Tag: travel

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Singapore

Yes! Three days is all you’ll need to visit Singapore! This place is the future and from the moment you arrive at the airport you’ll see the difference. It’s a diverse island country. High-tech, modern, green, futuristic, organized, and clean is how we can describe Singapore. We saw robots at the airport and casino, we also saw signs everywhere encouraging people to help others, to support and use the technology available, signs to educate children correctly and to help ecosystems.

OBCB Walkway

We arrived to Changi Airport in Singapore with high expectations since we knew it has been rated the Worlds Best Airport for seven consecutive years! Not sure if we even imagined what it would feel like. We thought after all it is an airport and has to function like one. For our surprise it felt nothing like any other airport we have traveled in. Our arrival from Bali went very smooth and in 10 minutes we had passed immigration, picked up our luggage, and were on our way to explore the city. Up to this point we were already very impressed and excited to explore Singapore and we had not even left the airport!

You’ll need to save at least one hour to go and explore the airport when you arrive or before departing. Transportation between terminals is very pleasant and you’ll want to go check out terminal 3. This is where you’ll find the famous Jewel where you can shop, dine, and explore.

  • Changi Airport

When making travel plans to Singapore keep in mind that it is expensive compared to most of Southeast Asia. It is one of the worlds most expensive cities to live in. Expect to see green spaces and plants everywhere, it is known as the Garden City.

Food

In Singapore the food is endless, you can find anything your heart desires. There is something for every budget when it comes to food. Very exclusive restaurants to reasonably priced food. We recommend you try the chicken rice which is Singapores traditional dish as well as the chili crab. Don’t miss going to one of the hawker stalls for a variety of traditional dishes and great prices for the quality of food. Marina Bay also has a fascinating food hall not to be missed!

  • Hawker Stalls
  • Chicken Rice

Transportation

Grab and the MRT system should be your go to in Singapore when it comes to transportation unless you’re renting a car. Grab works just like Uber in many Asian countries and is very reliable. We used it at the airport. The MRT (mass rapid transit) system is a breeze and this was our favorite option for transportation. Most attractions are within walking distance from a station. Prices are between S$1.10 and S$2.50 to go anywhere in the city. For us this the fastest way to move around the city as there can be some traffic during rush hour. Don’t miss riding one of the best railway systems out there and don’t be afraid to get lost because they make it very easy to get to all attractions and main neighborhoods.

You won’t be disappointed as everything is very clean and organized. No one honks the car, it is almost silent when you walk around the city. During peak hours traffic is not terrible at all either.

Marina Bay

Marina Bay is an area composed of some of the best architecture and upscale hotels including the famous Marina Bay Sands Hotel. You’ll want to spend the day at Marina Bay admiring the different sculptures, shopping, eating, and taking in the fascinating views. Every night there’s a free light and water show that you won’t want to miss (starts at 8pm). There’s so much to see and lots of walking that you’ll want to dedicate 2 days to this area.

At the Marina Bay Sands Hotel you can go up to the Skydeck for views of Singapore, this costs $23usd. We recommend going to Ce La Vi which is a rooftop bar on the 57th floor to get close to the world’s largest rooftop infinity pool! Going up to the rooftop bar requires purchasing a ticket for $22usd which is yours to consume and enjoy a nice drink while looking at the city views and the infinity pool. Only guests with a reservation at the hotel are allowed into the pool area so unless you’re staying at the hotel this will be your best chance at admiring the architecture and views. Rooms at the hotel start at $350 per night if you decide you want to go that route.

While at Marina Bay Sands visit Gardens by the Bay which houses two conservatories, the Cloud Forest and Flower Dome. Here, you’ll also find the Supertree Grove. The Supertree Grove is one of our favorites! The Avatar like giant trees are spectacular and you can pay a small fee to go on the suspended walkway (OCBC Skyway). Not scary at all!

The Cloud Forest houses an impressive 35 meter tall waterfall set against a carpeted wall of plants. In the Flower Dome you’ll find plants from the Mediterranean and semi-arid subtropical regions, spread across nine smaller Gardens. It holds a 2015 Guinness World Record for world’s largest greenhouse. For the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest, you can purchase entry to both for S$28 for adults and S$15 for kids.

  • Cloud Forest
  • Flower Dome

Other areas to explore in Singapore

  • Clarke Quay: party area with bars and restaurants; can also take a river cruise here (the river cruise is not that great to be honest)
  • Chinatown
  • Orchard Road: shopping precinct
  • Little India
  • Orchard Rd
  • Clarke Quay
  • Chinatown

If you would like to see more about our experiences in Singapore, please visit our Instagram highlights and Facebook page @everywhereabroad.

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Terima Kasih (gracias) Bali! ¡si que nos gustaría vivir aquí!

El 15 de Septiembre del 2019 llegamos al aeropuerto de Denpasar en Bali por primera vez. Esto no estaba en nuestros planes, pero nos gustó la idea y decidimos probarla sin saber qué esperar. El aeropuerto al aire libre y la temperatura cálida ya se sentían bien. ¡Era tarde y no podíamos ver mucho, pero sentimos la vibra de la isla de inmediato y ya estábamos encantados con lo poco que veíamos! Una hora en coche y habíamos llegado a Canggu. Poco sabíamos de este lugar que al final nos encantaría tanto que no dudaríamos en volver tan solo 2 meses después. A la mañana siguiente nos dimos cuenta de que estábamos en el paraíso y que este lugar iba a ser una experiencia única para nosotros. Esta es la belleza de viajar, vas y descubres nuevos lugares sin saber lo que se avecina y lo emocionantes que pueden ser las aventuras que te esperan.

