Follow Our Breadcrumbs

how did Bugs pull those carrots out so easily??

2012-04-26T04:43:00.001-04:00

So we just spent 2 weeks in Gopegi, Basque Country (in Spain) at a farm called Padura.

It is a new farm, just started last year, and the family who built it really give it so much love and care.

The husband and wife, Miguel and Peggy are amazing people. Peggy is always reading about how to do things better/live better for themselves and for their farm. And Miguel is always at the farm, even when the weather felt like it could snow any second! They were even kind enough to take time out of their evening to give us Spanish lessons- twice!! We still can't believe how much we learned just from those 2 lessons alone... muchos gracias!

Also, Miguel makes a mean chorizo tortilla... honestly one of the best we've tasted. It was completely different from all the other tortillas in that it was ooey gooey inside. He used extra eggs to allow for the gooey inside. The outer egg/potato casing cooked to solidify the tortilla, but didn't cook all the way through, which gave it that most amazing, perfect, poached egg texture inside. yummy yum yum! (We are sorry to report that we were so hungry that night that we forgot to take a photo of the tortilla. Don't hate us!!)

In another house a few kilometers down from Gopegi is where we actually stayed. P&M's daughter, Maite, her boyfriend Ari, and their 2 other friends, Mickey and Nerea, all live there. It was a beautiful old stone house with its own grounds for a small veggie garden, chickens, and even rabbits (so sad we didn't see them give birth. We missed it by like a day!). At the time, and old family friend from Germany, Feli, was also staying there so we were definitely a full house!

(We're so sorry we don't have a photo with you, Maite!!)

Every morning we wake up with some coffee and bread, then us, Ari, Mickey, and Feli head over to work on the farm and the others go to their jobs as well. Because stone houses aren't exactly known for their insulation, Rachel is usually always cold so mornings were horrible for her. We would all leave the house wearing so many layersm which we would immediately shed as soon as we started working.

The great part about a large farm (and a new farm at that) is that there is so many things to do. One minute we are spreading hay on the ground, then pulling leeks out, then re-arranging tree branches into equal "cheese" slices (A little joke we have with Ari. Hehe)!

Some of the work was harder. We definitely will probably not want to prepare the land for another single garbanzo bean- we prepped and planted at least 1000 meters of rows of garbanzo beans! But others were peaceful- watering the plants inside the greenhouse, or pulling weeds around the mint plants, constantly smelling that summery aroma.

One of the hardest tasks was definitely pulling out leeks. The green portion is mostly what sticks out of the ground, but its the white part, buried deep down in the earth, that is edible. It was so difficult because we had to dig deep before we could attempt to pull the leek out. But sometimes those suckers like to make sharp turns and not grow straight! So when you use your tool to dig, and then you hear that earth-shattering c-r-a-c-k, your heart mourns a little because you know you've just damaged the veggie. And we tore into A LOT of veggies (although Joel would like to argue that he didn't)... We definitely have a new appreciation for those gi-normous leeks in the market! Unfortunately, we ate so much while we were there that Rachel doesn't think she can eat another one for a while!

It wasn't all work and no play though! We definitely dabbled with cooking (and eating!) some of these amazing foods that we were working with.

The family recently slaughtered their own pigs and they made amazing chorizos and morcillas (black pudding).

Then Joel made a simple dinner one Sunday night using their leeks, potatoes, etc... It was definitely a big hit.

And one night, we were all in the mood for a little pasta so decided to make some lasagna. Mickey made the bechamel, Feli cooked the pasta and Joel made the meat/tomato sauce. It was the *BEST* lasagna any of us had ever had :) It took every ounce of will power to reserve some slices for Maite and Ari! Haha

So every day, as we close the gates to Padura, we felt fulfilled that we not only accomplished something, but helped create and nurture something that could possibly be around longer than the rest of us.

the rewards of scavenging...

2012-04-11T16:50:00.001-04:00

There is an amazing street in Madrid called Cava Baja. Many of our favorite tapas places just line up one next to another all the way down this winding block, just waiting for you to give it a try. If you get lucky enough to stumble onto this block on a Sunday, like we did this week, you are in for an even bigger treat! (more on this later!)

So as we walked along Cava Baja, we took many mental notes to go back to that place or that place or that place in case we couldn't find anything else. For those food lovers out there who naturally scavenge their next meal for the simple desire that it be the *best* can fully grasp this feeling.

Somehow, we ran out of street. Cava Baja ended and we were no better off than when we began. But something told us to try one of the side streets across the way (probably just natural instincts from the many years we've spent scavaging NY). And then we found El Bu.

We were so surprised to find this place packed with people because it was deep into siesta-time. But here they were., instead of napping away the afternoon sun, they were all here- drinking, laughing, and eating way into another dreaded Monday.

As soon as we walked in, we knew this was the place where we needed to be. The place was packed. It seemed like there were 1 or 2 travelers, but it looked like they were mostly locals- young professional locals. No, not the kind that you find in midtown Manhattan during happy hour Thursdays, getting loose because of their stressful finance or *insert current yuppie trend here* jobs, but the kind of 30-somethings who are enjoying their Sundays, laughing, eating, and catching up with friends. As we maneuvered past people, pretending to look for friends, but realistically casing the place and trying to find our own spot to enjoy ourselves, our noses began turning our heads towards every other direction.

Everywhere we looked, there were mounds of delicious food passing us by. We immediately grabbed a menu and went to work. As we perused its Spanish-then-attempted-English-translation dishes, we instantly knew we picked an amazing place since we realized that we could not make up our minds on what to order.

We finally decided to stick to one classic- Pimientos del Padron, which are fried green peppers, and one new dish- Chopitos a la Andaluza, which we had no idea about since the English description was "Andulusian Chopitos" (great translation huh?).

The pimientos did not fail. As always, they were grill-charred and crunchy, with a slight bitterness that is unique to this item, perfectly balanced with sea salt. And as is always the case with this dish, we are forced to play a little Russian Roulette, hoping that that particular pepper you choose is not the one that ends up forcing you to finish the whole bread basket to induce any kind of sensation back to your mouth. Unfortunately, neither of us lost that game that day.

The chopitos were a different story. As excited as we were to try something new, you can imagine our shock when out comes our dish and.... its a plate of calamari!

