What I Ate In China!

I recently worked my first flight to Beijing, China. My crew was great but I was so jet-lagged that i slept most of my layover..Oops!

However, I did venture out for a few hour to explore and eat. Mostly eat!

Actually, before leaving my hotel I ordered room service for breakfast/lunch. I decided to try a Chinese breakfast called Congee and no lie it has become one of my favorite meals. I really enjoyed the vegetarian mushroom congee with some kind of pickled vegetables. I couldn’t get enough! So I ordered congee the next morning as well!

Once I made it out of my hotel my first stop was Starbucks for a mocha latte at an underground mall. It was amazing but thanks to the cold outdoor temperatures it didn’t stay warm long..

Next stop was STREET FOOD! As most people know I am an adventurous eater and now have health issues that severely limit my diet, which is extremely frustrating. Well I couldn’t help myself so I first bought a stick of freshly fried crickets and then a stick of mystery meat (I assumed was chicken). The crickets were great, I would eat them again and highly recommend them. The meat was chewy and after talking to a friend who has lived in China we became a little concerned over what animal I may have eaten…Still praying it wasn’t rat..

Next I stopped for candied fruit! I had been told to try this by a stranger on a plane one day so I was really excited and pleasantly surprised. It was a sweet crunchy taste with all kinds of fruit. I would definitely recommend anyone visiting to try it out!

Still a little hungry I grabbed what I believe was squid on a stick and that was great as well! My friend thought it was chicken feet at first but I am fairly certain that it was squid… Overall I would give China a thumbs up when it comes to exotic food! I’m not one to shy away so if anyone has recommendations or stories I would love to hear! Happy Hump Day!!

A few funny moments:

1. Escalators are on the opposite side sometimes. I kept walking up to the wrong escalators. It was a bit embarrassing!

2. Two Chinese girls randomly asked me if they could take a picture with me. Not sure why?

3. People are not afraid to push and shove. I was walking slow due to the foot traffic and i was getting bumped and pushed even though there was nowhere to go.

Walls of Dubrovnik: 3 Must Do’s

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1. Walk the Walls: Pay the $18 (120kn) and take the time to walk the walls. Throughout the walk you will have different views of the inside of the walls, the hills, and the Adriatic Sea. You will be amazed by the incredibly vibrant colors of the water in contrast to the orange roofs, rocks and castles/fortress’. As touristy as it may be it is a must do your first time to Dubrovnik.

2. Ice Cream Coffee in view of Game of Thrones Fortress: I cannot remember what this cafe was called but hopefully the pictures below will help. It has an ice cream stand out front as well! Anyways, you will have your fair share of coffee in this part of the world. Trust me. But this ice cream coffee was one of the most amazing things I have ever tasted. Trust me on this one and taste a bit of heaven!

3. Cafe Buza: This whole in the wall (literally) cannot be missed but may be hard to find. Enjoy wandering through the city while searching for the opening to this cliff side cafe. Stop in for food, drinks or just a casual spot to read a book and enjoy the ocean breeze. My photos aren’t he best but click on the link for photos and directions, it really is an incredible experience.

A Day in Montenegro

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My new obsession! I love falling in love with places I never dreamed of exploring (and possibly didn’t know existed). Montenegro made us feel like we were living in The Truman Show, thank you Andrea for the reference! We were practically expecting to walk into a wall and realize we are just living in a fake world. Thankfully that never happened and the beauty was never ending. Here’s my 24 hours in Montenegro!

We began the day driving from Dubrovnik, Croatia and made our first stop in Herceg Novi. This peaceful cove was a dreamy pit stop for sail boats with crystal clear water and fortress walls on every edge. We took a stroll along the boardwalk and grabbed coffee at Admiral Cafe and Resturant along the ‘pier.’ It is way overpriced but honestly the view is worth the money. Try the iced coffee!

