from the moment you leave the airport. I knew this was just the start of something amazing. Through the morning sunlight, there is a thick haze that lingers over the city of Giza; everything is covered in dust and sand. Streets awaken with cars, buses, and taxis zipping in out of lanes laying on horns trying to shift their way through traffic. Vendors open up their stalls selling fresh hot bread. Both women and men walk through the bustling streets lining up at local vendor stalls to get the freshest bread and produce for the day. My guide alerts me that we are almost at the hotel and urges me to look to my left. I look over to my left and what do I see, The Pyramids of Giza are right there, not even 100 meters away from me. My eyes can’t believe what they are seeing. It’s as if I have been transported back into ancient times. I keep looking at them as if they would disappear if I blinked too slow.
Early morning haze over Giza, right before the hustle and bustle the day begins.
The huge gray building way in the back will be the new Egyptian museum opening in 2020.
A view of The Pyramids of Giza in the early morning sunrise, right from my hotel room. Sunrises and sunsets are both magical in Egypt.
I get all checked into my room, and I am exhausted from the flight over. I tell myself that I will eat, shower, hydrate, and try to explore a little on my own. Nope, not happening, the exploring part on my own never happened. I crashed hard after showering and eating. I woke up only to eat dinner and went right back to sleep and slept until 5:00 a.m. the next morning, fresh and ready for day one of exploring.
I meet my guide Mahmoud downstairs in the lobby the next morning and set off to start our day by visiting the Pyramids and Sphinx. I could hardly believe that this was real life for me. I had always dreamed of coming to Egypt and seeing all these incredible sights. It’s another thing altogether when you finally arrive and are standing in places that you never imagined you’d be.
The Pyramids of Giza settled right in the heart of the city of Giza. It’s not all sand dunes and dessert landscape.
The Sphinx. The body of a lion and head of human, missing it’s nose.
A grand overview of the area where the Pyramids and Sphinx sit. Trust me, the photos will never be able to capture this masterpiece perfectly.
It was around 103 degrees Fahrenheit that day. I immediately felt the effects of the harsh sun. I wasn’t properly hydrated, and I was still extremely jet-lagged. I remember telling my guide, can we keep walking while you explain. It was at that moment where I felt like I was going to pass out. I pressed on and continued to look at the sights, not wanting to miss a thing. I knew that we had lunch coming up, so I thought it would be okay to wait until lunch to cool off and drink more water. Lunch came and went, and I was still feeling slightly light-headed and woozy, but again, I didn’t want to stop, I was so scared of missing out on something. I will stop right here and say that it is IMPERATIVE to listen to your body! Don’t overexert yourself in extreme heat because you will be a heat casualty.
Our next stop after lunch was the Egyptian Museum. As we were headed there, I could tell that I was feeling a little weird. I didn’t even make up the steps of the museum before almost passing out. The museum is not air-conditioned, and at that point, I had tears rolling down because I thought I was going to pass out. My guide, being the sweet man that he is, he took excellent care of me, he ran and got me three bottles of water and even one juice to rehydrate me. He also took extra precautions to make sure that I would be okay by stopping at a pharmacy to get me some electrolyte packets for the next day. We took it slow for the rest of the day. Mahmoud was a total gentleman; he saved the day.
The outside of the Egyptian Museum. I don’t have any photos of inside due to me being a heat casualty that day.
That night, I made sure to eat well and get some good sleep, but most importantly, drink fluids and hydrate. The next morning I woke up feeling so much better. I felt like I had my bearings about me and could seize the day quickly. This day was more laid back, not a lot of strenuous walking and being in the heat. The day had a nice flow to it. We started by driving about an hour away to visit Karanis, located in Kom Oshim, the ruin of an old city that dates back to the Roman, Coptic, and early Islamic times.
After the visit to Kom Oshim, we headed to a beautiful Tunisian Village in Fayom. We visited a fantastic local pottery spot where I learned that the entire village does pottery to help support their local economy. It was an absolute treat to be invited to see how the pottery is made and then baked and sold. The village is very lush and green with beautiful flowers throughout, almost like an oasis in the middle of dry land.
To end this day we headed for a bite to eat at a local restaurant for a special meal prepared for the guide and me, it was a beautiful seafood spread fit for a queen. The owner and his son went above and beyond to make us comfortable during our meal. I was genuinely touched by their warm and welcoming hospitality.
The owner and his son. Two very kind souls.
The local restaurant right off of the sea.
My time in Cairo had come to an end for the time being. The following day I flew out to Aswan through Egypt Air and met another guide to take me throughout the regions of Aswan and Luxor by way of a cruise down the Nile River. The flight over to Aswan was pretty much the craziest thing I have ever experienced in my entire life. About 25 minutes into the trip, my seatmate taps me on y shoulder and asks me if I smell cigarette smoke. I inhaled the air and low and behold you could smell strongly the aroma of a freshly lit cigarette. I couldn’t believe what I was smelling. Was someone indeed smoking on the aircraft mid-flight? You can tell the difference between the stench of a person who has the aroma of an old cigarette lingering on their clothing and the very sharp smell of smoke from a cigarette that’s just been lit. Either way, I was in shock and awe!
By the time I landed in Aswan, I meet with the tour rep that transports me to my hotel. There, I meet up with my wonderful tour guide that I will be with for the next few days. The next order of the day was a felucca ride down the River Nile during sunset. That was the perfect way to end my day. The breeze coming off the Nile put me in a trance as the sails from the felucca gently swayed us softly down the river. I hadn’t felt that much peace in a long time. My soul needed that. I didn’t ever want the ride to end. They say that God will give you what you need the most right at the perfect time, and the timing couldn’t have been better. I also couldn’t help to stop thinking that I was in the same river that Moses was placed in by his mother to keep him safe from the Pharaoh.
Captured here are children on paddle boards trying to hang on to different feluccas sailing up and down the River Nile. They ere asking the tourist for candy and money. It is not recommended to entertain these children because it promotes panhandling when they should be in school.
My accommodations for the evening are at the Movenpick. The Mövenpick in Aswan is settled right on the River Nile, and you have to take a small ferry to get to it. When I stepped off the boat I was mesmerized by the views and how lush and clean the grounds were. It was very fancy, and I loved every minute of it. Even inside the hotel, the atmosphere is very tranquil and beautiful. You’re greeted with Hibiscus tea and escorted to your room promptly. The walls are filled with beautiful local Nubian art, and the rooms are spectacular, offering some of the most amazing views of the Nile River with a dessert back drop off in the distance. My only wish that I had stayed a little longer to enjoy the property, but there were things to do, places to see, and people to meet.
Grounds of the Mövenpick
Some of the beautiful Nubian art hanging throughout the hotels halls.
The most gorgeous view of the Nile River from my hotel room with lush expansive gardens and the dessert in the back drop.
The following morning comes way too fast. I check out of my hotel in the early hours of the morning, somewhere around 3:50 a.m. I hop on the ferry and go to the other side and meet my guide, Tamer, by the docks at 4:15 a.m. We head out for what will be a three-hour drive to Abu Simbel Temple. I try to catch some sleep while in the car, but the ride was bumpy, and of course, I couldn’t sleep. My thoughts were all over the place. But three hours had come and gone by with what seemed like no time. We finally arrived at Abu Simbel, and the sun was already high in the sky by 7:00 a.m. Luckily we were some of the first people to come, so we got to explore it and see everything without too many other tourists. Let me say this right here, and now, I DO NOT like massive crowds of tourists. I know that’s hugely hypocritical of me because I, too, am a tourist, but there’s nothing worse than being at a site and having massive busloads of tourists offload unto one particular place all at the same time. It takes away from the experience majorly. My guide was so excellent that he did all of his explainings in the first few minutes of arriving at a site and gave me the free time to go and explore and take pictures off on my own after that. That worked out for me perfectly as I love to wander off and explore the area or site we’re visiting.
The Temple of Abu Simbel was hands down my favorite of all of the temples we managed to visit throughout my time in Egypt. You arrive on-site and walk down a rather long path along Lake Nasser, and then as soon as you turn the curb, this massive structure of two different temples hits your eyesight and demands all of your attention. They are such a sight to behold. Again, and you will hear me say this numerous times throughout this blog. It’s mesmerizing. I couldn’t stop looking at it, even from different angles, it’s impressive. Abu Simbel has two temples carved into a mountainside that honors Ramses II and his queen Nefertari. This temple was rescued and freed from the waters of the River Nile. It took them around 26 years to move it, disassemble it and reassemble to where it sits now.
The photos below will show the temple that honors Ramses II.
The next series of photos show the temple for Ramses II wife, Nefertari.
Both temples are stunning on the inside. You can spend a lot of time in the two just wandering around and thinking of what it must have been like back during the times when the temples were being built.
After we wrapped up at Abu Simbel, we took the three-hour ride back through the dessert stopping at the High Dam of Aswan. The dam was built across the Nile River in Aswan and helped to control flooding as well as being a considerable generator of hydroelectricity. It’s massive to see. We didn’t spend much time there; we just stopped to have a quick look, and we got back on the road. Once we finally made it through the desert highway, we arrived at our cruise ship, where we would board for three nights until we reached our final destination of Luxor.
The cruise ships in Egypt aren’t considerable vessels in the likes of Carnival or Norwegian. These are much smaller vessels equipped with 42 suites, four decks, a dining area, two lounges, and a little “spa area” (I wouldn’t even call it that). My experience on the cruise boat wasn’t the best. I ended up getting terrible food poisoning from the food. The food also didn’t taste the best, but you have to understand that food varies from all over the world, and Egypt is still considered a third world country. I don’t think I ate for the next few days after getting sick. I only drank the bottled mineral water, and not once did I eat off the street, so in reality, who knows where exactly I got the bug from. One thing to keep in mind when visiting Egypt, the water is NOT SAFE to drink under any circumstances. I had a flirtation water bottle with me, and I still managed to get ill. My time after that was pretty rough for a few days. However, I didn’t let that stop me from pushing through and making the most of my time in Egypt. My guide took such good care of me. He brought me medicine, he checked in on me regularly and made sure I was okay for the day. My guides were amazing. They treated me like a queen!
The next morning we took a ferry over to Philae Temple. On the short ride over to the island, there was a subtle, gentle breeze that broke the heat of the day. We slowly float by Nubian guest houses right off the banks of the Nile, and on the horizon, you can see the temple appearing closer and closer. The small boat pulls into the dock, and there are many other small boats like the one we’re on delivering tourists to see this beautiful site. I step off the boat and onto the dock, and there are vendors all lined up selling small trinkets and incense and handcrafted jewelry. My guide encourages me to keep walking and to ignore the vendors unless I see something that I like. I’m told that most of these items are from China! We walk a short distance, and before you know it, we have arrived. Philae temple was built in the late Ptolemaic to the early Roman era. It was made to honor the goddess Isis. You can see the Roman influence in the architecture of this temple heavily.
A view of the island form the boat ride over from the mainland. You can see the Philae Temple off in the distance.
Philae Temple
Beautiful columns
There were three guys who were in the temple that talked to these kittens and made them do cute little things on command. I only hope these kittens were being well taken care of.
We left the Philae Temple at a perfect time. As soon as we left, many tourists were offloading several little boats and making their way towards the temple. Now it was time to head back to the boat and get ready to set sail for the evening. I was happy for the boat to be finally sailing. Being that I was still battling a stomach bug, I decided to lay down and drink as much water as I could and check out the views while floating down the Nile.
I will never get tired of watching the beautiful felucca’s float down the Nile.
Ultra lush and fertile grounds.
A village off the banks of the Nile during sunset.
Chasing the sunset behind the palm trees.
Cruise evenings were always so beautiful because you could see a panoramic view of the top deck of the villages while floating down the river. The next morning our boat docked somewhere on the West Bank of the Nile. We took a horse and carriage ride to the Temple of Edfu. The front of Edfu temple kind of resembled the previous temple of Philae from the front. It was at this point t where I began to feel like was templed out, but there were still a few left to see, and they actually turned out to be pretty amazing. So, if you’re still reading at this point, bear with me. There are quite a bit more temples to see.
The temple of Edfu is dedicated to the falcon god Horus. It is known as one of the most well-preserved temples in Egypt. It was built during the Ptolemaic era, and you can see the infamous inscriptions on the front wall of the god smiting his enemies, a very similar scenario that you will see in the front entrance of many temples in Egypt.
Sacred boat in sanctuary of Horus Temple.
Some of the carvings on the walls are amazing. Beautifully preserved.
After a nice break, we completed the day in the evening in Luxor by visiting the Luxor and Karnak Temples. To attend one, you must visit the other because they are connected. We start at Karnak. The Karnak complex has four major parts, but only one is open for exploring. It is the second most visited place in Egypt after the Pyramids of Giza. My favorite part of this massive complex is Hypostyle Hall. There are large towering columns arranged in 16 rows. You could spend an extended length of time just wondering around and looking at the carvings on each column.
The beautiful Hypostle Hall.
Once you think that you’ve seen it all, there’s even more amazingness in the Luxor Temple Complex.
My guide was trying to explain that an avenue of the human head sphinx of about three kilometers once connected the temples of Karnak and Luxor. I don’t remember everything because we covered a lot of ground that day, but the experience was terrific.
Luxor Temple
The entrance was built by Ramesses II, known as the first pylon.
There should be another obelisk that matches the one in front, but it now sits in Paris.
Right as the sun was starting to set you could hear the Azan ( the Islamic call to worship) over the loud speaker right inside the temple. This mosque dates back to the 19th century.
The colorful preservation fo the carvings on the wall are said to maybe be a depiction of Jesus Christ’s 12 disciples.
The ending to a beautiful day.
I could have explored way longer in the Karnak and Luxor Temples, but the sun was setting, and it was getting dark out. Some evenings, there is a light and sound show at some of the temples. I decided to pass on it, only because I find these things to be quite cheesy, but if that’s your thing, there’s no shame in going to check it out. For now, it was time to head back to the boat and get ready for another massive day in the morning.
The next morning I woke up at a very early 3 a.m. to head out on one of the most magical adventures of my entire life. A hot air balloon ride! Usually, heights make me quite anxious, but I was all in for this adventure. I couldn’t let the opportunity pass to experience this once in a lifetime greatness. Now, I’m here to tell you that once we got off the bus and it was time to board the hot air balloon, I was freaking out. The balloons are GIGANTIC, and there is fire being blown out of a blowtorch device up into the balloon to help you float upward. I was shook! I kept hearing the sound of the blow torch go off, and I immediately went into the fields to throw up. I was in full on panic. It was my turn to board the balloon with a group of others. As soon I felt the heat from the torch, I jerked back and said, “Noooo, I can’t do it.” Then the guide spun me around and said, “Don’t worry, you can do this.” An older foreign lady who had to have been in her 60’s looked at me with these summoning eyes and said, “Get in, you’ll regret it if not. You can do it, and it’ll be fine”. Something about that lady’s look on her face instantly made me calm enough to get into the ballon, and boy was I glad that I did. I would have missed out on one of the most unbelievably magical experiences of my entire life. Nothing can beat that; I don’t think.
Amazed at how big the balloons are in real life.
This was taken before I decided to throw my guts up over in those fields behind me.
Starting to go up
Floating over the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut
Coming down
You guys, this is one of those experiences where words and pictures are simply not enough to describe it. I highly recommend this if you ever find yourself visiting Luxor while in Egypt. The landing coming down was really smooth. Our pilot was amazing. They offload you one at a time to make sure the balloon doesn’t float away; it is a very meticulous process.
After the hot air balloon experience, the rep from the company linked me back up with my guide, Tamer. We meet at the Colossi of Memnon. It wasn’t much to see, just two statues with a lot of birds on them. We only spent three minutes max there, as it was on the way to the Valley of The Kings.
Amenhotep III
As we head to the Valley of the Kings, you can still see some of the balloons lingering in the morning sky. That is a view that can never get old. When we arrive at the Valley of the Kings, we get our tickets and hop on the tram that takes us up a winding path where all of the tombs are buried right into a desert mountainside. What lies here is a massive collection of tombs for past Kings. The inside of the tombs displays incredible preparation work for the next life. The Pharaohs didn’t believe that death was final; they thought that life would always be a continuance of passing from one life to the next. The tombs were to have everything that one might need for the next life. If your tomb wasn’t complete before death, no-one was able to come along and finish it for you. You would be buried in an incomplete tomb. There are around 63 tombs in total, but I only visited three. A lot of the graves are closed off to the public. Many of them have been completely robbed over the years, leaving them bare. Almost a few days later, after my visit, there was another great discovery of more tombs, and the mummification of the bodies was still preserved wonderfully. This only means that I will have return to Egypt again in the future.
These tombs are amongst some of the most preserved inside; you can see a lot of the original colors.
The first set of pictures are from King Merenptah’s tomb.
The path down is very steep and very hot.
The next few photos will be from Iside of Ramses IX tomb.
The final set of tomb pictures are from Ramesses IV, also known as KV 2. The coloration inside is some of the best I’ve seen.
There are stories to be told inside these tombs. I, unfortunately, do not have all of the knowledge or facts, but my guide did an outstanding job explaining a lot of it. My visit was very brief, and because of that, I do not remember all of the details. I highly encourage you to do a little research if you would like to know more about any of what I have shown you. There’s a treasure trove of information out there.
To wrap up my time in Luxor, we visited the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut. This temple is one of a kind, beautiful piece of architecture dedicated to a Queen that ruled over ancient Egypt as a King. However, in a tale as old as time, there was a lot of hatred brewing amongst her from her stepson Thutmose III. After her death, he tried to erase her from the history of Egypt forever by destroying statues and removing her names from the cartouches. However, his efforts were in vain, and her legacy still lives on to this day.
Sadly, all good things must come to an end. The hardest part of this day was saying goodbye to my incredible guide. Tamer had a wealth of knowledge, and he was very patient and kind the entire time. I would have been lost without his expertise. He is the guy that you want around if you ever want to explore Egypt. For now, I was off to Hurghada for some rest and relaxation on the coast of the Red Sea.
The drive to the seaside resort was about four hours long. We drove through what seemed like a never-ending wasteland of aired dessert and huge mountains. We finally arrive somewhere around the early evening. I check into the Hilton Hurghada Resort, and the next few days were easy living. The resort was an all-inclusive, meaning all food and beverages were free, as well as some water activities. I tried my best to relax and catch up on much-needed sleep. My stomach was still not right at this pint, and honestly, I had stopped eating much of anything. I was drinking water, but not eating much, so I was super tired a lot. It can be pretty draining when you’ve picked up a bug and are out every day in extreme heat and getting little rest. This was the perfect time to relax, and relax is what I did.