Muchos de ustedes nos han preguntado por qué volvimos a Bali en Diciembre si ya habíamos estado aquí en septiembre de este mismo año. Bueno, Bali es un lugar único que no solo ofrece experiencias sino también una vibra única. Aquí no es solo la emoción de estar en una isla sino también una mezcla de sentimientos de libertad y tranquilidad que ofrece su extraordinaria cultura. Este es un estado mental para nosotros perfecto y así mismo lo consideramos nuestro lugar feliz. Aquí tenemos un estilo de vida que desearíamos tener más cerca de nuestras familias. Actualmente aprovechamos nuestro tiempo para mezclarnos con locales y aprendemos todos los días de su forma de vida. Para nosotros tener la oportunidad de vestir sandalias, ver campos de arroz en todas partes, templos, infinitas opciones de comida, masajes súper asequibles, deliciosos desayunos saludables, puestas de sol espectaculares, vida en la playa, rica cultura, amistades únicas y estar rodeado de balineses ha sido de lo mejor de nuestra experiencia durante este ultimo año. Por otro lado, nos parece importante sentirnos conectados con la cultura, no se trata solo del lugar, porque podemos estar en el lugar más hermoso del mundo y no sentirnos felices si no nos sentimos conectados con su gente. La energía a su alrededor es buena para el alma. No es perfecto, muchas cosas pueden mejorar o cambiar, pero está bastante cerca del paraíso y es por eso que decidimos regresar y terminar nuestro viaje por el sudeste asiático aquí.

“Suka duka” es una expresión Hindú que deberías aprender cuando vienes a Bali. Es un concepto central de la cultura, lo que significa que la vida pende de un equilibrio entre la felicidad y el dolor, los altibajos, el bien y el mal. A continuación, puedes ver algunas de las ofrendas y santuarios que los Balineses hacen a los dioses. Los encontrarás en todas partes, desde la puerta de tu casa donde te hospedes hasta supermercados, oficinas, restaurantes y tiendas. Esta es una de las principales costumbres de los Balineses y no solo hará que todo se vea colorido, sino que también te hará conectarte con la cultura a medida que comiences a darte cuenta de lo importante que todo esto es para ellos.

Canggu

Estamos ubicados en Canggu, el cual se encuentra en la costa sur de Bali. Nunca habíamos oído hablar de este lugar y tenemos que darle todo el crédito a un buen amigo que nos convenció de venir aquí. Estamos agradecidos con él porque no se equivocaba al decirnos que este es un lugar para conocer y experimentar de primera mano. Podríamos habernos quedado en Seminyak que tiene tiendas y restaurantes de alta gama, Kuta conocida por su vida nocturna, o Ubud para relajarse y tener encuentros espirituales, pero ¿por qué no quedarse en el lugar donde puede encontrar todo eso y más? Canggu lo combina todo en uno solo. Además, es muy fácil moverse a diferentes áreas por medio de una moto/scooter. Desde aquí las distancias a cualquier parte de la isla son cortas a menos que quiera aventurarse hacia el lado norte de Bali.

Comida

Una de nuestras cosas favoritas en Canggu son las infinitas opciones de comida por supuesto. Sin importar su preferencia aquí prácticamente encuentras de todo. Este lugar ofrece alimentos que tal vez eches de menos si has estado viajando por un tiempo (esto nos pasó a nosotros). También hay muchos restaurantes vegetarianos, tiendas, bares de jugos, helados para elegir, etc. Con tantas opciones siempre es difícil decidir a dónde ir a almorzar y cenar. Tenemos nuestro desayuno cubierto ya que nuestros lugares de desayuno favoritos son Satu Satu Coffee Company y Crate Café que además de ser deliciosos son bien económicos. En general estamos muy impresionados con la comida ya que la calidad es fantástica, sabrosa, elaborada, fresca y cada restaurante está bellamente decorado. ¡Como nos encanta este lugar!

Nomadas Digitales

¡Canggu es divertido para cualquier persona con cualquier presupuesto! Es tan asequible y conveniente que muchas personas de todo el mundo han decidido residir acá en los últimos años. Canggu y Ubud son las 2 áreas en Bali donde puedes encontrar la mayoría de los nómadas digitales. Un nómada digital es una persona que trabaja de forma remota desde países extranjeros. Esto a través de espacios de trabajo conjunto, cafeterías, bibliotecas públicas y desde cualquier lugar que tenga una buena conexión a Internet. En resumen, son personas que viven o viajan mientras trabajan. Utilizan la tecnología para realizar sus trabajos y la mayoría trabaja en áreas como marketing, diseño, informática, redacción, medios, tutoría y consultoría, entre otros. Este es el equilibrio perfecto entre trabajo y vida. Lo que hace que Canggu sea atractivo para muchos es también la capacidad de tener este estilo de vida. Canggu tiene muchos espacios de trabajo conjunto, siendo el más popular Dojo Bali. Por una tarifa mensual, diaria o por hora, este es un espacio de trabajo compartido que ofrece internet rápido, espacios de trabajo cómodos, salas de reuniones privadas, eventos comunitarios, amistades garantizadas y la oportunidad de conectarse con otros nómadas digitales. En estos espacios de trabajo conjunto puedes terminar conociendo a tu próximo socio comercial o conocer profesionales que estarán dispuestos a enseñarte una nueva habilidad y hacer crecer tu negocio. ¡Este es el sueño nómada digital, quien no querría trabajar desde una computadora portátil en Bali junto a la playa o los hermosos campos de arroz!

Casas de huéspedes

Otra razón por la que amamos Bali es por las innumerables opciones de alojamiento. Villas, casas de huéspedes, hoteles, hostales, son muchas de las opciones que ofrece esta maravillosa isla. Las casas de huéspedes y villas son las mas comunes y se caracterizan por contar con habitaciones individuales (con baño, nevera y aire acondicionado) donde todos comparten las áreas comunes (piscina, cocina, sala). Aquí puedes alquilar una villa completa para ti o para compartir con amigos, que seria lo normal, y donde todos dividen gastos para hacer todo mas económico. Nos gustó tanto nuestra casa de huéspedes cuando estuvimos aquí en Septiembre que esta segunda vez volvimos a la misma. El propietario es muy amable con nosotros e incluso nos ofreció estadía con moto incluida por un precio que no pudimos rechazar. No tenemos que preocuparnos por limpiar nuestra habitación ya que alguien viene a limpiarla diariamente y tampoco tenemos que preocuparnos por lavar la ropa ya que el servicio de lavandería aquí es rápido y muy económico.