OK, these weren't exactly the same calamari that you would get at your local pizzeria (seriously, can one even call that seafood??), but we were still pretty stunned for a few seconds. The negative reactions end there though. It turns out that these were baby squids and they were as fresh as if a guy with boots, a hat, and a big net just got off his boat and walked in when we ordered them.

We know that this may not be pleasant for some people, but we loved that each piece was an entire squid, tentacles and all. Each individual portion, covered in batter, fried, and perfectly seasoned (although we still don't understand what makes that "Andulusian"). Every morsel was hot and crunchy, with the squid so tender that it must have only spent seconds in the fryer. No mounds of greasy napkins for us at the end of the meal. And no fried-food-coma aftershock either. :)

All in all, this meal was surprising, but completely satisfying. And we would go back there in a heartbeat... We actually tried to go back on our last day, but it was closed... so we just ended up somewhere else... just wait and see!

where art thou our gambas??

2012-04-07T14:19:00.000-04:00

When we first visited Spain in 2009, we went to Madrid for 3 days and fell in love with the most wonderful restaurant. We had tried many places and we almost didn't even make it to this one, but we said what the heck, it was our last few hours so who cares if we already had 4 meals and it was only 3pm!

The name of the place is La Casa del Abuelo. It turned out to be the B.E.S.T. Gambas a la Plancha we ever had.

But all that is now gone...

When we first arrived, we couldn't believe the scent coming from this place.

Looking around, you saw napkins everywhere on the floor, which is always a good sign in Spain (its how you know that there's always people there). There are no sit-down tables so it isn't the kind of place where people mill around. They enjoy their gambas and canas (a small cerveca), then head over to their next destination.

There are a few 2-level, football-shaped, marble 'tables'- one smaller football above to exactly hold the shape of your gambas plate and the larger football below so people can put their drinks down. Other than this, the bar counter, and another small counter by the window, that's it. That's the number of 'seats' that this place holds. And its always jam-packed.

Since we came in the afternoon, there were a few other travelers, but mostly plenty of old grandfathers, chatting the afternoon sun away. When we went back at another time (in the evening), it was filled with all sorts of people- from young tapa-hoppers to older vacationing couples, who you imagine is what your aunts and uncles look like when they travel with their friends- with their guide books in hand, yelling to each other since they had a little too much to drink, and just having a grand old time. Yes, this was an awesome place.

But now we have to get back to the food.

In that magical first visit, the freshness of the shrimps as we watched the old man place them on the flat top was mesmerizing.

The grill so hot that it only took seconds to cook.

The plate came to us overflowing with mouth-watering goodness.

To this day, our mouths still salivate when we remember those precious first bites... It immediately brought us back to the Philippines, to the times when we were too young to appreciate what we were eating and now looking back and cursing ourselves for not savoring it more then. Savoring that contentment you had as a child, just sitting and eating- actually getting to enjoy your food because there really is nothing else to worry about. This all came flooding back like a monsoon as soon as we broke open that first piece...

Since that moment on, we swore that we would do everything in our power to make it back to Madrid to get our gamba fix.

So with eager hearts and stomachs, we landed back in Madrid and immediately floated our way back to heaven. As soon as we entered the place, we had the same feeling as before- same smells, same sizzling sounds, same uncontrollable salivating. And we nearly fell to the floor with hysteria when we realized that the comparison ended there.

Our amazing gambas! What happened to them? Where did they go??

If we didn't have proof, we would've thought we were dreaming. But here they were sitting in front of us, sad and pathetic. Half the portion that they once were and even less than half the size. They were sad little gambas and we were even sadder. We stood there, meekly eating our pieces, quietly contemplating our current lot in life, too sad to even take any more photos.

We weren't even angry about the size of the dish in comparison to the price (9 euros for that!), we just wanted our old gambas back... But sadly, we knew that they would never return. (And sadly, we would also never return to that place.)

So now we say adeui to what seems like a distant memory. We will think of them fondly and will always remember them as our first loves. And deep down inside, we will always have a small glimmer of hope that the next place we find gambas will bring us back to that magical, childlike feeling once more.

**On a more pleasant note, we did happen to find another restaurant that served amazing gambas.... not entirely the same, but pretty darn close :)

we are so susceptible to signage!

2012-04-07T12:53:00.000-04:00

Sunday mornings in Madrid must include a trip to El Rastro- the largest flea market in the city. (Well, unless you partied a little too hard Saturday night...)

We suggest starting from Pl. Cascorro as the street heads downhill and going the other way is definitely not as fun. Get ready for some tight squeezes though. Although everyone is nice enough not to really push and shove, there will be moments when you just can't get anywhere until the crowd is ready to go. So when in Madrid...

As we took our morning stroll through the already narrow streets, we came across some awesome finds.

And a sign saying 1 euro scarves caught Rachel's eye so after struggling through the herd, we made it across the street. She found this great scarf....

... but of course its not one of the 1 euro ones (damn you marketing scheme!). But still, how do you turn down a 3 euro scarf??

So we meandered down the street some more and came across more jewels...

And now that our morning is done, there's nothing left to do but eat!

do you WWOOF?

2011-12-21T10:17:00.000-05:00

planting blueberry trees & making bread

Some of you may have heard of WWOOF before, others may have not. WWOOF is an acronym for World-Wide Organization of Organic Farmers. It is a large organization of farmers from all over the world. You can find a WWOOF program for pretty much all the large, most commonly traveled countries. Each country has their own website and is basically its own separate entity.

If you want to become a member, there is a 1-year membership fee. This fee is pretty cheap (approx 20 euros), but unfortunately, you have to pay a separate fee for each country. This fee actually pays for your health insurance for every farm that you work at, so we think its a bargain. But take note- it only covers injuries that occur while working. If you break your leg while surfing on your day off, then that's just tough noogies.

You'll read plenty of articles out there about WWOOF- some good, some bad. But it really just all comes down to doing a little due dilligence. I've heard horror stories about friends having to sleep in closets and farms with 50+ wwoofers who were barely getting fed. Needless to say, we DID NOT experience any of that.

What we did experience were farms who we learned from and who fed us as much as we wanted and who happily gave us experiences (on and off the farms) that we would have never gotten anywhere else. So to us, WWOOF was nothing like a sweatshop...

We'll hopefully have more entries about these farms soon!

