travel je t'aime

Cheers to Six Years: A Europhile Reunion in Toronto

noreply@blogger.com (Gnome de Plume) — Tue, 26 Aug 2014 18:48:00 +0000

When I moved to France in 2007 for an eight-month stint as a high school English teacher, I had already chatted with Stephanie via Facebook because we'd both been placed in the same city -- Angers. We formally met one afternoon in the central plaza, where she introduced me to Becca, whom she'd just met at a regional orientation and who was living in Nantes, a 40-minute train ride away. We'd only been teaching for a week and were already due for our first vacation.

Welcome. To. France.

Less than a minute into our conversation, we were planning our first trip:

Becca: "So, for the October break, Steph and I were thinking we'd like to go to Greece. Are you in?"

Me: "Sign me up."

That evening, I was texting Steph my credit card number so that she could book my flight.

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The Ugly American

noreply@blogger.com (Gnome de Plume) — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 18:17:00 +0000

- "I haven't been to Mexico. We get enough of that as it is."

Flying out of Norfolk would be a joy, I thought. Small airport, short security line, friendly airport staff. Well, it might have been a joy had my flight not been cancelled. I hustled, calling American Airlines and working out an early (really early) morning flight out of Richmond so that I could still make it to work the next day. Jen offered to wake up at the crack of dawn and drive me all the way there. Thanks, Jen!

On our way back to Jen's place, we decided that this turn of events called for a night of wine, cheese, and Zoolander.

The following morning, running on nearly no sleep, I boarded my Richmond flight and found myself sitting directly behind a man who brought the caricature of the "ugly American" to new, dare I say artistic levels. He was in high spirits, talking jovially to the man seated next to him, who politely laughed at a joke or two and nodded a lot but mostly kept quiet. Once my brain was awake enough to process the chatter, nothing seemed more important than jotting it all down for posterity, so I reached for my phone and began typing vigorously into my Notes app. Below are some of the actual words that came out of this man's actual mouth. Verbatim:

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A Memorable Day of Doing Nothing in Portsmouth, Virginia

noreply@blogger.com (Gnome de Plume) — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 14:37:00 +0000

After my tour of beautiful Norfolk, I was ready for round two of quaint American charm. The seaport town of Portsmouth, Virginia, is known for its antique shops, art galleries, and children's museum. Jen, Sebastian, and I visited Portsmouth and spent the day not visiting antique shops, art galleries, or children's museums. Instead, we ate German food and traipsed around in the rain with blue umbrellas. It was perfect.

Our jaunt to Portsmouth from Norfolk began with a ferry ride. That's worth the trip right there.

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Free Wine at Virginia Beach Proves There Is Good in the World

noreply@blogger.com (Gnome de Plume) — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 15:54:00 +0000

When I visited Jen -- my frequent travel buddy and partner in crime -- in lovely Norfolk last summer, we took a detour to nearby Virginia Beach for some sun and relaxation. I heart a beach day, but I'll admit that, as a Miami native, I've been spoiled (read: made snooty) by the azure, white-sand beaches of South Florida. My first impression of Virginia Beach was: ugh, brown sand.

Virginia Beach (left) vs. Miami Beach (right)

But then something beautiful happened.

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Beauty and Battleships in Norfolk, Virginia

noreply@blogger.com (Gnome de Plume) — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 23:39:00 +0000

My 4th of July weekend festivities have inspired me to continue celebrating America by posting about my trip to one of the original 13 colonies -- Virginia.

Happy Birthday, U.S.A. Looking good at 238.

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Travel Flashback: Grad Students Hit the Travel Jackpot

noreply@blogger.com (Gnome de Plume) — Thu, 26 Jun 2014 16:59:00 +0000

- "Where are the free water sports? We're here for the free water sports!"

In 2006, three girlfriends and I embarked on a trip to the Bahamas. Carmen, who was pursuing a PhD in Caribbean Literature, was presenting at a conference in Nassau, and our university was paying for her hotel room. Two double beds = room for four, so off we went to achieve what no starving grad student had achieved before -- a four-day trip to the Bahamas for $23. Our expenses broke down as follows:

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Classing It Up in Turin

noreply@blogger.com (Gnome de Plume) — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 18:06:00 +0000

Palaces. Opera houses. Gardens. After getting to know beautiful, rusty Bologna, Turin felt like an extravagance. I arrived knowing little more than the following about the fourth largest city in Italy:

It is home to the famous Shroud of Turin, which some believe to be the shroud in which Jesus was buried.
Italy's royal family, the House of Savoy, lived there.

Given its royal history, I figured that Turin would be elegant, but I'm not sure I bargained for this:

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Emilia-Romagna Is for Eating

noreply@blogger.com (Gnome de Plume) — Tue, 17 Dec 2013 20:32:00 +0000

How much would life suck without the existence of the following foods?

