Buenos Aires | Cycling through Buenos Aires | Buenos Aires is one of the southernmost capitals in the world and also an exciting city. Although there 

through - Fernwayer Travel Stories & Experiences

Argentina

Buenos Aires is one of the southernmost capitals in the world and also an exciting city. Although there are many ways to explore Argentine city life, biking is the most fun.

Biking is free in Buenos Aires, at least for a few hours. Using an app I downloaded to my phone, I spent the next few days biking around the Botanical Gardens, the best museums, art galleries, El Caminito, the riverfront, and the city's largest flea market (on weekends only!). While you’re at it, you can also visit one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world in Recoleta.

The bike paths are well developed, and if you follow the signs, you'll find the main points quickly. Be careful, helmets are not available. If you want to be on the safe side, rent one in one of the bike rentals.

Cycling through Buenos Aires

Colombia

Fruity, dry, red, white, sweet, sparkling — wine is delicious, and the best way to discover what this powerful potion has to offer is to take a bike tour through the vineyards (yes, on a bike). Mendoza is the best place to choose one of the hundreds of tour operators. 

Mendoza is the most popular wine-growing province in Argentina. And Bodega Tempus Alba has a perfect climate for growing high-quality grapes, and the majestic Andes Mountains provide the backdrop for some of the most beautiful pictures of vineyards to be found anywhere in the world.

Whether you're biking or not, a proper tasting tour will give you enough wine to come home tipsy. That's why I recommend eating well before your tour and taking a break when the magic of wine goes to your head.

I also spent some time hiking in the area, exploring the small villages in the area, and eating the best Argentine empanadas around. A trip for the senses, for sure.

Vineyards and boozy tours

Australia

The best thing about visiting Australia is that scenic views and spectacular nature are just a stone's throw away, no matter where you are. If you're in Sydney, you won't get a better view of the ocean than walking through Royal National Park and taking Bundeena Drive to Marley Walk.

Passing through scenic heathland with small trees, you'll soon come to a bushwalk through a denser forest. We saw many native bird species, including the famous cockatoo, had a dip in one of the pools along the way, and took stunning sunset photos as you look out over the wild ocean. The tourist highlight is Wedding Cake Rock, but our personal star was Marley Beach, a dreamy, hidden sandy beach where you can relax and dip your feet in the refreshing water.

You can rent a car and drive directly to Bundeena, but we decided to take the train from Sydney to Cronulla and from there take the ferry to Bundeena.

Day Hike: wedding Cake Rock

United States

Belize

Belize has hundreds of caves across the country. Located in Maya mountain, Barton Creek Cave extends 2 miles through stalactites and stalagmites and various other limestone formations with a river running through its length.

Mayans used the cave for religious ceremonies with more than 28 human remains found buried in the cave with food offerings, cooking pots, tools and hearths. Mayans believed the caves connected the living world and the underworld. 

Canoeing through the darkness guided by our headlamp and guide, we spotted skulls and pottery cemented Into the limestone. A solemn but exciting experience!

Spelunking in Belize

Canada

A visit to Fogo Island is all about the power of culture, art and community as catalysts for social and economic change. It’s a story of the indomitable spirit of people who refuse to give up their land.

First Impressions?  Minimalist winter scenery, it’s 🧊 season, one of Fogo Island’s seven  seasons. There are wooden Saltbox Houses, that must have leaped out of a child’s painting book. Reminders of fishing are everywhere. 

My favorite part of the trip is spending time with the islanders who do community orientations and cabin outings for visitors. These are people who are proud of their Irish or English heritage (seven or eight generations in Fogo Island notwithstanding) — who sing songs and tell stories of their ancestors, invite strangers into their homes to share salted cod and tea, take you on ski-doo for ice-fishing, teach you to forage for berries and show you how to preserve vegetables in mason jars to last through winter.

Far Away From Far Away

Chile

San Pedro de Atacama is an oasis within the driest desert in the world at the very north of Chile. At more than 8000 feet above sea level, it sits in the center of a ring of volcanoes, the most famous of them being Licancabur. A couple of them still spew smoke. 
🌋 | 🌋 | 🌋 
Volcano climbing, consequently, is a very popular activity here ('why climb the volcanoes?’ - I ask. ‘Because you can!’- says the guide) and we are quickly put on a 4-day program to acclimatize ourselves to the altitude - with progressively higher altitude hikes to prepare us for the final climb. My favorite part of the hikes is the opportunity to capture the colors of the altiplano! That and the thrill of walking through the Mars like topography of the Atacama desert. 
🧗‍♀️ 
Climb Licancabur if you are an experienced climber, Toco or Corona for one day climbs. And you will have bragging rights forever for having climbed a volcano!

