It seems like everyone went to Iceland in 2016. Instagram was littered with photos of the Blue Lagoon and the Northern Lights. Facebook and travel magazines touted the cheap airfares to Iceland and relatively short travel time. At least one person you know went to Iceland in 2016 (hell, even the Kardashians went!), and we were no exception. In early 2016, after returning from our New Year 2016 trip from Paris, I decided that we would spend New Years 2017 in Reykjavik, and I went into full research and planning mode.
Iceland is just as beautiful and otherworldly as it looks on Instagram; but, there were also some things about Iceland that surprised us. Things that no magazine, blog post, or Facebook or Instagram post on Iceland ever mentioned. It is for this reason that I plan to do a series of posts about Iceland, because I want you to get inspired to go, meet the friendly people, eat the delicious food (but not the Mike Whale and Puffin), and see the amazing sights; but I also want you to be prepared so you can maximize your time and your dollar and really enjoy your vacation. In this post, I will tell you about our five-day trip to Reykjavik.
Day 1:
Not being one to waste time, I had a tour planned for the day we got into town. Sure our flight got in at 4:30 a.m. and when we got to the hotel our room wasn’t anywhere close to being ready. And, yes, there were unexpected blizzard-like conditions (new to this South Florida girl), but that was NOT about to stop me. We had been invited to go on the Reykjavik Food Walk (which, I am sure you guessed, was a walking food tour), and I was really looking forward to this tour because, not only was it a tasting tour, it was also sight seeing tour of downtown Reykjavik! So at 12:30 p.m, we gathered at the Harpa Concert Hall to meet our guide and small group and embark on our culinary adventure through the streets of Reykjavik.
The first thing you should know about the Reykjavik Food Walk team is that they are uber (as in, “super,” not the car service!) friendly, responsive, and accommodating. They respond to emails and are happy to give you suggestions and recommendations both before and during your stay. They will even help you secure dinner reservations (which, you will find out in my next post, are crucial if you want to actually eat anywhere in Reykjavik). I found them an absolute pleasure to work with and would recommend this tour to anyone (actually, I insist that you take it). It really is a great way to orient yourself to the city, while eating some great local favorites.
Second, the tours are lead by young locals who know a lot about their city. Our guide, Kjartan, was also an author. He gave us tons of information about the city (including things we would have never noticed had he not pointed them out) and their Christmas traditions. For example, did you know that in Iceland, they don’t have Santa Claus? (No Santa Claus?!?!) Instead, they have Yule Lads, and Christmas lasts 13 days — from December 23 to January 6 (it’s like a longer Hanukkah for gentiles!). During this time, Icelandic children are visited by 13 Yule Lads. Each Yule Lad is mischievous and has his own vice. For example, Spoon Licker comes to your house and licks all your spoons. Meat Eater eats all your meat. You get the idea. Here is an image of a Yule Lad, indicative of those projected on buildings all over the city as a reminder to children that the Yule Lads are watching (kinda like the mall Santa):
Each of the 13 nights, children place a shoe in their bedroom window. If they were good all year, they will find a treat in their shoe the next morning. If they were bad, they will find a rotting potato. Also, if Icelandic children don’t receive and wear a new article of clothing on Christmas Day, the Christmas Cat will come and eat them! The Yule Lads are descendants from Gryla, an ogress who lives in the Icelandic mountains. She also eats bad children! I think this is why Icelanders are so nice! Growing up, all they hear is about how they are going to get eaten if they are bad. Anyway, if you are interested in these folk tales, you can learn more about them here.
Also, the people in Iceland created their own version of Pokemon Go. Someone has pasted tons of small action figures on top of the city’s street signs. Locals go around finding them, and then they snap pictures of them and post them to social media. If one goes missing, a new one appears in its place the next day. According to our guide, nobody knows who is responsible for them, and honestly, had someone not pointed this out, we would have completely missed it.
During the four-hour tour, you will also taste 13 traditional dishes, including Icelandic lamb soup, Iceland’s famous hot dog, homemade rye bread ice cream (which sounds gross, but was so delicious), seasonal meats and cheeses (which, unfortunately, includes Icelandic horse which I did NOT eat), lobster soup, and an amazing dessert! Along the way, our guide pointed out great local bars, breweries, bakeries, and restaurants. By the way, the man bun and beard game in Iceland is so strong.
You know what else I learned on this tour? If you ever you planned to go to jail, make sure you go to jail in Iceland. First of the 300,000 people in Iceland, only 89 are in jail. Also, until recently, the jail was located in this quaint little building in downtown (no bars, just views for days!):
You get a room with a view! Also, if you have a job and have to support a family, no problem! You can just check yourself out of jail and go to work and home for dinner as long as you check yourself back in at a reasonable hour! (Who is the arbiter of reasonable? I don’t know, and they don’t either!) But, you know what the BEST part is about jail in Iceland? On Sundays, they take the prisoners out for ice cream!!!! Not a bad deal, right?
