I have never liked history. My dad was a history teacher. My brother is a history teacher. I got through the classes, but never embraced the subject. That all changed the moment I started traveling. Unencumbered by a parents authoritarian lectures and dry professors, I found myself relishing stepping back in time to see a world thousands of years in the past.
Written in cooperation with InterContinental Hotels Group.
The British are known for their dry sense of humor, their room-temperature beer, Shakespeare, and their conquering of many a foreign land. They are not, however, revered for their national cuisine. Intriguingly named dishes consist of a variety of items we Americans may find off-putting, but a trip to London wouldn’t be complete without trying one or two of these favored dishes.
A trip to London requires certain elements: a conveniently located IHG hotel, theater tickets, a tour on a double-decker bus, and a trip past one or two of the many royal palaces. Dining options abound, offering up nearly every ethnic cuisine and high-end restaurant you can imagine, but a visit to London should certainly include some very traditional British food.
Image via Flickr by m.mate
Not a dessert but a savory treat, black pudding is blood sausage combined with oatmeal, salt, and some fat. While the description may not entice you to try the dish, it’s actually quite delicious as a light lunch with some chips or a salad.
I’ve found that the terms used by the British cause frequent, and often hysterical, misinterpretations. A perfect example is faggots, a must-have comfort food. They’re meatballs made with liver, lungs, heart, and pork belly, served with potato mash and that quintessentially British food, mushy peas. While I can do without mushy peas of any sort, the faggots are quite a delicious change from a typical meatball.
Image via Flickr by pablocabezos
I love a good sandwich loaded with vegetables, meat, and cheese. A chip butty was a revelation. This sandwich is made with chips, accented with vinegar and ketchup, and served between two slices of white bread. Mushy, salty, and absolutely not a healthy choice, this sandwich is utterly delicious after a night on the town.
Image via Flickr by IainCameron
Originally invented as an easily transportable meal for workers, the Scotch egg sounds a bit strange, but it offers all the components of breakfast. It’s a boiled egg wrapped in sausage, rolled in bread crumbs, and fried. Scotch eggs are unusual, but they’re also tasty and mobile.
Stargazy pie was almost my undoing. While I like fish and pot pies, I’m not a fan of fish looking at me from the middle of my pot pie. This classic Cornish dish features an egg and potato pie in a lovely pastry, but it also includes fish, seemingly jumping out of the pastry. While it’s delicious, I give this dish a thumbs down for presentation.
While I’ll never grow to appreciate Marmite or feel delight over the idea of jellied eels or any number of other British favorites, travel is as much about the food as it is about the people and the sites. Step outside of your comfort zone and try one of these dishes during your next trip to London. You may find a new favorite. If not, you’ll never be far away from a kebab shop.
Many have heard of the great archeological sites of Mexico; Teotihuacan, Chicken Itza, Monte Alban, Mitla, Palenque. Few have heard of Yagul. And that is just the way we like it.
Written in cooperation with Hotel Planner.
The city of San Francisco is by no means undiscovered territory. One of the most loved and visited cities in the nation, the City by the Bay is a perennial favorite. Everyone is aware of major attractions like Alcatraz Island, Embarcadero Wharf, San Francisco’s sourdough, and Lombard Street’s famous curves, but here are five of my favorite little-known sites that you shouldn’t miss on your next visit.
Image via Flickr by Doug Letterman
Recreate the exoticism of the South Pacific with a visit to the Tonga Room. Fans of Jimmy Buffett will recognize the name, but others may have missed this explosion of bamboo, seashells, and tiki figurines. During World War II, tiki bars opened all across the country, with San Francisco jumping on the trend relatively early. While it’s now considered a bit kitschy, the Tonga Lounge, which opened in the luxurious Fairmont hotel in 1945, was once the place to be seen. Even today, the pool in the center of the restaurant, where the band plays, is a unique feature.
When you visit the Tonga Room in the Fairmont Hotel, ask to take a peek at the hotel’s luxurious penthouse suite. Spanning a staggering 6,000 square feet and costing a whopping $18,000 per night, this suite has housed the likes of Prince Charles, Mick Jagger, and Alfred Hitchcock. It features a two-story library, a cornucopia of design styles, and a dining table that seats 60. One of its main claims to fame is the secret passageway that John F. Kennedy supposedly used to allow Marilyn Monroe to enter.
Image via Flickr by Ed Bierman
Located in the quiet and relatively undiscovered Sunset District, the 163 mosaic-tiled steps are worth the effort to climb. Completed over the course of two years, the gorgeous steps lead to beautiful views of the city. They also pave the way to the neighboring Green Hairstreak corridor, along with the beautiful succulents and native habitat designed to sustain the local butterfly population.
Image via Flickr by jdeeringdavis
The Seward Street Slides are a perfect example of community activism and protecting green spaces. In the 1960s, this area was slated for development, prompting local residents got together to protest with an epic bulldozer-defying sit-in. After nearly a decade of protests, the community won their lot back and turned it into a city park, which opened in the early 1970s. A local teenager designed the Seward Street Slides to encourage enjoyment of the park by young and old. Bring your own cardboard along for this unique experience.
In San Francisco, the most interesting cemetery revolves around furry family members. When military families resided at the Presidio, this cemetery was created as a final resting place for their beloved pets. Tombstones show that the array of species includes dogs, cats, goldfish, birds, and even lizards. Local development nearly caused the demise of the pet cemetery in 2009, but community activists managed to save it from complete destruction. It’s a fitting tribute to beloved pets.
