Working from Barcelona

Jocelyn
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Working from Barcelona

In November 2015 I was lucky enough to travel to Barcelona to attend the IBTM conference. While I had to work some of the days I was there, I made sure to save some time for sightseeing (and eating lots of paella). These are my recommendations.

Stay

Catalonia Barcelona Plaza Hotel – due to the fact that I was attending a conference, I chose a hotel that was in relative close proximity to the convention center, but also not so far away from some of the other neighborhoods I wanted to check out. That being said, I’m not sure I would choose this specific location would I have just been going on vacation, but the hotel was very nice regardless and I’d definitely recommend it.

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Things to Do

Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus – I had never done one of these before, but since I was by myself at the beginning of the trip and Barcelona is a relatively spread out city, I decided to give it a whirl. I really enjoyed it and think whether you are alone or not it’s an easy way to see a lot of sights – and of course you can hop off and spend as much time as you want at any of the sights! In Barcelona there were two main routes I was able to choose from. The bus actually picked up from the plaza my hotel was in and I was able to see FC Barcelona’s stadium, multiple Gaudi masterpieces, the beach, Cathedral in the Gothic Quarter and so much more.

Las Ramblas – although a bit touristy, this treelined street is filled with shops and restaurants and is worth wandering down at least once during your stay.

La Boqueria – while you’re wandering down Las Ramblas, make sure you stop in La Boqueria – grab a bite, buy some snacks, gifts, whatever you’re feeling as you wander through the market.

La Sagrada Familia – buy your tickets ahead of time so you don’t have to worry about waiting any longer to get in when you arrive. We picked later in the afternoon so we had time to sightsee during the day and ended up seeing the most amazing colors coming through the stained glass as the sun was setting! If you can by chance make this happen I recommend it. Unfortunately it was windy the day we went so we weren’t able to go up the tower (I am not sure if this happens often, but it happened to us!)

El Born – if you want to get away from the more touristy parts of Barcelona, I highly suggest El Born. We had a great time checking out restaurants and the bar scene there (multiple nights).

Day Trip to Sitges – need a break from the city? Since it was November it wasn’t exactly beach weather so we decided to escape and check out the small town of Sitges. We took an easy 45 minute train and wandered around the town, stopping in shops and having our fair share of food and paella.

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Eat

Unfortunately and fortunately for me, I had a friend who was living in Barcelona at the time and I lived off his recommendations and didn’t take great notes, but here are some places I do remember!

7 Portes – come here for an old school dinner. No reservations and no bar to grab a drink at while you wait, so we sat outside for 20 minutes before we feasted on one of our many delicious paellas.

El Salon – a yummy, cozy restaurant in Barrio Gotic with authentic Spanish food. We didn’t get any paella here but everything was delicious!

Absenta Bar – close to the beach and Barrio Gotic, this bar was cozy and eclectic. Have some absinthe, wine, whatever you wish!

Bar Hop in El Born! I’ll say it again, this was a great place to bounce around after dinner any night.

While Toby lived in Madrid (and thus traveled all over Spain) for two years, this was my first time visiting this amazing country. I can’t wait to get back there and explore more cities and towns. What are your favorite parts of Spain? Comment below and tell me where I should go next time!

 

Antigua on Election Day

Jocelyn
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Antigua on Election Day

4 Days in Guatemala – Part 2

If you’ve read Part 1 of this story, you know we spent our first couple of days in Guatemala relaxing in Lake Atitlan.  On the afternoon of Day 3 of our 4-day adventure we arrived in Antigua.  Antigua is a small city surrounded by volcanoes about an hour away from Guatemala City.  It had been the colonial capital for 200 years before Guatemala City took the title.

Where to Stay

San Rafael Hotel – I felt like we splurged here (in terms of Guatemalan prices) but the hotel was perfect.  It was a small, beautiful boutique hotel a stone’s throw from the main road and the famous Santa Catalina Arch.