As we mentioned earlier, each country is different, but their websites are usually detailed and easy to understand. The farms are broken down into regions and sometimes show other options like language, # of woofers, etc. After you sign up and pay your fee, you will get an email with the password, which will allow you access to the list of farms with their descriptions and contact information.

Our first piece of advice is PLAN AHEAD. Plan as early as you possibly can. Sometimes we've gotten lucky and approached the 1 farm that we wanted and received a confirm the same day, other times we waited 3 weeks and had to contact almost 10 different farms. So the best thing is to give yourself enough time. Try to contact the farms as early as possible- especially if there's a particular one that you want to work at. Sometimes that's not always ideal so the next suggestion would be to open up your limits. If its too last minute, you might just have to travel a little farther than you'd like. From our experiences, the best would be a 3-month window, but having at least 1 month is feasible.

Also, when looking at farms, don't just look at their location. Read everything about them. They usually mention if you'll be sharing a room or staying in a caravan. They also mention the kind of area they're at- pay special attention to this if seclusion isn't your cup of tea! And don't be afraid to ask questions. Ask them if they have wi-fi if that's really important to you. Ask if there are other wwoofers if you want to spend time with other travelers. And most importantly, ask how many hours you'll be expected to work, what your days off will be and what kind of food they will have available (even if you don't have dietary restrictions, this is a good way to find out what they actually feed wwoofers).

When contacting these farms, be as personal as you can. You don't have to write a completely different letter for each one, but at least change the names! Also, try to include at least 1 detail about that farm- why it caught your attention, why you want to go there, how you can help them specifically. It'll help the farmers relate more to you and help separate you from every other email that they get. We also feel that it isn't fair to contact 100 farms at the same time. Pick your top 3-4, reach out to them and wait for a response. If you don't hear from them within a week, then try another 3-4 farms. Even though farms get rejection replies all the time, this will at least limit the number of farms that you'll have to reject. And if you are lucky enough to find more than 1 farm, please please please be kind enough to tell the others that you can't make it. We've talked to farms who don't even know if a wwoofer is actually coming or not because they just never responded. RUDE RUDE RUDE- We can't even say more.

Once you are actually on the farm, our biggest piece of advice would be to not over or under do it. Most farms usually expect 4-5 hours of work each day. Don't slack off and try to do less because they are providing you a service as well. But sometimes it gets hectic or they don't keep track as well as they should. So if you fulfilled your responsibility, then don't be shy to tell them. We don't mean stop in the middle of peeling a carrot as soon as your hit 6 hours, but you can start to wrap things up by then. There was a guy at one farm we were at that irritated us to no end. He was one of the laziest people we'd ever met- (and sadly, he was also from New York...) It got so bad at one point that we had altercation with him for not cleaning up after himself and expecting someone else to do it! Please DON'T be this guy.

We believe working hard is important, but even though we're working, its doesn't mean that we still can't have a little bit of fun!

With all its ups and downs, we still think this organization is an amazing tool to utilize as a frugal traveler. Its not only a great way to learn about the local way of life and local ingredients, but you also get to meet other awesome travelers. We made some amazing friends who we'll definitely never forget!

All in all, we will definitely continue to wwoof in more countries- we may even try some farms in our own backyard!

Have any of you tried wwoofing? What were your experiences?

DIY: booking a desert trip (Fes to Merzouga)

2011-10-20T10:45:00.001-04:00

We know this seems out of place, but we wanted to put this up asap because its prime season for this trek and we wanted to help our fellow travelers.

For those of you who don't know, I will research far and wide for a deal. Of course that also goes for treks during our 'vacation'. We knew that the one thing we wanted to do in Morocco was take a trip to the desert. There's a ton of options to chose from, but we just wanted the bare minimum so we could have a taste of it.

What the basic package really encompasses is transportation to the desert, a sunset ride on the camel that will take you to your tent in the desert, sleeping accommodations for 1 night in the tent in the desert, dinner, watching the desert sunrise, breakfast, camel ride back into town, then transportation back to where you started. Other options include additional nights, 4x4s, atvs, visiting Berber villages or even other desert areas. We didn't really feel like we needed those extras, plus we didn't really have a budget for it.

So I looked and looked online. I checked multiple sites, various forums, and countless search engines. I knew that booking a tour through our hostel would be pricier so we really wanted to do it on our own. Unfortunately, the little detail that I did find were spread out through various sites and took me hours to locate.

I come bearing gifts.

Here is the complete ABC's of how to book this tour on your own. Everything from what to expect to the cost breakdowns. Hopefully, this will give you a little more bargaining leverage once you do decide to take this adventure.

If you want to take the overnight bus, Supratours will take you all the way to Merzouga, CTM only goes to Rissani (a town 30 km before Merzouga). They are both the same price (150 dr). Both buses make some stops along the way so if you are a light sleeper, I suggest bringing meds, earplugs, and an eye mask. (I was able to sleep even though I didn't use anything, but was woken up everytime we stopped.) There is also no bathroom on the bus. The Supratours office has one and the bus will stop halfway for a bathroom break.

The CTM office is in its own bus station. Just tell the taxi CTM. The Supratours office is by the train station (there's only one). Tell the taxi "la gare" or "Supratours". The taxi fare shouldn't cost more than 15-20 dr if you use the meter (same with CTM). When you get dropped off, there is a large street in front of the station and the office is across that. There is a big white sign that says Supratours.

The Supratours bus leaves at 8:30pm and arrives Merzouga at 6:30am. (Check the website to confirm the time for your exact date. Its in French, but easily manageable.) The cost is 150 dr per person one way. There is an extra 5 dr charge for luggage. The bus can get cold so bring a sweater. The CTM bus leaves at 9pm and arrives Rissani at 7am. Same prices.

On Supratours, when you arrive at Merzouga, the bus will stop before the big gate and after. Get off after the gate (if you forget, the gate is only 10 m away- you can see it from the first stop). If you booked a hotel, you should have already made arrangements from here. If you need to take a taxi (i.e. to the town Hassi Labied), then find an open shop (its a small centre with only 1 road) and ask. They'll call for you. Ask the taxi how much- tell him you were told it was only 50 dr. This is the standard rate to go to hotels on the outskirts or to Hassi Labied (4 km away).

