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Five Days

    Asia & Oceania Travel

    The Aussie Nest – Part Two

    Location: Australia

    A month in a motor home around eastern Australia has been a lot of fun, we have done and seen so many amazing things in this beautiful country. All from the comfort of our Aussie Nest caravan/motor home. If you didn’t see last week’s post, you can check it our here Caravan Travel Australia – The Aussie Nest Part One. In last week’s post I covered the first 14 days, covering about 900 miles. Today we continue the journey with The Aussie Nest – Part Two – the second two weeks.

    Eden

    Choices

    Australia is big. Nearly the same size as the USA but with vast areas of emptiness and limited infrastructure. I’ve been asked why we chose the region we did and also why we didn’t visit Sydney? So take a look at these two maps. One shows how big Australia is in comparison to the USA….even in the Aussie Nest for a month you can’t even begin to cover it. The second one shows, circled in red, the area we did cover over the past month. Seems small doesn’t it? But we were enchanted at every turn. The areas circled in blue, including Sydney, are what we visited, primarily via airplanes and car rentals on our first visit to Australia six years ago. So we had to make choices. These are the choices we made.

    Australia’s size in relation to the USA
    Choices

    Leaving Booderee National Park

    We really enjoyed our three days in beautiful Booderee National Park, but three days is all you can book there for camping. So at the end of our first two weeks it was time to move on and start our second half of The Aussie Nest – Part Two. We continued south on a long day of driving to the tiny seaside historic village of Eden.

    Historic Eden

    We didn’t know a lot about Eden other than the fact it looked beautiful from the pictures. I was very interested in exploring some of the Sapphire Coast along Australia’s southern-most east coast. So we somewhat randomly chose Eden. With lots of time still to spare we thought this would be a good place to hunker down for a week in our little Aussie Nest.

    Eden Estuary
    Spoonbill on Lake Curalo, Eden

    We booked seven nights at Reflections Holiday Park Eden. Snuggled between the beautiful and windy Asling Beach and calm and placid Lake Curalo we really found it to be a beautiful spot. We paid only $26 USD for a lake view spot with all hook ups. Arriving mid-week, there were only a handful of other campers. But many more arrived for the weekend, and then left again on Sunday. Meanwhile we found the location, although occasionally windy, a real bargain.

    Historic Eden Church

    Perfect Location

    Each morning I did my run along a beautiful boardwalk and trail around Lake Curalo. We also did a hike around Lake Curalo, and walked the 2 km into the small town. The historic town of Eden was founded in the mid 1800’s and for generations was a whaling town. One of the best things here is the fascinating Killer Whale Museum. It’s very interesting, particularly the excellent video presentation about the history, geology and people of Eden. Whale tours are available from May – November.

    Killer Whale Museum
    The Whale Trail tour

    On a couple of days we unhooked the Aussie Nest and made our way to enjoy the Whale Trail, an interpretive driving tour about historic sites related to the whaling days. We also visited the historic Boyd’s Tower and Seahorse Inn, the Green Cape Lighthouse and Beowa National Park.

    Green Cape Light
    Boyd’s Tower

    Beowa National Park

    Broken up into two coastal sections around historic Eden, we made a point to visit as much of Beowa national park as possible. We hiked many trails and followed the interpretive walks. Here we spotted many more fabulous birds, as well as wallaby. The park offers trails for both novice and advanced hikers as well as picnic areas and viewpoints. Very enjoyable.

    Views from Beowa National Park

    Dining Out

    Taking advantage of being in a pedestrian friendly town, we had a delicious dinner at the Pikes Italian Bistro located inside the historic Australasian Hotel. We also had another night out in the neighboring town of Pambula where we visited Longstocking Brewery and ate fish and chips at Wheeler’s Seafood.

    Pikes Italian Bistro, Eden
    Wheeler’s Seafood, Pambula

    Time to Head North

    After 21 days and 1200 miles it was time to turn the Aussie Nest – Part Two around and begin our drive north, with 1200 miles between us and Brisbane. With seven days remaining we mapped out our final week which would include staying two nights in three different spots and one final night back just outside of Brisbane.

    Sunrise Farewell as we left Eden

    Canberra

    The Capital City of Australia often gets a bad rap as a destination. But we wanted to see it and it was easily along the way. We spent two nights at a very nice campsite Canberra Park close to the city, $36 per night. Canberra is a new city, designed and built specifically to be Australia’s capital. Australia’s states did not come together as a federation until 1901. The site for the capital city was not chosen until 1913. It would take another fifty years before the city of Canberra was complete and the filling of man-made Lake Burley Griffin was complete.

    Lake Burley Griffen, Canberra

    Before we arrived at our campsite we spent two hours at the incredible Jerrabomberra Wetlands Reserve and another hour plus at the Australia National Botanic Gardens. Both a must especially if you enjoy the wildlife and flora of the region.

    Jerrabomberra Wetlands Reserve
    Australia National Botanic Gardens

    The next day was jam packed. We took a boat tour of the lake, walked all over and enjoyed the garden city…which feels so much more like a park than a city, toured the very mid-century modern Parliament House and visited the National Gallery and Sculpture Garden. All of this in one day. We finished our very full day with a movie and a delicious dinner at the Capitol Bar and Grill.

    I’ll say it is no Washington DC so if that is what you are expecting you will be disappointed. However, I am so glad we took time to see it for a brief couple of days.

    National Gallery
    National Gallery Sculpture Garden
    Parliament House
    Capitol Bar & Grill, Canberra

    Mudgee

    We had been told to stop in Mudgee if it was on our route, as it was a historic town surrounded by wineries. So why not? We booked two nights at the Riverside Tourist Park for $25 per night, just a couple blocks from town. Before arriving at the campground we enjoyed a lovely wine tasting at Logan Wines and picked up a couple of bottles. Delicious and affordable. We had a quiet night at the campground after a long day of driving.

    Logan Wiines, Mudgee

    And then it rained. And rained. And rained. AND RAINED. I went for a morning run along the fabulous paved pathways near the Codgegong River but nearly drowned in the deluge. Back at the Aussie Nest we debated about what to do…but we only had the one full day so we dug out our rain coats and sloshed around the town. We had a lovely breakfast at Outside the Square Cafe, took a look at the beautiful historic buildings still lovingly cared for in this town founded late 1800’s and popped into the vast and eclectic museum. We had a nice dinner at Cade Kitchen & Bar.

