solo en cdmx [ciudad de méxico]

in March 2016, I got back to my roots and took a short solo trip to Mexico City. flights are eminently affordable from most US airports, and the city is conveniently in the same time zone as Central US. I went alone as a female traveler and had only one moment, on one evening when I stayed out later than planned, in which I worried about personal safety.

the basics: most US mobile carriers now treat calls / texts / data in Mexico as if they were domestic, which makes it seamless to stay in touch with family and friends on the cheap. you can easily get pesos out of almost any ATM, or opt to exchange cash (I recommend ATMs where possible, because bank rates are usually more favorable and my bank [hey First Republic!] does not charge on the currency exchange AND refunds all ATM transaction fees). the metro system takes you pretty much everywhere, and I highly recommend it for any traveler who wants to actually experience Mexico, and not just bop around in overly air-conditioned tourist vehicles.

I spent my days exploring the city and eating plenty of food. I forget where I stayed – I’m sure it was fine and cheap – and honestly, I forget which exact museums and historical sites I visited. they were gorgeous inside and out, easily accessible by public transit, and affordable to visit. I probably just followed Wikitravel’s advice. if you’re still a student, BRING YOUR STUDENT ID and get that discount!

one thing I tragically missed out on was the Blue House, aka Frida Kahlo Museum. I couldn’t get the website to work with my US credit card… I even went to the museum and tried to buy a day-of ticket, but the line was too long and I was anxious about getting to the airport in time. it’s a priority for my next trip.

handful of food recommendations, always important: tostadas on the street [got mine outside of the cathedral]. tacos al pastor, with nopales aka cactus. so good. just look out for them on the street, I got mine also from a street vendor. pozole, a yummy and not-too-hot soup, from the Internet-famous Casa de Toño. overpriced but yummy ice cream during my failed Blue House trip, courtesy of Nómada.

it’s a good idea to know some Spanish before you go. if all else fails, pull out your phone and Google Translate live. especially if you want delicious, cheap street food, you’re not going to get by with English alone. drink bottled water and be merry!

two women in iceland for three days

I flew to Reykjavík in Aug 2016, on a cheap WOW air flight, with one of my best friends from college. my only regret is not going during aurora borealis season.

if you live within any reasonable distance of Iceland, it is a must-visit destination. the geography seems extra-terrestrial. you’ve likely seen many Insta-spam-grams of the sights along the Golden Circle. I’m just here to share how it is easily enjoyable in just a few days, and on a tight budget. our itinerary looked something like:

day 1: wander the city of Reykjavík, eat many foods, find our favorite haunts. you MUST get the fish and chips at Kaffivagninn – seriously, perfectly-salted, delightlfully-crispy, paradigm-shifting. forget the people who tell you to get hot dogs and fill up on meals at Sandholt. delicious and reasonably priced.

outside Brauð & Co

Sandholt

Bergsson Mathús

LIFE CHANGING Kaffivagninn fish+chips

day 2: take awesome day trip (we opted for a classic Golden Circle tour with Extreme Iceland, they were great, most operators are probably fine).

along the water

ice cream optional (or is it?)

rainbows everywhere

unbeatable beauty

seriously how do they get so many rainbows

day 3: relax at Blue Lagoon (basic face mask included, lots of other stuff is add-on charges so it’s a good idea to decide in advance what you want to pay for), buy cool Icelandic goods, get sweet VAT refund at airport. return to reality!

capture the maine idea

2019 means it’s time to bring back traditional blogging, right?! I’m hoping that someone, somewhere, somehow, finds value in my upcoming series on random destinations from the past couple of years.

I’m starting with some highlights from the wonderful state of MAINE. I drove up from Boston with my partner for memorial day, and we had an absolutely delightful weekend.

our first stop on the way up was Portland, which is not the state capital. after checking into an unexpectedly sumptuous room at Percy Inn, we wandered around the Old Port for a VERY long time. the weather was gorgeous, so I didn’t mind. we ended up at the Porthole, a restaurant that turns into an outdoor live music scene, right on the water, on balmy weekend evenings. great spot to enjoy a spiked seltzer or Bud Latte.

we continued to stroll in search of food… every restaurant was packed for the holiday. my boss had recommended her brother’s Eventide and Honey Paw restaurants, but we didn’t pull the trigger on reservations (but you definitely should!) we ended up in a random alley, spotted another couple’s dinner spread, and sat down for a seafood feast at Street & Co. I don’t remember what we ate but there was a lot of warm bread and a fig with a garlic flower (the purple thing!)

the next morning, we walked around the farmers’ market before hitting up a Holy Donut (must-do). not sure what flavors we got, but it was amazing. perfect fuel to hit the road to Acadia National Park.

we opted to stay at Thornhedge Inn in Bar Harbor (no, I did not know it’s haunted 🙃). frankly, most of the b&b’s in town looked gorgeous. we got a great room on the top floor, and after a brief nap, we headed out to explore town. highlights included ice cream from Mount Desert Island (super unique flavors) and a sunset harbor cruise (don’t remember which company…)

we headed out early, but not that early, the next morning to hike Acadia. after extensive online research, we decided to first do Beehive Loop Trail. it’s a challenging hike, involving some vertical climbing and in-rock metal steps, but it was so worth it for us. if you’re looking for a more accessible experience, the park has wonderful flat pathways and is gorgeous to drive through!

view from the top of Beehive

somewhere along Beehive Loop

at sea level

in closing, a few notes on food. the breakfast menu at Thornhedge was SERIOUSLY exceptional. the innkeeper has an entertaining life story and experience, and it comes through in his food (and breakfast conversation!) on our way home, we stopped in Portsmouth, NH and ended up eating the most outstanding Nepalese rack of lamb at Durbar Square. that’s all.

omelette physics magic

lamb and other loveliness