Consejos para Bali

  • Los precios de alojamiento y comida varían según el área (el norte es más barato)
  • Aprovecha el spa – 80k ($ 5usd) para un masaje de cuerpo completo de una hora
  • Lee bien los requisitos de visa dependiendo de cuánto tiempo esperes quedarte
  • Bali es seguro
  • Prueba y aprende yoga
  • ¡Visita a los monos, pero cuida tus pertenencias!
  • Come la comida local
  • Negociar los precios siempre que vas de compras
  • ¡No te pierdas las puestas de sol!
  • ¡Cuidado con el “Bali belly” por tomar agua que no debías! – pasarías mucho rato en el baño 
  • El tráfico es un poco caótico, así que ten paciencia y si conduces una moto recuerda que hay que ser respetuoso y manejar con responsabilidad. ¡Algunos de los peores conductores que hemos visto son extranjeros!
  • Mucho protector solar todo el tiempo

No dudes en venir a Bali, es probable que quieras volver como nosotros. Asegúrate de darle tiempo suficiente ya que hay muchos lugares encantadores para ver y algunos días solo querrás relajarte en un club de playa o pasar el rato con amigos en algunos de los cafés o bares de los alrededores. Recuerda que puedes hacerlo tan barato o costoso como desees ya que hay muchísimas opciones.

Este lugar es uno al que definitivamente volveremos. Nuestra experiencia ha sido maravillosa y nos encanta el ambiente, el estilo de vida, la cultura local, los extranjeros, la comida, el transporte en moto, ¡todo, incluso el caótico trafico que puede ser impactante de entrada pero que al final también se disfruta! Visita Bali que no te arrepentirás.

Si deseas ver más sobre nuestras experiencias en Bali, visita nuestros destacados de Instagram e historias diarias en @everywhereabroad.

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Same same, but different. Bangkok!!

If you’ve never heard it “Same same, but different” is a catchphrase used all over Thailand, it is used in many different ways mainly jokingly by Thais and foreigners. It means “similar” and can relate to the selling of original designer bags or even different food items at markets. You might ask a question and get a “same same, but different” or a simple “same same” as an answer and that should be sufficient. Today we’ll talk about Bangkok, a city full of endless food options, touristic attractions, nice people, etc… a metropolis like many others, SAME SAME, BUT DIFFERENT.

Bangkok! You might think of Bangkok and not like the sound of it, never looked into it as a destination or did not enjoy it while you were there. We completely understand, Bangkok takes some time to love and if you do not spend enough time in the city chances are you will not like it. It is not a city to visit for 1 or 2 days and only do the touristy activities. There’s so much more to discover once you enter the local life and distance yourself from the tourists. Bangkok is the world’s most visited city for the past few years which hosts more than 22 million visitors per year.

After spending 1 month in Bangkok we learned and experienced the Thai culture at its best. Location is important if you’re looking to get the real experience, this is why we chose our airbnb to be outside of the city center and tourist areas to a local neighborhood where we had accommodations that we knew we would need for our 1 month stay. The location of the apartment complex was a 3 minute walk to the Skytrain (BTS) and 5 minutes from the grocery store and other local shops and restaurants. Amenities included a gym, pool, co-working space, barbecue area, and cinema room that we shared with locals on a daily basis.

Being mingled with the locals allowed us to get to know them, see their daily life, and although communication was very little because of the language barrier the Thai people for us are some of the most wonderful human beings. Always smiling, willing to help, funny, hardworking, patient, down to earth, diverse, and will not judge anyone for their religion or sexuality.

We ate the street food, we ate where the locals ate, we grocery shopped at the neighborhood store, we walked (a lot) through many local neighborhoods, took the BTS, rode the local bus, and went to the markets; all this and although most times we were the only foreigners at certain places we always felt welcomed and safe.

Bangkok is a city that never stops and there is something for everyone from luxury malls, temples, nightclubs, red-light districts, markets, rooftops, and lots of entertainment for kids. We also visited many of the tourist attractions and many temples but I think what we enjoyed the most was the food and the people.

Below are some of our top local things to do outside of the normal tourist attractions in Bangkok:

Take a water taxi on the Chao Phraya River: affordable way to move around Bangkok through the river and get a different view of the city. If you go visit Wat Arun (temple) chances are you will have to cross the river to get there.

Ride the BTS: very impressive skytrain, we used this all the time to avoid traffic and save on transportation. The stations and trains are very well maintained, helpful staff, easy to get around, and very very clean.

Muay Thai: you’ll see Muay Thai advertised all over Bangkok, but do not go for those boxing matches if you want an authentic experience. You might end up paying for a fake match. Many tourists don’t know this but on Sundays at the Channel 7 Stadium there is free entrance for everyone. The action starts at 2:30pm but we suggest you get there early to grab a spot on the stands as it is on a first-come, first-served basis. The air-conditioned stadium has section for tourists but most are locals. We liked it so much we went back another Sunday. The excitement is so contagious that even if you don’t know what is going on or know the fighters you will end up shouting like the locals! You will also see the locals making their bets. This is being broadcasted live all over Thailand and you might be on tv (as we were), so it is important for the Thai people to look presentable at these fights. No shorts and you have to wear a polo shirt, that goes for both men and women. If you don’t remember this, you can borrow clothing from the ladies outside the stadium for a small fee.