The tour also walks you through the old harbor, stops for pictures at the famous Hallgrims church, and also gives you a taste of Reykjavik’s amazing street art scene. After the tour, we were pretty full, but that didn’t stop us from keeping our first reservation in Reykjavik at the Grill Market, or, as the locals call it, Grillmarkadurinn. 
Day 2:
So, today was the day we were set to go on an adventure! Chad was going to snorkel in between two continental tectonic plates, we were going to go into an ice cave, visit Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, and hike a glacier. It was going to be epic! Except, remember that blizzard from day one? Well, she stuck around for day two, and all adventure tours were cancelled. Bummer! But, that’s okay. This is a common occurrence in Reykjavik during this time of year, and we were ready with Plan B — a tour of the South Coast! I am glad we did this tour because we got to see some amazing waterfalls, we walked on a glacier, and we visited the famous black sand beach!
We started the tour at the amazing Seljalandsfoss waterfall, which is famous because you can walk behind it!
For some reason, these people were there in traditional viking garb, but we didn’t mind because they made for great photos!
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We then made our way to a glacier on which we were able to take a short hike and enjoy the views!
Up next was the amazing Reynisfjara beach, better known as the black beach. But, this is no ordinary beach. You CANNOT swim here. The wind is wicked strong and the waves are the most insane waves I have ever seen in my life. Like ever. In fact, tourists are warned to not stand too close to the shore, because more than one has been swept away by the swell and drowned. 
When BAE matches the beach: 
Seriously, these waves though… 
Our final stop was to the Skógafoss waterfall. 
Day 3:
By day three, we were ready for some R&R, and there is no better place to do that in Iceland than at the Blue Lagoon, one of the 25 modern wonders of the world! I’ll save the logistics of the Blue Lagoon for a later post, but I will say here: make advance reservations (well, you have no choice on this one) and try to go at the earliest available time if you want the lagoon (almost) to yourself! 
There is something surreal about being in your bathing suit in the snow and freezing cold. 
Our day didn’t end with the Blue Lagoon. After a short nap, it was time to eat dinner at what is considered Reykjavik’s best restaurant and hardest reservation to score, Dill. 
Dill serves classic Icelandic fare with a modern twist. It is a small place that offers two tasting menus. We had to do the shorter menu, because the weather had cleared up, and this was the first day since we arrived that the Northern Lights tours were operating!
The Northern Lights experience was the literal reason for this trip at this time of year, but there are some things I learned about the Northern Lights that I wish I knew before I went. This will, in part, be the subject of another post about things you need to know before you go to Iceland, but I will give you a hint: seeing the lights is the exception, not the rule; patience is a virtue when hunting for the lights; and I hope you came prepared with more than just your iPhone!
This is what the Northern Lights look like on your cell phone camera (pretty amazing, right?):
And here is what you get with a professional camera, with the right lens, set to the correct settings, and resting on a tri-pod:
Day 4:
Today we explored the Golden Circle, but, as you will soon see, it was more winter wonderland than golden. We did this tour with Time Tours, who also took us on our Northern Lights Tour (and provided our airport transfers), and, in hindsight, I wish I booked all of our day-tours with them. They offer small group options, are very responsive, flexible, and very accommodating.
On the Golden Circle tour, you can explore the National Park of Thingvellir where you will find Silfra, the Mid Atlantic Ridge which is the divide between two continents (Europe and North America) and home to the Eurasia and North-America tectonic plates. You can actually snorkel and dive between the two continents here, which Chad was all signed up for, until the weather spoiled his plans!
You also visit Gullfoss Waterfall, one of Iceland’s most beautiful waterfalls.
And, you stop at the Great Geysir, which is Iceland’s version of Old Faithful and erupts every 6 to 10 minutes.
But, perhaps my favorite part was an impromptu stop to meet the friendly Icelandic horses, a breed of horse developed in Iceland. Unlike regular horses, Icelandic horses have five different gaits. They are the only horses in the world that have five gaits. Another rare (and beautiful) trait possessed by these magnificent horses is that they grow long furry hair in the Summer and Fall (which they shed in the Spring); this coat allows them to brave the extreme cold without need for shelter during the Winter. Because they have few diseases, Icelandic law prevents horses from being imported into the country and once exported, an Icelandic horse is never allowed to return.
They are so friendly and cute, so please do not eat them!
We also made a couple of stops just to enjoy scenery and a beautiful sunset! By the way, during this time of year, it is only daylight from about 11:00 a.m. until about 3:30 p.m. That’s right a whopping 4.5 hours of daylight, so use your precious daylight hours wisely!
