Travelogue: Sights to See in Baku (and a little bit of the countryside)

Today is a travelogue day! Hope you all enjoy reading about Baku 🙂

So, for those who don’t know, Baku is the capital of Azerbaijan! And Azerbaijan is under Russia, to the east of Turkey, and to the west of the Caspian Sea. It’s a pretty small country, but the landscape is very diverse, and the culture is unique. As it is a post-Soviet country, there is a little bit of that influence left, especially in Baku. There is also a Middle Eastern flavor to the country, as well as kind of a European feeling in Baku. I’m not quite sure if that makes sense, but if you visit, I think you’ll be able to understand 🙂

The most famous tourist sight in Baku is probably the Old City. It’s a section of the city that is surrounded by a gate. Inside there are residences, but there is an old Shah palace that you can also visit. This picture of a tower/lookout was taken at that palace. The Old City has really narrow streets that you can explore, and it’s very fun to walk through, as most of the streets are too narrow for cars to come through. At the edge of the Old City is yet another historic attraction…

The Maiden Tower! There are many legends and stories associated with this tower, most of which involve a love story between a maiden and a young man, and the maiden tragically jumping to her death from the tower. Despite this morbid ending to the story, it is a very interesting tower. You can climb up the stairs to the top, and on each floor you can read about a different aspect of the tower. At the top, you can walk around and catch a great view of the entire city.

(that’s only about half of the view, but as you can see, there’s a lot of different styles of architecture in Baku as well)

One of the other important places relating to Azerbaijan’s history is Martyr’s Lane. This is both a cemetery and a memorial to those killed during Black January and the Nagorno-Karabakh War by the Soviet Army. Many of these were civilians. Walking through here was very sobering, especially because many of the people who lost their lives were just ordinary people, who hadn’t done anything to deserve dying prematurely. Memorials for Turkish and British soldiers are also present here. This monument at Martyr’s Lane (pictured below) has an eternal flame that is often visited by dignitaries and officials.

On a very different note from that, Baku has so many cats! There’s a funny saying here, that pretty much each establishment has its own cat 🙂 So if you like cats, be sure to visit! This kitten was in a small gift shop near the city center, isn’t he so cute?

If you go a little farther out of the city, you can visit the Fire Mountain! This is a natural phenomenon, and it is so cool! Pretty much, there is natural gas that comes out of the side of the mountain, and it constantly burns! It’s now surrounded by a gate, but my local friends told me that people used to come and use it to cook their food, wouldn’t that be fun?!

I also had the chance to visit outside of the city, and I thought that the landscape was beautiful! It’s such a different view than what you get in Baku, but it’s beautiful in it’s own way. And the combination of colors is absolutely gorgeous, this picture doesn’t do it justice.

This is just a few of the sights to see in Baku, but hopefully this blog gives you a little glimpse at a destination that is a little bit off the beaten path~

 

 

Worlds Collide: Breakfast in the Caucasus

Food meets travel in today’s post!

A lot of times, I think people have the misconception that food in other countries is always exotic or very different from what they eat at home, wherever that may be. And while the traditional food oftentimes is very different, everyday food, or things that you can buy at the grocery store or small shop down the road, tend to be pretty much the same. Of course in certain places they won’t have as many imported foods as in other places, but you can still cook almost anything that you want. You don’t have to give up on eating healthily, just because you are traveling. Here’s my breakfast to prove that!

I am currently in the Caucasus, and am enjoying every minute of it! The weather here has been quite calm and sunny for the past few days, though the wind can get very strong. Anyways, this morning I made myself a smoothie!

A healthy, delicious, and quick way to start your day, you can probably make this, almost anywhere that you travel!

