#storytheworld

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Montauk

Montauk is an interesting place. I’ve heard it described as College 2.0. It is located at the end of Long Island, and the end of the ‘Hamptons.’ If you are thinking of posh beach houses and fancy dinner parties, you will not find them here (go to East Hampton). Montauk is great for its beaches and its town. Below is my attempt to describe the ‘perfect’ weekend. Note that the timing is important, and if you don’t have the right cadence, you will be waiting in lines, or at empty bars.

Thursday:

Thursday night is when everything starts, and when most people arrive in the summer. Restaurants are generally less crowded. Take the cannonball (4:00 train from Penn) or drive. Ideally, get to Duryea’s or Montauket early, eat, and stay for sunset. Once the sun goes down, take an uber to the Point. During the summer both Duryea’s and Montauket get crowded, Duryea’s is more of a food place, Montauket more for drinks. Try to get there around 6 if you want a table and food. Other option is to eat something quick at the house and go just for drinks. The Point doesn’t get crowded til around 11, but you might as well get their early and have a few drinks. Most other places will be dead Thursday night. If you didn’t eat before, Gig shack is a good place to grab a ‘quick’ bite to eat before heading to the Point. Shagwong is also next door if you want the more ‘dive’ scene.

Friday:

Spend the day at the beach or Sole. The beach will be less crowded on Friday since the full weekend crew will still be in transit. Sole is my favorite day spot. No minimum spend and a full backyard to play games. Pool is nice and they sometimes have a band/DJ. Avoid Montauk Beach Club as it is expensive and the staff is not very welcoming. For the beach, I like near IGA. There is a big parking lot, and it is less crowded than Sloppy Tuna. Obviously, if you are there to be in the mix, go to the Sloppy Tuna beach (and the bar for mid-afternoon snacks/drinks). Ditch beach is nice too, and more of a local spot. This is where you get the surf crowd.

Friday night, order pizza or grill at your house. Don’t try to make a reservation as dinner will be expensive and take too long. Head to Ruschmeyer around 7:30 to avoid the line. Note if there is a line, it will not move.. have your cab take you somewhere else! Because you will be at Rush so early, you might want to leave around midnight (it seems to clear out around 1). Head over to the Point/Memory Motel for some late night antics and photo booths.

Saturday:

Spend the day at the beach or Sole – basically do the other one that you didn’t do on Friday. Saturday night.. same as Friday.. no dinner reservations, pizza or bbq at the house. In the afternoon you could head to Surf Lodge, however it might be difficult to get in – or have a minimum spend. I really like to go to Lynn’s Hula Hut mid-evening. Get the Hula juice and chat to Lynn! She is amazing. It is a good start to the night and they usually have a band. Saturday night is not my favorite. I would avoid Grey Lady (not sure why people like it there – its crowded, has no bathrooms, and plays lousy music/tries to get people to buy table service). Also avoid Crow’s Nest for dinner (drinks are ok, but the food is less than stellar) and Navy Beach (sunset is nice, but food is meh and again, atmosphere is bad).

If you are at Lynns, Swallow East is a good bar that usually has a band – and isn’t too crazy. Liar’s is also great to end the night as it is an old school dive (get the mud slide!). If you go to Liars on Friday, they have Karaoke! Point/Memory are always solid on a Saturday night. Avoid Surf/Rusch.

Sunday:

Sunday is the best day in Montauk – hands down. Wake up and head to a beach club (Sole is place of choice). Drink Rose, play games, and forget about work on Monday. At around 3pm, head back to change. Head to Surf Lodge by 4 to beat the line and see the band – usually they get pretty good acts – no reservations needed unless it’s a huge name. After Surf, head to Swallow East for Reggae night. If you have time, you can stop at Lynn’s for a Hula Juice on the way. Remember to take your shoes off! After Swallow, head to Liars to finish the night. You can try to head into town… but the crowd is hit or miss. Leave at 5am Monday to make it into work!

Some other tips:

as mentioned before, avoid big group dinners, they are expensive and take a long time, they also provide low value

Uber is back and the easiest way around the city, avoid the big van cabs if you can (they are a rip-off at $5 a head)

Train, drive or bus all work, but avoid the heavy traffic times if you drive/bus (4-7pm Thursday/Friday, all day Sunday)

Montauk Brewery is nice in the afternoon, but crowded, only beer and not a great atmosphere – I would generally skip

Gurney’s Beach Club is really nice, but for me, the only way its worth it is if your staying over there. It gets expensive fast – but obviously has that ‘upscale’ atmosphere

Make new friends – you’re on vacation

[story-the-world]

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is an amazing city. One of my favorites. The architecture of Paris, the nightlife of Barcelona, the culture of Latin America and the food.. the food of the best steak houses in New York City. I spent 20 days in BA, and loved every minute of it. Below are my 3 must do’s and 1 skip for the city of Buenos Aires. See my other posts on Patagonia, Mendoza and the Iguazu falls for more on Argentina! 