Hilton Hurghada Resort
Swimming in the Red Sea
Views from the glass boat ride
My two days in Hurghada were terrific. I was able to be in my element by the sea and relax just enough before going back to Cairo to return home. The Red Sea is the second saltiest sea after the Dead Sea. The water is at least 100 shades of aqua blue. Some of the prettiest waters you’ll feast your eyes upon. I managed to take a glass boat tour as well as get some snorkeling in a while out in the waters of the Dead Sea. I had a blast. If I am ever in this region of the world again, I will be sure to return.
On my flight back to Cairo, I managed to capture some stunning aerial shots of the water and the mountains from the window seat of the plane.
The coastal city of Hurghada from above
How beautiful are these mountain views from the sky
I land back in Cairo from Hurghada in the evening and take it easy for the rest of the day. Tomorrow is my last full day in Cairo, and I have saved the best for last. I am going to explore Coptic Cairo, the Cairo Citadel of Saladin, and the Khan El Khalili Bazar all before my flight later on that night. This trip to Egypt has been non-stop the entire time with new adventures each day.
The next morning comes, and to my surprise, I am being linked up with one of my guides from when I was in Cairo earlier. It was a treat to see Mahmoud again. We set out to explore Coptic Cairo first. We arrive at Saint Virgin Mary’s Coptic Orthodox Church, also known as the Hanging Church. The church is on top of a gatehouse of Babylon Fortress. The grounds are lovely and serene. You walk in, and there is a courtyard with colorful imagery from scenes the Bible on the walls and steps that lead you up into the church. Again, there is a ton of historical information out there on this church. I highly encourage you guys to read up on it if you have free time.
The entrance to the church
After we spent some time in the Hanging Church, my guide had a small surprise for me and took me to a cool place called Church of St Sergius and Bacchus. It is said to have been built on the spot where Jesus, Mary, and Joseph rested when they fled to Egypt. It was an excellent way to end the tour of Coptic Cairo.
The entrance of the Church of St. Sergius and Bacchus.
The first image is from the well that the Holy Family drank from.
The second two images below are the small space down in the crypt below the church. This space is said to be the place where the Holy family rested.
We head out and take a drive to The Cairo Citadel of Saladin. This place is a UNESCO world heritage site that was built between 1176-1183 AD. It’s known for the beautiful Mosque of Mohammed Ali. With tons of Ottoman influence in the architecture, it bears a lot of resemblance to the Hagia Sofia in Istanbul. The views of Cairo from up top are incredible, not to be missed.
This citadel was said to be built to protect from the Crusaders.
The Alabaster Mosque of Mohamed Ali Pesha.
The courtyard
The entrance
I tried to capture as much of the ceiling as I possibly could. The intricate details are beautiful.
The back entrance leading into the mosque.
Views from up-top the Citadel
Finally, the very last place we go before it’s time for me to freshen up and get ready for my flight home, we stroll the streets of the Khan El Khalili Bazar. The bazar puts you in the mind of a scene straight out of Aladdin when they are chasing him through the market. Throughout the narrow winding alleyways are vendors of all kinds asking you to look at their products. “For you, I have a special price,” yells one of the vendors. The young adult crowd is the majority of the population that you see roaming about. The fragrant smell of different incense wafts through the air demanding the attention of your senses. Whatever you’re looking for, you can find and buy at the Khan El Khalili Bazar. The hustle and buzz of the bazaar seem only to amplify once the sun sets. That’s when the place truly comes alive.
And that, my friends, is a perfect ending to one of the most amazing trips I have taken in my life. I know that I say all of my trips are good, but Egypt was AMAZING!!!! There is so much rich history in this place, and it’s hard to believe that I stood and walked on the same ground as ancient Pharaohs of the past as well as gods and goddesses and even The Holy Family. It indeed will be an experience that I will never forget. I HIGHLY recommend that you put EGYPT on the top of your travel list; it will not disappoint.
Thank you guys so much for sticking with me through this incredibly lengthy blog. I tried not to leave anything out. My goal is always to provide you guys with the full experience so you can feel like you were right there with me. I hope that you guys enjoyed reading this as much I enjoyed sharing. Until my next adventure, much love and peace.
P.S. My next adventure will be in SE Asia…. get excited!!!!!!
Cape Town
Well, hello there and welcome back guys. I am so happy to be back. I know it has been quite a while since I have last updated you guys, but trust me when I say, life has been crazy busy. Now that things have settled down a bit, I can fill you guys in on my latest adventure. And what an adventure it was!
One night while sitting at the dinner table with Rudi and Karina, I scribble out possible travel destinations for 2019 and 2020. I had small travel ambitions for 2019 since there was and still is, so much going on in my year already. Cape Town, South Africa wasn’t on my radar for this year at all. I was saving it for possibly 2020. I had kinda already decided that 2020 was going to be my year to do extensive travel through Asia since it’s relatively cheap and I can just try and knock out several of the little islands and counties all in one go. And I’ll have you know that traveling to the content of Asia is at least a two-day journey from the East coast of the United States and if I have to be in the sky that long to get to one place, I might as well see as much as possible while I am there. But it’s funny how the universe works. While I had been saying for a while that I really wanted to go to South Africa, I never really set the ball in motion to go. Fate would have it that the very next day a flight deal would pop up in my email to go to Cape Town. Now, mind you, I had no large travel plans for this year except to travel locally in the United States and maybe go to Egypt at the end of the year, so when the flight came through for Cape Town, it was a deal I couldn’t resist, and I brought the tickets. I cannot begin to tell you the level of anxiety that I experienced after purchasing my tickets. The travel dates for South Africa were overlapping with our big move back to Virginia. Oh boy, what I have gotten myself into. Is this doable, what was I even thinking? I get all of the logistics sorted out with Karina, and we tweak some moving parts and voila, we’re moving back a little earlier and literally the week after I am off to Africa for the very first time in my life.
I must warn you that this may be quite lengthy getting into it because there is so much to unpack here, but hang in there because I promise that there will be tons of pictures.
So, in true storytelling form, I will try and take you on the journey as if you were there with me.
The day of my flight, I wake up very early to shower and do a once over my house and shut everything down since there will be no one home for the next several days. All of a sudden before I can get my clothes on good, there's an aggressive knock on my door. I am not the most savory person to deal with in the morning, so this better be good if your knocking before 7 a.m. I quickly jolt down the steps half dressed and opened the door only to find the head of the condo association standing outside of my door, demanding that I move my car immediately. I know what this about. It's about the roofers coming to put on a new roof; however, they are here way before the scheduled time, and I don't appreciate it one bit. Especially when an old man is yelling for me to move my car. Sir, I will move my car once I am fully dressed and I have loaded it. I am going away and need to load my car with my luggage. He then retorts, well fine, don't come tell me when the roofers throw something off the side of the house and it falls on top of your car. So that has me all in a tizzy, but nevertheless, I finish getting dressed, lock everything up, load my car, and I'm off to DC to meet my dad. I meet up with my dad to drop my car off at his house and we make our way to Dulles Int' l Airport. Hmmm, I guess I kinda left out the part that I was coming down with a yucky upper respiratory infection. It's allergy season here on the East coast, so I had just assumed that it was allergies and I was okay to fly. Boy was I wrong.
I get through security with no problem and transfer over to the airside and relax until it's time for me to board the first leg of my flight to Zurich Switzerland. You guys, what in the name of pain and suffering is happening to my body at this point. It's time to board the aircraft and there is absolutely no way that I can go eight hours in the air sitting next to someone with mucus flowing from my nose like an erupted volcano. I flag the flight attendant down and ask her if there's any way that I can move to one of the very back empty rows. She obliges and says absolutely. Ha, there is a God after all. However, we take off and reach cruising altitude and I am feeling terrible. My sinuses are stopped up tight as a drum, yet my nose is running continuously. My head is pounding and I am miserable. The longer I sit on the aircraft the more my body rebels. My skin starts to crawl, my teeth are feeling dry (how is that even a thing), and I just want off the aircraft at this point. I flew with United Airlines to Zurich and then from Zurich to Cape Town they transferred us to their sister airline Edelweiss.
We arrive at Zurich very early in the morning and I am coming completely undone at this point. When I get sick, I need comfort and rest and nothing less. I can't be bothered with anything, let alone wandering around Zurich's monstrosity of an airport. You guys, I think at some point I just start silent crying. I am in pain, I feel really sick, and I just want to collapse. But you know what they say, when we don't have the strength to go on for one second longer, God gives us his supernatural power. I finally make it to passport control and on to the transit hotel inside the airport. I strip naked, shower, and collapse into a coma until my alarm goes off later that day. I had a 14-hour layover, so I was not going to just hang around the airport the whole day, I went to BED!
I woke up feeling just a little better but still very cruddy. I hydrated like a mad woman and had a quick bite of food, and I was off on the longer haul of my flight to Cape Town. This part of the flight was 12 hours. Another agonizing flight. I am telling you, it was divine powers that kept me together on that aircraft those 12 hours. I took so many drugs on that flight. I had to, I had to get through it to reach my destination. The entire time I would just try to imagine what Africa would be like. I had to stop myself because I didn't want to imagine it too much, I wanted to just experience everything in its fullness just as it was with no expectations.
We land in Cape Town around 10:00 a.m. I exit the aircraft and take my first breath of fresh air. It's about 80 degrees Fahrenheit outside, sunny with no humidity. We wait on the tarmac and wait for shuttle buses to take us to the arrival side of the airport. Passport control was a breeze. I collect my luggage from baggage claim and try to order my Uber to my Airbnb. To my surprise, my phone isn't working in South Africa. I immediately connect to Wi-Fi and call Karina stateside and ask her to call Sprint and see what's up with my data. Long story short, I ended up having to buy a router with data from Vodaphone and using that when I was out and about. It was my lifeline, my only way of connection/ communication while in the country.
When traveling in Cape Town, I highly recommend using Uber to go everywhere. They are very cheap, reliable and most of all, very safe. My experience using them was excellent. I always had the very best chats with my Uber drivers and even hired one to be my personal driver for the day when I went to Stellenbosch to do the wine routes. I highly recommend it. The Uber ride from the airport to my Airbnb in Devil's Peak Estate was about a 20-minute drive. I eagerly looked out of my back window, absorbing the sights as much as I could as the driver took me to my Airbnb. I couldn't believe that I was actually in Africa, it seemed surreal.
We finally reach the Airbnb, and my host comes out to greet me with the biggest hug as if she's known me her entire life. I remember thinking, wow, she is very friendly. I am an introvert when I am tired and not feeling well, so I am not sure if the expression on my face was one of sheer horror when she decided to come really close and hug me or did I force a half smile half grimace as she came in for the hug? I think I may have even shuddered at her touch. I meant well, but I was beyond tired and quite sick. Thankfully, my host had already been informed of my feeling under the weather before landing. I messaged her in Zurich and told her that I would probably need medical care upon arrival. She showed me my around and let me shower and gather my self before giving me the official rundown of South Africa. I want to stop right here and say that it makes ALL the difference in the world to have a local host if possible. You can do your research and navigate any place more or less on your own, but having a local host makes it so much better. Arriving in a new place can be quite daunting at times. I had no idea how much of a culture shock I was in for. It came totally unexpected. That just goes to show that one should always leave their expectations at home when traveling. Go with an open mind and open heart and take the good with bad. Traveling can be a myriad of things.
The day is still young, and although it's my first day in the county and there's nothing more that I rather do than to collapse into bed right now, I must push through and go to Table Mountain. Plenty of people told me that you must do Table Mountain the very first day you arrive because you never know when the clouds will roll in, and your view becomes obstructed. I push myself and head to Table Mountain, one of the seven natural wonders of nature. You arrive pretty high up on the mountain and get on a cable car that takes you even higher up to the peak of Table Mountain. It's finally my turn to board the cable car, and we start our ascent up to the top of the mountain. I step off of the cable car and immediately, my jaw drops. First, I am completely overtaken with how high up we are, second, you can almost see God up here, and third, Oh my God! Words just won't describe this, so maybe these pictures will.
Waiting in line to board the cable car that takes you up to the mountain.
Going Up
Views as soon as you step off of the cable car.
What an incredible view of the sun setting right on the horizon above the clouds as well as the city view of Cape Town below.
I felt like if I looked close enough through the clouds, I would see God.
Standing above the clouds.
This big guy was sitting here waiting for me. I’m not sure what he is, but there were a lot of then up top the mountain.
A view of Lions Head coming down from Table Mountain.
Table Mountain was absolutely breathtaking. My only grief with Table Mountain is that is was extremely packed with tourist and locals, so it was hard to get really good photos. People would post up in a spot and wouldn’t move until the sun went down. But, that’s to be expected at places with amazing views.
The sun is almost entirely down as I come down from the mountain and I head home. The research that I had done before leaving the US advised for solo female travelers to ALWAYS use Uber when the sun starts going down due to crime. I personally didn’t experience any problems, but I was always either back at my Airbnb or getting ready to go back once it started to get dark outside. I don’t like to take chances when it comes to safety, and I was already sick, so I wasn’t doing much exploring at night.
Now, before we get into the sights and activities that I did during my visit, I think it’s important that I discuss a few things before going further. According to the 2011 statistics bureau, Cape Town South Africa is roughly made up of 76% Black Africans, 9% White Africans, 9% Coloureds (mixed race people, yes, they call them that) and 2.5% Asians (Cape Malay people). I am going to be honest and transparent with you guys. I experienced more culture shock in South Africa than I expected. I have traveled quite a bit in my life and this was the first time I was utterly shocked and left with so many questions and feelings. I just couldn’t process it. In fact, I am quite sure that I still haven’t processed it completely.
The first thing that I noticed immediately beside the overwhelming beauty of the place was the abundance of White people in Cape Town. I didn’t really see a lot of the African people just out and about. Where were they, I thought to myself? It seemed like everywhere I went, no African people were living in any of the communities that I explored or working in any affluent positions. The majority of White African residents living in Cape Town are either wealthy or ultra-elite wealthy. As I stuck around for a while going about with my day to day activities, I started to realize that there was an extreme gap in the social and economic status between the African people and the White Capetonians. My head was reeling with questions, and I didn’t know who to have this conversation with. I would eventually learn through small chats with Uber drivers and housekeepers at the different places I stayed, most Black South Africans live in townships on the outskirts of Cape Town. In case you guys are wondering what townships are, the townships were created under the apartheid system to separate the blacks from the whites racially. But now that apartheid is over, you still see the lingering effects in the township communities. There are extreme poverty, crime, inadequate infrastructure, and high unemployment rates. You can usually find them very close to wealthy white neighborhoods. Apartheid may have ended over 20 years ago, but it’s hard to not see how blatantly divided it still is. I have never seen or felt division on this level in my entire life. Back home in the states, people are always talking about how racism is still alive, but after visiting Cape Town, it made me think that our problems are slim in comparison to what South Africa is dealing with. It left me feeling so conflicted during my entire visit.
On the one hand, Cape Town is probably one of the most beautiful geographical places I have ever been to, beautiful seaside and mountains views everywhere, ultra-luxe vegetation; a real gem. But how could I not feel disturbed knowing that this incredibly beautiful place, more than twenty years post-apartheid, is still struggling with extreme social divisions? It’s a lot to unpack and discuss, and to be honest, I don’t have the answers. In fact, I encourage people to do their own research. Cape Town is such a unique place in Africa. I highly encourage people to visit regardless of the issues going on. It is very unique and different and to the rest of the African continent. But, please keep in mind that this is only a portion of my experience. There is plenty of good and beautiful to Cape Town. The thing about traveling to distant lands is that it will open you up and challenge your very existence. It forces you to take a more in-depth look and to think about things differently. Travel never takes away, it only gives.
I want you guys to also keep in mind that while reading this, I am not a self-proclaimed historian, I am just a novice traveler exploring different parts of the world. I make it a point to do some research before I leave my home in the United States, but I don’t always research in great depths before I land in a particular country. So my views and experiences are raw and organic first impressions of a place.
Moving along onto brighter things. During my travels in Cape Town, I was able to explore and do a lot of awesome things. My most anticipated thing to do on this trip was to cage dive with the great white sharks. I was so excited to finally be able to face my fear of sharks, only to be told that the shark sightings are rare at the moment. I was told that there was a possibility that we would be out there all day and not see one shark. The reason is that the Orcas are killing the great whites. It was hard for me to believe that Orcas are hunting these Apex predators (the Great Whites), but I wasn’t about to drop a large sum of money for a less than 50/50 chance of me not seeing a great white. I was told that I could rent a car and travel four hours up the coast and I would be guaranteed to see them, but I didn’t have that kind of time on my hands, and to do that solo would be agonizing for me. Had I known a little earlier on in my trip I would have probably made better arrangements. I mean, after all, its cage diving with the great white sharks. It’s a once in a lifetime kind of deal. And not many people can say that have done something that cool.
Every morning in Cape Town I would start my morning early by sitting outside on the patio right as the sun comes up listing the beautiful melodies of the birds singing and chirping, mixed with the faint sound of the Azan (the Muslim call to prayer) in the background. Usually, once the sun comes up, I would place an order with Uber Eats and fuel up for a full day of exploring.
Gluten free waffle with strawberries and coconut whipped cream. YUMMM
One of the joys about Cape Town is that it is indeed a food lovers paradise. There is no shortage of culinary greatness here in Cape Town. There are some amazing markets that are held around town on the weekends that are not to be missed if you’re wanting an extraordinary gastronomical experience. Being that I live for exquisite cuisine, one of the first things that I did to get my feet wet was to explore the Old Biscuit Mill Market and The Oranjezicht Market. Both are wonderful if you’re looking for a smorgasbord of options for food. The Old Biscuit Mill Market offers live entertainment, vendors that sell artisan crafts, clothing, jewelry, unique shops for souvenirs, and most of all, a beautiful selection of glorious food. It is best to arrive early to avoid the crowds and long lines if you want to do quite a bit of food experimenting. I walked around and ate from at least three different vendors while there. I had a lovely butter chicken from one stall, shawarma from another, and a mushroom shish kabob that would leave me drooling long after at the thought of eating another one. I will just say that Old Biscuit Mill was a real treat for me. I arrived around 10:00 a.m. and the crowds were already massive and thick. I just breathed through my anxiety and squeezed my way onward and about to culinary greatness. Sadly, there are no pictures of my food. I devoured it as soon as I got it in hand. And the crowds were too thick to be whipping out my phone or camera to try and take a picture worthy enough to do it justice. There was barely standing room.
The entrance of the Old Biscuit Mill~Lively on a Saturday morning.
Live music of the front entrance seating area.
Entering into the heavenly food section of the market.
I managed to squeeze these hips into a small sliver of space on the bench to devour my food before even taking one single picture. This picture was an after-thought, sorry guys. None the less, this is what seating looks like in the back of the market where all the amazing food is located.
Tons of vendors set up out side with beautiful crafts.
Views leaving the Old Biscuit Mill while waiting for my Uber to arrive.