I first started by cutting up the fruits that I wanted to use. You can add your choice of fruit, whatever you like, or whatever is in season. I cut up 2 red plums and 1 nectarine. Add as much or as little fruit as you would like. I also cut up 1 banana. The banana helps to give the smoothie its thicker texture, and is also high in potassium! After you cut up the fruit, measure out about 1 cup of yogurt. I used plain yogurt, but you can use flavored yogurt if you desire. All of my ingredients are pictured below:

You will need to first place the banana chunks into the blender. Next, I add the yogurt to cover the bananas. Then add your choice of fruit. Finally, add as much milk to the mixture as you did yogurt (so a 1:1 ratio of milk and yogurt). If you would like your smoothie a little thinner or thicker, you can add more or less milk, but I’ve found this to be a good ratio. You don’t need to stir anything together, just put it all in the blender.

Blend everything together for about 15 seconds or so, until there are no large chunks left. Pour the smoothie into two large glasses and enjoy!

This is a very quick and easy breakfast, which literally takes maybe 3 minutes to make. You can make it pretty much anywhere in the world, so if you’re trying to eat healthy while traveling, you have no excuse now! 🙂

 

Travelogue: Boston

Hi everyone! Sorry for the short post yesterday, I was moving and things were a little discombobulated. Hopefully today’s will be better 🙂 In keeping with the previous posts, today’s is also about a country that is playing today in the World Cup. There is definitely no way to sum up everything in this country in one post, so today will be about one city. I have lived in the vicinity of this area for the past two years, so hopefully I’ll be able to do it justice. Today’s post is on…Boston, USA!

I generally do not like very big cities; I tend to prefer quiet countrysides and mountains. However, if I ever had to live in a big city, I would probably choose Boston. Not only is it the academic capital of the world (with I think around 30 colleges and universities in the city), but despite being a big city, it is not crowded and congested like New York and other large cities in the USA. Also, as it is on the East Coast, Boston has been settled for a (relatively) long time, compared to other cities. Therefore, it has a wonderful mix of old and new architecture all throughout the city.

If you are a history buff, Boston an the surrounding area is a treasure trove of Revolutionary War sites and such. You could take a drive out to Lexington and Concord, walk the freedom trail, and visit the Harbor, where the Boston Tea Party took place!

For those more intellectually minded, you could take a tour of one of the top universities in the area, such as Harvard or MIT. There are also numerous museums, no matter what your interest is, you should be able to find one that piques your interest!

For those who want to do some tourist shopping, the Quincy Market/Fenuel Hall area has an array of stores and shops. There is also a variety of international cuisine in this area, so you should be able to find something to eat here, no matter what you like. As it is right by the ocean though, seafood in the Boston area is delicious, and New England clam chowder is a must, if you’re visiting the area.

The MBTA, known as the “T”, is the public transportation system in Boston. While it isn’t quite up to par with some of those in European cities, you can get pretty much anywhere you want in the city either on a bus, metro, or by walking. You could take a taxi, but those can be costly. Parking is quite expensive in the city as well, so unless you’re willing to pay for that, try to get around without renting a car.

The weather in the summertime can get hot, but not unbearable. Winters can get pretty cold with storms and blizzards. Autumn may be the best time to visit, as the temperatures are a little cooler. The trees turn gorgeous colors then too! Spring comes later in Boston, but the flowers blooming then are very refreshing as well.

All in all, Boston is a great city to visit or live in!

 

Travelogue: Neuschwanstein Castle

In keeping with featuring a location that is currently playing in the World Cup, today’s post takes us to Germany!

Neuschwanstein Castle is famously known as the castle that the Disney castle is modeled after, and they do look quite similar. I’m very sorry that I don’t have one of my own pictures to show you…our pictures from that trip have mysteriously disappeared…

There is more to the castle than just being a model for a franchise though. The castle has a rich history, as King Ludwig II greatly loved this castle. The name of this castle translates “New Castle.”

The castle is nestled among mountains and forests, which create a lovely scene. It is a ways to hike up to the top, so make sure you have good walking shoes on.

There is something interesting about the castle for people of all ages, so don’t hesitate to go, no matter how old (or young) you are.

I am very sorry, but that’s all for today. I said I wanted to write at least a little bit everyday (see blog post Starting Anew for more on that), so even though this post isn’t up to the standards of the others, something is better than nothing. I hope tomorrow’s post will be better!

