The city of love

South America first ensnared me when I was 15. I flew to Ecuador on a group trip, hoping to learn a little Spanish and embark on my first international trip without parents. Honestly, a month in Ecuador was more than I had bargained for: glacially cold showers in the countryside, men staring at me unabashedly and a level of grime and squalor that I had never seen growing up in suburban Michigan. I went completely broke halfway through the trip and could barely afford breakfast. … [Read more...] about Remembering My First Love: South America

They don’t see the Senegalese women on the metro, walking tall in Kente cloth, squabbling in their singsong French. They don’t know where to find the best challah in Le Marais, golden and braided in the window. They don’t know how to make quiche lorraine by scratch, or how you should leave in the pits for the best apricot jam. They don’t know how many meanings “sympa” can have, or what the inside of a studio apartment in La Goutte d’Or look like or what the best route is from Montmartre to the river. They don’t know you like I do. … [Read more...] about Dear Paris: A Love Letter to the City I Finally Adore

Given its size, Bremen is very much a city of neighborhoods and one of the most interesting to visit is also one of the city’s oldest, the Schnoor. For centuries, this working class part of town was very much one of the poorer areas of Bremen. Near the water, the Schnoor was all about shipping, and ropes, cables and chains were all manufactured in or close to the neighborhood. It’s also the only part of the medieval core of Bremen that has preserved its traditional look and feel and most of the homes and shops date back to the 18th, 17th and even 15th centuries. Today it’s a trendy part of Bremen and thanks to its classic architecture is also one of the most popular for tourists to visit. A very easy walk from the town center, spending the afternoon strolling the small streets and alleys, discovering cafes, ice cream shops and stores was an ideal way to better understand the history of the city. … [Read more...] about My Easy Love for Bremen, Germany in 5 Moments

What to See: At Stonehenge’s new visitor center, check out artifacts unearthed from burial sites and tour an outdoor cluster of recreated Neolithic houses from the period. Walk around the Stonehenge circle, listening to the audio tour on headphones to learn about the site’s mysteries and why it may have been located here. The Amesbury Museum and Heritage Centre displays huge quantities of handcrafted flint tools that predate Stonehenge by more than 5,000 years. … [Read more...] about 10 Timeless Cities Where the Past Comes to Life

Not far from the bustling city of Mantua is a far different town, one that when I visited was oddly quiet but captivating thanks to the unique lines and angles of the architecture and public spaces. I was in Sabbioneta, an early example of urban planning from the 15th century. More fortress than town, Sabbioneta was built by the powerful Gonzagas and the thick city walls and ramparts are all still completely intact. It was more than the defenses that interested me though, the grid pattern of the streets and the impressive squares and monuments are all what drew my attention almost immediately. Meant to impress, the Duke’s palace, the theater, churches and more are all on a scale and designed with a level of beauty that may have been representative of the era, but which are rare to find today. I wouldn’t recommend spending a lot of time there, but if you’re in Mantua definitely spend an afternoon or even a day exploring the strange little town of Sabbioneta. … [Read more...] about 7 Under the Radar UNESCO World Heritage Sites I Love to Visit