    Outside the Square Cafe, Mudgee
    Historic Town Hall, Mudgee
    Mudgee Museum
    Cade Kitchen & Bar

    Moree

    Another long drive as we made our way north. There wasn’t anything really special about Moree, other than the fact it was a five hour drive from Mudgee. Five hours is about our limit for each day. So we booked two nights at Moree Tourist Park campround for $25 per night.

    Moree is a tiny little agricultural town (wheat) that seems to be past its glory days although farming still rules. Parts of town are boarded up but the tiny downtown is still cute and thriving somewhat. It’s one claim to fame is the local Artesian hot springs. Our campground had a hot spring pool so we soaked in the pools and had a very relaxing day. Coincidentally that was our wedding anniversary too – 41 years! Not many restaurants in Moree, but we have been celebrating already through the week so we went out for nice Indian meal at Moree Indian Restaurant. By the way – Australia is FULL of wonderful Indian Restaurants due the immigrants. Indian immigrants make up 3% of the population.

    Aboriginal Art in Moree
    Moree Indian Restaurant
    Hot Spring fed pool

    Toowoomba

    After 28 days it was hard to believe this was our final day in the Aussie Nest. The Aussie Nest Part Two really flew by. Our final night was spent in Toowoomba, at Jolly Swagman Caravan Park about two hours outside of Brisbane. About $30 for one night. We spent the day packing up for our flight to Melbourne. Packing was much harder than the unpacking a month before, given our space restrictions. But we got it done. On our last night, with the cupboards bare, we went to dinner at an amazing Turkish Reataurant called Sofra in the lively and thriving downtown of Toowoomba. Despite some rain we walked around and enjoyed the murals. Next morning before departing we visited the incredible Cobb & Co. Museum. I enjoyed this final stop and wished for one more day.

    Murals in Toowoomba
    Delicious dinner in Toowoomba
    Cobb & Co. Museum, Toowoomba

    Grateful for The Aussie Nest – Part Two

    But finally it was time to say farewell to the Aussie Nest. We are grateful to how well it took care of us over the past month. Our journey covered 2400 miles, we stayed in 11 parks, visited 15 towns and two time zones. We saw hundreds of new birds, dozens of interesting animals and fantastic flora and trees. Ample breathtaking views, beautiful beaches, darling villages, spectacular wine, interesting history and wonderful, patriotic and welcoming local people. As you travel around in a caravan in Australia there is a surprise around every corner. You can never see it all. But you can try, and that is what we have done. Wild and wonderful. Australia is all that and more…and what a great way to enjoy it, in our little Aussie Nest. Thank you for joining us for the Aussie Nest – Part Two adventure.

    More Australia to Come

    But wait! We aren’t done with you yet Australia! Next we spend five days in Melbourne before heading to Tasmania for an entire month. The Australian Adventure continues and we invite you to continue to follow along. Life is good in Australia.

    Crimson Rosella, Canberra

    See last week’s post Caravan Travel Australia – Part One. Also check out our post Visit Beautiful Brisbane.

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    South & Central America Travel

    So Much to Love About Mexico City

    Ciudad de Mexico

    Location: Ciudad de Mexico

    Despite our hundreds of countries and thousands of miles covered over the years, we had never made it to Ciudad de Mexico until late 2021. At that time we came just to enjoy a week long Eating My Way Through Mexico City food tour…thinking that was all there was to do. Boy were we wrong. So, we couldn’t wait to get back to this fascinating and historic place because there is just so much to love about Mexico City.

    Centro Histórico Ciudad de Mexico

    Ciudad de Mexico

    Beyond the food – which is phenomenal and inexpensive, CDMX has some of the friendliest people, most beautiful architecture, incredible ancient and recent history, fantastic parks and green spaces, so many museums and… well should I mention the food again? So on this our second visit, we dug deeper to find more of the heart of this place which helped us to realize there is so much to love about Mexico City.

    Fabulous green spaces and parks in the city

    Museo Nacional de Anthropologia

    We spent three amazing hours at the Museo Nacional de Anthropologia and you could easily spend an entire day. A vast and impressive collection that chronicles the ancient and recent history of the geology, people, and arts of Mexico. One of the best museums I have ever been to any where in the world…and that is saying something. Tours are available but it is simple enough to do without a guide. Entry fee is around $5. The museum also houses a fantastic restaurant with foods that focus on each distinctive region of Mexico. Do not miss.

    Museo National de Anthropologia
    Museo National de Anthropologia

    Free Walking Tour

    On our last visit we did an incredible free walking tour (tip-based) in the regions surrounding the beautiful historic centro area. I highly recommend that if it’s your first visit to Mexico City. This time we decided to do a free walking tour of the Roma Condesa, the neighborhood where our hotel was. We used Estacion Mexico, the same tour we used last year. Our guide Eduardo was funny, knowledgeable and passionate about this place. We loved it!

    Walking Tour Roma Condesa
    Walking Tour Roma Condesa

    Ballet Folkloric

    We try to do cultural performances whenever we can. And we often do performances just to see local performance venues. This Ballet Folkloric gave us both opportunities. The show was one of the best I have ever seen with music, dancing, acrobatics and more…performed in one of the most beautiful theaters I have ever visited, the Palacio de Belles Arts. Do not miss this show.

    Ballet Folkloric
    Palacio de Bellas Artes

    Eat Like a Local Mexico City

    When we visited before, we spent five days with Eat Like a Local Mexico learning, tasting, cooking and seeing the wonders of the history and culture of Mexican food. We enjoyed our new friends and we definitely wanted to tour with them again. Eat Like a Local Mexico owner Rocio created a personal tour for us and guided us herself. A special treat for us was starting our tour with a cooking class learning to make Octopus Tacos with Chef Diego at Temporal. Then we worked our way around the city enjoying so much wonderful local food from tacos pastor to tamales and the finale was a very unique dessert made from mushrooms. Be absolutely sure to book with Eat Like a Local Mexico when you visit Mexico City. Don’t choose any other food tour…and don’t eat before your tour!!

    Making tamales with Chef Diego
    Tacos Pastor
    Beautiful dessert of chocolate mushrooms

    Pujol

    I booked our dinner reservation at Pujol seven months in advance, because I did not want to miss having dinner at this restaurant, one of the top five restaurants in the world. It is expensive, but it was a wonderful experience to enjoy some very unique and beautifully presented dishes. And the service was outstanding. Cost was $165 per person before alcohol or tips for the prix fixe dinner. This price and experience were similar to the prix fixe dinners we had in both Maui at Merriman’s and in Giverny France at Jardin de Plumes.