The tour we booked included: a room to leave our bags\rest\shower, camel ride to the desert camp, dinner, blankets, breakfast, camel ride back to the village, rest\shower room again. We needed to bring our own water though. Also, the toilet was an outdoor squat (covered by a makeshift wall) so we brought our own toilet paper. Always ask what's included in your tour. The price for our tour was 35€ per person.

For the camel ride, a headscarf is not 100% necessary if you are traveling during the cooler months. We went in October and I did not wear one (Joel did though, but that's only because he wanted to look cool.) But do wear loose fitting clothes, cotton preferably.

All the towns by the desert fully depend on tourism. If you are savy enough to find local prices for food in the larger cities, don't expect to find that here. Everything is priced for the tourist because they know every person who lives there. The prices are still relatively cheap, but don't expect to find 4 dr sandwiches! The average dish (sandwich, tangine, etc) is around 20-40 dr.

There is a Supratours office inside the center of Merzouga. If you take a taxi, he can take you directly there. If not, its right in the middle of the only main road and there's a big white sign. The bus leaves at 7pm and arrives Fes at 5:30am.

The total price we paid for everything ( RT Supratour bus, RT taxi to Hassi Labied, tour) was 70€ per person. Use this information as a starting point to help analyze how much you should be spending on tours- especially if you decide to book through your hotel, add extra days or activities or if you want to take a taxi instead of the bus. Use this to your advantage when bargaining with people. And bargain hard!

I hope this shed some light on the process. If this can help you book through your hotel with a lower price, then that's awesome! One side note, if you book with your hotel, make sure the trip doesn't start in the afternoon. If it does, that means you won't get to ride the camel during sunset (since you'll still be driving to the desert at that time). If you are booking a tour with private transportation, make sure it leaves early in the morning so you'll be on your camel and deep into the desert in time to watch the sun go down.

If you have any other questions or if you want to know the tour we booked specifically, just leave us a comment!

Does anyone else have other tips for fellow desert and camel-ride seekers?

help me make crispy Fish 'n Chips!

2011-06-25T15:47:00.004-04:00

Here's our first recipe for you! Fish 'n Chips is a favorite among many people so here's my take on it. Let us know what you think-

Fish 'n Chips with tartar sauce

Yields 4

Ingredients:

4 8-ounce filets Cod or Haddock

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup ice cold beer (pale ale or semi-dark beer)

1 egg whites whipped to soft peaks

salt and pepper to taste

pinch of sugar

2 pounds Idaho potatoes (peeled and cut into 1/2 in thick strips, covered in water)

Approx 2 quarts canola oil

2 cups mayonnaise (I prefer Hellman's)

1.5 tablespoon of minced sweet relish

1 tablespoon of minced red onion

1 teaspoon of horseradish

Juice and zest of half a lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

- Take 1 cup flour, season with salt and pepper, and put aside on a plate or bowl. Take the other cup of flour and mix with beer until smooth, season with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar, then gently fold in the whipped egg whites with a rubber spatula. Do not stir, mix, or whip them together! Just fold. Refrigerate for 30 min up to 2 hrs.

- Heat up the canola oil in a medium pot to 300 degrees. While oil is heating up, run the chips, or fries, in water until the water runs clear. Then drain well and drop in oil.*CAUTION: watch for oil splatters!* Cook until soft without color. Then remove from oil and place on a sheet pan with a rack or on a plate with paper towel.

- LIGHTLY salt filets and let it sit for 15-20 minutes.

- Heat up the canola oil that was used to blanch the fries to 350-375 degrees (pending on the thickness of your filets).

- Take out the chilled batter. Pat the filets dry then lightly drench it in the seasoned flour, then into the chilled batter, then fry until golden brown (approx 3-4 minutes).When fish is brown, take it out from the oil onto a plate layered with paper towels and season to taste with salt immediately.

- When the filets are done, fry the chips again in the same oil, but this time until golden brown. Take them out and put them on a plate with paper towel (use new paper towel if using the same plate) Again, season with salt and pepper immediately.

- For the tartar sauce: In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, relish, red onions, horseradish, lemon juice and zest. Add salt and pepper to taste.

- Serve on a platter (maybe layered with some newspaper) and some slices of lemon.

2-cent Tips:

- Just like in any dish, the most important thing is fresh and good ingredients. In the case with fish, try to buy it the same day that you are going to be cooking it. Cod fish meat is denser than haddock, but haddock is flakier. Depending on the location, cod is usually more expensive. Choosing which fish to use just depends on your personal preference.

- The key to frying is the temperature of the oil. Too low gives you soggy food; too high gives you burnt. A common mistake is to overcrowd the pan. This drastically brings down the temperature and doesn't give the ingredients room to actually fry. And always remember to season it immediately after you take it out of the fryer! This allows the salt to seep into the food instead of just sitting on top.

-The tartar sauce will actually taste better if made 2-3 hours prior to being served. By doing it this way, you are giving time for all the ingredients to develop.But the same advice does not apply to fried foods. The closer you cook it to the time you'll be eating, the better!

- As you can see, most of the steps include seasoning. This is a VERY important factor as you are cooking. You should constantly be seasoning AND tasting your food at the start, middle, and end of the process. Seasoning is also dependent on personal taste. Salt should be used as a flavor enhancer; it should bring out the natural flavors of the ingredients. Its not meant to make the ingredients taste salty. All of this takes practice, so don't be discouraged if you struggle with it in the beginning. (God knows Rachel still over-seasons her food! Sorry beb, but you do.) Look at it from this perspective- You can always add more salt, but you can never take it away.

a sampling of London foods

2011-06-22T23:16:00.007-04:00

We figured we'd make a separate entry altogether of the foods we ate in London. (We didn't want to make our readers suffer through an extra long entry!) Its not much (London unfortunately, turned out to be too expensive for us), but the places we went definitely made their impressions... and they were good.

Of course anyone who thinks English food, immediately thinks fish and chips. We found a small place that used to be called The Chippy (its called Golden Union now). Being broke, and forgetting that sit-down prices were usually more than take-out, we decided to just share one large order. It was more than enough. The cod was abnormally large, crunchy, flaky, and seasoned so well. The chips could have been crunchier, but it still tasted good. Unfortunately, we had to pay separately for the tartar sauce, but even that was worth it. All in all a great first meal in London. (For Joel's recipe on Fish 'n Chips, click here!)