This was the perfect way to spend the last day in 2016! But, we had a whole evening of celebration ahead of us, which began with arguably our favorite restaurant in Iceland – Apotek. We came here first on the last stop of our food tour to enjoy a delicious dessert made by their pastry chef, who is so talented that he is the official pastry chef to the government of Iceland. Honestly, I understand why they chose him. We came back for NYE dinner, where we enjoyed a delicious pre fixe 5-course dinner with champagne for under $200 USD for a couple. On NYE. This, by the way, was one of the cheapest meals we had in Iceland. That’s not a joke. 
At midnight, we took to the streets to see the epic fireworks show that happens all around the city. There is no official fireworks show that is put on by the city. These fireworks are courtesy of the locals. Apparently, fireworks are illegal in Iceland, except on New Years, when locals can buy industrial strength fireworks and proceed to set them off (sometimes in an impaired state) all over the city! The nice thing is that the proceeds from the sale of the fireworks goes to The Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue. It is their biggest annual fundraiser! I think the best place to see the show is at the Hallgrims church.
And, of course, no NYE celebration is complete without a late night snack from Iceland’s most famous hot-dog stand! Bill Clinton (and the Kardashians) ate hot-dogs here. 
Day 5:
On our last full day in Iceland (and in keeping with our 2017 New Years resolution to try new things and have more adventure), we decided to take to the open seas in search of whales! Now, if you have a sensitive stomach, this may be more of an adventure than you bargained for because, on this day, the seas were ROUGH! But, we would not be deterred because Elding Adventures had invited us on an adventure, and we are not ones to turn down an adventure. Also, they support animal conservation through education and eco-tourism, so win-win.
Booking the tour was super easy. The Elding team is very responsive to emails and very accommodating to its passengers. We made our way to the harbor and easily found Elding’s office for check-in. Just down the road from their office is the dock where you can find their boats. If you are worried about getting sea sick, they have a bowl full of Dramamine (both in the office and on-board), and you are free to help yourself!
Once on board, you are issued a jumpsuit which doubles as a life suit and an extra layer of warmth because it was freezing out! Check out this sexy #OOTD:
The boats are triple deckers, with the first deck being the internal cabin which is equipped with restrooms, a snack, bar, and barf bag stations! The second and third floors are exterior. The boat has a guide and spotters who do the work of finding dolphins and whales for you. As I mentioned, the day we went, the seas were very very rough, but the staff was very attentive and helpful to passengers that were not feeling well.
The tour lasts for about four hours, and while we did not get to see any whales, we did see white-beaked dolphins! Also, if you go on a tour and don’t see whales, you could redeem your ticket for one more voyage in hopes of catching a whale sighting!
Since we didn’t get to see whales on our tour, I was curious about what the tours that do get whale sightings get to see, and Elding was kind enough to provide me with photos taken from some of their other tours where whales were spotted, including humpback whales, Minke whales, and killer whales. It is magnificent, so this activity goes back on the list! Must.See.Whales.
In addition to whale watching tours, Eldin also offers fishing tours, northern lights tours, and, when in season, tours out to puffin island to see puffins birds, which are SO stinking cute (so PLEASE do not eat them)!
For the remainder of the afternoon, we walked the city streets to admire the street art and to visit the inside of the Hallgrims church, including a climb to the top of the clock tower to get some amazing views of the city!
Thus ended our five-day adventure in Iceland. We had such a beautiful time. I hope this post inspires you to plan your own trip to this (mostly) unspoiled nature lover’s paradise. Be sure to check out my future posts on Iceland to help you get ready for your trip. And, as always, I’d love to hear from you. Send me an email or leave a comment if you have any questions about this trip or Iceland in general.
Santa Cruz Island is the most populated island in the Galapagos. If you are doing a land-based itinerary, it serves as a great base for visiting Bartolome Island, North Seymour Island, and Santa Fe Island. By far, the nicest hotel on the island is 
Our second stop was to Manzanillo, a giant tortoise reserve, where giant tortoises live and roam free in their natural habitat. 
Then it was off to Finch Bay for some R&R. The nice part about Finch Bay is that you can book its naturalist programs (3, 5 or 7 day programs), which are all inclusive. That means you get the room, all meals, and excursions on the property’s yachts. As it turns out, this is a much better deal than going a-la-carte. Breakfast is a large American-style buffet with great selections, including an omelet station and some regional favorites. On full-day excursions, your gear and a fully catered hot lunch is served on-board their yacht. On half-day excursions, you come back to the hotel and choose off their giant menu of delicious selections. Every night, dinner is three courses, and the food is great.