Rooftops: Bangkok has so many rooftops its hard to decide which one to go to. Most people will want to go to the famous Sky Bar where some scenes of the movie Hangover Part II were filmed. We skipped this one as we feel it is a bit overpriced and not worth it with so many others around. We ended up going to Above Eleven and Red Sky. Both of these have very nice views of the city and great selections of food and drinks.

Eat grill cheese sandwiches from 7 eleven: these are so tasty, all you have to do is bring the sandwich to the counter and they will grill it for you.

Jay Fai: Make a reservation ahead of time to go try some of the delicious plates of the Michelin starred queen of street food.

Phetchaburi Soi 5 – is an authentic street food area. Here you’ll see many locals picking up their dinner on their way home. There are endless options of foods, coffee, fruits, and dessert to enjoy. We did not see any tourists on both occasions that we went. In this area we found the best Pad Thai we had in Bangkok! Delicious and cooked right in front of us. We’re not sure of the name of the place in English but below is the picture of the sign located in the heart of Phetchaburi Soi 5 (name of the street) in case you want to try it!

Ratchada Rot Fai Train Night Market: Bangkok has many markets and this one is one of the best out there! Authentic food, cool atmosphere, drinking, and shopping all make for a very good time! Open only from Thursday – Sunday from 5pm on.

Remember to visit our Instagram highlights @everywhereabroad to see more of our daily experiences in Bangkok.

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We won the lottery and we didn’t tell anyone!

That’s right, this is what many of our close friends, colleagues, followers on Instagram, Facebook and some family think of us. And how can they not think this? Of course, they can think this because it’s already six months of experiences around the world that many have had the opportunity to follow through social networks where we try to share our adventure with photos and stories of everyday life, full of countless experiences, new friends, places, meals, etc. All and many more things that we have enjoyed since May 20, 2019; that day 20 where we were scared on a plane, sad to leave our families for a long time, but at the same time excited to experience in our own flesh what we dreamed about and what we prepared for well in advance. Anyway, the answer is NO, we did not win the lottery and this post is to share a bit of how we got here and why we made this decision. Some may feel identified and partly inspired, perhaps others will not, either way, we are happy and happiness is also for sharing.

Cappadocia, Turkey

We are a couple both over 30 years of age (Santi 35 and Ingrid 33) and with many common interests. We are two immigrants that have lived in the United States and come from humble and working families and where we both went a long way to get our University degrees with a lot of effort. On the other hand, we have worked since we were 17 years old and it was there both at work where we met many years ago and where without realizing it, we have been preparing little by little with decisions that today bring us here. Finally, it is worth mentioning that we also have our families that have always supported us in each of our decisions that, however crazy they may seem, we agree that when happiness is sought, we must always move forward. Yes, we are two ordinary people and here we are.

Mount Batur, Bali

What if I leave everything to travel for a while? There were many days that this question passed through our heads, that question that the majority ask yourselves at some point in your lives, a question full of hope, but at the same time full of fear. How can I afford it? How am I going to do it? So you tell yourself you can’t, fears and more fears. One of the key factors is being able to afford it. Of course, it is the financial aspect that prevents many from making a decision of this magnitude. We are not the exception, there were many discussions and we put on the table the pros and cons to achieve this trip and there were also many times that financial matters also filled us with fears, but this did not stop us and in the end we understood that the most important thing is to make the decision. – “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it” – Paulo Coelho.

Society on the other hand seems to want to impose the steps of our lives and we must be very careful. You are 22 years old, where is your university degree? You are 30 years old, have you gotten married yet? You are 35 years old, where is your house and your children? etc. It is these questions that in one way or another also stop us or fill us with fears when trying to make a different decision from what society expects. This cannot be an obstacle because you have to understand that we all have different priorities and that in the end you are the only one responsible for choosing what makes you happy.

Break during the Camino

It is clear that we did not win the lottery and much less that we are millionaires to have been able to do something like this. But how could we afford to do it then? Without going into much detail because we want to write another post regarding this, the response from us is the following: Working hard and organizing day-to-day priorities. In the United States it is common, for example, that each person has their own car. Three years ago we asked ourselves if this was necessary and analyzing our situation, we realized that it was not. This decision helped us not only to save but it also became one less responsibility for us in the long run. Do I need the last cell phone that came out? Do I need that pair of shoes? Do I need that designer bag? Do I need to go to the most expensive places to have a good time? Do I need to travel with luxuries to enjoy the world? Do I need to do something every weekend? Our answer to these questions is NO. Maybe you’re reading this post and have different views and believe me, we respect that 100%, but for us this mentality is what has brought us here and that is also to be respected.

Did you leave your jobs? Yes, we did. Are you both crazy?? Are you not afraid? Yes, we are, but that won’t stop us. And why are we not afraid? Well, just think about what we already wrote above; we have been working since the age of 17 and we have come from struggling families who have come forward with a lot of effort so continuing to fight does not frighten us. Afraid to start over? No, we will still have to work the rest of our lives regardless, so why not take a break if we are not affecting anyone. In the end there are many who choose to buy a house or cars, have children, or live a life full of material things. It is worth clarifying once again that we respect this 100% since from our personal point of view these decisions also require a lot of courage and financial effort. These are the same decisions that we may not have taken yet, but we are aware that the time will come. In short, we are all people who fight every day, people with different life projects and people who make great decisions without sometimes measuring the magnitude of what we are capable of. Apparently, we all have more in common than we think, and in the end, it seems that we all won the lottery and we have not told anyone!

Remember to follow us in Instagram & Facebook for more on our travels around the world! @everywhereabroad

Formentera, Spain
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Jerusalem

Holy to Jews, Muslims, and Christians this is where Christ died, was buried and was resurrected. In Islam, Jerusalem is said to be from where Muhammad rose into the heavens, and the Dome of the Rock makes this city the third holiest for Muslims after Mecca and Medina.

