Honeymoon by Janet

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Where does the time go? Who can believe that we’re already almost through June! Alas, summer is here which means there are rooftop parties to attend, beaches to scour, and refreshing drinks to be enjoyed.

This week is exciting for us as the 2010 Travel Blog Exchange Conference is upon us! As a community of Travel Geeks, we will be in attendance for a number of meetings, parties, happy hours, and coffee dates catching up with old friends over friendly business while making some new ones. This is one event we have definitely been looking forward to this summer.

Of course, there are other travel activities we have on our To Do List this summer. Two of which we’ve already completed, or are completing: 1) solo traveling through Spain and 2) attending the World Cup finals in South Africa. We also want to know what you are most excited about this summer:

What travel plans are you excited for most this summer?

Fill us in on your itinerary plans, whether local or abroad in the comments below. Who knows, maybe we’ll even cross paths!

If you share a love for beer and travel, join us at a pre-TBEX aka #PREBEX happy hour meet up with our Travel Geek friends in New York City on Thursday, June 24th. We’ll be at the Ace Hotel starting a night of drinks, winks, and clinks at 7pm.



Happy Summer!

Sicily – Trapani & Levanzo by George

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Costa Rica by Amber

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“Cafe con leche quando pueda” I ask the waiter, as I seat myself at a tiny round table outside. It is my final day in Madrid, the last full day of a short but fantastic backpacking trip through Spain. Emotions are flowing through me but at this moment, basking in the morning sun and listening to the noise of locals filling this cobble stone street, I am at peace.

I have waited over a year for this trip. I considered it a trip of a lifetime. As young as I may be, I knew coming to Spain would change my life, even if sounds cliché. And it couldn’t have happened at a more crucial time. With work dying down, a new Brooklyn residency, and contemplative career change, Spain was the perfect vacation I needed. Judgmental Jerry’s be damned – off I went!

First Stop: Barthelona

I was immediately greeted with a high sun beaming down on my shoulders, winding streets packed with pedestrians, bicyclists, taxis, and buses competing for space, and jaw-dropping architecture. Sure I was lost within an hour of my arrival in a foreign country, but hey – I was in Barcelona!

Luckily, thanks to the tourism info station, I found my way to Backpackers Casanova Hostel where I was able to quickly check in and saddle up for the next few days. Shortly after talking to the lovely hostel girl at the front desk, I threw out my travel itinerary. I wanted to experience Barcelona my way, with no set agenda, no time constraints, no required tours – just me and the city. And maybe some awesome new friends along the way.

I was shocked with how easy I found it to immediately connect with other people from around the world. Literally an hour after my arrival at BCN, I invited a girl from Atlanta to lunch. From there we instantly became best friends, and we bonded with another group of traveling Americans. We had our own little group for the next three days, it was wonderful. We drank, we ate, we walked, we laughed, we talked, we even survived a pickpocketing hassle! Oh it was great times. But I mostly have to thank Hira for being my partner in crime the entire time in Barcelona. Without her companionship I would not have enjoyed Barcelona as much as I did.

So, how did I spend my time in the super cool city of unfairly attractive people and massive architectural buildings known as Barcelona? Well, here’s a rundown of my day-to-day events:

Wed May 26 – Wake Up Call: I am not meant to be a backpacker

As I mentioned, a rough morning arrival due to not being able to distinguish the Barcelona Metro system did not exactly put me in the best of moods. “How do people do this for months on end?” I thought to myself as I struggled to keep my over packed backpack from breaking my limbs, leaving me to drag my bony body through Placa Catalunya in utter despair and heat exhaustion. “I’m never backpacking alone again. This is awful,” my Negative Nancy thoughts were kicking in.

Alas, I survived. My spirits quickly cheered up as I bonded with my new hostel mates and realized I could see all of what I wanted in Barcelona in these short three days. Off to walk the city I went!

We strolled through La Ramblas, Placa Catalunya, Placa de la Universitat, La Boqueria Market, Monumento a Colon, Port de Barcelona, Passeig de Gracia, and neighboring streets that night. Our heads always looking up at the buildings trying to figure out if this was a point of interest we marked down, or just a store front. Every building looked like it was significant of fame, history, or government. How would we know the difference?

Placa de Catalunya

Candy and Chocolates galore at La Boqueria

Monument to Columbus

Save for La Ramblas, which we were quickly put off by (I should point out I have no tolerance for tourist-filled spots, cheesy street performers, sketchy immigrants, and overpriced food), we enjoyed our downtown visit. Inside La Boqueria we ran wild tasting and smelling every little market stand, constantly impressed by the kindness of the merchants and the flavors in our mouths. Down at the Port we admired the giant statues and monuments lining the waterfront, taking tons of pictures at every angle possible. While walking back on our way to the hostel, we stopped at Placa de Catalunya and La Universitat to check out the amateur skate boarders, fashionable pedestrians, and red bicycles swishing by. Everything was new and exciting, yet somewhat familiar. I felt Barcelona to be like a European version of my New York City.  But I still craved more.