    Pujol
    Pujol
    Pujol

    Lucha Libre

    Pronounced Loo-Cha Lee-Bra, this national Mexican past time is a spectacle and a lot of fun. I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy it but I loved it. It’s a real performance that requires a lot of athleticism and choreography for the scripted wresting match. The masked gladiators are wonderful performers. Lucha Libre started more than 100 years ago. Today thousands of people come out several times a week to enjoy the show and cheer on their favorite masked gladiator. You can attend this on your own, but we chose to go with our guide Alberto from Tours by Locals. I’m glad we did because he provided us wonderful insight, history and stories, as well as other details about beautiful Mexico City and the surrounding area.

    Lucha Libra evening finale
    Purchased some masks for the
    littles back home
    All the bravado and much more

    Teotihuacan Pyramids

    Wow. This place was way better than I was expecting and we loved our guide Hilary from Tours by Locals. We spent the entire day exploring this ancient site located about 25 miles northeast of Ciudad de Mexico. Teotihuacan construction began in 100 BCE, long before the Aztecs. The actual name of the people who built it and lived here is unknown and there is no written record. But they left behind this vast site that today is still being discovered. The Aztecs settled here and ruled the region much later from about 1200 CE until the Spanish obliterated them in the 1500’s. Archeological research and discovery first began in 1904.

    Today Teotihuacan is a UNESCO Heritage Site and the second most visited site in Mexico after Chichen Itza in the Yucatan. I highly recommend visiting this fantastic ancient cultural site when in Mexico.

    Teotihuacan

    Xochimilco

    The UNESCO heritage site south of the center of Mexico City is where the remains of the original lake and canals still exist. When the Spanish arrived they drained and filled in most of the lakes and canals that were built by the Aztecs. Today only the Xochimilco canals remain. Here the people have for generations used the rich fertile soil for agriculture. The floating gardens are the small islands in the lakes and canals that have been secured using willow trees. Today’s agriculture is primarily flowers, and the gorgeous blooms make their way to homes and businesses, restaurants and hotels all over the city. The tourist boats might seem a little kitschy but we did the boat ride early on a Monday and had the whole place to ourselves. We really enjoyed seeing this unique way of life with our guide Juan from Tours by Locals.

    On board the Lupita
    One of the floating garden nurseries
    A way of life still

    Coyoacan and UNAM

    On the same day we visited Xochimilco (see above) with our most amazing guide Juan, we also visited the amazing murals at the Universidad National Autonoma de Mexico. UNAM is the largest university in Mexico and home to one of the most astonishing works of art I have ever seen. The tiled building that houses the central library is a UNESCO heritage site by architect and artist Juan O’Gorman from 1952. This incredible work of art tells the story of all of Mexico from ancient times to present day. It is truly a remarkable thing to see, and having the significance of the art explained to us in detail by Juan was absolutely fascinating. Learn more here.

    Central Library Mosaic Mural UNAM by Juan O’Gorman

    Our next stop was the amazing Coyoacan neighborhood…a fantastic artist neighborhood and home to the Frida Kahlo Museum. But Coyoacan has more. A vibrant and wonderful place to explore, full of shops and history. We visited two significant churches; a former monastery Church of San Juan Bautista, and Capilla de la Conchita a remarkable chapel built by Cortez in 1525. We walked around the colorful parks and streets and had a delicious lunch. Juan took us to a teeny coffee shop that has been operating since 1953 and we also had the famous Coyoacan Churro. I really love this neighborhood.

    San Juan Bautista
    Capilla de la Conchita
    Incredible coffee
    Chocolate filled Churro

    We also made a brief stop in the high rent district San Angel – the Beverly Hills of Mexico City. Where the Spanish built the summer homes and still today the rich and fabulous live here. Cobblestone streets and fortress style mansions line the streets.

    Cobblestone Streets
    Colorful neighborhoods

    So Much to Love About Mexico City

    Since we visited the Frido Kahlo Museum Casa Azul last time we did not do it again this year…but I highly recommend it.

    Frida Kahlo (and me)

    We also highly recommend The Red Tree House hotel. This is the first time we have ever returned to stay a second time in a hotel because of an excellent first experience. This boutique style hotel is a favorite among Americans. Book well in advance if you can. Comfortable and in the great neighborhood of Roma Condesa and the service is fantastic. The Red Tree House offers a delicious breakfast and nightly wine and beer happy hour. Don’t miss it. Rooms range from low $100 USD and up.

    The Red Tree House Hotel

    Getting around is easy by Metro, Metro Bus, Uber, Didi or Taxi. Something for everyone. We took a taxi from the airport on arrival but then used Uber or the Metro the rest of our trip. Many locals speak English but if they don’t they are always willing to work to help you understand. If you stay in the main tourist areas and more populated neighborhoods and shopping areas you will always feel safe.

    We found the Metro clean and easy to maneuver

    We will be back

    I now consider Mexico City one of my favorite cities anywhere in the world. Yes I love Paris, Barcelona, Jerusalem, New York and more. But something about Ciudad de Mexico has really captured my heart. Thank you to the local people for helping me see there is so much to love about Mexico City. And there is still so much more to see…so Hasta Luego Ciudad de Mexico. Until we meet again – Muchas Gracias.

    Colorful and Incredible Mexico!

    See last week’s post Eating My Way Through Mexico City

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    NEXT WEEK our first of two posts about Papua New Guinea!!

    North America Travel

    Washington DC – Old, New, Red, White & Blue

    Location: Washington DC

    In 1992 & 1993 we lived in Reston Virginian, a suburb of Washington DC. I loved Reston and loved our 20 months in the DC area. There were endless things to do and we did them all. If you are an American history buff even a tiny bit, this region will make you swoon. But despite how much we loved our time here, we had never been back, except for passing through Dulles Airport now and then. So on our road trip from Atlanta to Boston, we planned five days in Washington DC. I wanted to revisit a few of my favorites, but I also wanted to see all of the things that have changed in thirty years. So we set out to explore Washington DC – Old, New, Red, White & Blue.

    1992
    Today

    Day One

    Arriving by car, as we crossed into the district from Virginia we were greeted by the familiar and beautiful sight of The Capitol Building and the Washington Monument. Iconic images for any American. We drove down Independence Avenue and I was so happy to see these “old” friends.