Art murals can be found all over the city of Cape Town.
The Oranjezicht Market has more a farmers market feel to it. You will see more of the local Capetonians here than at the Old Biscuit Mill. It offers a vast selection of green life (plants) in all forms and some of the most beautiful produce that I have seen outside of the open street markets in France. You can find local farmers set up with fresh cuts of pasture-raised meats, fresh cheeses, jams, and honey. It’s a gem if you’re a local that is looking for excellent quality food to prepare at home or even tourists who are spending extended time in Cape Town. The food vendors are not to be missed here as well. I had some of the best shakshuka in my life there. Shakshuka is an Israeli breakfast specialty that’s made of a tomato red pepper sauce spiced with cumin, paprika, and cayenne that’s topped with a few eggs overtop. It is heavenly stuff. I was amazed at how lovely I had it there in Cape Town.
Beautiful flora throughout when entering the Oranjezicht Market. I wanted so badly to buy all of the beautiful things and bring them back to the States with me.
Have you ever seen anything more beautiful than this produce?
Food vendor section. All the yummy things reside here.
Because food is obviously the only reason I travel ( just kidding, but am I really though), I decided to book a cooking experience through Airbnb with a local resident in the Bo Kaap neighborhood. My lovely host Fayruza, who led the cooking experience, welcomed us three girls into her home with an open heart and much kindness. I felt like I was in my mom's kitchen cooking alongside her. The atmosphere was relaxed and casual, and the flow of conversation was beautiful. This is absolutely 100 percent why I travel, for the authentic cultural exchanges such as this one. It fills you richly and leaves you with so much more than what you had when you first started the journey.
Our host welcoming us into her home with a special occasion celebratory drink. I forget what its called but its a mixture of rose water and some type of milk. When you drink it, you say Bismillah.
A traditional spice dish on the left with a bowl of yogurt, a tablespoon of minced ginger, and a bowl of tomato paste mixed with crushed tomatoes.
Our host walks us through the steps of making the curry. You can use any kind vegetables that you like. For us, it was a mixture of zucchini, carrots, and potatoes.
Next we prepared the dough for the Roti. Roti is a flat bread that uses flour, salt, baking powder, herbs, and olive oil.
We rolled the roti out and made round shaped disk in the shapes of what a tortilla would look.
Next was the chopped salad that would be made to eat with the samosas. A mixture of onion, yellow pepper, banana, cucumber, tomato, parsley, red Chile flakes, and sweet Chile sauce. It’s a strange combo, but it works so well with the vegetable samosas.
Finally, everything has come together and we are ready to eat. The food was absolutely amazing.
Continuing on that day, I walk down to Greenmarket Square and meet my guide for a private walking tour of the Bo Kaap area. The Bo Kaap area is home to Cape Towns Cape Malay population whom many are descendants of slaves that arrived in Cape Town from Maritime South East Asia, Madagascar, and Eastern Africa. Majority of the Cape Malay people were brought over by the Dutch East India Company. Many know Bo Kaap for their distinctively brightly colored homes and cobble stoned streets. My guide was explaining that the houses are painted so bright because it represents their freedom after apartheid ended. The majority of the Bo Kaap residents are Muslim. There are said to be eleven Mosques in the Bo Kaap area alone, all functioning and serving the community. While strolling up and down the cobbled stone hilly roads, you can hear the azan being played over the loud speaker calling the people to prayer. People walking by greeting me and my guide “assalaamu alaykum.” It is so hot that day that my guides frequently stops in the shade to tell me bits and pieces of history as I catch my breath and get ready to keep trekking ahead.
Greenmarket Square is a place of hustle and bustle. There are tons of vendors selling just about anything you could want; art, jewelry, native clothing, you name it, it’s there. Every turn you make a vendor is yelling out “madam, madam, please come an have a look.” It’s okay to look, but you must be strong-willed if you don’t plan on purchasing. They will hound you. A polite no thank you is usually enough to shift their attention elsewhere. I highly suggest that you haggle when shopping at the Greensquare market, they will offer you an outrageously high price at first, but if you haggle a little bit they will come down. But please be respectful and don’t go too low. This is usually the vendors only source of income.
Entering the Bo Kaap neighborhood.
A small art gallery inside the Bo Kaap neighborhood. I ended up purchasing a small piece of art from inside the gallery.
Beautifully colored homes.
A candid picture of my tour guide carrying my bag of native spices that I brought from a local shop in the Bo Kaap neighborhood explaining the mural art on the wall to me. I was struggling to keep up at this point. The heat had me.
A beautiful view of the Bo Kaap neighborhood with Table mountain in the background.
More art murals along the walls in the alleyways of Bo Kaap.
A few days into my trip, despite my best efforts to nurse myself back to some sort of health, I still felt quite crappy. This upper respiratory thing was not letting up, and I didn’t want it to ruin my entire trip potentially. I messaged my host and asked her about medical facilities in the area that would take my insurance, and she took me to see a doctor the very next day. Medical care in Cape Town is very cheap compared to the outlandish price you pay in the States. I paid $135 US dollars for the medical exam and prescriptions. Turns out I had a bad upper respiratory infection and an inflamed tympanic membrane. A round of antibiotics, steroids, and anti-inflammatory pills were prescribed to clear things up, and I was on my back out to do more exploring.
Being that I was still quite under the weather, I decided to take it pretty easy with my sightseeing go and explore the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. The V&A Waterfront is one of Cape Towns oldest functioning harbors that boast beautiful views of Table Mountain. There are a variety of things to do around the V & A Waterfront, endless shops, tons of restaurants, both budget-friendly and high end, live entertainment most days, and a huge observation wheel. In the same area, there is also the Two Oceans Aquarium and The Zietz Mocca Museum. I ended up spending quite a bit of time down at the V & A Waterfront most afternoons because of all of the shops. I could never see as much as I wanted to in one visit.
How beautiful is this view, even on a cloudy day?
Another gorgeous view of the beautiful V & A Waterfront.
The Observation Wheel was great for getting an areal view of Cape Town.
Jumbo animal head chess pieces. There would be tons of people actually playing and moving these pieces across the jumbo chess board.
A view of the Cape Town Stadium that was built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
While enjoying some fresh prawns and garlic sauce, this little fellow decided to perch upon my table and join me for a bite of my food. Did I mention that I don’t share?
African singing and dance in front of the Noble Square Statues with beautiful view of Devils Peak in the background.
In the V & A Waterfront area is the Zietz Mocca Museum. It holds the most extensive collection of contemporary African art in the entire world. If museums are your thing, I highly suggest you check it out. There is a fee of R190, which is equivalent to $13.29 US dollars to enter, but well worth it to have a look around.
I will show you guys a few of the exhibits that I saw during my visit, but I, unfortunately, do not have all the information on every piece of art.
Views that you see as soon as you enter into the museum.
I was cough entirely off guard when I entered into this room. You enter into the room through the doors pictured above, it's very dim lighting with very creepy voices speaking in almost a whispering tone. Very freakish. I did not like it. I actually opened the door and heard the whispering voices and then looked to my left and saw that person looking thing laying there and jetted out the room. It scared the hell out of me. I gathered my composure and stood in there long enough to snag a photo, and I jetted.
This photo gives you an explanation o the next two photos.
This artist recreated Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden except they don’t have heads. I imagine that the artist is trying to portray that no one alive today would able to know what these human being looked like back in that time, so he left them headless. You can’t see it that well, but the snake is also headless.
While roaming around down at the V & A Waterfront, I stumbled across the City Sightseeing office where the Big Red Bus operates tours from all over Cape Town. It was perfect timing because I wanted to book a trip to the Cape of Good Hope and Boulders Beach to visit the penguins. While there I also booked a one day hop on hop off ticket with the Red Bus to get even more sightseeing in. Using the Big Red Bus to get around is a very inexpensive way to see a lot of the sights around Cape Town. I have used this company in many different countries and cities. I highly recommend it.
Below are pictures from the Cape of Good Hope.
On our drive to the Cape of Good Hope, we drove by Muizenberg Beach that is known for their colorful beach shacks on the water. I wish we had stopped there, but that only means that I will have to come back to Cape Town for another visit.
You take a funicular up to a certain point and then you walk up the steps to the look out point of the light house where the views are spectacular.
The baboons run wild around the Cape of Good Hope. They can be quite aggressive, especially if one has food in their possession. It is highly advisable not to have any food what so ever in your hands while walking the grounds at the Cape of Good Hope.
Everywhere you look, there’s a beautiful view waiting to take your breath away.
I can never get enough the sea views in South Africa.
Below are pictures from Boulders Beach. There is a small entrance fee of R35 wish is equivalent to 2.45 US dollars. Boulders Beach is very popular due to the African colony of penguins that arrived in 1982. They can only be found along the coastline of South Africa. Because of awful tourist poking the penguins with selfie sticks and stepping on them and bothering them in general, they have blocked a lot of the areas off where the penguins roam around. You have to watch them on a dock off of the shore, and the space by the water is usually always very crowded with people trying to get photos and videos of the penguins. Makes for a less than pleasant experience, in my opinion. But, that’s what you deal with when people can’t leave the animals alone. It’s not enough to just look at them, but I digress.
Well, hello there little fella, where are you off to on this fine day?
I may have squealed when I saw this cute little colony of penguins.
You guys, come on, how cute is this guy.
Can we all take a minute to appreciate how beautiful the water is?
So sad to have to leave these little guys. I could have watched them all day, but it was extremely crowded on the dock and I needed to get out of there before my anxiety got the best of me.
After the fantastic day with the penguins it was time to rest up for the next day of exploring. By this time I am feeling a lot better, the meds are working and the steroids are giving me an insatiable appetite. I want to eat everything. First stop of the day is to the Kirstenbosch Gardens. Luckily for me, I can use the Big Red Bus to get there since The Kirstenbosch Gardens is one of the stops along the many routes the bus takes. When arriving at the gardens, there is an admission fee of R40, which is the equivalent of $2.81 US dollars.
Kirstenbosch is truly a magical place. You can spend the entire day just walking around taking in the beautiful scenery of the gardens. It was one of the most peaceful and serene places that have been in my whole life. My pictures do not do this place any justice. This is one of those places that can’t be described, it must be visited. My only regret is that I wish I could have spent more time there. The grounds are expansive and lush leaving you feeling like you’ve stepped back into the garden of Eden (not that I’ve ever been there, but I imagine that’s what it may have resembled). Kirstenbosch is known to have live music and movies on Sundays. People take their picnic baskets and blankets and spread out on the lawn and enjoy the beauty that surrounds them.
Upon entering into the gardens, you will find this statue of artwork. Very impressive.
This looks like something dreamed up inside of a fairy tale, so magical and beautiful.
Views, on top of views, on top of views.
Entering onto the Centenary Tree Canopy Walkway.
I felt like I was walking through a lush tropical jungle. The scenery was so amazing. You can literally spend hours in this place and lose all track of time.
I want to believe that this is what the world looked like millions of years ago before we ruined it.
The lawn where they have live music and movies at sundown.
The natural Flora that grows here in the gardens.
Kirstenbosch was an absolute gem, definitely one of the highlights of my trip. Now that I had explored possibly one of the most beautiful gardens that I have ever laid my eyes upon, it was time to eat. I headed to the restaurant nearby and grabbed some delicious prawn curry. Just a little food to hold me over, and it was off to my next adventure.
I’m drooling just remembering how delicious this was.
Later that evening, I decided to advantage of the Big Red Bus’s sunset ride to Signal Hill. The bus departs a little before sundown, and they take you to the top of Signal Hill to experience a beautiful sunset. Usually, people bring tier blankets a light snack and a sundowner to enjoy the view as the sun settles below the horizon. The ride up to signal brings you more amazing views as you drive the scenic coastal route; I highly recommend it. On the way down the mountain, we actually got stuck in complete gridlock traffic, but I didn’t mind it one bit because the views of Cape Town coming to life at night were just as amazing.
Views form our drive along the scenic route.
It never gets old looking at the views of Cape Town.
Twelve Apostles side of Table Mountain.
Almost to the top.
The view that greets you at the top of Signal Hill.
Everyone gathered here at the slope of the mountain to watch the sun settle beneath the horizon.
As beautiful as the Western Cape can be, it did rain a few days while I was there. Cape Town was going into their Fall season while here in the states, we were going into our Spring season. The rain didn’t stop me from going out and continuing to explore. The District Six Museum and Truth Coffee were excellent options for a rainy day.
District Six was a former residential community made up of freed slaves (both Malay and African) and immigrants that was destroyed under the apartheid regime in South Africa. Forced relocation and the destruction of homes left District Six laying in rubble never to be re-built long after the apartheid regime ended.
A fresco painting covering the entire wall dedicated to human rights in the District Six Museum
Covering the floor is a map of District Six where letters were written by the inhabitants that used to live there are placed around the border of the map.
The museum had many items that were found in the rubble of District Six, a lot of family heirlooms. This is a recipe of a curry meatloaf that comes from one of the former Cape Malay inhabitants of District Six.
The District Six museum is small and only takes about an hour or so to see in its entirety, but It is well worth a visit to learn about the history. I highly record that you stop by if you’re Cape Town. Sad, but very eye opening.
After spending some time in the District Six Museum, I make a mad dash in an attempt to dodge the pouring rain and head into Truth Coffee Shop. The shop was right across the street from the museum, so I didn’t have to run far, but I was drenched when I walked through the door. A man in full steampunk attire greeted me and asked me if I would like a seat at one of the tables. Truth Coffee shop is known for its unique steampunk vibes while serving up some of the best coffee in Cape Town. I order a hot chocolate and croissant and chatted up the lovely American expat who is currently living in South Africa. We chat about this and that and before you know it, two hours have passed by. It was an excellent way to spend my rainy day in Cape Town.
Steampunk greeter at Truth Coffee Shop
This is what I’d like to call the coffee concocter. They actually use the coffee beans from this steampunk looking machine and make coffee.
This place stayed pretty full, and it’s not uncommon to have to wait for a seat.
Also, on my agenda was a trip to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela and over 3000 other political prisoners were held during the apartheid regime. The island is only accessible by taking the ferry, but if the weather conditions are not right, they cancel the boat. I had initially booked my trip to Robben Island for the beginning of my trip just in case they had to cancel, and I’m glad that I did that because they ended up canceling the ferry twice. The good thing is that once you purchase your ticket, if they end up canceling, you get your money back. Robben Island is no longer a prison, but a museum.
Such a haunting statue to see while waiting in line to board the ferry to Robben Island.
Arriving on the island, you immediately know that you’re here for a prison. Through that entrance is the prison.
The ferry that brought us over. It’s a lot bigger than it looks.
The prison area is dry and desolate. It is eerily quiet here. It makes me think what it would have been like to have been here as a prisoner.
A very long and sterile corridor. On the other sides of those steel doors are cells that housed inmates.
Toilets were not always a luxury that the inmates had. They usually had one bucket for several prisoners.
Open showers.
The prison bay. The bunks were not always there. For many years there were only those thin mats that lie in the middle of the floor.
Our tour guide. He used to be an actual prisoner here at Robben Island for several years. An outstanding man full of knowledge.
This photo goes with the one below it. The stories of former prisoners inside different cells, most of the stories spoke about the inhumane torture for the prison guards.
Nelson Mandelas cell. That red bucket was for his waste and the thin mat is where he slept.
Guard tower.
A view of Cape Town from Robben Island.
The tour through Robben Island was such an experience. I would always hear about Nelson Mandela and what he fought for, but I never thought I would get to see the place where he spent 18 out the 27 years he was imprisoned for fighting apartheid. Mandela went from political prisoner of the state to the political leader of South Africa. Nelson Mandela’s legacy will live on, forever.
As my time is winding down in beautiful Cape Town, little did I know that I was saving the best for last. I decided to keep the wine routes for last because I am not a big wine drinker. I can enjoy a glass of wine every now and then, but you will never see me just going and buying it to drink regularly. However, I regret big time that I saved this for last. This experience was hands down, the highlight of my entire trip. Who would have thought that I would enjoy wine tasting so much? South Africa is known globally for having some of the best wines in the world. They weren’t exaggerating when they made that a statement! I was only able to visit one winery, and I am kicking myself for this. I hired one of my Uber drivers for the entire day to take me to Stellenbosch to go wine tasting. There are tons of wineries along the Stellenbosch route, the hardest part is to pick one. I decided to go with Fairview Wine and Cheese Farm. Oh boy, I was in for a top-notch treat and didn’t even know it.
Entering Fairview Wine and Cheese Farm.
Welcome to the winery. This is where all the fun happens.
I would like to tell you guys just how exquisite these cheeses were, yes the wine was delicious, but the cheeses stole the show. There was a variety of cows milk and goats milk cheeses. The goat's milk cheeses are made right here on the farm, and they are out of this world fresh and delicious. Everything was paired so perfectly.
At this point, I have had four generous tastings of wine paired four different types of cheeses. The olive oil and bread are there to eat in-between each tasting to cleanse the palate.
This is where all the magic happens. A lot of the wine we tasted is made right here on the farm from the grapes grown outside.
This is where you do the basic wine tasting. I decided that I wanted the master tasting. It was 100 percent worth it.
Fairview’s grounds are lush and expansive. I almost thought I was somewhere on a private estate off the coast of Italy somewhere.
Beautiful lush gardens around the property.
Such a beautiful and serene place. One of the best farms I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing.
A view of a portion of thier vineyards.
How amazing is this view of the vineyard with the mountains in the back.
The goats of Fairview.
Cape Town South Africa has left me with a myriad of emotions. Never in my life would I ever think that I would someday travel to lands so distant. Cape Town, while still having a lot of underlying issues from its dark past is an amazingly drop dead gorgeous place. It’s hard to remember that you are in Africa at all at times. Cape Town is a place that will be with you with forever, it shakes you up, challenges you, and sticks to your soul for years to come, begging you to come back and see more. I didn’t even touch the tip of the iceberg with everything that I saw and did while visiting. There is so much more to do and explore. If God wills it, I will be back one day to explore once more, all the things that I missed this first time. I am just getting started. South Africa isn’t only Cape Town, there are so many other cities such as Johannesburg, Soweto, Durban, and Pretoria. Thank you, God, for giving me the grace to see more of your majesty. I realize that not everyone has the privilege to travel, so my heart is extremely grateful.
Well, guys, if you made it this far, you are a faithful OG. I know this was quite lengthy, and at times, I was rambling, but I promise you that I am working on this whole blogging thing. It will get better.
I hope that you enjoyed reading this blog as much as I enjoyed sharing. Please come back soon for my next adventure around the world.