Must do’s:

1. Tango show & steak dinner (but not together!).

I think all the popular shows listed on other websites (https://www.solsalute.com/blog/best-tango-shows-in-buenos-aires or https://www.buenosairestogo.com/things-to-do/which-is-the-best-tango-show-in-buenos-aires) are generally good… they vary by production value, size and skill level - similar to ranking Broadway shows. We went to 2 shows (Madero Tango and Tango La Ventana). Madero Tango had really impressive dancing and was a bigger venue. The views of the water are great. After the show they do a little tango lesson for anyone that wants to stick around. They also push the Casino on you – which we went to after our lesson. Overall good experience. Tango La Ventana was in a smaller setting and had the band right on stage. The production value wasn’t as good, but watching the band interact with the performers made the show more enjoyable for me. Either way – do not get the dinner. There are so many good places to eat in BA that you should not settle for the ‘wedding style’ food at the performances. Get dinner and drinks before, then enjoy the show and a bottle of wine.

As far as steak dinners go, there are too many good places to name. I went to Don Julio (twice). They do a really good steak. Don’t worry about reservations, go a bit early (around 8pm) put your name in, and enjoy the free Champaign on the sidewalk while you wait. There is also a cool wine bar Vinosfera Wine Gallery down the street if your wait is longer than an hour. El Nuevo Castel's is a more local spot where the steak is good and cheap. You won’t get many tourists here – which is refreshing. Parrilla Cero5 is a good spot – in the center of town – and more of a traditional steak house. Finally, Café San Juan is a ‘contemporary’ steak house, with a cool open kitchen and good atmosphere. Again, these are the places I went, but in Argentina, you can’t go wrong with steak and red wine.

2. Afternoon in San Telmo/La Boca (especially on a Sunday)

Something that I really enjoyed doing – and you don’t need an agenda. San Telmo market is a great spot to grab some lunch and look at the shops. It is open every day – however – on Sunday the streets around the market turn into a sort of ‘sidewalk sale.’ The Market Burger, La Fabrica del Taco and Hoboken Beer Point are all good spots in the market for food. Plaza Dorrego is cool to check out – and will also have the ‘sidewalk sale’ going on.

After San Telmo, you can continue to walk down towards Parque Lezama – we made a stop at Napoles for a drink which has a pretty unique inside. Eventually, if you keep walking you will get down to the La Boca neighborhood. Cool graffiti, and local atmosphere. We were able to get dinner from a few people grilling on the street. There are also some good bars in the area to grab a beer. Area is safe and fun. While we were there a parade was going on (which seemed pretty typical for the area).

3. Night out bar hopping in Palarmo

Palarmo is the ‘hipster’ area of BA. The ‘Brooklyn’ if you will. This is where most of the new bars/restaurants are, and where a lot of the younger crowd hangs out. Here you will find no shortage of ‘craft beer and burger’ bars and ‘speakeasy’ style cocktail lounges. That said, it is worth checking out a few places and spending a night hopping between bars and restaurants. Some of my favorites were: Post Street Bar - Graffiti Bar - I liked this place a lot - cool art and an upstairs. Rey de Copas/ Boticario/ Parque Bar Botanico – cocktail lounges. I like Rey de Copas because of its upstairs rooftop. Temple Palarmo / DIGGS Armenia – expat bars with a good vibe (and more outdoor seating). Uptown – New York inspired bar with a real NYC subway car.

Can skip:

1. Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Café Tortoni, and the Plaza de Mayo and La Casa Rosada

I am not a big museum guy, and the thought of walking through the ‘national museum’ – especially on a beautiful day does not appeal to me. There are plenty of other parts of the city that have much cooler exhibits and are a bit off the grid. Instead of going to these ‘tourist’ destinations, I would skip and plan activities at some of the other – lesser known – but still super fun attractions: Palarmo race track/polo grounds; Ricoletta cemetery; Ricoletta cultural center - this was actually one of my favorite places - it has art exhibits, a terrace, a bar, classes and movies - really cool space and good place to hang out for an afternoon; Microteatro – mini theater/bar; Bars in the old railway tunnels (Avant Garten); Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur - for a relaxing walk and views of the water (pro tip - bring a picnic!); Cooking class - cookly is a good website, you can also try AirBnB experiences.

Other places that are worth checking out:

Coffee: Viva Cafe/La Noire Cafe/Full City Coffee house - good spots to sit, get breakfast, have a cold brew and catch up on admin

Healthy Lunch: Cafe Registrado - get the Limonada here (or anywhere). It is like a fresh mojito without alcohol  

Bars: Doppelganger Bar - best martini in BA - hands down

Other notes:

-No one in our group spoke good Spanish and we were able to get by. It helps to know the basics - some verbs/vocab words ('where is' 'do you have'...), but nothing beyond that. A lot of people will have a very basic knowledge of English - and if all else fails, use google translate. 