We couldn't go to London and not try a British national dish right? Which dish you may ask. None other than curry! Now, surprisingly, we had a difficult time finding a curry place to try. Granting we didn't want to take a train anywhere, but we also came across the unfortunate situation of finding every curry place that we sought out to be closed! (We were looking a little before that bewitching time called happy hour.)

Our last resort was a restaurant called Red Leaf. There was a sign out front that said 50% off all entrees- that was not a good sign to us. (If the food was good, why discount it?) We walked in and it was stark empty- another bad sign. We sat down and the table looked like it was set for a wedding banquet- yet another bad omen. Service was slooooow (especially with there not being any customers) and not friendly. And they used a trolley (YES- a trolley) to bring our 3 plates a distance of 10 feet. We were just about to give up and chalk it up to a lack of research and accept defeat... then we tasted the food. O...M...G.

The samosa was so light and flaky; full of flavor without any hint of greasiness. (We didn't even have time to take a photo since we inhaled it so fast.) The other two courses we ordered were lamb dopiaza and chicken tandoori. (We apologize for the quality of these shots!)

The lamb dish was a thick stew-like dish with lots of complex flavors of onions, tomatoes, and herbs. It wasn't really spicy and even had a little sweetness to it. The chicken dish was nicely roasted, but extremely moist. Again, the herbs that were used were nicely integrated into the meat. And best of all, not a single piece was bland (so easy to prevent, but so easily overlooked).

Even after the horrendous service, we would honestly make our way back here again.

The last place we went to was The Wright Brothers Oyster and Porter House. We went to the Borough food market, but unfortunately, it was already closed by the time we arrived. We decided to still take advantage of the environment. With our spidey-senses on high alert, we knew that a great restaurant could not be far. We walked around until we stumbled onto the entrance to this place, which gave off the exact energy that we had been searching for. And what a surprise, it turns out that this place specializes in sea-to-table cooking. It was our lucky night!

We started off with Devilled Whitebait (left photo). It was a local fish similar to herring. It was fried well enough that everything could be eaten- head and fin included, but was not overfried or greasy. When cooking fried foods, the most important thing to make note of is the oil. Not that you have to use anything fancy, just the fact that you have to change it. That's it. Fresh oil at the right temperature can change anything you fry to gourmet status. (Well, that and knowing how to use salt appropriately.) The other thing that made this dish amazing is the freshness of the fish. I wouldn't doubt if this fish was caught that morning. Fish cooked the same day it was caught just has a texture and flavor that cannot be replicated once that window has closed. No matter how great of a chef you are, the fish caught today will always taste better than the one caught yesterday.

The next dish was a simple Fish Pie with Salmon and Smoked Haddock. Neither of us had had a fish pie before and it immediately looked appealing. It seems like a small pan, but it was filling and scrumptious. There's nothing better than a perfectly flaky crust. There weren't a lot of 'fillers' like potato and the pie was filled with a decent amount of fish. Neither the haddock nor the salmon was overcooked and both stood out equally well and balanced. It was a great hearty dish for a rainy day.

Those 2 dishes, plus 1 glass of wine each (this we had to really control), made it a filling, satisfying, and budget-friendly meal.

If you want to read more about things we did in London other than eating, click here!

a shortcut through London

2011-06-22T14:47:00.441-04:00

Our first stop was London. As people who love to travel, London was actually not near the top of our travel bucket list (Sorry London-nites!). Everyone told us that its so similar to New York. And we figured, why go somewhere that's exactly like where we came from? Also, I'm not sure why, but we didn't have a desire to actually visit a place that spoke the same language. Call us crazy or glutton for pain, but we always want to be somewhere 'exotic' and London just never made the cut. But I'm glad that this time it did.

So here's a quick recap of our week.

LtoR: Westminster Abbey, Big Ben & London Eye, Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Tower Bridge

The day we landed, we immediately had to figure out how to get around using public transportation so that we could get to our temporary home in the outskirts of Central London. Even though we've traveled many times before, commuting as a tourist still needs some getting used to. There were many 'What train do we take?' 'Are you sure we're going the right way?' 'Where is it?' And 'Why don't you just ask someone?' questions thrown around. And there is nothing more loving than arguing with your partner about where you are.

(Joel here) I can still remember the moment we stepped off the plane and walked into the train station. I felt this wind of anxiety with the realization that I'm not in New York anymore; no longer in the city that I love the most. As we stood in the middle of the train station carrying our two huge backpacks, I started to analyze and soak in our future endeavors. I reasoned to myself how clever we were in picking England as our entry point to Europe. London skyscrapers, diversity- it's noisy, busy, dirty, smelly, fast-paced energy... factors similar to NYC. Confidence started to build inside me as I told myself "This is awesome- let's find a bar!". However, my better half reminded me that we still have to find out where we were going and how to get there. My anxiety surfaced as fast as it disappeared. Even with the advantage of knowing the language, for me, there is a certain uneasiness of being labeled as a tourist. Maybe it is a New York thing. Stubbornly I started to make excuses that we could figure our way around on our own. Meanwhile, thoughts were racing in my head of the problems we would face in the future. If we can't even figure out how to get around in an English-speaking country then what are we going to do once we go to another country??

Yes, when Joel started feeling anxious about asking someone for directions, I looked at him like he was crazy. These people speak English, why can't you just ask them?? Looking back, I think it may have been the fear of the too familiar. Take New Yorkers for example. I'm sad to admit it, but I hate tourists. They come in, walk super slow, stop in front of escalators to argue about where their going, or stop in the middle of sidewalks and spin in circles while they decipher their ginormous maps. I figured, they want to know what NY feels like, well, I'll show them a pissed off NYer!

(I know I know- Its HORRIBLE of me! So anyone reading this who I may have shoved passed in the past... I'm sorry!)

Anyway, I realize now that because we spoke English, a new fear emerged. It was the fear that people would just reject us just because they wanted to. With a language barrier, we could always just chalk it up to miscommunication. But when both parties speak the same tongue, then the fear of inconveniencing someone for help just took over us. Unfortunately, that is one of the bad genes of being from New York City. Not that we're maliciously being rude or mean, but we get so wrapped up in our schedules and day-to-day activities that we sometimes act too busy to help others. And sometimes, when we are asked for help, we (subconsciously or not) tend to feel like its a burden.