Our first stop was to explore Bartolome Island and see the famous Pinnacle Rock, which is the best known landmark in the islands. On the way, a playful pod of dolphins would follow our boat. Once we landed on the island, a group of sea lions were there to meet us.
We explored the island on foot, climbing to a vista point to get a better view of Pinnacle Rock. The nice thing about this island is that, unlike some others, they have installed a raised walkway to protect the terrain and make the hike a little easier.
We next boarded the zodiac to cruise around Pinnacle Rock and scope out some penguins on our way to the lava field.
Our day ended with a snorkel, where Chad got to snorkel with penguins, sharks, turtles and sea lions. He later declared this a tie with his snorkel in Isabela Island for the best snorkel of his life.
We returned to the hotel for a quick bite to eat, and then we set out to visit the town of Puerto Ayora and the Charles Darwin Research Station, which, by the way, was not as impressive as the tortoise conservation program we visited on Isabela Island. This facility is probably more well known because it is located on the most populated island, and it was the home of 
Day 4:
The second part of the day was reserved for the visit to North Seymour Island where we saw some of the most dramatic landscapes, a ton of frigate birds (the ones with the big red swells under their neck), land iguanas, blue footed boobies, and sea lions. Lots and lots of sea lions!
When we got back from our excursion, there was just one more spot we had to hit before we left the Galapagos Islands- Las Grietas. Las Grietas is a series of volcanic crevices that were formed during the cooling of molten lava and has become a popular swimming destination. To get there, you have to hike about 20 minutes from Finch Bay Hotel on a trail that winds through a forest of cacti and over a beautiful salt flat. The water is cool, clear, and very deep.
Sometimes, a little spontaneity pays off, and this was a perfect way to spend our unexpected extra and last day in the Galapagos. The Galapagos Islands were a captivating and memorable adventure, and this trip has quickly moved up into the top three places we have visited in the world! I hope this 
Through the magic of Facebook, my freshman college roommate, Sommer, and I recently reconnected. She was married now and had two adorable children. But the best part, was that she was temporarily living abroad- in London- with her family and traveling through Europe with her two children. I loved that she and her husband had the courage to say yes to a great opportunity (despite having a whole life with children in Florida) to live and work in London. An opportunity which would give their children the chance to experience life abroad, to learn in real time, to shape the very people they would become, and to create such great and lasting memories for them.
Pack the essentials. Take an inventory of what you already have, what you can borrow, and what you need to buy. Aim to travel light (your hands will be full with your children), yet bring what you need to enjoy your vacation and not to mention the journey there. Packing for the flight itself (and don’t forget the return flight home) is as important as the trip. A carry-on with a day or two’s worth of clothes is recommend for cases of lost luggage, or spilled chocolate milk, as well as essential toiletries. A bag containing on-flight entertainment is also recommend (don’t bother with the glossy magazines, who are you fooling — you want be relaxing and reading). Pack your bag with activities to keep your child(ren)’s hands and attention occupied during pre-boarding and on the flight.
Bring back a souvenir. I’m not talking miniature spoons or t-shirts here (Read: “I survived an international flight with a toddler”). The souvenir I’m talking about won’t collect dust on a shelf. Collect the moments you experience with your child, take pictures with your eyes and capture them in your heart. They will remember this adventure, perhaps not seeing a certain landmark or visiting a specific place, but the feelings of wonder and curiosity will linger. You have sparked their wanderlust. For the details they may forget, give them a 
This has been my experience flying with small children internationally, and these are the tips I have learned along the way. No “mother code” invoked. It can be stressful, but it can also be life-changing. You’re opening their eyes to the world, and you will see the world in a new perspective as a result. With several trips taken since our first cross-Atlantic flight, the newborn days of travel are behind us. We are more confident parents and more confident travelers. There’s only one thing left to plan – Where to Next?
It has been 18 days since Chad and I have returned from the Galapagos Islands, but it seems like a lifetime ago. Almost like a dream. Were we really even there? The Galapagos are so otherworldly, that as soon as you leave, you feel very far removed from your time there.
Day 1: We stayed at Iguana Crossings Hotel, which, by all accounts, is the nicest hotel in Puerto Villamil. The hotel is an eco-hotel and is the most innovative on the island. It is also beach front, so spring for an ocean view room. Behind the hotel is a wildlife-filled lagoon. The only problem with staying at an eco-hotel is the water use restrictions. The water in the faucets and the showers were timed to 8 seconds, so you had to keep pressing to have the water flow. Doesn’t seem so bad for the sink, but try showering in 8 second intervals! Also, the water takes some time to get hot. Other than that, the hotel is lovely, the staff is very friendly, and the full breakfast (included with the room) is delicious. 