- I was there in the fall (spring in the US) and it was 75 and sunny most days in BA. Highly recommend this time of year. Based on what people said there (and the Bourdain episode) things are a bit calmer in the city in January (think less things open, less nightlife) - as lots of locals take holiday. It is also VERY HOT in January.

- Uber stinks there. It works, but for some reason drivers do not like picking people up (especially foreigners). From the airport always use Taxi as your Uber will cancel on you. I would use Taxi as much as possible - only downside is you need cash.

- Cash is a nightmare. Most ATM's will only allow you to take out the equivalent of $100 USD and they charge either a $5 (Link ATMs) or $10 (Banco ATMs) fee. Also, lots of ATMs will have long lines and run out of money. We brought USD to exchange, but the line at the bank was so long we all just used our Schwab cards and took out money each day. Most newer establishments take credit (and things that are expensive like fancy restaurants definitely do) but lots of local spots and taxis are only cash. If you read about a black market - those sites are out of date - Argentina is now on a global exchange rate and the banks are just as good as 'black market' rates.

- SUBE is the subway and its super easy to use. Only thing is you need to first buy a card outside the station (at the equivalent of a 7-11 store) - look for the SUBE sign. Once you have the card, you can top up in any station, and the rides are around 30 cents. Traffic is really bad - especially around 5-8pm so highly recommend taking the subway during that time vs. cabs.

- One last thing, BA is a LATE city. Embrace the siesta culture. Get up and do some activities in the morning - take a nap - grab dinner around 10 and head to the bars around midnight. It sounds late but after a few days there, you get used to it. And its not just 20 somethings out to party, its whole families that get dinner at 1am, have wine, and dance well into the night.

[story-the-world]

Salento

Salento is part of Colombia’s “coffee triangle.” While not a big city, it has two main attractions – the for mentioned coffee plantations (or fincas) and Valle Del Cocora National Park. Since there isn’t much more to the city, instead of Must do’s and skips, I will just talk in detail about these two places. See my other posts on Medellin, Cartagena and Tayrona National Park for more on Colombia! 

Coffee Plantations (Fincas):

There are several fincas in and around Salento. This is a new brand of tourism that takes after the wine industry – where working farms open their doors to tourists for tours, tastings and even lodging. We stayed at the Montana Guesthouse – which was just outside Salento. This is one of the most beautiful hotels I have ever stayed at. Hot tubs, sunsets, giant hammocks – it was perfect. I would highly recommend this hotel – or another one that is just outside of the town. Montana Guesthouse is about a 20-minute walk into the main square. If you don’t want to walk, you can always take a ‘willy’ – which are jeeps that cruise around town. They are very affordable – around $1 per person to go anywhere in the city or to any of the surrounding hotels.

As far as Fincas go… we went to a few. The first - Finca El Ocaso Salento – had really good coffee and several English tours. It was a bit outside the city, past the guesthouse, so recommended that you take the willy to get there and back. They are a fully sustainable farm and the tour goes through the fields – where you can pick the beans – and into all of the operational buildings where the beans are peeled, dried, sorted and roasted. Finally, you have a tasting and an area to purchase your own coffee. Another option right outside the city is Finca Don Eduardo. This is connected to the Plantation House Hostle and also has tours in English. If you keep going down the road, you get to Finca Momota. Note the google directions for this are wrong – and you need to walk down the small path past all the chickens to get to the entrance. The scenery here is pretty, and you can get a personalized tour if you send an email in advance. Overall, all of these places offer great insights into the world of coffee for many Colombians – and have beautiful scenery. Highly recommend picking one or two.

One other note, compared to the rest of Colombia – things close early here (think 3-4pm). Make sure you have a good plan of where you want to go and when, so you don’t get stuck with closed (or non-English) tours.

Valle Del Cocora

Every National Geographic post you see with the goofy looking cartoonishly tall palm trees – that is the Valle Del Cocora. Willy’s leave at specified times from the central square in Salento, so be sure to check the time table if you want to share a ride and pay the discount price. If not, you can always hire a ‘private’ driver (which means you need to pay to fill all the seats yourself). It isn’t that much (maybe $30 total) to do this. The Willy ride takes around 40 minutes and the jeeps can hold 12 people (with 4 standing on the back!). Once you get to the park, there are a few options. Check out this blog for details (https://www.goatsontheroad.com/hiking-the-valle-de-cocora-in-colombia-a-how-to-guide-for-travellers/).