Travelogue: Schiphol Airport (Amsterdam)

The World Cup has slowly been eliminating countries over the past weeks with some surprises and unexpected results. I unfortunately haven’t been able to watch much of the competition as our cable has not been working. However, I have been keeping up with the scores and such.  And the Netherlands has just won, so they’re into the quarter-finals. Since they are the only country so far in the quarter-finals that I have visited,  today’s post is about the Netherlands, more specifically Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam!

I have been to more airports than I can count, but Schiphol Airport is one of my favorite airports of all time. I even go out of my way nowadays to try to go through Amsterdam instead of some other airports because I like it so much. While it may seem a little odd to feature an airport in a travel post, the reality is that airports are really cool places. Also, without airports, a lot of travel would be much more difficult, if not impossible. So why do I like Schiphol Airport so much? Here are a few reasons:

1. Big lounge chairs that you can sleep comfortably in. If you go up to the second floor, near the food court, there is a small area of long lounge chairs that you can stretch out in and sleep, if you have long layovers in Amsterdam. The area is also shaded a little bit from the sun, which helps with sleeping. While you may have to wait for a chair to open up, it is definitely worth it, if you want to try and sleep to adjust your body clock to your new time zone.

2. Stroopwafels. If you haven’t had these, you might possibly be missing out on one of the most delicious treats. Two waffle crisps with caramel sandwiched between them, this is a perfect companion to tea or coffee. Rest it on top of your hot mug for a few minutes to let the caramel melt a little bit. I have tried several imitations of these, but the real ones definitely taste a whole lot better! You can find them in the duty free stores~~

3. Wifi. While this is becoming more and more common in most airports, the free wifi here is such a great plus, especially if your travel plans have unexpectedly changed and the internet is the easiest way to contact your family or friends.

4. There’s a museum in the airport. And that just makes it so much more cool.

5. Easy to navigate. Directions are clear, customs/security lines are short, you can’t ask for much more. Also, Amsterdam is one of the few airports that I’ve been in that does personal interviews for all passengers traveling back to the US or other major countries. For some reason, it does make me feel more safe. They are also very thorough with their body and luggage scans.

6. Public transportation. If you are exiting the airport, public transportation is very easy to catch from the airport. In fact, the train station is directly under the airport. You can’t get much closer to the airport than that.

7. This may be more sentimental than anything, but as I grew up non-Western  countries, the Schiphol airport was often the first stop on the way back to the States. We didn’t have McDonald’s or other fast food where we lived, so when we got to Amsterdam, that was always a treat and the first sign of making the way back “home.”

So yes, Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is a great airport that I am looking forward to traveling through again very soon!

P.S. Also, we have yet to lose our luggage traveling through Amsterdam, which gives it an extra plus!

Travelogue: Budapest

After I begin something, I usually think of a way that it could be made better…which is maybe why blogging hasn’t been so successful for me so far. I always start a new one with my new idea. This time, I’ve decided that I would continue with this one and just make improvements as I go. Because of that, one of the things that I have decided is that a single country cannot be captured in one blog post. Henceforth, instead of a post about a country, my posts will be about one city/attraction/experience of a given country. Most countries, therefore, will probably have more than one post about them sooner or later, so if you’d like to read about a country, you should be able to find all of the post that I’ll write through my tags. I’m also working on another idea for improving this blog, but I’ll let you know that once I’ve thought it through. Destination #4 is…Budapest!

My sister’s favorite city in the world and one of my favorites as well, Budapest is the capital of Hungary. Looking back on all that we saw there, I don’t know if I’ll be able to fit it in one post…we’ll see, this might be part 1 🙂

The city itself is made up of two parts, Buda and Pest, on the west and east banks of the Danube River respectively. Several bridges link the two sides, and I guess you could also take a boat across if you really wanted to. I’ve been to Budapest twice, once in the summer and once in the fall. Both times the weather was fairly moderate. It did rain several times during the fall trip, but nothing extreme. Budapest has been ranked as one of the most beautiful and most affordable cities in Europe, making it a prime destination. It’s also big enough for plenty of tourist attractions, but not overpopulated with tourists like Paris.