This is the view from our balcony:
And this is the view from our bathroom: 
It’s kinda nice to wake up to a flock of social flamingos cackling outside. Also, the sunset view wasn’t too shabby either! This is unfiltered, by the way:
The hotel is aptly named since it does indeed sit right before an actual crossing for iguanas; and for whatever reason, when they cross the dirt road, they do so at the actual crossing.
But we didn’t have too much time to linger on property, because just two hours after we landed, we were already off to our first adventure: a trip to Las Tintoreras! Las Tintoreras is a chain of small islets. You must take a boat from the harbor about 10 minutes away to reach the small island. On the way, you see plenty of manta rays and sea turtles. 
Prior to reaching Las Tintoreras, the boat took us on a small sea cruise where we spotted our first blue footed boobies and a penguin!
We also met some local fishermen who were cleaning their day’s catch – the large and sweetly delicious Galapagos lobster, which we later ate for dinner that night.
Upon arrival, we were greeted by the plentiful 
We disembarked from the small boat and began our island exploration.
But for the wildlife, the island is uninhabited, and you must visit the island with a naturalist guide. There is a trail full of iguanas (so watch your step) that leads to a bay that is located within a volcanic crack. From the crack, you can see white tip reef sharks.
If you continue to follow the trail, you will find yourself on a deserted beach where sea lions hang out.
From there, you must turn around to return to the location where you boarded the boat and go to another little snorkel spot. Upon returning from the trip, we were greeted at the port with more lounging sea lions.
Day 2: Today we had an early morning tour to Los Tuneles, a place where lava flows formed unique, arcs, tunnels, tubes, and lava bridges both above and below the ocean and offers some of the best snorkeling on Isabela Island; and, according to Chad, the best snorkel he had in all of the Galapagos! It was a regular ole’ sea sanctuary. It takes about 45 minutes to get there by boat, and, honestly, the waters can be kinda rough on the ride out. We weren’t too worried because our captain was a man they called the Ecuadorian John Travolta (and, I am still kicking myself for not getting a picture of him because he did look like a pudgier, Latin American John Travolta!), and his first mate was JESUS (of whom I managed to get a picture).
Is it not total perfection that he is holding a fish? So, on the way to Los Tunneles, you pass this rock where penguins usually hang, so the boat will stop to scope them out (cue major sea sickness, even if you aren’t prone to it). While you are busy spotting birds, Jesus throws out clear fishing line from a spool (like, he doesn’t even use a fishing rod) that has a hook at the end, and within seconds, he is pulling up fish by the dozens.
Snorkel time! In case you were wondering, while the water is clear, it is also cold (about 65 degrees Fahrenheit). Pretty much every tour operator has wet suits, masks, and fins for your use while snorkeling, and everyone went in with a wet suit.
After hitting two snorkel spots, you make your last stop at Los Tunneles, where you disembark and explore the lava tunnels and all the boobies waiting to welcome you! By the way, these pictures do not do this magnificent place any justice, like not at all.
Another fun fact about this incredible place – see the tall skinny cacti in the picture below? These are called candelabra cacti. They grow out of the volcanic rock at the rate of one centimeter per year (or about one meter every hundred years); so, the cactus on the left hand side of this picture is about 400-500 YEARS OLD! Pretty amazing, right? 
Once back on Isabela, I stopped by for a visit with my sea lion friend again. 
We had the rest of the afternoon free, so we decided to do some independent exploration. Every morning, we saw this bridge, and we wondered where it went, so we decided to find out.
The trail is about a mile long on pretty flat terrain. It is a scenic route that has two flamingo lagoons along the way. It also has some cute little rest areas.
But, it is what is at the end of the trail that is the real treat- a giant tortoise breeding center!
And, in case you missed the first sign, there is this one here:
Honestly, we are glad we came here because there were hardly any people, it is not at all touristy, it is free, and there are several tortoises from all stages of life in different pens. Also, not to spoil it for you, but this breeding center was way bigger, had many more turtles, and was way more impressive than the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz. Sorry, Charlie, but that’s the truth!
Day 3: Today’s itinerary called for a hike up Sierra Negra Volcano. You know, prior to this day, I was complaining to Chad that I did not think we were getting enough exercise on this trip; and then the volcano day arrived, and I shut up. For the rest of the trip.
Do not be deceived by the start of this trail. You hike on a road like this for about two hours. Not so bad, right? Looks kind of flat. See how our guide is dressed? I was like, that’s a little over-kill. Then, about half way through, I understood. You are on the equator. You need a hat for this. And about a ton of sunscreen (like all over your face and legs; any exposed part really). And SPF lip balm. Or like a face mask, really.
Plus there are pretty flowers along the way that grow wildly: 
And fresh guava that you can eat:
After about two hours, you are rewarded with this view. But, this is about half way. You still have to walk around the rim. 