We visited Jerusalem for 2 days during our stay in Tel Aviv. Jerusalem was always a place we both had heard about since children and off course we wanted to see it for ourselves. Jerusalem is a modern city (the West) that is growing and we felt better here than in Tel Aviv. Within Jerusalem is the Old City which is a walled one-square kilometer. We got to the Old City’s Jaffa gate and walking into the city was a mix of feelings and a rush of excitement. Holy land, one of the oldest and symbolic places in the world.

The Old City of Jerusalem is divided into 4 quarters, Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Armenian. We were very surprised to see how divided the holiest and sacred place on earth was, this is a fact that you sense within these walls, separation between people due to religion differences. Very disappointing. As you walk by the different quarters you can feel the city is wounded. There are still violent clashes between religions; mainly between the Jews and Muslims. There is an intense mix of feelings as you walk through the streets of Jerusalem and it is so personal depending on your beliefs and religion that you have to experience it for yourself.

The Western Wall

The Western Wall (Wailing Wall) in the Jewish Quarter is the holiest site in Judaism. The Wall is support to the Temple Mount and this small area is what is left of the wall from when the Romans destroyed the temple. The wall is divided on one side for women and the other for men. Many visit the wall to say their prayers or leave them on a piece of paper in between the cracks. The Western Wall is free and open daily. Women and men must dress modest when visiting The Western Wall.

  • We left our prayers here
  • Section of the Western Wall

Temple Mount

Within The Western Wall you can find The Temple Mount which is an elevated area holy to Jews and Muslims. Holy to Jews because this is where it is said that Abraham demonstrated his devotion to God by taking his son Isaac to be crucified. Temple Mount is also holy to Muslims because in Islamic tradition, this is where it is said Muhammad ascended to heaven in the seventh century. This area is the third holiest in Islam after Mecca and Medina. Currently, you can see the Al-Aqsa Mosque with the symbolic golden Dome of the Rock. There are 11 gates to enter the Temple Mount, one is reserved for non Muslims and the other 10 are all for Muslim access only. Each gate has an Israeli guard police post. Violence can occur anytime due to the Arab-Israeli conflict. To witness and to be standing there at one of the most controversial sites in the world was one an experience like no other that will stay in our memories forever.

  • The Western Wall and the Dome of the Rock

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre

In the Christian quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem you can find The Church of the Holy Sepulchre which is one of Christianity’s most sacred sites. This is where Jesus was crucified, died, and rose from the dead. Since children we used to watch Easter movies about the life of Jesus and now that we were there all we wanted to do was follow his steps and walk where he walked. To enter the church we followed the path that Jesus walked carrying the cross on his way to his crucifixion. This path is called the Via Dolorosa (Way of Sorrows) which is marked by 14 stations of the cross (Via Crusis). The last five stations are inside The Church of the Holy Sepulchre. There is no need for a tour guide to be able to follow the Via Dolorosa, like us, you can do it on your own following the plaques that mark each station. A small guidebook might be helpful to help identify each station along the way since not all stations tell you exactly what happened there. Walking the Via Dolorosa was so rewarding and you can also spot many other important sites along the route, for example, the birthplace of the Virgin Mary.

When we arrived at The Church of the Holy Sepulchre we continued to identify the areas where Jesus was first stripped off his clothes, nailed to the cross, where he died (the Rock of Calvary which we touched), the site where he was taken down from the cross, and lastly the tomb of the Holy Sepulchre which we witness is empty. We enjoyed doing this very much and felt something special, this was something that as a kid you never think you will get to experience. The church is a bit crowded and so it’s better to get there early or in the late afternoon to avoid a lot of the crowds from tours.

Standing in front of The Church of the Holy Sepulchre

The Old City of Jerusalem comes with surprises and many mixed feelings. It is something you have to go see for yourself, even if not religious! While in Jerusalem we also went to The Mount of Olives which is another location of many biblical events. You’ll also get great views of the walled Old City of Jerusalem.

  • View of the Old City from The Mount of Olives

There are many tours to choose from depending on how you would like your experience inside the Old City. The only tour we did was a free 2 hour walking tour, which gave us an introduction to the old city and helped guide us through the different areas. We recommend this tour by SANDEMANs.

Don’t forget to visit our Instagram/Facebook pages @everywhereabroad for highlights and more on Jerusalem!

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Istanbul Turkey

How does traveling from Europe to Asia on a daily basis sound to you? Well that is what we experienced in Istanbul (Constantinople as it was previously named by the roman emperor Constantine the Great). The city is so large that it extends into two continents and we loved going from one side to the other by ferry through the Bosphorus strait . During our stay from July 25 to August 10 we had an incredible time indulging ourselves in this magical place where Europe meets Asia.

Before traveling to Istanbul we did not realize how much we were about to learn. Now that we think of Istanbul, names such as Alexander the Great, Constantine the Great, Ottoman Turks, Sultan Mehmet II, Suleiman the Magnificent, and Ataturk come to mind. Through the rise and fall of many famous empires such as The Roman Empire and The Ottoman Empire, Istanbul has evolved to what is now a rising power in the world and as an important capital of culture.

The major religion in Istanbul is Islam. Islam is the second largest religion in the world and teaches its followers (Muslims) that there is only one God (Allah) and that Muhammed is the messenger of God. As you travel being aware of traditions and religion of the places you visit is very important as you want to show respect for different customs and beliefs. In Istanbul or I should say Turkey in general, there is a call to prayer everyday five times per day. Speakers are installed at every Mosque in the city to remind Muslims that it is time to pray. You can hear the Arabic song of praise, called the adhan, all over the city. To hear what it sounds like go to our Istanbul highlights on Instagram @everywhereabroad, we loved it every time during our stay in Turkey.

Did we feel safe in Istanbul? This is one of the parts of traveling that amazes us every time we visit a country that has been said to be dangerous and that some have even advised not traveling to. This is because for the most part we always find the opposite of what everyone imagines. This is why we say you don’t know until you actually go there and experience it for yourself. We did not feel unsafe, scared, frighten, or suspicious of anything at any point during our time in Istanbul. Not at night, not early morning, to be honest I don’t think it even crossed our minds after arriving there and seeing how the city works. Although we did not experience anything negative, we do advise like in any other country to watch your belongings specially in crowded areas.