One of the most memorable parts of both of my trips to Budapest was the music that I heard while I was there. On the second trip, we did listen to a concert which was very entertaining, but the buskers out on the streets made a lasting impression. While some do busk for a living, some of the people playing their instruments were out just for the fun of it. You can find everything from flutes to accordions, to stringed instruments, to keyboards, and even water glasses, which was my favorite. We actually found the same man playing the water glasses both times! It’s truly impressive. Also, the top notch music that you can hear everywhere lends a very cultured air to the city and enhances any late afternoon or evening stroll that you might take through the city.

The visits to Budapest were both educational and relaxing trips (check my Croatia post here for explanations on those terms), so I’ll write a little bit about what you can do for both of those types of trips.

If you want to relax, definitely visit the Turkish baths in Budapest. They have many different types of pools both for health benefits. There are also saunas in the baths, as well as regular swimming pools if you would rather just have fun at the pool. If you like the water, but swimming doesn’t appeal to you, or the weather is not conducive to swimming, you can take a cruise on the Danube River, which not only lets you see the sights, but also provides you with interesting facts about the city.

Some other fun things to see around the city include the Fisherman’s Bastion, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the Opera House, the Parliament Building, and the Citadel. All of these locations are very beautiful and are show a different side of Budapest’s culture and history. On the more serious side of things, Budapest has a Holocaust museum, which, though it is very sobering, is a very educational and important place to visit in my opinion.

For those interested in shopping, Budapest has several malls where you can buy most anything you would like. However, there is also a flea-market type of bazaar, the Central Market Hall is a wonderful place to visit. Not only do they sell groceries there, you can also buy souvenirs and gifts there! They also have some food stalls there where you can stop for a quick bite.

Speaking of food, Hungary has some delicious food as well! Goulash, a beef stew type of dish with la variety of vegetables, is a national dish and should definitely be tasted by tourists! They also have an assortment of sausages which are delicious. And we can’t forget about their pastries. Do not leave the country without trying at least one pastry (the raspberry ones are scrumptious). You will not be disappointed!

If you have a couple hours to spare, Budapest is a delightful place to just wander around and “get lost” in. Take a stroll along the Danube, down Váci Street (which is also a good place to shop), or meander around and find a secondhand bookstore to peruse (the Red Bus Bookstore is great)!

Public transportation in Budapest is very dependable and easy to use, so make the most of it and see as much as you can! Hungarian is a notoriously difficult language, but try to learn how to say hello, thank you, and goodbye; those simple words will get you a long way. I would say at most tourist attractions you will be able to find someone who understands English, but even if you can’t talk with a lot of people, there are so many ways to communicate nonverbally. Get creative 🙂

This post doesn’t even begin to capture all that Budapest is, but I hope that this gives you a small glimpse of the possibilities in store in this wonderful jewel of a city!

Travelogue: Croatia

Croatia has been playing in the World Cup, so maybe it’s become a better known country… even so, most people probably could not find it on a map. Croatia is one of the more recent countries that I have traveled to, and I so wish that I could have stayed longer and seen more of the country. The part that I did see though, was beautiful.

When we visited Croatia, we flew in to Trieste, Italy, and took a bus across to Umag, Croatia. I think it was about an hour and a half drive along the coast, which let us see a little bit of Slovenia as well! When we travel for fun, there are two types of trips that we usually take; we categorize them as educational or relaxing. Though both types of trips are vacations, the former involves a lot of sightseeing and learning about countries, while the latter type of trip involves less activities and takes a slower pace. So the trip to Croatia was a relaxing trip 🙂

First of all, the weather was absolutely perfect. We were there mid-March, and the temperature was mid 70s Fahrenheit and sunny the entire time. A refreshing ocean breeze made it all the better. Umag is a resort town in western Croatia, which hosts an annual tennis tournament on clay courts, if any of you happen to be tennis enthusiasts. As it is a seasonal tourist town though, if you go outside of the tourist season, the city is much quieter with less to do. But you can still walk around and enjoy it. You can also rent bikes for the day and bike around the city and along the coast.