Puerto Rico: Isla del Encanto
Well hello there. How's everyone's summer been coming along? If it has been anything like mine, it's been HOT HOT HOT! You step outside for five minutes and you're melting into a puddle on the pavement. And the sun; the sun is very different this year. I swear it's not the same sun as when we were growing up. I spent most of my youthful days outside in the sun and I never felt it as intensely as I do now. It's almost as if the sun is radioactive. I feel like it burns me from the inside out. I am no fan of extreme temperatures. If it's too cold my body literally aches, and if it's too hot my body swells. It's the weirdest thing ever. I guess that's what happens when you age. But, I digress. Moving right along.
As you can tell from the title of this blog, I will be sharing about my time in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico is a place that Karina and I visit quite frequently because Karina's entire family lives on the island. We make it a point to get over there at least once a year. Our last visit to the island was Christmas of 2016. In September 2017 Hurricane Maria came through the island with massive winds and water almost leaving it completely inhabitable. It is now August of 2018 and we are finally getting a chance to visit the island post-Maria. We weren't too sure what to expect when we got there, all we knew was that the southern part of the island where Karina's parents live was doing just fine. Still, we were anxious about what to expect.
We arrive in San Juan on a Monday afternoon. We gather our luggage and proceed to walk outside where Karina's mom, dad, and nephew greeted us with a warm welcome full of hugs and kisses. The air was not as thick as I was expecting it to be when we exited the airport doors. Usually, there is a certain thickness that hangs in the air in Puerto Rico. The humidity can be described as stifling or even suffocating. But this time it was different, I could breathe quite nicely. It was almost as if I hadn't touched down on a tropical island at all. The temperature was a warm but mild 83/84 degrees. It was wonderful. We head to the car and load up our luggage and off we go.
Every time we arrive on the island and Karina's dad picks us up form the airport, we stop at a little local restaurant in the town of Guavate to eat the obligatory meal of lechon y arroz con gandules. That would be roasted pork form a whole pig that has been cooked on the open fire served with rice. Pretty tasty. I tried to take pictures of this meal but we were starving and all rationale left our minds once the food was in front of us for devouring. With our bellies full, we drive about an hour south onward to Karina's parents house. When we arrive, we settle in for the evening and prepare for tomorrows beach day. Almost every day was a beach day during this trip. We currently live in the landlocked state of Kentucky so we took full advantage of the ocean each day we were there.
Now, I know you guys are probably wanting to know what the island is like post-Maria. I won't be able to address this in great lengths only because the purpose for our visit was to visit family and to relax. However, something to understand here is that the island of Puerto Rico had a long-standing struggling economy before the hurricane hit, so when Maria came through, it completely crippled the island. Recovery has been very slow and minimal as a whole for the island. There are limited resources for food and in some parts of the island people still do not have access to electricity and water. Mobile phone service and internet is touch and go throughout the entire island leaving some places as "dead zones". You can expect for inflation to be at an all-time high and wait times in restaurants to be extremely long depending on what part of the Island you are in. An example of how bad the inflation is on the island; we paid $20 for a regular bottle of lotion at Walmart. We thought that maybe we had picked up the wrong bottle, but no, that was the price. Also, what stands out the most is the blue tarps that you see throughout the island that FEMA has placed on people's houses that didn't have roof's after the storm. And the tree's that were once full, lush, and green have been stripped bare of their palms and are now brown. However, that being said, the people of Puerto Rico are resilient and are hopeful of fully recovering in the near future.
One of the houses in the Mountains of Vialba. Completely ruined with the roof completely destroyed.
If you have a close look, you can see the trees that have been striped of their green foliage. All of the brown tree stalks shown in this photo were once full of green lush tropical leaves.
A view looking down on La Perla. One roof with a blue tarp that FEMA placed and several other buildings with no roofs at all.
The northern part of the island was surprisingly more intact than the southern part even thought they got hit the hardest. Karina explained that the people in the north part of island were better prepared for the storm than the people in the south because the north always gets hit head on when ever a storm comes through. But, because this was a monster of a storm, even the southern parts of the island got hit hard. Almost everyone was unprepared for what was headed towards them.
Now that we have covered a little of the aftermath of Maria, we can move on to clearer waters. We were on the island a total of 9 days and we wanted to maximize our beach time to the fullest. I don't think we spent one day out of the water. We did occasionally surface for food and sleep, but the beaches would call us right back. The beaches were in pristine condition guys. It was actually the best conditions I've ever seen them in. If I close my eyes I can still see the clear blue Caribbean water. So, if you're thinking about visiting the island, I recommend it. Just keep in mind everything that I mentioned above. I'd go back for the water alone!
Coastal view of Crashboat Beach
We've been here to this particular beach in the past and this time the waters were the clearest we've ever seem them.
My second attempt to jump off the dock into the deep waters of the ocean.
I couldn't climb this make shift ladder to get out the water to save my life, I had to swim back to the shore. Karinas nephew tried holding the rope, but it was hopeless :)
The sea was nice and calm. Great for floating around and relaxing.
Tropical view of Crashboat beach.
As the sun was setting on this day we decided to head to Rincon, the next town over and catch the sunset from the cliff where the light house sits.
Welcome to the seaside town of Rincon.
The beautiful Flamboyan Tree. You will see tons of trees like this through out the island. The leaves are always a bright Caribbean color.
Borinquen is also another name for Puerto Rico, derived from the indigenous Taíno Indians that use to live on the island.
A nice view looking up from the Flamboyan tree.
El Faro lighthouse in Rincon.
A seaside bar that sits off the cliff along the shores of Rincon
Sea view
Solitude
Our next adventure was half land and half water. We hiked to Cueva Ventana during the first part of the day and then trekked up steep and rocky cliffs to Cueva de Indio.
Cueva Ventana means "window cave" in English. The cave sits on top of a limestone cliff in the mountains of Arecibo, Puerto Rico. We decided to do a tour with local biologist that spoke to us about the nature of the cave, the importance of the insect and bat population, and life for the indigenous people that use to live inside of these caves. I was quite surprised to learn that cockroaches play a huge role in keeping the caves clean. I remember the guide telling us that if the cockroaches weren't there to eat a certain substance (juano, which is bat poop) in the caves, humans wouldn't be able to go in there and breathe with out getting lung disease. The tour was amazing. I highly recommend it. Most people go just for the view, but I thoroughly enjoyed learning about everything the guide spoke about. Also, one quick note. The biologist that lead our group mentioned that before Hurricane Maria, there were a number of thousands of bats that occupied the cave and the lush surrounding of the cave. Now there are only a total of 15 bats living in that region. Because of the loss of the bats, fruits and other things have taken a loss on the island. It was quite interesting to learn all of that. See, people, we need our bats and we need our cockroaches. I had always just assumed cockroaches were sent to us as a wretched curse. Nope, we actually need them.
I felt like Dora the Explorer hiking through the lush tropical mountains.
At this point I wasn't sure what to expect because we were approaching a really dark and damp cave that looked like a scene from Alien.
My face says it all. I was freaking out just a bit.
How creepy are these images! We are now entering the first entrance to the first cave.
The inside of a smaller cave that leads you to the bigger cave of Cueva Ventana.
Indigenous carvings.
I may or may not have panicked going inside the main cave. It was a super steep trek down into the pitch black cave. Every other person was given a flash light and we were told to under no circumstances, point the flashlight up towards the ceiling. We were to keep the flashlight pointed at the ground at all times. I was such a chicken that I had to hold the actual guides hand. I felt like I would be safer with him since he does this day and day out.
If you are claustrophobic and cant deal with very small spaces and have a hard time breathing, this tour is not for you. The guide whose hand I was holding, he probably lost all circulation. I was completely freaked out on the inside. I didn't want to act scared in from of all the people in my group, but there was no going back at this point. I had to keep going forward.
Literally the light at the end of the tunnel. WOW! What an amazing view. Totally worth it! My pictures do this view no justice. The cave is overlooking the Rio Grande of Arecibo. There was a nice cross winds breeze flowing through.
By the time we get done with this tour we still had plenty of time left in our day for another adventure. We head to Cueva del Indio, which means "Cave of the Indians", is also in Arecibo. It is said to have the largest numbers of petroglyphs in that region of the island. Cueva del Indio is also a prehistoric rock site with spikes rock formations that lead to the top cliffs, which are known best for the views of the ocean. I highly suggest wearing a good solid sneaker while attempting to climb this spikey rock formation. You will cut your feet and twist your ankles if you're not wearing proper foot attire. It is also worth noting that parking around this area is sketchy. There is a man who claims the land is private property and he charges five dollars per person. Not per car, per person. A complete rip in opinion. When I asked him who the property belonged to he couldn't answer me. I also asked who he was affiliated with and he also couldn't answer that question. So beware. There really isn't many places to park so you may have to bite the bullet on this one. Just giving a heads up.
BEAUTIFUL
Very dangerous getting down here. I didn't allow Karina's nephews to come down this far. I actually meet a local diver that crawled out of one of the openings of these rocks. They were cliff jumping into the waters below. Very dangerous.
Spicy rock formation overlooking the aquamarine blue waters. At times the waves can crash as far as the tops of these cliffs.
Admiring the beauty of this place. Sometimes you have to stop and just take it in for a while. It absolutley beautuful.
We wake up incredibly early the next morning and head out on our next adventure. We travel from the city of Ponce to Fajardo. The drive is approximately two hours. We stop at our favorite café in the area. It's a hidden gem called Dulce Aroma. They have the best coffee on the entire island. The owner is always very polite and makes sure that his customers are very well taken care of. Dulce Aroma gives me a cozy welcoming family vibe. Each day that we stoped in, there were plenty of familiar faces inside chatting over caffe con pan ( coffee with bread). You can get the some of the islands best coffee and breakfast here for under ten dollars. We love this place. We look forward to coming every time we visit the island.
A hidden gem on the island. I was so happy to see that they didn't suffer terrible damage from the hurricane.
A beautiful sight to behold.
Karina looks like she's in love with that sweet Tres Leché's cupcake.
The space is very small but very welcoming. I wouldn't change anything about it.
After finishing up our beautiful breakfast, our next journey while visiting the island was hands down the best thing we did during the entire trip. We decided to take a charterd boat ride off the island to go to Culebra. We used SS Tobias Snorkel and Boat Tours. They are the best in all of Puerto Rico. Their boats are inspected by the Coast Guard and the crew is outstanding. They provide all snorkel gear, luch, drinks, and snacks. They are very attentive to their guest and take care of everything for you. It was an outstanding time from the time we took off to the time we docked coming back. I would highly recommend all of your boating excursions through them. We actually used them twice while visiting the island, once to go to Culebra and then another time to go to Icacos. This is my own opinion of this company. I am not being paid or sponsored by them.
Sailing out. We all had on so much sunscreen. The sun rays were vicious. We weren't taking any chances with our precious skin.
Pulling into Flamenco Beach on the island of Culebra.
Snorkeling in these waters was amazing. Wishing I had a go pro to capture all go the sea life we saw.
Im pretty sure this is what Paradise is.
What would I give to be out in these waters again.
Why would Ariel from The Little Mermaid ever want to be human. I'd take the mermaid life any day.
Snacks for the entire boat after a long day of snorkeling, diving, and swimming. The Rum Punch and Piña Colada's flowed freely.
One of the two tanks that US Navy left left behind years ago.
Karina's Nephew standing by one of the tanks.
Getting ready to head back. What an incredible day that I will never forget.
Pano shot of Flamenco Beach, Culebra.
We never wanted that day to end. It was beautiful being on the water in that capacity. Especially out in the deep where we could jump off the stern. It was invigorating and made me feel like I was alive. But sadly, all good things must come to an end. We drive back to the city of Ponce that evening with the memories of that day fresh in our minds. As I drifted off to sleep that night, I could still feel the lull of the waves taking over my body from being in the ocean. Best sleep I've had in a long time.
As our time is winding down on the island we visit some of Karina's family in the mountains and go to the local plaza in town. We have about two more beach days before it's time to pack it all up and head back to Fort Knox. I try to stay in the present and enjoy every second of my time in Puerto Rico.
A view form Karina's aunt and uncle's house overlooking the city of Juana Diaz.
Beautiful mountains
I meet a baby Husky girl named Amayah. She was quite the little stinker.
A view driving through the mountainside of Vialba.
Below you can see artwork from local artist displayed on the walls of Plaza del Caribe in the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico. The walls were filled with big murals of the art through out the entire plaza.
I could have staired at this piece all day.
Beautifull
Time is steadily winding down on the island, we head up to San Juan and hit up Isla Verdé beach for one last beach day and explore Castillo San Felipe del Morro, which is also called El Morro.
While most of the island was still fast asleep, I was up watching the sunrise over Isla Verde and thanking God for his beautiful creation.
Karina and her nephews made this amazing creation of a sand sculptured sea turtle.
I could get used to this!
We run into La Perla as we walk up the hill to get to El Morro. La Perla is a community that sits right on the wall of the shore of San Juan.
Sights of the La Perla community.
Some of the most sought out land on the island, many investors have come to Puerto Rico to buy out the land but it is considered a high crime area. There are only three ways to get in and out of La Perla. It has been said that if you have trouble while in La Perla, the police will not come and help you.
Santa María de Pazzis Cemetary. Located right along the walls of San Filipe del Morro fortress.
We finally reach El Morro. The old fortress was built between 1539-40 and served as defense against sea attackers.
A beautiful view from the El Morro and San Cristobal forts.
Such a beautiful area to explore with a lot of rich history. You could spend hours at this place and learn so much.
On the weekend's you will find local families here with their children flying kites in the air if a good sea breeze comes in. A beautiful way to pass the day away.
Puerto Rico, you have been a real gem this time around. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a real love-hate relationship with this island. There are things about this island that drive me absolutley crazy, but there's also the the wonderful aspects that keep me coming back every time. It is with great hope that the island of Puerto Rico can truly 100% recover from the remnants of what Maria left behind. The island has so much offer and can truly be enchanting. Until we meet again, Puerto Rico.
Guys, I truly hope that you enjoyed having a glimpse of my family vacation. As always it was my absolute pleasure sharing with all of you. I hope you all enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed sharing. Until next time, stay cool and God bless!
My First Solo Travel Experience as a Female
Hi guys. Welcome back. I know, I know, it's been a quite a while since I have last posted anything new to the blog. We are in what you call the dog days of summer here in Kentucky and it feel like the life has been zapped out of me. The temps have reached triple digits here and all the bugs that are usually not present during the cooler months have ascended from hell onto earth. Okay, I am probably being a little dramatic, but we have spiders the size of the palm of my hand trying to sleep in my bedroom and mosquitos that are being contracted out by the Red Cross to get our blood. They are coming in for the kill this year with the bites. So, here we are. I am going to push through this summer daze (literal summer daze y'all) and continue to deliver the stories of my life.
Now that I have given you all a very good explanation of my absence, why don't we jump right into it. Today I will be talking about my first time traveling solo out of the country as a female. Trust me, it's not as scary as you might think. As most of you all know by now, I have always been compelled to travel far and wide and to go and do and see all of things, all over the world. Travel is one of the few things that I am passionate about. If I had my way, I would travel way more than what I do now. I try to get out of here several times a year, but sometimes life happens and travels have to be pushed back. But, such is life, right? I have a dog that I love like the air that I breathe so I can't be gone for too long. Rudi needs me and I need him just as much, if not, even more!
In true Kellee fashion, I was up late one night catching up on emails while binge watching some series on Netflix, not even thinking about anything travel related during that time. I scroll endlessly through what seems like a never-ending list of "trash" emails. As I get to the very bottom I see an email form The Flight Deal pop up in my inbox. I click on that email, and to my surprise, there's a flight deal for a flight leaving out of Dulles, Washington D.C. going to Frankfurt Germany for under $500 for travel dates during the month of November. This was perfect. I booked the flight instantly. I did it without even thinking. I saw there was an opportunity to fly for super cheap and I jumped. For me, it was like all the stars had aligned perfectly that night. My friend Irina lived in Germany and she had been inviting me to come visit her since the day we meet. This was the perfect time to make good on my word and finally go see her.
Because of the way the flight deal was set up, I was able to spend almost the entire month of November in Europe. Once my flight was booked I went into full planing mode. It was like my mind had taken off like a high-speed freight train with plans of where I wanted to go, things I wanted to do, and foods that I wanted to eat. I was excited. I could barely sleep that night. After looking at a map and deciding on which route I wanted to take, I decided on Germany/Berlin, Paris, Brugge, Amsterdam, and back to Germany for the flight home. I wanted to fit in as much as I could but still take my time.
The lead up to my first solo trip out of the county, I was filled with an extreme amount of excitement and a fairly equal amount of anxiety all at the same time. I was taken over with thoughts of, "dude, you are finally going to do what you love, you get to travel the world". But for every one of those cool thoughts I would also be thinking, "what if some one kidnaps and kills you for your organs" or, "you're going to get human trafficked and end up living as a sex slave in the Ukraine". Oh the horrors. I had every kind of crazy thought imaginable cycling through my brain. The mind can be a slippery slope y'all. I was like Alice from Alice in Wonderland when she went down the rabbit hole. But never the less, I pushed all those crazy thoughts aside and reminded myself that while yes, all of those scary things are possible, I am also very smart and very good about situational awareness and following my gut instincts. And my instincts are ALWAYS spot on. It's a blessing for sure.
As a key of precaution, anytime I travel outside the United States I always register with The Department of State. They have a program called STEP that allows you to put in the specific countries, dates, addresses, and phone numbers of all the places you plan on going while out of the country. It also gives you a list of all the American Embassy's in your location, along with ways to contact them and get to them in the event of an emergency. I highly recommend checking it out if you travel anywhere outside the U.S.
The day that I was due to fly out, we were living in Virginia Beach, Virginia so we would have to drive about two and a half hours to get to Washington D.C. Dulles is a main hub so it's always cheaper to fly out from there. I had an evening flight so we took our time getting to the airport, but still arrived very early because I like to give myself a lot of time to check in and get through security. The worst thing to deal with while traveling is arriving to an airport and you have massive lines with little time. I get all checked in and get through security and make my way to my gate.
I find my gate and take one of the few empty seats. I happened to sit next to two Irish women who have come to D.C. as tourist. They end up being a chatty pair of ladies, which I don't mind because I love a good chat every now and then. We exchange pleasantries and they tell me that they loved their visit here in the city and would come again. Things suddenly get interesting when a gentlemen about my age takes a seat next to me. The one Irish lady winks at me and looks at her girlfriend and then at the young gentlemen sitting next to me and starts grinning. I am thinking, oh dear, I hope they don't try and engage him and bring him into our conversation, leave the poor fella alone. And what happens next, yep, they start chatting him up and asking him if his final destination is Iceland. The first leg of the flight was to Iceland and then I would go forward on a connecting flight to Frankfurt Germany. Iceland was the young mans final destination and he too was traveling solo for the first time. He hinted at maybe exchanging contact information but I was erring on the side of caution and brushed it off in a round about way.