    The Capitol

    Something “new” for us was arriving in the neighborhood of Capitol Hill to our Airbnb. When we lived here we spent almost no time in the area East of the Capitol building. So I was excited to explore and enjoy this beautiful neighborhood of historic homes, parks and small shops. Over the next few days we walked and ran all over this area, visited the wonderful Eastern Market (a favorite local attraction for food, flowers, produce and meat), and admired the architecture. I highly recommend the Airbnb we stayed in. Check it out.

    Day Two

    We hit the ground running on day two. First, on this sunny and cool morning, we walked from our Airbnb to the White House, which took us about one hour. I am very lucky to say this was my seventh visit to the White House. When we lived here we went twice with out of town guests, twice to see the Christmas decorations and twice for the White House Easter Egg Roll. What is “new” however is how you visit. Back in the day you could arrive and wait in a long line and then walk through the White House with lots of other visitors. Today, things have changed. You can only visit the White House with a timed entry ticket that you obtain through your Congressional representative or Senator. Luckily we knew this in advance, and thanks to our Congressman we had a 9:30am tour. It was everything I remembered and more. Truly something everyone should try to do at least once in their lifetime at least once…if not seven times!

    Green Room looked much the same
    Several new portraits
    Looking presidential
    I love this room – The East Room

    Next we headed to the National Gallery of Art. This falls into the “old” category as we had visited it many times but it remains a favorite. Did you know all the Smithsonian and Public Buildings in Washington DC are free? Well, when planning a visit to DC take that into account. Compared to what you pay to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York or the Natural History Museum in New York you will definitely save money visiting DC.

    Da Vinci
    Rodin

    Next was something “new” – the National Museum of the American Indian. Opened in 2016, this beautiful building houses a wonderful collection of artifacts and tells the remarkable story of the American Indian. Chronological history of the treaties, slaughter and oppression of the Native Americans as well as wonderful handcraft, carvings, beadwork and much more. I highly recommend you visit this wonderful museum.

    Artifacts in National Museum of American Indian
    Artifact National Museum of the American Indian

    Back up to Capitol Hill we headed to have a one-on-one with our Congressional representative Derek Kilmer. This was a “new” experience for us. Although we have known Representative Kilmer since before he was in office, it was a great privilege to visit with him in his office in the Longworth Building. We can’t thank him enough for taking the time to meet with us.

    Visiting with our Congressman Derek Kilmer

    Back to the Airbnb for a quick freshen up and then on to something else “new”. Nationals Park, opened in 2008, began a revitalization of the Navy Yard area. Formerly a working class and somewhat rough area, today the stadium and the Washington Nationals team (World Champions in 2019) have breathed new life into this part of the city. Restaurants, bars, shops, apartments, hotels and condominiums fill the neighborhood. We had a great time watching the Nationals play the Orioles.

    Nationals Park
    Washington Nationals

    Day Three

    We had a little more time in the morning so I enjoyed a run in Capitol Hill before walking back down into the heart of the city. We could not wait for this “new” adventure today, visiting the highly acclaimed Museum of African American History and Culture. Absolutely amazing. We spent about 2 hours and twenty minutes and we could easily have spent two more hours. It’s a vast look at the story of African Americans and it is not to be missed. We see a lot of museums in our travels…this was one of the best.

    Museum of African American History and Culture
    Museum of African American History and Culture

    Important things to know; because of its popularity you will need a timed-entry ticket. Tickets are free and you can get them online. If I had planned better, we would have done two hours on the first day and come back and done two hours the next day. Get your tickets as far in advance as you can.

    Museum of African American History and Culture

    We spent most of our time in the “C” sections (starting on the bottom floor), which chronologically covers everything from the start of the slave trade to civil rights to the election of Barack Obama. The upper floors include wonderful sections on music, entertainment, sports, and other cultural subjects.

    We tore ourselves away from this museum and headed back up the hill for our tour of the Capitol Building. Although we had toured the building thirty years ago, we really wanted to do it again. Once again our Congressman’s staff made sure we had an exceptional experience, giving us a personal tour. What a treat to not be in a group of thirty people, but instead have a personal guide. Our guide Hayden explained so many things to us about the history, art, architecture and events that have occurred in this building from when the British burned the Capitol in 1814 to the Insurrection on January 6th 2021. And through it all, the beautiful building stands, our democracy stands and we the people stand.

    The former Senate Chambers
    Looking up at the dome

    By this time we were pretty tired, but the weather was incredible so we decided to do one more “new” thing at the end of this day. We took an Uber to The Wharf, another newly revitalized area on the Potomac River. I remember this area from thirty years ago. Kinda decrepit and somewhat unsafe. We came here to buy blue crabs from the fisherman on the pier. Well you would not even recognize it today. Another gathering place of restaurants and shops as well as The Anthem performing arts center. A boardwalk goes along the river, kids were playing in a water feature, people were kayaking…it was wonderful. We had oysters and seafood at Hank’s Oyster Bar. A perfect end to a great day.

    Muscles at Hanks
    The Wharf

    Day Four

    Something else “new” (like in many cities) is the ability to grab a bike (conventional or e-bike) or razr-style scooter all over DC. So on Day four that’s what we did. First we walked to the National Archives. We have been here before but we wanted to see it again. We made a brief visit because it was jam packed with school kids, but it’s always inspiring to gaze upon the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution of the United States.

    The National Archives

    On our bikes we set out to the far end of the mall to visit some old and some new. The Lincoln Memorial, Reflecting Pool and the Vietnam Memorial are some of our favorites from the past and they never get old so we spent some time there saying hello once again.

    The Vietnam Memorial
    The Lincoln Memorial

    “New” since we were here are the WWII Memorial, the Korean War Memorial and the Martin Luther King Memorial. We loved all of these. In honor of my dad we spent a lot of time at the Korean War Memorial looking for family names. We found one person with my birth name of Haydock and four with my married name of Lund.

    MLK Memorial
    WWII Memorial

    We continued on the bikes along the Tidal Basin to the Jefferson Memorial and then out to East Potomac Park. We had never been out to this small island park before, where we took a break off the bikes and watched the planes come and go from Reagan International across the river, before riding the bikes all the back up Capitol Hill.

    Jefferson Memorial

    A quick shower and rest and then we headed to one of Capitol Hill’s thriving areas of restaurants, also “new” to us, to meet our “old” friend Mimi. I’ve stayed in touch with Mimi since we lived here and I always love catching up with her. We had a fantastic meal at a Belgian Restaurant called Belga Cafe and enjoyed every minute of it. Great food and conversation. What a great day.