In terms of dress code, Turkey is a conservative country. Istanbul, however, is a cosmopolitan city and conservative dress code is not followed at all times and is not frowned upon unless you are visiting a Mosque. It is required to wear shirts that cover your shoulders and skirts or shorts below the knees when entering a Mosque for women and men. Women must cover their head before entering as well. A robe or shawl will be provided for free if your clothing is inappropriate at the entrance of every Mosque. In other parts of Turkey the conservative dress code will more than likely apply so plan accordingly. When walking around Istanbul you will see women wearing conservative modest clothes as in the tesettür which is a headscarf (hijab) and long dress/topcoat covering arms and legs completely. You will also see Muslim women or women from other countries that are a bit more strict and will wear a burka or a niqab which cover the entire body and face. Everyday Ingrid wore her summer dresses and short shorts and was just fine, Santiago had no issues at all with clothing, he fit in so well that he even got confused for being Turkish!

Transportation in Istanbul is affordable and very good! You can move around by taxi, bus, tram, ferry, metro, train, and funicular. There are plenty of options to move around, you just have to choose wisely what to use and when. For example, taking a taxi might not be the best idea because traffic can be very bad and sometimes streets are blocked or closed and taxi drivers have to go around to find alternative ways, taxis may also cost more. From the airport we took a nice bus with air conditioner and wifi to reach Kadikoy which cost us $4usd each. The bus line is #7 and takes an hour, this is very convenient and there’s one leaving the airport and the Kadikoy port every 30 minutes from 5am until midnight. Find out your route and you will discover this is a very convenient inexpensive way for airport transportation. We stayed in Kadikoy (Moda) which is on the Asian side of the city, we enjoyed taking the ferry back and forth and it was only 15 minutes to the old town where all the Mosques are and cost $ .50 usd cents. We enjoyed it so much that we would time our ferry back to Kadikoy with the sunset in order to watch it on the way back. From Kadikoy there are ferry stops along the Bosphorus to reach any of the neighborhoods on the European side. Şehir Hatlari is the main ferryboat company of Istanbul. We also did a lot of walking as always, sometimes used the tram, hardly used a taxi (I think one time after partying), and that was about all. We did not have the need to use the metro or the buses in the city. We highly recommend getting an Istanbul Kart (Istanbul Card), unless you will be using taxis all the time. Istanbul Kart is a prepaid and rechargeable card for public transportation, it makes paying easier and gives you about a 40% discount on fares. To obtain one just go to any major public transportation station, there is a small fee for the card of about 10 lira ( $2 usd ) which is totally worth it and can be used by multiple riders so no need to get multiple cards.

What to eat in Istanbul? Well you can find just about anything you like except limes, they are very hard to find! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and they take it very seriously. A Turkish breakfast will include all of the following: cucumber, butter, honey, olives, tomatoes, cheeses, bread, pita, eggs, sucuk, ham, Turkish sausage, french toast, soups, and all kinds of jams. In Istanbul you have to try a lot of the food to find your favorites, there are so many options that I can go on and on.

Some of our favorite foods to eat/drink in Istanbul were:

  • Gözleme: Turkish pancake, loved it!!
  • Turkish breakfast mentioned above
  • Kebaps: delicious mainly the chicken kebaps
  • Balik Ekmek: grilled fish sandwich
  • Manti: Turkish ravioli
  • Meze: different appetizers or salads
  • Mussels: stuffed or deep fried
  •  Künefe: shredded wheat and cheese, amazing! (dessert)
  • Dondurma: Turkish ice cream, chewy, good
  • Backlava: thin layers of dough stacked on top of each other, coated in sugar syrup, many varieties (dessert)
  • Turkish delight: Turkish candy, many varieties, found in all the markets
  • Çay: Turkish tea, tea in Turkey is like coffee, we drank tea about three times per day, it is very good and it will be offered to you everywhere!
  • Ayran: yogurt drink that you will see almost every Turk drink at any time during there day. This one is tough because the first time we tried it, we did not like it, we gave it another try and Santiago liked it more this time, Ingrid sipped on it and agreed it tasted a little better.
  • Turkish coffee: made of very finely ground coffee beans, so strong that they give you a cup of water for after. Delicious. Oh and don’t drink all the way to the bottom as you’ll taste some of the settled grounds, which is not good.
  • Beer: a beer will cost you around 14-18 lira ($3usd) at pubs and 22 lira ($4usd and up) at clubs.
  • Kebap
  •  Künefe
  • Turkish Breakfast
  • Lady making Gözleme
  • Rice Pilav
  • Turkish eggs with sausage
  • Turkish tea
  • Turkish coffee

We were in Istanbul for 2 weeks and it still felt like there was so much more to discover. Some of our favorite things to do included visiting the Mosques and museums such as the Hagia Sophia (AyaSofya) which is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. Once a church and a mosque now it is a museum. The general entrance fee is 70 lira ($12usd).

Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Camii), it is still a functioning mosque and entrance for tourist is not allowed when it is in service. If you hear the call to prayer (5 times per day) you know to wait 30 minutes before it opens to the public. There is no fee to enter the mosque. There are also many rooftop bars near this area to visit after or before visiting the mosque.

Suleymaniye Mosque, beautiful functioning Ottoman mosque. You’ll see it from the ferry if you’re coming from Kadikoy to Eminonu. Free to enter.

We also visited the Galata Tower (Galata Kulesi) for amazing city views. The line here will be long but don’t get discouraged it moves pretty quick and the entrance fee is 35 liras ($6usd). Worth it? yes, but we still loved the views from the rooftops near Suleymaniye Mosque way more.