Thurs May 27 – I want to see the real Barcelona!

My first evening in Barcelona was nice, but not stellar. I had not eaten an authentic meal, and I had not yet gone off the beaten path. So today was the day to be a Travel Geek. First things first: a traditional Spanish breakfast. I was determined to eat like the locals and do major sight-seeing as I’d been recommended. So Hira and I got up early and hit the streets to kickoff our day with cafe con leche. Thankfully we didn’t have to venture far – a cute little pastry shop around the corner from the hostel hit the spot. One of the best cafe con leches I had and a fruit-filled pastry left me quite frankly, satisfied and smiling. This is what I was craving for. With that meal, I knew today would be a good day.

morning ritual: cafe con leche

Next stop: Parc de Guell to see the Gaudi structures. An easy and short Barcelona Metro ride, we arrived in the northern section of Barcelona. Quiet, sunny, and desert-like, Hira and I immediately fell in love.

“Hey are those escalators in the middle of the street?!” Yep! Giddy like school kids, we hiked up the San Francisco high road to the top of the entrance for Parc de Guell. A beautiful trail comprised of cactus plants, shrubbery, and panoramic views of the district, Parc de Guell amazed us. Too bad there were so many tourists! But what can you expect when you’re visiting an unbelievable landmark like this? The colorful tiles shining against the pristine rocks were beautiful and puzzling. How could one possess the skills to create something so intricate and complex, and resonate such a peaceful and magical place? We were dumbfounded, but in a good way.

view from Parc Guell overlooking La Sagrada Familia

tourist invasion of Gaudi’s Parc Guell

On to the next architectural masterpiece by Gaudi – La Sagrada Familia.

Just when I thought I couldn’t be more amazed, La Sagrada Familia took the cake. It was massive. Unbelievably huge. Where do I look first? How is it still under construction? This was one of the most articulate, giant, one of a kind, long-lasting cathedral I had ever seen. I tried to squeeze in every element of the church onto my camera frame but was not succeeding. There was just no way I could really capture the essence of La Sagrada Familia. . . Unless you have a Polaroid! I took out my unused Polaroid camera, finding it a perfect call to snap a photo of this monument. Success!

my attempt to get the entire Sagrada Familia church in one shot

“Is it lunch time yet?” All this walking and gawking was making us hungry. I suggested finding a bar/restaurant away from the tourists and packed with old men. I figured if the local elderly like the place, then we would too. I was right. A ten minute walk away from tourist central we came across a bar featuring “Menu del Dia” specials. Chatting with the waiter as he gave us a run down of the menu I said to him “Just bring us your favorite dishes.” Surprised yet delighted, the waiter obliged. What we were served, I have no idea, but it was delicious. I believe there was white fish sauteed with onions, tortilla de patata, and vegetables, along with a variety of other small dishes. We didn’t care, we ate enthusiastically, and happily sipped our Estrellas, relaxing our feet in the outside. The waiter fancied our enthusiasm so much, he ended up giving us two of his favorite Catalonian desserts, and a sweet discount on our lunch bill. This, my friends, was dining.

drinking like Barcelonians

We hadn’t had enough of Gaudi architecture so we decided to go back downtown and sneak a peek at Casa Batlló near the shopping section. Though we didn’t enter the museum, it was still a nice building to see. We then continued our day of architectural viewing by going out to the Arc de Triomf across town. I’m a nerd when it comes to triumphal arches. I love the history behind them, the relief statues adorning them, their size and power, and the many subtle details that create such artful pleasures to the eye. So, needless to say I was excited. At the Arc de Triomf there is a grand walkway lined with decorative pillars and filled with bicyclists, runners, and skaters. On a sunny day like this, it was a pleasant sight-seeing adventure, as we followed the path from the Arc to Parc de la Ciutadella. The Parc was absolutely gorgeous and a perfect rest stop for sunbathers and bookworms, to which Hira and I joined for a writing break. I especially loved the palm trees and fountains around us hiding in front of museums and institutions like the Barcelona Zoo and Geology Museum.

standing at Arc de Triomf

That night we joined my friend from New Jersey, Jordana, for our first meal of tapas and sangria off La Ramblas. Despite her vegan diet and therefore limited food options, Jordana was more than happy to share our love for simple fresh food and alcohol. We settled in an outdoor bar and ordered up a few platters of bread, jamon, and cheese plus a few rounds of sangria and cava. Our night cap was filled with a walk through the Gothic Quarter people watching and observing Barcelona streets come alive.