We did the counterclockwise hike, which is through the forest/valley and up the hill at the start. This gets you to a hut (although they did not have food/bevs for purchase – so you should bring your own). 

Then, you descend down into the ‘forest’ of the wax palms. Here is where you can take all those Instagram shots. At the bottom there are a few huts that offer food and drink, and the Willy’s to take you back are on a first come first serve basis. Overall, expect to spend 4-5 hours here and it is totally worth it. I have seen nothing like this anywhere else in the world.

Other notes:

- Getting to Salento is a bit tricky. We opted for the short flight from Medellin – but the bus is also an option. Flights were pretty reasonable on Colombian airlines and left from the city airport. We flew into Pereira, but Armenia is also an option. One thing to note is that its best to arrange a ride from your hotel. We just showed up and took a taxi and it was a bit of a hassle finding a driver to take us that far (its about an hour ride – 1 way). In town/at the airport very little people spoke English. Everything is also in cash (but there is an ATM at the airport).

-  The town is small enough where you can just walk around and stop in any of the shops/restaurants that look interesting. Calle 6 is the main drag, and has stairs to go to a lookout point at the end. A few places we liked were:   El Punto Vegetal – a small place with vegan food – the Thai noodles were pretty good, Petromil – yes, this is a gas station, but at the back there is a trailer that sells coffee and beers Café Jesús Martín – if you aren’t sick of coffee by now…

- Look for the triangle Colombia logo on the coffee you buy – this means its certified by the Colombian Coffee Governing Body and is of the highest quality – if it doesn’t have this logo it is not high quality coffee.

[story-the-world]

Northern California

San Francisco, San Jose, Napa… really all of Northern California. This is an interesting one to write about, since I have been to Northern California around 20 times… however most of them were when I was little. Below are my recommendations on the various areas – with a bias towards activities (rather than going out). I have heard from several people that the best part of living in San Francisco is how close you are to all of the other gems Norther California has to offer – and not the city itself. Which I also believe to be true… this post will not take the usual form of 3 do’s and 1 don’t and will be more of a list of things I like/places to visit – with the most detail on Napa.

Redwoods:

Redwoods are amazing. It’s like going to a giant waterfall, you look up and think “nature is really cool.” There are a bunch of places to see the big trees, and even drive through them. We would always go to (

http://www.roaringcamp.com/excursions/redwood-forest-steam-train

) It is touristy and for little kids but the train is fun and the trees are beautiful. The pro of going down here (about an hour and a half south of SF) is that you are close to Santa Cruz – which has a cool boardwalk (similar to Coney Island). Not much else to do here besides the boardwalk, as the town isn’t that special.

Monterey and Carmel:

Monterey is a cool town another hour south of Santa Cruz. It has a really good aquarium (if you are into that) and some good sea food. The drive from Santa Cruz down to Monterey is really scenic and there are some nice beaches to stop at along the way. One of my favorite things to do is to buy kites, and fly them at Marina State Beach – or one of the other ‘dunes’ along the way. It is super windy and great for flying kites.

If you keep driving down, you get to Carmel… probably my favorite place in the world. White sand beaches, and a quiet, cute little town. Might be the most beautiful sunsets in the country. The restaurants are fantastic.. I like Portabella the best.. but skip the dessert and grab something at Patisserie Boissiere Restaurant.

Napa:

This is tricky because it is really up to you in terms of what you want to do. There are a bunch of options:

-wine train (I didn’t do this and heard it stinks)

-bike tour (I didn’t do this since I did a bike tour in Mendoza but I assume it is similar)

-groupon tour (I actually heard good things about a few of these. If you do your research you might be able to get a good deal on a bus tour/tasting. Only problem is you are stuck to a specific agenda and with a large group. If you want to make friends and not worry about driving, this might be a good option).

-research and take ubers (probably the most expensive, but you get the personalized agenda. This is what my sister did since her and her husband wanted to go to very specific places that were somewhat far apart)

-drive (If you don’t drink too much at the tastings (they are expensive) this is a good option. Probably can only do 1-2 in a day)

-walk (stay in town and walk to ‘tasting rooms’ – I like this option because in my opinion, once you go to one winery and see the ‘process’, you don’t need to go to another. I am spoiled since I have been to plenty of places to see ‘how wine is made’ and I really just like tasting different vintages, and grape varieties)

Some places in various areas:

Sonoma: 

Hawkes Wine tasting room (the vineyard is very cool as well), Tasca Tasca – Portuguese Tapas, Girl and the fig – really good food

Napa:

Regusci Winery – wine is really good, beautiful scenery, great people… highly recommend doing to tour where they take you around on a golf cart. If you are lucky enough, you might get invited to a special concert in the cellar on the 3rd floor! Oxbow market – cool public market with fresh veg. This is a must stop if you want to get snacks or bring a picnic.