We board the flight and begin our trip over the Atlantic and up to Iceland. I didn't sleep a wink on the flight over. I flew with WOW airlines and the seats were not that comfy; it was full flight. We make it to Iceland and the cold literally hits you and snatches every ounce of warmth from your soul. It is cold to the bone. And that was just the little bit of air that was seeping though the small walkway from the plane to the terminal. I wasn't ready! I go through border control, get my passport stamped and I make my way to my connecting flight. There wasn't much of a layover in Iceland. It all flowed very quickly and I was on my connecting flight headed to Frankfurt in no time.
I arrive in Frankfurt and I am taken aback by how freezing the weather is. I packed for the cold, but I wasn't packed for that level of cold. My friend Irina greets me at the airport and we head to her town of Pirmasens. We arrive just as the sun is going down. We get all settled into her apartment and catch up a bit, then we're off to get dinner. We stop at a little Kebab shop around the way of her neighborhood. A little Turkish man fixed our meals and brought it to our table. I remember being so dehydrated from flying and I asked the guy who brought us our food if he had any ice for my water. He responded and said there wasn't any ice. I told him that it was okay and thanked him anyway. Me and Irina begin to eat and all of a sudden the little Turkish man comes over to our table with a huge cup of ice that he got from the shop next door. That was a huge act of kindness to me. The shop owner went out of his way to make sure that I had ice for my water. My heart was touched. Not a bad way to start my trip in Europe.
I didn't spent too much time with Irina because I was going to be going forward to visit other countries soon and Irina had to work. However, during my visit, I had the privilege to meet her family. Guy's, when I tell you that it was privilege, there aren't any words to describe that experience. Irina and I had been out most of the day and the sun had already gone down and we had already eaten. Irina tells me that her brothers family wants to meet me. I am thinking, me, little ole me, okay. We head over to her brothers house and he, his wife, and children greet us with such a beautiful warm welcome. There are slippers for out feet at the entrance and after we say hello and exchange hugs and kisses, we are whisked away into the kitchen. Upon entering the kitchen I am greeted with several trays with assortments of meat, cheese, chocolate, you name it. There is also a bottle of Absolute Vodka with tiny glasses made of pure crystal sitting on a silver platter. Irina's brother opens the bottle and pours everyone a shot and he gives me the first drink. Everyone follows suite afterwards. We talk about everything, nothing is off limits. We eat. There is a steady flow of meats and cheeses and other delicacies that are brought out on platters. We talk and eat in a rhythm that renders me stuffed and full, but still wanting more. We manage to drink the entire bottle of vodka in small increments of shots. Just when I think I'll burst wide open from the steady flow of food and drink, Irina's brother suggest we all have coffee and cheesecake. I think, where am I. Why are they doing all of this for little ole me? Irina tell's me that I'm luck it's a work night and that this is nothing compared to what is usually prepared for guest. My jaw literally dropped! How could they even think to do any more than what they've already done? As we head back to Irina's house for the night my heart is happy and full. I have never experienced anything like it. That night was perfect. An experience I will never forget. Russian hospitality has nothing on American hospitality. I am forever grateful for the warm welcome that I received from Irina's family. They are beautiful people.
The next day we decide to take a trip to Berlin with her cousin who's name is very similar to Irina's. Her cousin's name is Irene. I thought that was pretty cool. We travel from Pirmasens to Berlin by car that evening. It took us around six hours to get there. We arrived in Berlin at 3 a.m. Irina's friend Ela hosted us in her apartment while we were there. The next day we woke up at 8 a.m. to get the day started. Guys, just when you think the weather can't possibly get any colder. It was freezing and raining when we got to Berlin. I remember still being jet lagged like crazy during those first few days. So not only was I jet lagged, I was frozen. I couldn't stay warm to save my life. A tired, cold, and frozen Kellee makes for an extremely cranky girl. I was running on fumes, but I pushed through because I knew that a girl doesn't travel to Berlin every day. We were only there for a day but we got to explore a little. I shall return one day to explore even more of the city.
A street market in Berlin. This market was filled with every type of fresh produce, meat, and cheese imaginable. It's a fresh foodies heaven.
Hot Chocolate while visiting a Christmas Market at Potsdam Platz in Berlin
Me and Irina's sweet cousin Irene.
Standing in front of Checkpoint Charlie. Checkpoint Charlie was a Berlin Wall crossing point between East and West Berlin during the Cold War from 1947-1991.
Hanging from the wall of the Checkpoint Charlie Museum.
Another view of the outside of the Checkpoint Charlie Museum. We didn't get a chance to go inside because of out tight time schedule. When I return to Berlin, it's a must do for sure.
I am not sure which building this is, but I found it intresting because of the eagle like statue sitting on top of the building. This building is in the same area as Checkpoint Charlie.
These are not American Soldiers. They are just there as props for photos.
Me, Irina, and Ela.
This guy in the photo had a death grip on my arm. He kept asking me if I was married and if I would marry him. He spoke very good English. He also kept asking me if I was American. Asking if I liked Trump (I was there in Nov of 16 during the election). All I could do was smile and laugh. I do that when I tend to get nervous. My friend Irina had to peel him off of me. His nose was touching my face!
The Berlin Wall
Ela, Irina, and I standing infront of a remaining segment of the Berlin Wall that has a massive hole missing from it.
A concert/orchestra hall in the Mitte District of Berlin.
Standing in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin on a cold and rainy afternoon.
A night view of the Fernsehturn Tower in Berlin.
A view from the top of the tower. Not the best quality.
After a full day of exploring Berlin we head back to Ela's apartment and spend the night to rest up and drive back to Pirmasens the next day. I leave for Paris the very next day after arriving back at Pirmasens. My time in Germany was very short, but so worth it. I finally made good on my word and visited Irina like I had promised and got a chance to see a little of Berlin. Parting with Irina was bitter-sweet. I was sad to be leaving her so soon, but excited to go onward to Paris.
Paris, I'm coming for you.
Views from my train ride from Pirmasens Germany to Paris, France.
I traveled by train my entire time in Europe. The train system is very easy to navigate for the most part with a few exceptions, and I will talk about that shortly. The train ride from Pirmasens to Paris was a three hour ride. There ride was uneventful and very relaxing. Before long, the train arrived in Paris and it was time for a new adventure in new country. At this point I am completely solo. I leave the train station and catch a taxi to my Airbnb. On the taxi ride to the Airbnb I take in all the sights and I am in awe of the city. Such beautiful buildings and architecture. A charming city indeed. The taxi drops me in front of the building that I'll be staying in and I find my way to the apartment. I am greeted by a kind gentlemen who introduced himself as Gino, my host. He was a very handsome gentleman, maybe a few years my senior. He had a lovely apartment with several nice touches through out, and it smelled amazing in there. The place had a very welcoming vibe. I felt at home and very safe with him. We exchanged information and he showed me around, gave me a key, and told me not to hesitate to ask for anything that I might need during my stay. My stay with Gino was nothing short of amazing. He was kind enough to cook dinner for me one night, assisted with my laundry needs, and even sent me off with a specialty Parisian cake on my last day in Paris. He went above and beyond as host. Gino is not a host but a good friend indeed. He set a high standard for future Airbnb stays for me.
My time in Paris was definitely my favorite for several reasons. The city is absolutely beautiful and full of lovers charm. If you are an art lover there are tons of museums to explore that will fill any artistic heart. The café's. There is a strong café culture in Paris. You can find Parisians in their local café at almost any given hour of the day chatting it up with fiends, having a café noisette, eating a warm pastry. It is a way of life. I am not too fond of French food, however, you can find the most immaculately fresh produce on the street markets. I've never been anywhere else where the produce is so beautiful and fresh. On many days I would shop at the local produce stands around the city picking up fresh vegetables, avocados, garlic, and fruits. I would also shop for fresh rotisserie style chicken and freshly baked breads form the local boulangerie. The deserts. I am convinced that no where on earth does dessert like France. I ate my fill of the most amazing pastries, cinnamon glazed nut filled croissants, macrons, and crème brûlée. It was divine! Paris was everything that I thought it would be and more. It did not disappoint. I went during the off season in November so there were barely any tourist around and there were no lines at any of the big sites. It was perfect. Perfect, but really cold. Paris is very walkable but since it was my first time int he city I used Uber quite a bit. I felt completely safe the entire time. There are police patrolling everywhere so it's hard to feel unsafe in the city.
Republique in the third arrondissement in Paris.
In the sleepy hours of the morning before the café's and shops open for the day. You can see the street lined with Vespa's. Vespa's are a huge mode of transportation in Paris.
Trocadero. The train stop to get off for a grand view of the Eiffel Tower.
A view of the Eiffel Tower at Trocadéro on a very gray and rainy day. This spot is usually loaded with tourist. You'd be hard pressed to find a spot to take a picture with out other tourist being in the picture. Getting this shot with out other people in it was a perk of going in November.
A view of the city in front of The Sacré-Coeur Bsilica.
Place de la Concorde. A once popular execution place for thousands of people, including King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette.
The outside of the Louvre Museum. You can easily spend the entire day inside. There are so many beautiful works of art housed inside.
Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. It is roped off behind glass and is very tiny. Even thought the museum wasn't crowded on this particular day, there were massive crowds at this exhibit. You have to push your way to the front to even see her. It was very underwhelming for me, but pretty awesome none the less.
A view of the famous Musee d'Orsay clock. On a clear day you can see the Louvre and The Sacre-Coeur Basilica
My final night in Paris. I saved the best for last. It was breath taking. Amazing. Something I will never forget. I have been to Paris many times since then and seeing the Eiffel Tower light up at night never gets old.
The cake that my host sent me off with on my last day. It was most delicious.
As I leave my Airbnb, I take one last look at the city on my taxi ride to the train station and I know that I will return again one day. I must! It was amazing. Paris is one of my favorite cities in the entire world so far. I still have many places that I have yet to explore in the world, but something about this city keeps drawing me back time and time again. Each time a new experience.
I arrive at the train station in Paris and make my way to Belgium stopping in Brussels first and connecting onward to Brugge. This is where things get a little crazy guys. Not crazy in the sence of safety, but crazy as in complete chaos at the train station in Brussels connecting to Brugge. The train ride from Paris to Brussels was horrible. I enter the coach only to find that my seat reservation had been "taken". Now, one would think that if you pay for a seat reservation then the seat is yours. True, that's usually how it always works. But for some reason on that particular day, the train was overbooked. Never knew that was a thing with the rail system in Europe. Usually the trains are never overbooked and your seat reservation is yours. The rule of thumb in Europe while traveling by train is to ALWAYS check to see if you require a seat reservation because if there is a seat reservation requirement, you have to pre book it or won't have a seat on the train even if you paid for a ticket.
The train station in Belgium
The conductor comes through, well, maybe he wasn't the actual conductor, but he was the ticket checker on the train. He asks where my ticket is and I show him and he says, "uff, the train is overbooked today, you can find an empty seat but not in first class". So I get a little peeved, but quickly remember that I am far away from home and having a sour attitude will not help the situation. I go up and down the train going in and out of train carts. I find an empty seat, but guess where the seat is. Yep, it's in first class. I think, surely there's no one else going to sit here, there are several seats available in first class. No. The conductor comes back around and firmly tells me to exit the cabin. At this point I am thinking, where am I to sit. So I end up taking a seat in-between the coaches where the train carts connect. I was also very shocked to see other passengers in the same predicament as me sitting in-between the train coaches. It was hands down the craziest experience I have had while traveling thus far.
The train ride wasn't too long so I was okay. We arrive in Brussels in what seemed like no time at all. Everyone disembarked the train and I was off to catch another train to Brugge. This is where it gets even crazier. In Belgium their train station is chaotic. The signs telling you which platform your train will arriving and departing from are all in Dutch. There aren't many English signs, if any at all. When asking someone that works at the station, they are all very quick with their information and not vey helpful. I went from platform to platform with a carry-on roller luggage going up and down the stairs. One platform will say one thing and it will be all wrong, causing mass confusion for everyone, locals included. I have no idea why this train station is like this, but you just have to roll with the punches sometimes. Thankfully, I manage to get on the correct train heading to Brugge and I didn't need a seat reservation.
Once I arrived at Brugge I was exhausted from the days shenanigans with the trains. I gathered my luggage and headed out of the train station and hailed a taxi to take me to my hostel. The weather was pretty bad that day. It was freezing temperatures and it had just started to snow/sleet. I hop in the taxi and the taxi driver tells me in broken English, "I drop you here. The road is closed. It's weekend. Not far from here". I am thinking, oh no, please don't just dump me here. I have no idea where I am and my goggle maps aren't working. I get out of the taxi and grab my luggage and I am standing there wondering where do I go from here. I see the visitors center across the street and walk over to it with hopes of having someone to help me find my hostel. Brugge is not a big city and you can walk almost all of it, however, I didn't know that at the time. I am sitting in the visitors center and I manage to get my goggle maps working and decide to go back out and try to walk to my hostel. But here's the thing, Brugge is nothing but cobblestone streets and I have a roller carry-on size luggage so that was no fun dragging that through the cobblestone streets. When my maps notified me that I had arrived, I was no where near anything that resembled a hostel. I walk up to a few locals that were walking by and asked them if they knew where Lybeer's Hostel was and each time I was greeted with sharp looks of disapproval and a hand motion as if I was approaching them with a sales pitch. Not a friendly bunch! I was lost. At this point it is beyond freezing outside and its snowing pretty hard. I have had enough. I may have even shed a tear or two. I backtrack my steps to the visitors center and at that point you can see the frustration all over my face. An Indian man (also a tourist) with a very slender frame walks over to me and asks me if everything is okay. I immediately break down sobbing telling him that I am lost and trying to find my hostel and that no one will help me or even point me int he right direction. He immediately offers to take me there insisting that it is just a few block away. Talk about an angel in human form. This kind gentleman walked me to my hostel, which was literally around the corner, but on a small narrow side street. You'd miss it if you blinked too fast. I thanked the kind man and asked him if I could hug him, which he replied, yes. I gave him a hug and thanked him again and watched him disappear into the snowy haze. That man was a angel in disguise and you can't tell me any different. I never even got a chance to get his name, but I'll never forget his kindness.
Outside of the Lybeerman's Hostel. The owner standing in the door having a quick smoke. A very friendly fellow.
I check into my hostel for the evening and take my things up what seemed like 100 flights of narrow winding stairs. The hostel is very dark with dim lighting. I never felt unsafe, but this was my first time staying in a hostel so surely I thought there would be more lighting in places like this. I had done tons of research and felt comfortable booking, however when I finally realized that I would sharing space with actual strangers, my anxiety reared its ugly head. I would be lying if I said I wasn't freaking out just a little bit. I start to gather my belongings to take a shower before the evening crowd comes in. As I was gathering my things for the shower, the other female that would be sharing the room with me walks in and introduces herself. She is a Chinese girl from Shanghai that lives and works in Paris. She turned out to be a really sweet girl. Just when I was thinking of getting out of there at the last minute, I decide to at least stay the night and get some rest so that I could be fresh to tackle the next day. Although we were on the very top floor, the hostel was quite noisy and we barley slept. I decided that night that I would book an Airbnb for the rest of my stay. The hostels through out Europe are super cheap so I didn't take a huge loss with the money I had already paid. I think altogether I paid under 50 bucks, so I wasn't worried and I ended up getting back the money for the days I didn't stay.
Here it is folks, the stairwell of doom. I carried my back pack and my small carry-on size rolling luggage up these stairs in the hostel. Never ending!
The two person female room inside of the hostel.
The next morning Shaojun and I went out and explored a little bit of Brugge. We had breakfast at really good local café. I had a killer migraine so I wasn't out too long. I headed back to the hostel around 2 p.m. and gathered my things to check out so I could make my way to my Airbnb. Shaojun was also checking out that day because she was heading back to Paris. The cool thing about traveling solo is that you always end up meeting really cool people and you make friends from all over the world. It was pleasure to meet her. Her presence helped me make it through my first night in a hostel. We exchanged contact information and I am still in touch with her to this day.
Banana crepe with a scoop of ice cream and whipped cream. Just what I needed to start the day off.
After I get all checked out of Lybeer's Hostel it is time for me to make my way to my new Airbnb where I will be staying for the duration of my stay in Brugge. When I arrive I am greeted by the host who introduce themselves as Ann and Hein. They help me with my things and show me inside of their home and help me to get all settled in. By this time it was evening and I still hadn't had any diner. I asked them if they had any local recommendations of good food spots for dinner. I ended up going to a local pub and eating some of the best soup I've had in while, and I am not a huge fan of soup, so that's saying a lot. I walk back home and I am ready for sleep. Ann greets me when I come back in for the evening and asks me if I want breakfast in the morning for an extra 8 euros. I say sure, why not. I opt in for the breakfast.
Ann and Hein's home is just absolutely beautiful. This is my bedroom with an ensuite bathroom that is not pictured. I got the best sleep in that bed. Nice and cozy. It was hard for me to get up the next morning.
The next morning I awake and get dressed and head down stairs for breakfast. I had no idea what kind of treat I was in for. Ann had set the table for what could have been a royal queen. I felt like a magical fairy princess when I sat down. There was a candle lit breakfast laid out on the table with soft classical music playing in the back round. It was beautiful. I couldn't believe that all of it was for me. I had never quite experienced anything like it. I never imagined that breakfast could be so beautiful. I took my time to enjoy and savored it. I spent at least an hour sitting there taking it all in while enjoying my meal.
When I stepped into the dinning room I was amazed. Look how lovely.
Another view of the breakfast that Ann had set out for me. I had already dug in before I remembered to take a better photo. I definitely felt like a queen that morning.
A beautiful view of the back yard while having breakfast. How gorgeous are the fall leaves, even on a gray day.
I finished up my breakfast and headed out to do more exploring of Brugge. I would be there a few more days so I tried to do as much exploring as I could without freezing to death. Brugge is a beautiful little medieval city. The streets are still lined with cobblestones, there are windmills all over and small little cottage like houses. The main city center is filled with horse down carriages and the buildings that still have the charm from days of old. And lets not forget the best reason of them all; Belgium chocolate! There are tons. of fancy chocolate shops around the city to fulfill any chocolate lovers heart. Brugge is certainly a safe place. I walked all over the city alone and had no problems what so ever. The locals can be either hit or miss. There isn't really an in-between. They're either syrupy sweet or stone cold. I ran into a number of people who seemed very cold and standoffish, but I also meet an equal amount of people who were quite charming and very sweet. But again, that was okay with me, I realize that when you leave your home and familiar surroundings there are bound to be differences. I love that. I love to get the authentic experience with the culture, the food, the atmosphere, everything. It's what draws me into traveling. I never take anything personal. I am in their territory.
A panoramic view of the City Center in Brugge
A horse drawn carriage. Not the best view, but they were moving pretty fast.