Parmigiano-Reggiano
Bolognese sauce
Mortadella
Balsamic vinegar
Tortellini
Tagliatelle
Lasagna alla Bolognese
Prosciutto

A lot! Life would suck a lot. To the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, the birthplace of these culinary wonders, I say grazie.

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Bologna in a Nutshell

noreply@blogger.com (Gnome de Plume) — Sun, 01 Dec 2013 14:47:00 +0000

The “In a Nutshell” series superficially summarizes an entire city, region, or country in a few bullet points. Ignoring historical and cultural complexities, I give you Bologna … in a nutshell:

Tortellini, bolognese sauce, mortadella ... You WILL gain weight here. Don't fight it.

In most of Europe, Americans can be embarrassingly loud. Not so here. Judging by my Italian fellow train travelers, watching movies on a tablet at full volume without the use of headsets is totally acceptable.

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Ghosts of Bologna

noreply@blogger.com (Gnome de Plume) — Wed, 20 Nov 2013 20:15:00 +0000

By day, Bologna is beautiful; by night, it's haunting. In the moonlight, the archways, cobblestone, and warm hues lend the city an air of mystery. Sure, I may be overselling Bologna as the perfect setting for a 19th-century murder mystery novel, but I like my cities with a little dose of intrigue, so I kept an eye out for furtive-looking men in long black pea coats and top hats ... just in case. I also tried to capture my impressions of ghostly Bologna in photographs:

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A Food-Filled Afternoon in Bologna

noreply@blogger.com (Gnome de Plume) — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 15:38:00 +0000

Bologna is lovingly known as la grassa (the fat one) for its rich culinary tradition and food culture. In a future post, I plan to elaborate on the history of food in Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, of which Bologna is the capital, but for now, I'll simply take you through one afternoon's worth of eating in Bologna. Think of this post as the appetizer.

After a quick breakfast of toast and orange juice (boring!), Kellie and I are ready to stroll the city and eat, eat, eat.

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Bologna and the Love of Old Things

noreply@blogger.com (Gnome de Plume) — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 20:15:00 +0000

I've always had a fascination with all things old. As a kid, I briefly considered being an archeologist. I thought it would be exhilarating to unearth old things and discover hidden histories. The past is alluring to me, not because I think life would have been better in some romanticized "back then," but because there's comfort in continuity.

In Bologna, the past is very much alive. It's there in the architecture and in the traditional foods, a part of everyday life. As I mentioned in my last post, Bologna is home to the oldest university in the world, which was founded in the late eleventh century. Two medieval towers also showcase Bologna's past, standing tall in the city center. The taller of the two is open to visitors.

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Beautiful Bologna

noreply@blogger.com (Gnome de Plume) — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 23:37:00 +0000

There's no city like it. Bologna, the capital of the Emilia-Romagna region in Italy, isn't nearly as popular a travel destination as Rome, Naples, Florence, Venice, or Milan, but I can't see why. It's home to the oldest university in the world, it's recognized as the gastronomic center of Italy, and it's pretty ... very pretty. Bologna may not be a polished city -- it's full of cracks and imperfections -- but the fact that Bologna looks its age is part of the charm.

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Favorite Moments in Paris

noreply@blogger.com (Gnome de Plume) — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 14:32:00 +0000

I swung by Paris for only three days last April, but I made the best of them. The photos below showcase my favorite moments from my most recent trip to the belle ville.

Reuniting with old friends

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Capture the Colour Photo Contest 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Gnome de Plume) — Sat, 21 Sep 2013 16:48:00 +0000

For the second year in a row, Travel Supermarket is hosting Capture the Colour, a contest in which travel and photography bloggers showcase five pictures, each featuring a different color -- yellow, red, green, white, and blue. Each blogger then nominates five fellow bloggers to enter the contest, which ends October 9.

Recently, Joe of Cosmic Smudge nominated me. Yay! There's no way I'm winning this thing, but it's fun to participate because 1) it makes me feel like part of the travel blogger community and 2) it gives me an excuse to spell the word colour with a u. So here goes.

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Sir Gnome's Paris Highlights

noreply@blogger.com (Gnome de Plume) — Wed, 18 Sep 2013 20:09:00 +0000

A London resident, Sir Gnome visits Paris as often as his busy life allows. After all, it's an easy trip across the English Channel on the Eurostar. He loves making new discoveries in the "city of lights" -- venturing outside the city center, finding hidden corners, dining at bistros that tourist guides ignore. However, while Sir Gnome loves an adventure, he also finds comfort in the familiar. For this reason, he has chosen to share the three experiences he can never do without in Paris. Below are his photos and descriptions.

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How I Argued with a Grumpy Old Frenchman and Won (sort of)

noreply@blogger.com (Gnome de Plume) — Fri, 13 Sep 2013 15:51:00 +0000

- "Look, monsieur, I don't know who you're talking about, but I booked a room for two."