Yountville: (this is where I stayed… there are about 15 tasting rooms within walking distance (or bike). At each one, they will give you a map of all the wineries (names, hours…) Don’t try to do them all! Napa Valley Lodge ($300 per night). Good hotel with a really nice pool – easy to walk to all the tasting rooms. The French Laundry (Michelin star… impossible to get in… if you do, the food is wonderful). Hope and Grace – the owner Charles is super friendly and they have really good wines. I purchased quite a few while I was there. Jessup Cellars – cool spot, good wines, and an art gallery. Brix – great place for lunch, beautiful garden with fresh veg for the salad. 

Rutherford/Oakville

Cakebread cellers, nickel & nichel, opus one, Robert Mondavi Winery, Frog’s Leap winery

St Helena

Beringer Vineyards, Newton Vineyard

Calistoga

Schramsberg, Castello di amorosa – wine was meh… views were beautiful

Other (non wine)

Tank – good tasting room in an old gas station, Buster Original BBQ – good bbq – get the pulled pork!

Other tips for Napa:

-bring some small bills and tip the person doing the tasting for you if they are good. This is pretty common in Napa, and it encourages them to be more personable

-if you buy wine, the tasting fees are generally waived. If you buy enough, the shipping might be free as well

-cabs are really expensive, so try some of them, but don’t limit yourself to just cabs. There are some lighter reds and whites that are really good too.

As far as SF goes…

Fishermans warf = time square – avoid.. the seals are cool but there are not many left hanging out at the dock. Otherwise, it is your typical chain restaurants/bars

Palace of fine arts is cool, and so is the golden gate bridge. Recommend going to each and taking a few pictures for the gram

Best bars – in my opinion – are in the mission. There is a combo of dive bars and fancy new places.. it had a similar vibe to division street in Chicago. Some places I like are Zeitgeist (huge beer garden in the bac), Monk’s kettle (unlimited beers on tap), Lolo (tacos), El Techo (rooftop).

Golden Gate Park and Twin Peaks are cool to hike or bike.

Coffee shops – I wasn’t impressed, most were chains and they were all pretty crowded. The ones that weren’t chains had a pretty bad atmosphere… the tech bro stereotype is real

[story-the-world]

Iguazú Falls

The Iguazu falls are a must see if you are in Argentina, Brazil, or Paraguay. One of those – wow, nature is really cool - places. Instead of a ‘must do’ list, here is a quick post on how to get there, and how to experience the falls in a single day. There are two viewing sides (similar to Niagara falls). The Argentina side takes you above and below the falls, while the Brazilian side takes you across the falls for a full panoramic picture. This post is all about the Argentina side (US passport holders will need a visa to visit the Brazil side). See my other posts on Patagonia, Mendoza and Buenos Aires for more on Argentina! 

How to do the falls in one day

First, you can do more than one day at the falls – however – about 6 hours is all you really need to spend to get the full effect. We chose to fly in and fly out the same day. Aerolineas Argentinas has flights from the city airport in BA, and flying time is around 2 hours. We scheduled a 6:15am flight out (landing around 8am), and 8:00pm flight back (landing around 10pm). You could probably schedule an earlier return flight (as we had some time to kill once we were done with the park). The city airport (and Iguazu airport) are both super small and will take less than 15min to get through security. Side tip – you can book the resident fare and save some $. We did this, and at no point were asked to prove we lived in Argentina (and there was no secondary verification – like passport, credit card address…).

Once you land in Iguazu, it is pretty easy to find a cab to take you to the park entrance. There is a taxi stand – and the price is relatively cheap. We were able to find a few other people on our flight to share the ride with (about 20 minutes).

Once you are at the gate, the park is pretty easy to navigate. There is one company that runs a boat tour, otherwise, you can pay the entrance fee and just wander. They give you the following map (photo cred: https://www.passportpenguin.com/2016/09/the-complete-guide-to-visiting-iguazu-falls/):

If you talk to the guides (they speak English) they will give you the rundown… but basically it is as follows:

- lower circuit (blue): we did this first. It gives you a really good perspective and first look at the falls. It is about an hour loop around, and you get a good mix of forest, smaller falls, and good views up at the bigger falls. This is your best picture spot of the ‘panoramic’ view – assuming you don’t go to the Brazil side. Depending on the time of year, the falls might all be connected (spring) or be a series of smaller falls (fall).

