japan/china 2019
On my second visit to Asia, I got to visit two countries: Japan and China. Ben’s Grandpa still lives in China – Shaoxing to be exact. So when his family decided to visit, I tagged along. Any trip to anywhere in Asia from NYC warrants at least two weeks, since it’s such a long flight.…
10 foods you should say, “ni hao” to in china
I wish I got the chance to try a lot more food but unfortunately, we were only in China for about five days. As with any country, China has its regional cuisines (I highly recommend watching, “Flavorful Origins” on Netflix to learn more about Chaoshan and Yunnan cuisines). Being that China is one of the…
6 things i learned in the 5 days i spent in china
Credit cards (and cash) are not widely accepted. Not even McDonald’s in the Shanghai train station accepted credit cards. The main form of payment is via AliPay or WeChat app where it’s either linked to a credit card, or you pre-load money onto it and it works like a debit card. Weather at the end…
7 things you should know if you’re applying for a china visa
If you’re planning to visit China, you’ll need a Visa. There are different forms you can select from, depending on the reason for your visit and the length of your stay. Here are some things to keep in mind before you apply: Download and complete the correct form (typed, in caps) prior to your visit…
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25 foods to say hola to in spain
Gambas al ajillo – shrimp with garlic oil. You must love garlic in order to eat this dish. You’ll have garlic breath for days but it is SO worth it Patatas bravas – fried chunks of potatoes, usually paired with a spicy tomato sauce. I think I could live off of these Pintxos (pinchos) Read more
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4 things i learned in the 5 days i spent in barcelona
Get the T10 transport ticket if you’re only spending a short amount of time in Barcelona. You get 10 rides for €10.20. This is a multi-person ticket, meaning if you are traveling with a buddy, you can share the 10 rides. Ben and I ended up walking a lot, but this ticket definitely came in Read more
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don’t waste your time at montserrat
I’m sure many people will disagree with me, but I thought Montserrat was a waste of time. Correction – the Tot Montserrat ticket package (€50.95) felt like a waste of time. We were deciding between two options: A. Getting the public transportation package to get there ourselves, or B. Booking with a tour company that Read more
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how to be a tourist in barcelona
Walk around the Mercat la Boqueria. Get some €1 fruit juice, and maybe some jamón in a cone. Other than that, don’t waste your stomach space on the little snacks they sell like the fried stuff or the empanadas. They’re very sub-par. Instead, try El Quim de la Boqueria, one of the restaurants Phil Rosenthal Read more
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flying norwegian air
Prior to this trip, I had heard that Norwegian Airlines was basic. And basic it was. But I actually didn’t mind flying it since the ticket was so cheap. $350 roundtrip, nonstop from EWR to BCN? HELL YEAH, BITCH. You can’t even get that price to fly across the country sometimes, let alone across the Read more
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barcelona 2019
My first trip in 2019 to Barcelona was also my first trip to Spain. It’s one of the places on my bucket list, so when I saw round trip, non-stop flights from Newark for about $300, it was a done deal. So Ben and I tacked two vacation days onto President’s Weekend, and got ourselves Read more
how to be a traveler 