Grand Bazaar, one of the biggest and oldest shopping markets you will visit! There are more than 5,000 shops here, you’ll want to bring many items home with you from this bazaar just remember to use your negotiating skills to get a good bargain!

Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnici), designed to service the Great Palace and many of the nearby buildings the cistern was able to hold 80,000 cubic meters of water. This is is a quick trip and should not take too much of your time. The entrance fee 20 lira ($4usd).

  • Medusa pillar inside the cistern

We also enjoyed Istiklal Avenue, Taksim Square, the neighborhoods of Ortakoy, Bebek, and Besiktas. Remember to cruise the Bosphorus, try playing backgammon, smoke a hookah (shisha), have a Turkish bath, watch the sunset, and have lunch or a drink at one of the many rooftops.

For more information and tips on Istanbul please email us at everywhereabroad@gmail.com or contact us on Facebook or Instagram!

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Granada Spain

While living in Valencia for a month we decided to visit Granada which is a 5 hour drive from Valencia. Granada just as Seville is also in the Andalusian region of Spain and it is right in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. During the summer it could get very hot and dry reaching temperatures around 40C degrees.

We had not planned on going to Granada and it was a last minute getaway. We left July 20, 2019 and returned July 22, 2019. We had been recommended to visit Granada by many people on the camino and also by our Airbnb host from Seville, so we thought well it’s not that far and renting a car for 2 days cost us $70 from Eurocars in Valencia.

We got a Smart car which was very small but very comfortable and did the job. This brings me to renting cars in Spain. Be careful when renting a car in Spain, we had 2 very bad experiences. One, was in Santiago de Compostela in the north of Spain. We had finished our camino and wanted to have a road trip all the way to Valencia so we made a reservation online with Enterprise and thought well that was inexpensive and easy. Once the day came we show up to pick up the car and the lady tells us they have no cars that they have ran out! Off-course we were frustrated Santiago even spoke to someone in charge and they just simply don’t care. You can imagine how angry we were. On the bright side we were not in a hurry but it is still so disappointing. We ended up going to another nearby car rental company named Sixth that did have a car but we ended up paying double what we were supposed to! Our road-trip was not so pleasant after that since we were already out of budget, lost time, and had to drive 9 hours to Valencia!! All we wanted to do was get to Valencia and return the car. Our second bad experience which ended up being good at the end was in Valencia, renting the car to go to Granada. We made the reservation online and the same thing happened, they had no cars! We could not believe it!! Now we were in the southern part of Spain and same exact situation, we get there and they don’t have the car!! Needless, to say we walked out of there furious and went to Eurocars which was very close and the girl helped us get a car. We had to wait 45min for one to come in which was the Smart car but that was fine with us plus she was so helpful and it was a cheaper car than the other one we were supposed to have. Our recommendation would be to make your reservation and call ahead of time to make sure they have your car ready when you get there or go to the office to reserve a car there directly. They kept saying their online system is not reliable and they are not sure why they let people make more reservations online.

Back to Granada, to start, the drive there is amazing, the views from Valencia are very entertaining and specially if you take the route that passes through Benidorm. The highway and tunnels are in very great condition. In Granada we stayed at the Hotel Catalonia Granada. It is situated in walking distance to all points of interest with many options of restaurants. We recommend including breakfast at the hotel since it is buffet style with many options. The pool was disappointing since it is very small but the spa made up for it! We loved the spa and even used the gym the two days we were there.

The Alhambra is a must go if you are thinking of visiting Granada. Home of many Arab Sultans, this palace and fortress was also a runner up to be considered as one of the new 7 wonders of the world. Buy your ticket online in advance for 14 euros. There are four main areas you can visit when you go to the Alhambra; the palaces, the military zone or Alcazaba, the city or Medina, and the gardens of the Generalife. You will also get one of the best views of the city from here. I would recommend to spend at least half a day there if not more.

The tapas are very good here and the best part is that for every beer, wine, or drink you order you get a tapa and these are usually really good! We ended up not having dinner one night because we had ordered 2 beers each and that was enough food for us!!

Don’t forget to go to flamenco show, for 25 euros you can experience some of the best shows.

Mario Maya was one of Spain’s most influential Flamenco dancers who grew up in Granada. His statue is a tribute to all his great work.

During our getaway we had time to enjoy the hotel, walk to some of the bars, walk around town, ate tapas, went to the Alhambra, visited the cathedral, and some of the plazas and shopping areas which are all very close to each other. This is a very beautiful city worth visiting. Don’t forget your comfy shoes to walk everywhere, and bring your camera as you will be taking lots of pictures.

Don’t forget to check our story line in Instagram @everywhereabroad for more pictures and videos.

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Ibiza Spain

Ibiza! What a surprise for us! We visited Ibiza for the summer in July 2019 and spent a weekend there. Ibiza is one of Spains Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea with a population of around 140,000. Once you arrive you start to realize how beautiful and big the island actually is!! We imagined Ibiza as a party island, almost like a strip of clubs along the beach with all sorts of crazy, and unorganized chaos. Well we were totally wrong!!

We reached the airport and took a bus that after an hour ride took us to San Antonio where our friends were waiting to meet us. Ibiza is divided into many towns and San Antonio is where we chose to stay. It is considered one of the biggest towns of Ibiza. This is also where the famous Cafe Del Mar and Mambo Cafe are located (both well-know for their unique sunset views). Since we were traveling as a group we all chose the hotel or area where we stayed as a group so that it worked for everyone. We stayed in a nice hotel, the only drawbacks were that it did not have a pool and our room did not have any views. Since we were in a very central area, as San Antonio is, we had beaches and pools very near and that was not a problem at all. The best part of these pool lounges is that you had a view of the sea/sunset and all you had to do was consume something from their menu to be able to enjoy an entire day of relaxation.

