wanderland

Dali to Fulong

Hiking is a staple of our travels. It's one of the best ways to get to know a country - or at least a specific part of the country. As we endeavor to hike our way from Dali to Fulong, we first have to find our way out

Pottery in Taipei

Never in my wildest dreams did I think that Taipei would be the place that I fell in love with pottery. But it happened. I had taken an 8-week wheel/throwing course in Rhode Island in 2010 (more or less), but that was the extent to my formal experience. My

Life in Taipei, Taiwan

As we continue to travel, we find normalcy quickly. But here in Taipei, it feels different. I start to feel guilty. My mind is over-stimulated by the vibrancy of the city. I hadn't planned on liking Taipei. In fact, the location wasn't my choice; it wasn&

Orchids of Taipei

In my opinion, orchids are undeniably the most feminine, elegant, and sophisticated of all the flowers. Equal parts strong and fragile, vibrant and vulnerable. It's my absolute favorite flower. No garden or life is complete without them. This post is a love-fest to the bewitching, joyful, powerful orchid.

Welcome to Taipei

After an uneventful five-hour flight from Kuala Lumpur to Taipei, we arrive at the airport. Navigating our way through the airport is easy and intuitive. Before getting through immigration, every person has to declare that no meat, animals, prohibited plants, or other such item has been brought into the country.

Sweating It Out in Kuala Lumpur

Chinatown and Central Markets When we first arrive in Kuala Lumpur, we are in very close proximity to Chinatown and the Central Market. Jalan Petaling (Petaling Street) is an open-air market in the heart of Chinatown where visitors and locals alike negotiate the costs of food, goods, and services. Yes,

The Batu Caves

The Batu Caves are a 45-minute commuter train ride from KL Sentral. We arrive at the ticket booth only to learn that we need to purchase tickets from the booth across from where we are. And that line is about 12 people long. The train leaves in 10 minutes and

An Introduction to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The heat and humidity hits you immediately upon arrival. Despite the 10 hour flight from Istanbul, I'm alert and ready to explore this city. Immigration was a quick and easy process. I wasn't asked how long I planned to stay, but D was asked. When he

The Charm of Istanbul (Part II)

Istanbul is a generously sized megacity, divided between the European and Asian sides and separated by the Sea of Marmara. The two sides of Istanbul are distinct. The European half is steeped in history & culture, has an abundance of tourists, and is a hustler's & smoker'

Cats of Istanbul

This post is simply and importantly dedicated to the beautiful, resilient, and fearless felines of Istanbul. You're welcome! Enjoy. 😉

The Charm of Istanbul (Part I)

The old world charm creates a mystique that makes Istanbul feel just out of reach but still thrilling. It's a bewitching city. With history around every corner and the smell of roasted chestnuts and döner kebap enveloping me, my senses are both delighted and overwhelmed. The density of

Cuatro Días en València, España

How many days does it take to fall in love? Four. Four days. That's 96 hours or 5760 minutes to be precise. And, Cupid's arrow struck hard. Deezy tells me that I love every place we visit. It's true. I do. The same way

A Photo Blog of Porto

There are many, many stories about our time in Porto that simply didn't make the cut - not because the experiences were unworthy: quite the opposite. Sometimes it's difficult to capture the words to describe a place, a feeling. And so, I give way to the

Foxes and Wolves and Boars, Oh My!

The countryside village of São Martinho do Campo is a mere 30 minutes outside of Porto. A pleasant enough train ride and far more remote feeling than you could imagine. The roundtrip fare for the two us is less than 8€ and I am quite proficient in Portuguese when buying

The 500

The 500 is the embodiment of my experience in Porto. Riding the 500 gave me all the information I need to know about this artsy, laid-back, passionate city along the Rio Duoro. During the first two weeks of our stay, the bus ride from the river district in Porto to

Braga-docious

A leisurely start to the day begins with a delightful walk to the beautifully tiled, wildly popular Sāo Bento train station. "Olá. Bom dia. Dois bilhetes para Braga, por favor," I say to the man at the ticket desk. The phrase is the full range of my Portuguese

Vila Nova de Gaia

The Duoro River or Rio Duoro is a beautiful sparkling blue river, the mouth of which is only a few kilometers north in a section of Porto called Foz do Duoro. (Technically, this is still a part of Porto, but is not the city proper and seems more like an

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Porto, Portugal

A severe side-eye darts in my direction. "What?" I ask gripping the bottleneck tighly while feigning ignorance. We've been in Porto for just a week and I have yet to partake in the splendor of their wines. "You get your juice, I get mine,"

The Cinque Terre: Part III

The Hike (7.5 hours, 14 miles) Scaling the stone-slab staircase along the backside of the fortress in Porto Venere felt almost like trespassing. Through the cracks and along the side grew wild and untamed weeds. It appeared as though the steps hadn't been walked in years -

The Cinque Terre: Part II

The Wedding (La cerimonia nuziale) The morning of the wedding was filled with joy and ebullience. Despite our arrival the day earlier, elation triumphed over jetlag and I dragged myself out of a deep, peaceful slumber to join my sister for breakfast at a quaint, local restaurant. Deezy, on the

The Cinque Terre: Part I

Wouldn't you just love to attend an idyllic wedding in Italy? You know, the kind of event where you stay in the perfect villa in a quintessential village, watching the old men place chess in the town square while the women saunter through the stone-laid alleys as they

Part seven of seven: San Francisco, Japan, & Thailand (July 2013)

koh samui: a short story about a tuk-tuk, a taxi, a train, a bus, a boat, a walk and a plane A plain clothed Bangkokian policeman asks if we need help. "We're looking for the train station," we say in unison. The man convincingly identifies himself

Part six of seven: San Francisco, Japan, & Thailand (July 2013)

Welcome to Thailand!!! ราชอาณาจักรไทย "Turn around! Go back to the airport," Deezy cooly orders the taxi driver. Moments before, we had disembarked the plane and traversed our way through the chaotic Bangkok airport. Crowds were gathering and excited Thai suffocate foreign tourists with information about the country

Part five of seven: San Francisco, Japan, & Thailand (July 2013)

After a short walk, we come to the Konansou, a traditional Japanese inn, also known as a ryokan. The staff speak no English, and when we arrive a few hours before check, we are pointed in the direction of Lake Kawaguchi. Starving and tired, Deezy and I spot a convenience

Part four of seven: San Francisco, Japan, & Thailand (July 2013)

Mt. Fuji 富士山 Fujisan located on Honshu Island, is the highest mountain in Japan at 3,776.24 m (12,389 ft) The train station is exceptionally small. "There must not be a lot of tourism," I thought. Waiting impatiently for the train to Fujikawaguchiko-machi to arrive, it