    With Mimi and Belgian Waffles
    Belgian Stew

    Day Five

    Our last day in DC! It’s been fabulous! Although the weather changed and it was a bit stormy, I still squeezed in one last run, we went to the laundromat and worked on the laptop. We found a few minutes to walk to the Eastern Market, one of the coolest and “new” to us places on Capitol Hill for an outdoor farmers market. Also packed our bags, ready to take the train to New York the next day. But we had one last “new” thing to do.

    Eastern Market
    Eastern Market

    For dinner on this night we met Arne’s second cousin and her husband for an amazing dinner. This was our first time meeting Hannah and Fatih and they took us to a remarkable Turkish Restaurant called the Ottoman Taverna. We loved meeting them and spending time together. It was a perfect ending to a perfect visit to our nations capital.

    Meeting new family
    Amazing Turkish Food

    Washington DC – Old, New, Red, White & Blue

    Whether you are American or not, this city has so much to offer…we hardly scratched the surface. So many other museums and sites. A variety theater and music. Vast outdoor activities. And endless options for great food. Come and see for yourself – Washington DC – Old, New, Red, White & Blue.

    At the Capitol Building

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    South & Central America Travel

    Our Favorite Things in West End Roatan

    Location: West End Roatan Honduras

    We spent five weeks in a condo in West End, Roatan, Honduras, without a car, so we stuck pretty close to our neighborhood. It’s a very authentic little village, though also with lots of tourists. We liked it better than nearby West Bay because there are no big resorts in West End. Just a cool local vibe. Our Airbnb condo (see it here) was about a half a mile walk (with a very steep hill) to the center of the tiny town of West End. We did the walk nearly everyday and sometimes more than once. Over the course of our time we got to know the village pretty well. So here are our favorite things in West End, Roatan, Honduras.

    West End
    Our condo deck

    The Main Drag

    Funky West End

    Just walking along the main drag is entertaining. West End is in a protected bay, so many of the dive, snorkel and fishing operators are based here. The water taxi to West Bay is also based here, and they tie up the boats here at night. This creates a nice nighttime scene with lots of bars and restaurants, although it never seems too noisy. West End was originally a fishing village and remains focused on water activities, although the town is bursting at its seams in its small one and half mile stretch of road that fronts Half Moon Bay.

    Half Moon Bay

    Half Moon Bay

    There are just a couple beaches to swim from in West End, the best one is the public beach at Half Moon Bay. A very narrow beach with easy water access that feels safe. Nice sandy bottom makes it a great place for families or those who just want to float around. Palm trees provide beach shade and the sargassum grass and trash are cleaned up each morning.

    Snorkel Tour

    Snorkel in West End

    Because I suffer from extreme motion sickness, I can only snorkel on a calm day. While the weather is usually calm, Roatan, like the rest of the world, was having some unusual weather during our visit and we experienced a lot of wind. But we managed to pull off a wonderful hour long snorkel right off the beach in West End on one of the best weather days. Very calm and sunny as we did an afternoon snorkel of the Blue Gulch that we booked through Roatan Tour Guide Association. We highly recommend working with Dani from RTA who was very helpful and understanding for my concerns. We had a great snorkel.

    Rent a Kayak

    Kayak in West End

    We didn’t need a guide, although there are guided kayak tours as well as kayak snorkel tours. We just wanted to leisurely paddle around beautiful Half Moon Bay. So we rented a kayak from Harry’s Hideaway in West End for $18 an hour. It was just perfect to get out and enjoy the water on a calm day and get some good photos looking back at the village of West End.

    Water Taxi

    Water Taxi

    Even if you have no reason to go back and forth between West End and West Bay we still recommend taking the water taxi just for the fun of it. The $5 one way charge is reasonable and gives you a great view from the water side. The Water Taxi runs all day long every day and is located right in the middle of West End.

    Fun Shops

    Rusty Fish

    As I have said before, I am not a big shopper. Mostly because we have no room in our suitcase, but also because I just don’t love shopping. We did however visit a few shops that were fun, such as Rusty Fish, which is a recycled art store. My favorite shop in West End however is an absolute don’t miss… the beautiful Waves of Art Gallery. Unlike most the other shops it is full of LOCAL artists works and I bought some beautiful handmade baskets from the Lencan Indian Tribe of mainland Honduras.

    Waves of Art

    I also visited the Roatan Chocolate Factory on several occasions to pick up something from the bakery on the main floor. And then on my birthday I took a chocolate making class in their upstairs kitchen and museum. The class was $40 and I was the only person in the class. It was great fun to learn the process from bean to bar.

    There are several “mini-marts” offering beverages, snacks, toilet paper and some other essentials but no meat and very little produce. The nearest supermarket is in the larger town of Coxen Hole, about a 15 minute drive. But we used Roa Market for must of our smaller needs and they had the best selection.

    There are a couple of fruit markets in the village and we stopped in about every other day for fruit, tomatoes, avocados and occasionally we could find lettuce. Our favorite was Frutas Verduras.

    So Many Restaurants

    There are so many restaurants in this little tiny town. Really amazing. When we visited West Bay there were not nearly as many restaurants, except for the ones in the resorts. Another reason we loved West End. We cooked most of our meals, but ate out a few lunches, a couple breakfasts and about once a week for dinner. Our last five days we were out of food so we ate out each night, and we never ate anyplace twice…we wanted to try them all. Here is a list of our favorites, with links when possible. Most restaurants use What’sApp for reservations.

    Celebrating my birthday at Roatan Oasis

    Roatan Oasis – hands down the best meal we had. Definitely get a reservation.

    Blue Thai Elephant – very authentic and delicious Thai food. Reservations recommended.

    Stowaway Gastropub – teeny and delicious little place. Reservations recommended.

    Calelu’s – open breakfast, lunch and dinner also great take-away. This is THE place for baleadas, the favorite food of Honduras.

    Gingers – delicious seafood and Caribbean favorites with a nice waterfront location.

    Lorettas Island Cooking – an absolute must for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Local and delicious.

    I love Pupusas

    Pazzo – our driver Dario recommended we go here. Without his recommendation we would have overlooked it. Authentic Italian pasta and more. Possibly the best beef carpaccio ever. Cash only and bring your own alcohol.