We had it all within walking distance except when we wanted to go to the other side of the island or when we had to go to a party. We ended up going to 2 electronic music parties. One was at Amnesia and the other at Pacha. We had very good times at both. More at Amnesia I have to say, Pacha was way too crowded.

Amnesia Ibiza

Formentera! We can’t forget Formentera! This beautiful island is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, it’s the smallest of the Balearic Islands of Spain and is just an hour away by ferry from Ibiza! We did a day trip from Ibiza and it was totally worth it! We rented a scooter and drove through the entire island making stops at some the most beautiful beaches. Seafood and cocktails are also very good here at very reasonable prices.

Cala Saona, Formentera
Playa d’Illetes, Formentera

Ibiza has entertainment for the entire family, it is not only a party island as we discovered and it is very much controlled, clean, organized, and safe. Beautiful turquoise water beaches to enjoy the day with water activities for everyone, historic places to visit, boat tours, delicious food, and anything you can think of when you think of an island vacation.

Some of the activities we recommend doing while in Ibiza:

Take the ferry to Formentera for $30 (both ways).

Take a boat tour around the island for around $40 per person.

Check out one of the sunset cafes, including the famous Cafe Mambo or Cafe Del Mar. For these two places you don’t need to go in during the sunset times as it could be quite expensive (minimum $70 consumption per person). Instead, go to one of the many stores around to get some drinks, snacks, get a blanket and enjoy the music with your friends sitting by the beach. You will have an awesome time and better yet, one of the most beautiful sunsets you’ve ever seen.

Watch as many sunsets as you possibly can, they are some of the best sunsets we have seen.

Visit the old historic town. Remember your comfy shoes.

For our daily adventures see our highlights of Ibiza in Instagram/Facbook @everywhereabroad.

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El Camino de Santiago- What to Eat

Food was amazing all throughout the camino. If you have done the camino you would agree it is one of the best things about doing it. We always looked forward to meals everyday. There is a pilgrim menu which consisted of a primer plato (first plate) offering soups, salad, and depending in which region also spaghetti. Segundo plato (second plate) which was the main course and offered the main dishes from that area. All of them offered selections from steak, chicken, fish and vegetarian. This menu also came with bread, dessert, water, and a drink (bottle of wine for us!) all costing between 10-15 euros. It is amazing how inexpensive food is in the camino and the quality you get can’t get any better!! Everything you eat is grown in that area. The wine you drink is literally from the wineries you just walk through and gets sent all over Spain. Since it changes from region to region as you walk you are exposed to all of it. Dessert was also a treat, it was so good!! There were times where our only option was whatever was available that day if we were at a small town or village and it was just as delicious. We experienced the pintxos and tapas cultures at their very best. We ate at the local restaurants to get into the culture and try the different dishes and because it was part of our budget, however, if you prefer to go to the local supermarket and cook your own meals that is also an option. In most albergues there is a kitchen open to pilgrims. I remember the Koreans would always make a feast drinking wine while cooking as a group and they were always about 10 of them! As you can see, there is no need to worry about food during el camino, there are plenty of options and you will not be disappointed. This is also true when you are walking during the day, you will find food between towns and fruits and snacks in the middle of a forest at a very fair price.

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El Camino de Santiago – Was it tough?

Is it tough? Yes. We’re not going to lie and say it is easy, all beautiful, and amazing. It is all that, plus it requires all your strength, patience, and willingness to keep going. The pain is inevitable no matter how much you have prepared for your camino. We could not even imagine how tough it would be when we were back home training. On average it was between 20-30 kilometers daily for any given stage imagine that! You will feel exhausted at the end of each stage and you will be pushed to your limits at least once on the camino. Back pain, blisters, sun irritation, tendinitis, and soreness are all part of this journey. Santiago did not have any blisters throughout the entire camino (lucky!) he did have back, knee, and muscle pains. Ingrid did have blisters (amongst other pains) which became a daily routine for both of us to squeeze the fluid out, this would be painful depending on the location of the blister but very necessary in order for the blister to dry out. I remember two very painful ones, one on each little toe (weird), where Ingrid almost cried. After those two painful blisters heeled (about a day) Ingrid was a professional with blisters and the entire rest of the way they were not a problem. Everyday we would wake up with a different part of the body hurting or making it uncomfortable to even move. The positive side of all this is that once you warm up and start each day it all goes away until off course you stop for a break or finish your stage that day. There were also the days where we woke up perfectly fine, no pain, nothing! It was like magic! We were always amazed and still are of how much our bodies can change and get accustomed to as well as how we managed to keep going regardless of how much our bodies were hurting. This is a lesson we proved in the camino, that we are stronger than we think and it is all in your mind, this is so very true you just have to live it to discover it.

There will be times when you will want to give up, get discouraged, frustrated, and will think of taking a taxi or bus to the next town, don’t do it! just keep walking, I promise you will get there and it will feel amazing. Go at your own pace, take breaks, walk shorter distances, talk to pilgrims, take a rest day, have some wine along the way or a beer, it is your camino and you make it however you want!! It is not a race and everyone is equal in the camino, no one is judging, on the contrary, everyone is there to help and find their own way. You will find many pilgrims are suffering more than you at some points, you can help if needed, and then just keep walking. That’s just it! It’s so real and human that the physical pain becomes normal and it ends up being a part of your journey.

Rest days, are very important and we believe necessary if you’re going to be walking the entire camino. We took rest days in Logroño and Burgos. We also took a shorter walk of 8 kilometers to Ponferrada and stopped there. Rest days are very helpful for the body and the mind to recharge. A nice hotel with amenities such as a sauna, jacuzzi, normal towels, a nice shower, nice sheets, and the ability to sleep in without being disturbed is always good during the camino. We also used this time to wash our clothes at the laundromats around town. Using the hotel laundry service was more expensive so we took advantage of the laundromats around town for less than half the hotel rates.

  • Our backpacks we carried all the way

  • Sunny day
  • Feet in the river, great for healing

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