Next on our list was, Perast, to see Our Lady of the Rocks. So there are two small islands off the coast. Saint George Island is naturally formed and privately owned by monks. We were told it is a cemetery. The second is manmade, created from a ship wreck and has a small church tourists can explore. In the photos, the island we are on is Our Lady of the Rocks and the small one in the background is Saint George Island. You will feel like you are getting hassled when you show up, but we paid 5 euros each to take a boat to the island and back. It’s beautiful, small and worth a stop.

Now to the final destination of Kotor, to unwillingly climb what is left of Saint Johns Fortress and it’s 1900 steps…yes you read that right. The 1900 steps sounds a lot less intimidating when you aren’t looking at the 4,000 foot mountain. Despite the blistering heat and sore calves the view is absolutely stunning. Nothing compares. The photo above has not been edited at all, I know, I’m in shock too.

We ended up finding an Airbnb just outside Kotor called Apartments Villa PM that costs $48 total for 3 people and is on the water. It has a small beach as well as steps into the water. I will definitely be returning to this beautiful little spot. The only downfall is slow wifi and hot water that doesn’t last long (pretty typical anywhere in former Yugoslavia), but let’s be real, the location is so worth it and it is 5 minutes from Kotor!

As far as food, Kotor is known for clams, which I intended on having for dinner. Unfortunately the pizza ended up winning me over! Oops! Next time the clams are all mine!

Hope you enjoyed! I would love any recommendations if you have been!

Sarajevo, Bosna I Herzegovina

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Best Time of Year: Autumn or Spring

Fun Fact: Hosted the 1984 Olympic Games. Although the war (1992-1995) destroyed many of the structures you can still see remnants such as the torch and the bobsled track in the capital, which is definitely worth driving up to see.

Language: Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian

Hello – Zdravo/Cao
Bye – Cao
Thank You – Hvala

The Capital: SARAJEVO

Sarajevo is a city surrounded by the Dinaric Alps with the Miljacka River running through the center. As you can see above there is over a dozen bridges with some famous ones, including the Vrbanja Bridge which is famous for a documentary about a couple who was shot and killed by snipers while crossing the bridge during the war. It is now a developing city full of high end malls, resturants, and fancy apartments with costs similar to the U.S. The average citizen has an income of around $350-$500 a month, with apartment costs ranging from $150 USD to thousands in a high rise. Due to the corrupt political system, there’re is little opportunity which has led to many Bosnians dispersing around the world since the war.

Recommended Malls: BBI Center, Sarajevo City Center, Old Town District

Rental Car: Rent a car with insurance, crime is low but car theft is somewhat common. Rentals are not too expense and are necessary if you want to see more of the country. Public transportation is not as efficient or reliable.

To Do:

1. Sarajevo Olympic Bobsleigh and Luge Track (pictured above)- This now graffiti filled track is located atop the Trebovic mountain overlooking the city. Due to the war there is estimated to be nearly 120,000 land mines left throughout the countries hills. For the past twenty years government agencies, NGO’s, and NATO military units have been working to clear the country of the explosives. The goal is to be landmine free by 2019 so be aware of your surroundings and pay attention to signs warning pedestrians to stay on paved trails. On a happier note, a resort near the Olympic Track is building a bobsled rollercoaster on the side of the mountain which will be a fun attraction.

2. Bijela Tabija/White Fortress – This national monument overlooks the city of Sarajevo, as the natural entrance to Sarajevo, it is now more of a bombed fortress that has an incredible view of the city. Do your best to get over a fear of heights and go walk around the border of the fort (pictured twice to the left).

3. Vrelo Bosne (pictured below) – This Public Park springs from the River Bosna right outside Sarajevo. This is a peaceful escape from the busy city with swans, bridges, cafes and fresh running water (although drinking is not recommended).4. Skakavac Waterfall – This is quite a drive up the hills and you may have to ask locals but it is worth it. Along with the 321 foot waterfall, there is a ton of wildlife along the way. In winter the waterfall is a stunning icy drip but when the weather warms up it flows beautifully down the mountain.

Vrelo Bosne

4. Skakavac Waterfall – This is quite a drive up the hills and you may have to ask locals but it is worth it. Along with the 321 foot waterfall, there is a ton of wildlife along the way. In winter the waterfall is a stunning icy drip but when the weather warms up it flows beautifully down the mountain.