    Tijuana Taco Stand – friendly proprietor right on the beach, very authentic Mexican food to eat at the picnic tables or take away.

    La Ruta Del Sabor – is a teeny place that front an abandoned hotel but where you will find the most authentic and delicious El Salvadorian pupusas. I’m drooling thinking about it.

    Fun Bars

    We don’t spend a lot of time in bars, but we did stop into a few places, watched football at a few places and enjoyed mostly the local beer called Salva Vida. We visited the Sundowner (nice view and they also serve food), Blue Marlin (also nice view), Tequila Jack’s (beautiful view and some appetizers), Harry’s Hideaway (fun bar and restaurant on the water), Tita’s Pink Seahorse (an awesome hidden beach bar worth searching for) and Booty Bar (great for football and excellent food).

    Our Advice

    There are no sidewalks. It’s kinda annoying. Unless it’s early in the morning, most cars drive pretty slow, because the heavy traffic requires it. But you are walking in the street with cars, busses, taxis and scooters. This is true in most places in the island. So be prepared and stay aware.

    We always felt safe, but that said don’t carry a lot of cash or unnecessary valuables.

    Use bug spray. The tiny sand fleas (also known as midges and no-see-ums) are prolific, and not just on the beach. Bites are painful and take 7-10 days to heal. Also don’t forget your sunscreen.

    US Dollars are widely accepted but your bills will not be accepted if they are torn, written on, old or damaged. Carry fresh pristine bills…but try to use the local currency if you can.

    There aren’t really any addresses, so having a good driver is useful. Currently there is a ton of road construction going on, widening the main road that runs through the island. That work will continue into 2024.

    We used Omar’s Tourist Transportation and our driver Dario for several trips we made. We highly recommend them if you want a safe and reliable transfer service. Reach them at visitroatanisland97@gmail.com

    Taxis are abundant and there is also a funky little bus system. Not actually busses but vans. Flag them down. Cheap too.

    If you don’t already, download What’sAp to use during your visit. It is the communication tool all the locals use including for dinner reservations.

    Don’t drink the water. Filtered water is easily available and very inexpensive.

    Thanks for reading our post Our Favorite Things in West End Roatan. It’s a safe and wonderful option for visiting Honduras. We hope to visit this tiny place again someday.

    See last week’s post Twelve Things to do on Roatan for Non-Divers.

    See our Sixth Annual Travel Awards 2022 here.

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    Inspire

    Capsule Wardrobe for Three Week Trip

    Carry On Luggage Only for Three Weeks

    Airline travel is stressful these days. Lost luggage, canceled flights, delays. It’s a tough time in the travel industry. Up until this year, our six years of the Grand Adventure has been relatively stress free with limited luggage or flight issues, six years and 161 flights, we only lost luggage twice (see last week’s blog about this Around the World Nine Times Lost Luggage Twice). But it’s a different beast now, and so I’ve put together a capsule wardrobe for three week trip we are embarking on.

    Travel is hard (Canva)

    We booked this trip last spring, before so much airline trouble began. I’m hopeful we might be past the worst of the summer travel nightmare, but still am not going to take a chance checking my bags. This trip is tight between flights, and I have enough to worry about with connections and potential cancellations I don’t want to worry about luggage too. So for the first time I am doing carry on only, so needed a capsule wardrobe for three week trip.

    Although I consider myself a really good packer, when we go for months at a time I never do carry on only because I need to bring so many things like months worth of contact lenses, or months worth of prescription meds. I also carry our French press, the mug, laundry supplies, first aid and toiletries for extended travel.

    Carry on to avoid loosing luggage (canva)

    All that said it’s time to tighten up the bags, and this trip, just under three weeks, gives me a good opportunity to give it a try with a capsule wardrobe for three week trip. I’ve learned a lot from my friend Katherine who writes a blog called The 5kilo Traveller. Her information and instagram posts are helpful and inspirational. Check her out on Instagram and her blog here.

    What is a Capsule Wardrobe

    With just a little bit of planning, it was easy to pull together a capsule wardrobe for travel from my pieces I already have. A capsule wardrobe is a small wardrobe with multiple pieces that you can mix and match and layer and use in various ways. A capsule wardrobe starts with a simple color pallet. I chose black and white for my pants. Then added in pieces that I can mix and match.

    Capsule Wardrobe (Canva)

    Of course your capsule wardrobe will vary depending on your travel destination and the weather. But you should be able to bring the same number of items for five days as you might for five weeks. It’s all in the planning.

    My Trip

    I’m headed to the English Channel Islands of Guernsey and Jersey, followed by a few days in France. Then I return to the USA via Boston and head immediately to Acadia National Park in Maine for five days of camping. So my capsule wardrobe needs to consist of comfortable and versatile clothes for fall weather that could be in the 70’s or the 40’s, sunshine or rain, as well as both city strolling or rugged hiking.

    Guernsey (Canva)

    Layers on the Plane

    It’s rare you get blankets on the plane anymore so I like to have a coat handy to use as a blanket. This is my airplane outfit in this photo. It consists of layers that should keep me comfortable no matter the temperature of the plane…and you never know what that will be. Also by layering I’m able to wear several items instead of squeezing them into my bag.

    Airplane layers in Capsule Wardrobe colors

    My airplane outfit is a tshirt, long sleeve cotton button up blouse and a cotton long sleeve sweatshirt paired with black leggings and my running shoes. The leggins will be handy for the camping portion of our trip and will likely serve as pajamas while camping too.

    Black and White

    Black and White bottoms with mix and match tops for various weather and activities

    I am packing one pair of black slacks, one pair of white slacks and one pair of black shorts. These staple bottoms will carry me through most days. To mix and match with these three bottoms (and also the leggings) I have another short sleeve tshirt in a bright pink, one yellow tank top, one blue linen lightweight blouse, one blue linen long sleeve blouse, a sweater set (polka dot and black) and a black and white pullover cotton sweater. These all mix and match with the airplane outfit items.

    Dresses

    Just in case dresses, easy to pack and care for and easy to layer too

    If we get fine weather in the Channel Island and France I have packed two cotton dresses. My green TravelSmith dress has been a workhorse in my travel wardrobe for years. And this orange cotton dress I added this year from Talbots. I can layer both of these with the black sweater or checked blouse. I’ve thrown in one scarf.