- boat ride (red dotted line): next, we headed over to the meeting place for the boat tour. This costs around $50 USD, but is totally worth it. When else will a boat literally drive you into the biggest waterfall in the world. It takes about an hour and a half round trip. First, you drive through the forest on a truck (open roof) – not much to see in terms of animals, but they give a bit of a ‘tour.’ Next, you walk down a series of stairs, and get your waterproof bag to put valuables in. I would suggest a waterproof phone case to take pictures from the boat – views are incredible. Finally, you get on the boat for around 45 minutes – cruising first down the river and then to the falls. The view from here is unbeatable. They give you 5 minutes to take pictures, then tell you to put everything away – and into the falls you go. This is super cool, and the best part of the trip (in my opinion). Literally drive you head first into the falls. You can feel the power of the water – and can’t see anything! You then pull back out and drive to the other side – and go in again! Finally, you cruise back up the river, walk up the stairs, and take the truck (open roof) back to base.

- After this exhilaration, we grabbed lunch. There are several options for mediocre, overpriced food. There is really no getting around it. I had a sandwich and a fat coke. There are tons of racoon like animals wandering around – looking for food. Be careful, they will actually take the food out of your hand if you are not paying attention.

- upper circuit (red line): The upper circuit takes you around the top of the falls for another perspective. Again, its about an hour loop and there are several ‘look out points’ to take pictures. You can really feel the power of the falls from the upper circuit. Also where you get the ‘rainbow’ Instagrams.

- train to the ‘horseshoe’ (orange line): The last thing we did was travel to the ‘horseshoe’ part of the falls. Here, you take a mini-train through the forest. You can also walk but it’s uphill and not very scenic. Once you get off the train it’s a series of boardwalks (across the river) until you get to the end. There are tons of butterflies along the walk, and lots of catfish in the water. It can get hot in the sun, so bring a hat/sunscreen. Again, from here you can feel the power of the waterfall. This takes about an hour and a half – with the train/walk.

- if you read anything about a boat to the island. Those sites are out of date, and the boat no longer runs. Don’t worry, you are not missing much, and after all the walking/boat under the falls, you will have plenty of pictures/memories.

- We were able to do all this in around 6 hours, which left us around 4 hours until our flight. We decided to take the bus into town for dinner. This was really easy, and the bus station is right outside the falls entrance. There are signs in English and the bus is really cheap (maybe $2).

There isn’t much in town, we went to a Mexican restaurant (Tacopado Comida Mexicana) which was pretty good. They gave you lots of food and a free Tequila shot with your meal. Other interesting part of town is Hito Tres Fronteras where you can see 3 countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay). From town there are plenty of taxis to hire to take you back to the airport. You can also take the bus, but the taxi for 2 people was the same price as 2 bus tickets – so we opted for comfort. Because we had no luggage (day trip) moving around was a breeze – and so was security at the airport.

Overall, I would HIGHLY recommend doing at least a day at the falls. It is one of the coolest things that I have done, and it ranks way above some other natural wonders of the world (Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls…)

[story-the-world]

Copenhagen

Of all the cities I write about… Copenhagen is my favorite. I know I say that in a lot of posts, but Copenhagen is truly my favorite city to visit. There is no crime, everyone is beautiful, and everyone is happy and welcoming of visitors. Denmark is consistently rated the happiest country in the world and after a visit to Copenhagen, you will see why.

Must do:

1. Rent a bike (or Scooter) and hit the main tourist attractions around the city

Copenhagen is a relatively small city, and most of the ‘tourist’ attractions are accessible by bike or scooter. I have done both (and actually find the scooter a bit more fun!). The city has as many bikes as Amsterdam and everywhere you go will have a bike lane. None of the attractions are spectacular on their own, but it makes for a good day/afternoon to knock them all off – and get a bit of exercise! Nyhavn is the Instagram harbor. If its nice, sitting on one of the patios and getting a beer can be a treat. Wouldn’t recommend eating there as its mostly touristy/overpriced food. The area around there is filled with shopping and is pretty westernized (think H&M, Urban…) but the streets are small and you never know what church or statue will be around the corner. Den Lille Havfrue (little mermaid) is probably second most famous attraction. To be honest, its super small and always crowded. I actually liked going a bit further north past Langelinie (fake statue that makes fun of the little mermaid) and up to Molepavillonen for drinks at the end of the pier. Kastellet is on an island and a nice little park/building to walk around. Check the local paper for concerts– when I was there, they had a band playing.

That is a lot – so I should maybe split this into 2 different items… but the other must-do while you have your bike is go to Christiana and REFFEN (Copenhagen Street Food). Christiana is the ‘free town.’ Basically, in the 70’s a bunch of hippies took over this old military base and created a shanty town. Its original purpose was a utopian society where there was no need for government or rules (people govern themselves). Obviously, this got out of hand, but the town still lives on – and has cool art, food, and music. There are also still the street dealers selling various drug contraband. Certain bike share/scooter shares aren’t allowed, so be careful as to not get stuck. It’s a cool place to grab a beer and walk around. I heard of people doing tours, but I don’t think that is necessary. REFFEN is like Smorgasburg, but 100 times better. There is better food, better drinks, and better places to sit. I would advise going on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon to get the full experience as it will be packed. Sunset is really pretty from there.