Coffee Lovers: Take time out of your day to grab a cup of espresso at a local cafe and chat. Also the hot chocolate is more of a hot pudding with whipped cream and it is delicious but very rich. Try it! You may be pleasantly surprised.

Recomendations: Caffe 35 at Avaz Twist Tower & viewing deck (located atop tallest building in the city), Zlatna Ribica (antique and upbeat), Hotel Hecco Deluxe (beautiful 360 view of Sarajevo atop hotel), Dom Faletici (in the Sarajevo hills). Many of these are restuarants as well.

My Fellow Foodies: Bread comes with everything. Main dishes include, Chevapi (meat in pita bread), Burek (meat in doughy bread), Fish (grilled whole), Lamb, Potatoes and a dipping sauce called Ajvar.

Recommendations: Toplik Fish Restaurant (locally grown food and fish pond), Avlija (indoor garden, yummy bread), Zeljo (famous for cevapi)

Toplik Fish Restaurant

I hope you are able to enjoy Sarajevo’s city and hillside as I have been able to over the last year. More on Bosnia to come!

Travel Gone Wrong

Around the World, Flight Attendant Thoughts

Anyone who travels knows it is not always easy. After flying for a year, I am now very aware of how often flight delays can disrupt travel plans but it doesn’t end there. No matter how experienced of a traveler you are, you come to realize there is only so much in your control. Here is a few times my trips took a turn toward memory lane:

Monopoly Money (Chile-2017):

Sky Costanera in Santiago, Chile

I recently went to Santiago, Chile and exchanged Euros to Chilean Pesos. Okay Pesos are naturally confusing to me because the bills are in thousands. Anyways at lunch day one me and my coworker thought we were overpaying our waitress by paying her 2600 Pesos. She looked at us funny and we told her to keep the change. Turns out it was actually 24000 Pesos. We were 32 US dollars short…Lesson learned, pay close attention to new currency so that you don’t embarrassingly underpay or get cheated money while overpaying.

Moscow Train Fiasco (Russia-2013):

Saint Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow, Russia

A few years ago, while studying abroad I took a day trip to Moscow with students I had never met. The trip was great until we headed back to Saint Petersburg on an overnight train. All of us were in separate sleeper cars and while boarding mine I was denied. I rechecked my ticket and I had purchased it for the following night. Okay y’all, I had about 10 minutes before the departure and not a single person in the train station spoke English. No joke I ran around that train station screaming, “does anyone speak English” and no one even looked at me. After failing to talk to a ticket agent a man who spoke broken Russian and broken English helped me buy a ticket. Don’t worry it’s not over yet. After running back to my sleeper car and pulling out my ticket, all I have in my hand is the receipt. No joke the train is leaving in 1 minute. I have no friends, no English speakers, and no ticket. I ran back and forth down the boarding area and turn around to a man yelling out while waving my ticket. As the train began moving, I hopped on, traumatized and fell asleep crying in my not so private bed. Lesson learned, always double check tickets when purchasing in advance (date, time, city) especially when it is in foreign languages.

Revenge of the Camel (Morocco-2013)

Sahara Desert, Morocco

One of the most memorable things I have ever done was a Camel Trek through the Sahara Desert while in Morocco for my 21st birthday. After leaving the desert with a sore booty (see photo above), it took a few hours to get back to Casablanca. On that drive I broke out into a 104 degree fever and chills that I did my best to keep to myself. Upon arriving at the ship students were running to cut the line claiming they were sick. At first I was agitated but eventually realized I was one of the sick ones and rushed to the front so that I could get to the ship doctor, which was lined from wall to wall with students from my trip. Rumor has it we were fed bad camel on our camel trek which led to close to forty students getting quarantined to our rooms for two days. Lesson learned, be careful when eating food, especially street food, from that point on I began carrying Pepto Bismol tablets to settle my stomach at any moment.