    Camping

    For Camping and Hiking

    In addition to the leggings and the tshirts already mentioned I have packed my long hiking pants, my hiking shorts, my short sleeve hiking shirt, a long sleeve tshirt and a lightweight quick dry hiking sweatshirt. Camping could be wet, my Gortex jacket with hood will serve for both rain and warmth.

    Shoes

    Just two this time

    It’s always hard for me not to bring too many shoes, so the fact that I’ve decided to only bring two pairs is kind of amazing. I am wearing my black running shoes on the plane and though I don’t plan to run during this trip, these shoes can be walking and hiking shoes as well. In addition I am bringing my new white leather sneakers from Soludos. These work with everything including dresses.

    And Everything Else

    Additional essentials.

    Beyond my wardrobe I will be bringing underwear, first aid, one towel, a paired down toiletries bag, travel alarm and a small travel umbrella. We also have purchased two collapsible water bottles and we will try those out for the first time as well as a new collapsible hot water heater. I’m curious to see how I like that. I always carry my laptop, kindle, cords and chargers too. I have a new over the shoulder travel purse for my documents, passport, cash and credit cards as well as a few essentials for the airplane like my noise canceling headphones, lip balm, Tylenol and tiny toothbrush and toothpaste for the plane.

    And one more thing – if you aren’t using packing cubes go buy some now! Game changer.

    And That’s It

    So that is my capsule wardrobe for three week trip. I feel good about my choices. It won’t surprise me if I end up not using something, but that said I still don’t think I have over packed. It’s actually a fun challenge for me. If it goes well, we will see if I can compress when we leave for seven months in October.

    Be sure to check with YOUR airline as there are some differences as far as carry on size allowed. A little planning and you should be good to go.

    Thanks for reading my post Capsule Wardrobe Three Week Trip. Be sure to see last week’s post about our data from six years of world travel and airports and airlines around the world Nine Times Around the World Only Lost Luggage Twice.

    See this week’s top performing pin here Coastal Grandma Does That Make Me Cool?

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    Europe Travel  --  Island Life

    Cyprus In My Heart Forever

    This island. It will always hold a very special place in my heart. I truly love it for so many reasons. Cyprus in my heart forever.

    How do I love thee? Let’s count the ways…

    1.)Lockdown 2020

    The day before lockdown…we had no idea what was coming in March 2020

    In March 2020 after fleeing lockdown in Israel we landed in Cyprus. Our thoughts at the time were that we would sit tight for two or three weeks and wait out this crazy Corona thing. Five days later, we went into total lockdown which I always describe as house arrest. We could only leave our house once a day with permission from local Cyprus authorities, which we obtained through an app on our phones. What initially was presented as a ten-day lockdown became two months for us…and even longer for the Cypriot people.

    Empty Cyprus airport Spring 2020

    The airport shut down with no flights in or out, and so we hunkered down for a long stay. It was March, still cool in the Mediterranean, but dry and sunny most days. All archeological sites and museums, all beaches, trails and recreational facilities were closed. As well as all shops and restaurants except for a handful of grocery stores and pharmacies.

    My friend Patience who helped me stay sane during lockdown

    Lockdown 2020 on Cyprus was definitely not something we had on our travel itinerary, but it became one of the most unique and memorable experiences of our life – putting Cyprus in my heart forever.

    2.)Lemon Grove Villas, Argaka

    Lemon Grove Villa in the middle of a citrus grove

    Lucky for us, we were in an Airbnb called Lemon Grove Villas in the tiny village of Argaka. Argaka is on the far northwest corner of the island, about as far as you can get from the international airport city of Larnaca.

    Lemon Grove Villas

    Not only was Lemon Grove Villa comfortable and spacious, but it also had one of the absolute best hosts we have had in all of our travels. Maria and Fytos were outstanding and made such an effort to make our unexpectedly long stay, unexpectedly comfortable.

    3.)We Shall Return

    Lemon Grove swimming pool

    When we finally left Cyprus after two months, we vowed to return – and we kept that vow, returning 26 months later this past June. We only had a week this time, but we spent the entire week back at our beloved Lemon Grove Villa, getting to see our sweet hosts Maria and Fytos. And this time, thanks to fabulous weather, enjoying the beautiful pool.

    4.)Sunshine and Sand

    Sandy beaches

    If you have been to Greece, Cyprus feels just like that. But without the crowds or the price tag. Sunny skies, turquoise water, beautiful beaches. It’s surprising Cyprus is not one of the Greek islands, but most Cypriots consider themselves Greek and you will see the Greek flag everywhere. At least on the Greek Cypriot side (south side) of this island.

    5.)Ancient History, Recent History

    Aphrodite’s Rock

    This island is said to be the birthplace of Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of love. The island has been occupied by many civilizations dating back as far as far as the 12th century BC. Given its strategic position in the Mediterranean it’s no wonder so many wanted a piece of it over the millennia. Throughout the 140 mile long by 60 miles wide island you will find a fascinating array of ancient ruins and archeological sites all worth a visit.

    Paphos Archeological Site (UNESCO)

    More recent history has included a civil war in 1974 when Turkey invaded northern Cyprus, occupying and taking over entire cities including property and homes. Greek Cypriots fled south and Turkish Cypriots fled north, leaving everything behind. Still today Turkey has control of the northern part of the island but it is not recognized by the United Nations. It wasn’t until 2003 that a border crossing was opened. Today you can still see the sad remains of people’s homes and businesses abandoned and bullet ridden along the UN Buffer Zone.

    Looking towards the former resort town of Famagusta, now a ghost town on the Turkish side of the occupied North

    6.)Hiking and Running

    Beautiful slot canyon hike

    We love to run and hike and Cyprus offered beautiful and safe places to do both. In Argaka we ran nearly every day, both during lockdown and in our recent visit. And we also enjoyed several hikes along the ocean, in the mountains and through some glorious slot canyons.

    Early morning beach run

    7.)Food Glorious Food

    Kleftiko one of the island’s famous dishes made with lamb

    Very similar to Greek food, Cypriot food is abundant with fresh and locally grown produce. Throughout the island and especially in Argaka you will find citrus, olives, nuts, and berries growing next to wheat, barley, watermelons, zucchini and tomatoes. Honey and breads are abundant as are candies and amazing coffee. You can find local wine that is cheap and delicious and recently a surge of craft beer. It is a breadbasket of the Mediterranean. The cuisine includes a lot of fish, lamb, beef and chicken as well as yogurt, feta and amazing halloumi cheese. Oh my goodness. I was in heaven. Learn more about Cypriot foods and cooking in this post In the Cyprus Test Kitchen.

