The shape of the Sacré-Cœur Basilica in Paris, France is unmistakeable. The domed white church at the top of the Montmartre district can be spotted from the Museo D’Orsey, the Eiffel Tower, and many other places. On a sunny day in April, we climbed the hill to catch a glimpse of this well-known Parisian beacon. […]
At some point in your life, you have probably heard someone say something along the lines of “the journey matters more than the destination.” Not to throw stones at pretty cliches, but I think whoever came up with this sweeping philosophy should have to wait overnight in an airport or three. Look, I realize the […]
The other day I was on Facebook and, in my news feed, I saw a travel article posted. There was nothing particularly special about it. It was just one of those “Things to Avoid When Visiting X Country” impersonal list-style posts, with the country in question, in this instance, being Mexico. Normally I’d scroll right past. […]
There’s a general assumption out there that the second time around for well, anything really, isn’t as exciting as the first time. Think about it: from your first word to your first kiss and beyond, people make the biggest fuss over that initial experience–implying that firsts matter more than subsequent attempts. Maybe it’s just me, […]
More often than not, when we’re visiting a country as tourists, we’re relatively protected from seeing—to steal a phrase—“how the other half lives.” There’s not necessarily anything insidious about that fact: it makes sense that the places most visited by tourists are the shiniest and (typically) most prosperous. But the fact that we, personally, seldom […]
You know those times you decide to visit a place with rather low expectations only to discover it’s actually flippin’ fantastic? Brazil’s Parque das Aves was totally one of those for me and Justin. This 12-acre sanctuary just across the road from the famous Iguazu Falls National Park boasts over 150 species of bird life…which is cool. […]
Every day, in every aspect of life, we’re bombarded with messages aimed squarely at our “pain points”: messages crafted, specifically, to make us feel anxious about our circumstances or exacerbate our fears that, in some way or other, we (or our fruit tarts) don’t measure up. Case in point: when Justin and I talk to […]
Long before Justin and I ever set foot in Brazil, we had heard about visiting favelas in Rio de Janeiro. While favelas remain associated in the public’s mind with drugs and violence, nowadays, some favelas are safe to visit. And, according to a growing number of tourism resources, visiting favelas is key to understanding the […]