Driving in the sidewalk in Malmo (Sweden-2016):

Alnarp Castle in Malmo, Sweden

My boyfriend and I were heading to dinner from the suburbs into the city of Malmo. To be honest, the streets are full of roundabouts, odd merging lanes and winding streets, but that doesn’t make this any better. While merging lanes my boyfriend drove right up into a walking path/bike trail without even blinking. Meanwhile I’m screaming who knows what at him. He slams on the breaks and we both die laughing realizing what just happened. Luckily no cars or police were anywhere near us and we continued on to dinner a little more cautious. Lesson learned, be extra alert when driving in other countries as streets and signs may look foreign and drivers are aggressive.

The Disapearing Backpack (South Africa-2013)

Cape Point Ostrich Farm in South Africa

While heading out for a 3 day South Africa excursion with Adventure Capetown, my girlfriend and I were in charge of gathering everyone into the van. The pick up was in the middle of the night so everyone had already spent the night out at the clubs which made for a bit of chaos. When my girlfriend went to grab the last few people I was in charge of making sure the bags made it into the van. When we made it to our first stop we realized her bag was missing, somehow never made it in the van and was never found near the ship. Someone had stollen it. We ended up sharing everything that trip which was no big deal but she lost numerous things includeing clothes and makeup, and it was partially my fault. Lesson learned, keep an eye on your belongings when traveling. People are watching and waiting for you to get distracted and often even cause diversions in order to pick pocket.

Bugs for Dinner!? Mexico City Airport!

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Who are my crazy foodies out there?! Over the years I have tried cow tongue at Korean BBQ, a live termite in Belize, ate ants as a kid, a whole fish in Bosnia, escargot in France and rumored to have eaten camel in Morocco, so this Mexico City layover was exciting for me!

I never knew I could have so much fun in an airport! It helps to have an amazing crew who knows their way around and speaks Spanish. First of all this airport has a huge food court with any food or drink you can imagine. Seriously, so many options!

But my focus today is on one restaurant Cucara Macara located above the food court. If you are looking to be adventurous this is the place for you (there is normal Mexican food as well). I went in search of escomoles (ant larvae), but left with a tummy full of chicharrones (pig skin chips), grillo (crickets), and gusano de maguey (tequila worms)! What better way to entertain yourself at an airport than crazy food!

The Taste:

Escomoles: For anyone wondering the ant larvae is mixed with onions and that is basically all you taste. They give you lime and tortillas and we ordered guacamole chips and salsa and ate it with tacos and chips. If you like onions try it!

Chicharones: You may have seen these before, they sell them like chips. Fluffy, yummy, and seasoned. They are so common I forgot to take a photo, my bad.

Grillo: These were the best part. We didn’t actually order these, just started talking to the gentlemen at the table next to us who ordered cricket tostadas. They gave us a few to try and they are crunchy and full of seasoning. I would eat them again in a heartbeat!

Gusano de Maguey: This was an interesting one. It was big, warm, squishy, and not very flavorful. I’ve never eaten intestine but this is how I would imagine it tasting. Wouldn’t recommend a plate of it, but it was fun to try one!

I love food and find it so fun to step out of my little “American food” box and try new things! So next time your at the Mexico City Airport looking for food, head over to Cucara Macara.

P.S. I have a very sensitive stomach and had no issues with any of the above foods!

Santiago, Chile

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Fun Fact: Chile’s Andes Mountains are home to some of the worlds largest active volcanoes.

Uber friendly

Language: Spanish

Hello – Hola
Bye – Adios
Thank you – Gracias

Alright y’all! Here’s to country number 29! This is going to sound crazy to anyone who is not in the airline industry but this month while on call for work I have not worked a flight in two and a half weeks. That means I have been getting paid to do what I want without working. Pretty cool if you ask me. At times this can be frustrating but this month I have enjoyed being able to relax and explore Houston a little and that is exactly what my plan this week was until I was called to work a redeye flight to Chile with a 37 hour layover. Although I wasn’t overly excited, how can I complain? This is why I love my job and I am so excited for another passport stamp to add to my collection!