San Francisco will always draw visitors to explore its most popular tourist attractions. Next time you visit, take a minute to head to these lesser-known gems.
We have a sticker on our camper that reads “I camped at Overlander Oasis“. This is a lie. However, while the camping part is not technically true, we did spend enough time with Calvin and Leanne to feel as though we were part of their overlander family.
In spite of feeling little love for Oaxaca City, our time spent in the surrounding valley proved to be one of our favorite periods in Mexico. The combination of stunning scenery, glorious weather, interesting villages, ancient ruins, and meeting other overlanders extended our departure time long past what was anticipated.
Written in cooperation with GoodSearch.
Puerto Vallarta is not new to me. I have spent more time here than anywhere else on Earth but home. While some complain about the vast growth of the city over the years, I find that much of what I love has remained constant over time.
For the vacationer, Puerto Vallarta surely has it all: excellent dining, an endless array of activities, world-class hotels, and fantastic nightlife. In addition to all of the well-known and well-documented choices, I’d like to share a few of my insider tips to make your paradise vacation truly special.
image via Flickr by luckylynda74
Old Town, or the Romantic Zone if you prefer the new moniker, is not a secret. Nearly everyone at some point wanders across the bridge to check it out. Sadly, few take the time to discover the hidden gems, such as A Page in the Sun. Part used book exchange, part coffee shop, A Page in the Sun has been a Puerto Vallarta institution for over 20 Luisyears. Now in a new and larger location, it continues to draw us in for breakfast and friendly conversation.
Many amazing restaurants in town offer lovely views, but for THE best combination of a killer view and a unique experience, take a cab south of town to Casa Karma. This boutique hotel also offers up gorgeous rooms, but we go for the Bloody Mary bar! Each weekend, the Bar at Casa Karma whips up the most amazing “make your own” Bloody Mary bar we have ever seen. You start out with a delicious Bloody Mary, and you can add as many additions as you like — bacon, artichoke hearts, pickled asparagus, pearl onions, blue cheese-stuffed olives, and the list goes on. Admittedly, this is not a traditional take on brunch. You will certainly leave Casa Karma both pleasantly full and happy.
image via Flickr by cogdogblog
One of my frequent stops is Luisa’s clothing store. Located on Juarez Street in the Zona Centro, Luisa has been one of the best seamstresses in Puerto Vallarta for years. Her storefront is artistically packed with dresses and shirts and scarves in every color of the rainbow. While you can go in and simply buy off the rack, the normal procedure is that you choose what you like, try it on for fit, and then Luisa will custom-fit that piece for you. Or, if you want turquoise, not green, for instance, she will simply whip up one just for you. She speaks excellent English, is knowledgeable about events around town, and is a joy to work with. Her clothes are well done, comfortable, and ready in a matter of days for a fair price. I am proud to say I have more than a couple of “Luisa originals.”
To be truthful, for visitors doing research, El Carboncito is not a secret. However, in all of our trips there, we have rarely seen any tourists, so now the word is officially out. I love tacos, and I especially love tacos al pastor, which is meat slow-cooked on a skewer, served up on a freshly made tortilla with a slice of grilled pineapple, chopped cilantro, and fresh salsa. A squeeze of lime is mandatory.
The very best tacos al pastor I have found throughout Mexico come from El Carboncito, on a small side street in central Puerto Vallarta. Sitting in white plastic chairs, surrounded by chattering locals, eating two, or four, of these gems just makes me happy. For THE perfect evening out, so perfect, in fact, and that it is how we spent our anniversary this year, we walked down to El Carboncito’s for tacos, before heading for mojitos and tango at La Bodeguita del Medio. Technically, it’s salsa, not tango, but nonetheless, this is my favorite bar in Puerto Vallarta. I generally am not awake late enough to fully appreciate the dancing that randomly breaks out, but the live salsa band, excellent mojitos, and friendly staff are enough to keep me coming back for more.
image via Flickr by leduardo
My Puerto Vallarta doesn’t consist of the typical visitor’s experience. Having visited so many times before, I have experienced first-class resorts, and done the sightseeing. These days, I want to meander side streets and find the true soul of the city.
We stepped from the blazing sun through a shaded doorway, our eyes slowly adjusting to the scene around us. Warm introductions followed and our bellies rumbled. We were here to EAT.
I was beyond THRILLED to be asked by Truck Camper Magazine to write an article on camp cooking in our Adventurer camper. One of our biggest draws in traveling is experiencing food all around the world. However, as someone who loves to cook, the idea of another extended trip without access to a kitchen was unacceptable, and one big reason we decided to drive this time.
If you missed it, check out the article, and be sure to subscribe for our new Newsletter that we will be putting out monthly with travel tips, recipes, and travel inspiration!
http://www.truckcampermagazine.com/camper-lifestyle/gourmet-cooking-on-the-road/
Let me know what you think, and what sorts of articles you’d like to see!
I am not generally a big city fan. However, every preference has it’s counterpoint, and for me, the balance shifts with one word: Paris. There are a selection of cities around the world that call to me, but Paris holds a never-ending fascination.
One main facet of this draw, is the fact that Paris is made up of a series of neighborhoods, intimate streets lined with gourmet delicacies and delicious finds. All of the delights of France come to life in the form of bakeries, chocolate shops, butcher shops, and freshly picked produce. And the cheese! Oh my goodness, the cheese!
image via Flickr by avrene