    Grilled Octopus

    8.) Kind and Hardworking People

    Cyprus Cooking Class

    And then there are the quiet and kind Cypriots. Some of the hardest working people I have ever met, yet always ready with a shy smile and a welcome.

    Cyprus in My Heart Forever

    Orthodox Church in Argaka

    What more could anyone want in a destination? It’s inexpensive, beautiful, delicious and great weather. There is interesting history and architecture, nature and views. Each city offers a wide variety of accommodations and restaurants. If I compare it to Maui it is half the price or less, with fewer tourists and traffic. For Americans it’s a bit difficult to get to, but there are lots of direct flights from London, so that’s typically the best way to get here. But however you get here, just get here.

    The UN Border crossing between Cyprus and the occupied north

    I am already working on a plan to get back to Cyprus for a long extended visit in 2024. Cyprus, in my heart forever.

    Learn more about the Civil War and unrest in Cyprus through this beautiful book The Island of Missing Trees.

    Read our post the Cyprus Test Kitchen here.

    See last week’s blog post about our trip to Israel, Visiting Israel – We Finally Made it Back.

    See this week’s top performing pin Authentic Moroccan Food Tour

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    Africa & The Middle East Travel

    Senegal – What I Experienced in My Short Visit

    Why Senegal? I’m not exactly sure why, except I had heard it was one of the more progressive nations on the African continent. Having visited Burkina Faso in West Africa as well as several other nations in North, South and East Africa, I was curious about Senegal. It was an easy hop from Morocco where we had been to attend a wedding, so why not? We spent five days. Senegal – What I Experienced in My Short Visit.

    Dakar

    The country of Senegal is home to 16 million people, and more than three million live in Dakar. Dakar, though more cosmopolitan than many African cities, is fraught with traffic and air pollution. Although a brand new international airport opened last year, other infrastructure is lacking and traffic is a mess. An incredible amount of construction of apartments and condominiums is going on. Our guide told us these are all privately funded and very expensive so not intended for the local people, who on average earn about $600 a month.

    Presidential House Dakar
    Dakar Beach

    I don’t pretend to understand the government in Senegal (see Wikipedia on Senegal here), but from my brief observations there seems to be a disconnect between leadership and the people. Of course this is not uncommon in many nations, and especially developing countries. Although Senegal has never had a civil war or a coup, it’s not hard to imagine a ticking time bomb. During our visit teachers were on strike and had been on strike for several months. School children have nothing to occupy their days and…trouble ensues. Bored teenagers with no focus are the same around the world. Unemployment is 40%. Young men out of work wander aimlessly looking for fun and trouble.

    How will this end? It was something on my mind as I pondered Senegal – What I Experienced in My Short Visit.

    Goree Island

    We hired a guide from Senegal Odyssey Tours to help us explore the area. On our second day, Omour met us at our hotel and we spent a couple hours in the morning touring the city of Dakar, seeing colonial sites (Senegal was a French colony until 1960), and learning some history.

    Next we headed to Goree Island via ferry, the most significant site in Dakar as far as history. The Portuguese arrived in the 1400’s to Goree and quickly secured it due to it’s strategic location for protection.

    Goree Island Cell
    The door of no return where slaves loaded ships
    Slave block where slaves were bought and sold
    Goree Island

    But in 1536 the Portuguese launched the slave trade, realizing the immense profitability awaiting them by trading human beings rather than goods. For the next 312 years, more than 20 million African people – men, women and children – were brutally captured, detained, raped, beaten, imprisoned and THEN loaded by the hundreds on tiny ships and sailed off to points west. Many would die before arriving. Many would survive but never see their families or children again.

    Horrific.

    Goree Island tells this story for the visitor by allowing visitors to see and feel the tiny prisons. Goree Island has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978. Learn more here.

    Kayar

    We took a day off between tours and just relaxed and did some catch up work on the computer, as well as a short walk around our neighborhood of Almadies near our hotel called La Residence. This neighborhood is “upscale” and home to several embassies including the US Embassy.

    But then the next day bright and early Omour was there to pick us up again as we began the nearly two hour drive to the fishing village of Kayar. The drive was long and slow and Senegal was experiencing a significant desert dust storm and I was wondering if this would be worth it. Oh yes it was.

    Kayar
    Kayar
    Kayar
    Kayar

    Kayar was an astonishing site, unlike anything I’ve ever seen. This is the most important fishing village in Senegal and we luckily arrived at the height of the morning catch frenzy. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life. Hundreds of boats. Thousands of people. Millions of fish. Highly competitive, a bit frantic and a bit frightening. The catch of the day included tuna, snapper, herring and barracuda. Fish were being pulled out of the boats by the thousands, no bad smell as they were completely fresh. Some of the fish is used in payment to the workers, some goes to local regional restaurants while much of it is frozen for the Asian market.

    Fascinating.

    Kayar

    Lac Rose

    I had heard about the Pink Lake, but Omour didn’t want me to be disappointed so he made sure I understood the lake was not always pink. In fact the pink/rose color, which is created by algae, is most prominent on clear sunny days. And honestly due to the air pollution and sand pollution a clear sunny day is rare.

    On arrival we found more of a dirty brown lake, in some places a blood red color. We took a small boat out to see the salt being collected. Salt mining in the lake is what most the local people do for a living in this region. We learned that only men do the salt collecting because it was determined a few years ago that women were having miscarriages from the salt.

    Lac Rose
    Salt harvest Lac Rose

    The men cover themselves in Shea butter and only spend four hours in the four foot deep water. Here they scoop the salt from the bottom with a shovel, into a basket they hold down with their feet. Then they dump the heavy load into a boat. The salt can be a grey color, but once exposed to the sun it turns white.

    Dune Buggy Lac Rose

    Until 1978 this spot was the culmination point of the Paris to Dakar car rally. We took a dune buggy ride to see some of what remains of that route, and to see the crashing Atlantic ocean as it breaks onto Senegal’s western shores.

    Senegal – What I Experienced in My Short Visit

    Senegal is one of the most developed African nations and I hope for the people here who need jobs and education to help catapult them forward. There is so much untapped human potential. I hope the government and the people can make it happen. I am glad I came. Thank you for reading my post Senegal – What I Experienced in My Short Visit.

    Read last week’s post Morocco Three Day Tour Marrakesh to Fez

    Next week I’ll share about Malta.

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