After a smooth 9 hour flight and a 3 hour time change we arrived at our hotel around 11:30 am which means…NAP TIME! There is no way to truly overcome jetlag but for anyone who doesn’t want to waste a day, I often shower or take a warm bath, close the blackout blinds, turn on the tv and nap for a few hours. Sometimes napping is easy, other times your body can’t figure out what your brain wants, like today. I was absolutely exhausted but by the time I got in bed my body wasn’t feeling it. I had plans to meet with someone in two hours so I ended up sleeping for about 45 minutes which means a whopping total of 2 and a half hours in the last 24 hours…(and you wonder why you come across grumpy flight attendants!)

Anyways the day ended up being a success as we headed out to San Cristóbal Hill which begins with an 850 meter hike or a funicular ride to the top of the mountain (if like me, you don’t know what a funicular is, google it, it is really cool!). The funicular takes you to a sanctuary dedicated to the immaculate conception with a 72 foot statue of the Virgin Mary, a beautiful floral amphitheater and a chapel. To add to the beauty, the hill has a panoramic view of Santiago, it is well worth a visit! On a normal day you can also visit a zoo and two pools that are closed Mondays.

Afterword we headed over to Parque Forestal, a beautiful urban park that I was unwilling to explore due to the blazing sun. I believe there is a museum but there is also tons of artwork and architecture as well as picturesque places to enjoy a good book. You can also walk to the Plaza de Armas which is the main square in Santiago surrounded by museums as well as government and historic buildings (sidenote: there’s is a fountain in the middle of the square that kids swim in and I was tempted to join.) It is also in walking distance to a ton of restaurants, bars, ice cream shops, coffee shops, museums, etc.

After deciding the park was not in the books we grabbed dinner, I had a local fish stew dish and then had an amazing fresh ice cream bar that we noticed was all over the city. It was a raspberry popsicle with a white chocolate coating, but there is tons of options.

That concluded the day as jetlagg fully set in and I was off to bed for the night sleeping past the free hotel breakfast..

Day two we knew we needed to be shielded from the sun but wanted to get out so we bought tickets for the Red Bus Tour which is a hop on hop off bus through touristica. Now these Red Bus tours aren’t the best but if you want to get around the city and learn some history without constantly getting Uber’s or taxis they can be useful. We were able to see everything we wanted while stopping for coffee, ice cream, lunch, and a trip to the top of the Sky Costanera at the Costanera Center/Mall. This cost around 10 US dollars and is discounted with a student ID and is the tallest building in Latin America with a 360 view of Santiago.

Well that was my 36 hours in Santiago, Chile now to rest and work back to Houston. Hasta la vista Chile!

🌴Tulum, Mexico🌴

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Looking for a weekend getaway or a reasonable vacation? Try Tulum, Mexico! A short flight to Cancun and a cheap rental car will allow you to drive about an hour and a half past the tourists to a quaint more local beach town.
Best time of year: November-December for post-hurricane breezes, reasonable prices, and less crowds (travel.usnews.com)

Fun fact: Tulum is a rare city built by the Mayans and surprisingly is the third most visited city in Mexico. You will never guess when you visit. (Tulum Ruins-Tulum Facts)

Language: Spanish

Hello – Hola
Bye – Adios
Thank you – Gracias

Where I stayed…Many resorts are all inclusive so look for deals!

1. Howlita Hotel Tulum (http://www.howlitatulum.com/)

Located about two blocks from the Main Street (food, shopping)
Less than 10 minutes from beach
English speaking staff
Access to cooking classes, excursions, and tours through hotel
Complimentary breakfast
Pool and patio in backyard
Free bike rentals

This is down the beach from Zazil Kin but it looks similar

2. Zazil Kin Beach Club (http://www.hotelzazilkintulum.com/)

Beach Cabanas with mosquito net beds (private bathroom or community shower/bathroom)
Electricity only available at night (bring flashlight)
Beach Bar
Rentable lounge chairs (cost=1 alcoholic beverage)
Close to Mayan Ruins (Ruinas de Tulum)
Water activities available through hotel
Walk down the beach in either direction for beach bars, excercise, activities, etc.

