Three Mosques, Two Markets, and One Boat Cruise: Istanbul in a Nutshell To begin our trek westward we decided to start with Istanbul, gateway to the west (or east depending on which way you’re heading). Located at the natural divide between Europe and Asia, Istanbul straddles the Bosphorus Straight. One side of this huge shipping lane is Europe, the other side is Asia. Istanbul contains many sights that are well worth any traveler’s time. Given the history of Istanbul as the center of the Roman Empire during its later years, the heart of Orthodox Christianity, the sight of one of the largest mosques in the world and its military significance to the Ottomans, it is no surprise that this huge, expansive city has much to offer. Would two days be enough time to even get ... read more

The Heart of The Holy Land Sure, if you’re going to go to the Middle East you might as well find yourself a safe corner, right? That’s what we figured when we were planning the end of our trip. Much like our recent (read as too late) infatuation with Africa, we also have a serious infatuation with the Middle East. How can you not have an interest in the cradle of civilization? Sure this area is dangerous, at least more dangerous than some places, but it is also the heart of history. Here you have the founding of three of the world’s top religions, the site of thousands of years of military conflict, and some of the world’s oldest standing structures. What is there not to love? So, with all that in mind and a ... read more

Diversity Can Be Amazing And It Can Be Challenging Kel has written a section below on South African culture which will explain the title of this blog better than I can. Instead, I’m gonna continue to focus on some of the most fun I’ve had on this whole crazy one year tour. SAFARI! I was such a skeptic when Kel brought up this safari idea, but thanks to her persuasiveness we came anyway. I now have to admit, she was completely right. Hands down, I can say that my time in Kruger National Park was the most fun, the most surreal and most amazing time I’ve had, ever! If you are into animals, photography, or both, you have to find a way to come to Africa. The experience was just amazing!! Getting Up At 5am ... read more

30th Birthday In Barcelona…It Could Certainly Be Worse I had some trepidations about coming to Barcelona. The first reason to be frightened, my birthday. After making fun of Kel for the last four months it was finally my time to cross the dreaded line into my 30s. The second reason was that Barcelona was the first place we were visiting on the whole trip that we had experienced on a previous trip to Europe a couple of years ago. The first time you visit a place you tend to have a very romantic view of everything you see. By the time you get home, it’s almost as if everything you saw during your previous journey has been glossed over with a rosy film. Details tend to disappear and in their place you get a super-worldly ... read more

A Couple of Days in Castle Country cha•teau also châ•teau 1. a. A French castle. b. A French manor house. 2. An estate where wine is produced and often bottled, especially in the Bordeaux region of France. 3. A large country house. France really is all about the Chateau experience. Everywhere you go there are signs pointing to huge old castles or smaller, younger (yet still quite old) manor houses, many of which you can actually stay in like a hotel. The castles vary from small stone edifices perched by rivers to huge old fortifications that have withstood hundreds of years of weather, war and peace. Often, to me at least, even more impressive are the manor houses which date from the 1500’s or later that have had families living in them for hundreds of ... read more