Volcano Climbing

Guatapé, after￼￼￼ a long time without leaving our homes, the breeze, the nature around and the hiking up the majestic “piedra del Peñol” give you a sense of freedom and greatness! The trees, plants, grass mixing up with the green of the dam, leave a mark! 
The colorful tiny houses and murals around this little but warming town, are the top ingredient to complete your joy while walking throughout the passages and sharing stories with the locals around!

Colorful tiny town

Ecuador

In the Chocó Cloud Forest, in the Mashpi Reserve, in the midst of all the fog and mist, in a place so covered with trees that little sunlight comes through, is a fantastical cable ropeway. 200 feet above the forest bed, it feels more a part of the invisible skies than the earth below. 

One has to “pedal” to get from one end to the other after a short hike from the Mashpi Lodge. It’a an eco-activity atfter all. 

A memorable experience!

Sky biking

Philippines

France

Eclairs, ratatouille, fromage – mhmm, so yummy – paired with a glass of wine and pleasant company, a French cooking class is a trip for all the senses (and fun, too). We opted for a private cooking class in Paris with Léo, a chef who has cooked in several top restaurants throughout his life. 

The first dish we learned how to cook was a French cheese plate and handmade bread accompanied by filled vine leaves. After that, we learned about French cuisine, the main ingredients, preparation methods, history, and drank some more wine. We learned what ingredients make the French kitchen unique (wine, vinegar, and cheese) and made a delicious ratatouille, one of France's most popular vegetable dishes. 

We read you can also do these courses online, but you have to get the ingredients and tools beforehand. A good option for digital visitors!

French cuisine

Greece

Pyrgos is a trendy hilltop medieval village. It’s full of little winding, narrow streets constructed haphazardly on the hills alongside multi-colored houses and doors. We lose our way several times and keep looping back to the same point .. using that as an excuse to check out yet another local art gallery constructed unobtrusively into the hillside. 

During the 15th and 16th century, the locals defended themselves from pirates by erecting kastelias .. fortified buildings. Pyrgos has the best example of these medieval buildings on the island. It also has the oldest churches.

We stop at a home with a large blue door .. and the views are stunning but give an impression that Santorini is flat and covered by vineyards instead of being a caldera. 

The one fascinating feature of homes here is a long, deep chimney for ventilation. And the strong winds make howling noises through the chimneys.

In Pyrgos, we visited vineyards ... but that’s a different story.

Old Blue Doors

Iceland

On a snowy winter evening, we stand on a ridge and see the brightly-lit church through the mist ... an evocative but calming place. 

Very different from 1000 years ago as Vikings stood here and declared the laws of the land ... the oldest continuous two weeks in the summer parliament. People heard from their leaders, settled disputes and traded.

The best part of the Golden Circle circuit, Thingvellir National Park has hiking trails, waterfalls, summer cottages for the affluent (singer Björk has a home) and the Silfra fissure divers can explore between the American and Euroasian tectonic plates.

The sky is changing color. We should leave, we tell each other ... but we are drawn to the scenery like a moth to the flame.

Northern Mists

India

My taxi driver, Chand, tries his best to persuade me to change the plan - “K.R. Market is a complete mess in the rainy season”, he argues, and for effect, twists his head around to the back seat to look at my tunic, shakes his head, and declares woefully — “You will be covered in mud and smelly water”. Sadly for him, I can’t resist a wholesale flower market. 

At sunrise every day, the southern end of Avenue Road lines up with a couple hundred flower vendors. Business between 5 to 8 a.m. is hectic and noisy.. Since it’s well past 10 a.m. now, I weave my way instead through stalls of vegetables, fruits and spices to find the building where these vendors disappear to after their morning sales. 

Chand is right about the mulch smells and slushy floors.  Climb up to the second floor to find a quiet spot to view the action from above. Or wander through the narrow passages, as I do, stepping around baskets full of flowers. 

For the record, my tunic remains mud-and-slush-free.

Bed of Roses

Italy

A slow-paced night photo walk. On foot over odd shaped cobblestones. 

It does not start well as it starts raining even as we take a cab to Pantheon to meet our local photographer and lose a wallet in the cab. We miraculously get It back (another story) and we start our walk .. lethargic, in deference to summer, but still aware of art and life.