Rim walking:
This was a good time to take a little reflection break: Stunning views with almost no other hikers, it was so quiet and peaceful. 
Plus, about a million of these are in my shoes: 
You start to worry when you see the bones because at this point, you feel like you may die, too. 
But, as the sign reminds you, you still got more climbing to do: 
See the faint green back there. Well, that is where we got our first view up top after two stinking hours of climbing. Look at us now! 
At long last, we made it to the top of the easier route. This is where Internet comes from!! Just kidding. Kind of. These are GPS systems and seismographs. 
Okay, time to trek back down!
At the end of the pathway, you will reach a wooden landing that has benches on the left, and wooden poles to hang your stuff on either side. There are two staircases that lead down into the (cold!) water. This is what the lagoon looks like: 
You aren’t supposed to go past the rock in the middle. While we were visiting, one of those lazy sea lions decided he was hungry. He came waddling up the walk to the platform, made his way down the stairs, and shot like a bullet through the water looking for fish! 
This was a great way to spend our last day on Isabela, and I am so glad we didn’t miss this place. Unfortunately for us, all good things must come to an end; but, we were excited, because up next was Santa Cruz Island! Isabela is a special island in the Galapagos not to be missed – truly a nature lover’s paradise; and whether you are doing a cruise or a land-based itinerary, I HIGHLY recommend that you make a point of staying a couple of days here.
Have you ever dreamed of visiting the middle of the world? Well, you can, and we did just that for a day en route to the Galapagos Islands!
Did you notice that there is an O instead of a W for west? That is because in Spanish, the word for west is “oeste”!
However, in 2000, some Americans came with their fancy newfangled GPS and ruined the party for everyone! As it turns out, the true equatorial line is not actually located where the big Monument to the Equator was built (OOOOPPSS!). It is instead located at a site that is 240 meters (or .15 miles) north of the marked line. I mean, when you think about it, having a discrepancy of less than three football fields away for some 18th century scientist with primitive instruments is not too shabby. And now the Ecuadorians have two tourists attractions to offer its visitors! It’s a win-win, really.
The real Mitad del Mundo entrance fee is $4 USD, including the guided tour. Bring your passport with you because after your visit is over, you can get your passport stamped! Admittedly, the first part of the tour is a little cheesy and touristy, but towards the end, you see the true equatorial line and they have a bunch of exhibits and interactive experiments in which you can participate.
There is also a Coriolis effect demonstration to show you how water turns/drains based on what hemisphere you are in (clockwise, counterclockwise or straight down with no circular movement). Then there is an experiment that is kind of like taking a field sobriety test. Apparently, most people don’t have great balance on the equator; except for me! I have excellent balance on the equator (thanks, Pilates!). They ask you to stand on the equatorial line with you arms out, hand open with thumbs up, head up, eyes closed, and walk the line heel to toe. Most people stumble right off; except me. In the battle of me vs. the equator, I win (Chad, not so much)!
Once the experiments are over, you are lead through their gift shop (of course), and then, on your way out, you can get your passport stamped with this cool little stamp!
If you have just one day to visit Quito, make it a Monday. Why Monday, you ask? Well, every Monday morning at around 11:00 a.m., the president of Ecuador comes out to say, “Hola,” and gives a progress report. Pageantry ensues. Think of it as your welcome party. I did!
Unlike some other Latin American cities (like Cartagena, for example), the street art scene hasn’t really taken off here, but there are a couple of pieces around the city.
There are other charming and, quite frankly, odd things about this city, too. For example, every day, the indigenous people from the surrounding villages come into town to sell their produce for really cheap on the streets. There is kind of a constant farmer’s market around the city, and they are typically traditionally dressed. That’s the charming part.
And then there is this guy. Apparently, he’s the weight police. He sits outside with a scale, and for $.25 USD, he will weigh you (by the way, the official currency in Ecuador is the U.S. Dollar). Why on earth anyone wants this service is beyond me. Public weighing?!? No, thanks! According to our guide, many people don’t have scales in their home, but they like to weigh themselves, so they come weekly, and some come daily. The only saving grace is that, apparently, you weigh 2 pounds less on the equator, which may be enough to have me just move here for good!
Another interesting facet to this city is that in Quito – more so than in other Latin American countries – the melding of the Catholic religion with the secular culture of the indigenous people is more pronounced and pervasive in daily life. Case in point: on almost every corner, you can find a Jesus store. These stores sell figurines that are supposed to be depictions of Jesus from all walks of life. People buy various “Jesus dolls” for prayer, offerings, and good luck. For example, we saw baby “Cheff” Boyardee Jesus and many other kinds of Jesus, like gaucho pilgrim Jesus, scales of justice Jesus (or as Chad called him, baby lawyer Jesus), and Pope Jesus. Please don’t construe this as sacrilege; rather, simply a statement of fact about what you will find in Quito.