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What To Do & Where To Eat

We spent the afternoon wandering the cobblestone streets and popping in and out of shops until we came upon a sign that read “On Saturday 5th, Sunday 6th, and Monday 7th the sale of alcoholic beverages is prohibited due to elections.”  I was in disbelief.  Here we were halfway through our vacation and we wouldn’t be able to even enjoy a glass of wine with dinner.

Tip: check and see if the country you’re traveling to is having an election and if that might affect your trip in any way.

Fortunately, that didn’t stop us from enjoying an amazing meal. A good friend suggested Hector’s and it was incredible. If you find yourself in Antigua make sure you stop by there for dinner one night!

Pacaya Volcano
Pacaya Volcano

On a positive note, the lack of alcohol made it easy to go to bed early and wake up at sunrise to hike Pacaya Volcano.  We went back and forth about the hike knowing that we wouldn’t be witnessing red flowing lava but then decided it would be worth the trip.

It was a pretty good hike (you can ride a donkey up if you’d prefer) full of shade, but also plenty of time to stop and take in the gorgeous views. When we got near the top of the volcano you could start to feel the heat under the volcanic rock and we were able to toast marshmallows! Touristy, I know, but who doesn’t want a sugary reward after hiking up a volcano?

Marshmallows on Pacaya Volcano
Marshmallows on Pacaya Volcano

After the hike, we had the afternoon to go visit the museum in Casa Santo Domingo.  We wandered through courtyards, underground crypts, and throughout the property until the rain started coming down and it was time for lunch.  The entire property is made of wood and stone and is relatively dark – the restaurant was no different except that parts of it were open to the outside.  We had a delicious (albeit expensive lunch) while torrential rain went on outside (and inside) the restaurant.

As soon as the rain subsided we decided to trek up to Cerro de la Cruz – the large cross on top of a hill overlooking the city. A nice little walk and hike up if you’re looking for a little exercise or cars can drive to the top as well.

Cerro de la Cruz
Cerro de la Cruz

Once our two hike day was complete, we made our way back to the hotel, stopping by a small store on the way home that let us buy that bottle of wine we had decided we so desperately needed.

And that was that! After a relaxing last night in Guatemala, we were on our way back to LAX refreshed, relaxed and rejuvenated.  Maybe not being able to drink part of our vacation was a blessing in disguise!

While 4 days only gave us enough time for a taste of Guatemala there is so much more to do and know about this amazing country!

Finding our Zen at Lake Atitlan

Jocelyn
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Finding our Zen at Lake Atitlan

4 Days in Guatemala – Part 1

After giving up my seat on a work trip from Florida and spending the night in Atlanta, I was awarded a $700 credit from Delta – I just had to use it within a year.  Knowing I didn’t have a lot of vacation days to play with because I was already taking a week off to go to Iceland, I started looking up short, direct, affordable flights from LAX.  We landed on Guatemala.

You may think 4 days in Guatemala is not enough – and trust me, if you want to see all the highlights, it’s not.  Guatemala is much bigger than you think and they don’t have the infrastructure like we do in the states.  We didn’t make it to Tikal or Semuc Champey, but we did spend 4 wonderful days at Lake Atitlan and in Antigua.

We took a redeye from LAX and as soon as we landed in Guatemala City we hopped in a car and made the three-hour drive to Lake Atitlan.

Tip: hiring a car to get from Guatemala City to Lake Atitlan costs around $100 but I was able to lay down and nap for most of the trip so if the bus schedule doesn’t work with your flight times – it’s pricey but so worth it, especially if you have limited time.

We had booked two nights at Hotel Atitlan.  It was perfect for us.  Lake Atitlan is made up of 7 villages – all with a slightly different vibe (and size).  Panajachel, or Pana, is the main village you arrive at and then you can opt to make a further drive to certain villages or hop in a boat to the village of your choice.  We like to have the option to go to different restaurants and check out nightlife so Hotel Atitlan offered us the best of both worlds – a 5-minute ride from the main streets of Pana but in one of the most peaceful settings I had ever been in.