When we first arrived, my first impression of the quaint city was that if I had to ever live somewhere for the rest of my life and spend my days reading books, this would be the perfect place. Especially outside of the tourist season, this is not the place for a city lover who enjoys lots of activities all the time, but if you want to catch your breath with a peaceful vacation, this is a great option. Budget wise, Umag is much more affordable than big cities as well, if you are trying to travel but don’t want to break the bank.

Most of the food that we ate there was prepared by the hotel where we were staying. They did cook some Western style food, but a lot of it was similar to food in other Balkan or former Soviet countries. Bureks were one of my favorite things that we had there. This cheese filled pastry type dish was delicious. They also had a lot of fresh vegetables to accompany most meals. Also, during this trip, I discovered one of my new favorite fruits: blood oranges. These oranges have much darker meat, hence their name. They taste a little bit like a cross between an orange, grapefruit,and maybe a pomegranate or raspberry? It’s a little hard to describe, but I loved them. Blood orange juice is a reddish pinkish color depending on the color of the original fruit, and that is delicious as well. Oh, also, I tried my first piece of shark meat there. I wasn’t too impressed, it was a little too mushy for my taste, but I’m glad to have tried it.

Language wise, if you’re at a hotel, you can probably find someone who speaks English, if you’re outside, most people will be able to understand you if you speak Russian. Italian is also a big language there, as Umag is not too far from Italy. If those languages don’t work, your best bet may be charades…

While Dubrovnik and Zagreb may receive most of the tourism in Croatia (and I have had friends visit those cities, and they loved them), if you would like to retreat somewhere for some peace and quiet and experience a new country, Umag is a great option!

 

 

 

Travelogue: South Korea

Sorry that it’s been a few days since I posted…I’ve had Internet connection problems…but I’m back with destination #2! South Korea 🙂

Though I haven’t spent a lot of time in my recent years in Korea, I still do feel very connected to the country and the culture. Many people probably think of the Korean dramas and TV shows or the intense study regime of students there, and while those exist, there is so much more to the country than that.

South and North Korea are technically still at war with each other; they signed a cease fire in 1953, but never ended the war. In recent years tension has been up when North Korea has threatened to disregard that cease fire. Despite that, Korea is a country that deserves attention for its many positive aspects.

Seoul, the capital city, is a very busy city, with high-rise apartments, international businesses, and people from all over the world. The Incheon International Airport has been awarded Best Airport Worldwide by the Airports Council International five years in a row! So if the country itself isn’t a big enough draw for you, if you are a frequent traveler and airport connoisseur, come to wander around the airport for a while! But don’t worry everyone else, there’s plenty to do outside of the airport too.

There are many historic palaces, temples, and traditional buildings scattered around the country, that are definitely worth the visit. I’m sorry I don’t have any pictures, but the architecture and designs are incredible! The country isn’t that large itself, so you can get most places pretty easily on public transportation, or you could rent a car if you really wanted to. Korea is a peninsula, so if you like the ocean, be sure to spend a day at the beach. If you wait until night time, you might be able to catch yourself some crabs!

Jeju Island is right off the coast of the mainland, and it is a wonderful destination for a relaxing retreat. Known as the “Hawaii of South Korea” it is paradise for nature lovers, but there are also amusement parks, resorts, and other fun things to do on the island for those who prefer a more luxurious vacation.