Another building with beautiful architecture.
There's medieval charm at every turn.
The Chocolate Line store. Some of the best Belgium chocolate is sold here.
Brugge has tons of natural canals flowing through out the city. I imagine it to be stunning during the spring.
A castle like building with a opening structure that let's cars pass through.
A cozy little quaint restaurant to warm yourself during the brisk fall days.
One of the many windmills along the city.
A beautiful path that lead me back to my Airbnb
Brugge was so good to me. It was absolutely beautiful. My host Ann and Hein, I will never forget them. Their accommodations for travelers are top notch. I recommend them a hundred times over. I wish I could have stayed just a little longer but I vow to return during the spring season soon. A beautiful place not to be missed.
So long Belgium and hello Amsterdam. The train ride to Amsterdam was uneventful, just the way I like it. I actually had a first class ticket this time. Our cabin was closed off from the rest of the other coaches for privacy and it was a "quiet zone". I slept the entire time. It was heavenly. The train arrived in Ansterdamn on schedule and I set out to check into my hostel.
The canals that flow through Amsterdam. Amsterdam is said to have more canals than Venice, Italy. There is also a HUGE biking culture throughout Amsterdam. There are even dedicated biking lanes for bikers. Pedestrians are warned not to walk through the bike paths, they will run you over.
I arrive at the hostel and the women at the counter seemed to be very confused about how to check me in, so I ended up waiting a very long time before someone came to help her check me in. Once I am checked in, I find my way down a dark pair of stairs that leads to the dorm room I will be staying in. I would just like to mention that this place had excellent reviews online, hence, the reason why I booked it. When I checked in it was still day light out side. But as the night came in I started to feel a little uncomfortable. I was downstairs in what felt like the basement part of the building and there was no one in the dorm part except for myself. Usually I wouldn't mind that, but there was no way to lock the door and no one could hear me scream down there if anything happened to me. The vibe was off.
Ecomama Hostel.
A nice sitting area, but it was night time and the place was completely empty. A little weird for me.
Art work hanging in the hostel
Stairs leading to the downstairs part of the hostel.
I was given the bed by the door. Nope, not happening. It looks nice during the day but once the sun went under it was actually quite scary down there.
Now, right around this time I suddenly start to feel sick like I coming down with a flu. It was probably because I had been trekking all over Europe in the cold and rain for days on end, tired, and not getting proper nourishment as I would back home. I made the rookie mistake of not traveling with travel insurance so I decided to cut my time short and bump my flight up a few days early. That meant that I had about 24 hours in Amsterdam before heading back to Frankfurt and onward home to the States. But I knew I couldn't stay in the hostel that I was in. I booked a hotel instead of an Airbnb because I knew I was sick. I wanted to be as comfortable as possible until I reached back to the States.
I was a little bummed out because my time was cut short at the end, but I managed to at least see the Ann Frank House while there. That alone was worth the trip to Amsterdam. I waited outside in the line for the Ann Frank House in the cold and rain for about an hour. The line moved along fairly quickly. Once we entered the house there was a strict no pictures policy. There aren't words to describe the space that Anne Frank's family had to live in while hiding during Hitler's regime. I almost got claustrophobic the more we went up into the small space. There were several people snapping photos, but I thought it was just rude and disrespectful. The tour of the house was quick. We were in and out in less that 30 minutes. Another memory that will stick with me forever.
These photos were taken after the tour was over and we were in the book shop.
Ann Frank
After visiting the Ann Frank House I found a spot to eat dinner and went back to the hostel and checked out and checked into my hotel. I was actually feeling quite ill by that time. Luckily, I had brought some meds from back home. They were my saving grace. I slept like the dead in the hotel. My train heading back to Frankfurt left the next day and I made it just in time to catch my flight home that night. Whew. That was a tumultuous 24 hours of traveling. I was happy to be going home. When you are traveling and end up getting sick, there is no place you'd rather be than in your own home inside of your own bed.
A night view of Frankfurt before heading to the airport to return home.
My flight home was from Frankfurt to Iceland and from Iceland to Washington D.C. Dulles. We made it to Iceland only to find that all fights have been grounded due to weather conditions. We were stuck in Iceland for another 24 hours. That was the biggest blow of the entire trip. The WOW air staff arranged for all passengers to have billeting in an old army barracks not far from the airport. We boarded a bus with all our luggage and off we went. It was freezing in Iceland. Below zero temps. I was dying-do you hear me, dying! I couldn't breath and I was cold all the way down to my bones. There wasn't enough warmth in hell that could have warmed me up. The roads were slick with ice, even the sidewalks. We get off the bus and wait outside of the building until they can arrange keys to our rooms. At this point I am LIVID. We are standing outside and most of us are teetering word becoming hyperthermic at this point. I couldn't feel my fingers or toes. I had already been predisposed to a cold weather injury from basic training back in 2001. I've had enough. Finally, they let us in because people were complaining and becoming irate. We each get keys and are told which building we would be staying in. I arrive at building and immediately cut the heat on hell and try to unthaw the best way possible. But at this point my skin was so frozen that it hurts to have heat or any hot water on my body. I wrap up in the blanket and go to sleep with hopes of being on the flight that is leaving in the morning.
I push both of the beds together and stack both heavy blankets on top of each other and wrap up tightly in them to keep warm through the night.
The next morning I get up and get dressed and head down stairs to eat breakfast. At breakfast they announce which flights will be leaving Iceland and the times of departures. My flight was leaving at 3 p.m. I was stoked. Happy to be leaving. I go upstairs, shower, and re-pack my carry-on bag. By the time I get done and turn the key in to the main building, it is time to board the bus and go back to the airport. I was praying the entire time for things to go smoothly. Our flight ended up getting delayed by an hour, but we managed to take off and before you know it we arrived back on U.S. soil. I ended up getting home the day before Thanksgiving. I had not been that excited in a while. I was elated to be back in the comfort of my own home and with my Rudi pup.
Driving back to the airport in Iceland.
We will meet agin Iceland, but never during the winter season.
I will wrap this up with my final thoughts on traveling solo as female for the first time. I had THE BEST time exploring different parts of Europe. I never felt unsafe while out in public in any of the countries that I visited. I did have a few issues with the hostels but that was more of my own issues of worry and concern. I always go with my gut and instinct. I am usually very good in discerning when things are a little off. I don't even give a situation a chance if I feel like something is off. That's how I stay safe and alive. Would I recommend it, ABSOLUTELY 100 percent! When you travel solo you're never really alone because you meet so many people along the way. It truly is an amazing experience. You learn things about yourself. You learn more of who you are and it teaches you that you are capable of handling situations that you never imagined you could. It grows you and completely changes you each time you leave your own bubble. Solo travel is also great for going at your own pace and not accommodating other people's plans. All you have to worry about is yourself.
For you guys that hung in there and made it to the end of this blogpost. I appreciate it. I hope you guys enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed sharing it. Until next time, my friends.
Jordan
Well hello there. It's so good to see you guys again. If you are here from reading my previous entry on Israel, then this is what you guys have been waiting for. If you are new here, welcome, come on in, get cozy and let me take you through a virtual trek though Jordan. While traveling in Israel I crossed over to Jordan and explored the cities of Jerash, Petra, Wadi Rum.
I would like to start off by saying that Petra has always been at the very top of my bucket list since day one, so naturally, when I decided to go to Israel, I knew that I would be going to Petra. I had no idea what I was in store for, but I knew that that greatness would ensue. Months before the time came, I would literally pray that nothing happened to me until I got to Petra. These prayers would sound a little something like, "Dear God, please don't let me die or hurt myself before I see Petra in November. Let me die in Petra if it's in your will that I die, but not a moment before." That my friends, is how you know that you have a serious heart and passion for exploring the world. Only now do I realize that me praying like that just sounds absolutely ridiculous. God was probably looking down on me shaking his head and sighing thinking where did he go wrong with this one.
I decided to book a three days and two night tour to Jordan through Abraham Tours. Like I mentioned before in my Israel post, I highly recommend all of your tour needs though Abraham Tours. They are phenomenal and not like other tour companies that spend tons of time talking and talking and not giving you the freedom to explore off on your own. They are also very affordable and offer a huge variety of things to do. Their guides are the best. With that being said, this is not a paid promotion of any kind. They are just very good!
Moving right along. I arrive at Abraham Hostel in Tel Aviv early in the morning and check in for the trip. The driver and tour guide comes and gathers everyone to board the bus for a short ride to the Israeli/Jordanian boarder. As we get to the boarder, we gather our belongings and get off of the bus that we were just on and wait for another tour guide to come and take us through passport/immigration control. Our new tour guides name is Amina. She is a local Jordanian woman who will be escorting us though out our time in Jordan.
Immigration Control going into Jordan.
Everyone, meet Mia from Canada with the green and black scarf, Thomas from Prague in the black, and Giuseppe from Italy with the back pack on. These guys are now life long friends of mine. Meeting these guys made the trip so much better.
Once we get through immigration control and exchange currencies, we board another bus and begin making our way to the ancient city of Jerash. This city sits just north of Amman and is known for having some the best preserved Roman ruins outside of Italy. As we enter the city and come upon the ruins, I am immediatley taken back to another time in history. Everything has been preserved beautifully. Nothing like any ruins that I have seen before. I imagine what it must have felt like to live back in the time when this city was thriving and day to life was happening. I start to drift into my own little world. I find myself peeling away from the tour group and lingering around certain spots just a little longer, making small exchanges with one of the locals, even if it is just a smile.
A local Jordanian man with his daughters and horse.
Ruins in pristine conditions.
Roman Ruins of Jerash, Jordan
Standing on the steps of the colosseum in Jerash.
After exploring the ruins of Jerash, we head out and begin our long drive through the dessert highway and onward to the Seven Wonders Bedouin Camp where we'll be staying for the night. The drive is long. Our bus driver is escorted by a Jordanian police officer that rides along with us the entire time. At the time, I thought he was only with us as we made the journey through the dessert highway. No, he was here to stay. And something that I noticed towards the end of the trip was that there was no clip in his service weapon. No ammo? What tha? Sir, how do you plan on securing us if something happens to us with no ammo. I guess I am lucky that I didn't get to see how that would go down this time. And just to clarify, the dessert highway is just a very very long stretch of highway the goes though the Jordanian dessert. There isn't much to see other than dessert scenery, wild camels here and there, and scarcely scattered palm trees.
Jordanian dessert scenery from our bus ride through the dessert highway.
Wild camels. Much different than the ones you will see dressed with colorful fabrics and tourist sitting on top of them.
Since we are a little ahead of schedule for our arrival time to the camp, our tour guide decides to surprise us and takes us to a local olive press where olive farmers press their olive crop and turn it into olive oil. Olives are such an important part of life for many of the Jordanian people. Its their livelihood. Farmers harvest the olives year around and they make their money buy turning it into olive oil. Once the olives are turned into oil, the people from all over the Jordanian region come to buy the oil. Olive oil is not sold as it is here in the states. Its sold in bulk in huge containers. People use it not only to cook with, but for medicinal purposes, cosmetic purposes, to light lanterns, tons of things. Olive oil is a huge part of Jordanian life. And I must say, the olive tree is very abundant in Jordan. This was such an amazing thing to experience with the locals. We were the only non Jordanian people there. This is exactly what I live for when traveling, true authentic, off the beaten path experiences.
A man carrying two large containers of olive oil fresh from the presses.
People come with their harvested olives and stack them in a line and wait for their turn to use the press. It is an all day process. In one cluster, that belongs to one person. They will then press all of those olives into oil. That will be theirs to keep or sell, or both.
Fresh olives on the pressing machine. Ready to to be made into olive oil. Pure and unadulterated.
Locals waiting on the other side for their olive oil.
By the time we arrive to the Bedouin Camp it is late. The sun has gone down and the temperature has dropped significantly. Luckily for us, the camp was set up beautifully with an dining tent and a bedouin style fire to keep you warm. We get our briefing about the camp and the facilities and our guide explains the logistics of how tomorrow is going to go, because, ya know, tomorrow is the big day. The day we go to Petra.
Guys, how beautiful is this bedouin camp set up in the middle of the Jordanian dessert.
One of our host preparing tea over the camp fire to keep us wam until dinner is ready.
It isn't long before we head into the dining tent and eat a traditional bedouin feast. They have prepared, chicken cooked over rice, fresh hummus, yogurt sauce, hot pita bread, a salad mixed with tomato, cucumber, parsley, onion, and feta cheese. A true gastronomical treat for the senses. As I sit back and take it all in, I can't believe this is my life.
Tomorrow is an early day so I head to my tent to gather my things for a shower. While this is indeed a bedouin camp, they do have hot shower facilities and restrooms, which may I add, were of outstanding quality. Way better than any field shower that I had while in the army or Iraq. This was familiar to me. I was familiar with sleeping in tents in the dessert and showering in trailers, but this, this was a different experience. I felt so at ease. My soul was at peace. Something was happening to me. I was in my element.
I finally get myself situated inside my tent for the night. There was an option to share a tent or stay in one alone. I opted for the tent alone. Lucky for me, my friend Mia was right next to me in the tent over. All I had to do was yell her name and she would be right there. Pretty comforting to know. I anticipated on being anxious and scared that night, but I was pretty okay. I had my flashlight for when they cut the generator off, and the rest, I just put it into Gods hands. They cut the generator at 11:00 p.m. and by that time I was just getting ready to fall asleep. I slept like the dead. I hadn't slept that well since I was a child. Something about being under the dessert sky. Once they cut the generator off there is no noise pollution, no light pollution, nothing. Just the sweet lull of the dessert wind helping drift me into an even deeper sleep.
The path to our sleeping tents.
My personal tent. #25
Inside of my sleeping tent. It was rather cold so I used all of the blankets on the spare bed and kept nice and toasty.
Have I mentioned how well I slept. Ughhh, my soul craves to sleep like that agin.
I ended up waking up somewhere just at the crack of dawn because my bladder had decided that enough was enough. I peel myself from under the several layers of warm blankets and feel around until I find my flash light. I cut the flash light on and find my shoes and get ready to make a mad dash to the bathroom. I open my door to my tent and step outside and look up. The first thing I notice and hear is the Azaan, the Muslim call to prayer. It was loud enough to hear off in the distance, but faint enough not to be heard through the tents. The sound was beautiful as it bounced down the dessert mountainside behind me and into my ears. I look up and it's almost like I am dreaming still. I can see a million stars and a sliver of the moon. I was breathless. Have you ever seen the stars under the blacked out dessert sky where there's no light for hundreds of miles away. I die. I stand there completely ignoring the fact that in any minute, my bladder will explode all over the place and I will be standing in a river of my own urine. I had butterflies in my stomach. I wanted time to stand still for as long as possible. I didn't want that moment to end. I looked up and thought, God, I know you're right here with me right now. Look at all of your majesty. May I never forget this moment as long as I live. I brake free from the trance that I am in by looking up at the bright moon and stars and run quickly to the bathroom and then back to my tent. I lay back down until my alarm goes off, which is only like 45 minutes.
A view of the dessert sky while the sun is trying to crawl to the horizon of Earth and the moon still hanging out.
The day has arrived. This is the day where I go to Petra. This is the day that I can't believe is about to happen. I get ready and head to the breakfast tent to eat a good breakfast before heading out. There is an array of delicious foods spread out for breakfast. Hard boiled eggs, bread, jams, honey, yogurt, fruits, you name it. It' all there. I eat and drink and use the restroom. Before you know it, we were boarding the bus and heading to Petra.
Early morning at the camp.
Seven Wonders Bedouin Camp
This is where the Bedouin people sleep. They have tents to sleep in as well, but they prefer to be outside most time if the weather isn't harsh.
Inside of the Bedouin breakfast tent.
Everyone, meet Abdalah. He is one of the local Bedouins that helps out at the camp. He can also be found in Petra helping tourist navigate their way through the ancient city.
It takes us only 20 minutes or so to arrive at Petra. Our tour guide gathers us like little sheep in her flock and we're off, beginning our trek down inside the ancient Nabatean city of Petra.
Going into the entrance of Petra. I can't believe that I am actually doing this (squeee)
A few thing that you should know before hand. Wear comfortable shoes. Petra is massive and cannot be concurred all in one day. The hikes and paths to get to some of the main sites are killer. You need to be able to walk a pretty good distance. It doesn't seem like you're walking a lot at first when you're starting out, but its the return that will break you off. At the end you will be dead dog tired. And lastly, DRINK WATER! Bring water with you and buy it there. They have places to use the restroom and places to buy snacks, food, and water. And one last very important thing. Do not ride the animals. They have donkeys, camels, and horses. They do not take care of the animals and they are in poor condition. Please be a responsible tourist and don't support this. They will harass you every so often to ride. Just say no and walk. There will also be little Bedouin children asking you to buy things. They are very persistent, our tour guide suggest you buy one thing and walk away, if not, you will end up buying everything and a lot of it is not authentic. Okay, now that we have had that talk. With out further ado, I present to you ladies and gentlemen, Petra.
Making our way down to the main part of the city that leads to the Treasury.
These caves that have been carved out were actual places of residence back in ancient times. Some even burial sites.
The Siq.
A local Bedouin and his daughter. When ever I see children in other countries I can't help but wonder what their every day life is like. As a little bedouin girl, it is likely that this way of life will be all she ever knows. If only I can see life through her little eyes.
I can hardly take the suspicion of what lies beyond.
The only way to get to the treasury is through the this narrow canyon called the Al Siq. I held my breath for so long standing there at the first glimpse of this beautiful ancient site. I am still in awe to this day when I think about it. I was actually there standing on that ground, the same ground as whats in this picture. A dream come true.
Is this even real right now. There are a lot of other tourist around but my senses block them out. It's as if I am there alone, making this discovery all on my own for the first time.
The best day of my life thus far....well, thats a hard call, but it's definitely high up there on my list. A girl like me, never in a gajillion years would I ever think that I would get to explore a place as magical as Petra. Thank you God! I am forever grateful for this experience.
Guys, the pictures are good, but I promise that the pictures don't do it any justice. My words trying to describe it don't do this place any justice. Petra is magical, an absolute must experience for any serious traveler. Do not die before coming to Petra. Okay, I am getting carried away, but you get what I am saying.
Petra is a UNSCO world heritage site. It is considered one of the newest Seven Wonders of the World. If this looks familiar to you, you may have seen this site on the film Indiana Jones, 'The last Crusade'. The movie was filmed here in Petra. The city of Petra is all carved out of sandstone. It is said that Petra will not be here forever due to the gradual deterioration and fading of the sandstone.