We walk from the Pantheon through Piazza Navona to Ponte Vittorio Emmanuel for views over to the Vatican.  The streets are wet, and Piazza Navona is teeming with Romans doing la passeggiata, an evening ritual I wish we could reapply in other cities. 

Later, joining the locals in their celebration of Summer along River Tiber (Lungo il Tivera Roma) well into midnight, it is easy to forget all about work and settle more definitively into a vacation frame-of-mind. 

Afterwards, a stroll to Campidoglio for priceless views of the illuminated Roman Forum, seems like just the thing to do.

To Rome, With Love

Mexico

Oaxaca is the most diverse state in Mexico, with the richest history of indigenous peoples and consequently the most fascinating and vibrant folk art in the country. In Oaxaca are so many different indigenous groups spread across numerous villages, and each of them is known for their unique works of art, from rugs to pottery, flowers, and paintings.

Street art in Oaxaca tells stories about Mexico, their struggles for independence and economic development, and against military dictatorship and US American influence. You can learn a lot from indigenous rights to natural disasters through street art in Oaxaca by walking through the streets and analyzing each mural.

For art lovers only

Morocco

Yves Saint Laurent gifted Jardin Majorelle to Marrakech, the city that adopted him and his partner in the 60s. They bought an electric-blue villa and its garden, preserved the vision of its original owner (landscape painter Jacques Majorelle), and opened it to the public. 

What makes this feel like a psychedelic mirage in the desert?

Hot pink bougainvillea bursting from terracotta planters. Architectural cacti in lemon-yellow planters. Bamboos growing against cobalt-blue walls. Colorful birds flitting through palm trees. Saint Laurent’s gorgeous collection of Moroccan art, that I totally covet. 

It also has a museum that features jewelry in a setting that our guide Khadija keeps referring to as “a dream”. A dark room with a star-spangled ceiling and low voltage spotlights shining on stunning jewelry sets.

Khadija’s right. Please let all my dreams be like this place.

Psychedelic Mirage

This is the view of The Red City, Marrakech’s medina from the panoramic terrace of Maison de la Photographie.

The museum of photographs is fascinating in how it came about – two famous photographers, Patrick Menac’h and Hamid Mergani, brought together their common passion for vintage Moroccan photography, and pooled their photos for the public to admire. Here I realize how black-and-white photos can dramatize the light-and-shadow effects in the medina.

From the terrace, you can have a glass of mint tea, and wonder about the thousands of satellite dishes that dominate the view. 

It’s peaceful here. On a clear day, you can see the snow-clad High Atlas Mountains. But you can’t see the chaos of Djemaa el-Fna, or hear shouts of ‘Balek!’ whenever donkey-carts come through laden with heavy goods. You can’t see the ‘hand of Fatima’ good-luck symbols painted on the carts after they have ambled past you. Or count the number of chickens being transported on the back of a groaning Vespa.

Pausing in the Frenzy

The riad sends a donkey called Couscous to meet us and pick up the luggage; the taxi will only go so far into the medina. 

As our merry procession winds through the narrow, confusing alleyways, we panic slightly. No problem, says a djelleba-clad staff member, you’ll have a map and cell phone to call if you’re lost. But he graciously accompanies us to our dinner booking and explains how we should get back to the riad. We leave invisible bread crumbs along the way – kebab shop, sweets stall, bakery etc. 

After a long meal, at 11:30 pm, the souks have closed, the streets look very different, and our bread crumbs have obviously gone to bed. It takes two wrong turns and much poring over the map before we find our way back. Our sense of adventure is fully piqued. 

Inside, the restored riad is palatial, with courtyards, heated pool, tiled terraces and stylish artwork. Breakfast is whenever you want, and wherever, says the charming Afaf. 

Shall we move in permanently, we wonder.

Riad Living

Norway

All my life, I called it |trom-sow|, but the locals insist on |troom-sa|. 

The drive through Andøya and Senja was so spectacular that we wanted to abandon our itinerary and stay on the islands overnight vs. driving into Tromsø. And then I would have missed a dramatic sunset/dawn. Everything - sky, sea, windows on buildings, Arctic Church, mountain tops - blazed fiery red for an hour before turning into several shades of blue, with bright pink thrown in for effect. It stayed like that all night long. 

The locals can’t seem to stop partying through Friday night all along Storgata, so the people-watching is riveting. We’ve got to sleep at some point, we kept telling each other.