One cannot travel to Korea without tasting the food. If you like spicy foods, Korea is the place to go! Kimchi, spicy fermented cabbage, is a staple at almost every meal, of course with sticky rice. Dduckboggi a spicy rice cake dish, it popular among students, as vendors sell it quite cheaply along the road. If you’re a little more adventurous, you can try spicy squid. For those who aren’t too interested in the spicy foods, there are so many other choices, from bulgogi (delicious thinly sliced marinated meat), chapchae (glass noodle salad), and kimbap (Korean sushi). For those with a sweet tooth, in the summer patbingsu (a Korean-style sweet ice dessert) is a great way to cool off, in the winter bboonguppang (a warm fish shaped pastry with sweet bean paste inside) is superb. And any time of the year, dduck (rice cakes) can be found in a variety of shapes, sizes, and flavors, at any store.

Some parks or historic areas will host festivals and showcases at different times of the year, when you can see traditional dresses and hear some traditional music, which is very interesting. The DMZ is also a place to put on your “to see” list. Though it is a very real reminder of the technically ongoing war, it is also a beautiful area, as it is a nature reserve. Dongdaemoon is a great place for those who love shopping, especially if you like flea-markets and such. There are  numerous malls and Western food chains and stores in the city too.

If the language barrier is a worry for you, don’t worry about it! Many people, especially in Seoul speak English; if you speak a language other than English, you should also be able to find someone who can help you. Customer service is a very highly held value in Korea, so you will most likely be very impressed by the way you are treated in most establishments.

While I do highly recommend that you venture outside of the big cities, a plus for Seoul is that you can stay connected to wifi throughout almost the entire city for free!

South Korea is a great place to visit for sightseeing, vacations, business, and almost any other occasion~~

 

Travelogue: Kazakhstan

If you read my post yesterday, you know that I’m trying to be more consistent with my blogging. As I have traveled to quite a few places, I thought that a good place to start would be writing about all the places that I have visited or lived in. So without further ado…destination #1 is….

Kazakhstan!

Situated under Russia and to the west of China, Kazakhstan is a former Soviet Union country. It is four times the size of Texas, so it is quite a large country. It may not be one of the top tourist destinations of the summer, but the breathtaking landscapes, culture, and food, make it a wonderful place to either visit or live.

Almaty, Kazakhstan, though no longer the capital, is still the major hub for business, education, and culture. Almaty sits on the foothills of the Tien Shan mountains, and it is a superb place to visit in the winter for skiing and snowboarding. The new capital, Astana, is about a 16 hour drive north (yes, I have driven there from Almaty.) Astana is a city pretty much built up from the ground, after the fall of the Soviet Union. It is a very modern city, and you can find most everything that you would except in any large city. If you drive another 8 hours or so from Astana, you’ll arrive at Borovoe, a peaceful lake nestled among hills and forests. It’s a wonderful place to retreat to for a couple of days of rest and relaxation.

Kazakhstan is one of the wealthier countries in Central Asia, so many people from surrounding countries come to Kazakhstan, looking for new jobs and opportunities. Because of that, Kazakhstan has a large mix of cultures and ethnicities. Russian and Kazakh are the main languages spoken here. The government is encouraging the use of Kazakh, but in the large cities (Almaty and Astana), Russian is still predominant. In the small villages though, Kazakh is the vernacular spoken by most people.

If you are in Almaty, there are many interesting things to do and places to see. The arts are very much alive here, so you can see an excellent concert, opera, or ballet for a fraction of the cost the same performance would be in the USA. Almaty holds the record for the highest altitude Olympic sized ice-skating rink, so if you enjoy ice-skating, that is a fun experience. There is a cable car that you can ride to the top of the TV tower and see a great view of the city below. If you are one for shopping, you will have plenty of opportunities, but imported goods will cost quite a bit.

If you are one to try local foods, Kazakhstan will not disappoint. You can buy a meat or cheese filled pastry on just about any street in the city for around 50 cents for a quick snack. If you are looking for a meal, their shish kebabs (шашлык), pilaf (плов), and noodle dishes (бешбармак) аre delicious. If you really want the true cultural experience though, you will not want to miss the fermented horse milk (кумыс), horse meat, and sheep’s head.

Public transportation is very easy to use and cheap, as long as you know where you are going.

If you’re interested in stepping off the beaten path of tourists and experiencing a new culture, Kazakhstan is a wonderful place to go!