Grand Hôtel du Loiret is a classically Parisian budget hotel -- small, quaint, locally owned, and centrally located. After checking out the official website and reading mostly positive reviews on Trip Advisor, I decided to give this hotel a shot. I booked over the phone and then emailed the hotel to request a confirmation. Below is a translated and heavily abbreviated version of that email exchange:

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Paris Picture-Takers

noreply@blogger.com (Gnome de Plume) — Fri, 06 Sep 2013 20:34:00 +0000

I lived in Paris for a period of six months as a college student, and I've visited the city while on vacation a total of six times. Lucky moi. When I travel there now, it feels more like a second home than a travel destination. I'd much rather sit at a café all day than venture to the top of the Eiffel Tower. That said, I can't keep myself from snapping photos of the same famous structures over and over again. It's beyond my control. On my most recent trip to Paris, I tried a new approach -- capturing the city from the perspective of a first-timer by taking pictures of people taking pictures. Below are the results of my mini meta-photo project.

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Peace and Quiet in Ocala, Florida

noreply@blogger.com (Gnome de Plume) — Tue, 27 Aug 2013 15:39:00 +0000

I'm a city girl at heart. I love the energy and possibilities of a big city and the anonymity that comes with being one of many on a busy street. Sometimes, though, I find it necessary to -- excuse the cheesy expression -- stop and smell the roses (I couldn't resist). Last year, a friend invited me to spend a weekend with the girls at her family's country home in Ocala, Florida, a 5-hour drive from my hometown of Miami. We strolled the grounds, chatted, played pool, ate cheese, drank wine, and lounged by the swimming pool. I wouldn't wish to live in a permanent state of tranquility, but I do value regularly making the time to do nothing at all. Below are a few snapshots of my bucolic weekend.

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Trying Texan Wine

noreply@blogger.com (Gnome de Plume) — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 13:16:00 +0000

When people say that everything is bigger in Texas, does "everything" include glasses of wine? I was pondering this all-important question when I arrived at Pedernales Cellars, a convenient stop in the Texas Hill Country on my way back to Austin from the adorable town of Fredericksburg. Before this trip, I had no clue that Texas produced any wines at all. It was happy news, particularly since the wines were better than I expected. After my wine tasting, I enjoyed some quiet time on the back terrace overlooking the field and feeling very Little House on the Prairie.

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Fredericksburg: An All-American German Town

noreply@blogger.com (Gnome de Plume) — Fri, 23 Aug 2013 16:08:00 +0000

During my recent visit to Austin, Texas, I took a day trip to the charming town of Fredericksburg. When I arrived, all the Main Street-esque quaintness made me feel as though I were in a Disney version of small-town America. Thing is, Fredericksburg is actually quite German. It is called Fredericksburg, after all.

After my trip, I looked into the history behind this German settlement and found it fascinating. The Atlantic Times, an English-language German newspaper, explains:
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The Sun Sets on Lake Travis

noreply@blogger.com (Gnome de Plume) — Wed, 21 Aug 2013 19:04:00 +0000

Part bar, part restaurant, part shopping strip, and part lookout, the 30,000-square-foot The Oasis on Lake Travis is one busy complex. Getting a table with a view of Lake Travis (really, a reservoir of the Colorado River, but let's not parse words here) may take some patience, but it's worth the effort. The Oasis calls itself the "sunset capital of Texas," and the views don't disappoint. See for yourself:

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In Austin, Ain't Nothin' Wrong with Weird

noreply@blogger.com (Gnome de Plume) — Mon, 19 Aug 2013 20:26:00 +0000

"Keep Austin Weird" is more than just a city slogan; it's an invitation to embrace difference. Austinites adopted the slogan in 2000 in a effort to promote small, independent businesses, but the phrase has come to reflect the spirit of Austin, Texas, a city that encourages individuality and artistic expression. On my first visit, I was charmed by Austin's laid-back, quirky character. Below are a few photos that capture some of that quirk.

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Portugal in a Nutshell

noreply@blogger.com (Gnome de Plume) — Tue, 30 Jul 2013 15:55:00 +0000

The “In a Nutshell” series superficially summarizes an entire city, region, or country in a few bullet points. Ignoring historical and cultural complexities, I give you Portugal … in a nutshell:

When ordering hot chocolate, be advised that this means melted chocolate in a cup. It’s delicious, but I wouldn’t suggest drinking an entire cup for breakfast unless you’d like to wage war on your stomach.

There are hills everywhere, and they’re truly alive with the sound of music. Okay, I made the second part up.

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A Porto River Cruise at Sunset

noreply@blogger.com (Gnome de Plume) — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 15:49:00 +0000

On the first leg of my trip to Portugal, I stood atop Lisbon’s ancient castle overlooking the city to watch a stunning sunset. It seemed fitting that I should say goodbye to Portugal by taking in another sunset, this time while cruising the Douro River. Hopping onto one of the many boats from the riverfront Ribeira neighborhood is a great way to see the city from a different angle. These cruises generally last about an hour, an hour in which there’s nothing to do but relax and snap a few photos. Below are some of mine:

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