(Joel again) I have no idea if Rachel is talking about the same New York that I know! I think she portrays attitudes of New Yorkers as such because she's the ambassador of sidewalk rage. I, however, play for the other team. I am not saying that New Yorkers are all nice and gully, i just think New York has lost its grittiness compared to let's say 15 years ago. Majority of people who live in Manhattan didn't grow up in Manhattan and I think there is a certain hospitality that "new" new yorkers are practicing when it come to helping others.

Joel says this, but he's never had to deal with tourists during rush hour!

But we finally put the fear aside and asked for help. We got to our destination safe and sound and once we were settled in, we went out first thing in the morning and painted the town. We knew how expensive the trains were going to be since we were coming from outer London (even after using an Oyster card) so we decided to try and hoof it most of the way. Walking walking walking. We walked from Victoria Station to Westminster Chapel, then to Buckingham Palace, then Piccadilly Circus, and last Oxford Circus. Some of you might think that's crazy, but we're NYers! Its actually one of the best things that we love to do back home. Sometimes (usually when we've had too much to eat) we'll walk to our old apt at 116th St from the restaurant at 63rd St. It really is the best way to get around. Plus, it helps shed the extra food that we all sometimes tend to indulge in during vacations. And speaking of food (as always...), we got pretty exhausted so we finally decided to stop and get ourselves our first order of fish and chips. It definitely lived up to its fame. (Click here for more on this and other dishes!)

One site that we absolutely needed to visit was the British Museum. Firstly, its an afternoon inside, away from the rain that would not end. And more importantly, its free! But we also really want to see the Rosetta Stone.

(Yes, me again) I have to admit that when it comes to museums and attractions Rachel is the master of research, time management and priorities. When she told me that we NEEDED to walk, while it was pouring out, to visit the British museum, my first question was why and the second was why?! My first instinct when it rains hard is to find the closest bar and wait for it to stop. Then I realized the longer you stay in London the more one must accept the fact that it will never stop raining. Decoding another language is not the only power of the Rosetta Stone as I learned that day. It extends to the re-direction of loved-ones away from their love of beer!

With regards to the electronic version, although its very expensive, the Rosetta Stone, to me, is the best program to learn another language. The sheer idea that there was an actual STONE that helped us translate languages and cultures was very intriguing to me. (As you can tell, I did not realize that a stone really did exist.) I can't help but laugh though at the comical symbolism of this historic stone being located in London. One of the top 3 things on my bucket list is to learn another language, and here it is, a free Rosetta Stone in London! Of all the places it could be located, its here, ironically, in the only other country that I already know the language! Aahhh life, you gotta love it! I definitely want to see this stone!

So with Joel's new knowledge in hand, we made our way inside. Once we saw it, we literally stood in front of this piece for 20 minutes- not that we were trying to physically figure out what it said, but just because we were in awe of its majesty. There is something wonderfully alluring about seeing an item that was used to decipher other cultures as we embark on our journey to do the same. Looking at this, and knowing that something like it exists in our world just made us thankful once again of all the wonders that are out there.

Another interesting thing we learned about London is the misconception of the London Bridge. Maybe because we all grew up learning the words to this song, we have this fantasy that this must be an amazing, spectacular sigh to see. Sorry to disappoint...

This is the magnificent London Bridge...

(Can I stop writing my name?) While we were walking, I saw a big sign that said London Bridge. I thought, how awesome- a shot next to the famous London Bridge! I stood next to the sign and told Rachel to take my picture. Then I looked around... Where the heck is the bridge?? And then I realized that the stupid 4-lane highway that went across the river was the it. I guess the joke was on me.

look at my amaznig photo... yay...

The other sights photographed at the beginning of the entry were equally as amazing, but nothing too extraordinary happened while we were there. We didn't go inside Westminster Abbey simply because we had no desire to pay $40. And we didn't want to pay even more for the London Eye. We couldn't actually go inside Buckingham Palace, but we did see a changing of the guards session. Unfortunately, the rain started up so we didn't exactly 'see' much. And lastly, we did walk across the Tower Bridge, which was magnificent to look up at. But I think our appreciation for the beauty of the bridge was slightly biased because it was the first time the sun had come out all day... So there's a slight chance that even if we were just looking at a garbage can, our spirits would have been lifted and we would have thought it was the most magnificent can in the world.

Thought it was short, we got to see amazing sights and thoroughly enjoyed getting our feet wet in this foreign, yet English-speaking city.

On a side note...

A large chunk of our visit to London also revolved around some work that Joel did at a restaurant called St. John.

Stay tuned for a future entry on his experience with working in their kitchen!

funny foto: Named after a pickle?

2011-06-17T10:36:00.002-04:00

Its bad enough to name something after a pickle.... but to actually make a building that looks like one?? Man... what was that architect smoking?

If you want to read more about our London travels, click here!

funny foto: Now we believe there's actual tomato in it!

2011-06-17T09:47:00.001-04:00

Our ketchup dispenser when we ate fish and chips in London... Maybe it has magical powers that actually puts real tomatoes in the condiment.

To read more about our other food encounters in London
check this out!
To learn how to actually make awesome Fish 'n Chips
check this out!

funny foto: Strike a pose!

2011-06-17T07:05:00.001-04:00

Oh the things tourists will do for a 'funny' foto...

If you want to read more about our London travels, click here!

what are we thinking??

2011-06-16T02:59:00.157-04:00

Since many of these entries will be retrospective views on what had happened, I thought it would appropriate to include something that I had written as we were waiting to board the first flight of our journey...

I think the 'feeling' of this trip not being a vacation hasn't hit either of us yet. Sometimes I catch myself thinking the way I would if I were planning a regular trip, but then I realize, 'Oh yea. We actually don't have a return date!'

I think this is the first time I've felt slightly unprepared for a trip. Even during our early years, when we were amateurs travelers, I still felt that I had accomplished some level of preparation prior to departure. But because everything is open-ended, there's really no way to prepare for any of it. The best we can do is to lock away our address book and pray that things work themselves out when they need to.

I think the biggest blessing of a situation like this is that you really get to appreciate spontaneity. Not that I'm not a fan of being spontaneous, but anyone who knows me knows that I live for planning, especially planning vacations. I guess this is just my life lesson now. Time to let myself run blindfolded.

Wonder what Joel is thinking?