Midnattsol

Spain

If you want to explore Spain on foot, you should definitely set out on one of the pilgrimage routes through the country. All routes lead to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, which is located in the northwest. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Camino de Santiago has been named a central point of cultural exchange – and a historical highlight that shows what medieval Spain looked like. We chose to follow the famous Camino Frances. The original 800km route takes 5 weeks, but we decided to get in a little later, we only had 11 days, and opted for the route starting in the Galician town of Sarria. Along the way, you'll meet many other tourist pilgrims, but you'll also be able to immerse yourself in the local culture and taste Spain's best delicacies (tapas, seafood, and Spanish Serrano ham). Be prepared for a lot of walking – and take the best walking boots you have. We’ve enjoyed every minute, but some people we met had the wrong equipment, complaining about blisters.

The “French” pilgrimage route

A road trip through Spain is literally the best option for those looking for a local, less touristic experience. You can basically rent a car anywhere you want – we started in Barcelona, heading down the coast, and taking stops in Ebro Delta and Denia and other sleepy beach towns down the road. One of our highlights was the Spanish town of Cartagena – a historical hub with beautiful angled roads, traditional culture to explore (expect to be invited to some Cerveza by the locals), and history lessons about Phoenician traders, Roman soldiers, and Christian Reconquistas. If you have some days left, visiting Andalusia is a must. It's by far the most beautiful region in Spain and is known for its majestic horse breed, pristine beaches, hot weather, and super friendly culture. 
All in all, it took us two weeks to get down the coast – but you can make it in a week as well – though you might have less time to explore, sunbathe, and learn about the history of Spain

Off-the-beaten-path

Tanzania

On a cool morning drive in Ngorongoro Crater, we meet a pride of eleven hungry lions —  lean and menacing. We stay with them for five hours through several hunting attempts . 

🦁

One of the lionesses spots a herd of zebras. She masterfully rounds them up and sends them in the direction of her waiting pride. At the last minute though, the zebras, finding new energy or a brilliant leader, take a united front and flee. The zebras will live another day. 

Well, hello there! - say the lions to a group of wild buffaloes .. and quickly dissolve into the grass. The buffaloes can smell the lions. They start backing up and eventually escape. 

Next, the younger lions eye an ostrich In the distance. But it fluffs up its feathers with a disdainful air, and runs away.

- P  A  T  I  E  N  C  E  -

Mobile food is awfully hard to get your paws on. The lions decide to lie in the grass and wait it out. Someone will come by. It’s just a matter of time.

A Matter of Life

United Kingdom

I once owned a MINI Cooper. 

On a recent trip to Morocco, I had a l-o-n-g layover in London between planes at Heathrow and Gatwick. So I organized to meet my charming chauffeur of smallcarBIGCITY at Paddington Station for a personal tour of London in a vintage red Mini. 

I may have been jet-lagged but I remember the Beatles blaring on the stereo. And of cruising through St. James Park as sunlight broke through the morning fog. A scandalous story about why Green Park has no flowers. Quirky bits of history. Narrow, cobbled streets that only a Mini can negotiate. Crowds outside Buckingham Palace. The legend of the Noses of Soho. Saturday markets. Floral Street in Covent Garden. Whizzing past sparkling new Routemaster buses. The story behind “London Bridge is falling down”. And my favorite view of London from inside a Mini on Westminster Bridge.

All the while, passers-by waved, smiled and photographed us. I felt like a mini celebrity!

Mini-Tour

Our plan: To walk through the magnificent Quiraing and climb to the base of the Needle, a 120 ft jagged pinnacle, for views of the Outer Hebrides.  

Weather forecast? Fair, says Harry, the winds will blow away the clouds and midges.

Highlights from the photo-hike: ☀️Awe-inspiring view of Loch Cleat (above). 💦 Scrambling over the steep cliffs on springy heather. 🐾 Checking out the structures that have been named — The Needle, The Prison, The Table — and naming those that haven’t. ⚡️Noting the exact moment when the weather turns on us. ❄️ Getting shrouded in mist and fog, and unwittingly playing hide-and-seek at the top of the ridge (this is, after all, where locals hid their sheep from raiding Vikings). 💨 Howling winds over 50 mph trying to gust us off the slopes. 💧Rain coming down in full force. ☁️ Feeling my spine tingle as clouds swirl around me in this unreal landscape.

Cinematic Drama

Pillowcase or jack-o’-lantern bucket?