Fri May 28 – Last Chance

Today was beach day. Hira and I planned a little early get away in Barceloneta to Port Olympic for a few hours of sun and sand. Despite the morning clouds, we were optimistic that the day would turn out beautiful. Thankfully, the weather was on our side. Barceloneta was peaceful and quiet, empty of crowds, with small waves rolling over the shore. Before we sat we were in desperate need of coffee and breakfast. Realizing the lack of authentic and cheap restaurants on the boardwalk, we decided to just grab a coffee and hold our stomachs for a big lunch later in the day. Then we hit the sand and found a spot to lay down and begin our tanning session. This was our siesta time, so we soaked in the relaxation as much as possible. A few hours later we headed out in search of lunch, which we luckily found at a nearby cafeteria stop. Full of panini sandwiches and coca cola we headed back to our hostel for a shower break.

looking back at Port Olympic beach

We decided since it was our last night in Barcelona we’d take some time out in the evening to do our own sight-seeing then get dressed up and hit the town for a nice meal one last time together. It’s amazing how well you can clean up even when living out of a backpack!

I decided to browse through the backstreets of downtown Barcelona, passing by the Picasso Museum, University of Barcelona, MACBA, and some of the Gothic Quarter. It brought a smile to my face to be amongst the locals shopping, eating, drinking, and walking around. Barcelona is a bubbling city full of life, and this night proved no different.

churros y chocolate

Hira and I met around 8pm at a German bar on Rambla Catalunya where we enjoyed croquettas de jamon, glasses of Stella, and those delicious German fries with mayo-ketchup. We conversed about life, college, love, and everything we had experienced in Spain and were looking forward to in the weeks ahead. It was the perfect ending to a wonderful first phase of my trip in Spain.

Barcelona was swell. I will miss its unfairly attractive people, gorgeous weather, fascinating architecture, and simple food. I made some amazing friendships, and was able to get a first glimpse into the Spanish culture. I’m glad I took that Travel Geek plunge afterall.

You can read my journal entries from Barcelona, Spain here. Next up: Read my piece on my favorite traditional dishes of Catalonia and my weekend stay with friends and locals in Tarragona.

Brooklyn Bridge by Sean

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The Meadows by Graeme

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Bahamas by Howard

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More Shanghai: Taikang Road and Pudong by Justine

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Jeff of Career Break Secrets returns to the Travel Geek blog one last time to dish out on his favorite weekend activities in Bogotá, Colombia. Be sure to read his previous photo essays on this South American destination here.



Bogotá is a city always on the move.  Six days of the week, that is typified by the traffic snarls around the city.  But, Sunday brings out a different side to Bogotá.  People take to the streets, literally.  The most visible proof is the ¨Ciclovía¨ which is the city’s program of opening over 120 kilometers of major highways throughout the city to cyclists, walkers, and runners.  Apart from this, the city’s parks fill up with families and friends out to enjoy the day.  And, if you have a car, you can drive out to La Calera for a traditional Colombian ¨asado¨ or barbecue on the other side of the eastern mountain range.

For the photos in this photo essay, I headed downtown to the historic La Candelaria neighborhood.  Here’s a bit of what I saw yesterday:

La Ciclovía, or bicycle route, passes through La Candelaria bringing bikers, pedestrians and dog owners out into the streets.

Even though Colombian team didn’t qualify for the World Cup tournament in South Africa, Colombians gathered yesterday in the Plaza Bolívar to watch the Germany-Australia match.

There are many makeshift markets around downtown where you can find all kinds of arts and crafts.  Here, I saw some cool traditional masks from the southern Columbian coastal town of Tumaco.

Also in the markets are carts filled with traditional Colombian sweets.

Although it looks sugary-sweet, these sugar-covered Tamarind balls are actually bittersweet.

Cocadas are one of the most traditional sweets you can buy.  They come in many different forms.  These two types start with coconut and panela (brown sugar).  Those on the left have a touch of passion fruit while those on the right contain peanuts.

If you want to avoid refined sugar, there’s always the option of freshly cut fruit like mango, pineapple and papaya.



Jeff Jung is the founder and producer of CareerBreakSecrets.com, a travel site for people taking time away from work to go travel the world. Jeff has traveled to 27 countries, lived in the US, South Africa and all over South America. He currently can be found in Bogota, Colombia and on twitter @CareerBrkSecret

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