I think any chef/cook would agree that getting time off from work is close to impossible and sometimes for me-- a little stressful (Even on my nights off I'm thinking... is it busy tonite? ...did they order this? ...hope no one calls in sick ...did the health dept show up?...etc etc). My usual attitude on our small getaways is to forget about savings and budgeting, enjoy life, see the world, drown our stress through beer, food, and different cultures. As we waited to board our flight I felt the same adrenaline rush and excitement towards this unplanned gypsyesque adventure. Then it started to hit me... we are both unemployed, homeless,and broke! What are we thinking?!! But then I thought again and realized... we have no responsibilities to come home to, no set plans, no rules, no boundaries, and a one way ticket?!! Hmmm... OK- roll the dice!

Round and round and round we go, where we stop nobody knows...

packing up your life in a backpack

2011-05-10T05:25:00.005-04:00

If you have a standard traveling backpack, you really shouldn't have trouble fitting a lot of stuff in it. (Let's face it, if you are willing to carry around a 20 kilo back-pack, you probably aren't the kind of traveler that will be needing non-essential things like a flat iron!)The biggest problem that you'll probably come across is getting it to stay within weight limits.

So here's my top 8 tips to packing your life.

1. Start packing 2 weeks to 1 month before you leave.

When you travel as a backpacker, especially if its for a long period of time, you will constantly be changing your mind on the things that you'll need or want to bring. By packing up your bag well before your departure date, you are giving yourself the chance to change your mind (and let's not ignore the chance to save yourself from a few headaches). And when I say pack, I don't mean, fold the clothes that you think you'll need/want to bring and put it in a nice little pile on top of your bag. I mean, take out all the clothes, shoes, accessories, toiletries, electronics, etc., and stuff every single one of those items into the backpack. I speak from experience of taking the rocky road (instead of the paved one). I waited until the day before we left before I completely packed our bags. Luckily (or stupidly), I bought too much stuff and my struggle was having to take away enough items so that we didn't break our backs. But what would have happened if I had forgotten to buy something or if I realized there was something I needed, but couldn't get? Save yourself a migraine, pack early.

2. DON'T go on a travel shopping spree.

If you are using a packing list (assuming you locate the one that you actually need), it'll tell you tons of must-have items that will make you feel like you absolutely will not survive in the wild if you don't have it. That's crap. First, no matter how remote or foreign a country may be, there are things that you will always be able to locate. So yes, I'm telling you not to pack those 3 tubes of toothpaste. And items like collapsible travel cups and even converters are items that are really not necessary for minimal packing. The best way to really judge what you need and don't need, is simply to do Tip #1 before you start shopping (hence doing it early!). I know all you closeted shopaholics out there will say, "but I need this... and I have to have this... and I haven't bought this yet, so I need to do that first." STOP. I promise you, no matter how much you think you need something, if you don't have room or weight space for it, then you won't pack it. Pack the items that you do have first, then use the money you saved and give yourself a treat during your trip with the money you saved.

3. Forget double- Triple up!

Every advice out there will tell you to bring versatile clothing to maximize the space, but don't limit that knowledge to just fabric. Try to have multiple uses for most of your items. Your average smartphone these days can also be used as an alarm clock, a flashlight, and a compass! (Quadrupling it up!) A pillowcase can be used as a pillow (with your clothes stuffed inside) or as a laundry bag or picnic cloth. There's no limit! The best thing is to just look at what your bringing and figure out how many times and how many ways you'll be able to use it. And this can actually help you narrow down your items if you're struggling with that.

4. Bring a travel scale and a big enough purse.

mistakenly brought

used countless times

I don't really mean a purse purse, but I do mean an additional bag that is large enough to carry 10 kilos. If you've had experience traveling RyanAir before, you'll know that they are VERY strict in their luggage limits, as are other budget airlines. If you have a large backpack, you will almost always need to check it in. Which is again another added expense. But if your day bag is not big enough to maximize that 10 kilo cabin bag allowance, then that's just money that you're throwing away. That is also the reason why I feel that a travel scale is an essential item. Being able to accurately know how much your bags weigh will not only allow you to use all your weight limits, but can also give you the piece of mind of not having any surprise excess baggage fees. The last thing you want is to stuff your day bag so far passed looking ridiculous, then realize that you only have 6 kilos in there. So go ahead, give yourself another treat and bring the scale and the bigger bag.

5. Pockets, Pockets, Pockets!

Sometimes, even when you fill your cabin bag up to 10 kilos and your check-in bag is also at its max, or even when the airport's scale cheats and says your bag is 10.5, having plenty of pocket space is the difference between having an extra 40 Euros in your pocket and not. If you are traveling long enough to span the width of several seasons, then you'll most likely have some type of jacket in your arsenal. Luckily for you, jackets are considered clothing items that can be on your person. And since airlines have not been legally allowed to charge for excess weight on a person (and let's all pray that they NEVER find a loophole for this!), then stuffing your jacket pockets with things is a must for every budget traveler. Don't get me wrong- don't use your jacket as a makeshift luggage and expect to get away with it. But take all of your heavier, less bulky items (i.e. cellphone, phrase books, chargers, etc) and stuff away. On one flight (again, with the amazing RyanAir *insert sarcasm here*), I was able to fit an entire 6 kilos in our two jackets combined! (And yes, I took my scale and weighed it just to see how crazy we really were.) So the rule here is to pack your pockets well.

6. Shoes, Shoes, Sho- NO!!!

shoes I brought

As a girl, I want to appeal to all women who are fantasizing about the glories of backpacking. It's not always pretty. And if you're already frowning while thinking about what you think I'm about to say to you, then this type of adventure is probably not for you. There should only be 2-3 pairs of shoes in your bag- MAX! A good walking sandal and good walking sneakers should be enough, but if you really think you'll need it, one good, somewhat dressy walking shoe would be convenient too. That's it. There's really nothing else- no other valid reason to bring an additional pair. And this advice goes for males and females. If you disagree, then this type of adventure might not really be your cup of tea.

7. Your new best friend- the soap bar.

Not just any soap bar, but a laundry soap bar. Some people may snicker and think this is insane, but this small item will not only save you money in laundry costs, but by knowing that you'll be able to wash your clothes anywhere there's water, you'll have a lesser need to bring more items. Instead of bringing a week's worth of underwear (boxers and tanks do add up), you can cut that in half by washing every 2-3 days. I know it might seem daunting, but it really doesn't take up a lot of time and you'll get the hang of it pretty quickly. So soap- don't leave home without it.