We spent the afternoon by the pool before getting checked into our room and setting out towards town.  We stopped by Crossroads Café to drink and buy some delicious coffee and then ducked into bars as a torrential rain storm passed by.

Tip: If you’re a coffee lover, take a few minutes out of your day and stop by Crossroads for some coffee and friendly conversation.

That night was Toby’s birthday, so after an uneventful dinner, we discovered Circus Bar where I was able to score ice cream with a birthday candle and the live band sang Happy Birthday in English and Spanish.

The next day we woke up early, had breakfast, and bargained with some of the men who handled boat trips before deciding we would visit San Juan La Laguna and San Pedro.  San Juan is known for their textiles while San Pedro is more of the backpacking town.  We wandered up and down their mountainous streets, taking in the scenery, food, and local beers.

Church of St. Peter in San Pedro
Church of St. Peter in San Pedro

By early afternoon, the water was starting to get rough (this is common in the afternoon and was no joke) so we made our way back to our hotel to relax before another night at Circus Bar.

The next day, before our drive to Antigua, we walked over to Atitlan Nature Reserve to check out some animals, butterflies, and a quick morning hike.  Not a must-do, but when it was in walking distance from our hotel it seemed like a great way to work off all of the Guatemalan food and beer.

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Be sure to check in for part two and find out what a Guatemalan presidential election is like.

Food & Fun in Vancouver

Jocelyn
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Food & Fun in Vancouver

Growing up in the northeast, I was no stranger to Canada, we frequented Montreal between the ages of 18-21 and made a trip to Niagara Falls. But British Columbia – that was a whole world away. That was, until I moved to San Diego and then it was just a few hours of flights up the coast! Although we went in mid-July, we ended up landing immediately after a heatwave and had a cooler, slightly rainy trip. While I love my heat and sunshine, the trip was still great and I’ll definitely be back. Here were some of the top things we did and places we ate!

The Grouse Grind – take a quick Uber or free trolly from downtown and in minutes you’ll leave the city behind. The Grouse Grind makes for a great (and healthy) start to your weekend. You go up and up and up. There is no turning back (or at least you’re not supposed to hike down). You can also take a cable car up if you’re not feeling so energetic. The hike was great – the view from the top… probably great but we were pretty fogged in. We enjoyed some beers and took the cable car down – I’d love to go back on a sunnier day.

Capilano Suspension Bridge – if you’re already out doing the Grouse Grind, it’s an easy stop on the way home, lots of suspension bridges to walk around on. A fun pit stop, but definitely not something I think you’d have to make a special trip for.

Granville Island – Like shops? Food and drinks? Granville island is definitely worth at least taking a walk around. They have an entire shop just for umbrellas – which we at first thought was funny until it started to rain.

We also went by the Olympic Cauldron and had brunch in Stanley Park – typical must-dos on your first trip to Vancouver!

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In between all of the site seeing we did A LOT of eating (and drinking) of course. Here were some of our favorites:

Hapa Izakaya – if this isn’t the first blog post you’ve read, you know I LOVE Asian food. This place did not disappoint. Modern Japanese cuisine – lots of shareable plates. They have a few locations – we went to the one in Yaletown which had a bunch of bars and restaurants nearby – great for pre- or post- dinner drinks.

Cardero’s – on the water in Coal Harbor, we chowed down on lots of seafood for dinner here. We were a cab ride away from the bars we went to after, but if you want some good seafood on the water I’d recommend this place. Not as trendy as some other spots but still delicious!

Vancouver Urban Winery – located in Railtown, but just two blocks from Gastown, our last dinner gave us the opportunity to check out yet another cool neighborhood in Vancouver. And of course, lots and lots of wine. They had a variety of different types of food to please anyone and we had a few shareable plates that were all pretty yummy.

