This is the stuff that is normally kept far away from most American’s eyesight; the carnage that happens before that lovely piece of prime rib or fish fillet ends up behind the glass in the grocery market case. Mercado de Bazurto Cartagena was a serious market, the kind where you get a glimpse into local […]
Three times every day 50+ people sit down at wooden tables with colorful plastic plates piled high with food at Project Peru, the refuge my niece and I had been volunteering at outside of Lima for a week. I knew it was no easy process to put food on those plates every day, as kids […]
Disclosure: Club Carlson compensated me and provided for my travel and accommodations in exchange for writing about my travels with them. Regardless, everything I have said in the post reflects my honest observations and opinions. Apparently Mother Nature got the memo that I was going to be in Vancouver as she put on her best […]
How do you get people to stop bugging you to buy things in the busiest tourist spot in Saigon? You baffle them with technology. Ben Thanh Market is notoriously claustrophobic and aggressive. In fact – I have no idea why anyone would want to go there to shop. Yet somehow I found myself there walking […]
“May I take your picture?” I asked while I also mimed the action with my camera around my neck so that I could make sure I was understood. The baby duckling vendor who a few moments ago was smiling and laughing with her friends looked at me and said with a stone face “Yes – […]
As I was marveling at the bright colors of the watermelon, eggplant, and tomatoes against the typical Omani cream-colored backdrop of souq buildings – I felt that something was ‘off’ – but I couldn’t put my finger on it. I continued to walk around the Nizwa souq (market) with our guide Zahar but since I […]
The San Telmo neighborhood in tourist guides is best known for their Sunday market. The old cobblestone streets are lined with blocks and blocks of tables with music, clothing, art, toys, and antiques. You’ll also smell the aroma of grilled meet wafting through the streets which will entice you to stop your shopping for a […]
Everyone talks about wanting to find local experiences when you travel – strangely one of my best local finds in Istanbul was a place where the locals tried to convince me to stay away from. Were they trying to hide it’s greatness?! I honestly don’t think so – instead they were simply trying to ensure […]
Last time I was in Istanbul, the Grand Bazaar was my favorite place I visited. In those days I was a shop-o-holic and I thought that this ancient, exotic shopping mall was my Retail Mecca. Even though I sold most of my stuff when I started traveling full time, I did keep a few […]
“We’ll have to leave early in the morning and walk to the train station tomorrow because the bus can’t pick us up. “ instructed our Intrepid Travel guide Yenner. “The Saturday market is setting up in the morning and all of the roads are closed.” I looked at the main street in front of our […]