8. Safety first?

I placed a question mark because there's a huge market out there for all of these crazy travel safety items that just sometimes end up being a waste of space and money. Fancy luggage tags- take a piece of paper, write your info, and stick it in the outside pocket. Luggage straps so your bag is easily recognizable- take a handkerchief, a table napkin, or just rip off a piece of fabric (just not off your mom's favorite dress!) and tie it to the luggage handle. Passport cover- I have to admit that I have one, but I only like it because its neon orange (which actually is a HORRIBLE color for a cover since it screams 'look at me!'). Anyway, the actual purpose of one doesn't exist to me. Why would you be flailing your passport around so others can see it? The cover prevents water damage? HOW? The only part its actually protecting is the part that doesn't really get damaged by water. A first-aid kit- pack some bandages and alcohol wipes. Any injury that needs more than that will probably need to be seen by a real doctor anyway. And I can go on and on and on. Junk. That's what 80% of all the travel stuff out there are. The only real safety item that I will advocate for is a money belt. Not a fanny pack, or even a neck holder thing (sorry I've got no clue what the name is- its the same as a money belt, but around your neck), but an actual, strap-around-your-waist-and-wear-under-your-clothes money belt.Your passport, spare cash and credit card should always be on you. But you should never have easy access to them, because if you do, then someone else does too. So, no matter what happens, no matter what might get lost, you won't get left with nothing.

I hope that at least one of these items was helpful to you. I learned some of them the hard way and others through tons of research, reading about what other travelers have seen/done. I want to make a point that my advice is mostly for other crazy travelers like us who want to save $10 for every dollar spent. The ones who are traveling to attend fancy events or dress up for expensive meals will probably not benefit much from this. You may disagree with my opinions, but that's all they are- opinions. And if this is exactly the kind of trip that you want to take, then wouldn't you rather get advice from something other than a universal packing list?

Happy Packing!

Joel's sister carrying one of our bags.

compulsive saving

2011-05-01T14:38:00.008-04:00

I feel that its only appropriate to start this blog with a tidbit on how we came about saving and planning for this trip

For those of you who know me, you know that I had compulsively left Japan in March for reasons that you all could probably guess (does the earthquake/tsunami/power plant disaster ring a bell?). Originally, our plan was to go to Japan and travel Asia once my work contract was finished. The best laid plans right?

(left to right: fall illumination at Kiyomizu, Tsukiji Market deliveries, a wedding at Mei-ji)

Anyway, after coming home, we were sad that we couldn't do Japan, but we still wanted to do Asia- especially Philippines, so we decided to take all the money we had and continue to keep saving until the summer.

I honestly don't know what happened next.

Somehow, we ended up changing our minds and we decided to go to Italy. From that moment on, we planned the route, applied for membership to WWOOF Italia, and joined forums on CouchSurfing.

As for the savings.... well... We weren't exactly smart about that.

For the sake of being honest and to help people to feel that travelling REALLY is do-able... the amount that we saved for this trip is... drumroll please... $5000.

Yes, we know that all you RTWers and veteran travelers must think we're crazy, but we were optimistic and we really, really, REALLY wanted to go asap :)

Anyway, that was basically the most we were able to save. Plus all the incidentals that you don't know you'll need, then realize you do, then realize after you buy it that you really didn't need it. So word to the wise- if you use a packing list, really think carefully about what you bring. Just always remember that you'll pay so much more on luggage fees or you'll just end up throwing it out. Not to mention the strain on your body if you really will be back-packing it! Check out this post to read more about this.

Another way to save some money is to really take the time to shop around for flights. We were originally going to fly into Milan on a one-way ticket priced at roughly $600 each (through our ever-faithful flight site- Kayak). This is NOT a bad price- especially for a June flight. But a little diligence and route maneuvering and I was able to find a one-way ticket to London for $240! (Again, through Kayak.) It gave us a chance to see London for a few days and our connecting flight to Milan was only an additional $50 each.

I believe other seasoned travelers will agree with me when I say that the largest pick-pocketers during these trips are food and lodging. Again, a little diligence and a lot of preparation can help prevent these things from majorly denting your wallet.

WWOOF is an amazing organization that allows people to work for food and lodging. Each person works an average 6 hours per day, 5 days a week. In exchange, the farmers provide them with a place to sleep and food to eat. Most countries have their own websites and a small 1-year fee (avg $30) to pay for health insurance. The preparation part is to make sure that you give yourself plenty of time to contact farms and receive confirmation- this isn't always a piece of cake. But once you have a farm, stick to your agreed arrival date! The farms need you just as much as you need them and you should always honor that.

CouchSurfing is a relatively new concept, but rapidly gaining much respect in the traveling community. Its yet another way that the internet can help bring all of us together. You sign up for a free account and create your profile. Then you search other members and place a couch request. You also have the option of hosting other members in your own home. If you don't need a couch, you can just request to meet other members for coffee or join forums to attend group meetings. Let's get this straight. This is not a dating site. Its simply a way for travelers to connect with locals and other travelers. I don't think anyone will disagree that traveling around a new city with a local usually turns out a lot differently than going at it on your own.

My last bit of advice may not seem like the discovery of the atom, but so few people take advantage of it that its still worth mentioning. When it comes to food, restaurants are not your friends. Even if you're savvy enough to find a place not primarily catered to tourists, the prices are still more than what you should be paying. So the solution is... visit the local market! Part of the reason we visit these countries is to try their local ingredients- where do you think these restaurants get their products? Even at an overly franchised supermarket, you'll still be able to find items that you might not get anywhere else. I'm not saying don't go to ANY restaurants (Joel would be out of a job then!), but take advantage of things that you don't have to pay a premium for. Wines, sliced meats, fruits, local beers, even canned food (don't mock- have you ever tried canned anchovies from Spain??) are just some of the things that you can easily get at a price worth paying.

If there's anything you can take a way from this entry, its the fact that preparation will surely prevent overspending. We all have to learn that lesson... but we can choose whether we take the paved road or the rocky one.

Under Constuction

2011-04-30T08:52:00.000-04:00

Our blog is going to endure reconstructive surgery. Get ready for a new and better site to follow us with soon...

www.FollowOurBreadcrumbs.com