Teahouse in Stanley Park – an expensive, but gorgeous little spot for brunch. After enjoying some much cheaper (and also delicious) crepes near our hotel the morning before, this was the very opposite – but we enjoyed good food and brunch cocktails before deciding we didn’t want to chance renting bikes when looming rain clouds.

After dinner we spent most of our evenings out in Gastown or Yaletown, with pit stops on Main Street on our way home. Lots of different neighborhoods for whatever kind of scene or vibe you’re looking for. We will definitely be back!

Icelandic Adventures

Jocelyn
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Icelandic Adventures

When WOW Air started their crazy flight deals from Boston to Reykjavik, I didn’t hesitate.  Knowing I would already be in Boston for my brother’s college graduation, it seemed like a simple choice to take the entire week off and spend the first part of the week in Iceland.  The flight from Boston to Reykjavik is actually shorter than the flight from San Diego to Boston!

We left Boston around 7am and landed in Iceland around 4am.  We were about an hour drive to Reykjavik where we had a hotel waiting for us.  Many of the hotels are used to these early arrivals so you can pay a lower rate and check in bright and early.

Where to Stay: We stayed at a hotel called Room With a View.  It was a pretty simple hotel but had what we needed and was in a great location.

What to Do: Since we were only in Iceland for a few days we made Reykjavik our home base and did day trips from there.

Wander around Reykjavik.  After we woke from our redeye/jetlagged naps we found some lunch and Icelandic beers and then wandered around the city, checking out the windy waterfront, the church Hallgrimskirkja for some great views of the city, and popping into shops full of Icelandic goodies.

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South Coast Tour – We booked this through IG Tours – it was an all day tour of, you guessed it, the south coast.  We stopped at Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss waterfalls, Reynisfjara black sandy beach, the village of Vik (don’t get too excited about what you’ll be eating for lunch here) and Myrdalsjokull, Iceland’s fourth largest glacier.  You also have the option to do a glacier hike or snowmobile tour as a combination tour but we did not.

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Snorkel Silfra & The Golden Circle Tour – We booked this tour through Local Iceland Tours/isango!. While the entire trip was one highlight after another, this was definitely one of our favorite activities.  We put on ridiculous dry suits and wandered down to the Silfra Fissure in Thingvellir National Park and hopped in the water.  You snorkel through some of the clearest water in the world, in between two tectonic plates – in 32-degree water!  Where else are you going to do something like this?  The water was SO BLUE.  After snorkeling, we made our way to the Geysir geothermal region and Gullfoss waterfall – also pretty cool sights to check out!

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Blue Lagoon – while it’s definitely a tourist hot spot, it seems like a trip to Iceland isn’t complete without a visit to the Blue Lagoon.  It’s much closer to the airport than to Reykjavik so you’ll definitely want to try and schedule your time there on your way to or from the airport.  We spent about an hour there on our way to the airport and it was really quite amazing.  You can book add-on massages but we just enjoyed relaxing in the steamy water.

If you have more than just a few days or are looking for some other activities than the ones we did, check out Follow Me Away’s 15 Best Tours in Iceland for more recommendations!

Our days were so long and full of activity that the only other thing left to do was EAT!

Where to Eat:
Grillmarkadurinn – A trendy restaurant located right off the main drag.  A warm and cozy ambiance, and like many restaurants in Iceland, they featured a lot of seafood, but had a great selection of meat as well.

Fiskfelagid – another trendy restaurant close by, we sat down in the basement level at a bar area and had our fill of delicious seafood recipes.

Bakari Sandholt Reykjavik – This bakery was located down the street from our hotel and was our daily morning stop for breakfast and coffee.  If you’re all set with breakfast, I highly recommend stopping in here for a treat later in the afternoon!

While we were only there for a few days, I’ve heard great things about driving the Ring Road, so if you have the time it’s definitely worth considering!

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