2. Pack a picnic (or buy food) and spend the afternoon in Assistens Kirkegard

It sounds strange to bring a picnic to a cemetery, but it is one of the better (and less touristy) things I did while there. I met a few locals on a Saturday, and they were going to the cemetery to hang out on Sunday afternoon and invited me. It is beautiful, well kept, and there is plenty of space to relax, read, and enjoy others company.

 3. Get brunch in Vesterbro and drinks in Norrebro

I would avoid going out in Stroget (where the shopping is) – near the city center. This is a pretty touristy area and the bars/restaurants aren’t that good in my opinion. Its much better to hang out in Vesterbro and Norrebro. I say brunch in one and drinks in the other, but they are pretty interchangeable. Both have cool coffee shops/brunch places, and lots of nightlife. Some places I liked in Vesterbro were: Bowl Market – healthy place that has smoothies and bowls – think like quick breakfast, healthy, granola bowls.  Restaurant Hyggestund – CHICKEN AND WAFFLES. Duck and Clover – basement cocktail bar. Simpelt V – dive bar with a good juke box.. and you can still smoke cigs in there.

In Norrebro – Café Bla – or really anything on Blagardsgade. It is a cool street that cars are not allowed. Lots of bars and cafes. Social – another good coffee shop and looks out over the cannel. Blagards pharmacy – cool beer bar. I went to a handful of other places but honestly the people are so nice that if you go into any bar/restaurant and talk to the patrons or people that work there they can steer you in the right direction.

One other thing – make sure to go to a bakery. It is Denmark… I went to Hart – which was really good, but I’m sure others are great as well. Just walk by and smell – and you will get pulled in.

Can Skip

Botanic Gardens, Tivoli, National Museum/paying to go inside castles

The Botanic Gardens are nice – and free, but I preferred the cemetery in terms of an afternoon in the park. It’s not a bad place to walk around, just not my favorite. You have to pay to go into the butterfly house. Tivoli is like their version of Coney Island. It is an old school amusement park. I found it to be crowded and expensive. The rides were that of a local carnival. It might be cool if you are into nostalgia – but it wasn’t for me. Like all my other posts, I don’t like paying to go inside museums or castles. It’s cool to look from the outside at the architecture and learn the history… but I don’t like spending my days inside.

 Other

- Two other activities that are worth doing if you have the time/energy are: Run around the Soerne. This is the canal just to the west of the city center. It is a great path that is about a 3 mile loop. Train to Malmo: Malmo is just across the water in Sweeden (about a 1 hour train ride). There isn’t a ton to do here, but there are some nice parks along the water, and a few cool restaurants and bars. There is also a hotel that has a sauna and lets you swim in the sea – but I did not go here. It is worth a day trip if you have extra time to walk around and explore.

-Take the train from the airport. It is super easy and convenient. Even if you have a lot of luggage, trains come every 5 minutes and are clean and spacious. They take you right to the city center and you can either walk, or jump on the subway from there. It will be faster – and cheaper than an Uber.

-Don’t worry about the language barrier – almost everyone I met spoke really good English, and most restaurants/bars/signs are all in English. Talk to people! They are really friendly!

[story-the-world]

Cartagena

Cartagena is a colorful city that combines the culture of Colombia with the influence of the Caribbean/North America. It reminds me a lot of the beach towns in Mexico before they got overrun by western tourists/college spring breakers. Based on our flight (and the number of bachelor parties) I can only hope that Cartagena can keep its charm and stay true to its Colombian roots. See my other posts on Medellin, Salento and Tayrona National Park for more on Colombia!

Must do:

1. Bazurto market

This is number 1 – and the exact reason for this blog. If you go to Cartagena and only stay in the ‘walled city’ you will miss out on all of the unique culture/food/experiences Colombia has to offer. Sure, the market is dirty and unorganized… but it has thousands of stalls where you can literally buy anything. There are sections for household goods, clothes, fresh vegetables/produce/meat/fish, and even a food court (using this term liberally). We went on a Tuesday around noon and the market was packed. I can only imagine how crowded it must be in the morning when restaurant owners go there to pick up food for the day.

Contrary to the reviews, I believe the market is extremely safe. Everyone was friendly and eager to show off what they had in their stall. There are several companies that offer walking tours of the market – which might be a good option for those that don’t feel comfortable. Note, we speak very little Spanish (probably the level of a 3rd grader) and were able to communicate with the locals and found everything we needed.

While there, we had some fresh watermelon juice (around 20 cents US), an amazing spread of seafood (around 1 USD) and a few beers in the bar area. There was dancing, singing and the locals made us feel at home. No map needed, just follow the maze of paths and listen for the music. The only reason we ended up leaving is the power went out (which it does quite often in Cartagena). A great experience for those who want to see the real Colombia.