Moving right along. Once you get to this point their is a space to use the restroom, get a snack or drink, and move right along to the next path/hike that will lead you up to the Monastery. Some people usually decide right at this point if they want to hang around here or go up further. The hike up to the Monastery can be tough on a really warm day. It is all up hill with slippery footing form the smooth sandstone and and loads of steep steps. Not an easy task at all, but worth it for sure. I got about half way up and thinking; what have you gotten yourself into Kellee. I pushed through one step at a time, stopping several times along the way to breathe. I thought I was going to have a legit heart attack. I would see people coming back down from being at the top and they would look at me say, "you're almost there, its just a few more steps up."
These are people who persistently ask you to ride the donkeys all the way up to the Monastery. Just say NO! The animals are not taken care of and can not bear the load of a human going up the step path.
Trecking along to the path to start the hike up to the Monastery.
Yeah buddy. Getting pretty high up there.
I discover a lone donkey off on the path up.
Finally, I make it up to the top and I am out of breath and just shy of collapsing onto the hot dessert ground, but then I took one look at the Monastery and I quickly forgot that I was dying and out of breath.
The Monestary
I can't believe that I actually made it up there. That, no doubt, was hard work. But, its not even the tip top. You can keep trecking further up to discover even more of the ancient city. I decided that this was my stop point. I would rest here, use the restroom, hydrate, eat a snack, and prepare for the treck back down. At this point we were about 5 miles in from the city gates. We'd have to make the trek back to the gates in time to get on the bus.
A resting place atop where the Monastery is.
My friend Mia captured this image of a little bedouin girl. We had seen her all over Petra at every stop we made. How she scales those steep sandstone cliffs and hills so quickly with out skipping a beat is beyond me, but this is home for her, she is on familiar land.
Photo credit for this image goes to Mia Dungo.
More views of the city on the way back down headed towards the Treasury and out of the gates.
Passing by the treasury on the way out, I snap a candid photo of the guard that is standing by one of the shops. I wonder where his mind is in this photo. What was he thinking with his arms crossed, foot semi cooked, and a hazy daze on his face.
The hike back down was no easy feat either. Going down some of the narrow slick sandstone steps were super scary. If you didn't step just right and balance, you'd hurt yourself for sure. By the time we reached the bottom we still had a ways to go. We had to pass the Treasury again and then go through the uphill path through the gates. Yes, uphill again. You don't realize that when you're entering, you're actually going downhill. I thought I would legit pass out before I reached the gates to exit. All you see on the final stretch is tourist stoped over on the sides catching their breath and willing themselves to just take one more step. One foot in front of the other. My head pounding, muscles literally shaking from fatigue, and out of breath. I was spent. But ask me if I would do it all over again. ABSOLUTELY! Petra is a once in a lifetime experience guys. If you ever decide to make the trip. Push yourself. Get ready ahead of time so that you can cover as much ground as possible. It is so totally worth it. I walked for months before coming on this trip and I still got broken off. You will be tired, but you will have epic memories of a lifetime. And besides, how many people can say that they've been to Petra.
One by one our group starts to find their way back to the bus and we return to the Bedouin Camp for the night. I eat, shower, and sleep. I was exhausted. Nothing and no one could keep me from sleeping that night. The next morning, we wake up, get dressed, eat, and head out for the final day of our time in Jordan. This final day, we spend it in the Wadi Rum Dessert. The Wadi Rum dessert is like something that I have never seen before. It gives the feeling of being on Mars somewhere. Am I still here on Earth. This is amazing. This world never ceases to amaze me. Like I said, some things you have to see up close and personal. You have to experience it with all of your senses. We load up on the back of small 4x4 pick up trucks in groups of five and set out to explore the Wadi Rum dessert.
Annaline, Mia, Giuseppe, me, and Thomas ( not pictured)
Have you ever in seen anything like it in your entire life.
A herd of camels with their owners taking a break in the cool shade.
As we finish up with our tour of the Wadi Rum Dessert, we set off to have one last lunch, bedouin style, and we start our long journey back to the Jordanian/Israeli border. And that, my friends, is my epic Jordanian experience. I felt most welcome and safe the entire time in Jordan no matter where we were. Please don't let the media scare you into never leaving your own back yard people. The key to safety anytime when traveling is to have situational awareness, follow your gut, be smart, do your research, and most importantly, go with God. I hope you guys thoroughly enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed sharing it with you. My heart will forever be under the Jordanian sky. It has not been one day since returning home that I do not think about Jordan, the people, the dessert, and Petra.
Israel
Hi guys, welcome back to the blog. Come on in and get cozy and settle in while I take you on my journey to Israel. I have no idea where to even begin because a lot of things went into the decision making on whether or not I would even go to Israel. I remember receiving an email about a flight deal going to Tel Aviv and another one going to Morocco. I couldn't figure out which one I wanted to do because they were both way high up there on my bucket list of traveling. So, unlike anything else, when I can't make up my mind I ask Karina what she thinks. Well, Karina was no help this time. The traveling wanderlust bug hasn't sunken its teeth in her quite like it has me. I remember asking her which one I should go to and she said, "neither, why would you want to go to Morocco or Israel"? I looked at her as if she had landed in my living room from a galaxy that I wasn't familiar with. Is this girl even apart of my tribe? Who is this imposter standing before me?
I did research, so much research guys. I was looking up everything about Morocco and Israel at the same time and calculting the cost of each. I prayed about it; yes, I pray, and finally I come to the decision that I am going to Israel and Jordan. Yes, I said Jordan. Why Jordan? Well, because Petra is there, duh. Jordan borders Israel and it's not far to reach at all. You can reach by a small flight or a drive. Also, for me, when I travel, I always try and go to as many places as possible thats in the surrounding areas. A rule of thumb for me is that, if I have to take a international flight across the water I am going to do everything and go everywhere I can (reasonably) for the amount of time that I am there. Anytime I go out of the country it is always for an extended period of time because I like to explore and take it all in, but not rush the experience because most of the time these are once and a life time oppertunities.
So here we go. It's happening, the day has arrived and I'm off. My feelings that had been building up for this trip were all over the place. I was so excited and pumped and ready to go, but I have anxiety y'all, not just the ordinary kind, but the chronic kind, the PTSD kind. It can be very crippling at times. The last time I was in the Middle East I was in the Army and we were at war in Iraq. So a lot of residual feelings were stirring around and I couldn't help but think; what if something crazy happens while I am there blah blah blah. Israel is still the Middle East. It's still a region of conflict. I had to stop myself because I know that the way that my mind is set up, I'll freak myself out and miss out on an experience of a lifetime. And besides, YOLO right!
I arrive in Tel Aviv in the wee hours of the morning. After deboarding the flight, everyone goes through what seems like an eternity of check points and security through the airport. I will say this, the security upon arrival and departure is vigorous and intense at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv. It takes all of a little over an hour to pass though all the checkpoints and security. Try to keep your wits about you and just know that they are strictly about safety. The security may seem cold and rude, but its their job to ensure that people coming in, and out, for that matter, are legit and safe.
I fetch a shuttle taxi that takes me to Jerusalem where I will start the first leg of my trip and I get checked into my airbnb and settle in. It isn't long before my day starts. I arrived in the very early hours of the morning, so I literally just had time to have a two hour nap and shower before I went out to start the day. I was quite eager to see what Israel was all about. I started my day in The Old City. The Old City is divided into four parts. The Christian Quarter, The Armenian Quarter, The Jewish Quarter, and The Muslim Quarter. All of these people living and working together side by side everyday in a city with walls thats only .35 square miles. It's amazing.
Arriving at the Old City. Standing right out front of the Jaffa Gate that takes you straight into the Christian Quarter.
The Old City is filled with people of the Jewish, Muslim, and Christian Faith. These people co-exist in this space and they do it with out skipping a beat. There is no hostility, no tension, just life. People going on with with their day, children roaming the narrow ally ways, merchants propped out side of their shops conducting business. I can barely take it all in. I try to imagine what these walls have seen over the course of time and my mind can't grasp that I am in the Old city of Jerusalem. Walking the same streets that Jesus walked.
I start out in the Christian corner and I am overwhelmed with how many people are walking around. Tons of tourist. But also just as many local people are there too. I walk until I hit the Armenian quarter and to my luck, I am just in time to see the Armenian service at the Cathedral of Saint James. Tons of young men, no older than early 20's dawn their black hooded robes and begin the service. It is something that should not be missed. I believe they have services at 3 p.m. every day sharp. I can still hear the gregorian singing in Armenian.
*Disclaimer* I tried to get good shots while inside, but it's a thin line of getting a good shot and being disrespectful. This is still a place of worship.
Cathedral of Saint James
Armenian Quarter
Inside of the Cathedral.
Calling the service to start.
After the service is over I continue walking and I end up in The Jewish Quarter. I could immediately tell that I had hit the Jewish quarter when I stumbled upon a lovely guy who was selling all kinds of beautiful bread. And I would have to say, he was the friendliest encounter I had had all day. He was all smiles and very polite. I asked to take a photo of him and brought some bread as a good gesture and was on my way. I can still feel the warmth of his smile every time I revisit the photo.
A kind man selling his breads.
I stroll the streets of the Old city getting lost in my thoughts of wondering what life is like for the people who call this place home. This place has a lot of hustle and bustle, but it is extraordinary. Perhaps, maybe, one of the only places in the entire world where the main three monotheistic religions live so close together. I can imagine that there is tension at times, but what can you do if you live here inside of these walls. But for right now, everything is flowing and there is peace. I walk slowly taking everything in, not wanting to miss anything. I want to experience this with all of my senses. Taste, touch, hear, see, and smell, everything.
Ancient walls of the Old City.
Kids roam free here in the Old City. They are everywhere. The older little one cut her eyes at me when I gave her a friendly smile. Made me laugh.
A small part of the Western Wall (Wailing Wall). I didn't want to get too close to the main wall because people were praying and reading the Torah. I didn't want to be disrespectful or be too intrusive.
Two men sit in a quiet place to study the Torah in the Jewish Quarter.
After exploring the Jewish Quarter I make my way to the Via Dolorosa. Via Dolorosa means The Way of Suffering. The Via Dolorosa starts at the Lions Gate and Ends at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The Via Dolorosa was an experience that I can't quite put into words. There were mobs and mobs of people walking the route. The Israeli Defense Force were at what seemed like every corner and turn. Entire church groups carrying an actual wooden cross through the entire road of the Via Dolorosa, all the way to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It was a lot going on, and to be honest, I couldn't take it in like I wanted to. But now that I have returned home, I am in awe of it all. I can't believe that I was actually there.
The start of the Via Dolorosa
I tried to go into the Prison of Christ but it was closed during the time I was there. It is suppose to be the exact prison that they held Jesus in and gambled with dice for his clothing.
The eight station of the cross.
Walking through the stations through the Via Dolorosa takes a little while. There are shops and merchants of many kind set up along path. No one there tries to hustle you into buying their merchandise. If you go in to look around and not buy anything, they are still very friendly. During my walk I decided to stop into a falafel shop for food. I ordered shawarma, humus, and falafel. The food was prepared fresh to order and it was amazing. This is as authentic as it gets ya'll. The humus was unlike any I had ever had. So good, that I decided to order more and hadn't even finished my meal yet. Once done eating, I guzzled some water and took the last little bit of the walk that led to the Holy Sepulchre.
In Christianity, The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is believed to be the place where Jesus was crucified and buried. Always expect large crowds here. I arrived in the later part of the evening and there were still massive crowds. Luckily, at the time of my arrival, the church clergy were making their rounds to bless different areas of the church, and when they do that, they clear a path to make way for the priest coming around. I was fortunate to get some pretty good views. However, the lines to see the spot where Jesus was crucified and buried were wrapped around the inside of the church and they had roped it off for no more people to enter the line. I did manage to get to follow the locals around with the group of priest that were doing the blessings over the different areas of the church. It was pretty cool experience sitting there listening to the prayers in a language that is not my own.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre
The priest are blessing the Stone of Anointing, the place where Jesus' body was prepared for burial. This stone usually has crowds of people kneeling down and bent over kissing it and saying prayers over it.
Following the blessings of the different areas.
Calvary.
The Alter of Crucifixion.
One of the lines leading to the burial of Jesus Christ.
By the time I leave the Holy Sepulchre, the sun has set and it is time for me to go back to my airbnb and recharge for the next day of exploring Jerusalem.
Leaving the Holy Sepulchre
A quick story. As I walk to the Lions Gate to exit the Old City, I realize that I am no where near the other gate that I entered the Old City on. I am now on what is considered as the Muslim side of the Old City. I call my airbnb host because she advised me to call her in the event that I couldn't get a taxi to get back to her place. I call her to tell her my location, only for her to tell me that her taxis ( Jewish taxi services) don't come to the Lions gate or to this side of the city. She hangs up rather quickly. More quickly than what I am accustomed to. She was almost borderline rude if I dare say. Then, I suddenly realized where I was. I was not at home. I am in the Middle East, alone. It's getting late and I am all the way on the other side of the Old City. The back end of the city. I tried several times to hail a taxi only for them to tell me no when I tell them address where I am going is to the Jewish part of the city. I didn't panic, but i did start to walk. I had to hike it all the way around back near the Jaffa gate to get a taxi that would take me to my airbnb. That was quite a hump guys. Jerusalem is nothing but step hills every where you turn. By the time I get inside the taxi, I am grateful that this day is almost over. What would a trip to the Old City in Jerusalem be with out this experience. This is what makes the trip memorable. Even if it is very inconvenient. It's a real life taste of life in Jerusalem.
One of the many spice shops in the Muslim Quarter.
Leaving the Old City.
The Muslim Quarter.
The next day I wake up and my feet are swollen from the day before. I will tell you now that Israel is a lot of walking. It is important to have proper shoes. My feet were swollen so bad that I could not put my feet in side of my shoes. I had to wear flip flops. That wasn't my choice, but I had no other option. Swollen feet and all, I decided that I needed to go out and make the best of my time. I only had this day and next to explore Jerusalem before going off to Petra in Jordan.
I decide to go to the Mount of Olives, Dominos Flevit, Church of All Nations, and the Garden of Gethsemane. They are all clustered right there together. You start a the top of the hill at the Mount of Olives, work your way down to Dominos Flevit church, then proceed to The Garden of Gethsemane, and onto the Church of All Nations.
Th climb to the top of the hill where the Mount of Olives is. The climb is very steep. I suggest taking a taxi if you have any problems walking. Coming down, I thought I would fall several times.
Mount of Olives
Dominus Flevit Church. The church was closed off to visitors/tourist on this day but a local invited me in to join in on the Mass. It was such a special moment and time for me.
I did not take photos inside out of respect for the Mass that was in progress.
The garden of Gethsemane. The olive trees are the same tree's form when Jesus went to pray right before he got betrayed by Judas Iscariot. If only these trees could talk. No one is allowed in the Garden. You can look through the gates. Their is one garden keeper.
The Garden of Gethsemane is such a place of peace. I have never felt peace like the peace that I felt at the garden. I didn't want to leave. There was so much on my heart and I just stood there and prayed and I could feel The Lords pretense.
The prayer that Jesus prayed in the Garden right before being led off to his death.
People travel to Israel for many different reasons. The entire time I kept thinking to myself, I feel so disconnected to God in the Holy Land. I feel him strongly everywhere but here, especially when I was in the Old City. I thought that I would feel a certain level of Gods precence there, but I didn't. I was more overwhelmed than anything. But when I came down to the bottom of the hill at the Garden of Gethsemane, it was a quiet place with no other tourist to really speak of. It was there where I felt Gods spirit speaking to my heart tenderly. Sometimes, the world can literally be too loud for me. Sensory overload. In the Old City I had sensory overload and felt a disconnect of some sort. I was taking it all in, but it wouldn't be until I returned home to the sates that I could reflect and really let it sink in, the gravity of everything that I had seen and experienced.
A resting place right outside the Garden of Gethsemane.
The Church of All Nations. Basilica of the Agony.
Built over the rock on which Jesus prayed the night before he was crucified.
Inside the Church of All Nations.
The next day, my final day in Jerusalem, I decide to go on a Dual Narritive tour of Hebron through Abraham Tours. The description of the tour is as follows via of the website: "This tour of Hebron is a unique tour in that it presents two very different narratives of one ancient, contested city. This is the only tour where you’ll have two guides, one Israeli, one Palestinian, each showing a different half and a different perspective of this city. The tour is political but objective, with each participant free to form their own opinions".
I would HIGHLY recommend this tour if you ever come to Israel. Both tour guides give their perspective on how it is to live in the West Bank Palestinian city of Hebron. There are several zones through out Hebron. At each zone their are different check points with Israeli soldiers who check your papers to make sure that you are authorized to enter into any particular zone. You start the day off with your Jewish tour guide taking you through the areas of Hebron where there are Israeli settlers. You will also get to go to the Tomb of Patriarchs. It is a site that is holy to both Israeli's and Muslims. During the second half of the day you meet with your Palestinian guide and cross over into the Palestinian side of Hebron that is controlled by Israeli Defense Force (IDF). You will have lunch with a local Palestinian Family and continue on your tour through out the Palestinian side of Hebron, ending your time back with your Israeli tour guide who will help you get on the bus headed back to Jerusalem.
The Hebron Dual Narrative Tour is an extremely valuable learning experience. It gave me an entirely new perspective on what it's like to live in the city of Hebron, which is a part of the West Bank. Having heard both sides, it's very hard to pick a side. Both sides will pull on your heart strings. I will, however, say that the media will warp the true story. The media will promote fear. Get out and see the world guys. Go to some of these "hot spots" in the world and form an opinion for yourself. Coming to Israel and going on this tour in Hebron was best thing that I could have done while here. It really opens your eyes to a lot.
In Hebron on a rooftop of a Jewish settlers home. The Palestinian flag just on the other side.
A Palestinian little girl entering her home through a window. There is a checkpoint set up by the IDF where her front door is and she and her family are not authorized on that side. They have to enter their home through a window now.
Checkpoint with an IDF soldier patrolling.
Our Israeli tour guide showing us Ancient Dead Sea Scrolls inside of an old Jewish Synagogue.
The streets of Hebron. Desolate. Can you tell which side we're on?
Palestinian children in Hebron.
Our tour guide Lena, standing in front of a group of Palestinians girls coming out of the Muslim side of the Tomb of Patriarchs.
Walking through the markets of Hebron. A merchant selling scarves, rugs, and other little treasures.
Abrahams Tomb inside of the Tomb of the Patriarchs on the Jewish side.
Inside of the Tomb of the Patriarch you will find both Arab art as well as Christian art.
The stained glass right alongside the gold plated imaged of Arab writing at the top.
My time in Jerusalem has come to an end I am off to Tel Aviv. While in Tel Aviv, I go to see more of the the West Bank, The Dead Sea, and explore the streets of Tel Aviv.