People actually buy and use these Jesus dolls – as exemplified by this girl, who we saw checking into our flight back home with baby airplane Jesus.
And, you will find a cute and delicious ice cream spot called Dulce Placer Heladeria. Everything is homemade using local ingredients, and you can enjoy the ice cream on a small colonial balcony overlooking the neighborhood.
If you have more time to spend in Quito, consider a hike up Pichincha Volcano to the lookout point called Cruz Loma. If hiking isn’t your thing, take the TeleferiQo Cruz Loma, which is the highest aerial lift in the world, rising from 10,226 feet to 12,943 feet. There are also a few day trips that you can take, like a trip to the National Park of Cotopaxi and the Cotopaxi Volcano, a trip to the Mindo Nambillo Cloud Forest, a trip to the indigenous markets of Otavalo and/or CotaCachi, a trip to the Papallacta Thermal Baths, or the one I was most interested in, a day-trip to Lake Quilotoa, a crater lagoon.
I hope you enjoyed this post. Have you visited the middle of the world? If so, I would love to hear about it. Please send me an email or leave a comment below. If this post has inspired you to travel to Quito, helped you plan your trip there or gave you tips during your travels, I would also love to hear about it!
If you are a regular reader of this blog, then you know two things. The first is that I am a meticulous pre-trip planner, which includes taking all proper precautions for vaccines and clothing treatment before we go abroad and bringing the best bug repellent I can find along with us on trips. The second is that Chad and I seem to be on the Zika World Tour this year. By the time this year ends, we will have visited the Caribbean and South America four times, and we live in South Florida: the first location in the United States to report a Zika outbreak.
The colorful concrete rainbow that is the historic district in Cartagena, Colombia is certainly captivating, especially for photographers and architecture lovers alike. Every color on the spectrum can be found painted onto the colonial-styled buildings. Cartagena is eye candy for days. But how did the city get so colorful? Well, as the story goes, Cartagena originally had a law that required all buildings to be white. One day, a very entrepreneurial eye doctor (one who happened to own a paint company) convinced the government that the strong beams of the sun’s rays reflecting off of the city’s all white buildings was ruining its citizens’ eyesight. The city fathers agreed, the law was changed, and the doctor retired from medicine to preside over his booming paint business! Okay, I may be taking some editorial liberties on the retirement part, but I imagine that’s what happened. Regardless, thanks to this enterprising ophthalmologist, we now have a kaleidoscope of colors to enjoy in Cartagena!
To get here, you stay to the left of this church and go half way down the first street on your left hand side. The hotel will be on your right. By the way, this church is the Getsemani central meeting spot. At night, locals and some tourists alike join the sea of street vendors selling food from carts and street performers. In Cartagena, music is always playing. Every day and all day long.
The staff here is super friendly and very helpful. Our room was ready right away. It was a nice-sized room with a comfortable queen size bed. It had an air-conditioner unit and 3 fans, two in the room and one in the bathroom. This may seem like overkill, but it’s not. Cartagena is HOT AND HUMID! Maybe one of the hottest places I’ve been, and I am a South Florida girl! It’s hotter than “winter” in Thailand and Cambodia. Plus, it is so close to the equator that it feels hotter. It’s hot during the day and at night.
After checking in and dropping our bags, we made a bee-line into the walled city to meet our guide for our street food tour! This was sort of a last minute tour that we scheduled to fill the afternoon, but it ended up being one of the best because we got to try a lot of local street food from trusted vendors, learn some interesting things about the city, and see some beautiful street art. Most of the street food in Colombia is fried, so it is relatively safe to eat, but a good rule of thumb is to only eat from vendors that are actually cooking the food in front of you as opposed to vendors who are selling pre-made food.
Local made cheese and guava on the go:
The street artists here are very talented. If you have ever been to Wynwood in Miami, this is similar, but not quite as big as Wynwood. It does, however, have a more interesting story.
Along the way, I kept seeing small birds in cages hanging from trees. Our guide explained that these were peoples’ pets that they brought with them to work and hung in the trees through the work day. 