2. One (or two) day trip out to the islands

The beaches of Cartagena are not very nice. Although the city is beautiful, there are no ‘white sand’ beaches/turquoise lagoons within walking distance. For this experience, which is a ‘must’, I would suggest taking a boat out to one of the islands. There are several tour companies and several islands to choose from. Be very careful in which tour companies you go through/which islands you book. Many can be overcrowded or filled with bachelor parties, make several stops, or bring you to tourist traps. Ideally, with a large group you can rent your own private boat and create an itinerary yourself – free from all the hassle. However, with two people, we were stuck with the larger tour companies. Below is a quick assessment:

Rosario Islands: IslaBela: This was the day trip we went on. It cost 180,000 Pesos per person. It left around 9:00am and returned around 4pm. We chose this for a few reasons… a) It is a ‘private island’ which means there will be one boat of passengers that go to/from the island per day (no people hounding you on the beach for jewelry/food…). Our particular boat had around 30 people on it. b) Because it is part of a hotel, they provide you with lunch (I had the grilled fish) and will serve drinks to you on the beach. They also have activities (we went snorkeling – but they also had paddle boards, and kayaks. c) The island is far enough into the sea where you get ‘white sand’ and ‘turquoise water.’ I would highly recommend for a one day or two day excursion.

Playa Blanca: This was our other top choice – as it is accessible via shuttle bus and/or taxi. As it is not a private beach, there might be a larger crowd and you might get people trying to sell you things.

Isla de Tierra Bomba: Blue Apple: Similar to IslaBela, however does not have as nice of a beachfront. It does have the comforts of a 5 star resort (pool, beach staff, activities). Full disclosure – it is owned by my friend Portia.

When doing our planning, we used Cartagena Connections for research. They can also be used to book excursions: https://www.cartagenaconnections.com/ Would recommend checking them out before booking a trip (as mentioned before, some tours can be quite disappointing.  

3. Explore the old city (day or night)

This probably seems obvious but there is a ton to do in the ‘walled city.’ Including walking along the wall! You do not need a tour guide and do not really need an agenda (as everything is super close).

My favorite: Holy Trinity Square. Go here any night of the week for street performers, street meat, and beers. There will be ton’s of people hanging out, drinking, socializing, and generally having a good time. If you want a cheap meal/great start to your night, I would suggest going here around 9pm, grabbing something from the cart (I got the ‘grande combo’) and either bring, or buy a few beers from the local vendors. Sit, listen to music, and hang in good company.

 Some other highlights include: Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas – this is a bit of a walk, and you might want to take a taxi. It is about $10 to get in and you can walk up to the top for good views of the city. Probably only worth it if you like history. Garita del Baluarte San/Clock Tower Monument good for walking by and taking pictures. Café del Mar Ltda. Best view of the sunset – but touristy, crowded and expensive. Get there before 5pm if you want a seat along the water. Cafe Stepping Stone/ Café del Mural two cool coffee shops – the first is a run with a good mission – a way for local Colombians to improve their economic situation. The second is a cool coffee shop with a million different types of local Colombian coffee. El Arsenal: The Rum Box/Alquimico Bar – cool cocktail bars. Expensive but will make you a good Manhattan. Café Havana and the other bars on Calle 30 – late night bars, good to dance the night away – beware some have covers after certain hours. Caffé Lunático/ Basilica Pizzería good tapas and good pizza. Something different and both had good atmosphere and really good food. Café/ La Cevichería/ Carmen Cartagena the ‘famous’ places. Honestly wasn’t really impressed too much by either. The food was good, but expensive and the atmosphere was all tourists.

Can Skip

Las Bóvedas Market/ Apolo Park/Baluarte de Santa Catalina

All three of these are in the same corner of the city. I found the market to be nothing but stall after stall of tourist items. All shops had the same things and nothing was unique. The park felt rundown and there was no one taking care of it (it might be interesting if you had a good handle on Colombian leaders). And the Baluarte de Santa Catalina was similar to the other castle – just another stone structure. The views are nice from the top – and it looks to be a big plaza that might have events from time to time – but when we went nothing of interest was going on.

Other notes:

-No one in our group spoke good Spanish and we were able to get by. It helps to know the basics - some verbs/vocab words ('where is' 'do you have'...), but nothing beyond that. A lot of people will have a very basic knowledge of English and if all else fails, use google translate. 

- Taxis are cheap and not once did I feel the driver was trying to rip us off. They are all over the city and I would highly recommend over Uber.  

- I have heard from others that there are some nice ‘all inclusive’ resorts in the area. I did not go to any of these – and if you are staying at one, the advice on the ‘beach day’ might not be needed.