3. All things food & drink:

Antojitos La Chiapaneca (https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g150813-d2416443-Reviews-Antojitos_La_Chiapaneca-Tulum_Yucatan_Peninsula.html)

-crowded local resturant, dirt cheap tacos, delicious, fresh, worth it, dinner only (we went every night)

Street Tamales
Rambutan (not from Tulum, but this delicious fruit is sold in carts on the side of the road)
Fresh Coconut milk/water/meat
Fresh fruit
Dessert-fresh fruit popsicles/ice cream
Restaurants near the beach are closer to American prices but have beautiful views, if you stay on the Main Street it tends to be a little more reasonable.

4. What I did:

Kanlum Lagoon (main picture, local hidden spot, so worth it)
Cenotes

-Grand Cenote (tourist trap but beautiful), ask locals or hotel about excursion

-We did an ATV Cenote tour that explored 3 private Cenotes. It took a whole day but was well worth it!

Ruinas de Tulum (Beautiful beach front ruins, another tourist trap, I would recommend a tour guide so you can learn as you go)

Enjoy an affordable getaway!

🕌Istanbul, Turkey🕌

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Best time of year to go: September-November (great weather, less crowds, cheaper rates)

Fun Fact: Istanbul is the only city in the world that is on two continents. It is a part of both Europe and Asia. In the picture above everything behind me is the Europe side but the top left corner across the water you can see the Asia side. Cool huh? (Travel.usnews.com)

Language: Turkish (Goodluck! But everyone is very nice!)

Hello – Merhaba
Bye – Güle Güle
Thank you – Tesekkür Ederim

1. Where I stayed..

-Hotel Levni (http://www.levnihotel.com/)

great central location, walked almost everywhere I went
staff is friendly and speaks English
complimentary drink upon arrival
complimentary traditional Turkish breakfast
beautiful Turkish bath
to the right behind the hotel is more local food, shops, atmosphere
to the left you head towards the touristy area as well as many great restaurants (more pricy)

2. All things food & Drink! (Bread, Meat, Dessert, Tea)

~Try the street corn and roasted chestnuts!

~Try the street carts selling fresh squeezed juices! Delicious, cheap and sweet locals! (<-)

~Drink lots of Turkish Tea! I basically drank tea like it was air, couldn’t get enough of it!

~For a nicer evening out I would recommend going to the Panoramic Restaurant (https://g.co/kgs/Axw2a1). The view is stunning and the food was good. A little more pricy but not bad for what you get. (View is the featured picture of this post at the top)

~Traditional breakfast includes: Always bread, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, Turkish tea and coffee, cheeses, honey, jams, olives, omelets, boiled eggs, sliced meats like salami, fruit, Turkish delight, croissants (It is definitely different from American breakfast but try it, it’s yummy!)

Picture: Top two are traditional breakfast from hotel (<–)

:Bottom Left is baklava

:Bottom Right is dinner (bread, meat, veggies, yum!)

~Desserts: Baklava, Turkish Delight, Lokma (sweet fried sweet dough)

3. What to do:

~Hagia Sophia (beautiful cathedral museum)

~Sultan Ahmed Mosque/Blue Mosque (women need head covering/scarf, don’t go during prayer as I was unable to go inside)

~Grand Bazaar (Don’t buy but it is fun to explore and see, outside the grand bazaar the locals have a market through the streets and it is dirt cheap for food and products)

~Explore on foot! Walk around the local markets, eat in crowded tucked away restaurants, walk along the water and drink a lot of tea!

~Do not fall to tourist traps even if hotels recommend them, research before you agree! (Example: the hotel recommended this Sufi whirling show. We watched men twirl in circles in the dark meditating for about an hour. Not worth it!)

4. To do list:

~Traditional Turkish bath

~Boat tour of Old and New Istanbul

~Try more street food

~Hot air balloon in Cappadocia

~Hot Springs (Pamukkale) in Denizli