He also said to not be surprised if we saw locals “walking” their birds in the cages in the early mornings or evenings. I thought he was joking, and then one morning, we saw this:
Here is another fun fact we learned on this tour — all over the city you will see men selling coffee, candy and cigarettes:
And, while I certainly do not condone or recommend such things, if you are looking for a certain kind of “candy,” apparently, many of them also sell drugs. That’s right, drugs! According to our guide, they are all cartel-connected. Another fun fact, prostitution is legal in Colombia! I was starting to realize why Cartagena was such a popular bachelor party destination: beaches, casinos, drugs, and prostitutes! Sounds like a party! If you are interested in the back story on how our little drug-peddling friends ended up in Cartagena, like so many of the world’s woes, you can blame Hollywood! When filming the movie The Mission, the filmmakers realized there were not enough “native looking” Colombians around Cartagena; so, they imported over 500 of them to use as extras from the more remote interior regions of Colombia. Once they got there, these country natives decided that they liked the big city, wanted to stay, and needed something to do in order to make money. Yada, yada, yada, Colombia’s best known commodities (coffee and cocaine) are now readily available on the streets of Cartagena!
Had we caught the sunset, it would’ve looked something like this photo I found on the wonderful wide web: 
We also visited the Monastery and Chapel of Our Lady of the Candle.
Our next stop was to the San Felipe de Barajas Fort.
At the fort, we met this colorful lady:
By the way, these lady vendors in colorful dresses are everywhere. They are happy to pose for a picture…for a price! Here are some other colorful ladies you may run into in Cartagena, but these pictures are not mine. I just love them, so I am sharing.
From the fort, we our way to the old city, where we took a leisurely stroll around the old walled city admiring all the old colonial architecture and basking in the beautiful color of the buildings.
Inside the walled city, we visited the Sanctuary of Saint Peter Claver.
Right around the corner from the church is a small cigar shop that Bill Clinton frequented when he visited the city:
After our tour, we stopped for lunch at the delicious (and beautiful) Alma Restaurant.
This is where I discovered the delight of my life: Coconut Lemonade. After this encounter, I stopped for one everywhere we went, and, after taste testing a dozen or so, I can confirm that Alma makes it best. I think it’s the added touch of coconut shavings that makes it. Trust me, after a long hot day, this is like a cold, sweet oasis in your mouth! 
Alma is also where I got a major case of bathroom envy: 
And, in case you were wondering, Cartagena is just as beautiful at night as she is during the day:
And, like I said before, it is hot and humid in Cartagena, even at night, so if you see a popsicle shop (and you will because they are all over), pop in and treat yourself!
Day 3: Beach and Off the Beaten Path
On our way out, we were greeted by some roadside cows!
If you want to avoid this mess, you need to walk in the opposite direction for about 15 minutes towards the beach-front hostels. There is literally almost nobody on the beach here, and, in my opinion, this is the only enjoyable way to visit this beach.
In hindsight, I would probably skip this beach altogether and opt for a private boat to the Rosario Islands, not a public multi-island stop that vendors will try to sell you on the streets of Colombia. I researched this option before leaving and opted against it because I was being quoted $2,000.00 USD for private boat rental by some companies. After speaking to Camilo, he said he could arrange a tour for us on a private boat for $700.00 USD. Our hotel offered the best deal for a private boat tour on a pretty nice 28-foot boat for $400.00 USD for the day.
If you read this blog, then, like me, you probably have a passion for travel. A curiosity about the world. A desire for a more meaningful existence. I personally think that travel is one of the best educations and investments in you. Through travel, you learn about yourself, you learn about others, and you bridge the gap between yourself and that which was previously unknown to you. It is then that you realize that, despite different languages, cultures, and religious beliefs, most of the world is the same. In a way, travel erases fear and, sometimes, prejudices.
Truer words have never been spoken. As the saying goes, the only certainty in life is death and taxes. So, since you know you only have a limited amount of time on this planet, why not spend it living? I am not advocating that you just quit your job, shirk all your responsibilities, and run around the world living a gypsy life. What I am saying is make time to live. Go outside of your comfort zone. Try something new. Go somewhere new. Learn something new. Which brings me to my next philosophy:
Dreams are aspirational. Plans are more concrete. Travel doesn’t have to be a dream. It should be a plan. Make travel part of your plan. Pick a place that has always interested you, set aside some time (like literally request the time off of work and put it on your calendar, even if it is a year away), set a realistic budget (a little internet research and can help you determine how much it will cost to get there and stay there, and then add 10 to 20% so there are no surprises), and then work towards that goal (skip that morning coffee, and put the money in your travel fund; bring your lunch instead of going out, and put that money in your travel fund; walk instead of uber, and get exercise and a few more dollars for your travel fund). That way, you can
Because, let’s be honest, there is nothing worse than regret. And, 
You were meant for so much more than that! So, the next time you are feeling the pressures of work (and life), just remember,
Take some time out in your life to enjoy all that hard work and to fill your soul. You deserve an adventure! You deserve to
Okay, so that was 6 philosophies. I guess I was feeling generous. Anyway, I hope this post inspires you to take that trip that you have pushed to the back of your mind, and, as always, I would love to hear about it.