I decide to book one last tour through Abraham Tours to see The Best of the West Bank. On this tour they take you to three different cities in Israel; Jericho, Ramallah, and Bethlehem over the span of one day. I felt completely safe during my entire time of the tour with the exception of when we entered Ramallah. Ramallah was a small city with pretty dense crowds of people. I was pretty hyper vigilant the entire time. Lots of buildings with blown out windows up top. There were pictures of martyrs all over the place and all I could think about was whether there were snipers up in those windows with the glass blown out of them. We were an easy target walking through the busy round about. It was an all too familiar vibe in that city that made me a little uncomfortable. A Canadian man that apart of our tour group could sense that I was feeling a little uneasy and admitted that he too wasn't feeling it. Come to find out he served in the Canadian Army. But the tour goes off with out a hitch. We had no problems what so ever. I am glad that I pushed through and experienced all of the West Bank.
A view of the city of Jericho. A land flowing with milk and honey.
PLO leader, Yasser Arafat's tomb in Ramallah
manners of Arafat are hung everywhere in the city of Ramallah
Flea market area in Ramallah. Way to much going on for my blood. Very busy and packed.
Our lunch that was provided by a local Palestinian family right out side of Bethlehem.
Inside of the Church of the Nativity. This is said to be the place where Jesus was born.
This very place is where Jesus is said to have placed in the manger after Mary gave birth to Jesus.
A treat a local sweet shop in Bethlehem. Kanefah is to die for. A rich sweet treat made of sweet cheese, sugar syrup, and pistachios.
A dove carrying an olive branch in his mouth as symbol of peace with a bullet proof vest on with a target on his chest... Welcome to Bethlehem. Welcome to Palestine.
The next few pictures are of the West Bank Israeli Barrier Wall. On one side is Israel, the other is of occupied Palestine.
For the most part, we as foreigners were welcomed heavily in The West Bank. The locals were very friendly and hospitable. Our tour guide was outstanding. He, himself, as a local Palestinian, invited us into his home and fed us lunch and took us around and gave us a first hand encounter on what its like to live in occupied Palestine. It was rich in history and culture. I would like to add that I also, do not live life with rose colored glasses on. I know that Hamas and the PLO are heavy in Palestine, and there are truly deep rooted issues in the land. However, it is hard to take one specific side after all I have I seen during my time thus far is Israel. I do not have a solution to the conflict that plagues this land. Maybe it's not about choosing a side at all. Maybe it's just about being aware and trying to be a good human people. Loving thy neighbor.
Moving right along, and if you are still reading this, God bless your soul. On my very last day in Israel, I decided to go to The Dead Sea. I didn't think that I would I be able to squeeze it in, but I am glad that I did. It was quite a treat indeed. The Dead Sea is the lowest spot on the entire earth sitting 2300 feet below sea level and is home to the most saline waters on earth. It is advised for people not drink the water, get it in your eyes, or splash around in it. I had the pleasure of finding out the hard way by getting into my eyes.
Floating in the Dead Sea effortlessly.
The mud from the Dead Sea has amazing health benefits for the skin. I was standing knee deep in that stuff. Give me all of the mud.
I couldn't have asked for a better experience in Israel. There is so much to do that you would need to spend extensive time to truly get a greater understanding of the land and culture. I barely touched the tip of the iceberg. Israel is a place that I will be exploring again and again. I did not get to go to Jaffa, Haifa, Caesarea, Capernaum, Galilee, Nazareth, or the Negev. All places that are worthy of a return trip to Israel.
Paris and The French Riviera
As I sat on the couch sometime in late September of last year, I was hard core thinking about my birthday that wasn't until April of the following year. Now, I know you're probably thinking, who thinks about their birthday so far ahead of time. I do. This girl does. I was probably having a moment where I was rounding up my age and thinking, damn, your almost 40. You need to go somewhere for your birthday next year and celebrate.
Rudi Fennikiss
The sitter sent me this while I was in France. How handsome is my boy. Get used to seeing his cute face. He'll pop up randomly on other entires over time.
Now, let me just back track for the sake of giving you a glimpse of what my schedule was looking like for the rest of the year. I was prepping to go to Israel and Jordan for the entire month of November, give or take a few days. I had a major surgery scheduled, (the key word = MAJOR) for the first week of December upun returning home from my trip to the Middle East. Yet, there I was, in full on planning mode, purchasing tickets, making accommodations, and semi sort of making an itinerary for France. If you haven't caught on by now, I can get an idea in my head and run with it before I even know what it's blossomed into, but we'll talk more about that in another post.
Fast forward and it's finally April. The time has come. I don't know about you guys, but there is a lot of build up in my house pre travel. It gets pretty hectic, and as much as I am a planner and like to have things organized, its always helter skelter in this house. We have to make sure travel documents are ready, passports are go to go, the mail is on hold, the dogs arrangements for his sitter is taken care of, and the list literally goes on. But, never the less, I LOVE that feeling because it lets me know that it's almost go time. And go time it was! As a disclaimer, I usually travel solo on all of my trips around the world, but this time I was very happy to bring along my best friend Karina. This was her first time traveling this far on her own will (she's in the military).
We leave for the airport and everything goes smoothly and we board our first flight. We layed over in Charlotte N.C. for two hours and then we were off to get on the the last leg of our flight to Paris. We arrive at Charles de Gaulle around 7 a.m. and for some reason, we felt that we could be brave girls and carry on with the day as if we didn't just cross the Atlantic and go through several time zones. After we leave the airport and start heading to the Airbnb my heart gets all warm and fuzzy from the nostalgia of the last time I was in Paris. It is still the same strong effect on me. A charming and romantic city with beautiful people and scenery and architecture that will make you swoon. I flirt with the thought of never returning home back to America. Being in Paris instantly evokes a vibe that I can't quite put into words. I LOVE this city. We immediately checked into our Airbnb, took showers, put on fresh clothes, and we went out the door desperate to take in all that Paris had to offer.
This was not my first time being in Paris so I was already a little familiar with the area. Anytime I am in Paris I always stay in the 3rd arrondissement, also known as Le Marias. Le Marias can be described as a chic little area of Paris that offers tons of boutique shopping, cafes, flower shops, exclusive art galleries, fresh boulangeries, and beautiful organic markets for produce. It is also home to the Musée de Picasso (Picasso Museum) and much more. Just a fabulous area to stay in while you're in Paris on holiday.
Beautiful view of La Marias right at sunset.
Morning rooftops of Paris
Can we just stop for moment and talk about how real jet lag is. I am the type of person that doesn't sleep a wink on long haul flights because the odds are just never in my favor and I am always too uncomforatbale being cramped into the microscopic sized seats the airlines have now a days. I tell ya, its almost impossible to be comfortable, especially when flying economy, but thats neither here or there. Our first couple of days in Paris were semi miserable because we would start out eager in the morning ready to explore and take it all in, but by noon we were basically being thrashed by hard core jet lag and we could not come out of it. No amount of expresso or energy drinks could fix that. We were ready to crash hard before 3 p.m. for about four days straight. I was so cranky and nothing pleased me. You may say, but Kellee, you're in Paris. Yes, that is true, but I am the type of person who can't function or enjoy anything when I'm tired. Karina was equally feeling the effects.
Candid shot of me struggling to try and stay awake for the remainder of the day after a failed attempt of exploring the streets of Paris. It was only 2:30 p.m. I wanted to sleep so badly. Jetlag!
Before we jump into all of the lovely sites that we explored around Paris, I want talk about how we navigated the city. We opted to buy the Paris Pass to get us into a lot of the sites with out having to wait in line. We also took full advantage of the one day hop on-hop off bus tour that come with the purchase of the Paris Pass. Depending on what company you buy the Paris Pass through, they offer a free hop on hop off bus tour that allows you to explore the city sites at your leisure for that day and you can get on and off as much as you like. Its a very convenient way to become acquainted with the city when you've just arrived and are dealing with a bit of jet lag. The lines can be pretty long during peak season in Paris so its definitely something to consider. The Paris Pass might not be right for you if you plan on leisurely spacing your visits to the sites out over several days. It is something that has be used consecutively. For example, if you buy the three day pas, you have to use it back to back to back during all three days. You can't just pick three separate calendar days. So its something to think about according to your schedule and how much time you will have. We also used Uber quite a bit while in the city. It works very well. All of the drivers were pleasant and spoke enough English to communicate basic dialogue to get you to and from your destination. Paris is also a very walkable city. One doesn't need to rely heavily on Uber to get around in Paris. Thier public transportation is also very efficient and I highly recommend it. It is how I got around during my last visit to Paris, however, during the time of our stay there was a transportation strike going on countrywide that effected all modes of transportation severly.
On to the sites
Notre Dame: A beautiful Gothic cathedral with amazing architecture built int he Middle Ages. Its beautiful to capture a photo of this masterpiece while on a cruise going down the Seine River.
The architecture is amazing on this cathedral.
The Louvre: The Louvre is an iconic museum that is home to many amazing pieces of art from almost every era of time in history. The Louvre is home to the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Liberty Landing the People, and my all time favorite; The Oath of Horatii. The Louvre doesn't disappoint. It's an art lovers dream. Not to be missed. You can spend hours in there drooling over the millions of masterpieces on display and you still wouldn't see everything.
Arc de Triomphe: The Arc de Triomphe is a monument that sits right off the Champs-Élysées. It is home to France's Tomb of The Unknown Soldier. You will find many tourist standing in the streets of the Champs- Élysées taking pictures of this beautiful monument. You can go to the top for an areal view of Paris for a fee of 12 euro per adult. The entry for children is free.
Palais Garnier, (The Opera House): Ya know the saying that some things can't be described, they have to be experienced; this is one of those things. The Palais Garnier seats a little over 1900 people and they have shows such as ballets and operas all year long. During our tour it was interesting to learn that they sell out of seats almost every day. There is no such thing as an off season at the Palais Garnier. Another must see, not to be missed! The pictures do this place no justice. Very sad that we weren't able to make a show while visiting the city. It has always been a dream of mine to go to an opera.
The Palace of Versailles: The palace is literally dripping and oozing gold in every corner, crack, and crevice. The King spared no expense on his digs. Very beautiful inside and out, but what is most breath taking are the gardens. You could spend hours just visiting the elaborate gardens in Versailles. I must admit that I was a bit underwhelmed with the palace part. I think it had something to do with the massive crowds. I could barley move an inch without someone stepping on the backs of my heels or brushing against me on both sides. Thats not a good time for me at all. I have massive anxiety in settings with large crowds. I try to keep the anxiety at bay and I am usually very mindful, especially when I am visiting tourist destinations that can potentially be packed, but the crowd on this particular day had me ready to crawl out of my skin. The gardens were the perfect escape and remedy to the super crowded palace. Although I couldn't handle the crowd, I enjoy the parts that I did see.
Outside entrance to get into Versailles
Kings Chambers
The Hall of Mirrors
I desperately tried to get a better shot here but it was impossible.
Queens Chambers
I really want to say these were Marie Antoinettes chambers for when she stayed in the palace, but she also has her own estate on Versailles, so I don't want to misspeak here.
Just the beginning of the gardens. The gardens stretch out for miles and miles.
Amongst the gardens
The gates to the palace. We were leaving for the day and decided to get a quick photo with no other people around.
The Eiffel Tower: No matter how many times I come to Paris, seeing the Eiffel Tower never gets old to me. It's beautiful during the day and she sparkles and comes to life during the night. The lights cut on at 9 p.m. and sparkle every hour after that on the hour. It really is amazing, and its another must see, when in Paris. I suggest going to Trocadero to get a good view of her during the day and take a river cruise at sunset to see her sparkle and light up at night. And don't worry about being out late, Parisians are quite the night owls and the city lives during the night. There will be plenty of people out strolling around and is security is tight all over Paris. I felt completely safe during the entire time of my stay. The key is situational awareness at all times.
Trocadero viewing point of the Eiffel Tower
Isn't she lovely
Right a dusk. It had just turned 9 p.m. and our river cruise has just pulled back in the dock. Perfect timing.
Sparkle time
You'd have to be there to see just how beautiful and magical it really is.
Montmartre, and the Sacré-Coeur: Montmartre is in the 18th arrondissement in Paris. It is home to the Sacré-Coer Basilica that can be noticed towering high on the hill. You can enjoy this hip little arrondissement walking through out the hills and exploring different shops and cafés. We didn't get to explore all of Montmartre like we wanted because jet lag was still rearing its ugly head. While visiting the Basilica we were lucky enough to be able to sit in on mass and hear the nuns singing their prayers. It made me nostalgic of my old catholic school days. We didn't take many pictures inside of the basilica for the sake of being respectful to the people who their worshiping. Upon exiting the church you have an amazing view of the city form atop of the hill that the church sits on.
Sacré-Coure
Descending from the hill that the Basilica sits on in Montmartre.
Champs Elysées: The Champs Elysées is a long street full of shopping. However, don't be surprised when you find almost all of the same stores that you have access to at home here on this row. There are a few high end shops such as Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany and Co, and the highly favored macron shop, Ladurée, but for the most part it's filled with stores that we have here in the U.S. I mentioned Ladurée because I believe that deserves special recognition. Laduré is a shop that specializes in macrons and they are AMAZING. I ate so many macrons during my time in France that I could be a connoisseur. If theres one thing that France does right, it's their pastries and desserts. I have never in my life had desserts as good as I had in France.
The strawberry candy flavor is unlike anything I have ever tasted. Quite delectable!
Champs Elysées shopping.
The possibilities are endless with yummy treats inside of Ladurée.
One of the many parks right off the Champs Elysées. Perfect spot for an afternoon picnic.
And now, the moment that I suspect you've all been waiting for, The French Riviera, also known as the Côte d'Azur. We split our two weeks in half in France by staying in Paris for the first half and we picked Nice as base for the second half to explore the French Riviera. I will start out by saying that I have only seen and heard how amazingly beautiful the South of France was before I decided to go there. It is jaw dropping beautiful and such a stark contrast to Paris.
We traveled to the South of France by an SNCF train. We booked our tickets for the train way ahead in advance as they tend to fill up fast. We were worried about getting there because of the transportation strike, but we got lucky on that day. We managed to book the only train leaving from Paris going to Nice that day. The train was slammed pack. Thank heavens for the intuition to book ahead.
The train ride was around five hours and some change. It was such a beautiful ride watching the city fade into pristine green fields of proviencial country side that ended in coastal views of various deep turquoise shades of clear blue/green sea. I knew from the views outside of my window on the train that I was loosing control and entering into a trance with my eyes fixed on all the surrounding beauty. I had fallen deeply in love with the South of France and I wanted to do nothing more than debark the train and go explore. As we come to our stop I get excited, the kind of excitement that I get when I look at my dog for the first time when I awake him in the morning and smell his neck and ears and smother him with smooches (racing heartbeat and a tingly heart). I couldn't believe that I was actually there in the French Riviera.
The neighborhood right outside of our Airbnb.
Before I go any further, I would just like to warn you guys that our stay in French Riviera was cut short due to the transpiration strike. We ended up leaving a few days early due to the lack of trains running. If we didn't leave early we would have been stuck in the South of France past the date of our return flight going back to the U.S. I am going to need for the Department of Transportation in France to get their act all the way together. Cutting into my holiday time (insert angry face). We originally planed to visit Cannes, Eze, Antibes, and Monaco while there, but was only able to visit Nice. Cannes, Eze, Monaco, and Antibes are all a short bus ride away from Niece, so it would have been ideal to do day trips. But not to worry, we will absolutely be returning soon.
I also ended up coming down with a really bad sinus and upper respiratory infection during my stay in Nice. I woke up on our second day in Nice ready to go out and explore only for my body to protest with aches and pain and fever. The cool thing about France is their phenomenal health care system. I did some research and learned that doctors will come out to your home and see you. Theres no reason to go in unless its really serious. I got a recommendation for a doctor from my property manager and with in an hour of making the call to the doctors office the doctor showed up and examined and treated me all for under 100 euros. That is AMAZING guys! France could teach the U.S. a thing or two about health care.
After spending a full 24 hours of recovering, resting, and taking care of myself, it was time to set out and explore the beautiful South of France.
Our first view of the surrounding area of the city of Nice.
An aerial view of the city with the beautiful snow caped Swiss Alps in the back.
Our days were spent strolling along the Promenade de Anglais taking in the beautiful sights right off the shore. We could walk for hours just admiring the beautiful blue sea and taking in the tantalizing smells of delicious food wafting through the air. We set into a carefree rhythm of existence while in the French Riviera. The vibe was so laid back and relaxing. A very good place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city in Paris. I found myself so focused on the present moment, just taking it all in as if I would die right on the spot if I let my mind wander to any other place at that given time. I wanted to really sit with the joy that my soul was feeling during that time. After going through a grueling first quarter of the year I was finally able to breath in and exhale with a real release. This was just what the doctor ordered.
Promenade de Anglais
The beaches are filled with people at all hours of the day. I there is one thing that I have learned while traveling in France, it is that they really appreciate and savor their time. Whether they are casually sitting at a cafe for hours on end drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes or just sitting at the beach catching a sea breeze, they enjoy their time. They do not rush to get to the other responsibilities that beckon them through the day. This is a culture that I could get used to.
The best pizza and caesar salad that I have ever had the privilege to taste!
We ate and drank and ate and drank some more. We would gorge ourself on desert pastries and macron as if our lips would never taste anything as good as what we were eating at that given moment for as long as we lived. I would describe it as an intense gastronomical experience of bliss. After filling our bellies to limit we'd walk even more and explore.
The highlight of my time during our stay was when we walked up Castle Hill for the most breath taking views of the coast. There are several look out points once you climb up. There is even a waterfall if you reach all the way to the very top. beautiful if you can catch it while its running full.
The stairs leading to the climb up Castle Hill
The climb up was moderate but so beautiful and scenic along the path with several rest spots if you need to catch your breath and take break.
Finally we reach the top. This view is worth every step.
After soaking up the views and getting our second wind about us, we take off to explore more of Castle Hill. As we continue on and follow more of the path, we discover an entire park up there with ancient cobblestones filled with art from days of old. Its quite lively but it has a peaceful and relaxing vibe to it still. There are more look out points to the port side of the coast. There's even an ice ream shop that sells cones and frozen fruit pops. It was magical on top of that hill. I didn't want to go back. I found myself hinting at Karina to stay just a bit longer.
Steps that lead to the park and the port view.
Ancient art along the park path on Castle Hill.
Yacht heaven. Another beautiful view.
Our time was nothing short of amazing while we were in France. We took full advantage of every day and still wish that we had more time in the beautiful French Rivera. It will be long on our minds for quite some time. I can easily see myslef investing in some property somewhere along the coast in the the South of France. As our time quickly came for us to leave and head back to Paris to fly back to the United States, we were grateful and humbled to be able to say that we got relax and hang out in the South of France. These memories will last a lifetime.
I will always be in love with the Côte d'Azur. Until next time. Au revoir....Abientôt