It’s Halloween time in Beacon Hill in Boston. After much consideration, I decide that I am too old to collect candy from my generous neighbors.

So I pick up my camera instead and wander through Boston’s most historic neighborhood to celebrate its annual Halloween tradition.
🎃 
Since the 1970s, this is one day when the charming tree-lined streets of Beacon Hill get packed ..
 
.. with costumed pets and people, infants dressed as pumpkins to the elderly dressed in traditional witching gear.

Watch out for the brooms. 

I run into a friend dressed up as Jamie Lannister from the Game of Thrones, complete with chopped arm hanging around his neck.

There’s a dog dressed up as a skunk.

A house on Pinckney Street is showing black-and-white Dracula movies.

Beacon Hill has the perfect Halloween atmosphere with the wrought iron, cobblestones, narrow alleys and seriously all-out decoration.
👻
So, trick or treat?

The Bonneville Salt Flats are not to be missed! A slight detour off I-80 near the UT/NV is a moon-like alternate universe not to be missed. Go for a quick run through the salt flats or just stop for a quick photo op or picnic!

Running On The Moon (UT)

Antelope Canyon may be the most famous of Utah’s slot canyons,  but if you want to avoid the large crowds, go to Buckskin Gulch - harder to reach but possibly, more enjoyable.

Wire Pass, a gorge carved through the Cockscomb by Coyote Wash, is the most popular entry route into Buckskin Gulch. It takes 1.7 miles to get to the slot canyon from the trailhead. Wire Pass is short, less than half a mile, but its slot canyon is even more confined than Buckskin, and makes for spectacular photos.

Buckskin Gulch twists its way for another 13 surreal miles, but we turn back after a couple of miles to head back to the trailhead. We’ve stopped every few feet to capture various angles of the rock and light - and literally run out of time. You could certainly do a wonderful all-day hike here.

Through the Wire

I have traveled to Moab, Utah on more than one occasion and every time it has been an absolute blast! This small, more local town is home to some amazing things that you can’t find anywhere else. 

There is a place there that I travel to every time called Mill Creek Canyon. It is a short hike to a watering hole that supplies the river you will have to cross more than once. Once you reach the watering hole, you will find an amazing view and usually many friendly people depending on what time you go. 

Now, it can get pretty hot in Utah so don’t forget the water and the sunblock, as well as a swimming suit!

The main attraction there is the cliff jumping! You can climb up the small waterfall and there will be a small ledge where you can jump from into the freezing water below. Let me tell you, it’s an absolute blast that you will never forget! 

I highly recommend this location to all people, even if you’re just passing through

Hope to see you in Moab!

Cycling through Buenos Aires

Vineyards and boozy tours

Day Hike: wedding Cake Rock

Spelunking in Belize

Far Away From Far Away

Volcano Climbing

Colorful tiny town

Sky biking

French cuisine

Old Blue Doors

Northern Mists

Bed of Roses

To Rome, With Love

For art lovers only

Psychedelic Mirage

Pausing in the Frenzy

Riad Living

Midnattsol

The “French” pilgrimage route

Off-the-beaten-path

A Matter of Life

Mini-Tour

Cinematic Drama

Boo

Running On The Moon (UT)

Through the Wire

Living it up in Moab

Argentina

Buenos Aires

Cycling through Buenos Aires

Mendoza Province

Vineyards and boozy tours

Australia

New South Wales

Day Hike: wedding Cake Rock

Belize

Cayo District

Spelunking in Belize

Canada

Newfoundland and Labrador

Far Away From Far Away

Chile

Antofagasta

Volcano Climbing

Colombia

Antioquia

Colorful tiny town

Ecuador

Pichincha

Sky biking

France

Île-de-France

French cuisine

Greece

Decentralized Administration of the Aegean

Old Blue Doors

Iceland

Southern Region

Northern Mists

India

Karnataka

Bed of Roses

Italy

Lazio

To Rome, With Love

Mexico

Oaxaca

For art lovers only

Morocco

Marrakesh-Safi

Psychedelic Mirage

Pausing in the Frenzy

Riad Living

Norway

Troms og Finnmark fylke

Midnattsol

Spain

Navarre

The “French” pilgrimage route

Region of Murcia

Off-the-beaten-path

Tanzania

Arusha Region

A Matter of Life

United Kingdom

England

Mini-Tour

Scotland

Cinematic Drama

United States

Massachusetts

Boo

Utah

Running On The Moon (UT)

Through the Wire

Living it up in Moab