Hue was a positive surprise in our trip. I have to admit, I wasn’t familiar with the pre-war history of Vietnam and hadn’t heard of this city. But as I read more and more about the Nguyen dynasty, I started to get excited about visiting the 19th century imperial capital. We arrived mid-morning in a sleeper train from Ninh Binh/Tam Coc, and from the station took a metered taxi to a hotel we had booked the night before. Continue reading “Tombs and more in Hue, the imperial capital of Vietnam”
Hanoi is not the most welcoming city in the world, one really has to try to get to like it. On our first evening, we ventured to explore the Old Quarter, where our hotel was located. The narrow streets were taken over by people, motorbikes and shops, organized by trades (e.g. we were in the toys street). Between the heat and humidity and the masses of tourists, walking around felt exhausting, so we made our way to Hoan Kiem Lake (where the legend claims a giant turtle stole the king’s sword) and checked out Ngoc Son Temple. As we walked back toward the Old Quarter, taking a detour west to see less touristy areas, a brutal storm broke out. Luckily, before being completely soaked, we found the mall Hang Da, with lots of handicraft shops to keep us entertained until the skies cleared. And as we walked back through the night market, and to the nightlife/pedestrian-friendly area around Ta Hien, we were compensated by one of the most gorgeous sunsets ever. And then by some yummy local specialties – spring rolls, pho and bun cha are must tries.
Continue reading “What to see in Hanoi, the hectic capital of Vietnam”
The sleeper bus from Phonsavan (Plain of Jars) arrived in Vientiane early in the morning. We didn’t have any particular interest in visiting Laos’ capital, but logistically it made sense; we would get our Vietnam visa and fly to Hanoi from here instead of backtracking to Luang Prabang. Continue reading “Nothing much to see in Vientiane, Laos’ capital”
Luang Prabang is Laos’ top destination for a reason. With numerous Buddhist monasteries, a lively ceremony of alms every morning, well-preserved colonial architecture and river walks, it is definitely one of the most charming cities in the world. Unfortunately, it also feels like one of the most touristy.
Continue reading “Walking around Luang Prabang, the heart of Laos”
Yangon, until recently, the capital of Myanmar, can easily be visited in 1 day. Our itinerary started at the furthest north sites, the Chaukhtatgyi and Ngahtatgyyi pagodas, with their respective giant Bhuddas, one reclining and one seating. It was a great experience to observe local people, who are extremely devoted. Very early on in our time in Myanmar, we noticed that the country was for the most part, untouched by tourism. We barely saw a couple of foreigners each day, and locals were unspoiled, smiley and dressed in traditional style (e.g. longyi skirts for men), many with their faces painted with yellow dye (thanaka).
Continue reading “What to see in Yangon, the gate to Myanmar”
It has been a bit over 24 hours since Kathmandu suffered the brutal earthquake, and you can still feel a tense calm in the air.
Our arrival in Kathmandu yesterday morning was surreal. 2 weeks ago I had decided to take a leave of absence and hike to the Everest Base Camp, an adventure that had been in my bucket list for years. As we boarded the plane that would take us from LAX to Guangzhou for a layover, we couldn’t imagine how much of an adventure we were getting ourselves into. The moment we landed, my phone started buzzing with messages, missed calls and emails… “Are you ok?” “Please call us” and similar. It took me a couple of minutes to realize what was going on.
St. Petersburg can be visited on a day trip from Moscow – a long but worth it trip. There are several train options, including the high speed but expensive Sapsan (3hr 45min), check out pass.rzd.ru/main-pass/public/en. We chose a slow, sleeper train, which is not only cheaper but also helps you save two hotel nights. The 4 bed compartment at ~$50 per person was functional and clean, even had a few nice details like snacks.
Continue reading “Visiting St. Petersburg on a day trip from Moscow”
Some places are meant to be visited under a certain weather. Moscow is one of them; even though I suffered and complained about the extreme cold during my time there, looking back I’m glad I chose the winter to truly experience this wonderful city. Travelling during Christmas forces you to adjust your itinerary; days are shorter, you have to avoid back to back outdoors visits and reserve time for family commitments. I spent 3 days in Moscow with Elena (and her family!), and got to see all the highlights. You should be able to design a packed 2-day itinerary, if needed. I also highly recommend combining St. Petersburg into the same trip, like we did!
Continue reading “What to see in 2-3 freezing days in Moscow”
I LOVE Madrid, I honestly believe it is the best city in the world. In addition to rich history/art, and the best nightlife in the world, it has my family and childhood friends 🙂
People ask me a lot what they should do and see when they visit Madrid… and it’s always hard for me to answer. The city we live in is usually the one that we explore the least from a traveler perspective. But recently I had a chance to show the city over a couple of days to first-time visitor Elena, with the help of my good friend and fellow madrileña Anna.
On Christmas day 2014, Elena and I landed in Manila. We were planning on travelling across the Philippines for 10 days, covering the capital, the rice terraces in north Luzon, and the water wonders of Palawan. Since our plane had arrived at 4am and we were planning on taking a 9pm bus to Banaue, we were left with ample time to tramp around the city. I have to admit I was positively surprised, as I hadn’t heard the best things about Manila, and I found a neat, interesting town with friendly people. Yes, there is poverty, but somehow it feels more organic, integrated than in other places. And the mix of Asian, Spanish/Latin and Northamerican heritage creates a unique character.
Bona Travels 